Without Jesus, the world is a very dark place. I’ve heard it said that throughout history, there has never been a greater need for people to experience God’s love. Currently, there are more than 7.5 billion people globally, and every day more than 150,000 of those precious souls breathe their last breath. Unfortunately, many of those people have not accepted the life-changing Gospel of Jesus Christ. Some have never even heard it. 

Romans 10:14 states, “How then shall they call on Him whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” Without devoted Christians taking steps to reach the lost, people will never hear the Good News. But how is this best accomplished? 

When it comes to reaching people for Christ, there is no time to waste. We must work strategically and swiftly to advance the Gospel. While there are many ways to engage the lost and reap a harvest for God’s Kingdom, we must pursue the Great Commission in ways that are reasonable, efficient and produce the most fruit. Consider these three strategies to help maximize your reach for Christ and advance His love to those people who are broken, hurting and desperate for a move of God. 

Empower local evangelists. 

While many organizations focus on sending missionaries into various countries around the world, I believe one of the most effective strategies for sharing the Gospel of Jesus is to partner with local evangelists who are relationally connected to their communities. By providing financial support, training and accountability to locals who are already immersed in the culture, it becomes possible to remove cultural and language barriers that may exist within the context of international Gospel conversations.  

It typically takes time for foreign missionaries to adjust to a new environment and familiarize themselves with the unique culture. Local missionaries, on the other hand, have this culture engrained in their being, giving them a head start in developing relationships, navigating the customs of the area and ultimately, reaching souls for Christ. 

Partnering with local leaders who are relationally connected to their community is not only the most effective way to share the Gospel, but it is also the most affordable. This is strategic evangelism. 

Go where the harvest is ripe. 

We don’t get a second chance to reap the fruit of a ripe harvest. Think of a farmer’s field. Delay in harvesting a ripened crop usually ends in spoilage and a sense that hours of preparation, planting, fertilizing and watering have been for nothing.  

The Bible speaks about harvest too. In teachings recorded in Matthew 9 and Luke 10, Jesus spoke of the need for workers to gather the harvest. In John 4:35, His words spotlight the urgency of the task: “I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.”  

In using the harvest metaphor, Jesus is saying, “Don’t delay!” Referring to global outreach as a harvest indicates that we have windows of opportunity which open and close. Harvesting cannot be postponed until a more convenient time. When the crop is ready, it must be harvested right away. 

Each day, tens of thousands of people leave this world without ever having heard about Jesus Christ. Isn’t that a ripened harvest going to waste? With that in mind, we must position our resources and equip local missionaries where the harvest is the greatest.  

Invest resources to develop others. 

Growth by multiplication is much more productive than growth by addition. Just as Paul challenged and mentored Timothy, disciplining and training the next generation of evangelists is paramount to building the Kingdom of God.  

2 Timothy 2:2 commands, “And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” This passage paints a picture of disciples making disciples. By simply sharing the life and wisdom God has gifted a person, the people they touch now hold the keys to advance the Kingdom in others’ lives themselves. We must use the same principles Jesus used. We must turn new believers into disciples, making them “fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19, Mark 1:17). 

Across the world, one by one, people are placing their faith in Christ as Lord and Savior. Still, there are many more souls desperate for a touch of heaven. Until we mobilize Christians to reach the maximum number of people for Christ in the least amount of time in the most efficient way, the world will only continue to cry out for a Savior they don’t know. While the need for evangelism is great, we must answer the call to strategic evangelism because there is truly no time to waste.