Relational Discipleship – Part Two: Challenges in Evangelism

I get it! The “E” word (Evangelism) is scary for almost everyone in the congregation. Many in the church just hang on to the hope that people will wander into our churches, hear a great evangelistic message given by the pastor and surrender their lives to Christ. And while that might happen, we need to remember that the Great Commission isn’t just for the pastor. We are all called to make disciples of Jesus Christ using the gifts and graces we have.

If we’re going to practice relational discipleship in a post-Christian world, we have to be honest about the obstacles we face. The landscape of evangelism has shifted dramatically, and the challenges are real—but they are not insurmountable.

1. Distrust of the Institutional Church and Suspicion of Hidden Agendas

Let’s face it—people today are skeptical. Years of scandals, politicization, and hypocrisy have deeply eroded trust in the institutional church. Many see the church not as a source of hope, but as a source of judgment or manipulation.

In this climate, people are not interested in slick presentations or prepackaged answers. They want authenticity. They want to know if we care about them as people—not as projects. Relational evangelism cuts through this suspicion by starting with genuine connection, not conversion.

2. Cultural Relativism and Moral Ambiguity

We live in a world where truth is increasingly seen as subjective. The prevailing mindset says, “What’s true for you may not be true for me.” This makes proclaiming absolute truth more challenging, but not impossible.

This cultural moment demands humility and dialogue. We don’t lead with dogma—we lead with compassion. We don’t enter into conversations to win arguments—we enter to understand and build bridges. As Paul did in Acts 17 on Mars Hill, we start where people are and point them to the God they’ve been unknowingly seeking.

3. The Need for Patience

Discipleship is not instant. In a fast-food world, we want fast results—but people are not microwaveable. Trust takes time. Conversations unfold slowly. Life circumstances shift gradually. And spiritual openness develops over seasons.

This is why relational discipleship is so important. It gives people space. It allows them to journey toward Jesus at their own pace, knowing they are loved and supported along the way.

Jesus modeled this kind of patience. He walked with His disciples for years, allowing them to question, to fail, and to grow. We must be willing to do the same.

In my book Rebuilding Stronger, I do a deep dive in how the landscape of worship has shifted since the pandemic of 2020. I wrote:

“In the ever-changing landscape of our modern society, the traditional notion of church is being challenged.  That was happening before the pandemic and even more so now.”  (p. 4)

We weren’t doing a great job at making disciples pre-pandemic, so we can’t blame our current lack of evangelism on COVID. The landscape was already changing, the pandemic just hastened its arrival. The question we pastors and church leaders must answer is, “What do we do now to reach others with the timeless message of Jesus?

In Part Three, we’ll explore practical strategies for building these kinds of relationships and cultivating disciple-making pathways that reflect the heart of Jesus.

If you haven’t yet, I invite you to:

• Subscribe at smallchurchcoaching.com

• Join our Facebook group: Leadership Edge for Smaller Churches

• Follow on Facebook and X @ItsTimeSam

Let’s keep the conversation going—and keep building a church that reflects the mission and heart of Christ.