“How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” Rom 10:15
If we are going to activate evangelistic people in our ministry, then we have to know what they look like! Sometimes this can be pretty easy if they are highly gifted and are more developed. But if they are a young person it may not be as clear from the surface. You will want to know what to look for. Here are six indicators I often am looking for.
They spend lots of time with people who don’t follow Jesus
Evangelists in your church are going to be people that naturally gravitate towards people who are not following Jesus. Often times they are people that many friends who are not Christian and even prefer to spend time with those people They may say things like, “I like spending time with non Christians more than Christians” or “I can’t spend so much time at church, I have other friends too!”. Evangelistically gifted people naturally relate to and connect with people that don’t know or follow Jesus. They have an uncanny ability to have one foot in the church and one foot in the world. They are natural bridge builders between the two worlds.
Key Question: Who are the people in the ministry that spend lots of time with people outside the ministry?
They love sharing the gospel and seem pretty natural doing so
Evangelists are also very enthused about sharing the gospel with people. These can be the people that you often feel like should “slow down” a bit and let things develop. But they are just too excited! They tend to grasp the gospel message more easily than others and they can put it into articulation more simply that most. Evangelists will tend to be the people asking you for books on sharing the gospel as they are really eager to understand how to talk about Jesus and do so well. The most oblivious way to tell someone is an evangelists is to see that they are leading others to Christ regularly and or their friends they are bringing to church keep coming to the Lord.
Key Question: Who in the ministry is naturally and frequently to share the gospel?
They are regularly encouraging other believers to witness
Evangelistic people are also those that are encouraging others to be a little more bold, a little more confident in talking about Jesus. Look for those people in your ministry that seem to be the one encouraging others to take that risk to invite someone to church or an event or to sit a friend down to talk about Jesus. Evangelistic people often are the ones that others go to for questions and prayer for friends outside the church.
Key Question: Who do others in the church go to for answers to tough questions?
They aren’t very motivated to run programs inside the church
You may have an evangelist on your hands if the person you are talking to is not very motivated about running programs inside your ministry. Often times evangelists aren’t very motivated to run small groups with mostly believers in them or to run groups that care for people already in the church. Being outside the walls connecting with people who don’t know Jesus energizes them. However, if you offered them the ability to run a group for seeking people, they would start glowing! Be careful not to label someone as not teachable or available if they are dragging their feet at running a small group. They may be an evangelist and need a different task.
Key Question: Who are the people that seems unmotivated to lead programs inside the ministry that could be excited to lead something outside or for non believers?
They often are critical about the group not being friendly to outsiders
One of the best ways I find evangelists is by identifying the people that are the most critical about the programs we run in our ministry. It is often the person who feels our meetings are cheesy or the language is too “christianese” for them to bring a friend. It is easy to get defensive with critical people in our ministries, but pay attention. If you have a person that is regularly suggesting that the way you run your group is more open, simpler content or has more engaging content for outsiders, then you may have an evangelist on your hands.
Key Question: Who are the people that seem most critical about the way the group is fit for outsiders?
Host a training and see who shows up!
Another key way that I find evangelists in my ministry is by hosting trainings on sharing the gospel, connecting better with friends who don’t know Jesus, or how to be a powerful inviter. I then watch to see who shows up and who is excited about this training. Often evangelists are the people that are most eager and thankful for this input. They will want more and even be excited to bring others and promote it!
Key Question: If I was to put on a training in evangelism, who would be the most excited for this training?
What else would you add? What are other helpful ways to identify evangelists?
Thanks for the post! Related to “seem pretty natural” at sharing the gospel, I also look for people who get into spiritual conversations in strange or unusual situations. I feel like they tend to be “larger than life” because of these stories–maybe that’s a mark of their willingness to follow the Holy Spirit?
Great thought Timothy! When you say “larger than life” do you mean the moment is larger than life or the person is larger than life? Obviously evangelistic people can come in all shapes in sizes, some being more introverted or unassuming. I think you mean the moment is larger than life but just clarifying.
Right–I don’t believe there is a correlation between body mass and evangelistic gifting. 🙂 When I mean “larger than life,” I mean the person is “more interesting and more exciting than an ordinary person or thing.” (Cambridge Dictionary of American Idioms) So it’s more than their experiences are unusual–it’s that their life as a whole feels far more interesting and exciting than ordinary people.
Thanks for the post!! Great info, some I never considered before!! I think the easiest way to find a budding evangelist is bring Gospel tracts or mention a servant evangelism event that you are considering doing and please sign up….they will take a dive into these opportunities…also I think the people most willing to get a little dirty for others are probably in this camp and initiating with young believers to network with them for their friends & relatives to hear the good news too…Tim and Beau, your conversation is incredibly funny…I would not go by the fruit from their labors as some people might be planters….also their lives seem a little bit more messier and possibly misunderstood alot…A lot of evangelists I know have left the church as they don’t feel they are needed but more important…wanted!!
The ministry of an Evangelist is a gift from God!
Thank you for these, I feel like this was written for me,this article was right on point, I now know what my calling is,and it feels like the perfect fit,I knew the Father was doing something in my life, I knew it wasn’t a specific type of calling just inside the church ,I knew it wasn’t something just for the church I attend,but I did know it was for the glory of the Lord, and His people, I am ready to go share His word with every one,every one,He made everyone, everyone ,we are all part of the Lord !!!! Praise God
First of all, I keep asking God what gift He give for me. A gift that He can used me to strengthen His body. At the beginning its not really clear. Most of what i read about the gift of an evangelist is have most of them. I don’t stay for long in a place. I love to go in field, reaching the lost, the unsaved.
I find myself wanting to forsake my immediate surroundings for people not wanting to hear what I have to say but the desire to get across to them is not hindered by the discouragement that l know would would discourage and frustrate other people, and my greatest desire is to share with anyone who will listen of GOD bringing me through a lifetime of trials to make me who\what l am today, and can and will do the same for them if they will put their lives in HIS hands..
This article was an eye opener.. I related to it so well. .thank you ♥️ I feel so unwanted in the church because people don’t want to hear the evangelist when we try to help them to understand Jesus message to this world w6as ” Go Tell The Good News” people need Christ to be saved and get eternal life 🙏 ❤️