"We are debtors to every man to give him the gospel in the same measure in which we have received it" -- P.F. Bresee, an early leader in the Church of the Nazarene
Debtors? How can we be indebted to someone from whom we've never received anything and with whom we have no contractual agreement whatsoever?
To be sure, Bresee wasn't the first person to make a statement like that. To the church in Rome, Paul wrote: "I owe something to all men, from cultured Greek to ignorant savage" (Romans 1:14, Phillips)
To understand how Bresee could feel indebted to other people in terms of evangelizing them, think about Catherine Hyde's phrase "pay it forward." That's the title of her book that encouraged us to repay good deeds not to the ones who did them but rather to other people. By paying good deeds "forward" rather than "paying them back," we keep the good deeds moving forward. That certainly echoes Matthew 10:18, "Freely you have received; freely give."
The relevance of "pay it forward" to statements by Phineas Bresee and the Apostle Paul is clear. Isn't paying it forward exactly what God expects of us? We have received the Gospel. Biblically, doesn't that put us under the obligation to pass it on to everyone else in the world?
Bresee, a founding father of the Church of the Nazarene, did not say we were indebted to "our near-neighbors." He did not say "people like us." He said, "every man" (or in wording more common today, "every person").
Because we embrace God's great grace, we have become debtors on a global scale. Let's follow Bresee's admonition. Let's "pay it forward" by doing whatever we can to see that everyone on earth clearly hears the Good News that God has come in Jesus Christ to reconcile the world to Himself. [ more on Phieas F.Bresee
"If we believe what Bresee said is true, then every person is owed E-1 evangelism1." -- Thom Fish, pastor
-- Howard Culbertson,
1Missiologist Ralph Winter gave the label "E-1 evangelism" to evangelism that reaches "our kind" of people who are non-Christians, i.e., people who are culturally or linguistically our counterparts. It is evangelism that takes place outside of the church body but within the same culture. E-1 evangelism is communicating the message of Christ to people of one's own culture and language. It is people communicating the gospel to family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers.
"Pay it forward" is a concept where an individual responds to a kind act received by performing a good deed for someone else instead of repaying the original benefactor. This creates a chain of generosity, as each person who benefits from a kind action is encouraged to pass on kindness to others. The idea promotes a culture of goodwill and empathy, fostering a community where supportive and positive interactions become more prevalent. Originating from the belief that small acts of kindness can ripple through society, "pay it forward" emphasizes the impact of altruism and the potential for individual actions to contribute to broader social harmony.
Doesn't the concept of "paying it forward" explain how evangelism was advocated by the Apostle Paul and echoed by P.F. Bresee? Just as we feel obliged to repay good deeds "forward" to others, we should recognize that we are spiritually indebted to share the Gospel with every person on Earth. Bresee's call to evangelize every person emphasizes the global scale of this responsibility. Because of God's bountiful grace showered on us, let us "pay it forward" to the ends of the Earth.
More mini-essays in the "Slogans that awakened the Church" series published in Engage magazine.
Phineas F. Bresee's profound declaration, "We are debtors to every man to give him the gospel in the same measure in which we have received it," encapsulates a fundamental principle of Christian responsibility and compassion. With these words, Bresee emphasizes the universal obligation to share the transformative message of the gospel with others, echoing the teachings of Jesus Christ to spread love, forgiveness, and salvation to all.
Bresee's statement underscores the belief that the grace and truth one receives through faith should not be hoarded, but rather generously shared with all worldwide, irrespective of race, ethnicity, creed, or circumstance. It serves as a poignant reminder of the inherent duty of believers to extend the same grace they have received to all people, thus fulfilling the mandate of the Great Commission of the Lord Jesus Christ.