Effective Evangelism Requires Ongoing Discipleship

To lead the church to embrace evangelism, determine to take the long view of discipleship that aims at the heart, mind, and hands.

By D. Scott Hildreth

The Lausanne Movement’s recent State of the Great Commission report has highlighted a significant decline in the North American church’s commitment to the Great Commission. Though the statistics are difficult to read, they should come as no surprise to anyone who’s in touch with the local church.

The statistics show declining baptisms and struggling attendance numbers. Many churches are much more willing to spend and plan on ministries designed to serve the saints rather than reach the lost.

“Many churches are much more willing to spend and plan on ministries designed to serve the saints rather than reach the lost.” — @dshildreth Share on X

On the other hand, these stats may stir some to action. We may ask what we can do to make evangelism and missions a priority for our people. What can we do to equip the church to be more effective evangelists? How can we get our people committed to sending and going on mission?

The first “answer” most of us seek out is a program or plan to address perceived needs. We look for a tract or training to get our folks up to speed more quickly.

Now, I’m not opposed to direct evangelism training. In fact, I wrote a book on the subject that’s been well received and has helped many become more comfortable sharing their faith. However, the concern I want to address here is our tendency to neglect ongoing discipleship for quick fixes.

We know we need to do something, and the pressing needs of lostness push us to try to do everything right now. While this passion is admirable, if we neglect ongoing discipleship, we are effectively cutting off the life-giving head for temporary expediency. Consider these crucial aspects the research exposes.

1. The optional commission

More than 50% of North American church leaders say their members believe evangelism is an optional part of their Christian lives. This finding reveals the heart of the issue really is an issue of the heart, and discipleship targets the heart. Before we’ll see significant participation in evangelism among our church members, they’ll need to accept it’s an essential element of Christian growth.

More than 50% of North American church leaders say their members believe evangelism is an optional part of their Christian lives, according to the Lausanne Movement’s State of the Great Commission report. Share on X

We all know evangelism is difficult, and no amount of technical training can address every imaginable situation. If we only provide evangelism training, without addressing biblical motivations and responsibilities, difficulties will derail progress.

However, when we’re firmly convinced evangelism is important, we can creatively confront obstacles and even our internal angst. To make progress in leading the church to embrace evangelism and missions, determine to take the long view of discipleship that aims at the heart and the mind, as well as the hands.

2. The preparation issue

Only 37% of North American church leaders believe their members would say they feel prepared to share the gospel with others. When folks connect a feeling of unpreparedness with inactivity, you might expect they are looking for practical tips.

And, while this may be the case for some, it’s my experience that, for most people who give this reason for a lack of evangelism, they’re looking for content and answers, not techniques.

Like the previous point, this is a discipleship need because our people feel unprepared for the questions people will ask or are afraid they do not understand the gospel enough to share it accurately. This level of equipping cannot take place in a training seminar, it’s the result of a steady dose of Bible teaching and apologetic helps.

In fact, most of this preparation will happen in the context of ongoing ministry as we walk with others through the seasons and questions of life. Nothing equips someone to answer the questions of others like the experience of dealing with similar questions themself— this is discipleship.

The discipleship investment

It’s true the gravity of lostness and weight of darkness compels us to want to mobilize an army of evangelists right now. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with this impulse — may your tribe increase!

However, I hope you’ve seen in this article that it’s a mistake to substitute simple evangelism training for ongoing, steady disciple-making ministry. I know this process can seem painfully slow at times. But this depth of faith is necessary for the breadth of effective evangelism.

“It’s a mistake to substitute simple evangelism training for ongoing, steady disciple-making ministry.” — @dshildreth Share on X

Let’s not forget that the gifts Jesus gives to the church (Ephesians 4:1-16) are for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, “until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness” (Ephesians 4:13 CSB).

This is discipleship.

For permission to republish this article, contact Marissa Postell Sullivan.