Evangelism Strategies

I had a great conversation today with the college ministry staff on the topic of evangelism.

If you are not in vocational ministry, you may not be aware that over the past few years a debate has slowly emerged regarding the most effective strategies for sharing the Gospel. This is an especially relevant topic when dealing with university students.

The major question being asked is whether "confrontational" evangelism is as effective in drawing people to Christ as it was in the middle part of the twentieth century. For those unfamiliar with the terminology, the most well-known confrontational strategies are knocking on random doors or approaching random students on campus with a tract or a Bible.

Some writers in the past ten or fifteen years have argued that our country is currently in a "sowing" phase rather than a "reaping" phase (to borrow the language of Tim Downs, the author of Finding Common Ground). They suggest that evangelism in the twenty-first century requires more relational approaches, in which we Christians spend weeks, months, or years developing friendships prior to sharing the message of the Gospel. The best research indicates that most people trust Christ through friends and family members.

While I tend to agree that our increasingly post-Christian society is looking for true community and relationship, I cannot help but wonder if the pendulum is swinging too far in this direction. In other words, many believers have the "relationship" thing down, but forget about the "evangelism" part. Friendships are usually the necessary context for evangelism, but at some point we need to open our mouths and speak. Confrontational evangelism can provide a chance to "practice" sharing the Gospel, so that when opportunities arise with friends and family, we are prepared to accurately share Jesus.

After discussion, our staff has begun to settle on a combined approach to evangelism. We will continue encouraging students to practice confrontational evangelism on campus, but we will also provide training and opportunities for evangelism in the context of relationships.

A book I can recommend on this topic is The Seven Principles of an Evangelistic Life by Doug Cecil. He similarly encourages pursuing a balanced course.

I am curious to hear any thoughts you may have regarding the topic. What do you think are some effective ways to share the Gospel in our current cultural environment?