Just Walk Across the Room

by Bill Hybels

From Billy Hybels and Willow Creek , Just Walk Across the room is a book, DVD and workbook designed to encourage the average Christian to “walk across the room” and engage someone in conversation. Hybels’ relational approach is popular, easy to watch and a good place to start if you’re training a group in your church. We recommend it as an inspiration piece, no a comprehensive training program — it’s a little to short on Gospel content to be complete. But it’s great for helping Christians see that they can talk to non-Christians… and trust God to bring fruit from their efforts.

Dare to Be a Daniel

by The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association

Both a curriculum for groups and a program for individuals, this training program is great! The youth in our church benefited from it a lot — and the teachers loved teaching it. The kit comes from The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and is rich in resources, online and off, and rich in biblical content. We highly recommend it.

Christianity Explored

with Rico Tice

If you’re familiar with Alpha, you’ll find the format of this course to be similar. And this too, comes from England. But the content and the style are different. Here’s the blurb from the Christianity Explored website: “Developed over 10 years, Christianity Explored is an informal course for people who’d like to investigate Christianity, or just brush up on the basics. It explores who Jesus was, what his aims were, and what it means to follow him. You won’t be asked to pray, sing or read aloud , and you ask any questions you like. Or, if you prefer, you can just come along and listen.

Evangelism for the Tongue-Tied

by Chap Bettis

Just because Chap Bettis is a friend, and is also a member of the board of Directors of the Philip Center doesn’t mean this recommendation meaningless. It’s not! This is a great book, written for ordinary people who struggle to know what to say about the gospel. Go to the website and check out the small group training courses that goes with it.

Concentric Circle of Concerns

by W. Oscar Thompson

We’ve recommended this book for a few years now. I like it because it begins with the gospel in our hearts, and works outward towards evangelism. I recommend this as great reading for Ambassadors Fellowship , for a leadership or team, or pastoral staff. It’s relational, practical and supports the kind of evangelism that works the most - reaching to your friends and family.

Focus Groups

by The Philip Center

A Focus Group is a way to draw together friends who wouldn’t call themselves Christians and listen to their opinions.  They’re easy to lead, non-threatening and often result in great conversations. I’ve led many Focus Groups over the years, and find them sometimes fun, sometimes intense and nearly they always lead to more discussions. Click on the logo to see more details.

The Gospel and Personal Evangelism

by Mark Dever

This book is for everyone, but especially for leaders. Mark Dever, Pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, DC,  answers such questions as “How should we evangelize,”. “What Isn’t Evangelism” and “What should we do after we Evangelize”. Dever answers these and other questions with a Theological and Biblical depth Characteristic of all his writing. We recommend buying this book at his web site and putting many of the other resources at that site to work as well.

Block Parties and Poker Nights

by Peggy Allen

This isn’t a book on Evangelism. But it’s a great book to connect with your neighbor. I’ve bought it three times and keep giving it away. The book includes recipes and menus, food ideas to comfort grieving neighbors, how to make welcome baskets for new comers, throwing a holiday bash and, of course, how to throw a great block party. If you’ve got people in your church who are “People Gathers,” give them this book and When God is the Life of the Party. Then provide them with an outreach budget, back them up with prayer and ask God to use their labor of hospitality.

Proclaim

from Covenant Fellowship Church

I haven’t used this small group resource yet, but I like what I’ve read and it comes highly recommended by a trusted friend. Chapters include “Becoming a Friend of Sinners,”. “Breaking the Sound Barrier”, “Proclaim the Bad News”, “Proclaim the Good News,” among others. What I like about the course is the combination of catchy presentation and theologically careful content. It’s put out by one Sovereign Graces churches, Covenant Fellowship Church, in Glen Mills, PA.

Surprising Insights From Unchurched

by Thom Rainer

What’s surprising is the factors that draw unchurched people to church. Many think it’s the music, friendliness, parking lot signs,  etc. But in reality….. well, you’ll have to read it. Thom Rainer, from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, interviewed 353 “formerly unchurched” people, and over 100 pastors of evangelistically fruitful churches. It’s an encouraging read for all those putting first things first