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IN SEARCH OF A FOUNDATION FOR EVANGELISM

There are lots of books on evangelism. Like books on Christian theology, they can be grouped along several spectrums from practical to theoretical, conservative to liberal, Anglo to African-American to Latin American, and fundamentalist to historical-critical in hermeneutics. When asked to discuss the "five best books in evangelism," what criteria does one use? 

The systematic confusion that provides for many different theologies based on a variety of factors plagues the academic study of evangelism as well. It is worse with the field of evangelism, though, because far too little attention has been paid to fundamental systematic issues related to the field. In the last several decades a number of important studies have helped clarify the issues and bring clarity to the various meanings of the term "evangelism" and the ways in which theory and practice mutually inform each other. 

In looking at what are the best five books in evangelism, then, I want to pay attention to those which are making progress at these fundamental issues. Insights from such careful study will guide one's evaluation of other, more practical books. At the same time, there is no doubt that one's practice also informs the theory. 

A list of the best practical books would be very different. Richard Warren's The Purpose Driven Church: Growth without Compromising Your Message and Mission (Zondervan, 1995) is very important for the practice of evangelism. Studies about evangelism in various contexts have been important, notably R. Bakke's The Urban Christian (InterVarsity, 1987) and C.F. Stewart III, African American Church Growth: 12 Principles for Prophetic Ministry (Abingdon, 1994). The careful study of cultural contexts is absolutely critical to the effective practice of evangelism. Hence, the various books on American culture generally and the differences between generations, ethnic groups, and economic classes are essential. Other books, such as B. Gaventa's From Darkness to Light: Aspects of Conversion in the New Testament (Fortress, 1986) have contributed to the study of related subjects. 

However, there must be a firm theological and biblical basis for evaluating all of these different strategies in a careful and systematic way. Most of the conversations about various strategies, such as the controversies about the Church Growth Movement, are hopelessly confused because of inattention to fundamental issues. 

The weakness in my approach, however, is that many of those who have sought to give attention to fundamental issues have done so in ways that never connected with the practice of evangelism in concrete situations. All of the books discussed here give important indicators if not significant suggestions about the practice of evangelism. Five recent books that have given significant attention to these fundamental issues in evangelism will be discussed, followed by two additional books deserving honorable mention. 

D.J. Bosch, Transforming Mission: Paradigm Shifts in Theology of Mission (Orbis, 1991)

If there was one book I wish every seminarian and pastor would read, it would be Bosch's Transforming Mission. In this magisterial survey of the history of Christian missiology, Bosch provides a biblical, theological, and historical overview that is unparalleled in the literature. He adopts the understanding of paradigms from H. Küng who adapted it to religious history from the philosophy of science work of T. Kuhn. His four chapters on NT models of mission argue that the NT is a thoroughly missionary document. The later paradigms (Eastern Church, Roman Catholic, Protestant Reformation, and Enlightenment), he suggests, are all still with us in various ways. However, he suggests that we are in a moment of crisis because of changes in modern science, cross-cultural encounters, Western oppression of other cultures, and divisions between rich and poor. It is not sufficient to seek refuge in the paradigm that worked in an earlier time. Instead, a new, postmodern, ecumenical paradigm is emerging. Evangelicals may not agree with some of the postmodernist assumptions he adopts, but his overall analysis of our theological and missiological situation is compelling. 

Bosch understands evangelism as an essential part of the mission of the church, but not the whole of mission. It is primarily witness, but aims for a response. It is not church growth, but neither is it disconnected from it. Authentic evangelism is always contextual and cannot be divorced from the preaching and practicing of justice. 

Bosch takes seriously the post-enlightenment intellectual context in which we live. He acknowledges that the new paradigm is still emerging and yet thinks he can discern some of its contours. When one reads books like K.G. Ford's Jesus for a New Generation: Putting the Gospel in the Language of Xers (InterVarsity, 1995), Bosch's wisdom becomes apparent. The factors underlying Ford's experience as a member of Generation X are placed in the context of Christian intellectual history with great depth and weight. The twenty-eight page bibliography is extremely helpful. 

W.J. Abraham, The Logic of Evangelism (Wm.B. Eerdmans, 1989)

Of the evangelism books currently available, Abraham offers the deepest and most penetrating analysis of what evangelism is and ought to be. His argument is narrowly focused but has wide ramifications. He argues that the kingdom of God is at the heart of the gospel. He considers whether evangelism is best understood as either proclamation or church growth. He rejects both in favor of evangelism as initiation into the kingdom. His definition of evangelism is well worth memorizing and pondering deeply: "We can best improve our thinking on evangelism by conceiving it as that set of intentional activities which is governed by the goal of initiating people into the kingdom of God for the first time" (95). He then sketches out the six components of initiation, all of which must be included fully to begin the Christian life: conversion, baptism, morality, the creed, spiritual gifts, and disciplines. For example, it is insufficient for someone to experience the new birth in a powerful emotional experience if they are not then taught the basic doctrines of the Bible as contained in the Nicene Creed. Nor is correct doctrine and experience enough if one does not participate in a Christian community through the sacrament of baptism. Theological depth and a holistic approach to the Christian life make this book a powerful foundation for evangelistic practice. Abraham calls for a new catechumenate as a method for dealing with all of these concerns. 

O. Costas, Liberating News: A Theology of Contextual Evangelization (Wm.B. Eerdmans, 1989)

As a group, however loosely defined, Latin American liberation theologians have made many significant contributions to the theology of evangelism. Mortimer Arias' Announcing the Reign of God (Fortress, 1984) could easily have been included in any list of important books in evangelism. Costas' Liberating News serves three important functions. First, it reminds us of the contextual nature of all theological thinking. By taking seriously "the experience and sociohistorical location of the hermeneutical community" (10), it reminds us that other voices have contributions to make. We North Americans often presume that answers are simple and that we have been given the correct ones by God and it is our job to give them to the rest of the world. It simply is not so. Second, Costas reminds us that evangelism is primarily a communal activity. A communal, trinitarian God chooses to use communities as the base for the transformation of the world. Third, Costas argues that evangelization is liberating news that is prophetic and apostolic. It needs to be undertaken "from below-that is, from the depth of human suffering, where we find both sinners and the victims of sin" (31). Again, evangelism and its advocates in the North American context have all too often sided with the complacent and privileged and not taken seriously the poor and oppressed. Costas, Arias, and others are important and necessary reminders of an often-neglected aspect of biblical evangelism. 

W. Klaiber, Call and Response: Biblical Foundations of a Theology of Evangelism (Abingdon, 1997)

Klaiber tells his English readers that he is seeking to serve the cause of "mutual understanding and reconciliation"-understanding between evangelism and theological reflection, and reconciliation between preaching the gospel unambiguously and yet carefully searching the Scriptures to test the message. His book fulfills this task admirably. He asks pointed questions: How much like the gospel (German: evangelisch) is evangelism? How biblical is it? How pastoral is it? Klaiber defines evangelism as preaching the message of salvation. He is well acquainted with a great quantity of NT literature. When he speaks of conversion, he also relies on social scientific accounts. He gives two excurses on twentieth-century theologians and their views of the gospel and the ministry of evangelism. He takes on difficult questions of divine agency and human action, and to what extent even the human decision to accept God's grace is itself a work of grace and not a human work somehow earning salvation. Klaiber's concluding chapter on "Motivation and Method" is a fitting capstone for the long argument of the book. His discussion of the missionary congregation and its life of "gathering and scattering, in being called together and in being sent forth" as "necessary for her life as breathing in and breathing out is for human life" (199) is powerful. One wishes he would say more about the praxis of evangelism, until one remembers Klaiber's goal was "biblical foundations for a theology of evangelism." 

Bosch, Abraham, Costas, and Klaiber offer powerful theological tools by which to evaluate the more practical books in evangelism. Each of them offers criticisms of various aspects of evangelistic practice that are offered in many more practical books. By establishing a more solid biblical and theological foundation for evangelism, discussions about many practical and strategic decisions can be made in light of who we are as followers of Christ. 

G.G. Hunter III, Church for the Unchurched (Abingdon, 1996)

Of all the books mentioned here, Hunter's Church for the Unchurched is the most practical. Yet, it makes an important theological point in a new way-namely, that evangelism is best based in apostolic congregations. He calls them "apostolic" because they believe they are sent to reach unchurched persons, their theologies center on the gospel of early, apostolic Christianity, and they adapt to the language and culture of their target population. As always with Hunter, the strength of this book lies in its empirical basis. He has studied nine such congregations and offers ten features that account for most of the differences between traditional congregations and apostolic ones. He reports and summarizes specific ministries from these nine churches in ways that illustrate his more general conclusions. 

Honorable mention: Salter and Brueggemann

An honorable mention must go to D. Salter's American Evangelism: Its Theology and Practice (Baker,1996). He seeks to give a comprehensive account of the many different forms that evangelism has taken in the North American context, considering questions related to worship, psychology and sociology of evangelism, preaching, and structuring a church for evangelistic effectiveness. His discussion of definitions of evangelism is helpful. Again, the bibliography is wide and very helpful. On certain issues, like revivals, he gets very specific and provides helpful and practical suggestions. 

Another honorable mention must go to W. Brueggemann's Biblical Perspectives on Evangelism: Living in a Three-Storied Universe (Abingdon, 1993). He argues that the Bible is not a handbook for morality or doctrine, but "the articulation of imaginative models of reality in which 'text users,' i.e., readers in church and synagogue, are invited to participate." Even those of us who believe it is also a handbook for doctrine and morality will be impressed with the power of Brueggemann's narrative interpretation. He argues that evangelism is inviting persons to abandon other stories and instead live out the biblical stories to define their lives. 

By Scott J. Jones, Ph.D., John Wesley Fellow, UM Elder in the North Texas Conference, and McCreless Assistant Professor of Evangelism, Perkins School of Theology.