Are the days of personal evangelism over in North America?
The majority of Christians rarely, if ever, talk to anyone about saving faith through Jesus. And it’s not from a shortage of people who need to know Jesus—it is estimated that there are 286 million people in North America who don’t have a personal relationship with Christ.
So, what’s the issue?
Christians have, for the most part, simply stopped talking about their faith. It isn’t clear whether this silencing of the gospel in personal conversations is from fear of rejection, lack of preparation, societal pressure, failure to understand the evangelistic mission of every follower of Jesus, or all of the above. But it is clear we need a revival of compassion and boldness in proclaiming the gospel.
Jesus’ instructions in the Great Commission make it clear that the days of personal evangelism are not over in North America or anywhere else in the world. Evangelism will always be the missional privilege and responsibility of every follower of Christ, regardless of how difficult the reception may be. One person who knows Jesus telling another person who doesn’t know him is God’s plan for making the gospel known everywhere to everyone until the whole world hears. So, with such a great opportunity and challenge, how are pastors and other church leaders to respond? Here are a few ideas that may help turn the tide:
1. Giving up is not an option.
Don’t buy the lie that this downward trend is irreversible. The number of people living in darkness is great, but the gospel is greater. Pastors and church leaders must be engaged in a relentless and undying pursuit to equip and encourage Christians to proclaim the gospel everywhere they go. A revival of evangelistic fervor starts with pastors and leaders.
2. Get familiar with your community.
Many churches that once were effective and active in their communities have slowly become focused only on those who are already within their church walls. Now the community looks and sounds different, and the church needs to rediscover the people who call their part of the world home and how to best reach them with the gospel.
A good place to start could be gathering demographic information, leading the church to serve the community in tangible ways, and getting the congregation to purposefully and compassionately connect with the people who live in the neighborhoods around the church. If you don’t know any lost people, you won’t be able to tell them about Jesus.
Pastors and leaders must lead the way—avoid being so immersed in the church that you rarely encounter non-Christian people. You have your home and the church as your two principal places of activity, and it’s beneficial to pick a “third space” where your community gathers. Consider choosing an activity that’s popular in your community and join it. Actively stepping into the world of the lost is the best way to solve this dilemma.
3. Pray specifically for God to move in a mighty way.
If we are going to see more people saved in North America and more people engaged in personal evangelism, then we desperately need the Holy Spirit to work in all our hearts. Simply put, we need a mighty move of God in our land. Pastors and leaders need to reignite a love for and commitment to praying for God to move with power.
Every time you gather for worship, Bible study or community group, lead your church family to pray personally for one another to be bold in proclaiming the gospel and to pray for those who have not yet encountered the Lord by name. This kind of purposeful, consistent praying produces compassion for all and boldness in our lives.
4. Stir up genuine confidence in the power of the gospel.
We don’t need self-confidence to engage in personal evangelism. When believers are convinced that the Holy Spirit, through the proclaimed gospel, has the power to save us from an eternity separated from God, they will have all the confidence they need to tell people about God’s great salvation despite their fear and anxieties. We can overcome the anxiety by remembering that the power is in the gospel itself.
Anxiety in personal evangelism is part of the spiritual warfare we face when we seek to share Jesus with those around us. Satan is always working against those committed to telling others about Jesus. The good news is we are not alone when we are telling the gospel story. The last line of the Great Commission says, “And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20).
5. Consistently utilize all gatherings to equip church members.
Until pastors and church leaders make personal evangelism a priority and a consistent practice when the church gathers, we will not see an increase in Christians engaging in gospel conversations. Use all church gatherings as consistent training opportunities to teach personal evangelism. Even when you consistently give a gospel presentation at the end of a worship service, you are modeling how they, too, can tell someone about Jesus.
The church’s mission hasn’t changed, and it never will. Jesus’ power to save the lost hasn’t been diminished by changing times or difficult seasons. The days of personal evangelism are not over.
We simply need to roll up our sleeves and do the work of proclaiming the gospel everywhere to everyone until the whole world hears.