EM524 - Principles of Evangelism

  • 0 Standard Tuition Fee
  • 4
    Credit Points
  • 0.125 EFT 
  • 7
    AQF level
  • evangelism missiolUnit Discipline

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will

A. Know and understand

  1. Biblical and theological perspectives on evangelism.
  2. Principles and practices of evangelism.
  3. Selected approaches to evangelism.

B. Be able to

  1. Discuss biblical and theological principles of evangelism.
  2. Analyse the principles and practice of evangelism.
  3. Employ the tools of cultural exegesis to facilitate evangelism in a specific context.
  4. Under supervision, participate in evangelistic activities.
  5. Evaluate selected approaches to evangelism.

C. Be in a position to

  1. Integrate perspectives from ‘Principles of Evangelism’ with their other theological and ministry studies.
  2. Engage in evangelism as a reflective practitioner.
  3. Employ the tools of cultural exegesis to facilitate evangelism in a specific context.

Content

Section A: Biblical and Theological Perspectives

  1. An examination of evangelistic proclamation in Acts and the other New Testament texts, with attention to what constitutes the gospel message and varied approaches according to audience;
  2. Divine sovereignty and human response, faith, conversion and baptism.
  3. Motivations for evangelism; the relation of proclamation to meeting human need.
  4. Proclamation, witness and presence; the place of evangelism in Christian education and worship.
  5. Hindrances to evangelism, including brief consideration of common objections to the gospel.

Section B: Principles of Evangelism

  1. The role of the evangelist: the vocation to be an evangelist; lifestyle and message; the role(s) of the congregation in the evangelist’s ministry.
  2. Communicating faith: person to person; through relationships; small groups; life networks; earning the right to speak; mass evangelism.
  3. Evangelism of various groups: for example youth, nominal church members, ethnic groups, secular humanists, factory workers.
  4. Appropriate evangelistic methods for different situations and contexts (including dialogue meetings, evangelistic church services, distinctive approaches for women and men); examination of two methods of personal evangelism.

Section C: Field Work

  1. Personal involvement (with supervision) in not less than 20 hours in specifically evangelistic programmes, including at least 5 hours of direct evangelism by the student.  These hours exclude preparation and writing-up time. This work should include both inter-personal and small group contexts, using the methods studied in topic 9. This work should include people known to the student as evangelist, and those unknown. Large group and media settings may also be used.

Set Readings

Prescribed

Allison, L. and M. Anderson, Going Public With the Gospel: Reviving Evangelistic Proclamation (Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2004).

Chapman, J., Know and Tell the Gospel (Sydney: Matthias Media, 1998).

Claydon, D., Connecting Across Cultures (Melbourne: Acorn Press, 2000.)

Claydon, D. (ed.), A New Vision, A New Heart, A Renewed Call (Pasadena: William Carey, 2005).

Cowan, S. B. and W. L. Craig, Five Views on Apologetics (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2000).

Drummond, L., Reaching GenerationNext: Effective Evangelism in Today’s Culture (Grand Rapids: Baker 2002).

Finney, J., Emerging Evangelism (London: Darton, Longman & Todd, 2004).

Hughes, B. and J. Bellamy, A Passion for Evangelism: Turning Vision into Action (Adelaide: OpenBook, 2004).

Kallenberg, B. J., Live to Tell: Evangelism for a Postmodern Age (Grand Rapids: Brazos, 2002).

Long, J., Emerging Hope: A Strategy for Reaching Postmodern Generations (2nd ed.; Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2004).

McQuoid, S., Sharing the Good News in C21: Evangelism in a Local Church Context (Carlisle: Paternoster, 2002).

Mittelberg, M., Building a Contagious Church: Revolutionizing the Way We View and Do Evangelism (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2000).

Pippert, R. M., Saltshaker Resources: An Evangelism Toolkit (Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2003).

Richardson, R., Evangelism Outside the Box: New Ways to Help People Experience the Good News (Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2000).

Sire, J. W., The Universe Next Door (4th ed.; Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2004).

Recommended

Little, P. & M. Little, Know Why You Believe (5th ed.; Wheaton, IL: Victor, 2003).