Book Review - Jesus the Evangelist by Rick Phillips

Jesus the Evangelist is the first book I have read by Rick Phillips; I hope it is not the last! The book’s subtitle, “Learning to share the gospel from the book of John” neatly summarizes this just under 200 page manuscript.

Phillips begins by examining what is true about Jesus from John 1, proceeds to consider the content of the Gospel (what it really is) from John 3, then looks at the practice of evangelism as modeled by Jesus in John 4. The Word, the Nicodemus exchange and the Woman at the Well frame the book.

What I most appreciate about Phillips content is his winsome application – it is good, old Word-based application that helps the reader see how the text ought to shape the way we live. He has some great illustration as well.

I would recommend the book for three kinds of people: 1. Those expositing John’s gospel – there is much here for preachers. 2. Those wanting to be motivated in their personal evangelism – Phillips primary target audience. 3. Those who are unsure of the Gospel – even self-admitting non-believers.

Come to think of it, I would also commend this book to all my emergent friends. Here is a fine example of Biblical evangelism that works within a certain culture – without embracing everything in that culture! Phillips’ chapters on John 4 will be extremely helpful to those who want to “be real” with culture. There is a way to do this without selling out the Gospel.

This book would make a great Christmas gift to anyone on your list... especially if they attend Grace Fellowship Church and are sitting under the weekly exposition of the Gospel of John!