Two pastors discussed how churches can make sharing the gospel a normal part of congregational life. Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan spoke on The Gospel Coalition's podcast, The Everyday Pastor. They said the goal goes beyond running evangelism programs. Pastors should help their people live alert to chances to talk about Jesus.
What was discussed
Duncan said the Apostle Paul told Timothy to do the work of an evangelist. He argued that part of that work is teaching others to do it too. He said pastors should build confidence in their congregations to explain the gospel. He stressed that salvation comes from what God has done through his Son, not from human effort, so that truth must be clearly stated.
Duncan said preaching plays a central role. He said pastors should regularly explain the gospel from many biblical texts. He also described the example of mentors who talked about Jesus naturally in everyday settings. He named a former pastor in St. Louis, Rod Storts, who has since died, and said he learned by going on visits with him. Duncan also described seeing the same relational style in Edinburgh, Scotland, from Mark Dever, and in friends who serve as pastors.
Smethurst said his own interest in evangelism began in college. He credited his campus minister, Dan Flynn, who cared about the people he spoke with. Smethurst said he dedicated an earlier book on evangelism to Flynn.
Context
The conversation is part of The Everyday Pastor, a podcast from The Gospel Coalition, an evangelical network. Its hosts frame evangelism as a practice pastors can model, not only an event or a program. Both speakers returned several times to the idea that people learn to share faith by watching others do it. Duncan's examples came from personal experience. The discussion did not include statistics or outside research.
What to watch
The hosts did not announce new initiatives. They encouraged pastors to model gospel conversations, teach their people to explain the gospel, and show care for the people they speak with. Future episodes of the podcast may explore these themes further.
