The Forgotten Evangelists: Mobilizing Ordinary Members in Everyday Evangelism

Something concerning is happening in many faithful churches today. The gospel is proclaimed from the pulpit. Prayers are lifted. Mission trips are put into the budget and scheduled for the year. And yet week after week, many church members fail to evangelize the lost.

It’s not usually because they don’t believe in evangelism. I would bet that most church members genuinely want their friends and neighbors to know Christ. But when it comes to speaking up, they freeze.

What’s holding them back? Here are a few common barriers:

• Fear of rejection or awkwardness. Many worry it will cost them relational capital to bring Jesus up in conversation.
• Insecurity about what to say. Many feel ill-equipped or unqualified to explain the gospel clearly, especially when the person they’re sharing with responds with a tough question.
• Lack of urgency or intentionality. Evangelism can drift to the margins when life gets busy.
• Over-programming in church life. Ironically, our churches can sometimes be so full of good things—Bible studies, events, meetings—that members have little margin for meaningful relationships with unbelievers.

These are real challenges. But they’re not insurmountable. In fact, the local church is uniquely designed by God to help believers grow in courage, clarity, and commitment to share the gospel. And pastors have a vital role to play in shaping a culture of everyday evangelism in their churches.

Here are four ways pastors can equip their churches to proclaim Christ faithfully and fruitfully.

1. Teach Clearly and Regularly

If we want our members to share the gospel, we need to help them know and love it deeply. That starts with clear, regular teaching. So . . .

• Preach the gospel often. Every sermon should in some way help believers internalize the good news of Christ’s death and resurrection. Don’t assume your members are tired of hearing the gospel. Most are still learning to live in light of it—and speak it.
• Teach a theology of evangelism. What is evangelism? Why does it matter? Who is responsible for it? A strong biblical foundation fuels conviction. Show your people that evangelism is not a niche calling for the gifted few but an ordinary part of faithful discipleship (Matt. 28:18–20; 2 Cor. 5:20).

Repetition is key. A church that talks often about evangelism—biblically, joyfully, and clearly—will begin to see members step out with greater confidence.

2. Model It Yourself

People learn by watching more than listening. If pastors want their people to evangelize, they need to model it themselves.

• Share your efforts—successes and failures. Talk about the conversations you’ve had with your barber, barista, or neighbor—not to boast, but to demystify what it means to evangelize. Show what faithfulness looks like, even when it feels awkward or doesn’t bear immediate fruit.
• Involve members in your outreach. When you grab lunch with a non-Christian friend, consider bringing a church member along. When you’re out in public, make it a habit to ask your server how you can pray for them. Invite people to observe, learn, and engage alongside you.

Modeling gives permission. It helps members realize that evangelism isn’t just for pastors. They think, “I could do that too.”

3. Train Practically

Evangelism doesn’t require a seminary degree, but it does require preparation. Many Christians would share the gospel more if they simply had a few tools to help them get started.

• Teach simple tools. A few-minute testimony, a basic gospel outline, or a handful of go-to questions can make a big difference.
• Run short workshops or classes. Consider offering a Sunday School class on evangelism or a once-a-year training night. Use resources like Christianity Explored or Two Ways to Live to build clarity and confidence.^{11 .} Christianity Explored, The Good Book Company, https://www.thegoodbook.com/series/christianity-explored/; Two Ways to Live, Matthias Media, https://matthiasmedia.com/products/two-ways-to-live
• Help people listen well. Teach how to ask good questions, listen with love, and respond with grace and truth. Evangelism isn’t just about speaking—it’s also about understanding the person in front of you.

The goal isn’t to create experts but to equip ordinary saints for ordinary faithfulness.

4. Celebrate Faithfulness, Not Just Fruit

One of the quiet ways churches undermine evangelism is by only celebrating good results. We tell stories of conversions (praise God for them!), but we rarely highlight the dozens of conversations that didn’t go anywhere—at least haven’t gone anywhere yet.

• Share stories of faithfulness. Invite members to share about the conversations they’ve had, even when the person wasn’t receptive. Those stories encourage others to try.
• Emphasize God’s role in salvation. Remind your church often that we plant and water, but “God gives the growth” (1 Cor. 3:6–7). That frees us from pressure and pride.
• Create a culture of obedience. When evangelism becomes a normal part of Christian faithfulness—regardless of outcome—people grow in courage and consistency.

Evangelism Is for the Whole Church

Evangelism shouldn’t be a rare event or left to the professionals. It’s an essential mark of a healthy church. And that mark is cultivated from the pulpit, in the classroom, over coffee, and in the small, ordinary faithfulness of pastors and members alike.

When pastors teach clearly, model personally, train practically, and celebrate faithfulness, they help create a church where evangelism isn’t a special calling for the bold, but an ordinary overflow of life with Jesus.

That’s how we mobilize forgotten evangelists. Not by guilt or gimmicks, but by helping ordinary members believe that God can use even me.