From the beginning, God’s vision has been a world alive with purpose, connection and hope, and God entrusted us to tend it. It’s time to step boldly into that vision, to become churches that don’t just sit and wait, but go and create, led by the laity, supported by our clergy and fueled by the call to evangelism.
See the world as it could be
Genesis shows us a God who doesn’t just create and walk away. In Genesis 1:31, God saw that creation was "very good," but God wasn’t done. God invites us into the work. That’s evangelism at its core: Seeing the world not as it is, but as it could be through Christ’s love, and then doing something about it.
For too long, we’ve leaned on our clergy and church staff to carry the ministry load—preaching, teaching, visiting and even evangelizing. But John Wesley didn’t design it that way, and neither did Jesus. Christ left his work, his ministry, in the hands of his disciples. This mission has been passed down from generation to generation, and has come to rest squarely on our shoulders.
The early church thrived because ordinary people shared the good news wherever they went. Today, that’s you and me. Clergy equip us, train us and point us to Christ, but the work of ministry belongs to the laity!
Every Christian is an evangelist
Evangelism is driven by love, compassion and obedience to Christ’s command. Evangelism can take many forms. It’s not just about converting people, but about sharing Christ’s love authentically, respecting others’ free will and trusting the Holy Spirit to work in their hearts.
What is evangelism?
Evangelism is the act of sharing the Gospel and inviting others into a relationship with Christ. It stems from the Greek word euangelion, and it was originally a journalistic word. It referred to some big news or announcement, usually about the emperor. But it was always good news, never bad news. People would be appointed to go from town to town sharing this good news, kind of like a town crier. These people were called evangelists – ones who shared the good news.
Evangelism isn’t a program or a pastor’s job. It’s a lifestyle. It’s seeing a coworker struggling and offering a prayer. It’s a handwritten note or a text, just letting someone know how much you appreciate them. It’s inviting a neighbor to church, not because we need more pew-sitters, but because we have something worth sharing.
Genesis 1:31 reminds us that God’s creation is good, but sin has marred it. Evangelism is our opportunity to show people Christ, who makes all things new. And laity, you’re the front line. You’re in the workplaces, the grocery stores, the ballfields, the backyard barbeques—that is the mission field. It doesn’t take a theology degree, just an open heart and a story about what Jesus has done for you.
Remember Wesley’s model for the church
We need to reimagine how we do church. Actually, I don’t believe it is so much of a reimagining as it is a remembering or a rediscovering. We need to remember the model John Wesley built Methodism on: Churches that are lay-led, where we laity accept responsibility for the mission and the ministering.
Now, certainly a new creation demands a new way of reaching people, of connecting with people. Placing ads in the newspaper doesn’t have the same reach as it used to. Even television is less effective. But understand, God’s Word stands forever. The love of Christ is always! The message never changes! But the way we reach people, the way we connect to people, has to change with the times.
Show the world Jesus’ love
Jesus’ heart beats for the lost, the hurting and the ones who don’t yet know him. Remember, those who don’t know Jesus can’t see God’s miracles unfolding around them every day and they can’t hear the Holy Spirit speaking to them. They can only hear and see the ways that we live…our love, invitation and action.
Picture this: A stranger walks into your church, and instead of asking, “What’s in it for me?,” they ask, “How can I join this?” That’s what happens when we’re lay-led, clergy-supported and evangelism-driven.
Let’s show the world what "very good" looks like, trusting God to make all things new. And as we strive to show the love of Christ and share the good news, remember the guidance of St. Francis of Assisi: When all else fails, use words!
J. F. Knapp, III is the South Georgia Conference Lay Leader and the Lay Leader of Grace UMC in Thomasville, Georgia. Watch his 2025 Laity Address.
The contact for this story is Laura Buchanan. This story was published on June 25, 2025.
