by Philip M. Bickel © 1996, 1997

When researchers asked new converts, "What was the major influence in leading you to Christ and the Church?", they responded:

• Church advertising 2%
• The Pastor 6%
• Organized evangelism programs 6%
• Friends and relatives 86%

  [Adapted from "Evangelism: The Why and How" by Elmer L. Towns, in Church Growth State of the Art, C. Peter Wagner, ed. (Wheaton: Tyndale, 1988), p. 53. ]

In light of these statistics, several Christian writers have produced materials which encourage and teach Christians to build caring relationships with friends and relatives. This approach to personal witnessing goes by several names: life-style evangelism; friendship evangelism; caring evangelism; and web evangelism. In addition to books, course materials are available for study in small groups. Share this article with church leaders responsible for education, evangelism, and small group ministry.

Note: The resources reviewed below are not for sale at Roller Coaster Press.

Out of the Saltshaker and into the World by Rebecca Pippert (InterVarsity, 188 pages); plus a video series by the same title.

Published in 1979, this was the first book to deal with, as the subtitle states, "evangelism as a way of life." A first-class story teller, Pippert punctuates her ideas with personal experiences. Several chapters portray Jesus as a compassionate friend who ignored the Pharisees' protests in order to touch the lives of sinners. "It is a profound irony," Pippert observes, "that the Son of God visited this planet and one of the chief complaints against him was that he was not religious enough." The four video sessions are about forty-five minutes each. A Leader's Guide is included. Both the book and the video are highly motivational. Pippert's humor moves people to laughter, her stories move them to tears, and her reasoning moves them to action.

Me, an Evangelist? by William J. McKay (Stephen Ministries, Tel. 314-645-5511, 231 pages); plus Caring Evangelism leader's packet.

McKay combines an impelling novelette with thorough, practical advice. Each chapter opens with a serialized episode of how Andy and Sarah slowly learn to witness in a caring manner to their widowed neighbor Margaret. McKay's work contains the same sanctified common sense found in other Stephen Ministries products. Topics include: "Process-Oriented Evangelism;" "Listening: The Most Important Evangelism Tool;" "Uncovering God-Sized Needs;" and "Eight Ways to Talk about Jesus." Caring Evangelism is a companion course designed for use in small groups. The Leader's Packet includes a Leader's Guide, Administrative Handbook, Participant's Manual, and a copy of McKay's book. Additional Participant's Manuals are $9.95 each.

Life-Style Evangelism by Joseph C. Aldrich (Multnomah, 246 pages)

Aldrich, President of Multnomah School of the Bible, approaches the topic in a manner more theological than that of other authors. Yet he is still highly readable. Insights abound. Here's an example: "The music of the gospel must precede the words of the gospel and prepare the context in which there will be a hunger for those words.... The music of the gospel is the beauty of the indwelling Christ as lived out in the everyday relationships of life." To help avoid a Lone Ranger mentality, four chapters relate evangelism to the church member, the church body, the church leadership, and the pastor.

Gentle Persuasion: Creative Ways to Introduce Your Friends to Christ by Joseph C. Aldrich (Multnomah, 247 pages)

"Attack lambs of the world, unite!" Evangelism ought to be fun, and Aldrich makes it fun as he applies the account of Jesus sending out the seventy disciples (like sheep among wolves) to our modern witnessing challenges. "As I read the Scriptures," Aldrich says, "I'm haunted by the idea that God is not so much asking you to tell your people what a friend they have in Jesus, as in showing them what a friend they have in you.... Love them until they ask us why." Whimsical cartoons heading each chapter add to the fun.

The Master's Plan for Making Disciples by Win Arn and Charles Arn (Church Growth Press, 176 pages; Church Growth Institute, Tel. 800-553-GROW) [Note: This book is presently out of print.]

"Extended family" is the key concept of this book. An extended family consists of non-Christian or unchurched relatives, friends, and other people one sees on a regular basis. How can Christians keep track of all the important information about their extended family members? By caring enough to keep a Disciple-Making Profile of each person. How do Christians deal with several extended family members at once? By regularly praying for them all, but focusing on just one person. How does a Christian build the relationship? By devoting time to it and utilizing other believers. The accompanying video "For the Love of Pete" is a great teaching tool.

Sharing Christ When You Feel You Can't by Daniel Owens (Crossway, 1997, 188 pages)

This is the book version of the author's seminar "Building Bridges for Eternity." You can't simply pave a road across an empty expanse. You first must build a bridge upon which the asphalt can be laid. The asphalt is the gospel of Christ. The bridge is friendship. This "bridge building handbook" is thorough, addressing many obstacles to and strategies for lifestyle evangelism. Owens speaks from the experience of nine years on staff in two churches and eleven years with the Luis Palau Association. Despite his qualifications, the author considers himself "the Number One Chicken" when it comes to personal witnessing. Such honesty is disarming and encouraging to all of us who know how to cluck. Owens's writing style is refreshingly simple, clear and humorous. True stories and personal anecdotes illustrate every point. The result is "a fun read" on a topic too many consider no fun at all.

Heart to Heart: Sharing Christ with a Friend by Stephen Wagner (Church Growth Center, Tel. 800-626-8515, 116 pages); plus kit

This book is the Participant's Manual in a seven-part course designed for use in a small group. The Kit includes a Participant's Manual, Leader's Guide, lesson agendas, teaching transparencies, a video, six audio tapes, lapel pins, a poster, and bulletin blurbs. An individual can study the material alone with the help of the audio tapes. Of particular note are the reflective questions which help readers compose their own personalized stories of what Christ has done in their lives.

Living Proof by Jim Petersen (NavPress, 251 pages; plus small group video series

The book combines under one title two earlier works, Evangelism As a Lifestyle, and Evangelism for Our Generation. Although Peterson draws on years of Navigator missionary service in Brazil, the stories and principles are thoroughly relevant to North American readers. He stresses that the Holy Spirit is not so much seeking one decision from unbelievers as leading them through a series of mini-decisions. The most crucial decision is to investigate the Bible, where they will meet Jesus face to face and fall in love with him. The twelve-part video sessions, averaging fifteen minutes in length, feature good cinematography and acting. The Discussion Guide contains excellent graphics and diagrams. If your church can invest in only one life-style evangelism course, this is perhaps the best.

I Hate Witnessing: A Handbook for Effective Christian Communication by Dick Innes (ACTS Communications, Tel. 800-626-ACTS, 191 pages); cassette tape; and sample kit of Encounter Brochures

What a catchy title! And a cassette is available for your audio library. A trained pastoral counselor, Innes' special emphasis is on identifying people's felt needs--such as codependency, divorce or grief--and then loving and helping them at their point of hurt. Innes has authored fifty-six Encounter Outreach Brochures, each dealing with a particular felt need. Excellent witnessing aids, the full-color, glossy brochures communicate the gospel to nonbelievers in language free of Christianese.

TEAM Evangelism by Larry Gilbert (Church Growth Institute, Tel. 800-553-GROW, 153 pages); plus resource packet

Life-style evangelism originated as a reaction to structured confrontational evangelism strategies such as D. James Kennedy's Evangelism Explosion. Gilbert proposes TEAM Evangelism as an approach which can maximize the strengths and minimize the weaknesses of both confrontational and life-style evangelism. The term `team' refers to: believers teamed with other believers; spiritual gifts teamed with specifics needs of unbelievers; laity teamed with leadership; and various evangelism methods teamed with others. The TEAM Evangelism Resource Packet provides teaching materials and spiritual gift surveys for introducing these principles to a church.

Becoming a Contagious Christian by Bill Hybels (Zondervan, 240 pages); plus teaching kit

With the subtitle "Communicating Your Faith in a Style that Fits You," the book and course represent the newest generation in friendship evangelism. Hybels helps readers identify their personal styles of evangelism which are consistent with their spiritual gifts, abilities, interests, and temperament. The evangelism styles described in the text are named confrontational, intellectual, testimonial, interpersonal, invitational, and serving. The Teaching Kit for the eight-session course includes a Leader's Guide, Participant's Manual, sixty-minute video, and teaching transparencies.

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Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.