Gairney Bridge

The subject of evangelism is certainly a popular one within the Christian church (even if actual activity of evangelism itself is not). Numerous books on evangelism exist, and some are very good (Will Metzger’s Tell the Truth, which I first read over 15 years ago, still is one of the best), and numerous evangelism programs abound (I even attended a Christianity Explored conference a few months back, but this isn’t so much a “program” as it is a means of presenting the gospel of Mark to unbelievers). Too often evangelism (or what passes for it in the modern church) is simply a way of getting warm bodies through the church doors; numbers, it is thought, are a sign that the church is fulfilling its mission for Christ. I keep recalling, however, a quote I read a few years back in Donald J. MacNair’s The Living Church: “Make no mistake about it, evangelism is not a cure-all for a sick church. … It is, rather a church’s response to a motivation that comes from another source. Evangelism is a church’s natural response of obedience to the command of God.” MacNair’s point is that evangelism is something that healthy churches do. When evangelism is done badly (e.g., revivalism during the Second Great Awakening), it can actually be detrimental to the church.

Enter another book of the subject of evangelism: Jesus the Evangelist by Richard D. Phillips (no relation). The subject matter of the book was a pleasant surprise; instead of looking at marketing techniques or the latest trends, Phillips decides to go back to (surprise surprise!) the Scriptures. In the introduction, he writes,

The Christian who wishes to serve God through the spread of His gospel, and whose love for others motivates him or her to share the gospel with those who are perishing in unbelief, would be wise to begin with a study of evangelism in the Scriptures. And there is no better place to start than with the accounts of the ministry of Jesus Himself, for Jesus was an evangelist.

Phillips examines three important chapters from the gospel of John with reference to the subject of evangelism (John chapters 1, 3, and 4). He begins by examining John the Baptist’s witness of Jesus. Here, Phillips discusses the principles behind evangelism. By examining the ministry of John the Baptist, we learn about such things as the characteristics of the Christian witness, the selflessness of the witness, and the absolute dependence on the Holy Spirit that the witness for Christ needs. This first section of the book (four chapters) is probably the slowest, but it is a necessary foundation for the remaining chapters.

The second part of Jesus the Evangelist deals with Jesus’ encounter with the Pharisee Nicodemus in one of the most beloved chapters in the Bible, John 3. Phillips refers to this section as “The Theology of the Gospel.” Here, the author discusses those dicey doctrinal issues surrounding evangelism: the necessity of the new birth, the meaning of faith, the proper understanding of God’s love in John 3:16. Not only are these issues often misunderstood by unbelievers, they are also often explained poorly by Christians. Here, Phillips is perhaps at his best, explaining difficult spiritual truths with clarity and compassion, providing a rich resource for both the novice layman and the seasoned saint. Using Jesus Himself as the supreme model, Phillips demonstrates how this issues can be explained to the unbeliever.

The final section of the book deals with the practical issues surrounding evangelism. Here, Phillips looks at Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman in John 4. These concluding chapters might be called “Evangelism in Action.” Phillips carefully examines how Jesus connected and interacted with other people, effectively explaining the truths of the gospel to them. Phillips discusses how Jesus bridges between routine conversation and discussion of spiritual truths through a discussion about water, and how Jesus addresses the difficulty of sin in the woman’s life. Finally, Phillips examines how the woman herself, after her encounter with the Lord, bears witness to the gospel to her fellow Samaritans. Phillips concludes the book with a helpful appendix discussing the relationship between evangelism and God’s sovereignty, fully acknowledging the helpfulness of J.I. Packer’s classic treatment on the subject, Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God.

I found this book to be very well-written and very informative. There is something for everyone here: for instance, Phillips is able to write clearly for the layman (his use of illustrations is great — I’ll never forget the way he uses a dead rat to explain man’s sin and God’s holiness!). The chapters read much like a well delivered sermon. But there is something for the experienced pastor here as well: Phillips continually brings out deep theological and exegetical insights that will enrich the study of Scripture for all Christians. For example, in the first chapter, the author points to similarities between the first chapter of John’s Gospel and the book of Genesis (and I mean beyond the obvious “In the beginning…”) that I had never considered before.

I read this book to see if it would be useful for a mid-week type of Bible study. I believe it will serve this purpose well. Phillips sticks to the text of John (always a plus!), but there are also helpful discussion questions at the end of each chapter, which always help facilitate group discussion. The book is short enough (roughly 200 pages) so that it will not be an intimidating or imposing length. Since there are 13 chapters, the book could also be accommodated to Sunday school classes.

Jesus the Evangelist is a good book to introduce Christians to the importance of evangelism in a winsome manner. Richard Phillips has done a great service for the church with this work. It is highly recommended, and can be purchased through Reformation Trust Publishing, a division of Ligonier Ministries.