Are We Over-Complicating Evangelism?

As someone with a heart to share the Gospel with others, I’m often thinking of better ways to “do” evangelism. Not that I believe that there is a one size fits all approach or that we should focus too much on methods. It’s important to remember that the Holy Spirit of God is the catalyst for all conversions and that we need to pray for Him to be at work in and through us.

However, it’s good to consider whether our various efforts are bearing fruit and if not, to consider whether our chosen methods might be creating unnecessary barriers, or even, perhaps, whether it might be time for a different approach. There is an ever widening gap between the church and the world, between Christians and non-Christians. It follows, then, that we need to be thinking about how we can bridge this gap.

My thoughts often turn to social enterprise as a means of reaching people, as this is increasingly popular. The evangelistic coffee shop idea. I had thought about combining this with a Christian book shop or library due to the decline of the presence of Christian literature on our high streets. The Salvation Army have recently opened a big charity shop with an attached cafe in my town. Visiting, though, there is no difference between this set-up and any secular coffee and charity shop. People are not going to be particularly receptive if someone just sits down and starts sharing the Gospel with them whilst they are trying to drink their coffee. This idea, as an outreach opportunity, necessarily fails at the first hurdle.

What about a coffee, or book, shop that is overtly Christian? It’s worth asking, how often would non-Christians visit, and for what purpose when there are so many non-religious options out there? Mostly, these places end up being visited, and sustained, by people from the church that started them. Unless it’s made clear to visitors at the outset that they might be interrupted and spoken to by a keen evangelist, we have the same problem as the secular environment; the people just want to drink their coffee in peace!

Some might argue that Gospel literature can be left on the tables and the building appropriately decorated with Bible verses etc. This is true, and if the Spirit prompts someone to pick up a tract or to start memorising a Bible verse, then great. But, if all Christians carried tracts and left them everywhere they went, this would easily cover the few non-Christians who might enter a Christian premises and end up taking away a tract or reading Bible verses on the walls. If people are that openly curious about Christianity already, then surely they would just go to a church!?

Turning then to other forms of passive outreach using social activity; sports clubs and activities and the like. How often have we actually managed to effectively share the Gospel with attendees? How can we get people to even attend without tricking them with mumbled explanations about what will happen when they get there, and then pouncing on them later when it’s too late for them to leave? How can we keep these programmes Gospel focused and stop people being distracted by the activity? How often do these activities end up being closed down after decades because they have become nothing more than another social event? How many people actually end up in church through these activities?

These questions are more relevant than ever in our anti-religious, apathetic, materialistic age. As people are growing increasingly indifferent to Christianity, perhaps, we need to strip away the exciting activities, comfortable surroundings and pleasant environments. Maybe, these things are distracting people from their real need and presenting a confusing picture in terms of what Christianity is all about.

What if our attempts to create the perfect platform for sharing the Gospel are resulting in barriers that we then have to find ways to remove further down the line? 

The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Is it time for a less complicated, less expensive, and more direct approach?

I’m going to suggest three options that are comparatively cheap, direct and effective:

Open Air Work/Street Preaching

People are not often coming into our churches, we need to take the Gospel to them. The Open Air Mission evangelists go out into the high streets of England with a simple board. Using their board for the presentation, men preach a short Gospel centred message to the people passing by. Christians in the crowd note those who show interest and attempt to talk to them. Literature is handed to others walking past. (United Beach Missions do similar work.) You can read There Is Still Much To Do! by Andy Banton to find out more about this work or attend their Training Day on 14th April 2018.

Utilising our Church Buildings

Having highlighted some of the issues that can arise when we use social enterprise as a tool to share the Gospel, is there still a case for using our church buildings for evangelism? Of course, there is. Those who are blessed with buildings, especially in central locations, know how effective they can be when utilised. When a building is clearly a church, or used as a church building all of the time, people who enter it know what they are getting themselves into. They are choosing to enter an environment where they may expect to be spoken to by Christians and to hear messages from the Bible. Likewise, when activities take place in the church or a building immediately attached to it, there is no confusion. We need our church members to be proactive in inviting people to our church events and making sure they are upfront about what will happen when they attend.

Personal Contacts/Friendship Evangelism 

This is where any natural contact with non-Christians is important whether through work or just where we happen to live. All of us should be seeking to cultivate these relationships with a view to sharing the Gospel when the opportunity arises. Our words should be backed up by our prior behaviour. Let's not wait indefinitely to actually tell people, though, as none of us are guaranteed tomorrow. Pray first and then go for it!


It’s easy to be perpetually busy in Christian activities, but let’s make sure we are actually getting around to sharing the Gospel with the folks we are involved with. If we are running activities, whether in the church or outside, that have morphed into mere social events and there is no way to rescue them, perhaps we should consider closing them down and starting again. Likewise, if the things we are offering people are distracting them from the Gospel, our programmes might need a rethink.

My disclaimer here is that we must help people practically and they have various needs. This is a call to ensure we start with the Gospel and present this as the answer to the person’s most pressing need of forgiveness of sin and peace with God. At the very least, we must offer hope along with practical help.

The enemy will provide plenty of reasons why confrontational or direct evangelism is not the way to go, but these days it might be exactly what your friend, neighbour or relative needs to wake them up and make them stop and think. They aren’t going to be mad at you for being culturally inappropriate when they get to Judgement Day!

10 Reasons Why Christians Should Go to Church

I am meeting more and more people who claim to be Christians but who aren’t committed to, or members of, a local church. (“Church” throughout this post refers to a local gathering of believers rather than a specific meeting place or building, despite the picture.)

Some of these people are “church hoppers”- those who flit from church to church either to look for potential dates, or to find a specific “church experience” or those who are forever seeking the perfect church. These people never really settle anywhere, they are therefore never really accountable to anyone or anything and they prefer it this way.

Others have been hurt by Christians/churches in the past and are wary of getting burned again. This is perhaps understandable. However, the bad behaviour of the select few shouldn’t stop a true believer from persevering.

Some have allowed family or other life commitments to get in the way of regular church attendance. Meeting with other Christians has somehow slipped down the list of priorities. These are the people who loudly proclaim that you don’t need to go to church to be a Christian.

There are also a number of people who haven’t been able to find a Bible teaching church in their area. Maybe they have travelled long distances in the past and become fed up with this or decided it’s not worth it. They worship alone at home.

In this day and age, there are people who trawl the internet listening to sermons from a variety of speakers or who tune in to a mega pastor from a mega church that is beamed around the world to all and sundry. This is “church” for a growing number of people.

Are these people right? Is it okay not to be involved in and committed to a local church? Consider these ten reasons why Christians should go to church.

- The Bible tells us to meet with other believers. As with all areas of Christian life, we need first to look at what the Bible says about this. “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” Hebrews 10 vs 24-26. It seems clear that there is an expectation that Christians should be meeting together on a regular basis.

- "No man is an island." A well known quote by John Donne. We were not made to live in isolation but for relationships with other people. If we want to be effective witnesses for God then we need to build relationships with others. This should start with fellow believers.  “Iron sharpens iron”Proverbs 27 vs 17

- Accountability. This is one of the main reasons professing Christians are not in church. They don't want to be accountable to anyone or anything. They want to do their own thing and free themselves of the rules and regulations of their local church. The alternative is that they submit to the church authorities until something happens that they don't like, then they just leave without a backward glance.

- Each Christian has a job to do! As Christians we are part of the universal church of Christ or the body of Christ, but we should also be serving locally in our churches. The New Testament gives clear instructions as to how local churches should be set up, led and function generally. The details cannot logistically refer to the universal church therefore the expectation is that all believers will be part of a local gathering.

- Evangelism. One of the main purposes of the church is for evangelism: reaching others with the saving message of Jesus. How can we do this if we aren’t committed to a local church? Where will we take the people we have witnessed to? Where will they be discipled or taught? How can they grow as believers or learn more? What type of example are we setting if we don’t take our faith seriously enough to meet with other believers?

- Spiritual growth. God calls certain men to lead his churches. They are gifted in teaching and preaching and have special authority for their respective roles. We miss the benefits of learning and growing as believers if we fail to put ourselves under the leadership of these men in a local congregation. This is the method that God has chosen for us to grow and mature.

- Protection from the world/putting on the armour. When I was working shifts in the police I used to find it hard to get to church but always planned to make at least one service on Sunday and to try and get to the midweek prayer meeting. I noticed a distinct difference spiritually when I failed at either of these goals. I needed a spiritual energy boost that could only properly be obtained from meeting with other Christians before I headed back to the battlefield of work. Think of the church as a light and everything outside it, including secular work, as the darkness, if that helps!

- Prayer support. Church is where we can go for encouragement, help and prayer. We need to be praying together for unsaved family members, for colleagues at work, for situations around the world and for more personal things. We need to be both praying for others and receiving prayer for ourselves. The more people who gather, the more voices in prayer.

- Worship. Worship has come to mean all sorts of things, but how many of us actually sing hymns, songs or praise to God when not in church? If we aren't regularly attending then we are missing out on a vital ingredient in our spiritual lives. There is also something very uplifting about singing together with other believers, assuming your church isn't one of those where everyone mumbles into their hymn books!

- Socialising. Some churches have taken this to an extreme. Our church services should be recognisably different from worldly events. However, our local church should be our extended family. We should want to spend time together and enjoy each other's company. I have spoken to isolated believers in Turkey, Iran and Syria who would love to be able to even find another believer local to them let alone have the privilege of meeting together, they are envious of the freedoms we enjoy!

There are probably other reasons that you can think of, feel free to comment with your suggestions or to add to these ideas. If you have done everything you can to find a Bible believing church in your area and have failed, then why not start a Bible study in your home and invite your friends and neighbours!

All true Christians should belong to a local church.

10 Things You Must Do Before Going to Church For The First Time

There are some things that a person wishing to go to church for the first time must know. There are requirements and regulations and accepted standards that everyone needs to adhere to. God also has a list of things that He checks when someone goes into a church building. I thought it might be helpful for you to read the list to see if you qualify;

1.  Become a better person to ensure you will be accepted by God and others
2.  Learn how to pray and know The Lord’s Prayer by heart
3.  Make sure you are physically clean so that you don’t cause offense
4. Know about the Bible and memorise some verses
5. Buy smart clothing so that you fit in
6. Get a baby-sitter so you can leave the kids at home
7. Save some money so you can put it in the offering bag or contribute to the building fund
8. Make a list of your sins so that when it’s time for confession you know what to say
9. Learn how to smile cheerfully and to engage in small talk with strangers
10. Listen to some worship music and remember some of the lyrics

Some of you are wondering where I’m going with this. Others are reading anxiously through the list to see which of my suggestions apply and what you personally should do. A few might be thinking that this advice is sensible. One or two might have missed the point completely and are annoyed that people could be misled. The vast majority, however, are smiling to yourselves—you get it or at least you think you do….

A church, according to Wikipedia, is a building used for public Christian worship. However, the Bible teaches us that all Christians are part of the universal body of Christ which is the church in a broader sense (Colossians 1 vs 18 and other verses.) Christians gather together in buildings in their local area to worship God—these are what most of us think of when we talk about churches. 

The big question is, who do these churches (or church buildings) belong to? Some may be partly or wholly government owned, others may be owned by a group of people with a board of trustees, still others may be privately owned and choose to operate independently. 

Regardless, all of these buildings are ultimately owned by God. He is the one who places authorities over us and He also provides the finance for buildings to be bought and sold. He owns all of our assets whether we acknowledge it or not. Church buildings and other places that Christians gather for worship are a blessing from Him.

I have heard most of the list of wrong views about church above from non-believers. A street teenager in the Philippines thought that he couldn’t go to church because he didn’t know how to pray. He also said that he was too dirty to go into a church building. Another person said that they wanted to become a better person before they could go to church. Someone else was worried about tithing and whether they would be forced into confession. The others on my list have been mentioned in one form or another in different cultures and in different church situations around the world.

We may think the list is ridiculous and the people that are thinking these things are ignorant. But these are some of the things that people are actually worrying about. To be clear, none of the above are things that anyone should be concerned about or even thinking about when making decisions about going to church. There are no requirements for attending church, at least, there shouldn’t be.

As Christians, we bear the responsibility for projecting the wrong image of our churches to the outside world. We may misrepresent them by our behaviour outside the church, by the way that we respond to a question about what church is like or by failing to correct someone’s erroneous view. We may not want that person to know the truth in case they actually come to our church and reveal who we really are to our congregation. Maybe we think that they won’t fit in due to their ungodly lifestyle. We have gradually formed rules about dress codes, cleanliness and noisy children, amongst other things….

We like formality and we don’t like disruptions or change. We are comfortable mingling with the same people and following set routines week by week. Anything or anyone that disturbs this is a nuisance. We may announce that we welcome all visitors, but is that evidenced by our actions? 

It is biblical for there to be order in a worship service, after all we need to remember Who we are worshipping. But what happens when our traditions, rules, regulations and requirements that are cultural rather than biblical stop people coming to our churches?

They are afraid that they may be checked at the door, or worse gossiped about or alienated having made it over the threshold. They fear that they won’t fit in due to the close knit Christian clique of popular people or that they may be relegated to a seat somewhere far away from the regular members. That they might be asked to move if they accidentally sit in a deacon’s usual spot. They are anxious about the potential superficiality of some of the conversations where numerous people ask them how they are doing before walking off mid-sentence because someone more interesting arrives.

They fear rejection, humiliation and most of all they fear not being good enough. They are in like company in one respect—none of us are good enough for God. That’s why Jesus had to die and why there are no divine scales measuring good and bad deeds or places called Purgatory. Our churches are full of sinful people if only we would acknowledge it. That’s why we need a Saviour. But, instead of recognising that we have all fallen short of God’s perfect standard, we add extra unnecessary burdens to people. We make them feel that they have to be good enough for us before they can enter our churches.

Let’s try to remember that God doesn’t show partiality and that we shouldn’t either (James 2 vs 9.) Let’s not be like the religious leaders who outwardly followed all of the rules but inwardly were corrupt. They were harshly rebuked not only for their own folly but for taking others down with them. “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.” Matthew 23 vs 13

Let’s debunk the myths and wrong beliefs about church and ensure that we are not adding extra-biblical procedures to our services. We can also take responsibility for our behaviour as members of the body and ensure we always encourage unbelievers to come to church and then genuinely welcome them when they turn up. This is not just the responsibility of church leaders or the super-spiritual, but all of us as representatives of Jesus.

It may have taken years of prayer or numerous contacts from different people over the years to get a person to actually take the first step and attend a meeting. This is especially true in Western atheistic cultures where society has shunned Christianity and church as a by-product. Let’s make the most of the opportunity to encourage, support and share the Gospel with them rather than placing hurdles in their way. Let’s be tolerant of things that might irritate or mess up our neatly arranged schedules—I never thought I’d use the word “tolerant” in a positive capacity due to rampant political correctness, but there it is!

God owns our churches and He welcomes those who are sincerely seeking the truth. He promises that those who seek Him with all their hearts will find Him. (Jeremiah 29 vs 13) Let Him be found in our churches as we seek to love people and share the Good News about Jesus with them.