5 Reasons Evangelism is on Life Support in the US Church

here's something that has wrecked me 1% here's something that has wrecked me 1% of pastors say that their church is very of pastors say that their church is very of pastors say that their church is very effective at evangelism I mean I don't effective at evangelism I mean I don't effective at evangelism I mean I don't know whether you caught that but that know whether you caught that but that know whether you caught that but that basically means 99% of pastors admit basically means 99% of pastors admit basically means 99% of pastors admit that their church is not very effective that their church is not very effective that their church is not very effective at reaching unchurched people and I at reaching unchurched people and I at reaching unchurched people and I think that means that evangelism is on think that means that evangelism is on think that means that evangelism is on life support so I want to discuss five life support so I want to discuss five life support so I want to discuss five reasons that explains how we got here reasons that explains how we got here reasons that explains how we got here because we can't fix what we don't because we can't fix what we don't because we can't fix what we don't understand so let's go understand so let's go understand so let's go [Music] you know there's a statistic that every you know there's a statistic that every Church leader should not only know but Church leader should not only know but Church leader should not only know but be prepared to take action on and the be prepared to take action on and the be prepared to take action on and the stat is at 1% of pastors say that their stat is at 1% of pastors say that their stat is at 1% of pastors say that their church is quote very effective at church is quote very effective at church is quote very effective at evangelism so by inference that means evangelism so by inference that means evangelism so by inference that means 99% of pastors had the courage of saying 99% of pastors had the courage of saying 99% of pastors had the courage of saying you know what we're not very good at you know what we're not very good at you know what we're not very good at this and that represents a big decline this and that represents a big decline this and that represents a big decline from 2015 when 133% of pastors thought from 2015 when 133% of pastors thought from 2015 when 133% of pastors thought that they church was very effective at that they church was very effective at that they church was very effective at reaching the unchurched I talked about reaching the unchurched I talked about reaching the unchurched I talked about this in my 2025 Church Trends report and this in my 2025 Church Trends report and this in my 2025 Church Trends report and I think what this means is that I think what this means is that I think what this means is that evangelism right now is on life support evangelism right now is on life support evangelism right now is on life support in most American churches and if you in most American churches and if you in most American churches and if you think about it the demise of evangelism think about it the demise of evangelism think about it the demise of evangelism in Western churches is really like an in Western churches is really like an in Western churches is really like an existential problem in a world that existential problem in a world that existential problem in a world that desperately needs the gospel I don't desperately needs the gospel I don't desperately needs the gospel I don't know that we've ever needed it more the know that we've ever needed it more the know that we've ever needed it more the church seems to be really at a loss for church seems to be really at a loss for church seems to be really at a loss for how to reach the world it's easy to how to reach the world it's easy to how to reach the world it's easy to point to Growing churches to to try to point to Growing churches to to try to point to Growing churches to to try to refute the stat and you might say well refute the stat and you might say well refute the stat and you might say well you know my church is growing but you

you know my church is growing but you you know my church is growing but you know what as I outlined in my church know what as I outlined in my church know what as I outlined in my church Trends report at least 80% of church Trends report at least 80% of church Trends report at least 80% of church growth is actually transferred growth so growth is actually transferred growth so growth is actually transferred growth so that's it some reports put it at 95% so that's it some reports put it at 95% so that's it some reports put it at 95% so even if you're in a growing Church even if you're in a growing Church even if you're in a growing Church there's a very good chance that it's not there's a very good chance that it's not there's a very good chance that it's not true growth you're just moving people true growth you're just moving people true growth you're just moving people from One Church to another so when you from One Church to another so when you from One Church to another so when you really look at it at almost every count really look at it at almost every count really look at it at almost every count the church's current efforts at the church's current efforts at the church's current efforts at evangelism they're coming up short so evangelism they're coming up short so evangelism they're coming up short so the question is why right like so I the question is why right like so I the question is why right like so I travel around America around the world travel around America around the world travel around America around the world and I've had countless conversations and I've had countless conversations and I've had countless conversations with lead pastors I read pretty widely with lead pastors I read pretty widely with lead pastors I read pretty widely on this subject I'm always diving into on this subject I'm always diving into on this subject I'm always diving into new reports and stats so what I want to new reports and stats so what I want to new reports and stats so what I want to share with you is like five plausible share with you is like five plausible share with you is like five plausible reasons these these aren't reasons these these aren't reasons these these aren't non-negotiable but see if they resonate non-negotiable but see if they resonate non-negotiable but see if they resonate that evangelism is on life support in that evangelism is on life support in that evangelism is on life support in today's church and hopefully you'll see today's church and hopefully you'll see today's church and hopefully you'll see some things that resonate with you and some things that resonate with you and some things that resonate with you and you can take action so here's the first you can take action so here's the first you can take action so here's the first thing I'm thinking about and that is thing I'm thinking about and that is thing I'm thinking about and that is that the culture wars have maybe created that the culture wars have maybe created that the culture wars have maybe created an us and them now you probably noticed an us and them now you probably noticed an us and them now you probably noticed guess what there's a culture war going guess what there's a culture war going guess what there's a culture war going on right cultural battles have abounded on right cultural battles have abounded on right cultural battles have abounded over the last few decades and over the last few decades and over the last few decades and conservative groups with Traditional conservative groups with Traditional conservative groups with Traditional Values clash with Progressive groups who Values clash with Progressive groups who Values clash with Progressive groups who advocate for social change but what's advocate for social change but what's advocate for social change but what's happened is it's LED not only to heated happened is it's LED not only to heated happened is it's LED not only to heated debates over society's Direction but to debates over society's Direction but to debates over society's Direction but to theology bleeding into ideology and theology bleeding into ideology and theology bleeding into ideology and ideology into Theology and even the term ideology into Theology and even the term ideology into Theology and even the term like Evangelical itself and I would like Evangelical itself and I would like Evangelical itself and I would consider myself an Evangelical has more consider myself an Evangelical has more consider myself an Evangelical has more from a theological moniker that would be from a theological moniker that would be from a theological moniker that would be me to what's increasingly seen as an me to what's increasingly seen as an me to what's increasingly seen as an ideological and even political or

ideological and even political or ideological and even political or partisan phrase so a lot of church partisan phrase so a lot of church partisan phrase so a lot of church leaders have been vocally critical of leaders have been vocally critical of leaders have been vocally critical of their opponents in the culture wars their opponents in the culture wars their opponents in the culture wars they've been critical of them they've been critical of them they've been critical of them politically and culturally and in an politically and culturally and in an politically and culturally and in an America where a majority of the America where a majority of the America where a majority of the population no longer goes to church population no longer goes to church population no longer goes to church here's what matters okay A lot of people here's what matters okay A lot of people here's what matters okay A lot of people are going to hear that criticism of are going to hear that criticism of are going to hear that criticism of their ideologies of their beliefs and of their ideologies of their beliefs and of their ideologies of their beliefs and of their Lifestyles as criticism of them their Lifestyles as criticism of them their Lifestyles as criticism of them personally so here's the problem an Us personally so here's the problem an Us personally so here's the problem an Us and Them approach is going to kill any and Them approach is going to kill any and Them approach is going to kill any Evangelical aspirations your church has Evangelical aspirations your church has Evangelical aspirations your church has when the people on the other side of when the people on the other side of when the people on the other side of your Chade are the very people you're your Chade are the very people you're your Chade are the very people you're supposed to be reaching all right the supposed to be reaching all right the supposed to be reaching all right the second thing that comes to mind is the second thing that comes to mind is the second thing that comes to mind is the world continues to reject self-righteous world continues to reject self-righteous world continues to reject self-righteous hypocritical Christianity and may I add hypocritical Christianity and may I add hypocritical Christianity and may I add rightly so okay there's a rightly so okay there's a rightly so okay there's a self-righteousness in church that's self-righteousness in church that's self-righteousness in church that's gained ascendency in the last few gained ascendency in the last few gained ascendency in the last few decades and many Christians particularly decades and many Christians particularly decades and many Christians particularly conservative Christians see themselves conservative Christians see themselves conservative Christians see themselves as is morally Superior to everyone else as is morally Superior to everyone else as is morally Superior to everyone else so what's noticeably missing from a lot so what's noticeably missing from a lot so what's noticeably missing from a lot of public and private dialogue in of public and private dialogue in of public and private dialogue in Christianity Today is the humility the Christianity Today is the humility the Christianity Today is the humility the kindness and the generosity that has kindness and the generosity that has kindness and the generosity that has characterized the best of Christian characterized the best of Christian characterized the best of Christian witness over the centuries Jesus had a witness over the centuries Jesus had a witness over the centuries Jesus had a lot of issues with religious lot of issues with religious lot of issues with religious self-righteous people and apparently so self-righteous people and apparently so self-righteous people and apparently so do unchurched people so the challenge do unchurched people so the challenge do unchurched people so the challenge with feeling Superior to others is that with feeling Superior to others is that with feeling Superior to others is that it rightly draws the accusation of it rightly draws the accusation of it rightly draws the accusation of hypocrisy right if I'm like I'm so hypocrisy right if I'm like I'm so hypocrisy right if I'm like I'm so amazing I never make mistakes and I'm amazing I never make mistakes and I'm amazing I never make mistakes and I'm better than you and then I screw up and better than you and then I screw up and better than you and then I screw up and I gossip or I make a mistake right then

I gossip or I make a mistake right then I gossip or I make a mistake right then I'm a hypocrite right and and I mean I I'm a hypocrite right and and I mean I I'm a hypocrite right and and I mean I am and so are all of us because none of am and so are all of us because none of am and so are all of us because none of us are who we think we are and and few us are who we think we are and and few us are who we think we are and and few of us are who we aspire to be I would of us are who we aspire to be I would of us are who we aspire to be I would put myself in that category so put myself in that category so put myself in that category so non-christians rank this hypocrisy as a non-christians rank this hypocrisy as a non-christians rank this hypocrisy as a top objection to Christianity so so top objection to Christianity so so top objection to Christianity so so consider these stats for a minute 30% of consider these stats for a minute 30% of consider these stats for a minute 30% of non-christians cite suffering as a non-christians cite suffering as a non-christians cite suffering as a reason to object to Christianity that's reason to object to Christianity that's reason to object to Christianity that's a lot right almost a third of people are a lot right almost a third of people are a lot right almost a third of people are like yep I can't believe in a God who like yep I can't believe in a God who like yep I can't believe in a God who lets people suffer but did you know lets people suffer but did you know lets people suffer but did you know that's 30% that's 30% that's 30% 42% name hypocrisy as their objection in 42% name hypocrisy as their objection in 42% name hypocrisy as their objection in other words people are more concerned other words people are more concerned other words people are more concerned about Christian hypocrisy than they are about Christian hypocrisy than they are about Christian hypocrisy than they are about the theodicy the problem of human about the theodicy the problem of human about the theodicy the problem of human suffering as a challenge to God so suffering as a challenge to God so suffering as a challenge to God so that's the second reason we're that's the second reason we're that's the second reason we're Hypocrites and I think if we own it and Hypocrites and I think if we own it and Hypocrites and I think if we own it and we confess it and we're humble about it we confess it and we're humble about it we confess it and we're humble about it it's going to go a long way the third it's going to go a long way the third it's going to go a long way the third reason that evangelism is on life reason that evangelism is on life reason that evangelism is on life support in the US Church is unchurched support in the US Church is unchurched support in the US Church is unchurched people feel judged not loved by people feel judged not loved by people feel judged not loved by Christians underscoring all this is an Christians underscoring all this is an Christians underscoring all this is an apparent lack of love for the people who apparent lack of love for the people who apparent lack of love for the people who were supposed to reach right we're were supposed to reach right we're were supposed to reach right we're trying to reach them but we don't love trying to reach them but we don't love trying to reach them but we don't love them between we've already covered this them between we've already covered this them between we've already covered this battle lines drawn to the culture wars battle lines drawn to the culture wars battle lines drawn to the culture wars and Christian hypocrisy and superiority and Christian hypocrisy and superiority and Christian hypocrisy and superiority I think it's fair to ask out loud where I think it's fair to ask out loud where I think it's fair to ask out loud where has the Love Gone Like consider how has the Love Gone Like consider how has the Love Gone Like consider how foreign this this gets me when I talk foreign this this gets me when I talk foreign this this gets me when I talk about it all right most well-known Bible about it all right most well-known Bible about it all right most well-known Bible verse of John 3:16 and think about how verse of John 3:16 and think about how verse of John 3:16 and think about how foreign it is if you were to say in foreign it is if you were to say in foreign it is if you were to say in Christian circles not quoting it you Christian circles not quoting it you Christian circles not quoting it you know God really loves the world a lot of know God really loves the world a lot of know God really loves the world a lot of Christians would say no he doesn't he Christians would say no he doesn't he Christians would say no he doesn't he hates the world he condemns the world hates the world he condemns the world hates the world he condemns the world we're supposed to be separate from the

we're supposed to be separate from the we're supposed to be separate from the world we're not supposed to be part of world we're not supposed to be part of world we're not supposed to be part of the world and it's like no God loves the the world and it's like no God loves the the world and it's like no God loves the world enough that he gave his son I world enough that he gave his son I world enough that he gave his son I don't know what to do with that God don't know what to do with that God don't know what to do with that God actually loves the world yes we're actually loves the world yes we're actually loves the world yes we're supposed to hate evil but we're supposed supposed to hate evil but we're supposed supposed to hate evil but we're supposed to love the world it seems relatively to love the world it seems relatively to love the world it seems relatively clear from the gospel that Jesus did in clear from the gospel that Jesus did in clear from the gospel that Jesus did in fact love the world enough to die for fact love the world enough to die for fact love the world enough to die for you for me for everybody while we were you for me for everybody while we were you for me for everybody while we were still deeply estranged from him we have still deeply estranged from him we have still deeply estranged from him we have a world that's estranged from Jesus and a world that's estranged from Jesus and a world that's estranged from Jesus and guess what he died for them all right guess what he died for them all right guess what he died for them all right that's the essence of the gospel and he that's the essence of the gospel and he that's the essence of the gospel and he died because he loves them so Christians died because he loves them so Christians died because he loves them so Christians today judge the world more than we love today judge the world more than we love today judge the world more than we love it and judgment is a terrible evangelism it and judgment is a terrible evangelism it and judgment is a terrible evangelism strategy it's very difficult to embrace strategy it's very difficult to embrace strategy it's very difficult to embrace and love people who judge and reject you and love people who judge and reject you and love people who judge and reject you the fourth reason evangelism is on life the fourth reason evangelism is on life the fourth reason evangelism is on life support is that a lot of church leaders support is that a lot of church leaders support is that a lot of church leaders have settled for transfer growth as real have settled for transfer growth as real have settled for transfer growth as real growth all right when you look at the growth all right when you look at the growth all right when you look at the stats some very conservatively say 80% stats some very conservatively say 80% stats some very conservatively say 80% of church growth is transfer growth of church growth is transfer growth of church growth is transfer growth other studies push it to 95 to 97% of other studies push it to 95 to 97% of other studies push it to 95 to 97% of church growth is transferred growth and church growth is transferred growth and church growth is transferred growth and further studies show that 3 to 5% of further studies show that 3 to 5% of further studies show that 3 to 5% of churches are growing primarily through churches are growing primarily through churches are growing primarily through conversion growth so I just think we conversion growth so I just think we conversion growth so I just think we have to call an audible and say you know have to call an audible and say you know have to call an audible and say you know what that's not actual growth like it's what that's not actual growth like it's what that's not actual growth like it's good that your church is thriving and good that your church is thriving and good that your church is thriving and succeeding and you're reaching people succeeding and you're reaching people succeeding and you're reaching people but if it's just but if it's just but if it's just re-baptized I mean that does have some re-baptized I mean that does have some re-baptized I mean that does have some value but that's not really on Mission value but that's not really on Mission value but that's not really on Mission and if you've settled for transfer and if you've settled for transfer and if you've settled for transfer growth as good enough have you abandoned

growth as good enough have you abandoned growth as good enough have you abandoned the real mission of the church and then the real mission of the church and then the real mission of the church and then the fifth and the final reason I'll the fifth and the final reason I'll the fifth and the final reason I'll discuss today is that church leaders discuss today is that church leaders discuss today is that church leaders have given up on a battle they're losing have given up on a battle they're losing have given up on a battle they're losing now I really hope that this is not the now I really hope that this is not the now I really hope that this is not the case but I fear it might be in some case but I fear it might be in some case but I fear it might be in some circles so you know if you play a game circles so you know if you play a game circles so you know if you play a game you're always losing you know whether you're always losing you know whether you're always losing you know whether it's a board game or a sport what do you it's a board game or a sport what do you it's a board game or a sport what do you do a lot of us easy we just start to do a lot of us easy we just start to do a lot of us easy we just start to play a different game I'm not going to play a different game I'm not going to play a different game I'm not going to play play football anymore I'm not going play play football anymore I'm not going play play football anymore I'm not going to play hockey I'm not going to play to play hockey I'm not going to play to play hockey I'm not going to play Monopoly I always lose right so for Monopoly I always lose right so for Monopoly I always lose right so for decades now Church attendance has been decades now Church attendance has been decades now Church attendance has been declining and a lot of churches have declining and a lot of churches have declining and a lot of churches have found themselves in Decline the mainline found themselves in Decline the mainline found themselves in Decline the mainline churches fell first and now Evangelical churches fell first and now Evangelical churches fell first and now Evangelical churches are going exactly the way that churches are going exactly the way that churches are going exactly the way that the mainline churches did a number of the mainline churches did a number of the mainline churches did a number of years ago and sometimes we have language years ago and sometimes we have language years ago and sometimes we have language like well you know not trying to grow like well you know not trying to grow like well you know not trying to grow I'm just trying to be faithful well I'm I'm just trying to be faithful well I'm I'm just trying to be faithful well I'm not really sure how faithful became the not really sure how faithful became the not really sure how faithful became the opposite of fruitful but somehow it did opposite of fruitful but somehow it did opposite of fruitful but somehow it did and if you're not hitting the target and if you're not hitting the target and if you're not hitting the target what do you do you pick another Target what do you do you pick another Target what do you do you pick another Target well that's not really what we're going well that's not really what we're going well that's not really what we're going for we're not really trying to grow for we're not really trying to grow for we're not really trying to grow right the malaise has hit Evangelical right the malaise has hit Evangelical right the malaise has hit Evangelical and non-denominational churches recently and non-denominational churches recently and non-denominational churches recently and while it's less common to hear that and while it's less common to hear that and while it's less common to hear that hey we're not growing we're just trying hey we're not growing we're just trying hey we're not growing we're just trying to be faithful lying among evangelicals to be faithful lying among evangelicals to be faithful lying among evangelicals you know what we do hear we hear you know what we do hear we hear you know what we do hear we hear Evangelical leaders say I'm just focused Evangelical leaders say I'm just focused Evangelical leaders say I'm just focused on discipleship I want to make disciples on discipleship I want to make disciples on discipleship I want to make disciples and listen I'm all for discipleship and and listen I'm all for discipleship and and listen I'm all for discipleship and over the last 5 years in particular over the last 5 years in particular over the last 5 years in particular there have been a lot of Evangelical there have been a lot of Evangelical there have been a lot of Evangelical churches who have focused on churches who have focused on churches who have focused on discipleship all for it that's fantastic discipleship all for it that's fantastic discipleship all for it that's fantastic but I wonder if if it's one of those but I wonder if if it's one of those but I wonder if if it's one of those things where you're focused on things where you're focused on things where you're focused on discipleship and you kind of chocked I'm discipleship and you kind of chocked I'm discipleship and you kind of chocked I'm not saying you but people have just not saying you but people have just not saying you but people have just chocked evangelism out the window almost chocked evangelism out the window almost chocked evangelism out the window almost like a circle the wagons moment where

like a circle the wagons moment where like a circle the wagons moment where it's like we're just going to focus on it's like we're just going to focus on it's like we're just going to focus on making disciples here and we're going to making disciples here and we're going to making disciples here and we're going to ignore the world cuz we don't like the ignore the world cuz we don't like the ignore the world cuz we don't like the world anymore we don't like where it's world anymore we don't like where it's world anymore we don't like where it's going while God still loves the world going while God still loves the world going while God still loves the world and I really believe that healthy and I really believe that healthy and I really believe that healthy churches have robust discipleship and churches have robust discipleship and churches have robust discipleship and robust evangelism one without the other robust evangelism one without the other robust evangelism one without the other isn't really accomplishing our mission isn't really accomplishing our mission isn't really accomplishing our mission you see real discipleship doesn't happen you see real discipleship doesn't happen you see real discipleship doesn't happen when a Christian becomes a disciple it when a Christian becomes a disciple it when a Christian becomes a disciple it happens when Christians make other happens when Christians make other happens when Christians make other disciples right I'm going to send you disciples right I'm going to send you disciples right I'm going to send you out to make disciples so that implies out to make disciples so that implies out to make disciples so that implies evangelism it's kind of like an infinite evangelism it's kind of like an infinite evangelism it's kind of like an infinite Loop you know if you have great Loop you know if you have great Loop you know if you have great evangelism it leads to discipleship evangelism it leads to discipleship evangelism it leads to discipleship great discipleship leads back to great discipleship leads back to great discipleship leads back to evangelism so if the recent focus on evangelism so if the recent focus on evangelism so if the recent focus on discipleship is just a smoke screen for discipleship is just a smoke screen for discipleship is just a smoke screen for giving up on an evangelism battle that giving up on an evangelism battle that giving up on an evangelism battle that the church was losing anyway then well the church was losing anyway then well the church was losing anyway then well we got some serious work to do so those we got some serious work to do so those we got some serious work to do so those are the five reasons that evangelism in are the five reasons that evangelism in are the five reasons that evangelism in my view maybe on life support in the US my view maybe on life support in the US my view maybe on life support in the US church as a whole I'd love to know in church as a whole I'd love to know in church as a whole I'd love to know in the comments which of the reasons the comments which of the reasons the comments which of the reasons resonates most with you and most resonates most with you and most resonates most with you and most importantly what do you think we can do importantly what do you think we can do importantly what do you think we can do about it