Keeping Up with Evangelism Trends

Keeping current is part of being an instructor at a seminary on the church mission. So, I forked over the big bucks ($39) to purchase, read Barna’s Reviving Evangelism report, and glean what I could from their research. Their chosen title promised to revive evangelism. Hmm, a nice goal, but I wondered if achieving that aim would be my assessment of their content.

The church has had big problems in this area for a long time. Members have checked out on the way it has been traditionally touted. Effective evangelism has also become increasingly difficult along many fronts of a post-Christian era. I offer my candid thoughts.

The Strengths and Limitations of Barna’s Report

Strength: The Need for Influence Insights

The report is loaded with valuable information. It can benefit pastors, church leaders, and members who are sizing up what is unfolding in the culture and in the church as a whole. Strong on analyzing America’s de-churching, you get paragraphs with laser synthesis on what is off and hindering:

“The research shows a dissonance between Christians’ perceptions of effective evangelism and the experience of those who do not practice Christianity. Further, there seems to be gaps in key Christian relational skills and habits that are necessary for evangelism” (p. 43).

If you are a data nerd and believe statistics are king, you will love their treatment! Along with scores of numbers to peruse, there are timely “wake-up call” nuggets. One that jumped off the page at me:

“Nearly half (47%) of Millennial practicing Christians say it is wrong to evangelize” (p. 10).

Woe. Talk about the need to right the mission ship! I also loved the fact that they blew up some myths and oversimplified cliches, as in:

“The God-shaped hole is simply not a conscious part of most non-Christians’ experience.”

Boom!

The Limitations of Quantitative Research

On the critiquing side, I have a few gut-level observations that I believe are worthy of contemplation. Reading it cover to cover, it strikes me that quantitative data is far better at showing us the problem than offering the solution.

Though Barna’s report is beautifully laid out with a collection of nicely written articles, there is not one real evangelism engagement story included. No, not one. (Note: There is an engagement story mentioned, ironically, it is between two believers meeting to explore cultural differences—a good training exercise, no doubt, but not evangelism.)

Nor does it contain data that is based directly on evangelistic involvement, something like: We studied 200 believers in relationships with the rising sector of young adult atheists and found these practices to be effective. Without the content being based on real evangelism, it lacks specificity in the solution column.

That is why the information provided in this report, though painting a picture of the attitudes and deficiencies inside the church and the shifting demographics outside, does not get into salient insights on actually reaching someone. It did not help me with any of my three current unsaved friends: My Muslim imam buddy, my intellectual lawyer friend, or my irreligious Raiders-loving neighbor.

Why Influence Training Is Essential for Reviving Evangelism

Understanding the Dynamics of Spiritual Influence

Having spiritual influence with a non-believer is quite dynamic, and thus, resonant communication of the gospel often requires digging into a person’s particular storyline in order to discern how they could hear the gospel as good news. This kind of insight is typically not found in quantitative data points. It is rooted in reading the individual, who has a unique mixture of background, needs, problems, and storylines.

Similarly, the vital processing insights on how to reach distinct individuals from various belief stances come from those who are doing it. Everyone claims to be an expert, but I only listen and learn from practitioners who know what it is to be in the fight for someone’s soul. So much of what God has taught me has come from journeying alongside people, I share those stories in my books. God eventually breaks it open, but you are agent-involved in bringing the person over belief barriers and tapping into motivational desire.

The Biblical Model of Evangelism: “Participant Observation”

In support of influence training as critical for reviving evangelism, I offer an ancient comparison. Though modern market research is useful to quantify culture and church, and we can benefit from what the scientific method reveals, it is not the method the biblical record features—which is qualitative in nature—akin to what researchers term participant observation.

We see when the New Testament writers give closeup, real-life accounts of someone bringing God’s message in an effectual, dialed-in way:

• John records Jesus’s “living water” appeal to the Samaritan woman. (John 4)
• Luke observing Paul’s adapting proclamation to the Areopagus gathering in Athens.
• The disciples watched Jesus’s faith-formational healings in Galilee.

Building Trust for Effective Evangelism

To be effective, Christians must build trusting relationships where faith conversations can happen naturally. The goal is to help others understand Christianity’s core truths and explore how faith in Christ can enrich their lives.

Following Christ’s example, we make faith relevant to each person’s life and lead them toward the message of the Cross. Developing influence skills empowers believers to engage in meaningful dialogue and draw out a friend’s thoughts about Jesus.

Final Thoughts on Barna’s Reviving Evangelism Report

Barna’s research provides excellent insight into cultural trends and challenges in evangelism, it lacks hands-on strategies for engaging non-believers effectively. Influence training—learning from real practitioners who have experience in guiding others to faith—is critical for truly reviving evangelism. The biblical model of evangelism calls for deep personal engagement, trust-building, and an understanding of an individual’s unique spiritual journey.

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Reference

Barna Report produced in partnership with Alpha USA, Reviving Evangelism: Current Realities That Demand a New Vision for Sharing Faith, 2019.