The Hidden Blessings of Evangelism: Why Obeying the Great Commission Changes Everything

5 hours ago
6 min read

As a frontline missionary, I find that evangelism is always on my mind. We intentionally engage the lost, day after day, year after year, for Christ and through a variety of means. From time to time, however, I remember that most Christians have other occupations, not frontline mission work. It is only normal that most followers of Christ make their living doing regular, God-honoring work. We each have unique vocations given to us by the Lord.

Yet, too often, the church treats evangelism as a task simply for the ‘professionals.’ We assume that bringing the lost to Christ is something only the pastor does from the pulpit. We have fallen into a common trap: if we just invite people to church, the pastor will handle the heavy lifting.

Here in Italy, like most of Europe, that mentality simply doesn't work. If your evangelism strategy relies on people walking through the doors of your church, you’re likely waiting for a harvest that won’t come. It's common knowledge in Italy that most people will not enter an evangelical church on their own. Usually they come, only after having first been reached by faithful Christians living intentionally for Christ.

As Paul writes in Romans 10, people need to hear the good news to be saved. And how can they hear if we aren’t the ones going to them? The AI robots can do many things, but they will never do biblical evangelism. Reaching the lost is a work entrusted to image-bearers of God, specifically disciples of Christ.

Evangelism is a Christian duty, but it is also intended, as we see in the early church, to be a vital rhythm of the Christian life. While our primary motivation should always be joyful obedience to Jesus, God in His grace has built profound “side-benefits” into the work of witness.

When you stop waiting and start obeying and going, you’ll find that evangelism doesn’t just impact the lost—it transforms you and the culture around you.

1. Your Faith Grows Stronger

Evangelism is an act of faith. Unlike your career, where hard work usually leads to a predictable result, evangelism is a sovereign work of God. You can preach and proclaim perfectly and see no response, or you can feel like you’re fumbling and see an entire family pierced to the heart and made new by the power of the gospel. This reality keeps you holding Jesus’ hand every step of the way. It prevents the “spiritual drift” that happens when we are passive, keeping our faith active, vibrant, and entirely dependent on the power of the Holy Spirit.

When you trust the Lord and obey by intentionally engaging the lost, your faith is strengthened and purified.

2. You Encourage Others to be Faithful

Fear is contagious, but so is courage. Zeal for Lord is also contagious. When you stop being a “secret Christian” and start speaking about Jesus, your faith, and your love for the Word, you will likely embolden fellow believers around you.

Many believers are sidelined by the fear that they lack “special training” or a specific gift to evangelize. But when they see you—a normal, everyday Christian—joyfully proclaiming the gospel, it sparks a flame. Your testimony is a miracle (God gave you a new heart), and when you share it, you give others the courage to share theirs too. Your zeal for the Lord is like a freshly brewed cup of coffee able to energize and delight those nearby.

3. It Holds People in Check

Faithful witness has a restraining effect on society. When we proclaim God’s law and the gospel, we are exposing people to their Creator. Even when someone doesn’t immediately repent, the witness of the gospel acts as a shield, often stopping someone in their tracks before they commit a gross sin. It reminds the world that they are accountable to their Maker, that there are indeed rights and wrongs and a foundation that enables us to know the difference.

The faithful proclamation of the gospel of the kingdom of God is a beacon of light that awakens the conscience of all who observe it.

4. Drifters Get Called Back

We all know those “prodigals”—people who once walked with the Lord but have since distanced themselves from the body of Christ. When they see a faithful believer out in the world, actively loving Jesus by loving and going to the lost, it serves as a wake-up call. They hear the voice of their Shepherd again through your witness, and it often becomes the catalyst for them to return to the flock.

Through the Christians obedience and sacrificial service, they see their own self-centered living more clearly. They see they are missing the mark and the higher purpose of God's calling for us to be salt and light and active in the great commission.

5. Joy Becomes Real

I am convinced that many Christians live with little real joy simply because they aren’t evangelizing. Though not all Christians are called to daily evangelism like the missionary on the frontlines, we are all called to be active to some degree in reaching the lost. There is a unique, unshakeable joy found in knowing that you are doing exactly what your Lord commanded, and being active in the Lord's work of seeking and saving the lost is a common command for His people of every epoch.

If Jesus were to return while you were mid-conversation about His salvation, you would likely have zero regrets. This is not true for everything else we do. That kind of soul-satisfaction, the kind that comes with witnessing, is rare in this life, and it is available to anyone willing to speak.

6. Meaningful Friendships Form

Evangelism is almost like trench warfare. When you labor alongside other believers to reach the lost, the petty differences—doctrinal hair-splitting or church politics—often just fade away. You’re in the fight together.

I have seen believers who have sat in pews next to each other for years, only to become true friends while spending a week in the “trenches” of evangelism, here in Italy on a short-term mission trip. On the frontlines, carrying each other’s burdens and laboring side-by-side for Christ, special bonds form. These bonds are deep and they last a lifetime.

7. It Cultivates True Humility

There is nothing quite as humbling as realizing you cannot save anyone, including yourself. Evangelism reminds us of our own impotence and God’s omnipotence. When a person gets saved, you are humbled that God would use a vessel like you. When they don’t respond, you are humbled by your dependence on God to do the work and His sovereign timing for the salvation of souls.

Either way, evangelism keeps you in your place and keeps the glory exactly where it belongs: on Him.

Your Next Step

George Whitefield once said,

“God forbid that I should travel with anybody a quarter of an hour without speaking of Christ to them.”

May we too find that zeal afresh. Don’t just mingle with people—mingle with them for Jesus. Be there with a purpose.

Ready to put this into practice?

If you are looking for an avenue to move from theory to action, I invite you to join us for a PMc Short-Term Cohort in Italy next summer. It is a perfect way to work as a unit, experience the joy of evangelism in unreached places, and see these side-benefits for yourself.

Do you desire to get more equipped?

Visit missionsacademia.com to learn more about the work of evangelism and soul-winning in biblical missions.

No matter what, let’s resist being labeled as those who bicker and quarrel among ourselves. Instead, let us be those who link arms and continue to bombard the gates of hell with the world-transforming gospel of Jesus Christ. SDG.

Written by Jesse Schreck | founder, director, and missionary church planter in Italy with Practical Missions Cohort

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