The Evolution of My Witness: Moving from "Recruiter" to Messenger

Why "filling the seats" isn't the same as sharing the Gospel.

I have had my fair share of evangelizing, and I know it was a struggle for me. I know many people have this same struggle; it is fair to say you are not alone. In as much as this is true for many, some things can make it less challenging.

At age 18, I joined my church's evangelism team. Looking back, I would say most of my unpreparedness came from not fully understanding what I was doing and why I was doing it. Even if my motives were not wrong, it would have helped to know in advance what I was doing and why in preparing me for the journey.

"Make sure to invite your friend and family to church next Sunday." "Make sure to come with at least one person next Sunday."

These statements were what we were asked to do regularly. I remember there were times when references were made to different parts of the Bible to encourage us. But still, I didn't get it.

So when I was out there, more concentration was placed on getting people to fill the remaining 50 seats in the church. Filling the seats in the church was my only motivation, and I did it with joy. In my head, my job was to get people to church; then the pastors could do their magic.

This means if you were unfortunate enough to cross my path when I was out evangelizing, you would get approached and convinced to come to MY CHURCH—because in my mind, that was the headquarters of Jesus.

Learning from the Wrong Approach

Looking back, I feel sorry for those people who said, "Hmmm, I already have a church I attend." My move was to make you see the possibility of leaving your church to come to mine, as my church was better than yours. My pastor had the best suit and the right words to make you stay. Let's not forget the underlying message: you were not a "true" Christian if you didn't come to my church, period.

I worked like this for years. I am happy I did. It was an experience and one that gave me the possibility to grow. I firmly believe it is better to do wrong or fail than to do absolutely nothing. My wrongs and failures were a journey that led to my wins and success stories.

From my experience, I firmly believe dealing with the principal enemy of evangelism will help overcome other challenges. The primary issue that interfered with my success in my early days was ignorance.

Understanding the Brand

"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him." — James 1:5

To evangelize successfully, you need to be informed and convinced about what you are marketing. Yes, I see evangelism as advertising Jesus. Adequate information, tools, and resources are needed to represent a brand or product effectively. It is impossible to convince others to join your team when you can't efficiently persuade yourself.

3 Questions for Your 18-Year-Old Self

1. Why have you chosen to evangelize?

Take a step back. Why are you doing this? Is it because your parents or church are forcing you? Or you just want to make new friends? Do you just like having your church filled to the brim? Identify your "why" and see if it aligns with the Word of God.

2. What do you know about the God you speak about?

I once watched a video about an MLM program where a lady said, "I don't feel comfortable convincing people to join my team if I am yet to see that this system works." Some Christians struggle because they can't picture themselves starting a conversation about Jesus. Preparation should go towards studying, praying, and asking the right questions. Over time, you gain confidence in the God you serve.

3. Who is your target audience?

In Matthew 28:19–20, Jesus didn't say go refine the already purified. Our target is the unpurified and "all nations." We need the leading of the Holy Spirit to identify the ready soul. You have no business with those who are not ready to receive what you are giving; the only way you can identify the ready soul is when God tells you.

With the right knowledge in place, tackling other challenges that come with evangelism becomes easier when God tells you, guides you, and directs you.

A Prayer for the Journey

"Lord Jesus, I thank you for another opportunity to announce and celebrate you to the world. I ask you to teach me, direct me, and speak through me, to the right person, at the right place. Holy Spirit, take the wheel and drive me as you will. Thank you, Jesus, thank you, Lord. Amen."

Tackling the challenge of ignorance makes everything else easier. Have you ever felt like a "recruiter" instead of a witness? Let's talk about it in the comments.

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