Evangelism training equips pregnancy center volunteers

Last year, Taiya Duenas decided to better equip New Life Pregnancy Center volunteers to share Jesus with those who walked through the center’s Tucson doors.

“We use our diapers as a bridge to start conversations,” said Duenas, director of New Life Pregnancy Center in Tucson. “People come in with tangible needs, but we also talk about their spiritual needs. … We create a relationship with our clients and a rapport with them so they’re more open to hear what we have to say when it comes to the gospel and discipleship.”

Duenas, who is also the co-statewide director of New Life Pregnancy Center, works with six to nine volunteers at the Tucson center, she said. New Life Pregnancy Center is a ministry of Arizona Baptist Children’s Services & Family Ministries.

The evangelism training is one of the ways she tries to invest in and equip her volunteers.

“I am much bolder,” said volunteer Nancy De Young of the training. “It has really helped me to have much more confidence in myself and the message of Christ.”

Making the invitation

The self-paced video training called “The Invitation” has helped volunteers pray with clients and ask questions that lead to spiritual conversations — even as the center supplies parents with diapers, baby clothes, parenting classes and more material assistance every Tuesday and Thursday.

Longtime volunteer Denise Mouch said the training has reminded her to “make the invitation.”

“My question is usually from Proverbs 16:25, which says, ‘There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death’ …,” she said. “I bring the gospel into it. The first time that happened, I believe the girl’s name was Amanda, and she absolutely accepted Christ.”

At Easter, Mouch also made a sign that read “Thank you, Jesus” as another way to spark conversations.

Kim Johnson, another volunteer, said the training is refreshing in its emphasis that evangelism begins in intimacy with Christ.

“It was just a reminder to be faithful, available and teachable so that God can use us,” Johnson said. “It’s not our words. It’s not a formula. It’s us being open and listening to the Holy Spirit, because He knows what needs to be said.”

Volunteer Kim Johnson works with clients at New Life Pregnancy Center in Tucson. (Photo by Daniel Yu)

Training leads to confidence

The training has emboldened all three volunteers to also share with family members or neighbors.

“When you’re trained in anything, you develop a greater confidence and a greater mastery of things …” said Eddy Pearson, evangelism and discipleship director for the Arizona Mission Network. “When you’re equipped, you have confidence when an opportunity does arise.”

At the clinic, there is often a language barrier due to clients who are Spanish speakers or refugees from African nations.

“If we can’t speak the same language, we find a way to communicate,” Johnson said, adding that clients are always greeted with smiles.

Connecting through prayer

Beyond the evangelism training, Duenas tries to encourage her volunteers through monthly meetings and shared meals “where we don’t talk about the pregnancy center but just connect as people.”

Prayer is also a big part of the ministry. Not only do volunteers pray with each client, but at the start of each day, they exchange prayer requests and pray for the day ahead. Johnson said she knows she can always text Duenas with prayer requests or for advice on her role.

Taiya Duenas (center) works with volunteers Nancy De Young (left) and Kim Johnson (right). Both volunteers say the evangelism training Duenas connected them with has helped them more readily share the gospel with families who receive help at New Life Pregnancy Center. (Photo by Daniel Yu)

For Duenas, investing in her volunteers enriches her own ministry at New Life.

“It goes both ways,” she said. “We give them training and feed them, and whatever wisdom they have, they feed me, as well. … It’s a good thing to invest in relationships and people, because we are brothers and sisters in Christ, and we will hold each other up and keep each other accountable.”

Johanna Moore is the Arizona Mission Network’s director of communications and editor of Connect. She is a member of Mountain View Baptist Church in Tucson.