Rethinking the Evangelistic Sermon
In an age when TV evangelist has become a term of ridicule, is it possible to preach evangelistically and well?
Myron Augsburger
July 1, 1990
Evangelism is at the heart of any church's mission, and yet few subjects elicit more nervousness and uncertainty. Pastors and congregations wrestle with what to do, individually and collectively. These concerns are the focus of the latest volume in Leadership's Mastering Ministry series: Mastering Outreach and Evangelism, co-authored by Myron Augsburger, Calvin Ratz, and Frank Tillapaugh, who represent diverse approaches. This article is taken from that book. Since day one, the church has used one method to reach out to people more frequently and more successfully than any other. It's the way the gospel was brought to Europe by Paul, and the way it spread throughout the West by the Dominican and Franciscan orders, among others. It was central in the life, worship, and outreach of the Reformation. It was the means by which lives were ignited and entire towns transformed in the great awakenings in this country. Today, it remains the one task, more than any other, that most congregations expect of their pastors. It is the main vehicle for communicating to them and the larger community God's grace and peace. I'm talking, of course, about preaching. A church can and should reach out to the community in a variety of ways. But throughout its history evangelistic preaching has been primary. All preaching seeks to communicate God's grace and peace, but evangelistic preaching is unique. Especially in a day when evangelistic preaching has gotten bad press, it deserves particular attention. Objections to Evangelistic Preaching
Despite its noble history, some preachers remain hesitant about evangelistic preaching. Many wonder about the place of the evangelistic sermon in a church setting, where the hearers supposedly are already believers. ...
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