Comments on: Formation and Evangelism: Caveat and definitions http://becomingourselves.wordpress.com/2007/04/26/formation-and-evangelism-caveat-and-definitions/ Who else would we become? Wed, 01 Aug 2007 23:28:46 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Mike Farley http://becomingourselves.wordpress.com/2007/04/26/formation-and-evangelism-caveat-and-definitions/#comment-79 Mike Farley Sat, 26 May 2007 14:41:58 +0000 http://becomingourselves.wordpress.com/2007/04/26/formation-and-evangelism-caveat-and-definitions/#comment-79 "...use words of necessary.” Sorry! Typo! I meant "IF necessary." “…use words of necessary.”

Sorry! Typo! I meant “IF necessary.”

]]> By: Mike Farley http://becomingourselves.wordpress.com/2007/04/26/formation-and-evangelism-caveat-and-definitions/#comment-78 Mike Farley Sat, 26 May 2007 14:40:33 +0000 http://becomingourselves.wordpress.com/2007/04/26/formation-and-evangelism-caveat-and-definitions/#comment-78 Not sure if this helps or hinders, but St Francis of Assisi is often quoted as saying, "Preach the Gospel at all times; use words of necessary." Modern scholarship tends regard this as a later invention, probably based on his recorded words in Chapter XVII of his Rule of 1221, where Francis told the friars not to preach unless they had received the proper permission to do so. Then he added, “Let all the brothers, however, preach by their deeds.” Nonetheless, it seems to have a great deal to say about witnessing. I think my very favourite passage in Scripture about witnessing is John 4, where the Samaritan woman Jesus met at the well went off to her people, and before even beginning to get her tangled sex-life straightened out, witnessed so effectively that "many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman’s testimony..." Grace. It's all about the incredible economy of grace. Without grace, evangelism is so much tub-thumping, and witnessing, an exercise in self-righteousness! Not sure if this helps or hinders, but St Francis of Assisi is often quoted as saying, “Preach the Gospel at all times; use words of necessary.”

Modern scholarship tends regard this as a later invention, probably based on his recorded words in Chapter XVII of his Rule of 1221, where Francis told the friars not to preach unless they had received the proper permission to do so. Then he added, “Let all the brothers, however, preach by their deeds.”

Nonetheless, it seems to have a great deal to say about witnessing. I think my very favourite passage in Scripture about witnessing is John 4, where the Samaritan woman Jesus met at the well went off to her people, and before even beginning to get her tangled sex-life straightened out, witnessed so effectively that “many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman’s testimony…”

Grace. It’s all about the incredible economy of grace. Without grace, evangelism is so much tub-thumping, and witnessing, an exercise in self-righteousness!

]]> By: aegialia http://becomingourselves.wordpress.com/2007/04/26/formation-and-evangelism-caveat-and-definitions/#comment-62 aegialia Tue, 01 May 2007 22:45:41 +0000 http://becomingourselves.wordpress.com/2007/04/26/formation-and-evangelism-caveat-and-definitions/#comment-62 My point is that what that quote says is not evangelism, but witnessing. Maybe this will help. A biblical definition of evangelism seems to indicate living with the specific intent to share the gospel as much as possible, while living the life of a witness seems to include an openness to sharing the gospel if the topic or the person seems open to it, but focuses more on living, in general, Christian-ly. My point is that what that quote says is not evangelism, but witnessing. Maybe this will help. A biblical definition of evangelism seems to indicate living with the specific intent to share the gospel as much as possible, while living the life of a witness seems to include an openness to sharing the gospel if the topic or the person seems open to it, but focuses more on living, in general, Christian-ly.

]]> By: Nick Osborne http://becomingourselves.wordpress.com/2007/04/26/formation-and-evangelism-caveat-and-definitions/#comment-60 Nick Osborne Tue, 01 May 2007 00:30:09 +0000 http://becomingourselves.wordpress.com/2007/04/26/formation-and-evangelism-caveat-and-definitions/#comment-60 To quote your own post, could one not also say that evanglism... "is the living of a distinctly Christian life. It is being genuine and authentic to one’s belief in Christ through his or her lifestyle, the choices they make, etc. Hopefully, people will notice this. Sometimes, they don’t.... Living the life of [evangelism] also means being willing to share about Christ when it is appropriate in the context of the rest of a daily life lived for him." Given this definition, I'm having a hard time distinguishing between evangelist and witness, except the title. I understand the "evangelist" is part of the fivefold (or fourfold to some) ministry of Eph 4, but I think that the church today gives too narrow a definition of who an evangelist is and what she does. To quote your own post, could one not also say that evanglism…

“is the living of a distinctly Christian life. It is being genuine and authentic to one’s belief in Christ through his or her lifestyle, the choices they make, etc. Hopefully, people will notice this. Sometimes, they don’t…. Living the life of [evangelism] also means being willing to share about Christ when it is appropriate in the context of the rest of a daily life lived for him.”

Given this definition, I’m having a hard time distinguishing between evangelist and witness, except the title.

I understand the “evangelist” is part of the fivefold (or fourfold to some) ministry of Eph 4, but I think that the church today gives too narrow a definition of who an evangelist is and what she does.

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