Methods of evangelism can be a heated topic. Entire eras in church history have been defined by evangelistic methods and the criticisms of them. Still today, pastors and church leaders grope for evangelistic methods that are both effective and faithful. There are some claiming that the cultural and spiritual climate make it difficult for traditional and programmatic evangelism to be effective and opt for a more community-oriented approach, networked around small groups and coffee meetings, discipleship and neighborhood barbecues.
So what books, sermons, or articles have been helpful for you to think through the pros or cons of programmatic methods for evangelism? Below are some resources The Gospel Coalition recommends:
- The Church & Evangelism, Mark Dever: He presents a model for the evangelistic efforts of the local church that isn’t primarily centered on programs, but on praying, modeling, teaching, and creating a culture of faithfulness, prayerfulness in relationships, and spiritual conversations among members and our community.
- Growing the Gospel, Alistair Begg: He emphasizes where we find the “power” to reach our community with the gospel—the community inside and outside the church.
- Evangelism through ‘Networking’, Tim Keller: He makes the argument that traditional methods of evangelism (programmatic, friendship) don’t seem to work in modern, secular cities and communities. But skeptics and other nonbelievers engage with the gospel in real life through the means of preaching, small groups, friends, and conversation.
To help us along, we asked Chris Castaldo and Tim Chester how they understand the relationship of the local church and personal evangelism:
Chris Castaldo, pastor of community outreach and church planting at College Church in Wheaton, Illinois:
How do you spell “evangelism?” For many, if we’re honest, it is spelled “programs”—a guest evangelist in the pulpit, Vacation Bible School, Christmas concerts, and the like. Such ministries are fine as far as they go; but if our goal is equipping the saints to be ambassadors for Christ who clearly articulate the good news, more is needed.
The genuine believer, if his affections are captured by the gospel, will recognize that a daily habit of sharing the good news is a basic sign of spiritual life. Through such a routine, the kingdom gradually advances to penetrate hearts and transform lives. This is the essence of evangelism. It not only strikes at the heart of our Christian identity, it is also the means by which we appropriate the joy of redemption. By passing on God’s salvation to others, we ourselves inevitably become more firmly established in divine grace.
Let me suggest a few helpful books on personal evangelism:
- by Will Metzger. This book has become a classic for a reason. As the subtitle suggests, it looks at the big picture of gospel proclamation and considers what it would look like for one who has a God-centered vision. Well-written and theologically substantive, it deserves a place on every Christian’s shelf.
- Questioning Evangelism by Randy Newman. A book that helps you to ask natural questions, meeting people where they live before leading them to God’s Word for answers.
- by Jim Petersen. In addition to explaining all that you would expect an evangelism book to say about gospel outreach, this volume devotes significant attention to the enterprise of developing relationships with un-churched people. It’s a pleasure to read and genuinely helpful.
- Sharing Your Faith with Friends and Family by Michael Green. If you have one book to buy on personal evangelism, this is the one I’d recommend. Green covers all the bases, writing in a style that is clear and enjoyable.
- by Jerram Barrs. The burden of this volume is not only to persuade readers that evangelism applies to every Christian as a central feature of our identity and calling, it also equips you to begin taking manageable steps from wherever one happens to be.
- Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God by J. I. Packer. This classic title is especially helpful to the one who is struggling with understanding the role of God in salvation. It has the power to liberate Christians from the misnomer that we somehow cause sinners to repent, with a cogent explanation of how salvation is truly of the Lord.
Tim Chester, a leader in The Crowded House and co-director of The Porterbrook Network, which provides training for missional churches:
You’ve managed to talk to your friend about Jesus without much response. What should do you do next? How can we get disinterested people interested in the gospel? Jesus said: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34-35; 17:21, 23). How will people believe that Jesus is the Son of God sent by God as the Savior and Lord of our world? Through the common life of God’s people (John 17:21, 23). Proclamation must be central to mission because the gospel is a word to proclaim. But our message is understood best in the context of our lives and especially our life together and our love for one another. Time and again people are attracted by what they experience in the Christian community, and this creates interest in the Christian message. This means we need to introduce people to the Christian community, not just by inviting them to our meetings, but by including them in our shared life. To reach the many people today who have rejected church we need to take church to them by doing mission in the context of ordinary life. As people hang out with us, eat meals with us, do chores with us they will encounter a disparate group of people who somehow are family together, a community that challenges their priorities and provokes their questions.
For more on doing misson in and through the Christian community see Tim Chester and Steve Timmis, Total Church (Crossway) and Tim Chester and Steve Timmis, Everyday Church (forthcoming). An early draft of the chapter on evangelism in Total Church is available online. For a theological approach see “The Church as the Hermeneutic of the Gospel,” chapter 18 of Lesslie Newbigin, The Gospel in a Pluralist Society, SPCK/Eerdmans, and for more practical ideas see Alan Hirsch, The Forgotten Ways Handbook, Brazos. “Eight Easy Ways to be Missional” by Jonathan Dodson and “Missions and Community Through the Ordinary” by Michael Foster are two short blog entries that help people think about doing mission in the context of ordinary life. Soma Communities have a wealth of audio material on grace-centered missional communities as does the GCM Collective (see, for example, the article on “Gospel Fluency”).
Many experts today dismiss church-based programs as ineffective for a rapidly changing culture. But that may not be your experience, depending on the context. How did you, your family members, and friends come to faith in Jesus Christ? How do you seek to engage loved ones and strangers alike with the gospel? Have you found any particular resources helpful? If so we invite you to share them with The Gospel Coalition’s reading community.
Is there enough evidence for us to believe the Gospels?
In an age of faith deconstruction and skepticism about the Bible’s authority, it’s common to hear claims that the Gospels are unreliable propaganda. And if the Gospels are shown to be historically unreliable, the whole foundation of Christianity begins to crumble.
