In Part I, I discussed how cracks form in evangelism when it becomes disconnected from its core purpose, often leading to a lack of passion and authenticity. Now, let’s take a deeper look at how these cracks develop and how we can begin repairing them to restore evangelism’s transformative power. First, you must do a self-evaluation of your evangelism efforts to identify areas where personal growth or spiritual development is needed. Second, gather feedback from church members, leaders, and the community about the state of evangelism at your church. Oftentimes, “You can’t see the picture when you’re in the frame.” Your perspective can become distorted when you’re in the midst of challenging circumstances, particularly when it involves your own church.
When you’ve served in a church for many years, it’s easy to overlook areas that need attention. Honest feedback from others can reveal blind spots in your evangelism and sometimes even show that you are part of the problem. That’s why it’s essential to pay attention to the warning signs of cracks in your evangelism, those weaknesses in how it is being practiced, understood, or embraced. Often, these cracks first appear as subtle red flags that are easy to dismiss until the damage becomes undeniable. I was reminded of this when it cost over $15,000 to repair the cracked foundation of our home. In the same way, when cracks appear in evangelism, they cannot be ignored. It requires intentional and strategic action to restore its strength and stability.
Scripture reminds us in Matthew 7:24–25 that only a house built on the rock can withstand the storms. In the same way, effective evangelism must be built on the solid foundation of Christ. As J. Mack Stiles writes in his book, “Evangelism: How the Whole Church Speaks of Jesus”, “Evangelism is not a program or a method, it’s the heartbeat of the church.” This restoration involves community engagement, radical hospitality, and a commitment to service. No matter the size or location of your church, rural or urban, the key is first to establish and strengthen that foundation. Identifying the cracks in your evangelism efforts allows the church to recognize weaknesses before they spiral into more serious issues. When evangelism is not nurtured and maintained, it loses its purpose, passion, and authenticity, which can lead to shallow conversions that lack spiritual depth.
Cracks can also become destructive when hate or bitterness enters our hearts, spreading negativity that undermines the mission of Christ. Cracks can spread when evangelism is driven by personal agendas rather than aligning with God’s true mission. The cracks can deepen when a church focuses more on raising conference claims than on reaching souls and transforming lives. When a church fails to adapt its outreach to the community’s needs and remains stuck in outdated strategies, these cracks will continue to widen. For evangelism to be revitalized, we must focus on rebuilding a strong foundation.
Lesson From a 40-Church Crusade
In 2013, I led a 40-Church Crusade across the Dallas-Fort Worth Region with a team of evangelism leaders and lay members. We visited various churches, offering training, worship, and prayer walks to encourage pastors and their congregations. One of the training sessions I led was called “The 7 Signs of a Dying Church,” which asked crucial questions like: “Is your church still relevant?” During these visits, I also discussed the three types of evangelism: Corporate, Team, and Personal. Each type has its role in revitalizing the church’s evangelistic efforts:
- Corporate Evangelism involves outreach efforts on a large scale that include the entire congregation, such as church wide crusades, revivals, or community-wide campaigns. (Matthew 28:19-20)
- Team Evangelism involves a smaller, more organized group within the church working together on specific outreach ministries, prayer walks, or initiatives. (Acts 2:42-47)
- Personal Evangelism involves one-on-one evangelism, where individuals build relationships and share the Gospel through their testimonies. (John 4:39-42)
Through this experience, I discovered that not everyone in the church is passionate about evangelism. Of the 40 churches we planned to visit, only half welcomed our support for their evangelism efforts. Some pastors felt their churches lacked spiritual zeal for evangelism, while others struggled to equip their congregations for evangelism. Some were discouraged by past experiences of unsuccessful outreach. I also observed how some pastors faced difficulty getting key officers or members to buy into the idea of evangelism, especially in churches where a culture of evangelism had not yet been established. Shifting the mindset of a church with little or no history of evangelism can be a major challenge. Some pastors had members who outright resisted or refused to embrace evangelism.
This highlighted a deeper issue, that evangelism can be hindered by resistance or a lack of engagement. Like many of those pastors, I, too, have faced resistance throughout most of my ministry. Sadly, over the years, I’ve watched individuals step away from our evangelism team even during seasons of tremendous growth and a powerful movement of God. While this is painful, I realize it is also part of the journey of pastoring and leading. The reality is, not everyone will fully agree with or understand the mission. Even Jesus Himself faced opposition. That’s why it is essential to listen carefully when someone resists evangelism. Is it because of their fear of losing control, a lack of confidence, or passion? Could it stem from a misunderstanding of what evangelism truly is, or their hurt from negative past experiences?
Whatever the reason, we must remember that effective evangelism begins by meeting people where they are and addressing the unique needs of both the church and the community. I believe members must feel supported, equipped, and confident in their ability to reach out to their communities. Providing this kind of care and preparation requires prayer, training, and ongoing support, which are the elements needed to provide the stability and strength to restore the church’s spiritual foundation. I certainly look forward to leading more crusades in the future. As you reflect on the importance of restoring the foundation of evangelism, I would like to take a moment to reflect on the significance of women in ministry.
Often working behind the scenes and faced with societal challenges, women have historically helped to shape the evangelistic efforts of the church. Let’s now turn our attention to honoring the women in ministry who have made lasting contributions to evangelism.
Honoring Women in Ministry Who Impact Evangelism
One of the greatest lessons I have learned in my journey is the invaluable role women have played in evangelism and ministry. In many churches, women are the driving force behind evangelistic efforts as they lead community outreach programs, organize events, and offer spiritual and emotional support. Yet, their contributions are often overlooked, undervalued, or even resisted. In some cases, societal norms and opposition to women in leadership stifle their ministry, and this has been especially evident in the Black Church, where historical barriers have limited women’s access to leadership roles. Since my days as a teenage boy preacher, I have witnessed patriarchy and misogyny not only in the Methodist church but across denominational lines.
I have also seen disparities among women themselves, with some resisting the leadership of other women. Despite these challenges, women continue to serve as the backbone of the church’s outreach and evangelism, nurturing relationships, providing care, and leading ministries that directly impact communities in powerful ways. I have a deep respect for women in ministry, and I am truly blessed to stand with them and support their calling. While I grew up in the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, I guess you could say I’ve been ecumenical since I was a child. My maternal grandmother was a preacher in the Baptist Church, and my maternal great-grandmother was a pastor in the Pentecostal Church. I had the privilege of visiting both of their churches and witnessing how their ministries were often stifled simply because they were women. During those times, their true calling as preachers was limited by societal norms that usually restricted women’s leadership roles in ministry.
The history of silencing women in ministry has left a lasting impact on the Black Church. Today, women continue to break through those barriers and lead powerful ministries of evangelism and outreach, and are often the ones driving the mission forward. Evangelism is not just a task or program; it is a lifestyle founded on love, compassion, and obedience to Christ’s Great Commission (Matthew 28:18–20). True evangelism reaches people through authentic relationships and the truth. That’s why developing a strategic evangelism plan is essential for the Church to remain both spiritually grounded and socially relevant. In the Black Church, evangelism is often demonstrated through services that respond to the urgent and systemic issues in our communities.
These outreach ministries serve as a living testimony that God sees, cares, and is present in the lives of His people. They are often led by women who serve as the backbone of outreach. Here are just a few examples:
- Feeding the hungry
- Hosting health fairs with education on HIV/AIDS, heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes
- Offering prison outreach and support for the incarcerated
- Providing educational programs for youth and young adults
- Coordinating food and clothing drives
- Assisting individuals and families with housing and hygiene needs
Restoring the Spiritual Foundation of Evangelism
If you’ve lost your passion for evangelism or if it’s never been there to begin with, it’s not too late for God to use you. Restoring the spiritual foundation of evangelism requires an intentional return to the core principles that make it effective, transformational, and aligned with God’s mission. Now that you understand that evangelism is not just another program, task, or afterthought, you can begin to grasp its true purpose – to glorify God by reaching the lost. Evangelism is about lives being changed by the power of the Gospel, and rebuilding a passion for reaching others by loving them as Christ has loved us. Evangelism is a heart matter—a lifestyle that comes from aligning our hearts with God’s mission. As Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21 NIV)
When our hearts are aligned with God, we cannot help but obey His Great Commission (Matthew 28:19–20). A strong spiritual foundation is built on prayer, reading God’s Word, Bible study, and being open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Dr. J. Vernon McGee once asked, “Are you on speaking terms with God?”, a question that reminds us that evangelism begins with a relationship with Him. When built on these principles, evangelism becomes a transformative force that turns outreach into a way of life. Evangelism starts with you! Take time to reflect on your church’s current evangelism efforts. Identify areas where cracks may have formed, and commit to repairing them to restore the spiritual foundation that builds impactful outreach. Help your church cultivate a culture of evangelism that draws people to Jesus and transforms lives and communities. God is able! (Ephesians 3:20)
Call to Action:
- Engage in self-evaluation: Assess your church’s evangelism efforts to identify strengths, weaknesses, and areas for growth.
- Commit to discipleship: Focus on nurturing new believers and helping them to grow into mature followers of Christ.
- Create an evangelism team: Encourage everyone in the church to participate in the evangelism process through direct outreach and community engagement.
- Start a women’s ministry: Organize a ministry that focuses on supporting and empowering women in their leadership and ministry roles.
- Host a health fair: Provide health education and services for members and your community.
Resources:
1. Coleman, R. E. The Master Plan of Evangelism.
2. Knight III, H. H., & Powe Jr., F. D. Transforming Evangelism: The Wesleyan Way of Sharing Faith.
3. Stiles, J. M. Evangelism: How the Whole Church Speaks of Jesus.
