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There are not many academic subjects that can be taught without having advanced training in that subject area. Anyone teaching the Gospel of Mark will have a PhD in New Testament and of course no one teaching Barth could do so without having a PhD in theology. Evangelism is a little different. I have never taken a course in evangelism, and yet I have been teaching it for 15 years here at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. My dirty little secret is that I have no qualifications for teaching a course that is required for Methodists and, judging from our church membership trends, should be required of all Presbyterian students. However, it is also the only course that I know of that every year causes angels to rejoice (Luke 15:10).Evangelism or proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom, is a central concept in the New Testament. Either as a noun or verb it is used over 120 times in the New Testament. Jesus demonstrates and declares the presence of the Kingdom and since we are sent as he is sent (John 20:21), we look at how individually and corporately we can also announce the coming kingdom in word and deed. One of the most difficult concepts for students to grasp is the holistic or “simple” nature of evangelism. Presenting the Good News is something that must be done with voice and hands, with our minds and with our hearts.
Somewhere in the early 20th century we allowed the larger culture to dichotomize our theology and our churches. It may be one of the greatest and most sudden theological shifts that have ever occurred. Nineteenth century Evangelicals could fight against slavery, and then sponsor “protracted” revival meetings in the same day. All of this would be part of their Christian witness. Today we find it odd that a person would protest against a war or advocate fair wages for the poor and then step out and share their faith with a Muslim neighbor. Too easily we have accepted the dichotomy that separates evangelistic witness from social justice. We can do better and we hope to do better here at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.
My wife and I recently returned from Egypt. As part of our trip, we visited a partner church in a village in upper Egypt. This particular church is concerned to witness to their Muslim neighbors, to disciple their young people in daily (yes, daily) Bible study meetings, they have developed a program to fight against female circumcision, the offer free medical clinics, they are building and rebuilding homes for the poor, and they have developed inexpensive solar water heaters for local villages. At the same time (and all of this with only one full-time pastor) they are planting churches in three local villages. They see all of this as of one fabric: responsible Christian witness. They would have no argument from the Orthodox, Catholics or Episcopalians in Egypt: all seem to have such a view of local Church witness. We should learn from Egyptian Christians.
At Pittsburgh Theological Seminary we struggle to reclaim a more responsible approach to Christian witness. We teach evangelism courses with an understanding that we are focusing on a particular dimension of Christian witness in the public square. The introductory course requires the students to pull out their Bibles and discover (or rediscover) the New Testament concept of “Good News” (euangelion). The Good News of the Kingdom involves justice for the poor, release for the captives and release from the power of judgment and sin (Luke 4). If widows are fed (Acts 6) the Gospel will be proclaimed. From this biblical foundation students are required to memorize basic verses of the Gospel message so that the message they deliver is God’s and not their own. We take time to listen to stories of conversion (what is often called testimonies) which broadens our understanding of how God works to bring people to faith.
In addition to studying the breadth of the Gospel message, we also study the contemporary context. Our western world is both an increasingly paganized as well as secularized existence. Church attendance and Christian identity continue to decline and our mainline churches are suffering more than most. We minister to smaller and smaller churches and to fewer and fewer churches each year. As we focus on our western context, facing cultural values and ethical messages head on, it is hoped that future pastors will be able to present a message to local communities that is meaningful and hopeful. The former missionary to India and leader in the World Council of Churches, J.E. Lesslie Newbigin made the comment many times that each and every local church must be a sign, and instrument and a foretaste of the Kingdom. As a foretaste, the local church should be unapologetic about its care for eth community and clear witness concerning the Lordship of Jesus Christ. If this is done well, local community leaders will defend the need to have a local church in their community, even if they personally are not people of faith. Social transformation and personal transformation both come from divine worship of Jesus Christ as God incarnate.
Through the years, I have found that evangelism is whispered by Presbyterians, but social justice is shouted. We are often proud of generic religion (“God”), but embarrassed by “name brand” religion (Jesus Christ). Our evangelism courses are designed to help students in all humility, proclaim the good name of Jesus Christ with joy and frequency. What a gift we will be giving the mainline churches if we produce students who build churches that are signposts of the Kingdom and that are eager to start new worshipping and evangelizing communities. This is our prayer.
“For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all and therefore all died. And he died for all that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for him who died for them and was raised again.” (II Corinthians 5:14f)