Seven tips for impactful evangelism
In a recent Reach podcast with Mark Greenwood, missiologist, evangelist and author Laurence Singlehurst shared some top tips when it comes to evangelism
The church’s best kept secret
One of the most frightening things listening to famous preachers is that they actually don’t talk much about Jesus. The only bit you get is the cross and the resurrection. But if we tell people enough about Jesus, they can fall in love with him. I love telling the story of Jesus and the woman at the well, Jesus with Zacchaeus, Jesus and the Samaritan woman, Jesus touching a leper. My Jesus touches the people no one else touches! It’s extraordinary, and that’s what moves your heart.
Start the conversation well
If I was presenting the gospel to a group of people I would want to start with a problem. I could talk about the selfishness in our world today, for example, at a personal, corporate level and governmental level. Then I might want to talk about Jesus and his solution. I want to come in at a level where they’re feeling a need or there’s a link point.
I talk quite a bit about the world’s best friend: God created us for friendship then lost his friends in the garden of Eden. But then there’s the redemption of friendship through Christ, who tells his disciples, “I no longer call you servants but friends”. We all want a best friend, and God’s my best friend.
Get with the times
The world has changed beyond all recognition in recent decades. When Billy Graham was here in the 1950s we were a secular nation living on a Christian moral foundation. But the church was like a frog in boiling water and didn’t see post-modern culture coming. It arrived, but we’re still preaching as if people understand ‘sin’, ‘born again’ and ‘repent’. If we’re going to be effective in mission we have to move on and under- stand culture and language today.
The post-Covid opportunity
We are carrying some damage post-Covid, but we also have a great opportunity. The most extraordinary thing happened when today’s culture of hedonism wasn’t available: I thought our Christian values and heritage had long gone, but as the sea went out there emerged a sudden concern for one another. There’s a greater intimacy between Christians and our society, culture, friends, neighbours. Research done famously by Finney shows that 70% of people who come to faith are our neighbours and friends. So suddenly we have this opportunity because we have a greater proximity.
Equip people for the frontlines
There’s some really interesting statistics floating about showing that a lot of ordinary people tuned in on Sundays and even listened to our church services during Covid. So here’s a great opportunity. But this also led to some challenges. The truth is we’ve had all our eggs in the Sunday church service – this is our equipping point, our ‘come to faith’ point. But actually, the real front line should be every Christian. The challenge is now how can I mobilise church members? How do we equip them in friendships, in relationships, in process? I read Elim’s strategy and I loved your statement that in the 1970s evangelism was all about the ‘big yes’ but now we realise it’s the ‘little yes’ and that every yes matters. It’s about hospitality and friendship, taking people on a spiritual journey. And who does that? It’s not the church on Sunday, it’s every member.
Watch your language
The post-modern world we live in today is the biggest cultural shift we’ve ever seen but we as a church are still learning. One big lesson is about the whole tone of the gospel. For years we’ve been pointing the finger: “I’m in, you’re out!” Our voice is strident, it’s loud. It’s the voice of confrontation, not the voice of friendship. But Paul says our voice and speech must be gracious. Graciousness is saying “Jesus really helped me, what do you think?”, “I find the Bible really interesting. Have you ever found that?” The whole tone of our voices and our language has got to change. If we’re still this strident group of people shouting, pointing fingers, hoping we’re going to get some magic result, we’re deluded.
Tell a great story
We need to be passionate about caring for people and telling our own personal stories of faith and the story of Jesus. It’s like a railway line with two tracks – the words of the gospel and the church. We’re saying, “We’re going to care for you and we want to tell you about our friend Jesus who has changed our lives and will love you unconditionally.” Let’s tell the story. Let’s not be ashamed, and let’s do it as part of a journey. When people meet me, I don’t want them to immediately think, “Oh no, he’s a Bible basher.” I want people to think, “He’s interesting, he does this or that, he cares for people and he’s a bit churchy.” I want it to be a positive thing.
Taken from the Reach podcast ‘In conversation with Laurence Singlehurst’. Find the full conversation at elim.org.uk/reach
This article first appeared in the May 2023 edition of Direction Magazine. For further details, please click here.
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