Evangelism can be an ambiguous word. We know it is something we probably should be doing, but…

Part of the reason the "E" word can seem confusing is because it is often misunderstood and this gets us off track and into trouble.

What is our mission in the context of Jesus' teaching? Only when we have a correct understanding of what Jesus taught can we look forward to engaging our youth group in living out the Christian faith.

Who Are the Evangelists?

Let me explain what I mean about the misunderstanding of evangelism. The word evangelism has tripped up some Christians for many reasons. Here are two:

Some may have read Ephesians 4:11 and assigned the work of evangelism to the gifted few—the Billy Grahams of this world.

Others may have tried to be an evangelist and convert their friends but failed. These are situations which lead to ineffective Christians or, worse, doing things in our own strength, which can damage the reputation of Christ.

I prefer to say that as Christians we are Christ's witnesses—a natural result of our walk with Him. Or as Oswald Chambers said, "The natural consequence of Christian character is not good doing, but God-likeness."

The Bible teaches that it is our job to get as close to Jesus as possible—love the Lord your God with all your heart—so His Holy Spirit can work though us to reveal Jesus to others. In John 16:15, Jesus said, "…the Spirit will take from what is Mine and make it known to you." We are Christ's beacons or ambassadors for the lost souls in this broken world. We are His eyes, ears, feet and voice.

Go Fish

Being Christ's witness is a way of life. Witnessing is not just for those who have a gift of preaching or a seminary degree; it's a Christian's calling. Jesus said, "If you follow Me, I will make you fishers of men." A Christian is a Christ-follower. We all should be learning how to fish for people! When Jesus sent His disciples into the world, He commissioned them to share the good news of the Kingdom of God.

Well, what are the basic principles we are sharing? 1) God loves people. He cares and is interested in them. 2) Through Jesus and the work of the cross, forgiveness is available for all. 3) God wants to be everyone's personal friend and help them through life.

I'm privileged to support teen leaders and youth pastors who run Youth Alpha courses. Sharing these three principles is central to the success of each. Former National Director of Youth for Christ/UK, Roy Crowne said, "Youth Alpha exists to see teenagers all over the world meet Jesus, and…is one of the best resources of its kind that we've ever seen." Youth Alpha is simply one approach that allows God's Holy Spirit to touch teenagers' lives and introduce them to Christ. Here are some applications of these Youth Alpha principles that can be applied to any approach.