By: Monte Shanks, Ph.D., Assistant Professor at Liberty University’s School of Divinity
“. . . do the work of an evangelist . . .”
This verse makes more sense to me now after 30 years of ministry than it ever has. In order to explain why, a brief but true story is necessary in order to give some context. My father came to faith in Christ in a single day after being a committed atheist his entire adult life. It started when his third wife woke him up one Sunday morning and told him that he was going to church. His first question was “What are you talking about?” Her reason for going to church was that it was Easter. Next question, “But why!?” He was then informed that they were going because my step-siblings regularly went to church and that they should go with them at least once, and Easter was as good a day as any. Even more bewilder he asked “Church? What church?!” It was at that point that he learned that they went to a church that had a bus ministry, and since a bus drove by their house they were able to go to church. The salient point is that they weren’t going to church because my dad’s concern for their spiritual development. So dad dutifully got up, got dressed, and then went out to his car where he and Betty sat until the bus came and got the kids. He didn’t even know where the church was so he had to follow the bus. Upon arrival he walked through the church doors and (as he puts it) became immediately aware that “there really is a God.” After listening to the music and the announcements the pastor began his sermon. Within 20 minutes my dad knew in no uncertain terms that there was a literal Hell for which he was most assuredly destined. He has often told me that he actually feared having a heart attack before the sermon ended, thereby sealing his fate. Fortunately he “survived” the sermon and at its closing the pastor invited all who desired to receive Christ to come forward. So, as soon as the hymn of invitation began my dad was down the aisle. He was “gloriously saved” that very day, and ever since then he has been a changed man. My friends, that certainly was the result of the work of evangelism, but really when you think about it, it wasn’t hard work. Picking ripe fruit is never as strenuous as chiseling dry dense soil and planting seed during times of drought.
In the late 60s and early 70s (which is when my dad came to Christ) a lot ministries were busy picking ripe fruit. It is pretty interesting to listen to Christians talk about that period of revival because many have the impression that they “achieved” that great harvest because “they were doing it the right way.” Whenever I hear that I have to bite my tongue, and I have heard it a lot all over the country. An interesting fact about that period is that the Spirit moved in the hearts of many people through many different ministries irrespective of their denomination and theology. Baptist churches saw many come to faith in Christ (both independent and denominational), as did many other churches, such as Methodist, Presbyterian, Assemblies of God, and Non-denominational (both charismatic and non-charismatic); and lest we forget, many para-church ministries also enjoyed that period of great harvest. The truth about moments like these is that when the Spirit moves in such a way He loves being sloppy with his grace. As the old saying goes, “when it rains it pours.” Well, the bottom line for this blog is this, we are no longer in a season in which the labor predominantly involves picking up ripe fruit. Today, the work seems hard, harder than it has ever been during my lifetime. We now appear to be called to fields that are dry and hard, and as a result there seems to be fewer and fewer people interested in doing the work of evangelism. Consequently, we need more workers, not better methods.
Moreover, I am struck by the fact that the Spirit didn’t guide Paul to write “collect the fruit of the Spirit,” or “inform the elect of their calling,” or “get them to cry, come forward, and fill out a card,” or tell them “they can have their best life now.” No, Paul didn’t emphasize the audience or the end result, he emphasized the work. He called us to labor, not to manipulation. And what exactly is that labor? It is the constant and clear articulation of the gospel, which is “that there is no other name given among men by which we must be saved!” It is regularly calling people to “repent and be saved from this wicked and perverse generation!” It’s not being “ashamed of the gospel; for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes!” And lastly, it’s offering the gospel to anyone and everyone simply because “whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved!” It is the norm and not the exception that the work of an evangelist requires significant personal effort, spiritual sweat if you will. This labor is not about slick entertainment, or ensuring that your audience is comfortable, or about self-adulation. It requires faithful workers committed to “laboring” in dry and dusty fields if for no other reason than they share their Master’s passion. So, if you value “tolerance,” “sensitivity,” and “teachable moments,” then it’s not likely that during these days you will be inundated with opportunities to “do the work of an evangelist.” Nevertheless, one irreducible fact still remains: the more we communicate the gospel—in season and out—the more people will make decisions for Christ. Or as Paul put it, “How shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?”
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