Growing up in an American Evangelical church, I have encountered that word, “evangelism,” more times than I can count. Like many other words I only heard in the context of church, it was something church leaders said, but that carried little personal meaning for me. In fact, if I’m honest, I didn’t really understand what it meant.
“As Christians, we must be evangelizing to our friends, neighbors and co-workers,” I’d hear the pastor or evangelist say. And I would usually nod in agreement, along with much of the congregation. But, honestly, if asked, I couldn’t give you the definition of “evangelism.”
Was my pastor challenging us to travel from city to city, preaching the Word of God? Was he saying we needed to be calling people to repentance on street corners or handing out gospel tracts wherever we went?
Although the word itself has a somewhat simple definition, what it means for Christians like us to understand and apply it involves much more.
What is evangelism?
There are many definitions of the word “evangelism” out there, and most of them sound similar to one another. Personally, I like how simply Christianity.com puts it in this article:
“Evangelism means preaching, announcing, or otherwise communicating the gospel, our salvation. It’s delivering the message that Jesus Christ is not only the Son of God but also gave His life as a sacrifice for our sins. In doing so, He ensured eternal life for anyone who believes.”
Before diving deeper into the definition of evangelism, it’s important to understand what the gospel is. The word “gospel” means “good news,” and that’s what we’re sharing when we evangelize—the good news that Jesus came to the world to restore our relationship with God.
Like many words common to the Christian faith, the root of the word “evangelism” comes from the Greek language. An article by Ligonier sums it up well: “[Evangelism] comes from the same Greek word for gospel (euangelion) and means, literally, ‘gospeling.’ When we evangelize, we are ‘gospeling’—we are spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
This video sums up the topic of evangelism very well:
What does the Bible say about evangelism?
Naturally, God’s Word has a lot to say about evangelism. From the beginning, the Bible paints a clear picture: God is on a mission to redeem the world, and He invites His people to participate. Evangelism is not a modern church invention—it was rooted in God’s plan from the start.
God’s Word is full of examples of people sharing the message of hope in Jesus. The Old Testament contains many biblical prophecies announcing the coming of the Messiah, the One who would restore mankind’s relationship with God after sin entered the world. And when this Messiah, Jesus, does come to the world, people proclaim Him throughout the New Testament.
Evangelism is not a modern church invention—it was rooted in God’s plan from the start.
Here are just a few places in the New Testament where the Bible talks about evangelism:
- John 4:28-42 – After her life-changing encounter with Jesus at the well, the Samaritan woman rushes back to her village to tell others. Her testimony leads many to believe in Him, and to seek Him out themselves. She models a natural, heartfelt response to encountering Christ: “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did.”
- Acts 1:8 – Before ascending to heaven, Jesus commissions His disciples with these words: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem… and to the ends of the earth.” This verse encourages and inspires Christians towards global evangelism.
- 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 – The apostle Paul shares the method he adopted in order to reach as many as possible. “I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.” His approach to sharing the gospel was to be as relatable as he could to those he was preaching to so that he could reach them. Paul’s example reminds us that evangelism may take different forms, but the goal remains the same—pointing people to Jesus.
Three modes of evangelism:
Not all evangelism looks the same. Sometimes we share our faith with someone close to us. Other times, we have the chance to share the gospel with strangers. And often, the way we live in Christian community can speak volumes.
In Modes of Evangelism, an evangelism resource from Cru, Keith Davy shares three ways Christians can be witnesses of Christ’s love. These are not step-by-step methods, but perspectives that help us see how God works through us to reach the world with His good news.
- Body Witness
This mode focuses on the Church as a witness of God’s love. When Christians live in genuine, Spirit-led community marked by love, service and unity, it becomes a powerful testimony to the world. We see an example of this kind of evangelism in the early church in Acts 2:42-47, when the early church’s unity and service toward one another drew many to the faith in Jesus as the gospel spread beyond Jerusalem.
An example of this today might be a newcomer observing how your church members care for one another, lift each other up in prayer and show up consistently in each other’s lives, leading them to attend and learn more about the gospel as a result.
- Natural Witness
This mode describes sharing your faith through your existing relationships with family, friends, coworkers and neighbors. Like Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman in John 4, this method of evangelism is relational.
Today, this may look like starting a conversation with your colleague about your faith in Jesus or praying with a friend who is struggling and pointing them to hope in Christ.
- Ministry Witness
Often, evangelism happens outside of our typical social circles. This kind of witness involves reaching people we don’t already know through missions, outreach events, public preaching or one-on-one gospel conversations. We see an example of this in Acts 17:16-18 when the apostle Paul shares Jesus boldly with the people of Athens.
Today, this kind of witness may look like striking up a conversation with a stranger on the bus or subway, or maybe posting a gospel-centered video on social media and engaging in conversation with people who comment on it.
Whichever mode of evangelism you find yourself participating in, God can use you to bring the hope of Jesus to others. These modes are not stand-alone—they often overlap with each other. The key is to be available to share the gospel and to trust that God can and will work through you to draw people to Himself.
Who should evangelize?
The church I attended as a child and into young adulthood placed a strong emphasis on missions, particularly foreign missions. I recall joyfully participating in several giving campaigns every year to support missionaries and mission projects in countries with limited access to the gospel. I would listen to these missionaries with a sense of wonder. I remember thinking how special they must be for God to have chosen them to preach His Word across the world.
In that setting, it’s easy to assume that evangelizing is for “those people”—the ones God calls to evangelism through some significant or miraculous experience. But evangelism is not just for those who have had a special or unique “calling” experience. Evangelism is something every follower of Jesus is called to.
In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus gives one last commandment to His followers, urging them to “go and make disciples of all nations…” This command, often called the Great Commission, was a command to those who heard it for themselves and to those of us who read His words centuries later.
Evangelism is something every follower of Jesus is called to.
If we call ourselves Christians, we must follow Jesus’ commands, and that includes His command to make more Jesus-followers. That means you and I, and everyone else who calls Jesus Lord, are called to actively evangelize.
How do I evangelize?
Now that we understand that it is our mission to evangelize, what comes next? Do we head to the nearest street corner and begin loudly proclaiming the gospel? Do we buy a pack of gospel tracts and begin leaving them around for people to find? Do we hold a prayer meeting with a call to repentance in our office breakrooms?
There are a few ways you can begin to engage in evangelism if you have never done it before. My advice? Start small. While you may find the courage to preach to a large crowd about Jesus right now, it’s more likely—and more realistic—to begin with those around you. Let’s take a look at some ways you can start evangelizing now:
Relational evangelism
For many, this may be the easiest form of evangelism, because it involves people we are already in a relationship with. This kind of evangelism may happen naturally as you speak with your friend, family member or co-worker about your faith. If you openly share about how your faith in Jesus affects your everyday life, it invites conversations about Him and may even encourage those you know to ask you about it.
Engaging in relational evangelism means being open to sharing your faith when the opportunity arises. If you’ve never done this before or would like to be more prepared to share the gospel in this way, you can find some practical tips here.
Church-based evangelism
We can also call this “invitational” evangelism. It could be that the best way to introduce someone to the gospel is to invite them to church. This article from Christian Life Waunakee explains it really well:
“Another way to share the gospel is by inviting friends, family, neighbors, coworkers, etc. to come with you to services, Bible studies, etc. at your church. They may be more comfortable going with someone they know, and you can help talk through the experience afterward. … John 1:43-49 shows an example of invitational evangelism when Philip invites Nathaniel to ‘come and see.’”
If this is how you choose to evangelize, it’s important that you not leave all the work of sharing Jesus to your church leadership. Inviting someone to church may be just one of many steps in leading that person into a relationship with Jesus.
Be sure to follow up with them, be available to answer their questions about the church service, and most of all, be ready to share your own faith and to pray with them when they are ready to take the next step.
Digital evangelism
Digital evangelism, sometimes called online evangelism, involves Christians like you and me meeting people in digital spaces, like social media or online forums, and sharing the gospel there. This kind of evangelism might look like a missions organization using videos, virtual reality or social media to reach people around the world. It can also be as simple as using our own online platforms to talk about how Jesus has changed our lives.
There are so many ways to participate in digital evangelism. Although the platforms and methods may vary, the heart of sharing the gospel digitally remains the same as it does in person: to share the hope of Jesus with those who need Him. If this kind of evangelism sparks your interest, I encourage you to start your research with this blog post.
At the heart of evangelism is our love for Jesus and a desire for others to know Him too.
No matter how we choose to begin, whether it’s with a friend, an invitation to church or through a post online, what matters most is our willingness to share. At the heart of evangelism is our love for Jesus and a desire for others to know Him too.
Why is it hard to evangelize?
Evangelism can be challenging for several reasons. Opening up about our faith can feel deeply personal, and introducing such a vulnerable topic can be hard even with trusted friends. Fear of rejection is also a big reason many Christians do not open up about their faith.
There are also outside factors that make evangelism difficult, such as language barriers, cultural differences, and in some places, even laws against sharing the gospel.
If you find it difficult to evangelize, you are not alone. Many people find the idea of sharing their faith in Jesus pretty nerve-wracking, while others have no problem doing so. I tend to find myself in the first category, nervous even at the thought of talking to someone about Jesus.
When I experience this, I have to remind myself that God does not ask me to be eloquent or to speak perfectly. I don’t need to be well-versed in theological debate. It’s not up to me to change anyone’s heart, and I couldn’t do that if I tried. My job is simply to be open about my faith, to start the conversation and to share about what Jesus means to me.
Like anything worth doing well, evangelism takes practice.
And thankfully, God does not leave us to figure it out on our own. When we find evangelism hard, we can ask Him to reveal ways we can share His love with others.
There are a number of ways to overcome barriers to the gospel. We can navigate language barriers by using gospel-sharing resources in multiple languages, such as the JESUS film or shorts on the Jesus Film Project app (there is also a helpful video series on how to use the app here). Resources like Cru’s Soularium and the GodTools app are also great tools to naturally start conversations about the gospel.
This video also gives us another practical approach to sharing the gospel with anyone, anywhere:
Although it can be challenging, as Christians, we must always be ready to share with someone the reason for the hope we have (1 Peter 3:15) and to point to Jesus when the opportunity arises.
Evangelism: starting where you are
When you think of the word “evangelism,” what comes to mind?
Maybe you think of noteworthy evangelists like Billy Graham or Bill Bright, the founder of Cru. And names like these do fit the image of an evangelist. But they aren’t the only ones.
Personally, when I think of someone who evangelizes well, the first person who comes to mind is my grandmother—I called her Guela. As a hair stylist, my Guela Elsie considered the clients she served to be her congregation. As she snipped and trimmed, she shared the hope of Jesus to every person who sat in her swivel chair. She would listen to their stories, share her testimony and pray with them. And when she retired, she spent her days walking the streets of Orlando, sometimes over seven miles a day in the summer heat, sharing the gospel and praying for anyone willing to take her up on it.
My point is that it doesn’t take a three-point sermon or a well-rehearsed speech to share your faith. Start small. Invite someone you know who doesn’t follow Jesus out to coffee or lunch and share your story.
If you can talk about how Jesus has changed your life, then you are ready to evangelize.
If you found this post helpful and would like to dive deeper into the topic of evangelism, take a look at these Jesus Film Project blogs:
