Evangelists and Evangelism

Armodoxy for Today: Evangelists and Evangelism

I would be remiss if I didn’t address the celebration of the Holy Evangelists here on Armodoxy for Today, considering our tag line is Apostolic Evangelism for an Electronic World.

Over the weekend the Armenian Church remembered the Holy Evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. This celebration is on the Armenian Church calendar during the month of October following the celebration of the Holy Translators, a week earlier.

An evangelist is someone who actively spreads a message. I remember when Apple computer first entered the personal computing market, they had positions on their marketing team, known as Apple evangelists, whose job it was to persuade people to purchase their brand of computer. At the time, companies picked up on the term and assigned evangelists to combat the competition. Today, the term evangelist it primarily used in reference to the spread of Christianity.

The Armenian word for Evangelist is Avetaranich, coming from the word Avetis, which literally means, “Good News.”  And a collection of the “Good News” is called Avetaran, which is the Gospel books – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Hence, in the Armenian language there is no separate word for Evangelist, is directly connected to the authors of the Gospels. A Christian evangelist is charged with spreading the good news. The first good news was and is, “Christ has risen!” The fact that Jesus died, compounded by the horrific manner of his execution by asphyxiation during his crucifixion, and his subsequent survival – that is, his Resurrection, was the first Good News, Avetis. The impossible happened. Certainly, it was news, and it was good news because death was now conquered, opening the door to eternal life to all.

Evangelism in the Apostolic times was built on the good news, the spreading of the Gospel.

In Apostolic tradition we will build on this thought tomorrow, by the invitation of St. Francis of Assisi is to preach the Gospel at all times and use words if necessary. For today we pray, a prayer of St. Francis, Lord, help me to live this day, quietly, easily; to lean on your great strength, trustfully, respectfully; to wait for the unfolding of your will, patiently, serenely; to meet others, peacefully, joyfully; to face tomorrow, confidently, courageously. Amen.