A Modern World and an Old Jerusalem Gospel: Part 1

Allen Webster

Topic(s): Evangelism, Gospel

Links to this entire series:

• A Modern World and An Old Jerusalem Gospel: Part 1
• A Modern World and An Old Jerusalem Gospel: Part 2

The Gospel hasn’t changed for 22,920 months.[1] How it is made known to each passing generation has changed many times. The message is unchanging; the methods are ever-changing.

Some erroneously attempt to change the message, of course. This has been a problem since Paul’s day (Galatians 1:6-10). To them we simply say, the unchanged Gospel is still God’s uninhibited power to save the undying soul (Romans 1:16).  It does not need updating, it only needs unleashing. It does not need to be made relevant; it needs to be made known. It does not need to be adapted to our culture; our culture needs to be adapted to the Gospel. It does not need to be improved; it only needs to be obeyed (2 Thessalonians 1:8; Hebrews 5:8-9). The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the “same yesterday, today, forever,” as is He (Hebrews 13:8). The message never changes.

The methods should change. As often as something becomes available that is more effective in reaching souls, we should incorporate it into our work.[2] Jesus said, “Go” (Mark 16:15). He did not say how. He went by foot (John 1:36), by animal (John 12:14-15), by ship (Matthew 8:23), and by “air” (Mark 16:12; Acts 1:11). He preached in buildings (Luke 2:46), on hillsides (Luke 9:37), by waterways (Luke 5:1), along busy streets (Luke 12:1), in houses (Luke 19:5-6), in quiet gardens (John 18:2), to large crowds (Matthew 8:1), to small groups (Mark 9:28), and to single individuals (John 4:7-28). He wrote on the ground (John 8:8). He used object lessons (Luke 20:24) and interactive teaching (Matthew 18:1-5).

The early disciples used various means to spread the Gospel in the First Century. They preached (Acts 8:4). They taught (Acts 11:26). They reasoned (Acts 17:2). They visited (Acts 15:36). They showed (Acts 20:20). They wrote (Acts 18:27). They circulated (Colossians 4:16). They went to academic institutions looking for evangelistic opportunities (Acts 19:9). They went to where religious people gathered and engaged them in discussion (Acts 3:1-10; 5:20). They went to the pagans and irreligious, too (Acts 17:16-34). Paul wrote a letter with his own hand (Galatians 6:11). He disputed daily in the school of Tyrannus (Acts 19:9). He made tents to support himself (Acts 18:3). “By the space of three years” he “ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears” (Acts 20:31). He made impassioned presentations to governors and kings, and to prison guards and slaves (Acts 23:33; 25:23; cf. Acts 16:30-34; Philippians 4:22;[3] Philemon 1:10).

As far as we know, the Christians of the First Century were the only generation ever to completely fulfill Jesus’ command to take the Gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15). By 62 a.d., the Gospel had been “preached to every creature which is under heaven” (Colossians 1:23).

We have not accomplished this in the Twentieth or Twenty-First centuries. Admittedly, there are more people at the beginning of the Twenty-first Century (6,519,369,248[4]) than at the end of the First Century (255,000,000[5]).

Still, we could do it. God’s providence has arranged ways and means to proclaim His message to every creature under heaven today. Christians a hundred years ago could never have dreamed of such advantages as we have—or even a dozen years ago. Consider three:

Transportation: Everything in Jesus’ day traveled at foot-speed—either man’s (3 mph) or animals (up to 15 mph).[6] The only exception was a ship with the wind in its sails (about 10 knots per hour).[7] But today we can get in an automobile and travel to a preaching appointment down the interstate at 70 miles per hour. We can get ride a train to a cross-country mission point at 120 miles per hour. We can take the Gospel across the world on a jet plane at 550 miles per hour.[8]

Technology: Television gives us the opportunity to be in every home in America every day with picture, sound, and special effects (charts, changing backgrounds). Radio lets us blanket the globe and reach busy people where they are (riding or working) or who use radio as their primary information source (most third world countries). Bible call systems allow callers to study the Bible over the phone (phones also allow Christians to talk personally with someone about his soul in practically any place in the world). Billboards can be rented that are seen by hundreds of thousands of drivers each day. Podcasts can go out to the younger generation. Articles and ads can go into local newspapers that are seen by the majority of citizens in any community. PowerPoint projection allows for more effective communication of the Gospel to the crowds who gather for worship.

And, we haven’t even mentioned the greatest evangelism tool ever invented—the internet! Computers allow us to teach the Gospel around the clock, through the calendar. When we go to sleep on this side of the world, our websites are visited by those from the other side. They go to sleep and those in this hemisphere take a turn. Christians have put up practically unlimited Bible study materials in the languages the world speaks (and more goes up daily). We teach the plan of salvation and can even arrange for someone to meet and baptize those who desire to be saved (Acts 2:38). Websites in our brotherhood offer the Bible Online; audio sermons; video presentations; complete courses of study; answers to Bible questions; Scripture studies on how to be saved, how to worship, and how to live the Christian life; and locations of churches of Christ throughout the world.