Conference helps people discover their natural evangelism style

The Contagious Faith Conference in Tucson on March 21 helped more than 90 people from eight churches discover their natural style for sharing Jesus with others.

The Arizona Mission Network, Catalina Baptist Association and Doxa Church in Tucson partnered to organize this event.

Mark Mittelberg, an author and evangelist, was the main speaker. He was the primary author of Becoming a Contagious Christian, a training resource that has been translated into 20 languages and used to train 2 million people around the world. The Contagious Faith Conference was based on Mittelberg’s book Contagious Faith and the accompanying study guide.

Mittelberg started the conference by pointing out that the only opportunity Christians have for evangelism is in their lifetime on earth.

Five keys to evangelism

During the three sessions at the conference, Mittelberg outlined the five keys to evangelism:

Key 1: Know Your Mission

Jesus Christ made this mission clear to us when He told us, “You will be my witnesses” in Acts 1:8, and “Therefore GO and make disciples” in Matthew 28:19.

Key 2: Take Risks

“We need to take risks for the sake of the gospel,” he said. “Your friends are more interested in spiritual things than you think they are. You need courage to tell your friends about Jesus. You don’t need to feel ready. You must be ready in season and out of season.”

Key 3: Find Your Natural Style

Mittelberg described the discovery of our natural style of sharing the gospel as the puzzle piece we need to find so that we don’t try to fake being a “superstar” evangelist. “We need to play to our strengths,” he said.

Key 4: Operate in God’s Power

“Pray as you prepare to share,” he said. “Rely on the Holy Spirit. There is nowhere you can’t go and no time you can’t do this.”

Key 5: Get Going

Participants join in the discussion time at the Contagious Faith Conference in Tucson on March 21.

Five styles of evangelism

Mittelberg introduced conference participants to the five Contagious Faith Styles that his book covers in-depth:

1. Friendship-Building style employs relationships to create a positive environment for spiritual discussions. Individuals with this style must focus on one person and build bridges with people, Mittelberg said.
2. Selfless-Serving entails helping people in tangible ways that over time can open doors to talking about your faith. “People with this style see needs others don’t see,” he said. “They must view this style as their mission strategy. This style reaches the hardest people.”
3. Story-Sharing approach flows out of a person’s testimony of knowing Jesus and applies to the life of the listener what you’ve learned. Christians with this style tell others, “What Jesus did for me, He can do for you.” This approach is helpful in the experiential culture where people ask, “Does this work?” Mittelberg said. “You don’t need to be a [former] atheist, or a crackhead. Tell your story in a relevant way.”
4. Reason-Giving style involves offering reasons, evidence and answers that reinforce the trustworthiness of the Christian message. A person with this style is curious, likes to debate ideas and research things. “You can help people with intellectual doubts,” Mittelberg said. “Do your homework and grow every day. This style is more important in a culture that asks for reasons.”
5. Truth-Telling style is exhibited by those who are more direct and, at times, challenging in how they interact with others. Folks with this style are bold, driven, get straight to the point and call people to action. “If this style makes people mad, it doesn’t mean you are doing something wrong,” he said. “Such anger toward you can lead later to repentance.”

“When you find your niche, go for broke,” Mittelberg said. “Start bearing fruit. These styles are meant to be an aid and not put people in a box. When your style doesn’t fit a situation, partner with those who fit the situation. Evangelism is teamwork.”

He noted that Jesus used all five styles of evangelism. “We should have a bit of all styles, “ he said.

There will be times when God will say, “I will use you anyway,” and you will have peace that you obeyed God when you share the gospel in a style that’s not natural to you, he said.

Conference participants took an assessment with 30 questions — in the Contagious Faith study guide they received at the conference — to discover their top faith-sharing style and their secondary style.

Jeremy Butler, Christian Challenge missionary at UofA, participates in a group activity at the Contagious Faith Conference in Tucson on March 21.

Participants discussed the study material and prayed around their tables. They were challenged to take steps to develop their style and use it to share the gospel with others.

Alexandrina Solombe, an Angolan studying electrical engineering at UofA who worships with Doxa Church, said her biggest takeaway from the conference was: “Take the opportunity to share the gospel, even when you feel you are not prepared.”

Elizabeth Correia, an Angolan looking to study mining engineering at UofA who also worships with Doxa Church, said the conference taught her, “We have to take risks to evangelize, even though people may not seem receptive.”

Shawna Locke, who worships with Mountain View Baptist Church in Tucson, said the conference helped her discover that selfless serving was her natural style of evangelism.

Ashley Evans, director of missional engagement for the Arizona Mission Network of Southern Baptists, led participants in praying for the one lost person they want to come to faith in Christ, for their city and for the U.S.