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Noted scholar and writer J.I. Packer shows that a right understanding of God's sovereignty is a powerful incentive for evangelism.

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Amazon.com Review
The mystery and seeming paradox between evangelism and God's sovereignty has been causing disagreements and confusion among Christians since the beginning of the 20th century. In Evangelism & the Sovereignty of God, J.I. Packer reveals that a faulty understanding of the Bible leads to the assessment that these doctrines are foes rather than friends. By debunking the erroneous view that "robust faith in the absolute sovereignty of God is bound to undermine any adequate sense of human responsibility" toward evangelism, the author adeptly moves through the obstacle course of tricky theology with ease and grace, allowing the reader a more complete understanding of the mystery of salvation. Packer manages to tackle an overwhelming piece of doctrinal truth and contain it within the subject of evangelism by concisely determining what evangelism is and what it is not. "It is our widespread and persistent habit of defining evangelism in terms, not of a message delivered, but of an effect produced in our hearers." This error is corrected when one is renewed in his or her knowledge of the sovereignty of God. Of course, fault is found on the other side as well, with those who so heavily rely on God's sovereignty to save the lost that they are lazy in obeying God's command to share the Gospel. Packer insists that love for God, at the very least, should draw one out of this stagnation and that the coupling of these seemingly diabolical doctrines will make one bold in speech, patient in God's timing, and prayerful for the salvation of others. --Jill Heatherly

From AudioFile
While not "deep" theology, this is an erudite and thoughtful discussion of evangelism in the context of God's sovereignty. Or to put it another way, here is a title that explains the work of God in the affairs of men. The author, who is a well-known evangelical author, theologian, and pastor, adroitly explains in understandable terms the interdependence of the work of God and man in the process of evangelism. Grover Gardner does a splendid job in reading this work. His voice is pleasant and engaging. He speaks with authority but is neither arrogant nor condescending. M.T.F. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Review
"A short but exceedingly powerful book. Packer shows that rather than precluding evangelism, God's sovereignty provides the most powerful incentive and support for it. . . . [C]ontains impressive depth and contains a thorough and satisfying treatment of the subject." ----Discerning Reader

Customer Reviews

Nice work on the Great Commission
I recently determined to read some books on evangelism because it is both an area of conviction and personal weakness for me. I am ashamed to admit that most of my evangelism to date has been done electronically on my blog site or in the comments section of other people's blogs or discussions. But there is a growing burden on me to share the gospel with the people God has placed in my life, and it is a burden I am praying God increases until there is no escaping it within my conscience.

"Evangelism & The Sovereignty of God" is the first of a handful books I have purposed to read to strengthen my resolve. I liked this little book by J.I. Packer. It was not overly long or verbose, about 125 pages in length. It is broken up into four chapters:

1) Divine Sovereignty
2) Divine Sovereignty & Human Responsibility
3) Evangelism
4) Divine Sovereignty & Evangelism

Packer begins with the premise and presupposition that God is sovereign, which may or may not be a point of contention for some. I liked the way he dismantled any argument against God's sovereignty in the first few pages of the book, and I appreciated the little story about Charles Simeon's account with a conversation he had with John Wesley in December of 1784. I won't take the time to reprint it here. I enjoyed it all the more because I picked this book up and started reading it just a few days after a friend of mine from church related the story to me; I believe he had heard it on the Way of the Master radio program.

Packer focuses on the Apostle Paul and what we can learn from him concerning evangelism. Chapter 3 points out some of the different ways that Paul referred to his role of an evangelist: steward, herald, ambassador, preacher, and teacher. Packer gave some insight into the Greek words and meanings inferred, which I found pretty interesting.

The last chapter really made the book, though. He gave several scripture references along with his explanation of man's sinful and spiritually dead state, and drove home the point that even if we are saved and sharing the gospel like we have been commissioned, we are still incapable of producing results by our own efforts. That does not mean that we should not make an effort, but it underscores both the underlying and overriding need for God to perform the work of bringing the dead to life. He does a good job of demonstrating both our responsibility and God's sovereignty in the work of evangelism, and he also makes an excellent point that our evangelistic efforts need to be sustained and steeped in prayer. He writes:

"For about a century now, it has been characteristic of evangelical Christians (rightly or wrongly--we need not discuss that here) to think of evangelism as a specialized activity, best done in short sharp bursts (`missions' or `campaigns'), and needing for its successful practice a distinctive technique, both for preaching and for individual dealing. At an early stage in this period, Evangelicals fell into the way of assuming that evangelism was sure to succeed if it was regularly prayed for and correctly run."

He adds a bit later on how we should be empowered by a proper understanding of God's sovereignty, and that it should result in our being more bold, patient, and prayerful. He speaks to each one of those briefly but powerfully. In speaking of patience, I think he touched on something that is perhaps the most challenging work of true evangelism in our society today. Packer writes:

"We need to remember that we are all children of our age, and the spirit of our age is a spirit of tearing hurry. And it is a pragmatic spirit; it is a spirit that demands quick results. The modern ideal is to achieve more and more by doing less and less. This is the age of the labour-saving device, the efficiency chart, and automation. The attitude which all this breeds is one of impatience towards everything that takes time and demands sustained effort. Ours tends to be a slapdash age; we resent spending time doing things thoroughly. This spirit tends to infect our evangelism (not to speak to other departments of our Christianity), and with disastrous results. We are tempted to be in a hurry with those whom we would win to Christ, and then, when we see no immediate response in them, to become impatient and downcast, and then to lose interest in them, and feel that it is useless to spend more time on them; and so we abandon our efforts forthwith, and let them drop out of our ken. But this is utterly wrong. It is a failure both of love for man and of faith in God."

He goes on to say, "The idea that a single evangelistic sermon, or a single serious conversation ought to suffice for the conversion of anyone who is ever going to be converted is really silly." He discusses the need for persistence and patience with those whom you are evangelizing. But persistence and patience by themselves are still not sufficient; there must be prayer. As the last chapter draws to a close, Packer writes:

"We said earlier in this chapter that this doctrine does not in any way reduce or narrow the terms of our evangelistic commission. Now we see that, so far from contracting them, it actually expands them. For it faces us with the fact that there are two sides to the evangelistic commission. It is a commission, not only to preach, but also to pray; not only to talk to men about God, but also to talk to God about men. Preaching and prayer must go together; our evangelism will not be according to knowledge, nor will it be blessed, unless they do."

Good book. I have a few others in the same vein to read, but I will most likely come back to this and read it again because I'm sure I will benefit from a second time around.

Peace & Blessings,
Simple Mann

Nothing Is Excluded From God's Sovereign Rule
There are those who think that if a person believes in 'The Doctrines Of Grace' that this will either be a hindrance to,or completely erode ones evangelistic zeal. In truth it is a defective understanding of 'The Five Points...'(or the inability to comprehend how God can be Sovereign yet man is still completely responsible for all of his actions)that can have an adverse effect on our evangelistic mindset.
The purpose of this book is to try and reconcile and bring Biblical light to bear upon these truths.
Mr.Packer sees the problem as an antinomy("...a contradiction between conclusions which seem equally logical")the problem being how God can be in control over everything and yet man is still accountable for all of his actions.
I think the authors explanation and insight are right on the money when he writes on p.18"for the whole point of an antinomy -in theology ,at any rate-is that it is not a real contradiction,though it looks like one.It is an apparent incompatibility between two apparent truths."
There is much in 'Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God'that is hepful on evangelism in general:including an excellent definition of evangelism,the manner and proper attitiude with which evangelism should be conducted and the motives for evangelism-1.God commands it.2.Love for our neighbor necessitates it 3. the unspeakable privilege to serve and speak for the living God and gratitude for what the Lord has done for us should fuel our evangelistic fires.
In the last two chapters there is some brief historical analysis as to how we have arrived where we are in the present generation with regard to our evangelistic practices. A great deal that is defective in modern evangelism is exposed. I think that a proper understanding of God's Sovereignty cannot help but have this effect.
If the believing readers evangelistic zeal has waned this book can help rekindle the evangelistic flame. Any misconceptions concerning how to measure the sucess of ones evangelistic efforts should be cleared up as well.
Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God should not only clarify any concerns with reconcilling the Sovereignty of God and how it relates to mans responsibility but there is much help in the areas of evangelistic methodolgy and exortation with regard to evangelistic duty.
First publihed in 1961,if it is not already considered a modern Christian classic by many,it should be.

Mission Active
'All theological topics contain pitfalls for the unwary, for God's truth is never quite what man would have expected.' pg 18

Advice for parishioners and missionaries comes in biblical sound-bytes from a theologian - admissibly one of the church's best. With this sound warning Dr Packer then adroitly manoeuvres between the issues that others get bogged down in, with determination to resolve issues and not let them stand. And, yes, theologians have practical experience and are able to afford genuine insight into the grind of common mission life - this book is light enough to remind us that it serves that purpose.

'Wherever, and by whatever means the gospel is communicated with a view to conversion, there you have evangelism. Evangelism is to be defined, not institutionally, in terms of the kind of meeting held, but theologically, in terms of what is taught, and for what purpose.' pg 57

Oh yes! I might mention that controversy, paradox and duplicity are honestly discussed between these pages.

'An antimony exists when a pair of principles stand side by side, seemingly irreconcilable, yet both undeniable.' pg 18