by SUS Communications

The Learning Session on the morning of Friday, June 5, challenged clergy and laity to rethink how churches share the good news of Jesus Christ in a rapidly changing world.

Ken Willard, Director of Faith Communities reNEWal for the West Virginia Annual Conference, led the session on evangelism and witness, drawing from his new book, Beacon of Hope. Throughout the presentation, Willard encouraged participants to move beyond common misconceptions about evangelism and embrace it as a natural part of Christian discipleship.

“Anything you do to help another person move closer to a relationship with God, or into Christian community,” Willard said, quoting author Martha Grace Reese’s definition of evangelism, “is evangelism.”

Rather than focusing on dramatic conversions or convincing strangers to attend church, Willard urged attendees to think about helping people take a single step on their spiritual journey.

Acknowledging that the words “evangelism” and “witness” often carry baggage, Willard invited participants to reclaim them as beautiful and essential parts of the Christian life. He noted that while only a small percentage of Christians possess the spiritual gift of evangelism, every follower of Christ is called to share the good news and help others draw closer to God.

Drawing from 1 Peter 3:15, Willard emphasized that Christians should always be prepared to explain the reason for the hope they have, doing so “with gentleness and respect.”

“The way we live our lives should cause people to ask about the hope that we have,” he said.

A significant portion of the session focused on what Willard described as “relational evangelism.” Using the story of the friends who lowered a man through a roof to bring him to Jesus, he reminded participants that sharing faith often begins not with strangers, but with people they already know and care about.

Attendees were encouraged to identify a small number of family members, friends, neighbors, or coworkers who may not currently be connected to a faith community and prayerfully consider how God might open opportunities for meaningful conversations.

Willard also challenged churches to evaluate whether their ministries are effectively equipping disciples to share their faith. Every church program, he suggested, should serve a dual purpose: helping current disciples grow in their relationship with Jesus while also empowering them to share the good news with others.

To help congregations move from intention to action, Willard introduced the concept of “Gapology,” a framework that identifies the gaps between a church’s current reality and its desired future. Effective ministry, he said, requires churches to equip people with knowledge, communicate expectations clearly, and create cultures of accountability that encourage faithful action.

The session concluded with practical ideas for reaching people beyond church walls through what Willard calls “bridge events”—community-focused gatherings intentionally designed to create relationships with people who are not currently connected to a church.

Whether through community festivals, neighborhood events, service opportunities, or other creative ministries, Willard encouraged churches to build authentic connections rooted in hospitality, listening, and genuine care.

Throughout the session, one message remained clear: evangelism is less about programs and persuasion and more about relationships, hope, and helping people encounter the love of God.

As Annual Conference participants prepared to return home, Willard challenged them to identify one practical step they could implement in their local context. The goal, he said, is for every congregation to become a beacon of hope—a community where people experience God’s love and are invited into deeper relationship with Christ and one another.