Evangelism Was the Driving Mission of the Greatest Theologian
Jesus performed many miracles and accomplished many extraordinary things, yet the Gospels make it clear that Jesus’ central mission was to proclaim the gospel. From the very start of His ministry, Jesus began evangelizing. The first chapter of the Gospel of Mark records Jesus’ first words as He began His public ministry: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15).
Later in the same chapter, we read that Jesus spent an evening healing hundreds of people suffering from sickness, disease, and demonic oppression. The next morning, His disciples found Him praying alone. Urgently, they told Him that the whole town was looking for Him. Although Jesus knew many still were seeking His healing, He chose to move on so that others could also hear the good news. Jesus said, “Let’s go on to the neighboring villages so that I may preach there too. This is why I have come.” (Mark 1:38)
Luke’s Gospel reinforces this purpose, summarizing Jesus’ mission in His own words: “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10). For Jesus, healing and casting out demons was important, but His primary purpose in performing miracles was to reveal His identity, which would lead others to saving faith in Himself. His miracles were not merely acts of compassion; they served to show who He was—the divine Son of God, who had authority on earth to forgive sins! In the context of healing a paralytic, Jesus made this clear when He said: “But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he told the paralytic—“get up, take your mat, and go home.” (Matthew 9:6)
Every miracle He performed and every person He touched pointed to His divine authority, inviting people to believe in the gospel and be saved. Jesus knew that only through faith in the gospel could people find ultimate healing in their hearts.
As we consider the central role of evangelism in following Jesus, it is helpful to look at Jesus’ first call to His disciples. When Jesus called Peter and Andrew to follow Him, they were fishing in a boat. Seeing them, Jesus said: “Follow me,” he told them, “and I will make you fish for people.” (Matthew 4:19)
From the very beginning, fishing for souls with the hook of the gospel was central to following Jesus. Later, when Jesus called the twelve apostles from a larger crowd, the Gospel of Mark records: “He also appointed twelve—whom he also named apostles—to be with him, to send them out to preach.” (Mark 3:14)
The first call of every disciple is to be with Jesus, and the second is to share Him with others. Not only was this evangelistic task Christ’s first charge to His disciples, but it was also His final command. In the Gospel of Mark, just before ascending into heaven, Jesus gave His disciples one last instruction: “Then he said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” (Mark 16:15)
Jesus left His followers with this command because He knew that the mission He had begun was not yet complete. Many people and nations still needed to hear the good news of Jesus Christ. Even today, there are people near you who have yet to hear the gospel.
A Gospel Moment That Changed Everything
One evening, while serving as a youth pastor in Oklahoma City, I stepped out for a break during a lively worship night with our youth group. As I walked outside, I noticed a young student standing alone, so I took the opportunity to strike up a conversation. Little did I know, that brief moment would turn into a life-changing encounter. I decided to use a visual tool to share the gospel with him—something simple, yet powerful. Interestingly, this student had heard my sermons many times before, but this time, something clicked. He finally understood the message in a new way. After sharing the gospel, I asked him if he would like to repent of his sins and place his faith in Christ. He looked at me and said, “No one has ever asked me that before.” That night, he made the decision to follow Christ, and today, he remains a faithful believer.
This moment reminded me not only of the power of personal evangelism but also of the unique effectiveness of using a visual tool to communicate the gospel. Sometimes, a simple and clear illustration can make all the difference in someone’s understanding and response to the message of Christ.
Introducing the Fall Illustration
That experience stirred something deeper in me—a desire to equip others with the same kind of tool that helped that student truly grasp the gospel for the first time. I wanted to create something that was not only visually captivating, but theologically and biblically faithful. That desire led me to create The Fall Illustration, a simple yet theologically rich visual tool designed to help believers clearly and confidently communicate the gospel. Whether you share the Fall in its sticker form, or draw it on a piece of paper, this tool serves as a bridge between everyday conversations and the eternal hope we have in Christ.
The Fall Illustration presents six simple steps for visually sharing the gospel:
It begins with God and His holiness—He is the perfect, loving, and just Creator of all things. From there, we move to mankind’s original relationship with God, where Adam and Eve lived in perfect harmony with Him, enjoying His presence and love. However, in The Fall, humanity chose to rebel against God, resulting in sin entering the world. This brought about shame, death, and judgment, which caused separation between God and man.
The steps with the “x” represent how humans have tried to make themselves right with God through their own efforts, but these always fall short and cannot restore their broken relationshipwith God. The good news comes in Jesus’s death and resurrection—God sent His Son to take on the punishment for our sin. Jesus died on the cross, bearing our shame, death, and judgment, and rose again to offer forgiveness and new life to all who believe. Finally, we end with a call to repentance, inviting people to turn from their sin and trust in Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
By learning and practicing these steps, you can clearly and faithfully share the gospel with others using The Fall Illustration.
For more on why I created the Fall Illustration, a step-by-step slideshow pdf on how to use it, and to purchase Fall Illustration stickers, visit my website here:
https://linktr.ee/thegospelinitiative
Tips for Effective Sharing
1. Pray First – Ask for God’s Spirit to guide and empower you.
2. Share with Friends First – Starting with friends can be a great way to begin sharing. This will give you an opportunity to practice, get comfortable, and receive feedback.
3. Use Simple Conversation Starters – Try asking,
“Have you ever heard the gospel?” or
“Have you ever seen the Fall Illustration? It’s a great way to understand what God has done for us.”
4. Do Not Assume – Even if someone says they’re a Christian or have heard the gospel, they may not fully understand it. Share with them anyway.
5. Trust God to Save – Only He can open hearts and bring people to Himself.
