“Preach the gospel at all times, and when necessary, use words.” This saying, often attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, has been a banner under which many well-meaning believers have marched. Yet, as is often the case with such sayings, it is loses its luster with close examination. For one, historians dispute whether Francis ever uttered these words at all. But more pressing still is the fact that the gospel, by its very nature, demands words.

Now, it is clear why this phrase appeals to so many. It acknowledges, quite rightly, the terrible inconsistency of a life professing faith yet betraying its claims in practice. We know well the damage done to the gospel when its messengers live in a manner that contradicts the message. There is a vital truth here: the gospel must not be a hollow proclamation, but a living reality in the lives of those who carry it. And yet, we must not confuse this truth with the notion that the gospel can somehow be shared without words.

The gospel is, after all, news—glad tidings of great joy for all people. And news, by definition, must be communicated. The gospel tells of a cosmic victory and the rescue of souls, and this message, glorious though it is, does not simply radiate from our good behavior. It must be spoken, proclaimed, shouted from the rooftops. One cannot whisper a rescue or simply infer a victory.

The church, in its wisdom, has given us words to describe this task of communicating the gospel: evangelism, apologetics, and polemics. Each, in its own way, involves words, arguments, and explanations. Evangelism is the telling of the good news; apologetics, the reasoned defense of the faith; and polemics, the refutation of error. In each case, the words themselves carry weight, for they are the vehicle by which the truth is delivered.

While we must indeed live lives that reflect the gospel, we must never shy away from using the very words that the gospel itself demands. To preach the gospel is not to retreat into silence, but to speak boldly, to give voice to the Word that became flesh and dwelt among us.