The Church Revitalization Podcast – Episode 305- church evangelism culture
Creating a church evangelism culture isn’t about adding more programs to your calendar or organizing annual outreach events. It’s about fundamentally shifting how your congregation sees itself and its mission in the community. Many churches today struggle with this transformation, often focusing heavily on internal growth while missing opportunities to reach their neighborhoods.
If your church feels more like a closed community than an outward-focused movement, you’re not alone. The good news is that building a thriving church evangelism culture is absolutely achievable with the right approach and commitment.
The Great Commission Gap in Modern Churches
Most churches excel at one half of the Great Commission while neglecting the other. Jesus commanded us to “go and make disciples of all nations” in Matthew 28:19 before continuing his instruction to also “teach them to obey everything I have commanded you” in verse 20. The Great Commission includes both evangelistic outreach and discipleship development. However, many congregations have become incredibly effective at teaching and discipling existing members while losing their evangelistic edge.
This inward focus creates a dangerous cycle. Churches become comfortable serving their current members, programs cater primarily to those already attending, and the community outside the church walls remains largely unreached. Breaking this cycle requires intentional effort and strategic changes to how your church operates.
1. Define Evangelism as Identity, Not Activity
The foundation of any church evangelism culture starts with understanding that evangelism isn’t something you do—it’s something you are. Too often, churches treat evangelism like an annual event or a specialized ministry for the particularly bold. This approach fundamentally misses the point.
Moving Beyond Event-Based Evangelism
Instead of viewing evangelism as periodic activities, successful churches embed it into their congregational DNA. Just like Jeep owners or motorcycle riders naturally identify with their group’s culture through their choices and behaviors, Christians should naturally express their faith through their daily interactions and community presence.
This identity shift requires:
Regular Biblical Teaching: Consistently preach and teach about the evangelistic mandate found throughout Scripture. Make it clear that sharing faith isn’t optional for followers of Christ.
Leadership Modeling: Senior pastors and church leaders must publicly share their own evangelistic experiences. When leaders regularly discuss their conversations with non-believers, pray for specific neighbors by name, and celebrate gospel opportunities, the congregation learns that evangelism is normal Christian behavior.
Testimony Integration: Weave personal stories and testimonies into regular worship services. This normalizes faith-sharing and gives members practical examples of how ordinary Christians engage in evangelistic conversations.
Making Faith Visible in Daily Life
Your church evangelism culture should be as evident as any other strong community identity. When church members naturally talk about their faith, serve their communities, and genuinely care for their neighbors, evangelism becomes an authentic expression of who they are rather than a forced activity they occasionally attempt.
2. Equip People with Simple, Relational Tools
The primary reason most Christians avoid evangelism is fear—fear of not knowing enough, saying the wrong thing, or appearing pushy. Effective church evangelism culture addresses these fears through practical, relationship-focused training.
Overcoming the Intimidation Factor
Many believers imagine evangelism requires cold-calling strangers, memorizing complex apologetic arguments, or becoming theological experts. This misconception paralyzes otherwise willing Christians and prevents them from sharing their faith naturally.
Instead, focus your evangelism training on:
Personal Testimony Development: Help members write and practice sharing their own faith stories. Encourage them to develop both a detailed version and a brief “elevator speech” version. Personal experience is something every believer can share confidently.
Conversational Evangelism: Teach people to recognize natural opportunities for gospel conversations during life transitions, struggles, or celebrations. These moments often provide the most authentic openings for meaningful spiritual discussions.
Practical Preparation: Ground your training in 1 Peter 3:15-16, which calls believers to “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” This preparation includes both knowing God’s Word and living in a way that prompts questions about your faith.
Building Confidence Through Scripture
Regular Bible study builds the confidence necessary for effective evangelism. As believers spend time in God’s Word, they become more comfortable discussing spiritual matters and better equipped to handle questions. Remember that the Holy Spirit promises to bring Scripture to mind when needed (John 14:26).
Your evangelism training should emphasize that it’s perfectly acceptable to say “I don’t know, but I’d love to find out” when faced with difficult questions. Authenticity and humility often open more doors than having all the answers.
3. Prioritize Local Community Engagement
While supporting global missions is important, many churches inadvertently neglect their immediate communities while sending money to distant places. A healthy church evangelism culture follows the Acts 1:8 model: “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Starting with Your Jerusalem
Your “Jerusalem” is your immediate community—the neighborhoods, schools, businesses, and local organizations surrounding your church building or where you live. Before expanding your reach globally, ensure you’re effectively reaching locally.
Community Needs Assessment: Regularly evaluate what practical needs exist in your area. Partner with local organizations, schools, and government agencies to understand how your church can make a meaningful difference.
Visible Service Projects: Schedule consistent, community-focused service opportunities that address real needs. These projects should be visible enough that community members recognize your church’s positive impact.
Relationship Building: Develop genuine partnerships with local nonprofits, schools, and community leaders. These relationships create ongoing opportunities for service and establish your church as a trusted community partner.
The Accountability Question
Every church should regularly ask: “If we closed our doors tomorrow, would our community notice?” If the honest answer is no, it’s time to dramatically increase your local engagement efforts.
Strategic Community Partnerships
Look for organizations already addressing needs in your community and explore partnership opportunities. These collaborations often provide volunteer opportunities for church members while establishing your congregation’s reputation as a community asset.
4. Celebrate Real Effort, Not Just Results
One of the biggest obstacles to developing church evangelism culture is the tendency to only celebrate dramatic conversion stories. While these testimonies are wonderful, they can inadvertently discourage members who faithfully share their faith without seeing immediate results.
Redefining Evangelistic Success
Biblical evangelism focuses on faithful seed-planting rather than guaranteed harvests. God calls us to be faithful witnesses; He handles the results.
Your church should celebrate:
Gospel Conversations: Acknowledge and praise members who engage in spiritual discussions with friends, neighbors, or coworkers, regardless of the immediate outcome.
Consistent Witness: Recognize those who faithfully live out their faith in their workplaces, neighborhoods, and social circles over extended periods.
Courageous Obedience: Celebrate members who step out of their comfort zones to share their faith, even when conversations don’t lead to immediate decisions.
Creating a Culture of Encouragement
Develop systems for members to share their evangelistic experiences, both successes and challenges. Consider creating opportunities during worship services, small groups, or church communications for people to briefly share about their witnessing efforts.
This approach accomplishes two important goals: it encourages those who are actively sharing their faith, and it provides practical examples for others who want to engage in evangelism but aren’t sure how to start.
Long-term Perspective
Remind your congregation that evangelism is often a long-term process involving multiple people and conversations. The person who plants the seed, the person who waters, and the person who harvests are all essential parts of God’s evangelistic work (1 Corinthians 3:6-7).
Building Momentum in Your Church Evangelism Culture
Transforming your church’s evangelistic culture won’t happen overnight, but consistent effort in these four areas will create lasting change. Start by honestly evaluating where your church currently stands:
- How often do you teach about evangelism from the pulpit?
- What percentage of your outreach efforts focus on your local community?
- When was the last time someone shared a testimony about a gospel conversation?
- Do your members feel equipped and confident to share their faith?
Begin implementing changes gradually, focusing on one area at a time while maintaining your existing strengths. Remember that building church evangelism culture is a marathon, not a sprint.
The Digital Evangelism Opportunity
In today’s connected world, don’t overlook the evangelistic potential of your church’s online presence. Your website, social media accounts, and digital content can reach people who might never walk through your church doors but are actively searching for spiritual answers online.
Ensure your online content reflects the same evangelistic heart that you’re developing in your physical community. Share testimonies, address common spiritual questions, and make it easy for online visitors to connect with your church family.
Moving Forward with Intentionality
Creating a robust church evangelism culture requires intentional leadership, consistent effort, and patience with the process. Churches that successfully make this transformation typically see increased community engagement, more authentic Christian living among members, and yes, more people coming to faith in Christ.
The key is remembering that this cultural shift serves a greater purpose than church growth or program success. When your church develops a healthy evangelism culture, you’re participating in God’s mission to reach the world with the gospel message.
Your community needs what your church has to offer. By implementing these four strategies—defining evangelism as identity, equipping people with simple tools, prioritizing local engagement, and celebrating faithful efforts—you’re positioning your congregation to make a lasting kingdom impact right where God has placed you.
Start today by identifying which of these four areas needs the most attention in your church, then take one concrete step toward building the church evangelism culture your community desperately needs.
Also check out:
3 Ways Your Church Can Cultivate Creative Individual Evangelism
The Uncomfortable Truth About Church Decline
Disciple-SHIFT: What Is (and Isn’t) a Discipleship Pathway?
Evangelism Lessons from St. Patrick: Three Kinds of Third-Places
Watch this episode on YouTube!
A.J. Mathieu is the President of the Malphurs Group. He is passionate about helping churches thrive and travels internationally to teach and train pastors to lead healthy disciple-making churches. A.J. lives in the Ft. Worth, Texas area, enjoys the outdoors, and loves spending time with his wife and two sons. Click here to email A.J.
