Hope for the Illawarra

Posted on September 28, 2025 
Filed under Encouragement, Evangelism

“In my time in ministry, I have encountered many people who, while acknowledging Jesus’ command to “go and make disciples” feel impossibly ill-equipped, and so are reluctant to do so.

In fact, many of these people further claim that they lack any ability whatsoever to evangelise, presuming the work of evangelism is for those whom God has so gifted. Yet what is apparent is that God typically calls people to himself through the patient, prayerful and consistent sharing of the gospel by regular Christians, despite how prepared they may or may not feel. Having said that, it should be our constant desire to better equip Christians for evangelism to grow their confidence in sharing the gospel with others.

Some of the key ways this can happen is through the encouragement of other believers, through training and equipping one another, but also by engaging with those who have a gift for communicating the gospel clearly and winsomely. Listening to someone who is gifted with communicating the gospel can be an encouragement for Christians, but it can also provide us with a great opportunity to invite someone to hear the gospel taught with clarity and faithfulness.

This was precisely what the churches in the Illawarra were offered when Christian broadcasting organisation Leading the Way invited them to participate in a mass-scale mission campaign, which would culminate in evangelistic outreach events at which Dr Michael Youssef would speak. It was an offer that was gladly accepted.  …”

– At The Australian Church Record, Ella Leach shares some wonderful encouragement from Hope for Illawarra.

Photo via SydneyAnglicans.net.