The Marks Of Evangelism #3: Christ-Centered

There are many messages being proclaimed. Some messages are anti-Christian, not by their explicit declaration against Christ but by their implicit denial of Christ’s truth. Other messages are pseudo-Christian, having the appearance of veracity while actually subverting the message breathed out by God (2 Timothy 2:16). There is only one Christian message, though, and it is the message of salvation alone, by grace alone, through faith alone. This is the message that comprises the bold proclamation of Paul; the primary pillar of his mystery is to reach others with this message.

The influence of this message prompts Paul’s prayer request to the Colossians. He writes to them: "At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison – that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak" (Colossians 4:3-4).

It’s a simple request, one that is often still uttered by Christians today who desire to be used by God. Despite their breadth, they maintain a level of depth and reveal four marks of a ministry of evangelism. They first affirm that a ministry of evangelism is prayer-initiated before reminding readers that it is also God-directed (1). Now, Paul writes about the message he seeks to declare a message, which he describes as the mystery of Christ and the reason for his imprisonment. Though Paul could preach many messages, he desired to preach nothing but Christ. He even writes, "Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!" (1 Corinthians 9:16).

This message is the central aspect of Paul’s ministry. Without it has no ministry because there is no message of salvation. He writes to the Corinthians that this message is both a stumbling block and foolishness, though it is the very message that the people need (1 Corinthians 1:18-31). By the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, the atonement of sin made salvation possible. Therefore, Christ is the central tenet of a ministry of evangelism.

Pau’s description of this message, though, is intriguing. He calls it ‘the mystery of Christ.’ He has already mentioned this mystery to the Colossians early on in his letter, writing that the mystery was one hidden but now revealed (Colossians 1:26). So what exactly is this mystery? The next verse tells us, explaining that the mystery was the Lord's inclusion of the Gentiles into His salvific plan (Colossians 1:27). Romans 10:12 describes it this way: "For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him." The work of Christ, then, is not exclusive but available to all who would call upon Him and trust the sufficiency of His work.

At the heart of a ministry of evangelism is Christ. Absent the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, it’s not the Christian message. Taking that further, absent Christ, it’s not Christian evangelism.  

(1) You can read the article on that point by clicking the following titles:

• Prayer-Initiated
• God-Directed

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