A Contagious Faith

A Contagious Faith: Why Evangelism Still Matters

Before we ever said “yes” to Jesus, God was already moving. Most of us can look back and spot the moments — conversations, invitations, people, or even frustrations — that later turned out to be seeds He planted. At the time, we might’ve been uninterested, distracted, or flat-out resistant, but looking back, we can see the Lord was closer than we realized.

This message is built around that idea. It begins with an honest look back: moments of being chased by grace, even when the heart wasn’t ready. A catechism class taken for the wrong reasons. A conversation with a grandmother that sounded like “Charlie Brown teacher noise.” The jealousy of hearing someone else read the Bible cover to cover. Meeting a woman who confidently introduced herself as “a child of God” — and feeling drawn to whatever she had. One day at a time, seeds were planted. One day at a time, God kept pursuing.

It took more than 15 years for all those small moments to take root. Today, four generations of that same family are following Jesus. That’s what happens when people plant and water faithfully, and God makes the growth happen (1 Corinthians 3:6-9).

That’s the heart of evangelism. Not pressure. Not performance. Not being Billy Graham, Todd White, or the most confident person in the room. Scripture reminds us we all have different gifts, personalities, and strengths — but the same God working through us (1 Corinthians 12:4-6). Evangelism isn’t “for the outgoing ones,” it’s for everyone. Our stories, our kindness, our conversations, our prayers — they all matter.

Statistics show that most Christians believe evangelism is important, but fewer actually share their faith. The biggest obstacles are fear of rejection and not feeling trained. But we’ve all rejected or ignored the gospel at some point, and yet here we are. Rejection doesn’t mean failure. Sometimes it just means the soil needs a little more time. A “no” today doesn’t mean a “no” forever.

Faith can be contagious — like laughter or excitement or joy that spreads without forcing it. When we live with authentic passion for Jesus, people notice. When we’re willing to plant seeds and trust God with the process, He moves. Evangelism is less about pushing and more about living in a way that catches on.

Jesus made our mission clear: go, make disciples, reach people, and help them follow Him (Matthew 28:18-20). Our faith wasn’t meant to be hidden or hoarded. It was meant to be shared.

If you want to grow in this, you’re invited to join our upcoming Contagious Faith Life Group launching in February. We’ll learn how to share Jesus in ways that match our personalities — from friendship-building to acts of service to story-sharing and more. The sign-up sheet is in the foyer, and if it fills up, flip it over and add your name.

We’re in the people business. Let’s start 2026 reaching people who need Him.

God bless, and we hope to see you there.