Let me begin with a personal note. You probably noticed that while I was posting frequently for a time, in recent weeks I have not. The reason is that my dear wife fell and broke her shoulder. So, the time I previously devoted to writing, I have been giving to driving her to medical appointments and providing unskilled nursing care (poor woman!). I’m happy to report that Miss Barbara (as she is known in all the Starbucks nearby) is on the mend. I know this because she has begun asking me to take her to Starbucks.
Southern Baptists talk a better game of evangelism than we play. The last couple of years our baptismal statistics were somewhat higher, though half of what they were 60 years ago. Of course, we’re grateful for any increase, but another baptismal statistic concerns me. Lifeway Research reported that 26 percent of Southern Baptist Church reported zero baptisms in 2023 (2024 not yet available). Why are so many churches ineffective in evangelism?
I’m convinced that many pastors have become passive evangelists. That is, they would certainly share the gospel with someone who asked, but they are not actively witnessing personally and leading their church in evangelistic activities. Dr. Church Lawless is Vice President and Professor of Evangelism at Southeastern Baptist Seminary. He shared this:
“In almost 30 years of studying the church in North America, I have never seen a strongly evangelistic church without a strongly evangelistic pastor who leads them.”
So, I believe a first step is for our pastors to recommit themselves to evangelism. Now, I’m sure some readers are thinking—surely most of these churches are small churches, pastored by bi-vocational pastors. I’m sure that’s true. Still, even a small rural church can baptize a few people each year. I’ve heard church members in rural areas say, “Everyone in this area already goes to church.” Not so. Church growth researchers report that more than 50 percent of rural residents are unchurched.
What can a small church, wherever it’s located, do? I’m a trained church doctor, and this is my recommended treatment. First, begin by praying for lost people by name. Ask your members to share the names of family, friends, and coworkers who are lost. Then, begin praying for them by name. Second, hold a vacation Bible school. That is a great way to win older children to Christ. I realize it is hard for a small church to sponsor a VBS, but it is possible. A larger church in your association might agree to help you, if asked. A second possibility is for several small churches to combine their resources to hold a VBS. The venue could rotate from church to church each year. Another possibility is to make your VBS a mission trip for a large church elsewhere. Your associational Director of Missions can help arrange for assistance.
Even bi-vocational pastors can follow the example of Paul Powell. He was for many years the pastor of Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler, Texas. He grew that church and made it a shining example of church evangelism. In his book on church evangelism, Paul Powell explained how he began at Green Acres. He stated that he began going door-to-door in the neighborhood around the church, starting with the closest homes. He would knock on the door and say, “I’m Paul Powell, the pastor of Green Acres Church, I want to ask you about the condition of your soul.” Similarly, Danny Sanchez, long-time professor of missions at Southwestern Baptist Seminary, told about his experience as a young pastor. A Hispanic mission in Palestine, Texas, called him as their pastor. He began visiting the houses near the church. At each house, he would knock on the door and say, “I’m Danny Sanchez from the church down the street. Our church prays for people. How can we pray for you?” Dr. Sanchez reported that no one ever rejected him, and he discovered many evangelistic prospects. I have been a bi-vocational pastor, so I understand the time demands and limitations. Still, even an overburdened pastor could make one stop on the way home from work or one visit on Saturday morning. Just one visit per week would add up to fifty a year. As Dr. Lawless says, the pastor must set an example.
Dave Miller and I want to make you an offer. Broadman & Holman Publishers was kind enough to give me the copyright to my book, “Church Evangelism.” That means I can do with it what I choose. I choose to offer an e-copy to you for free. If you want a copy, just state that in a comment on this post, and Dave Miller will send you a copy of the book.
