Most Christians are familiar with Matthew 28:18-20. They know the vital place evangelism should occupy in their lives. But the fact remains that most believers are not involved in personal evangelism.
As we consider what is required for a cultural change to take place so that evangelism happens when the body of Christ is both gathered and scattered, we must build a culture of evangelism in our churches. This requires a four-phased approach: Examine, Embrace, Engage, and Encourage.
- Examine
To know where we need to go in evangelism, we must first examine where we are. Taking an honest assessment of current spiritual health and well-being, as well as the level of evangelistic engagement in your church, helps you to know your reality and where to start.
- Embrace
Most believers know they should be evangelistic. They just don’t know how to practically do so. As you understand your community, you can develop a thorough plan to prepare your church for evangelistic engagement. Embracing the mission gets to the heart of developing a culture of evangelism.
- Engage
Evangelism is engaging others with the gospel! But believers need to know the what and the how. Pray for evangelism opportunities, engage in gospel conversations, and follow up. Through these practical tools, evangelism becomes a normal part of a believer’s life.
- Encourage
You know the saying that we replicate what we celebrate, so celebrate gospel conversations and those who come to saving faith in Jesus. Having an attitude of celebration and providing tangible ways to do that are critical for building an evangelistic culture in your church.
Lostness is real, but Jesus is mighty to save!
Tim Dowdy serves as Vice President of Evangelism at NAMB.
To learn more about creating a culture of evangelism in your church, check out our Evangelism Kits at nambevangelism.com.