Focus: Rethinking the Meaning of Our Evangelism

by Malcolm Boyd

The new Library of Episcopalian Classics features works by American Episcopalian authors whose books are timeless, prophetic, or of historical importance for the Church. Covering a wide variety of fields -- history, spirituality, church management, and more -- this series makes available to a new generation the books that helped shape the Episcopal Church as it is today.Malcolm Boyd's stirring call to evangelism is as relevant today as when it was first written forty years ago. It is timeless, because as Boyd wrote, "The basic ingredients of evangelism will not need to be changed at all, nor can they be changed. Christian evangelism is about God, who does not change."

Boyd challenges a new generation to a life based on the premise that, properly understood, evangelism places God in focus. He stresses that true evangelism happens only on an intensely personal level. It is not about "bringing people to Christ so they don't burn in hell, " but instead about living as an invitation to others.

Focus is a clarion call to all Christians, urging them to make the Gospel known not only to those who do not know it, but also to those who already live within the church. It offers concrete and specific approaches to genuine evangelism in today's culture.

96 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads data base.

Malcolm Boyd was an American Episcopal priest and author. He was one of the prominent white clergymen in the American Civil Rights Movement in the 60s as well as the anti-Vietnam War movement. In 1977 Boyd came out of the closet, becoming the most prominent gay clergy person to come out. In the 1980s Boyd met the gay activist and author Mark Thompson, who would become his long-time partner. He is the author of more than 30 books.

Crisis in Communication (Doubleday, 1957)

Christ and Celebrity Gods (Seabury, 1958)

Focus: Rethinking the Meaning of Our Evangelism (Morehouse-Barlow, 1960)

If I Go Down to Hell (Morehouse-Barlow, 1962)

The Hunger, the Thirst (Morehouse-Barlow, 1964)

Are You Running with Me, Jesus? (Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1965/40th anniversary edition, 2005), became a bestseller

Free to Live, Free to Die (Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1967)

Malcolm Boyd's Book of Days (Random House, 1968)

The Fantasy Worlds of Peter Stone and Other Fables (Harper & Row, 1969)

As I Live and Breathe (Random House, 1969)
My Fellow Americans (Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1970)

Human Like Me, Jesus (Simon and Schuster, 1971)

The Lover (Word Books, 1972)

The Runner (Word Books, 1974)

The Alleluia Affair (Word Books, 1975)
Christian: Its Meanings in an Age of Future Shock (Hawthorn, 1975)

Am I Running with You, God? (Doubleday, 1977)

Take Off the Masks (Doubleday, 1978; rev. ed. HarperCollins 1993, White Crane Books 2008)

Look Back in Joy (Gay Sunshine Press, 1981; rev. ed. Alyson, 1990)

Half Laughing, Half Crying (St. Martin's Press, 1986)

Gay Priest: An Inner Journey (St. Martin's Press, 1986)

Edges, Boundaries and Connections (Broken Moon Press, 1992)

Rich with Years: Daily Meditations on Growing Older (HarperCollins, 1994)

Go Gentle Into That Good Night (Genesis Press, 1998)

Simple Grace: A Mentor's Guide to Growing Older (Westminster John Knox, 2001)

Prayers for the Later Years (Augsburg, 2002)

A Prophet in His Own Land: The Malcolm Boyd Reader (edited by Bo Young/Dan Vera) (White Crane Books, 2008)

Edited by Malcolm Boyd
On the Battle Lines: A Manifesto for Our Times (Morehouse-Barlow, 1964)
The Underground Church (Sheed & Ward, 1968)
When in the Course of Human Events (with Paul Conrad, Sheed & Ward, 1973)
Amazing Grace: Stories of Lesbian and Gay Faith (with Nancy L. Wilson, Crossing Press, 1991)
Race & Prayer: Collected Voices, Many Dreams (w/Chester Talton, Morehouse, 2003)
In Times Like These…How We Pray (with J. Jon Bruno, Seabury, 2005)