Proclaim changes fear to boldness for sharing the gospel

Bringing someone from lost to laborer is the work of an evangelist. Proclaim, Christian Challenge’s biennial evangelism conference, equips college students for the work of sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ and bringing others on that journey from lost to laborer.

Proclaim took place Oct. 25 at Foothills Baptist Church in Phoenix and saw 135 students from 18 campuses attend. Noe Garcia, senior pastor of NPHX Church, was the main speaker.

Over the years, Proclaim has empowered countless college students across the state for the work of evangelism, some of whom have gone on to serve as missionaries and develop careers centered on sharing the truth of the gospel. For Glendale Community College Campus Missionary Mariah Tellechea, Proclaim has proven a catalyst for her vocation in ministry.

Tellechea grew up in a Christian home and made a personal confession of faith at a young age. However, it was not until her time in college that she became aware of the distinction of Christ as Savior to Christ as Lord over her whole life.

“I was on the fast route of wanting to be a dentist and wanting to make a lot of money,” Tellechea said. “But the pandemic woke me up, slowed me down and that is when I rededicated my life to Christ in February of 2021.”

Mariah Tellechea, Christian Challenge campus missionary at Glendale Community College, participates in a session led by Eddy Pearson, AZMN evangelism discipleship facilitator.

She plugged into community at Christian Challenge at Glendale Community College and started attending First Southern Baptist Church of Glendale. One of the first events she was invited to was Proclaim, back in 2021.

“Sharing Jesus has always been a very scary thing for me because it’s an offensive thing to share,” Tellechea said. “You are telling someone they are broken and they need a Savior. And, so, when I went to Proclaim, I was very nervous. But it was a very welcoming environment. They did not judge me for not having [an understanding of how to] share my faith. They taught me how.”

Tellechea learned the essence of evangelism is simply being willing to have a conversation about faith with others. From there, she developed a passion for telling others about the hope she had in Christ and wanted to share with as many people as possible.

“I had a burning desire to make sure people knew Jesus. And so I became a student leader the following semester,” Tellechea said.

As she walked in discipleship with her missionaries and began pouring into her Challenge community by serving as a leader, Tellechea noticed God was changing her heart.

“I felt that God was pulling me in the direction of ministry, but I was very prideful and I didn’t want to do it,” Tellechea said. “I wanted to be the Lord of my own life. I wanted to be successful. I was worried about finances. Second of all, I did not feel equipped. I didn’t think I was somebody that God could use.”

Noe Garcia speaks with participants in Christian Challenge during a breakout session at Proclaim.

Ultimately, Tellechea chose to trust Christ and His plan for her life and died to the pride and shame that held her back. In the summer of 2023, Tellechea took her next step of faith by joining Christian Challenge as an apprentice and from there became a full-time campus missionary. In addition to wanting to obey Christ’s call for her life, Tellechea desired that students had an understanding of how Christ’s work on the cross leads to action.

“[My first year] I had a great team of student leaders,” she said. “They were pursuing Jesus. They were pursuing gospel appointments. They were understanding their role in the Great Commission. And I was learning with them.”

As Tellechea grew in confidence as a missionary, so did her confidence in sharing the gospel.

A common setback to sharing the gospel Tellechea encountered is that what one has to say is offensive, that the relationship can be ruined by the harsh reality of sin. Or on the other side, it can be easy to assume those who know the name of Jesus, who might even agree with His teachings, are saved.

Eddy Pearson leads a session at Proclaim, Christian Challenge’s biennial evangelism conference.

What sets an evangelist apart is their work in not only proclaiming the gospel but inviting others to respond. One must claim the free gift they have been given in Christ’s sacrifice. And that is the distinction Tellechea is passionate about teaching.

“Anybody can give advice,” she said. “But to actually go and offend somebody and tell them ‘You are broken, you need salvation. This is the way, will you accept it?’ That is a lot harder to do.”

The journey from lost to laborer looks different for every believer, and sharing about Jesus, who He is and what He has done is not always enough to provoke action or invite a response. That distinction — sharing the gospel to encourage a response — is what missionaries of Christian Challenge, like Tellechea, are passionate about.

They engage college students with the gospel daily but know it takes more than just telling someone about the work of Christ to transform their heart for the kingdom. Proclaim serves as an example of this truth transformed into action.