Church leadership
The Effect of Character on Evangelism
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Abstract
This study examines the embodiment of the totality of the effect of character on evangelism and church development. It entails the background of the study, scope, purpose, methodology, and limitations to which this research work is conducted. Various biblical periods, both the Old and New Testament, have articulated the concept of evangelism at different times, from the era of Abraham to the explosive methods of the Christ era. Evangelism is defined as the preaching of the Christian gospel with the objective of conversion. This study proffers strategies to energize good character as a primary tool for effective evangelism within local environments, specifically utilizing a case study of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM), Lugbe Branch, Abuja. It addresses how the behavior of believers serves as a “living Bible” to those around them, either drawing souls toward or pushing them away from the faith.
INTRODUCTION
In this course of study, we examine the embodiment of the totality of the effect of character on evangelism and church development. Various biblical periods, both the Old and New Testament, have articulated the concept of evangelism at different times. These eras include those of Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses (during the Exodus of the Israelites), and the era of Prophets and Kings such as Elijah, Elisha, Samuel, and David. The era of Christ introduced an explosive method of the evangelism matrix.
These dispensations have expressed one salient fact: the propagation of the supremacy of the sovereign God as the Almighty. Hence, it is not far-fetched to say that evangelism, which started from Abraham to Jesus Christ, is still ongoing and will remain so until the end of time. Evangelism is the preaching of the Christian gospel or the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others with a view toward conversion. The term is not restricted to any particular Christian tradition and should not be confused with Evangelicalism, a common term for a wide range of “Evangelical” Protestant churches and groups.
Christians who specialize in evangelism are often known as evangelists, whether they are in their home communities or living as missionaries in the field. Some Christian traditions consider evangelists to be in leadership positions; they may be found preaching to large meetings or in governance roles. The scriptures use the word evangelist in translations in the following books of the Bible: Acts 21:8, Ephesians 4:11, and 2 Timothy 4:5.
The message of Christian faith to new geographical areas and cultures is often referred to as evangelization. The word “Evangelist” comes from the Koine Greek word euangelion via Latinised Evangelium. The Greek word originally meant a reward given to the messenger for good news (eu = “good”, angello = “I bring a message”). Parallel texts of the Gospels reveal a synonymous relationship between the verb euangelizo and kerusso, which means “to proclaim.”
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
In recent times, our character as believers has become a subject that mirrors the faith we confess. Those around us no longer read the Bible; our traits and characters have become a “Bible” through which they see Jesus in a good or bad light, depending on the behavior we portray. This study intends to unravel the serious challenges our character poses as barriers to evangelism and church growth. Churches have deliberately relegated character to the background and enthroned materialism characterized by ineffectiveness and inefficiency due to a lack of good character possessed as children of God.
Hence, this study intends to resolve the following challenges:
- Attitudes of believers toward evangelism.
- Attitude of a believer toward her immediate neighbor.
- The impact of radical evangelism on church growth.
- Methods adopted by churches in evangelism.
Evangelism is the primary way Christ ascribed to believers through which salvation could be obtained. This involves personal witnessing of the resurrection of Christ, a priceless offer to mankind for the remission of sins and the subsequent inheritance of eternal life for those who believe.
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The objectives of this study are to examine the effect of character on evangelism in local assemblies and ensure that good character plays a positive role in applied strategies for fruitful evangelism. The study is aimed at achieving the following:
- To determine the importance of character in evangelism.
- To determine the methods to be adopted in positive evangelism.
- To determine the role of administrative leadership style in the development of a church.
- To ascertain whether evangelism is an indoor church programme or a community outreach.
- To recommend the best “panacea” for church growth and types of evangelism.
RESEARCH PROCEDURES AND QUESTIONS
This segment of the study examines the method, design, and characteristics of the study population, sampling procedure, and data collection. We relied heavily on quantitative and qualitative primary and secondary sources of data. To effectively answer the research question and present an empirical study, I have formulated a few empirical questions:
- Is effective character a catalyst for effective evangelism?
- Is evangelism a catalyst for the repositioning of church development?
- What role does character play in ensuring the actualization of church development?
- Could existing church administration be improved to meet current challenges?
- What are the impacts of a bad attitude toward evangelism in Christendom?
LITERATURE REVIEW: THEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES
Jesus, in His ministry on earth, showcased an exemplary character in His daily ministration of God’s words. This was followed by His disciples in the Acts of the Apostles. However, the subjects of evangelism and church growth in the Book of Acts have been unaccountably neglected in recent years. While many writers refer to Acts to support theology, few have detailed the impact of personal character traits, except for the incident in Acts Chapter 5:1-10 regarding Ananias and Sapphira, where the bad character of covetousness was displayed.
Theologians define character as a collection of personality traits within our behavior. Good character goes beyond mere words of being “born again”; it must be reflected in temperament and integrity. Apostle Luke sees evangelism as a commission that seeks and saves lost souls through the gospel of Christ. Luke communicates that evangelism and the behavioral approach of a believer amount to reasonable church growth, as character attracts seekers to salvation.
The Old Testament depicts “evangelism” as people coming to God, while the Lucan perspective demonstrates that God’s people (and indeed God Himself) will seek and go to the people. This is the transition from a “centripetal” missionary consciousness to a “centrifugal” missionary activity. The great turning point is the Resurrection, after which Jesus commissioned His disciples to universally preach the gospel.
METHODS OF EVANGELISM
To find the methods of evangelism that work best for your church, one must look for areas where God has gifted the congregation and concentrate on those strengths.
Lifestyle Evangelism
Every follower of Christ should conduct themselves according to the will of God; otherwise, they risk hypocrisy. Lifestyle evangelism is the idea that by living a Christ-centered lifestyle, we attract people to Christ. However, many use this as an excuse not to speak. For lifestyle evangelism to work, there must be oral communication that lets people know the source of your faith.
Friendship Evangelism
This is a method where you become friends with a non-believer and spend time developing trust before sharing the gospel. This is effective if done correctly but difficult if the believer hides their faith for too long, as revealing it later may feel uncomfortable for the friend.
Street Evangelism
This involves going out with the specific intent of talking to strangers. It requires directness, as you often only have a few seconds with the person. Street evangelism involves handing out tracts or engaging in conversation at public events.
CHURCH ADMINISTRATION AND LEADERSHIP
According to Dee Hock, no matter how well designed an organization is, it is only as good as the people who work in it. Leadership style determines performance. A good leader must first possess integrity, followed by motivation, capacity, understanding, and knowledge. Without integrity, motivation is dangerous. Leaders must define their strengths and build on them.
Leadership is a dynamic process where a leader influences the activities of followers toward the accomplishment of aims. As Bobby Clinton noted, a leader is a person with a God-given responsibility to influence a specific group toward His purposes. Spiritual leadership is moving people onto God’s agenda. Self-leadership is the greatest investment a leader can make; one must be clear about their calling and maintain a sustainable pace of ministry.
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