Evangelism & Social Action

By Larry Rosenbaum

I suppose there has always been a dispute in the church regarding the relationship between Evangelism and Social Action. Many Christians emphasize the importance of urging unbelievers to repent of personal sins and trust in Jesus for their salvation. Others emphasize the importance of ministering to the physical needs of the poor and needy. Certainly, there are many exhortations in the Bible for Christians to care for orphans, prisoners, and the poor.

In the early 1900’s, liberal “churches” preached a “social gospel” that Christianity consisted merely of helping the poor and engaging in political action so that the government would care for the poor. In response, many churches became “fundamentalist,” emphasizing the Bible as God’s word, salvation through faith, and sound doctrine.

Evangelical Christians are often criticized for not caring for the needs of the poor. In 1977, Ron Sider wrote Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger. He criticized evangelical Christians in the US for living with great material abundance while most of the world was living in great poverty. Today, several large missionary organizations are involved in helping the physical needs of people around the world. In this kind of ministry, there is a question as to whether to share the gospel with those being helped and, if so, in what way. In many nations, it is illegal to preach about Jesus. Missionaries often witness quietly, or not at all. Even where witnessing is legal, “missionaries” often do not talk with unbelievers about their need for salvation. Some think that “letting their light shine by their good works” is sufficient. Some don’t want to offend. Some feel so bad about the church’s past indifference to the poor that they think they need to make up for it by good works. Maybe one day, after Christians do enough good works and their reputation for helping the poor improves, we will have “earned the right to preach the gospel.” Maybe they are waiting for those they are helping to ask them about Jesus. Maybe that will never happen.

The same conflict exists in our nation. Each year, thousands of youth from evangelical churches go on short-term mission trips—both in this country and around the world. While some youth share the gospel through drama, music, or (rarely) through personal witnessing, the vast majority are involved in work projects to help the poor and needy. Often, those ministered to are never told about their need for salvation. Many of these youth, of course, are not saved. Often, the unsaved youth return home in a lost condition and the Christian youth return home with no training or experience in evangelism.

When I was in high school, I spent part of a summer painting houses in a poor neighborhood in our city, working with a church youth group. I felt good about what I was doing, but I never heard about Jesus. I do not know if anyone I worked with that summer was a born-again Christian. While there is some value in exposing middle class youth to poverty, it would be far better if we would bring our unsaved youth to Christ and train our Christian youth to share the gospel with the lost.

Jesus talked a lot about giving to the poor, visiting the orphans and those in prison, etc. However, He clearly was more concerned about the spiritual condition of people and their eternal destiny than their physical condition. When a crowd followed Jesus after He fed the multitudes, He said, “Labor not for the meat that perishes, but for that meat that endures unto everlasting life” (John 6:27).

We need to help the poor and needy. It is the right thing to do. Also, it helps others become more receptive to the gospel. Some times our good works will cause unbelievers to want to hear about Jesus. However, we do not need to “earn the right to be heard.” God has commanded all believers to preach the gospel and commanded all unbelievers to repent and believe the gospel. The fact that real or professing Christians may have treated them badly does not give them a valid reason to reject Jesus. We must not forget that our ultimate goal, which we never need to apologize for, is to bring the world to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

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