Evangelism is essentially what we are doing when we respond to the question, How can we show others, wherever we are and whatever we are doing, that they are loved by God?
Evangelism is vital for the future life of the Church of England. It embodies the Church’s mission to share the transforming love of Jesus Christ with the wider world. In a society where many have not consciously rejected faith but remain spiritually open, evangelism offers a bridge between the Church and those seeking meaning, hope, and community. It is not merely a task for a few but a calling for the whole Church to witness to the Gospel in everyday life.
Training tools for Evangelism:
Leading in Evangelism
This resource is a set of free online learning sessions for small groups of leaders who hope to see people come to faith, their congregations living and sharing faith and evangelism becoming part of their culture.
Church Army Envoy - Evangelism coaching
Envoy is coaching in evangelism for those eager to see people around them become followers of Jesus and be part of a Christian community. A number of people from the Diocese of Bristol have signed up for 2025-2026 to this free coaching programme that is created and run by Church Army. Why not sign up?
Faith Empowered - Training for Evangelists
Coming in 2026 Faith Empowered is a training course run for those who share the calling of being an Evangelist. Find out more: contact Chris Dobson at the Diocesan Office for details about how to get involved and when the course will be running in Bristol.
Faith exploration courses:
Courses like Alpha and Emmaus enable people of all backgrounds to explore the Christian faith, both those on the very fringes of faith and those who wish to renew and deepen their understanding.
Click on the headings below to find out more about each course. For further information or support, do contact our Ministry Development team who can help you to consider which course might be most appropriate for you and your church community.
Alpha is a series of interactive sessions aiming to explore the Christian faith. There are DVD and other resources available to churches and individuals. The sessions normally involve a fellowship meal.
The Christianity Explored course aims to give people time and space to think through who Jesus is and why it matters. It uses Mark’s Gospel as its foundation, and encourages discussion around “tough questions”.
Emmaus: The Way of Faith is an evangelism and discipleship course designed to welcome people into the Christian faith and the life of the church. It aims to involve the whole church in evangelism, the nurture of new believers and ongoing Christian discipleship.
Pilgrim is a teaching and discipleship resource from the Church of England. It aims to people explore the Christian faith in a group setting through participation in a pattern of contemplation and discussion. Pilgrim has two stages for those very new to faith and for those further along their journey. Each stage contains four short courses, each one focused on a major theme of Christian life.
Simply Christianity is based on Luke’s Gospel and is designed to introduce interested non-Christians to the basic message of Christianity. It is a five-week course, in which the leader presents basic material, followed by time for questions, reactions and discussion. It offers an opportunity for a home group to run an evangelistic event over dinner or in a living room.
The aim of Table Talk is to provide a safe place for people to begin to have conversations about the important questions in life. Feedback from the experimental sessions run so far in the Diocese of Bristol have been extremely positive.
Further resources
There are many resources available to help you evangelise and spread the Good News Of Jesus in a confident and authentic way. This is not an exhaustive list, but a good place to start. If you know of a resource that you think shoul be included here, please let us know.
Stepping into Evangelism Church Army
Stepping into evangelism is a publication from Church Army, filled with hands-on advice, tips and workbook exercises to help people engage in evangelism day-to-day.
Church Mission Society (CMS)
We are a community of people who have been set free to follow God's call in mission. Thousands of people from all walks of life are part of Church Mission Society praying, learning and acting together in pursuit of that call. Their resource 'Mission is...' helps churches to consider afresh what mission means in todays culture.
Building Rapport Workshop
This is a one day workshop run by The Ugly Duckling Company that aims to encourage and equip Christians to appropriately share their faith with their friends. The workshop normally happens on a Saturday and runs from 10-4pm.
A Season of Invitation including Back to Church Sunday
A Season of Invitation began as Back to Church Sunday in 2004, which was an annual opportunity for churches across the UK and abroad to invite people to come with them to church. Ten years on, were entering a new season, moving from one invitational service to five:
Back to Church Sunday (September)
Harvest (October)
Remembrance (November)
Christmas Starts (early December)
Christmas (December)
Here are some articles exploring evangelism…
- Just ask! Bishop Lee
- Why evangelism is always non-negotiable Canon Chris Russell
- What we talk about when we talk about evangelism Archbishop of Canterbury
- Intentional evangelism Archbishop of York
- Evangelism & Witness Archbishop of Canterbury