The Inevitability of Culture

Every church has a “culture,” or way of doing things, based upon shared convictions, ideas, and values. Some churches do what they do because that’s what they’ve always done. Others do what they do because that’s what popular or “successful’ churches are doing. The mindset and practices that shape a church culture, however, should be thoroughly rooted in God’s purposes for His people as revealed in His Word. Everything we do as a church should communicate, express, and reinforce our commitment to fulfill our God-given mission in a God-glorifying manner. 

How would you describe the culture of your church? Is evangelism a “way of life” in your congregation?

Characteristics of an Evangelistic Culture

When God’s people engage in God’s mission together, evangelism becomes a way of life in the church. Seeking to reach people with the gospel no longer becomes another program or activity, but an integral part of who we are and how we function as a church family.

So how can we develop an evangelistic culture? 

Conviction

Our actions flow out of our functional beliefs. If we are to be a people consistently “gospelizing,” we need to develop and maintain compelling convictions about the primacy of the gospel. Below are three diagnostic questions we should regularly ask ourselves as we seek to cultivate a disciple-making way of life: 

  • Are we convinced of gospel truths? 
  • Are we convinced about our gospel identity?
  • Are we convinced of the gospel’s power? 

Collaboration

Evangelism should be both personal and communal. Sadly, we often think about evangelism almost exclusively in individualistic terms. However, God designed the church community to be the primary means of advancing His Kingdom. This means that God has called and uniquely gifted His people to be on mission together. 

What are some of the benefits of collaborative evangelism? J. Mack Styles points out at least five: 1) we can hold one another accountable; 2) we strengthen our mutual resolve; 3) we learn from one another; 4) we rejoice together in success; and 5) we bond together by sharing in God’s mission with one another (Evangelism, p. 43).

What are you doing as a church to encourage and foster collaboration in evangelism?

Celebration

We celebrate what is important to us. When a church is excited about the gospel’s advance, we will rejoice when people take steps to reach others for Christ. 

As a church family, what do you celebrate? Do you take time in your gatherings to point out what folks are doing to reach others for Christ?

A Concluding Note

This article was part of an online course called, “The Disciple Making Life.” To gain access to this course for free, click here. Also, I have written an evangelistic study designed to lay out the central truths of the gospel for those with little or no Biblical background. You can find out more about the book or purchase a copy by clicking here. If you’d like a free PDF copy of this evangelistic resource, feel free to email me at colberts@odbm.org.