Gospel Infrastructure – Evangelism

Introduction 

Foundations matter because everything is built on them. Excitement over purchasing a new home can quickly fade if the foundation is determined to be unsound. Structures built upon a faulty foundation are not likely to last. In missions, we build foundational structures on which future generations of gospel ministry will stand.

Gospel infrastructure is the idea that certain structures are key to providing long-term access to the gospel. Evangelism is one of those foundational structures that ensures a church’s witness will endure. But evangelism is strengthened when it is more than evangelistic programs or individual efforts. Our goal should be for Christians to be so saturated in the gospel that they share Christ naturally and regularly in their everyday lives. In other words, a culture of evangelism is needed. Churches planted among the nations need a culture of evangelism if they are to maintain an enduring gospel witness in their community.

Therefore, to better understand healthy, biblical evangelism in missions, let’s consider what evangelism is (and isn’t), what a culture of evangelism in a church looks like, and why a culture of evangelism is essential for enduring gospel witness among the nations.

What Evangelism Is

When we use the term evangelism, we refer to the responsibility of all Christians to tell the good news about Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit, in order to persuade sinners to repent, believe, and be saved from their sin. 

Jesus modeled evangelism. During his earthly ministry, he called sinners to repent and believe the gospel. He evangelized, and he called his followers to do the same (Matt 5:14-16; Mark 1:16-17). Christ’s apostles had ministered alongside him and were eyewitnesses to his life, death, and resurrection. After his resurrection, he sent them out as witnesses and gave them authority to pass along his teaching as they made new disciples (Matt 28:19-20; Acts 1:8). And God used some of these new disciples, ordinary believers from the early church, to spread the gospel far and wide (Acts 8:4). Scripture makes it clear that evangelism is the responsibility of every follower of Christ. Each one is to proclaim the good news about him.

What Evangelism Is Not

Evangelism Is Not Missions

Evangelism and missions are so intimately entwined that they are often confused for each other. So, we need to carefully distinguish the relationship between missions and evangelism.

Missions involves “churches sending qualified workers across linguistic, geographic, or cultural barriers to start or strengthen churches, especially in places where Christ has not been named.”¹ And, wonderfully, the Bible gives examples of how the apostles did this. They had witnessed his finished work of redemption and were commanded to spread the good news of what they had seen and heard to the ends of the earth (Matt 28:19-20; Acts 1:8). 

So, in response to Jesus’ command, Christians began to proclaim the gospel to unbelievers. Then, the church in Antioch sent qualified ministers who crossed significant barriers to start or strengthen churches. They proclaimed the gospel to non-Christians (evangelism), but then they did so much more. Once people believed the gospel, they taught these new believers to obey all of Christ’s commands. They organized them into churches. And they appointed leaders to teach, protect, and lead these churches (Acts 14:19-23). 

In other words, missions involves a group of activities, of which evangelism is only one. In addition to evangelism, missions includes discipling, forming churches, and appointing leaders. According to the Bible, the entire church body can and should contribute to missionary work in some way. Some contribute by praying (Matt 9:37-38; Col 4:3-4), some provide financial support (1 Cor 9:11-14; Phil 4:15-16), while others go to the nations as missionaries (Acts 13:2-3; 3 John 5-8).

Evangelism is the broader call for all believers to share the gospel wherever they are (1 Pet 2:9; 3:15). Faithful Christians may be called to evangelize through missionary endeavors, but they are always called to evangelize as they follow Jesus through the ordinary means of grace and healthy local church life. 

Therefore, if our churches’ primary evangelism plan is to send a short-term mission team to somewhere far away for only a week or two each year, we are likely confusing missions with evangelism and implicitly excusing ourselves from evangelism at home. Or, if churches view evangelism as an activity primarily for expat missionaries, we again excuse ourselves from our responsibilities and hinder growth in the church. All believers are called to evangelize.

Evangelism Is Not a Program

As we should be careful to not confuse missions with evangelism, we should also be careful to not confuse a program with evangelism. Some churches develop programs or host special events to draw the lost in their own community. These can be helpful supplements and can equip the church, but they will never substitute for building a sustained culture of ongoing evangelism in the daily lives of all church members. As beneficial as these programs are, they come with the risk that church members begin to see evangelism as the job of church leadership. Some may think that if evangelism isn’t happening, it’s because the church lacks the right program. Yet, evangelism should be a lifestyle that remains even when the programs or events end.

What a Culture of Evangelism Looks Like

Churches are designed to be built on and witness to all that is true — about God, about ourselves, about the world (1 Tim 3:15). Speaking what is true is foundational to our role as witnesses. This is the lifelong activity of the church. Growing as a disciple — that is, learning how to obey everything that Jesus commanded — will engage us for a lifetime. And discipleship most often takes place in the context of a local church. So, as we grow more conformed to Christ in the context of a local church, we will help one another grow in maturity, building rhythms of evangelism into every aspect of our lives.

Therefore, if evangelism is proclaiming the gospel, then a culture of evangelism exists when followers of Jesus, in the power of the Holy Spirit and as they grow in likeness to Christ, regularly, naturally, and joyfully share the gospel throughout everyday life and through the corporate witness of the gathered church.

Evangelism in Everyday Life

When starting new churches, we should encourage the evangelism program modeled in the New Testament church — which is not a program at all. It is simply increased faithfulness as a church. Through teaching sound doctrine, the gospel will richly dwell in us as church members grow in their love for others and in their awe of the gospel. As that happens, healthy church members will naturally make the gospel known in the context of their unique circle of relationships. They will be increasingly intentional to talk about Jesus with friends, family members, coworkers, and neighbors and invite them to be united to Christ and to his people (Col 4:5-6; 1 Thes 1:6-8; Phlm 6). A church that loves the gospel and loves others will overflow with hospitality, joyfully welcoming all to come meet Jesus through their witness.

Evangelism in the Corporate Gathering

As we seek to plant healthy churches, we must teach church leaders that evangelism should also happen during the corporate gathering of the church. Healthy churches share the gospel as they intentionally sing songs that proclaim the good news of Christ. Churches pray scriptural prayers that speak and teach the gospel to her hearers. Sermons that rightly exposit the word show that all Scripture points to Jesus (Luke 24:13-35). The ordinances visibly portray the gospel to all who observe them. The church fasts and prays to the Lord of the harvest and joins in what he is doing by sending qualified workers to take the gospel to the ends of the earth (Acts 13:1-3).

Witness is not simply what followers of Jesus do … it’s who they are as they are eternally united to Christ. Therefore, a culture of evangelism is not a plan for strategic church programs or specific evangelistic methods or events. It is the church body practicing a lifestyle of clear, joyful, ongoing gospel proclamation.

Why a Culture of Evangelism Builds Enduring Gospel Witness

A culture of evangelism creates long-standing gospel witness because the gospel is the power of God unto salvation. Wherever the gospel spreads, the kingdom advances. It’s the flame that ignites another flame and continues until it cannot be contained. Although they can be instruments of salvation through evangelism, churches and seminaries don’t save. Jesus saves, and the good news of this truth is the power of God unto salvation. So, as the spread of the gospel permeates every area of our lives and ministries, God, in his infinite wisdom, has ordained the proclamation of the gospel to bring dead souls to life.

The Danger of Not Developing a Healthy Culture of Evangelism

Without a culture of evangelism, the church drifts from her mission. Preaching can easily shift from proclaiming Christ’s work to promoting moralism. Nonbelievers might slip in and out of our services without ever hearing the gospel or understanding the glory of salvation provided by Jesus. Pressure, emotionalism, or revivalism that replaces truth may lead to false conversions. When unregenerate people are accepted into church membership or even church leadership, harm will eventually come both to the church and its witness. When false teachers or unregenerate leaders gain standing in the church, the entire church membership cannot escape harm (Acts 20:29-30; Titus 3:10-11; Rev 2-3). 

In missionary work, the harm may be especially dire. Missionaries are building the foundations of churches that they pray God will grow and multiply. New churches carry gospel DNA that will replicate and reproduce. Unhealthy churches will produce unhealthy members and pragmatic practices that can bring long-term harm to a congregation and its witness for Christ.

The Fruit of Developing a Healthy Culture of Evangelism

By contrast, a church rooted in a genuine understanding of the gospel, with a strong culture of evangelism, holds many advantages that will promote an enduring witness. With mature local pastors and elders expositing the word of God accurately, this church can take conversion seriously. That will protect the purity of Christ’s bride. The church will be filled with transformed people who, through the power of the Holy Spirit, grow in sanctification and holiness and look more like Christ as they mature. As they grow in love for Christ and knowledge of his word, they will share the gospel clearly and regularly — not out of duty but delight! They want others to experience this joy! Their visible maturity proves their verbal testimony to the beauty and power of Christ. 

Muslim families may disagree with the teaching of the Bible, but they can’t refute the loving testimony of God’s people. God draws the hearts of Buddhists and Hindus as the gospel is clearly proclaimed. When a culture of evangelism is strengthened, the church is a loving, radiant, joyful witness to all nations.

Local Believers Need a Culture of Evangelism

We long for local communities to experience this type of evangelism from their missionary friends. But it’s not enough for this type of evangelism — a culture of evangelism — to exist in the expat missionary community. As modern historical data shows, except on the rarest of occasions, missionaries eventually leave. Local believers must learn a culture of evangelism. So, let’s teach them! They, too, are witnesses, ambassadors, called by Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit to boldly share their faith right where they live. Evangelism cannot remain a Western or imported practice. It’s a biblical practice that should be a regular part of the discipling and maturing of indigenous local believers. Even long after missionaries are gone, healthy local churches will continue to mature — strengthened by, and strengthening, a culture of evangelism.

Conclusion

A culture of evangelism is a vital piece of gospel infrastructure that will help churches’ witness for Christ continue long after missionaries leave. So, we must teach new churches that all followers of Christ are called to proclaim the good news of Jesus and invite people to repent of their sin, believe in him as Lord, and be saved. Church leaders should be taught to saturate their corporate gatherings with gospel witness. As churches learn the Bible and grow in maturity, with patience, a culture of evangelism can begin to flourish. Sharing the gospel will become the normal rhythm of life in the church. When mature local believers adopt this culture, the gospel spreads, Christ’s kingdom advances, and God receives the glory due his name among all nations.

Suggested Resources:

J. Mack Stiles, Evangelism, 9Marks: Building Healthy Churches (Crossway, 2014).

J.I. Packer, Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God (IVP, 2012)

1. John Folmar and Scott Logsdon, Prioritizing the Church in Missions (Crossway, 2025), 59-60.