Are there valid and biblical reasons to differentiate evangelism and discipleship? Try this one on for size. It could be argued that there are over 20 “Gospel Presentations” in the book of Acts alone. Some of the better known are in Acts 2, Peter’s first sermon, Acts 17, Paul’s message on Mars Hill, Acts 10, Peter’s conversation with Cornelius, etc. What’s missing in these presentations?
Jesus said, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19,20
It’s a given then, that one of the major components of discipleship is to “teach them to obey all that Jesus commanded.”
This “teaching them to obey of all that Jesus commanded,” also seems to be glaringly absent in these presentations. It could be argued then, that in proclaiming the Gospel, (Evangelism) there is different purpose and a different subset of data than that of Discipleship. Is Discipleship the “Fruit on the Bottom” of Yogurt Evangelism? A few questions:
Is this a valid argument to separate or differentiate Evangelism & Discipleship?
Do we see any examples in Scripture where Evangelism and Discipleship occur simultaneously?
If this is an unnecessary dichotomy, why do you think so?
Missionary in the Andes Mountains Cloud Forest Region of Ecuador. My last name, "Labrador," is the word that's used for "Vine Worker" in the Spanish Bible, and it's OK with me. 
Carlos on Leading Edge Missiology and Ecclesiology?
Eli on Leading Edge Missiology and Ecclesiology?
The examples provided are of the Disciples, who seem to situationally evangelize as part of their lifestyle in being Disciples and Disciple Makers. So if Disciple-Making is a lifestyle and Evangelism is situational, and obviously in their examples a part of the lifestyle as a whole, why should there even be a dichotomy? It seems that the dichotomy exists primarily due to “preference”, or being choosy with lifestyle focus with regard to discipleship and evangelism. But is being choosy and creating a dichotomy even valid, biblically speaking?
I think we make a mistake in the question. Our Western way of dividing things into parts is the problem. I think a more Hebraic understanding of the the task of making disciples is that it is one continuous process. It is not an either or but a “both and always and.” That the gospel presentations in Acts (the 3 examples given from Acts 2, 10 and 17) all are part of the larger context of the whole book.
The reports of these sermons are encased in the broader story that the reader of Acts (Theophilus first, the rest of the church since) has at his disposal and it is these that fill in the gap between what we tend to divide. I have written pretty extensively on this issue on my own blog, but to keep it short here, I would argue that first century Christians understood that they were entering into a life-long process of learning their new master’s ways.
Divorcing evangelism from discipleship ends us truncating the whole process by producing “disciples” who never herald the good news or “disciples” who never deepen the faithful. We, all of us, must always being doing both in our Disciple-making process.
Hi Miguel,
Evangelism today is often separated from discipleship because it has often narrowed the focus to Jesus dying on the cross for our sins, and accepting Jesus as Savior. I think evangelism, speaking the gospel or good news, was originally part of making disciples of Jesus as Lord, sometimes the beginning word and sometimes the ongoing word.
In the Gospels, the gospel of the kingdom is announced as beginning (with the new king). To become part of this kingdom meant becoming a disciple, coming under the authority and teaching of the new king. The word repent was used not so much for confessing sins (and being sorry), but for turning away from sin (the sins taught by Jesus) and turning to God and his new king and righteousness (the righteousness taught by Jesus).
In Acts 2, the climax of Peter’s gospel is that this Jesus whom they crucified has been made (by God) both Lord and Christ (King). What the people need to do is repent, and be baptized in the name (presence and power) of Jesus Christ (King), for the forgiveness of their sins (like crucifying Jesus) and they will receive the gift (and power) of the Holy Spirit (who will lead them all to “prophesy,” to speak the word of God about this new King). All this was the beginning of making disciples, followers of the Lord/King, and led seamlessly to “many other words” from Peter, and to their devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship (in homes). (In Acts 5:42 they continued in the temple and in homes to teach and “evangelize,” speaking the good news that Jesus was the Christ/King.)
In Acts 10, Peter’s gospel starts out by saying “you know the word he (God) sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace by Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all).” As Peter was still explaining this gospel, the Spirit fell on them (Cornelius and other Gentiles) and they were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ (King). Later, in Acts 11:18, the Gentile response is described as God giving them “repentance unto life” (a turning from death in sin to a new life in Christ). Again, the gospel was the beginning of making disciples of the new Lord/king.
In Acts 17 Paul ends his gospel by saying God commands them to repent, and has appointed a man (king) who will judge the world in righteousness, a man whom God has raised from the dead. This message of the risen Lord is the focus of the gospel in Acts and the mission is making disciples of this Lord, who will turn from their devotion to other lords and their sinful ways and turn to the righteousness of the new king, who will be the final judge, depending on how they obey him or not.
Incidentally, note how in Acts 8:5 Philip proclaimed the Christ (King) to Samaritans. This gospel is then summarized in 8:12 as speaking the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ (King).