EM024-712 – Principles of Evangelism

Credit Points

12 Credit Points (CPS)

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will

A. Know and understand

Demonstrate Functional knowledge and understanding of evangelism.

B. Be able to

1. Critically Analyse the principles and practice of evangelism

2. Under supervision, Observe evangelistic practice

3. Demonstrate skills in evangelism

4.  Present Critical evidence-based perspectives on evangelism

C. Be in a position to

1. Applying perspectives and skills from ‘Principles of Evangelism’ to ministry practice as a reflective practitioner

Content

  1. Section A: Biblical and Theological Perspectives
    1. An examination of evangelistic proclamation in Acts and the other New Testament texts, with attention to what constitutes the gospel message and varied approaches according to audience;
    2. Divine sovereignty and human response, faith, conversion and baptism.
    3. Motivations for evangelism; the relation of proclamation to meeting human need.
    4. Proclamation, witness and presence; the place of evangelism in Christian education and worship.
    5. Hindrances to evangelism, including brief consideration of common objections to the gospel.

    Section B: Principles of Evangelism

    1. The role of the evangelist: the vocation to be an evangelist; lifestyle and message; the role(s) of the congregation in the evangelist’s ministry.
    2. Communicating faith: person to person; through relationships; small groups; life networks; earning the right to speak; mass evangelism.
    3. Evangelism of various groups: for example youth, nominal church members, ethnic groups, secular humanists, factory workers.
    4. Appropriate evangelistic methods for different situations and contexts (including dialogue meetings, evangelistic church services, distinctive approaches for women and men); examination of two methods of personal evangelism.

    Section C: Field Work

    1. Personal involvement (with supervision) in not less than 20 hours in specifically evangelistic programmes, including at least 5 hours of direct evangelism by the student.  These hours exclude preparation and writing-up time.  This work should include both inter-personal and small group contexts, using the methods studied in topic 9.  This work should include people known to the student as evangelist, and those unknown.  Large group and media settings may also be used.