Effective Evangelism Engagement
How we practically do evangelism.
A few weeks ago, we published research on evangelism effectiveness. Quite a few people reached out to ask what we are actually doing for evangelism and how it works in practice.
To answer that question, I first need to explain our cultural context.
Our basic strategy is quite simple: identify a person’s primary point of engagement with the Gospel: identity, purpose, belonging, or morality. From that point of engagement, we invite them to take the next step that will help them continue exploring who Jesus is.
But, first…
Understanding the Context
We live in a highly pluralistic society in Canada, where diversity of beliefs is the norm. However, talk of pluralism can be confusing, as it is often misunderstood to mean that everyone has a completely syncretistic set of beliefs or lacks core convictions.
Canada—particularly the Toronto area—is one of the most diverse regions in the world. The reality on the ground is much more complex. When we engage in evangelism with strangers, we regularly encounter both devout and cultural believers who are Muslim, Sikh, Hindu, Baha’i, Buddhist, and Jewish. These committed (or not-so-committed) believers are also accompanied by a substantial proportion of the three “A”s: atheist, apathetic, and agnostic.
To further complicate matters, Canada is a nation of immigrants, which means people’s religious affiliations are often closely tied to their family or national origins.
Allow me to illustrate.
A few years ago, I was doing evangelism by myself. We were only a group of three at the time, so I opted to go out solo. During that time, I had meaningful conversations with an apathetic atheist who had no religious convictions at all, a cultural Catholic who had never seriously thought about his faith, and an ex-Buddhist who had spiritually encountered Jesus. All three were first-year students at our local university.
Herein lies the challenge with evangelism: there are no silver bullets or solutions that work universally for everyone.
For this reason, although we have used Gospel-sharing tools, we have not overleveraged them. Almost every Gospel-sharing tool I have encountered assumes some form of shared moral framework.
With all of that said, this is how we are practically engaging in evangelism.
Our Primary Strategy: Spirituality Surveys
Our primary strategy is to engage strangers in conversations about faith.
We do this by approaching people, explaining that we are from a church, and asking if they would be willing to share their perspectives on faith and spirituality.
The conversation typically starts with basic biographical questions before gradually focusing on their worldview or approach to faith. Our hope is to maintain a genuine listening posture so that the Holy Spirit can guide us in understanding how best to speak to their core needs.
At some point, we will often ask whether they have ever heard the Gospel. Surprisingly, the answer is usually no, which naturally gives us an opportunity to share a contextualized version of the Gospel based on what they have already told us.
The goal of these conversations is to extend an invitation to a next step that will help them continue exploring faith. It may be an invitation to a church gathering, Bible study, social event, or whatever seems most helpful in their particular situation. We call these next steps “pocket invites.”
In more mono-cultural or nominally Christian contexts, this strategy can be remarkably effective. In our experience, roughly one in ten conversations results in a substantial next step.
Secondary Strategies
These secondary strategies are often paired with spirituality surveys as natural next steps.
Large Public Events
We will often invite a speaker to address a topic of interest to a particular audience.
Over the years, we have hosted science-and-faith lectures, philosophy lectures, debates with Muslims or atheists, and a variety of formats in between.
The goal of these events is simply to engage interested people and connect with them afterward, where we can invite them into a Bible study or further conversation.
Social Activities
We recognize that many people are deeply in need of meaningful social connections.
For that reason, we regularly organize game nights and other social gatherings that allow people to connect with us in a non-threatening environment. This is particularly helpful for people who have preconceived notions about Christians or Christianity.
International Student Dinners
We regularly host free dinners for international students at Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter. These meals typically include a short Gospel presentation.
I’m pretty sure everyone who works with international students does some version of this!
Marketing
Thankfully, we live in a part of the world where we can freely promote what we are doing through social media, advertisements, and posters.
All of these channels have some value in helping us connect with people who would not otherwise encounter our community.
Intentional Presence
A surprising number of people explore faith simply because our larger gatherings take place in public venues where others can hear our singing, teaching, and conversations.
We often choose locations that allow passersby to naturally interact with us.
The Key Idea
These tactics are just tools.
They are backed by two basic principles:
1. Make sure we share the Gospel
I have often observed Christians doing genuinely kind things for people while never actually sharing the good news of Jesus’ resurrection and the gift of new life in Him.
2. Consistency matters more than strategy.
Showing up again and again, with as many people as possible, is where the fruit comes from.
When we keep these two principles in mind, evangelism becomes a lot of fun—and can be adapted to virtually any personality.
Honest question: What are you doing for evangelism in your community?