Every pastor claims to know the right way to evangelize.

Many are also quick to downplay or disregard other methods or models of evangelism. Over my time in ministry, I’ve come to learn that the ways people come to know Jesus are both deep and wide. And we should be careful when targeting a single way to share the Gospel as the only way.

This concept really came to light for me while reading “Models of Evangelism” by Priscilla Pope-Levison.

A couple of caveats before I continue.

Caveat #1: Personal Evangelism has always worked.

• I have never heard one pastor or minister claim that one-on-one evangelism is a bad method or model. In fact, I’ve never heard a Christian ever claim personal evangelism doesn’t work. So, let’s get that one out of the way first; telling someone you know about Jesus is always a great way to evangelize.

Caveat #2: Other models of evangelism have also worked.

• I have been serving at the same church (in the same city) for almost a decade. Over that time, there has been some stability and traction obtained. We’ve figured out what works and what doesn’t in our context. With that in mind, please do not hear that our church has all the answers, but there is more than one way to evangelize.

With those caveats in mind, let’s dive into some of the fruit that Jesus has produced in our context, within multiple models of evangelism. Lord willing, some of them may work for your church, in your context.

“Every Sunday Is Someone’s First Sunday”

I first heard this statement 5 years ago at the Canadian Church Leaders Conference. It made so much sense to me. We don’t have the colosseums and public amphitheatres of ancient civilizations. The big tent revivals and big stadium events of modern civilization are not available, too expensive, or too difficult.

We still have church buildings!

This mindset was a massive shift for me. What would it look like to expect the Holy Spirit to lead someone into our church building every week? For a particular reason related to their faith journey, God brought them to us. How could we or should we prepare for them?

• What if we stopped focusing Sunday gatherings solely on church members and regular church attendees?
• What if Sunday morning was also welcoming for an Unchurched person who has never attended a church before, and had questions, or perhaps was having a crisis of faith?
• What if a De-Churched person who was raised in the church but walked away, was able to find an environment in which they no longer felt judged or misunderstood?
• What if every message included the Gospel and an opportunity to receive Christ?

Some would define this move as being seeker-sensitive which is a negative or at least, watered-down statement when compared to what the Holy Spirit has done in our midst. I prefer Priscilla Pope-Levison‘s definition of the “Church Growth Model”. (Which means growth spiritually and numerically by the way!)

Our desire is that members and attendees grow deep, spiritually. That has always been the case. For those who attend regularly, pursue and practice Community Groups and Ministry Teams, spiritual depth is available in abundance.

On the flip side, we’re still called to make disciples who make disciples; increasing numerically in those who would call themselves followers of Jesus. If no one is being saved, baptized, and brought into the local church, either (1) God is not moving or (2) the Great Commission given by Christ is not being pursued. In my experience, it has always been the latter that is the problem.

Dive Into Digital

Even before the pandemic, we were starting to lean into a “Media Model” as described in Models of Evangelism. Church leaders had been saying for a decade, that websites and social networks will become the new foyer of the Church. We believed it, and the pandemic solidified it!

God will often lead someone to the digital front door of a local church before a physical front door. Therefore, digital options should be present, even if they’re not professional. If you’re a small church in a small town, potential attendees will understand that, because it’s the same struggle with every other organization. They don’t have to be a Christian to understand that you’re trying the best with what you have.

Print media is also still valid by the way. Don’t entirely replace print with digital. Especially now that we’re in a post-pandemic reality. A sign or banner still attracts attention. A touch-card or door-hanger still piques interest. Especially when that touch card is given by a friend or family member. The relationship that has been developed is transitioned in that invitation.

There Are More Models

I’ve unpacked two of the wider organizational models of evangelism. However, there are multiple models being embraced by Christians throughout our community and yours.

• It may be the “Personal Model” engaged through an invitation out to lunch for deeper conversation.
• It may be the “Small Group Model” as friends and neighbours are invited into homes to develop relationships, study and answer questions of faith.
• It may be the “Revival Model” as church members organize events and activities to meet the needs of the community.
• It may be the “Visitation Model” as people who are sick or elderly receive care and benevolence.

Through trial and error, and many experiments in multiple categories your church will come to embrace a variety of evangelism models. I assure you that they will all work together, empowered and united by the Holy Spirit to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ into your community.

Join the Conversation; Share Your Thoughts

• Which model of evangelism has worked in your context?
• Which model of evangelism would you like your church to embrace in the future?