Dave Earley and Dave Wheeler. Evangelism Is: How To Share Jesus With Passion and Confidence. B and H Books, 2010.
Referenced in: Approaches to Evangelism – Missionally Responsive/Evangelical
LifeandLeadership.com Summary
This is in the same encyclopedic/reference genre as Scott Dawson’s Complete Evangelism Guidebook, with the difference that Dawson culls wisdom from over 50 contributors, as to where Early and Wheeler reflect their own learning and experience. Each author is a professor at Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, which indicates a strong conservative evangelical orientation. This is reflected in the book’s emphasis on “personal evangelism,” and the belief that to become “a spiritual change agent, a difference maker, and impact player for Jesus Christ” also “makes your name known in hell.” (v) The authors have a combined 60 years of personal evangelism experience distilled into 40 brief chapters that are designed to increase one’s passion and confidence in sharing Jesus.
Since the book addresses what Evangelism Is… the preface includes a discussion of what evangelism Is Not. Evangelism is not… a choice, just passing on information, a spiritual gift, just something you do, in competition with discipleship, based on your personality, the same as “missions,” acting arrogant or superior, meant to be silenced by fear, a theological dilemma (“theology without evangelism is not Christian theology at all”).
From there, the authors share over 300 pages of what Evangelism Is, expressed in four sections covering the motive (part one), meaning (part two), manner (part three) and methods (part four). The appendices include resource list on “sample methods for sharing your faith.”
This volume is a good collection of teaching, encouragement, inspiration, idea generation, and practical equipment for those who take personal evangelism seriously. Its purpose is not to be a detailed guide, but an instructive and motivational manual to inspire confidence and move people to action as God’s agents of reconciliation.
From the Publisher
Evangelism Is … contains forty brief chapters of high-octane, rut-breaking equipment, empowerment, and encouragement for all who are ready to share Jesus more passionately and confidently with others. Each call-to-action entry stands alone but can easily be connected to other chapters, all of them finishing the sentence that begins with the book’s title. For example, Evangelism Is … “Joyfully Intoxicating,” “The Real Business of Life,” “The Supreme Challenge of This Generation,” “Leading People to True Conversion,” “Washing Feet,” “Praying Prodigals Home,” “Empathy with Action,” “Giving a Logical Defense of Your Faith,” “A Family Affair,” etc.
The book’s appendix also includes articles on what evangelism is not, evangelism in the early church, and sharing Jesus, plus sample plans for sharing one’s faith.
About the Authors
Dave Earley is chairman of the Department of Pastoral Ministries and Church Expansion as well as director of the Center for Ministry Training and director of the Center for Church Planting at Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary in Lynchburg, Virginia.
David Wheeler is a North American Mission Board national missionary and associate director of the Center for Church Planting at Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.
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