ABSTRACT
Given a choice of labels, many conservative Protestants will call themselves ‘evangelicals’, a sign that a vital part of their self-image is the engagement in evangelism. Enlistment in active support of the great commission – the spreading of the Word – is regarded as an inevitable corollary of being bom again. It is not enough to luxuriate in the satisfaction of knowing that one’s own eternal salvation is assured; the message must also be carried to those less fortunate than oneself. Evangelism is also vital to religious broadcasting. It is not just that most broadcasters see their own work as a form of evangelism, although they do. There is also the point raised in the discussion of fund-raising: it is difficult to raise money to pay for the routine expenses of broadcasting. Even committed supporters of religious broadcasters want to see more for their money than more of the same. Bricks and mortar projects attract funds because they offer ‘concrete’ evidence of the forward march of the gospel. Foreign missionary work is the other great draw.
