Mission priorities explained: Share the good news

Salvationist unpacks the share the good news mission priority in discussion with Major Jonny Smith (THQ).

Our intention as a territory is to love God and love others. How does sharing the good news fit in with that?

Loving God leads us inherently to loving others – and that includes telling them about that love and showing it to them. The best way to do this is through community as following Jesus is not a journey we go on by ourselves: it’s a journey we go on with other people.

Why is sharing the good news one of our mission priorities?

Jesus instructed his disciples to preach to the whole world. We shouldn’t need someone to tell us to tell others the good news, but people can be reluctant for various reasons. As a Movement, because of our love for God we do all these incredible charitable things to show God’s love to others. God raised us up as a Church that, because of its love for him, engages in charitable ways. However, sharing the good news is a mission priority because we want – and need – to be clear about why we do what we do.

What is the biblical basis for sharing the good news?

Matthew 28:19: ‘Go and make disciples of all nations.’ The Great Commission is a direct instruction. It also reminds us this is about discipleship: you can’t share the good news unless you know the good news yourself.

John 1:14: ‘The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.’ If we really believe this incredible thing (see John 3:16), then surely we want to tell people about it!

Mark 16:15: ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation’ (English Standard Version). We often think about sharing the good news as going out to people over there, but it’s about being with them over there. The true sense of the manger scene in the Christmas story is that everybody is there. The good news of Jesus is for all people.

Luke 2:17: ‘When they had seen him, they spread the word.’ Arguably the first evangelists were the shepherds. Then there’s the Samaritan woman (John 4). All through the Bible, people share the good news as the result of a transformational encounter with Jesus or his followers. The Samaritan woman is remarkable because she goes back to the community that rejected her to share the good news, and they listen and then respond.

Romans 1:16: ‘I am not ashamed of the gospel.’ Often in the Bible, evangelising comes at a cost, which is perhaps why people are resistant about it today, but there’s no better feeling than when you share good news and it has a positive impact. (See 1 Thessalonians 1; Acts 1:8; Luke 7:11–17.)

What does sharing the good news look like in practice?

Telling people about God and living God’s love out with integrity. People long to see authenticity in today’s world. None of us is perfect, but we have to live out our faith in an authentic way to make the greatest impact.

Intentionally entering other people’s communities. That could be the gym or a sports club, your school or college – wherever your front line is, we’re called to be with people not only to be the good news, but also to share the good news of Jesus to all.

Being in an ongoing relationship with Jesus. This is essential to life in all its fullness with Jesus and, importantly, it doesn’t happen overnight: it’s a journey, constantly asking God to be revealed afresh to you, as there’s always more good news to discover.

Authentic relationships. When we journey in community, it is easier to invite people into that community, which may be inside or outside of a corps hall. It’s through the building of relationships that praying for people and sharing with them become a natural thing. All of us who follow Jesus are called to love God and love others. If we believe this, then we will long to see the good news lived out and shared to all.

What’s the end goal?

We’re always going to be sharing the good news until Jesus comes again. Until then, we are called to live out Jesus and share the good news of Jesus!

What’s the biggest challenge we face in this mission priority?

As an organisation, there’s a danger that we have become known as a charity before a church. Although our charitable work helps transform lives and is a gateway for relationship-building, which is amazing, if we really believe that Jesus came to give humanity ‘life in all its fullness’, we are falling short as a denomination of the Church if we fail to share the good news. There are so many ways for corps communities to engage with the territory’s other services and journey together more. One without the other will always fall short of God’s mission.

What’s the most encouraging thing about this mission priority?

That sharing the good news of Jesus is not just for evangelists or extroverts. Like every other mission priority, it’s for all of us! That’s exciting!