Who knew evangelism could be so much fun?

After two days with the Elim Evangelism Team, Gloucester Elim saw people equipped, the church mobilised, and local families responding to Jesus.

“Who knew evangelism could be so much fun?”

It was the kind of comment that says more than it first appears to. Not just that a team member had enjoyed a busy weekend, but that people were discovering fresh joy in sharing Jesus. Across two days, members of Gloucester Elim were equipped, encouraged and given practical opportunities to step out in evangelism.

That was one of the lasting impressions after the Elim Evangelism Team spent two packed days with the church, standing alongside a congregation already hungry to reach its town.

More than 25 people from the church took part in training across different aspects of evangelism, including door-to-door outreach, sharing the gospel, telling their own story and speaking to people on the street. But the weekend was never simply about learning techniques. It was about helping ordinary believers find their voice and step out with the Holy Spirit.

The team hit the ground running on the Friday afternoon, taking some of those first conversations door to door alongside members of the church. That evening, the church gathered to pray for the town and worship together, and people were filled with the Holy Spirit.

One team member said the equipping sessions gave them “greater clarity about how to go about having intentional conversations with people about Jesus.”

That clarity became real when the team went out into Gloucester.

“My key takeaway was that I didn’t need to approach everyone, but rather ask the Holy Spirit who He wanted me to talk to,” they said. “This made all the difference when we went onto the streets and I had lots of great conversations. I was able to share the gospel, pray with several people, and I especially loved getting the opportunity to share how Jesus still heals today.”

Members of Gloucester Elim joined the evangelism team on the streets that Saturday, praying for people and sharing Jesus in everyday conversations. For some, it was a new step. People who had never engaged in this kind of evangelism before found themselves moving with fresh boldness.

“I never thought I was going to enjoy the experience of evangelism so much,” one person said of the Saturday. “For me, this was the best.”

For another team member, the joy was in the partnership itself. Working alongside Gloucester Elim, they said, was “such an amazing time.”

That sense of partnership mattered throughout. The Elim Evangelism Team did not arrive to do something on behalf of the church, but to stand alongside a local congregation already hungry to reach its community.

“Being part of a team serving a local church was a privilege and joy,” one team member said. “They took great care of us and joined in enthusiastically with everything we were doing. I have come back from mission feeling better equipped to have intentional conversations about Jesus. To God be the glory!”

The weekend culminated in a family event for the whole community. The church was packed, with around 200 people from the local area coming through the doors to hear the gospel, and people responded to Jesus.

The encouragement for Gloucester Elim didn’t end when the weekend did. Reflecting afterwards, one church member shared the news that mattered most: “We saw many new additions to the church, including three families!”

It was a powerful picture of what can happen when a willing church, a serving team and the work of the Holy Spirit come together. People were trained, but more than that, they were encouraged. The gospel was shared, but more than that, courage was stirred. A local church was blessed, but more than that, it was mobilised.

By the end of the weekend, the question that stayed with the team felt less like a surprise and more like a testimony: “Who knew evangelism could be so much fun?”

Gloucester Elim had not just hosted an evangelism team. It had taken fresh steps into the joy of sharing Jesus with the people right on its doorstep.