Let me ask you an honest question: how many of your church members have shared their faith with someone outside of church in the past six months?

If your church is typical, the answer is “not many.” According to Lifeway Research (2024), only 39% of Evangelical churchgoers say they’ve shared their faith with a non-Christian in the past six months. In small churches under 100, that number drops even further.

This is not because your people don’t care. It’s because they’ve never been trained.

They don’t know what to say. They’re afraid of rejection. They think evangelism is something the pastor does, or something that happens at organized church events, or something that requires a degree in theology.

They’re wrong on all three counts.

The Biblical Model: Every Member a Witness

The New Testament does not describe a church where the professionals do the evangelism and the volunteers handle hospitality.

Acts 8:4 says, “Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.” Not the apostles. Not the pastors. The scattered — the ordinary believers who couldn’t stop themselves from talking about Jesus because they had been transformed by Him.

Ephesians 4:12 says the saints are “equipped for the work of ministry.” The pastor equips. The saints do the work. That includes evangelism.

1 Peter 3:15 says “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” Everyone. Not just the pastor. Everyone.

The problem is not a lack of desire among your members. The problem is a lack of training. And that’s something you can fix.

What Evangelism Training Actually Looks Like

Before I tell you what works, let me tell you what doesn’t work:

• Guilt-based approaches — telling your people they’re sinning if they don’t evangelize creates shame, not faithfulness
• One-time training events — a single Sunday school lesson on evangelism will not change your church’s culture
• High-pressure methods — the “close the deal” approach doesn’t work in small towns where everyone knows everyone
• Treating evangelism as an event — the best evangelism happens in the normal flow of relationships, not at organized outreach events

What does work?

1. Teach Them to Tell Their Story

The simplest and most powerful evangelism tool is your testimony. Every Christian has one. Most have never been taught to tell it clearly.

Your story doesn’t need to be dramatic. It doesn’t need to include rock bottom and a miraculous rescue. It needs three things: what your life was like before faith, how you came to faith, and what life is like now. That’s it.

Help your members craft a three-minute testimony, practice it with each other, and be ready to share it when the moment comes.

2. Teach Them to Start Spiritual Conversations

Most people will never attend a crusade. They’ll be reached (or not) in the context of a relationship. Your members need to know how to move from small talk to gospel talk without being weird about it.

It starts with listening. Really listening. When your neighbor says, “I’m just so tired,” that might be a door to talk about the rest Christ offers. When your coworker says, “Everything feels pointless lately,” that might be a door to talk about meaning and purpose.

The key is not having a script. The key is having ears to hear what people are actually saying — and heart to respond with the hope you have.

3. Train Them in the Long Obedience

In small towns, evangelism is not an event. It’s a process. It takes time, trust, and consistent presence.

The farmer next door who’s been refusing your church invitations for 15 years? He’s watching. He’s watching how you treat your spouse. He’s watching whether you show up when his barn burns down. He’s watching if you forget about him after he says no the first time.

Your members need to know that evangelism is not a one-time conversation. It’s a years-long process of faithful presence. God does the converting. We do the loving.

4. Confront the Fear

The number one reason church members don’t share their faith is fear. Fear of rejection. Fear of not knowing the answers. Fear of damaging the relationship.

This is normal. Even the apostles were afraid sometimes. But fear doesn’t have to be the final word.

Here’s the truth that will set your people free: they are not responsible for the results. They are responsible for the faithfulness. God does the converting. If someone rejects the gospel, they’re not rejecting your church member — they’re rejecting Christ. And that means your member can share honestly without carrying the weight of the outcome.

The Members Who Have the Most Gospel Access

Think about the people in your church who work in the marketplace every week:

Karen teaches third grade. Forty hours a week, she’s in front of 22 children and their parents. Many of these families will never come to your church. But Karen is already in their lives.

Karen needs to know: she is already a missionary. She doesn’t need to be sent somewhere. She needs to be sent with something.

This is the framework that Brent Lacy calls “releasing the creatives” — equipping the writers, artists, teachers, consultants, and marketplace professionals in your church to take the gospel with them Monday through Saturday.

The mission field already has your people. They just don’t know it.

Start This Sunday

You don’t need a budget to begin equipping your members for evangelism. You need a willingness to talk about it from the pulpit, a plan to train them in small groups, and the courage to celebrate when someone shares — even if the person they shared with said no.

This Sunday, try this: ask your congregation, “Who has someone in your life who doesn’t know Christ? Keep your hand up if you’ve been praying for them.” Most hands will go up.

Then say: “This week, I want you to keep praying — and I want you to ask God to open a door for a conversation. Not a sermon. A conversation. And when He does, be ready.”

That’s where evangelism training begins. Not with a method. With a mouth that’s ready.

“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” — 1 Peter 3:15 (ESV)

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a small church really make a difference in missions?

Yes. Small churches often give a higher percentage of their budget to missions than large churches.

How do we build a missions culture in a small church?

Start with prayer. Pray for specific missionaries, study missions together, and give regularly to missions.

What is the difference between supporting missions and knowing a missionary?

Supporting missions is financial. Knowing a missionary is relational. Both are important.

How do we choose which missionaries to support?

Look for alignment with your church’s theology and values.

What happens when a small church adopts a missionary?

The church becomes invested in the missionary’s work. Prayer becomes personal and giving becomes purposeful.