Statistics from a 1998 survey conducted by Church Growth, Inc. of Monrovia, California, suggest the most effective method of evangelism for inviting people into a personal relationship with Christ:

We in the American Baptist Churches office of Evangelism also emphasize what the studies seem to prove out. Personal/Relational (Lifestyle) evangelism is the most effective method. A believer involving him/herself in the life of an unbeliever makes the greatest difference and has the greatest impact when it comes to sharing personal faith in Christ.

Personal relationships create a nurturing climate for the invitation to Christ to be extended. In this case, an unbeliever feels a sense of belonging before the experience of believing. We feel that an unbeliever is most likely to give a believer the opportunity to share faith when the believer's life has first proven her/his subsequent words to be truthful and life changing. In this way, people feel Inherent Worth before they open themselves up to the Inspired Word.

This relational evangelism affords the unbeliever the opportunity to see that faith in Christ affects every part of a person--head and heart, both inside and out. We concede, as mentioned above, that it is not the only method, but we believe it is one of the best. Certainly different methods work for different people, but we believe lifestyle evangelism is most productive and profitable, and produces not just converts, but disciples, which is what Christ calls us to do (Matthew 28:19).

That is, by the way, an imperative we hold to ... to make Disciples, not just get Decisions. We are not looking for people to just turn in Jesus' direction, but to follow Him. To accomplish this end, we use programs on the national level like The Alpha Course, as well as "Becoming A Contagious Christian" mentioned above.

The Alpha Course, by the way, is a 10-week, 15-session program geared toward the unchurched. Participants come into a small group setting weekly for a meal, brief worship, lesson, small group discussion and interaction, and prayer ministry. Churches across the country as well as around the world--and across the spectrum of denominations and even theological perspectives--are using it with tremendous results. We have found that when people discover their styles, they can plug into this holistic program of evangelism and work as a team.