Evangelism by Example: How Jesus Engaged the World

“So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.” — John 1:14 (NLT)

Jesus Christ stands as the perfect model of an evangelist. He embodied the most effective and compassionate engagement with those He ministered to. His approach was not about chasing people down to convince them, but about attracting and engaging them through love, truth, and grace. The Word of God became human. With the fullness of God in Him, He became one of us and dwelt among us. He entered our world and met us at our point of deepest need — where we hurt and hope, where we thirst, pray, and hunger for meaning and relationship. His ministry reached across social and cultural boundaries, and His teachings resonated with people from all walks of life, young and old alike. He is able to meet any individual right where they are. Pain is a universal experience; it is part of being human. All people experience the feeling of pain and share in the search for hope. This is why He demonstrated such universal relevance and appeal.

His unmatched effectiveness was not merely due to His divine nature, but also because of the way He engaged with others through love, grace, compassion, and the power of the Holy Spirit. These were the foundations of His connection with a suffering world. Today, He sets the ultimate example for us to follow in our own acts of service, as we seek to lead others toward wholeness and healing. He showed us that true ministry flows from a heart filled with love and a life guided by the Spirit.

Living with a heart full of love and walking in step with the Spirit isn’t always easy, but there is no other way to engage a suffering world than by being like Jesus Himself. Christ, the very Word of God, became flesh, dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory. What this means is that ministry, at its core, is a continuous journey of becoming more like Christ. In the end, what matters most is that people behold His glory in us. May it be said of us as it was of John: “John did no miracle, but everything he said about this man was true.” John 10:41