The gospel is called good news for a reason. The holy and righteous God of the universe has provided a way for sinful people to be forgiven and have a restored relationship with Him! This news is too good to be kept a secret. It must be shared with the world.
But when it comes to sharing the gospel—the greatest story the world has ever known—many believers feel scared. In a 2022 Lifeway Research study, 42% of Christians said it’s scary to share the gospel with a nonbeliever. When fear and feelings of inadequacy fill a believer’s heart, it’s helpful to remember the purpose of evangelism in order to be grounded in the truth.
There are countless reasons to share the gospel, but here are a few to consider:
To Glorify God
“‘My name will be great among the nations, from where the sun rises to where it sets. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to me, because my name will be great among the nations,’ says the Lord Almighty.” -Malachi 1:11
The Westminster Shorter Catechism says, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.” When believers share the gospel, we make God’s name known across the Earth. Evangelism helps believers accomplish their chief end—to glorify God. If nothing else happens other than people knowing the name of Jesus, then our evangelism efforts have been worth it.
To Make Disciples of All Nations
“After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb.” -Revelation 7:9
God wants people from all nations and tribes to be a part of His family. Scripture promises that this will happen one day. When believers share the gospel around the world and people accept Jesus as their Savior, we are a part of fulfilling that promise. Evangelism helps ensure that disciples of all nations will one day worship the Lamb in Heaven.
To Fulfill God’s Commission
“‘Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’” -Matthew 28:19-20
If believers want to faithfully follow Jesus, that means obeying all of His commands—including the Great Commission. As J. Hudson Taylor once said, “The Great Commission is not an option to be considered; it is a command to be obeyed.” We don’t evangelize because we have to; we evangelize because we love our Lord and Savior and trust that He will be with us in this task.
To Save Souls
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.” -Romans 1:16
The gospel has the power to save anyone who believes in it. Nothing else can bring salvation. Good deeds, generosity, and kindness are all meaningless and empty without the gift of the gospel behind them. Believers share the gospel so that some—and hopefully many—will believe and be saved.
To Encourage Your Own Soul
“… and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.” -Philemon 6:6, ESV
Finally, sharing the gospel with others reminds us of the truth that saved us—that we are sinners deserving of God’s wrath, Jesus’ death paid the penalty for our sins, and we are redeemed if we believe and accept this free gift of salvation.
A follower of Christ never graduates from the gospel. Its truth should infuse every aspect of our lives and draw us into deeper devotion with God.
Evangelism is not just a command; it is a privilege to share the good news with the world that Jesus made a way for us to have a restored relationship with God. Sharing the gospel is a testimony of a believer’s gratitude to the One who is mighty to save.
Evangelizing the Lost
East-West is committed to leveraging creative platforms to strategically spread the gospel among the unreached. Our goal in sharing the good news is to ultimately connect new believers to local churches where they are discipled and sent out to continue the mission in their communities.
