I’ve heard a lot of sermons and read a lot of articles lately about evangelism and everything mixed up with it.  Some people say that we should all be out on the street handing out tracts as often as possible, while others think that we should just lead quiet lives and set good examples for our neighbors.  I’m not going to side with either of these views in this article, but I’d like to give you a basic overview of both sides of the issue.

The Two Views

The most important place to look for answers and insight is the Bible.  Who would be better to look to besides the Creator of the universe Himself?

Take a look at Matthew 28:16-20 with me.  It says this: “Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.  Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  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.”  This is what many call “the Great Commission”, and most actively evangelical Christians use it as a reason for their work.  It’s hard to get past those words: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…”  Is this definite proof that we should all go “make disciples of all nations”, or was Jesus only addressing the Apostles?  There are reasons for both sides, which I will mention below.

Some people think that Jesus was talking to all Christians when he gave the Great Commission, and they take it as a command for all of us to go witness to our neighbors.  One argument is that the Apostles were just representatives of the whole church.  Another argument is that there were 500 other people listening when Jesus gave this command.  This comes from what Paul mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15:6 and Acts 8:1, 4.  In 1 Corinthians, he says “After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.” (talking about Jesus), and in Acts 8:1, 4, he says “And Saul was there, giving approval to his death. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria…Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.”  The thought is that there were 500 people who heard Jesus give the command, and that they scattered and preached the gospel all over the world.

The other view you can take on this is that Jesus was talking just to the Apostles, and to no one else.  An argument for this is that Matthew, Mark, and Acts all teach that the Great Commission was given to the eleven Apostles only.  Acts 1:1-2 says, “In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.”  This can be interpreted that Jesus gave instructions only to the Apostles after the resurrection, and that they don’t apply to us.  Matthew 28:16 says, “Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.”, and Mark 16:14-15 says, “Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven…He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.’”

No matter which view you take, the Bible makes it quite clear that you must be sent if you are going to preach the gospel.  Romans 10:14-15 says it all: “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?  And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’”  This can support either side of the subject, though it is more powerful in the hands of those who say that Jesus was talking solely to the Apostles.

What About Me?

As I said, I’m not here to tell you what to think or believe, but I just want to give you all the facts so you can make your own decision.  If you don’t know what to think, I suggest you 1) look at the evidence and learn all the facts, 2) talk to one of the leaders in your church about it, and see what they think, and 3) pray about it!  Nothing is more beautiful to God than a someone on their knees asking Him what to do in their lives.  He wants to guide us, but often times we just don’t want to listen to Him.  Ask God to show you things in the Bible that could help, or to bring people into your life who could help you with your quest for truth.

What Do You Think?

I don’t want this article to be just from one person’s point of view, so I want to know what you guys think about this issue.  Do you think that everyone should be evangelizing all the time?  Do you think that only those who are “chosen” should evangelize?  Or do you believe something in between?  I’d love to hear your thoughts, so if you have something to say, drop us a comment using the form at the bottom of this page and let us know.

~Ben