The Art of Cross-Cultural Evangelism

Bethany DuVal • Jul 25, 2017

If anyone should have been ready for Muslim ministry , it was Felicity*. She grew up in the Middle East and had discussed the Quran with Muslim friends since elementary school. When she moved to a new Muslim-majority country as a missionary, she thought she would have similar discussions.

There was just one problem:

“I’ve tried doing that with my neighbors, especially the ladies, and they have no idea what the Quran says.”

No matter how prepared you are, cross-cultural evangelism will always be full of surprises. That’s why we asked seasoned missionaries from four countries about the lessons they’ve learned over the years.

Although their host cultures and ministries vary, a few things didn’t change. Here’s what they told us.

Cross-Cultural Evangelism Takes Time

Before you do anything else, know that learning to evangelize in a consistent, effective way takes time — and you might be surprised at the way you spend it.

“If you don’t take the time to get the language down, it’ll be a handicap for the rest of the time you’re here,” says Dan Kuehl, TEAM missionary to France. And he isn’t kidding around.

Dan says it can take up to five years (three in language school, two in full-time ministry) before a missionary will confidently say, “I think God is starting to use me to reach French people.”

But the need for patience doesn’t end once you learn the language and culture.

In Japan , TEAM missionary Joel Kaufman says, “I do believe that I’ve gotta be willing to sow seeds over years, and maybe others will reap.” And often, those seeds don’t sprout “until God waters [them] with adversity.”

Successful cross-cultural evangelism often means growing in patience as hearts soften, relationships develop and fruit grows. Don’t let that scare you. You’re making an investment that will pay off for years to come.

Ready to truly invest in your future as a cross-cultural evangelist? Launch was created for people like you — passionate about the Gospel, committed to Christ and ready to put in the work!

Build Relationships to Build Trust

When it comes to showing people their need for Jesus, Craig Querfeld says, “It’s not theological constructs that you’re trying to break through. It’s life issues.”

The only way to discover those life issues is to build relationships. That isn’t always easy in the Peruvian city , where Craig and his wife, Sue, serve. The culture highly values appearances, so people don’t share baggage until they know they can trust you.

And if you think you can go halfway, Sue says to forget about it: “If I’m joining a … book club, or whatever it is, with the sole purpose of evangelizing, they’re going to see through it. … I need to be willing to be vulnerable to them, to befriend them whether they follow what I want them to follow or not.

On the other hand, Joel Kaufman discovered he could be more systematic in Japan. He and a pastor went door to door, talking with people. Then they took notes on their conversations and marked where each person lived in a map book.

“I went to 10,000 houses and covered the city, and that map book is still being used by the elder and the pastor to this day. And they’ve got hundreds of friends,” Joel says.

Whatever the method, relationships will always be a vital part of building credibility and trust with people. So find what works in your culture and embrace it.

Be a Learner — in Ministry and Everyday Life


A French woman picks up a roll from a bakery display

If you want to learn a new culture, adopt the locals’ schedules, see how they do things and engage with those around you. Photo by TEAM


As you learn what works in your culture, be ready to fail . In Japan, canvassing houses can make ministry a breeze. But in France, Dan says that every relationship starts with suspicion.

“We would never bake some brownies and bring it to our neighbor and say, ‘Here, I’m your new neighbor,’” Dan shares. “They would say, ‘What did you do to those brownies? … Are you trying to get rid of us?’”

Instead, Dan has learned to engage in a slow process of building trust through small interactions , which grows into meals at his house and conversations about God.

Some of these lessons are easier to learn than others. You may be able to find books and podcasts on the culture you’re visiting, or even talk to a missionary who has served there. However, like any other ministry, learning how to do cross-cultural evangelism in a new context means getting your hands dirty.

If you really want to learn a culture, the Querfelds say to adopt locals’ schedules. See how they do things. Even take vacations in your host country so you learn to relax where you are.

In this process, Sue says, you also build relationships by giving locals the chance to be your advisors. After all, you may know about Jesus, but they know where to find groceries and buy shoes for your kids. Asking for help

Find the Culture’s Open Doors

As you learn the local culture, you’ll also begin to find the open doors. Felicity says it’s surprising to see what aspects of truth people already know — even if Satan has twisted them.

Felicity quickly realized that talking apologetics wouldn’t work in her new country. (“It’s not even interesting to them.”) But women in this deeply religious culture welcome her prayers in Jesus’ name.

After she prays, “they’ll come back to me and say, ‘Thank you. God answered that prayer that you prayed. Please, will you pray for me again?’”

In France, people deeply value sharing long meals together. So, Dan and his wife, Margaret, started inviting people over for four-course meals. “It’s great because that’s when people let down their guards [and] ask their questions,” Dan says.

And as people ask questions, you can start telling them the story of Jesus.

Engage the Culture through Stories


A Japanese man looks at a display of flowers

Evangelism is a seed-planting work. In Japan, TEAM missionary Joel finds that one of the best ways to plant seeds is to tell the story of the Gospel rather than making apologetic arguments. Photo by TEAM


Cross-cultural evangelism often means changing your strategy. Like Felicity, Joel came to his host country thinking he would win people with apologetics. But Japanese ideas are so far removed from Christianity that most people struggled to understand what he was even talking about.

That’s why Joel turned to storytelling.

After all, he says, “Why would we expect people to learn the abstract truth when we ourselves learn it in Sunday school and just hearing Bible stories?”

Through stories, Joel finds he can naturally teach truths about God’s character. And when people want to learn more, he gives them a Japanese comic book of the Gospel accounts.

For her part, Felicity says she’s not a good storyteller, but she learned a method of telling stories while drawing matching henna tattoos. The women in her neighborhood love the designs and eagerly share the stories with friends and family. And until the tattoo fades, they have a constant reminder of the Gospel.

Disciple While You Evangelize — and Vice Versa

For many missionaries, evangelism and discipleship aren’t distinct phases.

“It’s not like praying a prayer and then, the next day, there’s a change,” Felicity says of Muslims who come to Christ. “It’s really like a whole change of mindset that happens slowly, slowly, slowly as they’re studying [the Bible].”

So, Felicity doesn’t wait for a distinct moment to start discipling friends. She teaches them how to live a Christ-like life now and watches as they gradually change and embrace Jesus.

On the flip side, Craig says it’s vital that new believers continue to have the Gospel proclaimed to them.

Many Peruvians grow up as nominal Catholics and don’t truly understand that the Gospel is more than a prayer you say or a box you check. So, Craig and Sue keep preaching the Gospel, even when someone says they believe, even when they’ve been baptized. And when the couple starts seeing consistent change, a willingness to serve, humility and fruit of the Spirit, they celebrate.

Trust God with Your Cross-Cultural Ministry

Whatever methods you use, there is one final lesson every missionary agreed on: You have to trust God to do the work.

Dan says he’s seen talented, gifted missionaries lose their ministries because they were taken in by spiritual pride or were disappointed when results didn’t come as quickly as they did in America. But Dan reminds prospective missionaries , “Christ said, ‘I will build a church,” and I think we just have to remind ourselves — constantly — that we’re only useful if we’re in that position of total dependency on Him.”

Your meticulous plans can easily fall apart, but God never will. So, these missionaries say, ask Him to lead you to the right people. Pray for wisdom in your conversations. Trust Him to work in people’s hearts. Know that cross-cultural evangelism is a journey.

It won’t always be easy, but God is faithful. And if you can remember that, you’ve taken a huge step toward effective evangelism in any culture.

By Suzanne Pearson 08 Mar, 2024
Through God-ordained partnerships and creative connections, TEAM worker Keith Moore sees the global Church advancing in amazing ways. In the global missions landscape, a phrase that comes up often is “from everywhere, to everywhere.” God is calling His global Church in literal new directions, as He raises up cross-cultural workers to be sent from places that were once on the receiving end of missions work. We call this movement “polycentric sending.” TEAM workers Dawn and Keith Moore have seen first-hand this transition taking place. Their story involves the unlikely but beautiful intersection of Charlotte, North Carolina; Tegucigalpa, Honduras; and Memphis, Tennessee...and beyond. The Path to Honduras Keith and Dawn joined TEAM in 1991 and served as church planters for nine years in Bogota, Colombia. After safety concerns precipitated their return to the States in 1999, they knew they wanted to continue serving in Latin America. The Moores felt called to Honduras but wanted to connect with a strong missional church to help send them. The Lord orchestrated a collaboration with Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee. “Some people asked, ‘Why Honduras? Missionaries have been there for 100 years. It’s already reached,’” Keith says. “But there’s a whole section of Latin America that had not been reached - the upper crust.” Keith goes on to explain that he and Dawn felt called to reach college-educated professionals in Honduras – a ministry vision that resonated with the missional goals of Bellevue Baptist. Impact and Growth With the support of this new church partnership as well as another sending church in Birmingham, Alabama, the Moores embarked on their next adventure. Keith and Dawn started Impacto Honduras Church from scratch, and in less than 20 years, the church grew into four locations with 1600 total members. The Moores and other TEAM workers also created a “Bible school” type training program to help professionals who feel a call to ministry to make that transition. Throughout this period of explosive growth, church partnerships played an integral role. “It’s such a different vision when you have a church that says, ‘OK, this is our deal, we want to make this happen,’” Keith explains. “They helped us with everything. They took away every single obstacle to growth. Every time we needed something, they were there.” In 2017, the Moores once again found themselves on the verge of another decision. Was it time to leave Honduras? “I had no desire to leave,” Keith recalls. “People were coming to Christ every week! It was just so amazing.” However, back in the U.S., Keith and Dawn’s parents were in their 80s and would soon be in need of more care. “We realized that either we would leave in a crisis, or we would leave strategically,” says Keith. The couple began to implement a careful succession plan. By the time they left, the four churches were established with strong, Honduran leadership ready to carry on the work of the Gospel.
By Suzanne Pearson 23 Feb, 2024
Justin Burkholder, pictured here with his wife Jenny and their daughters Isabella, Olivia, and Zoey, has recently been named as TEAM’s next International Director. On February 19, 2024, with much excitement and gratitude to the Lord, TEAM announced that Justin Burkholder will become our organization’s new International Director, effective July 1, 2024. Justin, who is currently TEAM’s Executive Director of Global Ministry, will assume his new role upon the retirement of the current International Director, Dave Hall. ( Read the full press release here. ) We sat down recently with Justin to learn a little more about his background, his family, and the journey that has led him to TEAM. Q: Tell us a little bit about your “origin story” - Where did you grow up? What was your family like? A: I grew up in Mexico City as a missionary kid. My parents were focused on church planting. We were very close as a family. Both of my parents are still alive, and my dad serves as a pastor in southern Florida. I have one brother who is a pastor in Wisconsin, and the most special individual in my family is my sister, Amber. She was born with a very severe case of cerebral palsy and is entirely dependent on my mother...who is extraordinary! The three most impactful forces that have shaped who I am (outside of God’s grace) are growing up in Mexico, having parents who loved and planted churches, and sharing life with someone with a severe disability. My parents belonged at the time to a church and denomination that came with quite a bit of legalism and performance-oriented Christianity. Grace was a challenging concept to grasp. While I had an awareness of my sin and need for redemption, it wasn’t until I attended Moody Bible Institute that I began to grasp the fullness of God’s grace and His delight in His children. I have continued learning and trusting in the Gospel through formal education, like completing my M.Div., and through spiritual practices in community. Learning the Gospel and believing the Gospel has been a daily exercise. The Gospel is as beautiful and multi-faceted as a diamond! At an individual level, it is simple enough for us to live convinced that “Jesus loves me, this I know.” At a corporate level, it becomes the foundation that forms and informs our life as a spiritual family. At a cosmic level, it is redemption that reaches as far as the curse is found. It is hard to even grasp the multiplicity of goodness found in the Good News. Q: Share a little bit about your family life now. What does a typical day look like in the Burkholder household? A: My wife Jenny is my high-school sweetheart! She brings joy and kindness wherever she goes. She’s the best listener I’ve ever met, and we love spending time together. We have three daughters. Isabella is ten, Olivia is seven, and Zoey is four. Each of the girls is unique and has taught us a lot in our process of following Jesus together. We like to go out on walks and go to the park together. Once a month I try to get some alone time with each of my daughters which usually includes bowling or trampolines. A typical day in the Burkholder house starts around 5:00am. Because of traffic here in Guatemala City, we have to leave early for school. After school, the girls come home to different activities - sometimes swimming class, sometimes piano lessons. Four or five nights a week we have dinner together where we usually talk about our high and low moments of the day. On weekends, we enjoy time together, playing outside, or watching sports together. Go Cubs and Go Buckeyes! Q: What are your interests and hobbies? If you have the day off, what are you likely to be up to? A: I enjoy physical activity, running, strength-training and following sports. I also love music and, truth be told, am a bit snobby about my taste in music! I also am a very curious person and love reading just about anything that passes through my hands. A day off is usually an opportunity for time with family. Jenny and I like to cook something interesting together on our days off. Often there is time for some reading and watching some type of athletic event. Q: How did God lead you to TEAM? A: My wife and I were working in the Chicago suburbs. I was a youth pastor and she was a Spanish teacher. When we got married, we had already sensed God’s direction to serve cross-culturally, but it was a matter of discerning when and where. There was a driving desire in me to see a church deeply love the Scriptures and at the same time, be deeply engaged in loving and serving their city and the most vulnerable among them. As God directed our paths, we visited a variety of places and made some friends in Guatemala who opened up the path for us to serve here. While we were exploring, we knew that the International Director of an organization called TEAM happened to go to our church, so I decided I should probably invite him out for breakfast - his name was Charlie Davis. Charlie was extremely thoughtful, passionate about disciple-making, and very gracious in creating space for us as we stepped into this endeavor. Charlie connected me with Steve Dresselhaus, a fellow TEAM global worker who was at that time serving as the Senior Director for the Americas. I cannot express the debt that I owe Steve. He walked closely with me in the transition, encouraged courageous thinking about the church and her role in society, and blasted open the doors for us to serve in Guatemala. After meeting Steve, we spent some days praying about joining TEAM. One thing I will never forget – one night during the process, I found myself wide awake in the middle of the night. A peace like I have seldom experienced passed over me confirming that we should join TEAM. There is no doubt in my mind that God tied all of these pieces together to bring us into the TEAM family and community. Q: What roles have you held in TEAM? What have been the milestones in those roles? A: The most important role I have held in TEAM is that of a global worker. God in His grace has allowed us to help plant two churches here in Guatemala, serve in leadership development, counseling, and discipleship. Our greatest joy has been found walking with those who are learning to follow Christ more deeply. I served as the Ministry Area Leader in Guatemala from 2016 to 2019. We helped to establish and lead this ministry area as it grew from just four global workers to over 15. I then served as Senior Director for Mexico and Central America from 2019 to 2021, Regional Executive Director for the Americas in 2021 and 2022, and then transitioned to the role of Executive Director of Global Ministry which I’ll continue in until the end of June. Q: What do you love most about being a part of TEAM? Why TEAM rather than other organizations or job opportunities? A: The TEAM community is full of people who have faithfully served God’s mission and have given up a lot to do so. It is a privilege to know many of our global workers and be counted among them. I am also fascinated by the fact that TEAM has existed now for more than 130 years! There is something to be said about the resilience and faithfulness of an organization that has continued to impact the world for so long. The rest of our conversation with Justin will be coming soon on blog! We’ll hear more about how God called Justin to the role of International Director, and what Justin sees for the next chapter in TEAM’s work in the global Church.
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