Comments on: Does Evangelism HAVE to mean converting the unconverted?: Part 1

By: Does Evangelism HAVE to Mean Converting the Unconverted? Part 3: The Crusades | EarlBarnett.com

Sun, 20 Apr 2008 12:29:51 +0000

[...] Part 1: What Does the Bible Say? Part 2: Early Medieval Christianity [...]

By: Does Evangelism HAVE to mean converting the unconverted? Part 2: Early Medieval Christianity | EarlBarnett.com

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 12:37:08 +0000

[...] Does Evangelism HAVE to mean converting the unconverted?: Part 1 [...]

By: Alan

Alan — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 17:47:39 +0000

Earl, OK. I see your point. I know in translating 1 and 2 Thessalonians, there was one place where “euangelizo” meant simply bringing a good report about something that was happening in Thessalonica. That’s also what I was referring to about it not always having the highly religious connotation we often think of.

So it should be an interesting discussion.

-Alan

By: Earl Barnett

Earl Barnett — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 13:20:59 +0000

Alan, I think this discussion could prove to be really interesting. ‘euangelizo’ does mean to preach the ‘good news’ but it doesn’t specify what precisely that ‘good news’ is and who it’s to be preached to.

I’ll try to have the next post up by Monday. hope the end of the semester’s going well.

Earl

By: Alan

Alan — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 02:15:57 +0000

For what it’s worth, the Catholic church and several Protestant denominations have an ecclesiology that wants as many people in the church so that some will come to faith. It’s us Donatist and Baptist types who still believe that the Church should be composed of believers.

Anyway, glad to see you taking the evangelism thing over. I think I may have had my fill for a little while.

I’m interested in hearing how evangelism wasn’t about bringing the gospel. Gospel is “euangelion” in NT Greek, and to evangelize or preach the gospel is “euangelizo.” So “euangelion” means “good message” and “euangelizo” means to bring the good message. Of course, it doesn’t always have the highly religious meaning we’ve given it, but the word relation is entirely unmistakable.

Nonetheless, I’m looking forward to reading, and I too like the focus of making disciples, not converts like we think of it in our day.

-Alan

By: Earl Barnett

Earl Barnett — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 23:24:56 +0000

Evangelism hasn’t always meant bringing the Gospel to the unconverted- That was a redefinition after Colonialization had become common practice in Europe. But more on that next time.

Do you have textual argument with my proposal?

thanks for commenting, as always.

Earl

By: Calvin

Calvin — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 23:20:41 +0000

I may be out of my league on this one, but can one really redefine words like this? I don’t disagree with anything you said. Actually, I quite think its a good idea. To be honest I’ve been saying for years that we need to concentrate on what most would term “discipleship.” My own view of evangelism is to simply view it as one side of discipleship, but I digress.

As you know, the Greek word from which we get evangelize simply means to bring good news. Which, I think words perfectly with what you want to say. So I’m not sure we need to redef…wait…you mean the colloquial definition, don’t you? Huh. Maybe rather than redefine convince people to associate less baggage with the term? Which, from a colloquial perspective, is perhaps tantamount to a redefinition.