Evangelism Training In South Africa? 287 Most Correct Answers

Ed Stetzer recently broke the news to Southern Baptists that the Southern Baptist Convention is shrinking faster than the United Methodist Church. Baptisms have declined in 8 of the last 10 years. Membership has declined, average weekly attendance has fallen, and the SBC is acceleratingly moving away from the activity of the Grand Commission, which should be one of its defining characteristics.

There are a few glimmers of hope. Church planting remains a priority and our seminars continue to follow conservative biblical principles, producing students, pastors and missionaries who honor the Bible as God’s infallible and inspired Word. Southern Baptists also see hope in increased support for Lottie Moon and a continued emphasis on reaching out to the nations.

But even with more churches and more money for international missions, baptisms are declining and SBC participation is shrinking. The stark reality is that the Southern Baptist Convention is not turning back the darkness in North America. With much talk about church planting, missionary movements, and engaging the lost, there seems to be little emphasis on personal evangelism and evangelism training.

Pastor, if you want a church that will push back the darkness in your church, you need to have people sharing the good news of Christ. If you want your people to share the gospel, you must train them. Pastor, you must do more than just talk about the need to reach the nations and your neighbors, you must educate your people. Even if you are uncomfortable with some methods of evangelism, you are not exempt from the responsibility of training your people to do any type of evangelism. By training them, you remove some of the fear factors that prevent people from sharing the gospel.

If evangelism is important (and it is), then the church and its leaders should seriously train Christians to share the good news. Here are a few tips on how to improve evangelism training in your church.

Do something . When it comes to evangelism training, something is almost always better than nothing. Maybe you haven’t started yet because you don’t know where to start. just do something Buy a tract stand, buy outreach Bibles (we use the HSCB Outreach Bible), have time for a testimony, or start a sermon series on evangelism. Start somewhere and do something.

. When it comes to evangelism training, something is almost always better than nothing. Maybe you haven’t started yet because you don’t know where to start. just do something Buy a tract stand, buy outreach Bibles (we use the HSCB Outreach Bible), have time for a testimony, or start a sermon series on evangelism. Start somewhere and do something. Be consistent. Most of your people won’t get it the first time, so offer evangelism training often.

. Most of your people won’t get it the first time, so offer evangelism training often. Mix it up. There are many different ways to share the gospel. Realize that not everyone will be comfortable with every method, so mix it up. Teach people to teach us a tract, use the Roman road, teach them to use a storytelling method, teach your co-workers how to practice both relational and cold-calling evangelism, and incorporate apologetics. Some of the mixing can mean that evangelism training is offered at different times and in different ways. Consider an evangelism conference or small group curriculum or even a video guided method that people can use at home.

. There are many different ways to share the gospel. Realize that not everyone will be comfortable with every method, so mix it up. Teach people to teach us a tract, use the Roman road, teach them to use a storytelling method, teach your co-workers how to practice both relational and cold-calling evangelism, and incorporate apologetics. Some of the mixing can mean that evangelism training is offered at different times and in different ways. Consider an evangelism conference or small group curriculum or even a video guided method that people can use at home. To get help. Pastor, there’s no shame in admitting that sometimes your people listen to someone else better than you. Bring in someone else to train your people.

. Pastor, there’s no shame in admitting that sometimes your people listen to someone else better than you. Bring in someone else to train your people. Exemplary evangelism. Do your people know you share your beliefs? When you have lunch with parishioners, do you share your faith? Organizations reflect their leadership and churches reflect their pastors. When you make evangelism a priority in your life, there is greater hope for your people to do the same

. Do your people know you share your beliefs? When you have lunch with parishioners, do you share your faith? Organizations reflect their leadership and churches reflect their pastors. When you make evangelism a priority in your life, there is greater hope for your people to do the same. Pray for revival. Your efforts are useless without the work of the Holy Spirit. Pray that He will give your church a zeal for evangelism and that the people in your church will have an open heart to receive the good news.

. Your efforts are useless without the work of the Holy Spirit. Pray that He will give your church a zeal for evangelism and that the people in your church will have an open heart to receive the good news. Budget for Evangelism. When something is important, it usually finds a way into your budget. Set aside money each year to train your people to share the gospel.

I recently sat in a gathering of about 150 pastors, all gathered to strategize and pray for the spread of the gospel in our state. At that meeting, many spoke of the need for the gospel to work in our state, but less than 10 percent of those present said they had attended special evangelism training in their church in the past 12 months. That needs to change.

I applaud the renewed emphasis within the American church on being more missionary. I am grateful for the testimony of men like Tony Merida and his latest book, Ordinary. Unfortunately, on our journey to missionary commitment and evangelistic evangelism, we seem to have lost gospel intentionality and evangelistic zeal. Pastor, encourage your church to love the hurt and downtrodden, but as you love your community, equip them to share the gospel with the lost. There are many reasons why evangelism training might seem “uncool” and outdated, but these reasons pale in comparison to the great need of spreading the gospel.

If you are interested in becoming an evangelist, the first thing to consider is how much education you need. We found that 58.5% of evangelists have a bachelor’s degree. In terms of higher education, we found that 17.9% of evangelists have a master’s degree. Although most evangelists have a college degree, it is possible to become one with just a high school diploma or GED.

Choosing the right major is always an important step in researching how to become an evangelist. When we researched the most common majors for an evangelist, we found that they most commonly earn a bachelor’s or a master’s degree. Other degrees we often see on evangelist resumes are associate degrees or high school diploma degrees.

You may find that experience in other professions will help you become an evangelist. In fact, many evangelistic jobs require experience in a pastoral role. Many evangelists now also have professional experience in roles such as interns or senior pastors.

By Rev. Bill Oldland, Rector, St. Bartholomew’s, Hartsville

Last summer I attended a diocesan evangelism workshop in Holy Comforter, Sumter. Some very interesting information about evangelism was shared. Using the book Becoming a Contagious Christian by Bill Hybels, the workshop identified six approaches to evangelism.

The six styles are: Direct, Intellectual, Testimonial, Relationship-oriented, Invitation-oriented, and Service-oriented. Every single human being has God-given gifts and abilities that fall into one or more of these six approaches. A church congregation will have all styles. Members who use their gifts and work together can become very effective in spreading the message of Christ in their community.

I will unpack the different approaches here. See which one suits you best.

The direct way:

We see this approach in Acts 2 where Peter speaks to the crowd at Pentecost. He courageously proclaims the gospel to those present. It’s very direct. Those who have this gift get straight to the point. They preach Christ and seek an answer. The subject is not pushed, but the person with this approach steers the conversation towards a discussion of faith. In Becoming a Contagious Christian, the direct approach is described as “redirecting conversations to Christ.”

The intellectual approach:

The biblical person who best exemplifies this approach is Paul. In Acts 17 Paul argued with philosophers and deep thinkers in Athens. Today this is practiced by apologists and other logical thinkers. The intellectual evangelist is challenged to have an excellent knowledge and understanding of the gospel. Intellectual blocks can be a significant obstacle to faith. These obstacles can include questions and objections that raise doubts about the veracity of Christianity. However, this approach is becoming increasingly important in today’s world. Hybels says, “This type of evangelism has become increasingly important as our society has become increasingly secular. So many seekers need to hear the gospel not only explained, but defined and defended.” As stated at 1 Timothy 3:15, “Be ready to answer anyone who asks the reason for your hope.”

I know when we think of evangelism we tend to picture someone in our mind using the direct approach. We could think of Billy Graham. True, he is an example of this approach. We could also think of someone like C.S. Lewis think when we read the description of the intellectual approach. He too is a good example of this style. Perhaps one or both of the above descriptions caught your interest. You may have some of these qualities.

However, we are not all gifted in these approaches and these two may not suit you. Take heart! There are four other approaches that we can discover. Everyone is gifted to share the good news of Jesus Christ. I know people will describe your style.

The testimonial approach:

The most effective way to describe this approach is in one word: storytelling. Storytelling has been an effective teaching method since the beginning of mankind. This approach uses a very natural, talkative way of evangelising. It shares our story. Sharing personal stories about one’s walk with Christ often carries a unique weight. They often do things that facts alone cannot provide. One of the best biblical examples is the story of the blind man in John 9 who was healed by Jesus. When asked who healed him, he replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I do not know. One thing I know is that I was blind, but now I see.” Many people may not respond to a challenge or an argument about faith. In fact, if addressed in this way, they could build a wall. They could be responding to something more personal that they could relate to. Our stories don’t have to be dramatic or wondrous. In fact, it could be as simple as sharing that you’ve changed from being a “religious person” who attended church regularly to one who now has a deeper relationship with Christ.

The relational approach:

This approach is exactly what the name describes. Some people’s evangelistic abilities come from a natural ability to relate to people. This person loves being with others and it is a wonderful way to share Christ. The story of Matthew’s calling in Luke 5:27-29 is a great biblical example of this approach. Jesus sees Levi in ​​his tax collection booth and calls to him, saying, “Follow me.” Levi (Matthew) follows him and invites some guests to his house that evening for dinner with Jesus. This approach puts a strong emphasis on building relationships. It takes time because relationships take time and energy to build trust. There are all sorts of areas where this approach is effective: work, home, sports, hobbies, and social and community activities. The friendships formed there are fruitful places for evangelism.

Perhaps one of these two approaches is a better fit than the direct or the intellectual. They were certainly a little more comfortable for me. We have two more ahead of us. The goal is that we find the approach or approaches that speak to our soul and enliven our spirit to share God’s love.

The invitation approach:

This approach is similar to the relational approach. However, it is predominantly characterized by inviting people to church events such as services, retreats, Bible studies and other religious activities. It is definitely one of the most natural and easiest ways for new believers to reach out to others. It’s especially helpful for those who feel like they don’t have the right words.

In fact, of course, we follow the same approach in other places. I am part of a practice group and Bible study called F3. I had never heard of this national group before. Someone invited me to it. I went and now feel it is an important part of my life. I would never have gone if I hadn’t been invited. I am indebted to my friend Mel Pennington for inviting me. Bill Hybels, author of Becoming a Contagious Christian, says: “There are many people who would make great strides in their spiritual journey if someone made the effort to strategically invite them to a seeker-centered service or outreach event. “It’s about extending the invitation.

The service approach:

This is another way to share our faith with people. If you are a person who is naturally sensitive to the needs of others, this could be the perfect opportunity to share your faith. A person who prefers this approach likes to share the love of Christ through actions rather than words. They find this approach easy because God made them that way. In fact, ministry evangelism is at the heart of the Christian faith. Most of us were created by God with gifts and talents that call us to be kind to others and help those in need. At the same time, a ministry evangelist knows that it is not by our good deeds that we are truly saved, but by God’s grace.

Now we have reviewed all six approaches to evangelism. I thank the members of the Diocesan Evangelism Commission for this information. It is evident that God has given us the gifts and abilities to minister to Him in one or more of these evangelistic styles. We are encouraged to identify and use them in our community. If we seize the opportunity and use the gifts that God has given us appropriately, we will see great things happen.

The six approaches were shared by the diocesan evangelism committee. Many of the aspects come from material written by Bill Hybels.

Diocesan Hosting Evangelism Workshop in March

Would you like to know which approach suits you? Come Saturday, March 2nd for the Evangelism Workshop at Trinity Church in Myrtle Beach. Find out more and register.

Faith 2 Faith Ministries, Inc. understands the gospel movement in three phases: pre-evangelism, proclamation, and post-encounter follow-up. Let’s explore these stages and learn how we can collaborate with communities at each stage.

learn to breathe

People sometimes ask me, “Why aren’t we doing this event more?” or “Why can’t the church meet more often?” Questions like these mean that believers need to understand these three phases in light of the gospel movement. Rather than thinking of these phases as three steps in a finite campaign, let’s think of them as parts of a continuous process, like breathing. Inhalation brings new oxygen into the lungs and after the body uses it up, it is converted to carbon dioxide and exhaled. You may prefer to fill your lungs with fresh air, but if you just breathe in, you will suffocate. The same goes for exhaling. As we learn to breathe, we can identify where communities are in their gospel movement cycles so we can help them take their next breaths. With this approach, evangelistic ministries become less tactical and more proactive and more effective in creating sustained collaborative efforts with the local church.

Stage 1: Pre-Evangelism

Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. So pray to the Lord who is responsible for the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields” (Matthew 9:37-38). It is our passion to see the body of Christ come alive and to be involved in the work of sharing Jesus Christ with the world in meaningful ways. We want to challenge both experienced believers and young adults to share their faith with students in word and deed.

Before harvesting, the soil must be prepared. Similarly, before a church can be saturated with the gospel, it is important that local believers engage the church in a way that prepares them to hear the gospel. Pre-evangelism means mobilizing and equipping believers to become collaborators in the work of evangelism, while building bridges into the community that help create a platform for the gospel. This is how we cultivate the soil.

Some examples of what happens in the pre-crusade phase:

Networks of service providers are identified and/or developed in a community

The Evangelistic Association continues to cultivate/facilitate relationships between ministry leaders by helping them to know and pray for one another

The community is consulted to see if there are churches/ministry already meeting their needs and how others can engage them

Listening sessions are held with city officials and church leaders to identify community weaknesses

Forums and trainings are held to mobilize and equip believers to be visible and to serve their community

Stage 2: Annunciation

It is important that the conversation does not end with service. It has become mainstream to misquote St Augustine with the adage “Preach the gospel, and with words if necessary.” However, Augustine did not say these words, nor did he take this position.1 In fact, this position seems to contradict Scripture itself. As Romans 10:14 asks, “And how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?”

At the same time, we should not take the position of using only words. 2 Corinthians 3:17 instructs us, “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” do the Lord Jesus, we bring Him glory through our ministry and preaching.

1 Corinthians 1:18 says, “The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know that it is the power of God.” We must continue to believe in the preaching of the gospel and not give up on it. Let’s see how the next generation will respond to his invitation and receive the gift of eternal life!

To create a moment of determination for the spread of the Good News, the proclamation should always be through gifted communicators who are effective in calling non-Christians to respond to Jesus as Lord and Savior. Effective outreach today uses innovative strategies such as multimedia, music, action sports, and outreach events in neutral common spaces rather than church buildings.

Stage 3: Follow-up after the encounter

Jesus said at Matthew 16:8, “Now I tell you that you are Peter (meaning ‘rock’), and upon that rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell shall not defeat it.”

Peter confessed Christ as Lord, and this confession became the cornerstone of the church. It is this confession of Christ as Lord that gives new believers the power to overcome Hell. We believe that the church is the hope of the world because it brings the message of Jesus to the world. With every testimony accumulated since Peter’s confession, the Church has gathered momentum through the centuries, shining brighter and brighter until all have heard.

As in Acts, we wish to see the Church grow healthy and strong as numbers are added to it daily. However, one of the challenges that the church faces after an evangelistic moment is following up with decision makers after an outreach. Evangelists in the 21st century cannot afford to neglect the support of the church in follow-up efforts. Churches today value long-term partnership efforts of evangelistic associations. With automation technology facilitating event registration to capture attendee information, it has become easier to store contact and decision information. This means that the exchange of information between the evangelistic association and the local church can be streamlined for immediate follow-up.

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Personal evangelism has proven to be the most effective method of evangelism. Peter, the apostle of Jesus Christ, was a product of personal evangelism. Just as Peter was brought to Jesus through one-on-one evangelism, there are people out there who need Jesus Christ and they are desperate for you to bring the gospel to them.

It is time to bring Jesus to the dying world for salvation. Many people are depressed and face failures in their lives on a daily basis. Such people have already given up on God, losing hope for a better future. These sects of people need Jesus for salvation. Death rages in the world today as many go to eternity without Christ. Science and technology cannot help the world again; the last resort is Jesus Christ. There are Peters luring to salvation, and you can be a solution to them by introducing them to Jesus Christ. Disappointment hovers everywhere. Sorrow multiplies without help from the world, and Christians are the antidote. It is so sad that thousands of people die every day at the hands of the devastating COVID-19. Morgues are filled to the brim with corpses. Mass burials are conducted without relatives having access to their loved ones. What a painful moment! Men’s hearts fail them. What they desperately need is Jesus before it’s too late.

Any believer who refuses to carry his Bible and preach Jesus Christ to sinners does not love God. We are in a critical moment! The rich are crying out for help because hopelessness is staring them in the face and there are no solutions. Let’s bring Jesus to them because He is the only solution to people’s problems.

Peter the apostle did not know that Jesus Christ would be of help to him. The world is blind by religion. Unfortunately, religion cannot help anyone but Jesus. In fact, more than ever, religion has contributed to the world’s problem. After Peter met Jesus Christ, he became a true instrument in God’s hands. You too can be an instrument.

Don’t relax in the comfort of your zone and think that sinners will come to you naturally. We need to take the gospel of Jesus into their homes. However, in fulfilling this heavenly commission, wisdom is required. There are people who are very difficult to reach. In this case, it is worth guiding wisdom. Visit them privately and don’t let critics be there. Sometimes you may not even carry the Bible to reach some people.

One-to-one evangelism is so easy, effective, and less expensive. It is more expensive to do evangelism than personal evangelism. And sometimes souls reached in a crusade are not considered, unlike personal evangelism. Also, there are people who may never go to evangelism. These kinds of people can only be reached through personal contact.

Jesus Christ, even after His resurrection, was a living example of personal evangelism (Acts 9:1-6). Great men and women who serve God today with stubborn determination have been shown to be products of one-to-one evangelism.

The souls of sinners are so precious to God. He’s counting on you. Let’s go out and win them one by one.

For further reading: Luke 21:26; 2Tim.3:5; Frosted. 13:38, 47; Luke 5:27-27

For details of our programs, please visit our website @www.kpicpc.org, Facebook @KPICPC and YouTube @Kpicpc nig

Some of the skills we found in evangelist resumes were cloud, api, and linkedin. Below we have listed the most important duties of evangelists.

Check out the full list of evangelist skills.

We found that 58.5% of evangelists have earned a bachelor’s degree. In addition, 17.9% earned their master’s degree before becoming an evangelist. While it is true that most evangelists have a college degree, it is generally possible to become one with just a high school diploma. In fact, one in eight evangelists didn’t spend the extra money to go to college.

The evangelists who went to college to earn a deeper education generally studied theology and business administration, while a small group of evangelists studied computer science and pastoral and specialized ministries.

Once you are ready to become an evangelist, you should look at the companies that typically hire evangelists. According to the evangelist resumes we searched, Oracle, Kronos Incorporated, and Grp Inc. most commonly hired evangelists. Oracle currently has 165 evangelist vacancies, while Kronos Incorporated has 24 and Grp Inc. has 12.

But if you’re interested in companies where you might earn a hefty salary, evangelists typically earn the highest salaries at Microsoft, Snowflake Computing, and AppDynamics. Take Microsoft for example. The median evangelist salary is $143,362. At Snowflake Computing, evangelists make an average of $132,481, while at AppDynamics the average is $124,136. You should consider how difficult it might be to get a job with one of these companies.

Check out more details on evangelist salaries in the United States.

evangelize in a nearby town. I’m preparing right now, but I have this fear inside me. But with God on my side, I know I will make it because God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of love, strength, and a sound mind. If we are afraid, we will not be made perfect in his love.”

…”

“Thank you for the article. I’ve learned quite a bit about evangelism

An Evangelist’s Salary Image Credit: doidam10/iStock/GettyImages

“Evangelist” is a generic job title that refers to anyone involved in the spread of Christianity. The term evangelism means spreading the good news. Many people pursue this profession as a career path, working as pastors or missionaries or in religious roles.

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The salary range for evangelists depends on denomination, location and the exact role. There are several different evangelist jobs and roles that people in this field can fill. These roles affect the average salary and the process of becoming an evangelist.

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job description

Working as an evangelist to spread your faith is the most rewarding career for someone passionate about their Christian faith. You should get involved in your church as soon as possible if you want to become an evangelist. If you don’t have a home church, you should find one that aligns with their teachings and practices and start volunteering.

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Because an evangelist is a person who spreads Christianity, many related professions fall into this category. The people you see behind the pulpit on Sundays are some of the most obvious. Depending on the denomination, this includes priests, ministers, preachers, reverends and ministers.

educational requirements

It can also help you to talk to your church leaders about your desires. They can help you spend time in different areas of ministry to help you find your calling.

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They can also help you with the next steps in your education, as many people in this field attend Divinity Schools, Bible Schools, or other formal training programs. Then you can officially begin your career in evangelism.

Industry

Most churches have multiple pastors, typically including a senior pastor who preaches often, and other pastors responsible for different areas of ministry, such as music, youth, ministry, outreach, finance, and more.

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If you are looking for church employment, set up job alerts on a site like ZipRecruiter to improve your chances of finding a good position.

Professional mobility and career growth

As in most areas, the highest evangelist salary goes to the senior pastor, and other directors fall below that. Curates, apprentices and other low-level evangelists make less money. In addition to these staff, most churches and religious institutions employ a number of staff.

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Other factors affect how much an evangelist makes, including years of experience, the size of the church, and other skills they bring to the job. Geographic location and cost of living also play a role, and this is where evangelist salary rankings can get confusing. For example, if a missionary is stationed in a city like New York or San Francisco, he may earn more than his counterparts in a more rural post.

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Most evangelists fall into the clergy category. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the national median salary for members of the clergy in 2021 was $57,230 (median wage). The top 90th percentile earned $80,920, the 75th percentile $63,560, and the 25th percentile $38,800, which is about the national average for an individual’s total annual salary.

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Of course, you don’t have to be an official minister to work as an evangelist, so it’s helpful to look at the average base salary of other religious workers. Their average salary is $43,290; other percentiles are proportionately smaller or larger. These positions would include all related jobs for religious institutions including marketing, product manager, developer evangelist, software engineer or IT person and non-ministerial missionaries.

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job outlook

The outlook for evangelists has changed as smaller congregations have had to downsize or close down altogether. Becoming a “teleevangelist” is one of the best ways to make more money in this field, today on a larger scale than ever before. Not only do these people preach Sunday sermons, but they also build vast communications empires that include all types of media and merchandising.

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Two of the most famous preachers are Joel Osteen and Joyce Meyer. Osteen has a net worth of around $40 million to $60 million per Snopes, while Meyers is estimated to be around $8 million per Celebrity Net Worth.

If you are reading this, chances are you are an evangelist. However, you can be the spouse of an evangelist, and if so, you may have that common sense of frustration that you just don’t understand your partner. The burdens they carry, the drive that always pushes them forward (and maybe keeps them on the road), and the crazy passion they have for the gospel, it all seems great, but maybe just a little overkill? !

Hear today from Vicki Greene, wife of evangelist Alan Greene and an evangelist herself. Bringing the unique perspective of an evangelistic spouse, Vicki encourages spouses to understand the heart of an evangelist to better support their partner in ministry.

To be the spouse of an evangelist, you must understand the heart of an evangelist. The compelling call—the urge to get the Good News known to as many people as possible in the time allotted by the Lord—is real.

Sharing the truth of the gospel is an urgent matter. Time for culture is running out and time for decline is running out. One of the last words Jesus spoke before leaving this earth was: GO. Go and preach the good news to the world. Evangelists take this call very seriously.

When you are married to an evangelist, understanding the calling and the urgency is the most important key to support; knowing why your spouse is leaving home, loved ones and everything they care about to share this message. Once you understand the heartbeat behind the calling, supporting the messenger becomes easier.

What could bring greater joy than knowing that you were part of God’s plan to bring a message of hope to a lost and dying world? It is a joy to see the face of broken, hurt, lost and repressed change before your eyes. It is a joy to see one hear for the first time that their sins can be forgiven by the King of kings. It is a joy to see someone learn that the Redeemer of the world has come to set HER free and that they can have a personal relationship with the same God who created the universe!

Once we understand and believe in our own hearts that the evangelist’s calling is just that—a high calling—then we want to be part of that calling as spouses.

So the next important thing is to join the calling. Regardless of whether you travel with him/her or not, you must understand that you are one – of one spirit and one soul. Once you are united in marriage, the calling becomes a calling. It becomes your common calling.

You will be the main support and influence behind the person. The prayer warrior, the encourager and the helper. When your spouse travels, you are still part of that team. Phone calls and other communications make you feel part of the team. Above all, prayer is the key to success in a relationship. With lots of prayer and communication, you will feel a presence there even if you can’t come!

Reading and meditating on the Scriptures regarding the Great Commission are good reminders of the sustaining of the calling (Matthew 28:19-20, Mark 1:17, Mark 1:38, Mark 16:15-20, Luke 24:47-49, Acts 1:8, Romans 1:16). Praying for lives touched by previous encounters also shows your support. Writing down moments of joy, struggles, prayer requests, and answered prayers is one way I have found helpful to feel united with my spouse in evangelism.

Understanding the heart of an evangelist will help you understand the heart of your spouse. Together you can live out God’s calling and see great implications for the kingdom.

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I have been researching and studying churches, primarily in North America, for over twenty years. I have had the joy of serving as senior pastor in four churches where God has blessed evangelistic growth. I have written over twenty books about the Church in America.

I am not giving you my credentials to impress you, but simply to share that leading and learning about evangelistic churches has been my life’s passion. At this point in my life and ministry, however, I find that I have not paid enough attention to one of the key characteristics of evangelistic churches.

The Big Omission

It’s so obvious. In fact, it’s so clear that I’m surprised I’m neglecting this factor. Simply put, the evangelistic churches that I have researched over the past twenty years have one or more highly evangelistic Christians.

I know. The previous statement is not a big revelation. It almost states the obvious. But if it’s a reality, why aren’t we hearing more about these Christians who seem to have a passion for evangelism? Why don’t we tell their stories better?

Seven Traits

When we research evangelistic churches, it is inevitable that we will learn of one or more members in the church who embody, to use Charles H. Spurgeon’s book title, the characteristics of “The Soul Winner.” Often one of these members is the pastor. But we have also seen many lay people who are soul winners themselves.

In our interviews with these people, or with those who tell us about soul winners, we began to see some clear patterns. We called these patterns “the seven characteristics of highly evangelistic Christians.”

They are people of prayer. They realize that only God can convict and convert, and they depend entirely on Him for prayer. Most of the strongly evangelistic Christians spend at least an hour each day in prayer. They have a theology that compels them to evangelize. They believe in the urgency of the gospel message. They believe that Christ is the only way to salvation. They believe that without Christ everyone is doomed to a literal hell. They are people who spend time in the Word. The more time they spend with the Bible, the more they see the lostness of mankind and the love of God in Christ to save the lost. They are compassionate people. Their hearts break for those who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. They have learned to love the world by becoming more like Christ, who has the greatest love for the world. They love the communities in which God has placed them. They are immersed in culture because they desire the light of Christ to shine through them in their communities. They are consciously committed to evangelism. They pray for opportunities to share the gospel. You look for these opportunities. And they see many so-called chance encounters as God-ordained appointments. They are accountable to someone for their evangelistic activities. They know that many good activities can replace the activities of the Great Commission if they are not careful. Good can replace the best. So make sure that someone is holding you accountable, formally or informally, each week for your evangelistic efforts.

The “secret” of evangelistic churches

The secret really isn’t a secret at all. Ultimately, evangelistic churches are seeing more people becoming Christians through the passionate efforts of highly evangelistic Christians. More than any program. More than all church events. More than anything else, we are the instruments that God chose to use.

Sometimes we ask the question, “What is my church doing to become more evangelistic?” But the better question is, “What am I doing to become more evangelistic?”

Charles H. Spurgeon was right. We need more soul winners.

We need more evangelistic Christians.

Christians have used many different approaches to spread Christianity through the practice of evangelism. Christianity began with just a few different evangelistic approaches, but over the years many different forms of evangelism have been used by different groups to spread their faith. Many of these forms of evangelism are often used only in certain parts of the world by Christians in different geographical areas. In particular, most new approaches to evangelism today have emerged from Europe or the United States, especially when new technologies are used in evangelism efforts.

Preaching in the open air[ edit ]

Open-air preaching is an approach to evangelism characterized by speaking in open-air public places, generally to crowds at once, using a message, sermon, or speech that spreads the gospel. Proponents of this approach note that both Jesus[2] and many of the Old Testament prophets often preached about God in public places.[3] It is one of the oldest approaches to evangelism.[2]

During the Protestant Reformation, open-air preaching was often used by Protestants across Europe[4] who could not always preach in the mostly Catholic churches.[5] Open air preaching in Europe continued during the rise of Puritanism and other Protestant movements.[3] It was often used in pastoral settings as well as in cities, the former sometimes out of a desire to evade the authorities,[6] and the latter because for a reason it could reach eccentric people living in cities who would not otherwise hear the gospel. [7]

During the late 19th century and early to mid-20th century, many famous open-air preachers began preaching in the United States, such as Billy Sunday[8] and Billy Graham. Graham, in particular, used a combination of open-air preaching and the recent advent of televangelism to broadcast his sermons, often in large venues such as stadiums, to large parts of the world and to millions of Americans.[9]

Early Methodist preachers John Wesley and George Whitefield preached outdoors, which enabled them to draw crowds larger than most buildings could accommodate. Wesley stated, “I’m sure I’ve done far more good to my Lincolnshire parishioners by preaching at my father’s grave for three days than I have by preaching from his pulpit for three years… To this day.” preaching in the field is a cross for me. but I know my commission and see no other way to preach the gospel to all creatures.”

Trickle Down Evangelism [ edit ]

Trickle-down evangelism is an approach to evangelism that is primarily concerned with converting high-ranking members of a society so that their influence can help spread Christianity in that society. It was practiced particularly frequently in the Middle Ages.

Trickle-down evangelism was practiced several times throughout China during the Middle Ages, with examples such as converted or sympathetic officials helping the Jesuits or other sections of the Catholic Church to spread, or Marco Polo’s expedition leading to the Mongol ruler of China Kublai Khan invites the Pope to send “teachers of science and religion” to China.[13]

Trickle-down evangelism was also often used in ancient European areas, such as in northern Sweden when the Catholic Church tried to send missionaries to the area.[14]

Door to door evangelism[edit]

The Bible records that Jesus sent out his disciples to evangelize by visiting people’s homes in pairs of two believers (cf. Luke 10:1-12).[15] In the same text, Jesus mentioned that although there are many who are receptive to his gospel message, few people are willing to evangelize.[16] As such, door-to-door preaching is an approach to evangelism in which a Christian goes from household to household in a given area to evangelize the residents, often in conjunction with the distribution of gospel tracts. Jesus often went into other people’s homes during his own ministry, and according to The Encyclopedia of Protestantism, this is a very important approach to evangelism.[17]

One of the first large-scale modern applications of door-to-door preaching was when the Oriental Missionary Society attempted to visit the homes of an entire nation, visiting 10.3 million homes in Japan from 1912 to 1917.[17] The international organization Every Home for Christ began door-to-door preaching in many countries in 1953, and as of 2010 the total number of home visits by its members was 1.3 billion.[17][18] Many local congregations and churches around the world use this approach to evangelism.[17] Methodist churches allied to the Holiness Movement engage in door-to-door evangelism, and in this tradition this is often referred to as a “vocation.”[19]

Groups such as Jehovah’s Witnesses[20] and the Mormons are particularly known for spreading their faith through door-to-door evangelism in people’s homes, often in pairs or small groups. The main organizations of both groups make extensive use of door-to-door preaching. Full-time missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints use these and other techniques to find people to teach.[21]

Ashes to Go Ash Wednesday Evangelism [ edit ]

On Ash Wednesday, the first day of the Christian penitential season of Lent, an Anglican acolyte offers ashes to passers-by to take away.

Since 2007, some members of the major Christian churches in the United States, including Lutherans, Catholics, Anglicans, and Methodists, have participated in “Ashes to Go” activities, in which clergy go outside their churches to public places such as city centers, sidewalks, and Train stations to distribute ashes to the people on Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, the penitential season in the Christian liturgical calendar.[22][23][24][25] Anglican priestess Emily Mellott of Calvary Church in Lombard took up the idea and turned it into a movement declaring that the practice was an act of evangelism.[26][27] Anglicans and Catholics in parts of the UK like Sunderland are offering Ashes to Go together: Marc Lyden-Smith, the priest of St working together to start Lent and perhaps those who have fallen away from the Church or have never been, to remind people that the Christian faith is alive and well in Sunderland.”[22] The Catholic Student Association of Kent State University, based at the University Parish Newman Center, offered ashes to university students who attended that institution’s student center in 2012 , and Douglas Clark of St. Matthew’s Roman Catholic Church in Statesboro, among others, have participated in Ashes to Go.[29][30] On Ash Wednesday 2017, Father Paddy Mooney, the priest of St Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church in the Irish town of Glenamaddy, set up an Ashes to Go station for commuters to drive through and receive ashes from their cars. The parish church also had “drive-through prayers during Lent, during which people submitted their requests into a box left on church grounds without having to leave their cars”.[31] Reverend Trey Hall, pastor of the Urban Village United Methodist Church, explained that when his local church in Chicago donated ashes, “almost 300 people received ashes—including two people who were waiting in their car for a light to change.”[25 ] In 2013, churches not only in the United States, but also at least one church each in the UK, Canada, and South Africa participated in Ashes to Go.[32] Outside of its church building, St. Stephen Martyrs Lutheran Church in Canton offered Ashes to Go in 2016 for “believers whose schedules make it difficult to attend a traditional service.”[33] In the United States itself, 34 states and the District of Columbia participated with at least one church. Most of these churches (parishes) were Protestant Episcopalian, but there were also several Methodist, Presbyterian, and Catholic churches.[34]

Evangelization through a sermon[edit]

In many churches, a gospel message is regularly preached in a sermon. Often this includes an altar call, inviting people to come forward to the choir banister or funeral pew and accept Christ; The tradition of altar calls is practiced by many evangelical denominations such as the Methodist and Baptist churches.[35]

Many Reformed Christians oppose it on the grounds that they believe it leads to false conversions.[36]

Lifestyle evangelism[ edit ]

Lifestyle evangelism is an approach to evangelism characterized by someone demonstrating their faith through their actions in the hope that those around them will be impressed by how God is affecting that person’s life and become a Christian. According to The Encyclopedia of Protestantism, printed in 2004, approximately 100 million people use this approach to evangelism.[17]

Proponents of this approach to evangelism often cite Matthew 5:16 as a proof verse.[37][38] Proponents also often point out that Jesus drew people to God by showing them kindness and doing good deeds, while critics sometimes note that people may not realize that their good behavior stems from Christianity. Proponents claim this is more effective than direct evangelism, believing that living “righteously” is more difficult than preaching.

Friendship Evangelism[ edit ]

Similar to lifestyle evangelism, friendship evangelism is an approach to evangelism characterized by Christians developing relationships with people in order to show them kindness and ultimately to talk to them about God. Proponents sometimes say that Jesus related to those who were interested in him as friends, or that it was more effective than other methods of evangelism that are viewed as less personal. This approach is also known as “love someone to the kingdom”. Opponents hold that friendship evangelism is contrary to the gospel-preaching approach of Jesus, Paul, and the apostles.[39] Missionary Dating takes it a step further and Flirty Fishing takes it to the extreme.

Children’s evangelism[edit]

The Children’s Evangelism movement is a Christian evangelism movement that began in the 20th century. It focuses on the 4/14 window, which focuses on the evangelization of children between the ages of 4 and 14.[40]

Creative evangelism[edit]

This approach to evangelism uses the creative arts (such as music, visual arts, drama, film) to present a gospel message.[41] Examples include Wendy Alec’s novel The Fall of Lucifer, Christian rock band Delirious? and Johann Sebastian Bach’s music composition “St. Matthew Passion”.[42] However, some ministries refer to this type of evangelism simply as the practice of finding creative ways to evangelise.[43]

One of the most famous examples of creative evangelism is George Handel’s oratio Messiah, written in 1741. It is the most-performed major choral work in history, associated with the revival of the Church of England and influencing the famous evangelist John Wesley’s Theology of Eternal Security, attracting around four million viewers a year in modern times.[44]

Campus Crusade for Christ, an evangelical Christian association with affiliates in many countries, owns the distribution rights to a film called Jesus Film, a depiction of the life of Jesus Christ. This film, which has been translated into 80 languages, has been viewed by approximately 850 million people.[45]

In the Church of Pakistan, the Diocese of Hyderabad uses this approach to evangelism among tribal groups in areas of Pakistan with large Sindhi populations.[46]

Using Gospel Tracts[edit]

A tract in the Christian sense is a leaflet with a gospel message. It is usually a short gospel presentation, lasting only a few pages, and is usually printed on small pieces of paper.[47] The estimated number of tracts distributed in 2000 is around 5 billion. It is often used in conjunction with street preaching or door-to-door preaching. As an approach to evangelism, many modern evangelists acknowledge the usefulness of gospel tracts in spreading the gospel.[48]

Televangelism[edit]

Televangelism is an approach to evangelism characterized by an evangelistic message presented through the medium of television[49] often through a charismatic sermon. Many televangelists are represented on major Christian television stations such as the Catholic EWTN or the Protestant Trinity Broadcasting Network.[50]

Televangelism began in the United States and Canada in the mid-20th century as a primarily Evangelical-Protestant approach to evangelism. This made Christian positions much more visible in the world at the time than before.[51]

Radio Evangelism [ edit ]

According to The Encyclopedia of Protestantism, radio evangelism is an approach to evangelism that began around 1921 and has reached more people per hour than any other type of evangelism.[17] It is the use of radio broadcasts to evangelize listeners, sometimes worldwide in one broadcast.

Maria Miranda, the most-listened-to radio evangelist from Latin America in 1990, was being listened to by over 100 million people per day on 537 radio stations in 22 countries during that time.[17] In Yemen, a country where 97 percent of the country is Muslim,[52] 10 percent of the population listens to Christian radio.[17] The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod has had a radio station on KFUO called “The Lutheran Hour” since 1925, which had 5 million listeners in 1931 and was broadcast in over 31 languages ​​by 1987 to 40 million listeners. The first missionary-specific radio station, HCJB, began broadcasting in Ecuador on December 25, 1931.[53]

Internet evangelism [ edit ]

Internet evangelism is a form of evangelism that presents the Christian gospel on the Internet.[54] This may include a website presenting apologetics about biblical inwardness, social media services, someone discussing their faith in a chat room, evangelical messages or advertisements on the home pages of Christian organizations,[17] or other methods of using the internet for dissemination of Christianity.

In the United States, the Internet Evangelism Coalition, founded by the Billy Graham Center in 1999,[55] initiated Internet Evangelism Day each year on the last Sunday of April.

In its Pew Internet and American Life Project, the Pew Research Center found that “nearly two-thirds of online Americans use the Internet for religious reasons—two million Americans.”[56]

Some of the most popular and important online spiritually related activities include:

Thirty-eight percent of the country’s 128 million Internet users have sent and received spiritual e-mail.

35% have sent or received online greeting cards for religious holidays.

Thirty-two percent have gone online to read news reports about religious events and matters.

Twenty-one percent searched for information on how to celebrate religious holidays.

17 percent have searched for information on where to attend church services.

Seven percent have posted or responded to online prayer requests.

Seven percent have donated to religious organizations or charities.

Telephone evangelism[edit]

This approach to evangelism involves using phones to contact people to bring the gospel to them. This sometimes comes in the form of random phone calls or after someone has contacted the evangelist to recommend people that a person might want the evangelist to evangelize to. The tremendous proliferation of cell phones and other mobile devices is opening the way for new and creative methods of evangelism.[57]

Personal evangelism[edit]

Sometimes referred to as “one-to-one” or “personal work,” this approach to evangelism consists in a Christian evangelising, usually in a private manner, to a non-Christian, or to just a few non-Christians.[17] A 1982 Gallup poll found that 51 percent of Americans had tried to persuade someone to become a Christian at some point in their lives.[17]

Creation evangelism[ edit ]

Not to be confused with creative evangelism, creation evangelism uses the truths of modern science [citation needed] to demonstrate the scientific accuracy of events described in the Bible, usually those found in Genesis. By showing that the biblical account is indeed supported by modern science, one can influence an unsaved individual to recognize the existence of God and His sure judgment described in the Bible; ultimately lead to the person being saved through Jesus Christ. [citation required]

Archeology Evangelism[ edit ]

Used with notable success by groups such as Seventh-day Adventists and Christadelphians, practitioners use archaeological discoveries to demonstrate the historical and prophetic reliability of the Bible. The constant availability of archaeological programming on radio and television has made this approach less popular and more effective than in previous years. Previously, this approach drew large crowds to the New Gallery Theater in London and the Sydney Opera House with David Down, as well as many less prestigious venues such as halls and churches.

Prophetic evangelism[ edit ]

A method used primarily by charismatic Christians. This is where (as its practitioners believe) God speaks through a Christian to a non-believer to say something that will cause that person to seek God. In most cases it is something that the speaker could not have known naturally; For example, someone who is having a secret affair can be told that God knows they are doing something wrong and wants them to change their behavior.

However, some critics of this approach note that other religions appear to use a similar method to spread their beliefs.

treasure hunt[edit]

So-called treasure hunts are a form of prophetic evangelism.[58] A small group of Christians take time to pray and listen to the revelations of the Holy Spirit about people God wants the group to find. There is a close correlation with personal evangelism. This type of evangelism can be described as a game of searching for God’s treasures, which are human beings. The group usually receives revelations or “clues” consisting of locations, clothing, hairstyle, or situations that help identify the “treasure”.

After receiving these revelations, the group goes out and searches for the people identified by the clues. Sometimes they are able to speak God’s love and the gospel of Jesus Christ into someone’s life. On other occasions, the group prays for the person’s healing or other needs.

The main focus of this type of evangelism is letting people know that they are valuable to God and that God seeks them as His treasure.

Using props[edit]

Various props can serve as visual aids to accompany the verbal explanation of the gospel message in many of the above approaches. These props include variations on the Wordless Book, commercial products like the eCube, and special flannel graph or flipchart sets.

Notes [edit]

References[edit]

The great apostle Paul had an evangelism problem. Apparently it was serious enough that he asked the Ephesians to pray for him. He asked them to pray that he would be able “to make known the mystery of the gospel with boldness” (Ephesians 6:19b, my translation). In the next verse he repeats this prayer request, saying, “So that when I preach it, I may speak boldly as I ought to speak” (Ephesians 6:20b). As I sat at my desk during my morning devotional and read this passage, tears welled in my eyes to hear Paul—the legendary Christian mountain—with great humility asking that his flock would pray, that he might have the boldness to share the gospel as he should. You can almost see his eyes hitting the floor as he makes this request. “I am not as bold as I ought to be in preaching the gospel.” A statement thought and uttered by every honest Christian in America today, and evidently one with the apostle Paul himself in mind.

This request is so heartbreaking because we know Paul as the model of radical Christian witness. He is the one who regularly speaks with “boldness” (παρρησία, parresia in both its substantive and verbal forms, as in 1 Thessalonians 2:2; Acts 9:27; 13:46; 19:8; 26 :26). Standing before the king with his own death in limbo, he proclaims, “I speak true and sound words. For the king knows these things, and I speak to him boldly” (Acts 26:25b-26a). For me, Paul’s evangelism works like Rosaria Butterfield’s hospitality – it makes me feel like a spiritual child (or reveals to me that I am).

But God reminds us in His Word that the biblical authors are mere mortals. Post-conversion Paul was not perfect (cf. Romans 7:15, 24). He needed prayer to help him spread the gospel the way it was supposed to. Perhaps this lent a grain of truth to the accusation that “his physical presence is feeble and his speech unimportant” (2 Corinthians 10:10b). On the one hand, Paul seems to refute this charge in word (2 Corinthians 10:11) and deed (verses mentioned above). Then again, he seems to be saying he could use a boost in the audacity department.

Are you as bold as you should be in sharing the gospel? The list of people who read these words is probably identical to the list of people who would say no to this question. Who among us will verbally live up to the weight of the gospel? Who is as bold as they should be (Ephesians 6:20)? Earth shattering to me, Paul seems to stand shoulder to shoulder with us and answer that question: “I don’t.”

What difference does it make in your evangelism to know that Paul could regret our collective failure to share the gospel as we should? Of course he would shame us all if we (sinfully) compared our evangelism records. But even he would say he needs to improve, like all of us. This fact should change something in us. It should show us that the perfect evangelist does not exist. There is no one who can claim to document gospel courage perfectly. No one speaks of Christ as often or as openly as they should—not even the apostle Paul. Are You Weak at Evangelism? You are in good company. We are all.

“Are you weak in evangelism? You are in good company. We are all.”

So the point is this: we need to rely less on our own human abilities when it comes to evangelism. If the greatest evangelist who ever lived admitted he wasn’t as brave as he should be, what makes you think you’ll ever be as brave as you should be? Paul leaned into his weakness and thereby into the Holy Spirit of promise. He realized that he was insufficient for the work and that he needed the grace of God working in him. So when he encountered his shortcomings, he admitted them in front of a large audience (did he know that billions of Christians would read those words over time?) and asked for help – from both men and God. He wanted people to pray to God for God to help him overcome his shortcomings.

How often do we respond to our evangelistic shortcomings in exactly the opposite way? We cover up our evangelistic failures and pretend we don’t need prayer to overcome them. We sweep them under the rug and pretend they’re not there. Part of the reason we do this is because we bought the satanic lie that we are worse at evangelism than everyone else. In fact, the opposite is true, we’re all bad at it. Therefore we should not be ashamed to ask our brothers and sisters for help in our evangelism, both the physical help of encouragement and encouragement and the spiritual help of prayer.

I can’t resist a quote from my uninspired hero, Jonathan Edwards, on this front. Confronting the struggle for audacity, he wrote in his diary: “Monday, January 20th. I was very much to blame for not being so complete and clear and forthright in my advocacy of virtue and religion when I had a nice opportunity [i.e. ample opportunity] before those who did not seem to delight in such things… I should be extraordinarily bold with such persons, and speak not with a melancholy tension, but with a confident and fearless…”[1] Amazingly the man who wrote ” Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, simultaneously America’s most famous and frighteningly bold sermon, confided in the paper and in God that he wasn’t bold enough. Was it this admission of weakness that led to his boldness?

One thing is certain, if you encounter a person who responds to your request for boldness with proud contempt and mockingly pushes their own evangelism as inferior to yours, that person is not like Paul and is likely projecting feelings of inadequacy with the front of superiority. As a veteran, I am always suspicious of “heroes” who keep talking about mighty acts of bravery in times of war. As a Christian, I am even more skeptical of these “evangelists” who seem to have an endless array of heroic gospel stories – just real enough to evoke guilt but vague enough to inspire doubt. Don’t let people throw you down, let Paul’s testimony lift you up – we all need help evangelising and the Spirit of Christ will help us. All we have to do is ask.

Perhaps it is our rugged American individualism that has led us to subtly view evangelism as a personal achievement. The biblical evidence is against it. Evangelism only “works” when God does it. Evangelism is just God working through us. It is God who saves, and God alone. In His goodness He uses human instruments, but we are mute without the wind of His Spirit blowing through us. What good is a trumpet without a trumpeter? Paul understood that unless the Spirit of God filled him with boldness, he was useless. Without the spirit of love and boldness, we are noisy gongs and clanging cymbals (1 Corinthians 13:1). Could it be that our collective lackluster evangelism is not caused by a lack of program, strategy – certainly not a lack of guidance – or any other man-made instrument, but by our lack of God-given boldness? Perhaps we need fewer outreach events that fill our church parking lots with trunk-or-treaters more interested in sugar than the Savior, and more Spirit-empowered boldness that fills our lungs with the fiery proclamation of salvation from the eternal damnation and the promise of everlasting glory that begins now. Perhaps we should spend half as much time reading about effective evangelism strategies and twice as much time asking the Son of God to show us His face. A million pages of evangelism strategy could not offer an iota of boldness compared to what comes when, like Paul, we see our risen Savior and He says here, “I am Jesus… arise and enter the city” (Acts 9: 5b-6a).

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By Jimmy Scroggins

Culture is conveyed through leadership over time. When it comes to building an evangelistic church culture, it is up to pastors and other church leaders to set the culture, speak the culture, model the culture, and lead the way.

A church is likely to be as enthusiastic about evangelism as its pastor. Building a true culture of evangelism takes time—not days, weeks, or months, but years or even decades.

Here are 10 ways church leaders can cultivate a more evangelistic church.

1. Focus on prayer.

Encourage the people who attend your church to pray specifically and persistently for those they know who are far from God.

We encourage people to make lists of their friends, neighbors and co-workers who are not believers. Write their names on index cards and pray for them daily, asking God to draw them to His Son by the power of the Spirit.

2. Choose a gospel tool.

It doesn’t matter what tool you use (Four Spiritual Laws, The Bridge, Roman Road, 3 Circles, etc.), but it’s best to pick a tool and stick with it.

I don’t think promoting an evangelism toolbox is the best method. The goal of the tool is to train people to turn everyday conversations into gospel conversations. We use the 3 circles because we have found them to be intuitive, easy to learn and easy to reproduce in the lives of new believers.

3. Train your employees on how to use the tool.

That means repetition. People need to practice the tool before they can use the tool effectively in “live” situations.

The reason people don’t share the gospel is a combination of desire, confidence, and opportunity. The tool and training must capitalize on desire, build trust, and help people seize opportunities.

No matter what tool you use, you need to train your employees to use it. This means offering regular courses, seminars and individual training. The training must include repeated opportunities to practice the tool on another person in the class. Showing the tool does not train the tool.

4. Encourage cooperation with people who are far from God (FFG).

Most of the people in our churches are attracted to other Christians, so we don’t even know many FFG people. We need to encourage people to form relationships with FFG staff.

There are so many ways to do this. Have lunch with a colleague. Invite the neighbors over for dinner. Coach a sports team. Join a CrossFit gym. Volunteer at the library or public school.

Get out there, meet some people, build real friendships and be ready to give an answer for the hope we have!

5. Emphasize quick obedience.

Our normal spiritual growth path is: 1) Becoming a Christian. 2) Get involved in the church. 3) After several years of sitting and soaking, we twist your arm to attend some kind of evangelism class. 4) Follow a few sermons a year that make people feel bad for not sharing the gospel.

That’s stupid. We should teach our new believers/disciples to share the gospel immediately. Learning to Use a Gospel Tool is an entry-level theology course and provides excellent training for new disciples.

6. Coordinate air warfare and ground warfare.

The air war is your sermon, events and issues. Pastors and churches need to incorporate evangelism into their sermons, events, and issues. Pastors can model evangelism from their pulpits by preaching the gospel, making effective invitations, and reporting on gospel conversations taking place in the life of the church.

The ground war consists of your programs, classes and training. Churches need to show people, train people and give them opportunities to put that training into practice. You can’t just preach to people to be evangelistic. And having a few courses every now and then is unlikely to be effective on its own.

The winning combination is an effective, coordinated air warfare/ground warfare strategy.

7. Create “bottleneck talks”.

Bottleneck talks occur when the normal rhythm of church life forces people to engage in gospel conversations.

We use courses around important events such as baptisms, church membership, marriage preparation and baby dedications to create opportunities for people to share their stories and engage in a conversation about life and the gospel.

These are natural places in life where people are open to spiritual conversation. You kind of expect it. We need to help people process these events so we can share the gospel with them.

8. Include student and child labor.

Students and children are open—even eager—to share their faith. They will exercise enthusiastically and will likely rise to the challenge of having gospel conversations with their friends and neighbors.

We also shape the culture by requiring all our volunteers to know the 3 circles. We hold a children’s camp every year and these volunteer leaders are trained to use the 3 circles.

The same goes for college camps, fall retreats, VBS, mission trips, etc. We have found that incorporating our evangelistic training into these settings is more effective than getting people to sign up for a class.

9. Collect stories.

You can ask people to text you when they are having a gospel conversation. You can collect stories on your website, on a display board in your welcome area, or on your weekly connection card.

We need to find ways to collect stories because they help people experience the fruit of an evangelistic culture.

10. Celebrate what God has done.

We repeat what we celebrate. We celebrate God’s stories through videos, social media, displays in our public spaces, and in sermons.

The best way to celebrate is with baptism. We baptize those who help bring new believers to Christ. This serves as a fresh and exciting way to tell the story of church members having conversations about the gospel.

JIMMY SCROGGINS (@Jimmy Scroggins) is the senior pastor of Family Church in West Palm Beach, Florida. He is the co-author of Turning Everyday Conversations Into Gospel Conversations.

And you will also find that some degrees are offered with concentrations in outreach or evangelism. This enables you to specialize your studies in the area.

Associate degrees provide a foundation in ministry for evangelism

Associate degrees are two-year programs designed to help you get your foot in the door of evangelical ministry. They provide the introductory level of coursework you need to feel comfortable in your ministry. This includes basic Bible studies and general humanities and communication studies.

This can help you find entry-level positions assisting in evangelical ministries or outreach. However, the strongest use of an associate degree can be as a transfer degree. In some cases where schools can agree on the similarity of their coursework, you can use a staff member to complete the first two years of a bachelor’s degree.

Qualify for evangelistic jobs with a bachelor’s degree

In the bachelor’s degree in Protestant ministry, the ball really gets rolling. This is considered an essential qualification for many evangelical ministry jobs because of the unique combination of critical thinking and religious skills.

Over the course of four years, you’ll receive a fairly well-rounded education in essential Christian leadership skills and worldly skills combined. The degree can get you a job in many non-profit and religious organizations, as well as churches. And it equips you much better for a life of evangelism and conversion.

A master’s degree is required for ordained evangelical pastors

Not all evangelicals are called to be ordained pastors. For those who are, a master’s degree in theology or a similar advanced degree is almost always required.

However, a master’s program offers more than just checking a box in your denomination’s application for ordination. With a duration of two to four years, these degrees leave behind all general coursework in favor of a clear focus in service.

Even better, they allow you to focus specifically on your type of service. Specializations in outreach, leadership, and evangelism are common with degrees in theology, ministry, or pastoral studies. And your specific coursework can often be further customized by aligning your thesis or final project with an area of ​​focus that you designate.

The practical experience is also a gift that you get in the master’s degree.

Internships and internship positions bring you together with practicing evangelists where you can learn from and be mentored by experienced practitioners in the field.

Almost every evangelist you’ve looked up to has at some point earned a master’s degree in the field. You can view this level of study as a keystone in your own development as an evangelical pastor.

Perfect your ministry through doctoral studies in evangelism

It is also possible to further deepen your education as an evangelist through a doctoral program. A Doctor of Ministry (DMin) is the most common type, although PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) programs could also suit your goals.

These are usually pursued later in your career when you feel the urge for something beyond mastery: deep contemplation, perspective, and the most advanced teaching and evangelical skills to apply in your ministry.

Through your doctoral thesis or your final project you have the opportunity to break new ground in evangelism and theology. Like Reverend Graham—who has held several honorary doctorates in theology—you may have what it takes to influence the next generation of evangelists through your own innovations and teachings.

A legacy of bringing souls to salvation across generations is not a bad thing to leave behind. And that is the opportunity that a career in evangelism ministry offers you.

He said to them, “Go into all the world and

preaches the gospel to all creation. (Mark 16:15 NIV)

Kids love to show off! When they learn something new, their immediate response is, “Hey, look at this!” When they make something with their own hands, for example.

Teach them early

As children begin to build relationships in their neighborhoods and schools, encourage them to invite friends to church. A very young child may not be able to verbalise the gospel to others, but inviting others to church is something they can do. Bringing your friends to church is often a first step in teaching children how to share the knowledge of Jesus with others.

Teach them often

Don’t just leave all the teaching to the Church. Listening to Christian music and evangelism is a lifestyle, not just something you do every now and then.

Teach them by example

As the saying goes, more is caught than taught. In other words, children do more often what they see than what they hear. When your child sees the joy and forgiveness. Teach your child to share the gospel of Christ from a young age now. It becomes an invaluable tool as they grow up to serve the Lord in everything they do!