10 PERCENT OF CHRISTIANS HAVE
THE GIFT OF EVANGELISM: UNLIKELY!
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Since the middle 1970s Church Growth material conveyed the hypothesis that 10 percent of a congregation probably has the gift of evangelism. Recent research shows this is more than likely a myth.

How, then, did this statistic enter so easily into the common discussion about church growth, outreach, and evangelism?

Observers in the middle 70s were looking at growing churches such as Corral Ridge Presbyterian Church, Costa Mesa's Calvary Chapel, Newport Beach's Mariners Church, and others with outstanding records of growth. The study of these growing churches concluded an average of 10 percent of the congregation was involved in reaching out and bringing new people.

What may have been overlooked was that most of these churches were fairly new. Like any new church start the core group was highly invested in reaching unreached people. For example, one of my friends who recently started a church says that almost 100 percent of his people are involved in outreach. The climate of a new church is to be outward-focused and always looking for people who might join the new fellowship.

The devastating impact of believing 10 percent of a congregation had the gift of evangelism affected much decision-making. For example, a pastor who believed 10 percent of his people should be doing what God had gifted them to do stands in the pulpit to inspire, urge, and challenge people to do what God has gifted them to do. When the 10 percent he expects will respond to his message do not, he becomes frustrated and even annoyed. Subsequent sermons might become harsher. His interactions with regular attenders in his church may begin to have an edge on them. Discussions with his leadership team might become caustic. The pastor is left with the impression that his people are simply disobedient to their calling. The pastor may conclude these people are resistant to God. He feels helpless as to what to do next.

Over six thousand Nazarenes from 109 churches across the United States of America were polled as to what gifts they possessed. One point nine (1.9%) percent indicated they may have the gift of evangelism. Evidently the Holy Spirit did not disperse the gift as broadly as we might hope. No wonder we have people saying, "Evangelism is not my gift."

Now it is possible for any given congregation to have more than 1.9 percent with the gift of evangelism. But across the denomination we can safely conclude evangelism is not a prevalent gift among Nazarenes.

 

What then are we to do in light of the Great Commission?

We must remember the Holy Spirit is the one who gives gifts. Evidently He felt like 1.9 percent of our people was sufficient. (As a full time professor of evangelism, I would like to ask Him to explain himself. To this point, however, He has not felt the need to explain himself to me!)

What shall we do?

1. Develop lots of people to use the gifts they do have. Two examples will support this principle:

a. Those individuals who have the gift of leadership use more methods of evangelism than people do with other kinds of gifts (ANSR poll, 1996).

b. Christians with the gift of encouragement are highly influential in leading people to Jesus Christ (ibid.).

2. Diversify the methods of evangelizing through your local congregation. Encourage hospitality, outreach Bible studies, those who have a knack of explaining the gospel, e.g. teachers. Each of these groups of people have unique ways to impact unbelievers.

3. Develop bringers. Some Christians, like the original disciple Andrew, are very adept at bringing people to Jesus. Identify those persons and study why they are so effective at what they do. Then resource them with giveaway items, such as church business cards, notepads and pencils, and four-color brochures to hand to the person whom is a prospect for your church. Then affirm each of them as they bring people to church. As you introduce new people to your congregation, honor the person who was instrumental in their coming to the church for the first time.

4. Giving attention to the climate and morale of the local church inevitably results in people wanting to work and to bring others. Enthusiasm and excitement create bringers. The sense of anticipation that people will meet with God and He will answer prayer in their lives multiply the number of people who are willing to reach out.

5. Christians can be trained to be perceivers of prevenient grace. Followers of Christ should develop eyes to see where God is at work in their world and among their friends. Church leaders must repeat the conversations they have with people about spiritual matters. Jesus did this with the disciples after His encounter with the woman at the well. The disciples had gone to 7-Eleven to get groceries. Jesus was alone with this lady. The only reason we know what was said was because He told His disciples. Spiritual leaders who would multiply witnesses must tell about their own encounters with people. The recounting of stories becomes a method of training.

6. The churches that build strong groups of influential people are very affective bragging on Jesus. When people get excited about what Jesus can do in their own lives and how He is already at work through the church and in the world, they will gain confidence to tell others of how good God is.

7. We can devise ways for entrenched and encrusted Christians to break out and engage a lost world. The lost world is very scary to most Christians, particularly those who have been serving the Lord for some time. They have lost touch with how unbelievers think. They find themselves amazed that everyone does not share the same values. Churches that start projects with community leaders, coach on ball teams, go shopping with non-churched people all find themselves better able to talk about God. As a church we must challenge our people to be creative in their methods of evangelism.

8. Hospitality evangelism is a means of developing relationships for the purpose of sharing our faith. Hospitality can be done in the home, at the health club, in the bleachers, or at McDonalds. Befriending sinners is the work of all Christians; not just those gifted in evangelism.

by Dr. Lyle B. Pointer