Is Evangelism Intolerant?

Every faithful youth worker will endeavor to accomplish two goals in ministry: evangelize students and lead them to evangelize others. Yet as many of us have come to realize, that idea is not always well received in a culture like ours. In a pluralistic culture that elevates individual autonomy as the highest good, the very idea of “converting someone” often is seen as “intolerant,” sometimes bringing strong opposition as a result.

Whether we are just concerned about this ourselves or are wanting to help students navigate the complexities that come with living out their faith, we need to get a firm grasp on why Jesus call us to evangelism. To do this well, youth workers need to answer the more foundational question, “is evangelism intolerant?”. But before we can do that, we’ll begin by defining those terms.

What is Tolerance?

At the center of this issue is the value of tolerance, an oft-mentioned concept in our world. The kind of “tolerance” in view revolves around accepting everyone’s beliefs, essentially agreeing that every view is right in its own way, even if it’s not “true.” It stems from the postmodern idea that truth itself is foundationally unknowable. Modern tolerance, in short, says “the only truth anyone can know is what is true for them.” No one can take that kind of truth away. To be intolerant, then, is to not call accept what someone holds to be true for them. By this definition, our efforts to share the gospel of Jesus Christ (with its exclusive claims, like “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man comes to the Father but through Me”), is quite intolerant. But this is not the true meaning of tolerance.

I’ve been greatly helped in my ministry by Mike McGarry’s book Discover, which provides accessible yet robust answers to some of the top questions students might ask. In his chapter addressing “Should Christians Be Tolerant?” Mike defines tolerance this way: “respect despite disagreement” (p. 69). In order for us to tolerate something or someone, we must disagree with that thing. Did you catch that? Tolerance requires disagreement over what is true. We understand this in many areas of our lives - respectfully disagreeing about what the best flavor of ice cream is demonstrates tolerance: you think I am wrong, yet you show me kindness anyway. Agreeing with me that it’s Wegman’s Nutty Cone would not be tolerance - it would be agreement. 

We see this type of true tolerance in Paul’s interaction with the men of Athens in Acts 17. As he stands among them in the Areopagus, Paul references an altar inscribed to an unknown god. He does not grant that they may be correct in worshipping an unknown god (which would be agreement), nor does he slam them for their ignorance (disrespectful disagreement). Instead, Paul demonstrates respect for them and for their intellect, even referencing some of their own poets, as he disagrees with their conclusions and proclaims the one true God. True tolerance ought to be a hallmark of Christians as we engage with the world around us, respecting all people as God’s image bearers, while seeking to persuade them of their need for Christ. 

What is Evangelism?

In order to answer our primary question, we must also understand what true evangelism is. At its simplest, evangelism is proclaiming the gospel. Evangelism is the Christian’s faithful response to Jesus’ commission in Matthew 28 to “Go and make disciples of all nations.” Peter describes evangelism this way in his first epistle, “...always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect…” (1 Peter 3:15). I’ve often heard this verse connected to apologetics, as we defend the truths of our faith, but it’s also a strong exhortation to be persuasive in sharing the hope of the gospel - with gentleness and respect (true tolerance). Evangelism involves proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ to those who have not yet trusted in him for salvation with the hope that they might respond in faith. 

If evangelism is about hope and good news, why is it viewed as intolerant? After all, those are positive things! Because the gospel of Jesus Christ makes a claim to an exclusive, objective truth - Jesus is the only way. There are not any competing views there, nor is there room for “what is true to me,” which rubs against our independence. In addition, I think our tendency to hammer on our fallen nature and need for a savior can overemphasize the negative aspects of the gospel message, creating a false picture that the gospel is more of a burden than a blessing.

Please hear me clearly - I am not suggesting we should minimize or hide the notion of sin from our evangelism. Rather, I think we should be careful to not present an imbalanced gospel message, one that is so focused on what is broken in us that it forgets to remind us of the hope Christ offers. It would do us well to remember that Genesis 3 includes the first curses and the first glimmer of the Messiah. Understanding both the broad and narrow gospel can help us maintain a holistic approach in our evangelism. 

Why Do We Evangelize?

We’re also wise to remember that our evangelism is about the transforming power of the gospel for sinners, not our secondary beliefs and values as a whole. If our goal in evangelism is to persuade the lost that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true and necessary for them, then we would be foolish to demand that our personal convictions about non-essential beliefs are accepted by them as well. Non-essential doctrines deserve charity and tolerance among Christians.

When we refrain from adding to the gospel by proclaiming it with clarity, we remove potential stumbling blocks from our hearers, reflecting the unity in diversity Jesus desires for his church to exhibit. When we define and practice tolerance and evangelism biblically, we can be assured that our efforts to proclaim Jesus are not intolerant, because they are rooted in truth that leads to the flourishing of those who receive it.

Although the world may still label us “intolerant” because of Jesus’s exclusive claims, may we not give them ground to stand on by treating them poorly as we seek to persuade. May we be shining examples of respect, patience, love, and gentleness. May we have clarity in the gospel we proclaim and endeavor to not add or subtract anything. May we lead our students boldly in evangelism, as they look to us to see if we practice what we preach. And may we be reminded that the gospel is still good news for us and those we evangelize.