Menu

Evangelism Links

History of Evangelists

Persuasive preaching of God's Word and direct public appeal are powerful tools for bringing people to faith in Christ. The Wesleyan Church has enjoyed a long-standing heritage of proclamation evangelism. Yesterday and today, this work has included...

  • Circuit-riding preachers who spread the message of full salvation across the North American frontier on horseback.
  • Itinerant evangelists who moved from town to town by stagecoach or train to plant new churches.
  • Childrens and youth evangelists who conduct children's crusades, camps, backyard Bible clubs, vacation Bible Schools, Sunday school rallies, and other invitation events.
  • Pastors who make regular use of prayer altars and "altar calls" to invite people to receive Christ and to seek the fullness of the Holy Spirit in their lives.
  • Modern crusade teams that work interdenominationally to conduct city-wide and stadium outreach events.

Full-time evangelism in the 21st Century will undoubtedly take on a different "look" as the Church's cultural context continues changing. A major emerging ministry for Wesleyan evangelists calls for their involvement in new church multiplication. Coming alongside church planters and young congregations, persons gifted in training and leading personal evangelism teams will be invaluable partners for reaching new people for Christ in church planting target communities. Evangelists are sought who are willing to move from place to place to help gather new believers into new congregations. If this 21st Century version of the "circuit-riding" preacher and the itinerant evangelist is a frontline ministry to which God may be calling you, contact the General Department of Evangelism and Church Growth at ecg@wesleyan.org or by calling 317-774-3900 for more information.

The Fellowship of Wesleyan Evangelists

The Fellowship of Wesleyan Evangelists (FWE) is a voluntary association for networking revival and crusade workers and those who support them. Sponsored by the General Department of Evangelism and Church Growth as a free service to evangelism leaders, FWE's membership includes full-time General Evangelists, part-time Associate General Evangelists, reserve (or retired) evangelists, church administrators, educators, and others interested in church-based evangelism ministries.

FWE focuses on professional enrichment and peer mentoring for its members. A primary purpose is to promote the utilization of evangelists' gifts and ministries by local churches and districts in local revivals, spiritual harvest events, camps and Bible conferences. In addition to providing training and resources related to their work, FWE's sponsor - the General Department of E&CG - offers scholarships to evangelists for professional enrichment events (such as the Proclamation Evangelism Network e-School) and sponsors periodic evangelists' retreats for mutual encouragement and idea sharing.

Full membership is available to ministers appointed by their district conference to any category of evangelistic service, along with evangelists' spouses and licensed or commissioned special workers.. Associate membership is offered to all other ordained or licensed ministers. Annual dues for all members are $20 (renewable annually in the fall). For information about FWE membership, email ecg@wesleyan.org and request a free information packet.