EVANGELIZATION AND HUMAN PROMOTION: INSIGHTS FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

Abstract This paper contends that, in the New Testament, particularly within the ministry and message of Jesus, evangelisation is intrinsically linked to the promotion of the human person. The central claim advanced here is that authentic evangelisation, as reflected in the teachings and actions of Christ and his disciples, consistently aims at the integral development and dignity of every human being. Consequently, human promotion is not simply a byproduct of Gospel proclamation, but constitutes its essential content and outcome. Christ intends for the Church to expand both quantitatively and qualitatively through the efforts of his disciples, with evangelisation serving as the primary means by which the Church perpetuates itself. The effectiveness of evangelistic activity is measured by the elevation and flourishing of the human person. This study explores the relationship between evangelisation and human promotion from a New Testament perspective, with particular emphasis on the Gospels, and considers the implications of this relationship for evangelistic work in contemporary Nigeria. It maintains that, for the Church to fulfil this mission effectively, continual focus on the human person, who stands at the centre of all evangelisation, is imperative.