How does anyone propagate (spread, make more of) the Gospel?  For that matter, what is the Gospel?  That’s the question that must be answered first.  The Gospel is nothing less, no one less, than Jesus Christ Himself—everything He is, everything He does.  The Gospel is, according to St. Paul, “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.”  We might say it this way:  Jesus Christ is God’s mighty intervention which brings all of God’s blessings to everyone who trusts in Jesus.

Without Jesus Christ, we are lost and hopeless.  But through the good gift of Jesus, we can become the beloved children of God.  And this is truly “Good News.”  It’s the Big News, the Best News. 

How do we spread that news?  And what difference does it make if we are ordained or not?  Essentially, ordination makes no difference in the spreading of the Gospel.  We are all called to that propagation in two key ways.

First, we are all called to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, a relationship which began before we were born, was confirmed at our baptism, and which we appropriate through faith.  This is a relationship which we nurture through prayer, Bible study, worship, sacraments, fellowship, service, etc. 

Second, we are all called to live out of our true identities as the beloved children of God our Father.  This means that we are motivated by the Holy Spirit to obey Christ by loving Him and loving others.  We love through acts of kindness and charity, words of compassion and mercy, and prayers for others’ welfare.  We also love by sharing our faith in Jesus Christ with others and showing them how Jesus can make a real difference in their lives.  There is nothing more loving than helping someone to discover their essential identity as the Beloved of God. 

This sharing of the faith, providing an opportunity for others to put their trust in Jesus Christ, is the essence of evangelism (the propagation of the Good News).  This is best done in the context of relationships.  Every Christian is called prayerfully, wisely, and compassionately to share their faith with others: fellow students, co-workers, friends, family members, and even those they meet on the bus, street, or airplane.  No one, lay or ordained, is exempt from Jesus’ commandment to share this News.  And the Holy Spirit empowers each of us to do this vital work.

While this is the central theme within “propagation,” there are many other ways we spread the Gospel.  Since the Gospel is Jesus Christ, everything He is and does, then it follows that when we participate with Him in His divine mission we are spreading the Gospel.  When, out of the love of Christ, we feed the hungry, pray with a hurt child, visit a stranger in prison, contribute money to a charity, or embrace a friend with AIDS we are doing His work in the world.

But are there differences in how lay and ordained Episcopalians spread the Gospel?  Functionally, yes there are.  While all that I have previously said is true for each of us, there are certain differences in the way we work within the Body of Christ. 

We’ll start with priests.  The word “priest” means “mediator.”  A great retired bishop said that a priest is the “mediator between Christ and His Church, and between the Church and the world.”  So, as a priest, I represent Jesus to the church where I serve.  That is why I lead worship, I preside over the communion, I baptize the newcomers, and I pronounce blessings and absolutions.  I preach and teach the Word of God, and help to make disciples of other people.  I lead the congregation, shepherd the flock, and pray for the souls in my care. In these ways, I am doing what Jesus would do if his bodily ministry were ongoing. 

But I also represent Jesus Christ to the world.  It is my task to show the love and compassion of Christ to everyone I meet.  It is also my duty to stand up in defiance in the face of oppression and degradation.  I am called to work in my community to spread the Gospel in every way that I can.

Deacons also have a special representational role.  They are called to represent the world to the Church.  Their primary function is to serve the needy, both within and without the confines of the Body of Christ.  Where their ministry is fully expressed, we see them leading charity outreaches, organizing missions, and bettering the state of the dispossessed.  We also see them at work in the church building, assisting in worship and bringing the needs of the lay people before the other clergy.  Unfortunately, there are many areas in our denomination today in which the diaconate is no more than a stepping-stone on the way to priesthood.  This is a sad reality that I hope will some day be remedied. 

Bishops have a representational role as well.  Theirs is somewhat different, though, in that they represent the apostles of Jesus.  Their primary tasks are to lead all the flocks in a certain area (diocese) and to participate in the governance of the denomination.  They do this through proclaiming the resurrection of Jesus and His sovereignty; guarding the faith, unity, and discipline of the Church; administering the sacraments, especially that of ordination; and being a faithful pastor and good example to all Christians. 

Some bishops, unfortunately, emphasize certain aspects of their ministry more than others, just as all Christians tend to latch on to the parts of the faith that suit them.  One area in which the bishops have only recently begun to put renewed emphasis is in the proclamation of the Gospel, especially through the starting of new congregations.  This movement towards “church planting” is very exciting, and is a witness to a new movement of the Holy Spirit within the Episcopal Church. 

And what of “lay people?”  Whom do they represent?  In his first epistle, Saint Peter writes “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” (1 Peter 2:9-10 NIV)  Now, that is Good News.  If you are in Christ, then you are a chosen person, a royal priest belonging to God and set aside to declare his praises.  Earlier, we mentioned that a priest is a mediator.  A lay person, then, is a mediator between God and the world.  You are nothing less than a representative of God on earth.  And it is your sacred duty and privilege to be Jesus’ witness to your community.

We do this in many different ways, as we all serve in the Body of Christ differently.  Some of us serve by overseeing the church finances, while others clean the parish hall.  Some cure the sick, while others fight for justice in the courtroom or on the battlefield.  Some lead worship, but all worship.  Some lead prayers, but all pray.  Some preach the Word, but all study it and live by its teachings.  The point is that no person is more or less valuable than any other person.  And no ministry is more or less valuable than another, as long as all are done to the glory of Christ and the spread of His Kingdom.

So, how do we propagate the Gospel?  We do it as we always have, through knowing Christ and making Him known.  We receive the love of God and we pass it along.  We are filled with the Holy Spirit, and we are empowered by the Spirit to serve in Jesus’ name.