One thing that is in the heart of God, burning above everything else, is the salvation of man. Since the fall of man, His greatest priority has been to reconcile mankind unto Himself. Right at the heart of this mission is the act of evangelism. As Christians, we are not called just to know and sing about it but to make it the passion of our lives. God’s heart beats for the lost, and if we claim to be His children, we must share in His passion. Why is evangelism so important to God in the first place, and why should it be our passionate pursuit?
Throughout the Bible, it is very clear that proclaiming the Gospel, or evangelism, is God’s priority. Jesus says in Luke 19:10, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” This was His main agenda on earth, and it remains His heartbeat each passing day. The Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20 admonishes us, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” It is not a suggestion; it is a mandate. God does not wish for any to perish (2 Peter 3:9), and He has given us the responsibility to bring that message of salvation into the world. Evangelism is the heartbeat of God because His love for humanity is manifest through it. This is what John 3:16 says in summary: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Evangelism is the means by which God ensures that this love reaches into the soul of every individual, and He has called us all to be His messengers in doing this. The salvation of souls is His priority, and we in His church must embrace this with zeal and passion.
BEING UNLEASHED AS A CHURCH IN POSSESSING THE NATIONS
This is a call to lay the Gospel before every corner of our communities, workplaces, schools, and beyond. Evangelism is central to this vision because it is through the spread of the Gospel that nations are won to Christ. We cannot possess the nations without preaching the message of salvation. When a church is passionate about evangelism, it becomes a beacon of hope to the world. Proverbs 11:30 says, “He who wins souls is wise.” Therefore, a church that prioritises soul-winning aligns itself with God’s wisdom and His eternal purpose. Evangelism brings growth, transformation, and revival. It takes the focus off ourselves and places it where it needs to be: reaching the lost and building the Kingdom of God.
Making evangelism your personal passion as a believer is crucial to your spiritual growth and maturity. Jesus’ command to “Go and make disciples” is not just for church leaders or evangelists; it’s for every believer. When we share the Gospel, we are fulfilling the purpose for which we were created. 1 Corinthians 9:16 is a striking reminder of this truth: the Apostle Paul said, “Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel!” Paul understood that his life’s mission was tied to sharing the message of Christ. When we make evangelism a priority in our lives, we experience a deeper connection with God’s heart; we grow in boldness, and we see the Holy Spirit work in and through us. Additionally, evangelism strengthens our faith as we witness firsthand how the power of the Gospel transforms lives.
How do we develop this passion for evangelism? Let’s consider just a few examples. In a real sense, Paul’s evangelistic zeal was a result of a personal encounter with Jesus (Acts 9:1-19). He was motivated and driven by the love and grace he had received. Paul declared in 1 Corinthians 9:16, “Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel!” because he felt an urgency in preaching it. He was passionate because he understood the eternal impact of his message. A passion like Paul’s is developed through a personal encounter with Jesus and reminders of His saving grace. Even Jesus Himself showed how one could live a life of passionate evangelism. Matthew 9:36 says, “When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” The love Jesus had for people became His motivating factor in mission. As we learn to cultivate a heart for evangelism, we need to ask God to give us a heart of compassion towards the lost. As we start to see people through God’s eyes, God’s heart begins to beat through ours, motivating us to share the Good News.
In the book of Acts, we see the early church’s zeal for evangelism. After being filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter, John, and the other disciples preached the Gospel with boldness (Acts 4:29-31). Their passion emanated from being empowered by the Holy Spirit. To cultivate this passion, we must continually seek the filling of the Spirit, letting Him embolden us to be fearless in sharing the Gospel through continuous prayer. Prayer is indispensable for fostering an apostolic zeal because it tunes our hearts to the desire of God’s heart and allows the Holy Spirit to fill us with boldness to speak the Gospel. Note how the early church prayed for boldness and drew strength to preach. Similarly, if we want to see the fire of evangelism grow within us, we need to be in the presence of God through continual prayer.
In addition to prayer, the study of the Word of God is key to cultivating a zealous passion for evangelism. The Apostle Paul encourages Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:6b: “Continue to study the message about Jesus that you have already learned; that will help you to be strong.” Through studying the Scriptures, believers become deeply rooted in the truth of the Gospel and better understand the message of salvation. The Word of God exposes us to the reality of God’s love, the brokenness of humanity, and the urgency of sharing the Gospel. Growing in knowledge of the Word reveals the importance of sharing the Gospel with the lost, building a growing passion within us to share the truth with others. When we are armed with Scripture, we are not only aware of the need to preach the Gospel but are also equipped to do so. The Word sharpens our insight and steels our determination to herald the Good News with certainty.
Let us make God’s priority our zealous passion. Like Paul, let us declare, “Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel!” As we embrace this calling, may we be filled with the same fire that drove the early church to turn the world upside down. This is the time to ignite our passion for evangelism and rise up to save a never-dying soul for God!
Written by Elder Amos Atanga (Firestone Worship Centre)
