By Rev. Dr. Jack Jackson
As Christians in the Wesleyan tradition, I believe we are in a unique time for living out our faith. Recent data hints that we should be encouraged to share our faith with those willing and interested in hearing. This data shows people are more open than in recent memory to hearing from people about their spiritual and religious commitments.
In a Christianity Today article this month, Mark McCrindle, an Australian demographer and social scientist shares that past research indicated a decades-long decline in Australians identifying as Christian because the people surveyed considered attending church a requirement of being Christian. Their religious identity was heavily based on “practice” rather than cultural identification. In other words, the number of people practicing Christianity hasn’t declined nearly as much as indicated in the self-reporting surveys. Rather people are simply equating going to church with being a Christian, and if they don’t attend, don’t feel that they can call themselves Christian. Part of the reason his team believes Christianity may not be in decline as much as feared is that over the past five years, almost 800,000 people in Australia indicated for the first time that they ARE Christians. This is a stunning revelation!
This data resonates with recent research coming out of the United Kingdom and the United States. For example, some reports show belief in God or a higher power among 18–24 year olds soared from 16 % in August 2021 to 45 % by January 2025. Meanwhile, regular church attendance among all ages across England and Wales increased from 8 % in 2018 to 12 % in 2024, with the spike concentrated in the 18–34 year old demographic.
It is premature to say that this data demonstrates a long term trend. But it does demonstrate that we are in a season where people are more receptive to the gospel message and to talking with Christians about what they believe and why they believe it.
Is the Holy Spirit leading you to share your faith with someone you know, love, and trust? Is someone close to you asking questions about Jesus Christ, maybe for the first time? Perhaps you are just the person the Spirit wants to share with them. At the Foundation for Evangelism we believe any time is a wonderful time to share the good news of Jesus Christ with our neighbor. We are here to help the Wesleyan-tradition Christians articulate and model the good news, for such a time as this!
If you’d like to go deeper, below are some resources you might find helpful. If you and your church are considering becoming a more evangelistic presence in your community, consider applying for our fall 2025 Thriving Local Church Cohorts.
Small Groups or Congregational Studies
Transforming Evangelism
Learn on your own or as a congregational group from this practical study on living an evangelistic life that demonstrates the transforming power of loving God and neighbor. Includes discussion questions.
Transforming Community
This companion to Transforming Evangelism by the same authors, looks at how churches can form missional communities and congregations.
Evangelism for Non-Evangelists
Explore what evangelism is (and isn't), and how you can articulate the Good News of the gospel in a manner true to what you believe, authentic to who you are, attractive and even compelling to others.
Participating in Abundant Life
Connecting biblical perspectives of holistic salvation to contemporary concepts of well-being, Teasdale shows how Christians can better communicate in secular settings and partner with all people to seek the common good. Includes helpful tools for evaluation.
La Evangelización Transformadora
Los autores, Powe and Knight, describen la profunda conexión entre los pensamientos de John Wesley, los himnos de Charles Wesley, el pensamiento erudito sobre la evangelización y la comprensión bíblica del evangelio, todo ello en relación con las necesidades, preocupaciones y esperanzas de «la gente de a pie». Este estudio práctico incluye preguntas de discusión para estudio individual o grupal.
Models of Evangelism
Move beyond the caricatures of evangelism to consider how you can engage in one of eight models of evangelism, whether through one-on-one conversations, social media, social justice, or the liturgy of worship services.
The Adept Church
Learn on your own or as a congregational group from this practical study on living an evangelistic life that demonstrates the transforming power of loving God and neighbor. Includes discussion questions.
Missional Evangelism
This study guide brings the often separated practices of mission and evangelism into relationship with one another. This is a free resource
