CHAPTER 7 Defining Evangelizing - Evangelism Unlimited

Thomas P. Johnston 345
10. Because many professors of missions and evangelism480 are more comfortable with discipleship
(or mentoring), spiritual disciplines, church growth, leadership development, and community
transformation, than with a single-minded focus on the verbal proclamation of the gospel; they
sound no opposition to continuing with the status quo of translating euvaggeli,zw as “preach the
gospel”.
Rx. It is strange that many who teach or write about evangelism no longer practice it themselves
in an aggressive way; there seems to be a movement towards mediocrity in this area with the
pressures to publish and to please academia and antagonistic students.
11. Because likely, especially to unlearned Christians, seeing “evangelize” in the English text would
be the endorsement of religious fanaticism, evangelism; whereas those who currently read
euvaggeli,zw in the Greek or “evangelizare” Latin are limited to the learned and ordained.
Rx. Reaching the laity is the very reason that the word should be properly translated; it is very
difficult to motivate the learned to this task, as a large part of learning moves the learned
away from the fundamental truths of the Bible; hence Peter the Lombard’s Sentences moved
many a young monk into philosophical theology and scholasticism and away from
evangelizing!
12. Because unsophisticated Christian lay people, seeing “evangelize” in the text, would likely
confuse it with the modern practice of evangelism (see quote earlier in this section).
Rx. Seeing the word in the text given in the contexts given to us by God would have a
revolutionary impact on lay people; they would and could allow Scripture to interpret
Scripture, just as they are to do in other areas of theology and practice.
13. Because Christ could not expect all of His followers to be involved in such demeaning and
socially unacceptable behavior as evangelizing.
Rx. Fortunately, evangelizing is the joyful obligation and duty of every true believer in Christ;
many have considered evangelizing the touchstone of true conversion, based on Matt 10:32-
33; Mark 8:38; Luke 12:8-9
14. Because socially-unacceptable fanatical behavior already exists among some Christian groups,
even with the word “evangelize” translated as “preach”, and that fanaticism exists especially
among certain sectarian groups (e.g. Southern Baptists), young people, and other “simplistic”
readers; how much worse would that fanaticism be if these “literalistic” Christians actually saw
all or most of the 54/55 NT uses of “evangelize,” as in Luke-Acts (25 times) and the Pauline
epistles (23 times)—it might radically transform their approach to evangelism!
Rx. It is my prayer that God will transform the evangelizing of His people as they see this word
rightly translated in their Bibles!
May the astute reader read the above comments in context, as they constitute the reasoning which
may well have hindered the translation of the word euvaggeli,zw as “evangelize” in the English text of
the Bible for over 600 years. Let us now see reasons why it would be commendable for the New
Testament (and some Old Testament, e.g. Isa 52:7; 61:1) uses of euvaggeli,zw to be translated
“evangelize.”
480 For example, see David J. Bosch, Transforming Mission, 420.