Evangelism and Worship

Often the word 'evangelism' is not received well in our society. It is treated by many as a word that implies Christian arrogance, intolerance and superiority that tells people what they ought to believe. And for that reason many Christians shy away from evangelism. However, Apostle Paul viewed it very differently. He saw evangelism as an act of worship. In Rom 15:16 Paul writes, “... because of the grace given to me by God, so that the offerings of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.” Paul considered it a sheer grace extended to him by God when God called him into his service to go specifically to the Gentile (non-Jews) with the gospel and serve them. And he describes that ministry in terms of priestly ministry. A priest's responsibility among other things included making an offering to God. Paul is viewing himself as a priest who through the preaching of the gospel making an offering of Gentile converts to God. In essence Paul views his task of evangelism as an act of worship in which he makes an offering to God consisting of people he brings to God. In Isaiah 1:12-17 we read that God is not interested in offerings of animals or incense but in how God's people dealt with other people. The same is true of Christian worship, the true worship of God includes not merely bringing offering of  money or praise to God every Sunday, but by bringing offering of people whom God loves and people who were lost to God. The true offering that God desires is people reconciled to God. This is the offering that pleases God most. This is why we Christians must evangelize.