Our Story
“Evangelism Connections” began meeting together between 1995-96 in an effort to accomplish two main objectives:
- To share our best “in house” evangelism resources across denominational lines for the benefit of one another, as well as to encourage each other as denominational staff in our common calling to r4emind our churches of our need to “Make Disciples,” and
- To collaborate and participate in projects together that we could not hope to accomplish by ourselves and in our own denominational contexts.
Our first project was to produce three identical national workshops in as many locations featuring renowned speakers on evangelism, as well as workshops that would appeal to both clergy and lay leaders. “Evangelism Connections 1998 was a great success and provided the momentum for us to offer three national evangelism events in 2000 and in 2002. The total attendance of the eight national workshops was in the thousands and positive feedback increased within each event.
In 2003 Evangelism Connections aimed its major event at regional synod executives and bishops featuring Episcopal Bishop Claude Payne around the theme of his book, Reclaiming the Great Commission.
Beginning in 2000 the group also produced an “Evangelism Toolbox” combining all the best resources of all participating denominations around the evangelism theme, with seventeen particular categories. This “gold mine” of materials was accessible through each denominational distribution center.
The advisory board of “Evangelism Connections” (usually the staff person of each denomination responsible for evangelism resources) is currently focusing efforts on producing a web site with the best evangelism resources of all participating denominations: evangelismconnections.org
Membership in “Evangelism Connections” is open to all who are interested and willing to commit to the common effort, as well as contribute some funding to accomplish the mutually agreed upon goals.
The current membership includes the following: African Methodist Episcopal Church-Zion, American Baptist Church, Church of the Brethren, Christian Church-Disciples of Christ, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Presbyterian Church of Canada, Presbyterian Church in the USA, the Reformed Church in America, the United Church of Christ, the United Church of Canada, the United Methodist Church, as well as other interested observers.