Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.
Let the redeemed of the LORD say so,
Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy,
And gathered out of the lands,
From the east and from the west,
From the north and from the south. Psalm 107.1-3

The evangelistic church
Would you describe your church as “evangelistic”?

Perhaps before we can answer that question, we need to understand what we mean: What is an evangelistic church?

The church in Thessalonica doubtless qualifies as one: “For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything” (1 Thess. 1.8).

Likewise the church in Ephesus, at least during Paul’s time there: “And [Paul] went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God. But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. And this continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks” (Acts 19.8-10).

The first believers in Jerusalem seem also to have been ready with the word of the Gospel, for we read that, when they were chased out of the city under the threat of persecution, they “went everywhere preaching the word” (Acts 8.4).

An evangelistic church, therefore, is one from which the Gospel sounds out, not merely within its walls and activities, but through it, into all the nooks and crannies of its host community. Evangelistic churches shine the light of the Gospel throughout the neighborhoods, workplaces, schools, and other venues of their local community, and through mission endeavors, into other parts of the world.

So would you describe your church as “evangelistic”?

We would like to hear your stories. How does your church pursue this work? What are you doing to shine the Gospel’s light into your community? How do the members of your church take the Gospel into their own Personal Mission Fields? What do you do to equip them to fulfill their calling as witnesses for Jesus?

Write to me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and tell me about your church’s work of making known throughout your community the Good News of God’s love in Jesus Christ. We’ll share your experiences so that we can work together to become more like those early Christian communities from which the Gospel spread so rapidly during the early days of the Christian movement.

Resources for Shepherds
What is the Gospel? How do the Scriptures teach us to think about the Gospel? Is it merely the promise of going to heaven when we die? Or is the Gospel something more than that?

Does the Church have a role to play in rebuilding our cities? You wouldn’t think so, from the way experts think about urban renewal.

America’s first constitution was not written at all. And now it’s all but gone. When we stopped loving our neighbors, we lost the social constitution which made the written Constitution possible.

Good writing – and good preaching and teaching – revolves around humility, charity, and hope.

As shepherds, we should measure our prayer lives by the standards of the apostle Paul.

If we’re not helping the people we serve to see Jesus, are we doing them any good at all?

Ready for an overall assessment of your walk with and work for the Lord? Here are some insights and tools to help you take the next steps for a more fruitful life and ministry.

From the Celtic Revival
“And it was not only [fornication] that flourished, but all those [vices] that generally befall human nature – and especially the one that is the downfall of every good condition nowadays too, the hatred of truth and its champions and the love of falsehood and its contrivers...”
  - Gildas, on the sorry state of churches and church leaders in early 6^th-century Britain (The Ruin of Britain, British, 6th century)

“Let each maintain what he has grasped; but let all maintain the gospel, and both parties, like single harmonious members of one body, follow Christ the head by His own commands, which were revealed by Him to be accompanied in charity and peace.”
  - Columbanus, on church unity (Letter to Certain Bishops, Irish, 7th century)[1][2]

“Observe the forms and beauties of sensible things, and comprehend the Word of God in them. If you do so, the truth will reveal to you in all such things only He who made them, outside of Whom you have nothing to contemplate, for He Himself is all things. For whatever truly is, in all things that are, is He.
  - Eriugena, on the revelation of God in created things (Homily on John 1.1-14, Irish, 9th century)[3]

Read more from the leaders of the Celtic Revival (ca. 430-800 AD) in recent issues of Crosfigell by clicking here. Would you like to learn more about the Celtic Revival? Write to me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., and I’ll send you our free book, The Celtic Revival: A Brief Introduction, in PDF.

T. M. Moore

It is our privilege to provide resources and opportunities to equip and encourage church leaders in building the Lord’s Church and advancing His Kingdom. Please pray that God will move many of those we serve through this ministry to share with us financially in its support. If the Lord moves you to give, you can use the Contribute button at the website to give with a credit card or through PayPal, or you can send your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 360 Zephyr Road, Williston, VT 05495.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

[1] Walker, p. 21.

[2] Gildas, p. 24.

[3] Bamford, p. 89.