Evangelist Training Course 2025

                                                                                                                                                             

 A two year distance learning, practical course to train and equip evangelists

This exciting course is open to adults of any age who have a heart for reaching others with the Gospel.  In the past 9 years over 40 people have completed the course with many going on into paid positions as evangelists, church planters and other ministry positions.

The course runs over a period of 2 years and is facilitated by New Wine.  It was developed by Through Faith Missions with the aim of producing evangelists who combine a credible level of learning, with an ability to actually ‘do the work of an evangelist’. On average the commitment is 8 to 10 hours a week split between studying/assignments and doing evangelism.

Theological study together with a practical portfolio is undertaken to successfully complete the course and this consists of 5 prescribed modules (below) and an Evangelists Portfolio.

Some comments from those who have completed the course.

“ETC was an opportunity to train and develop as an evangelist. Through it God challenged my preoccupation with the status quo of church life, and equipped me better to reach out and share the good news of Jesus with those beyond the four walls.  Life will never be the same again.”

“The ETC gave me a greater confidence to share my faith to a wider spectrum of society. It helped me to see a bigger picture of what God is doing and how my role fits into that. “

“Quite frankly the Evangelism Training Course was a Godsend. I had been doing evangelism for a number of years, mainly through volunteer work with Christians Against Poverty but really needed proper equipping, training and direction. That is what I got through the ETC and more. In fact the quality training has played a massive role in me being offered a full time job as an Evangelist”

New Testament Introduction 

This unit covers Jesus’ life & message in the Gospels along with Acts & Paul’s theology.

Old Testament Introduction    

This unit gives a good overview of the Old Testament story and themes.

Church and Ministry    

This unit includes a practical project & aims to consider important issues in how contemporary church is changing.

Evangelism 

This unit will help you to locate ministry in relationship with personal experience, God’s mission and your local context.

The Holy Spirit and the people of God

The central theme of this unit will be that the Holy Spirit is at work creating a people for God – and that He does this with the Father and the Son, in unity.

The Life of the Evangelist unit

The course also included an exciting “life of the Evangelist’ core unit, which is skills based, with 12 learning outcomes on practical ways in which faith can be shared with others.  This unit will not only teach and encourage you in a variety of skills but also help you to discover those areas of evangelism in which you are most suited for you future ministry.

This is a significant part of the course and assumes your involvement in evangelism over the duration of the course.  It involves:

  • A portfolio

  • Training Days

  • An assessed mission

The Portfolio

This key element will enable you to grow more effective as an evangelist. Students gather evidence of the evangelism they are doing during the course and submit it for assessment against 12 Learning Outcomes.  You will be given all the resources for this at the induction weekend.

Learning outcomes are a list of what you ought to be able to do by the end of this training.  Each learning outcome will be assessed by the gathering of evidence (such as reports) that becomes your portfolio.

What are the learning outcomes?

  • LO1 Be able to lead someone to Christ when they are ready, conveying the gospel facts and challenges appropriately.

  • LO2 To preach, with or without notice, the gospel facts evangelistically, and in a manner appropriate to the recipients’ setting and background so that those who are ready are drawn to Christ.

  • LO3 To attain a level of skill in a range of techniques for communicating the gospel evangelistically.

  • LO4 Exercise leadership skills in a team situation.

  • LO5 Assess the mission strategy required for different church environments.

  • LO6 The ability to turn mission strategy into appropriate mission activity.

  • LO7 Sustain their own spiritual life in demanding situations.

  • LO8 Teach others how to make their lives an effective witness for Christ.

  • LO9 Reach a particular group (social, culture, age) with the Christian message in a particularly effective way.

  • LO10 Relate sensitively to a wide spectrum of personalities and cultural backgrounds and ages.

  • LO11 To be able to make an appropriate response to people who are suffering psychologically, spiritually or physically.

  • LO12 To be able to nurture new Christians.

Training Days

There will be 16 training days (Saturday)throughout the course including the induction day.  We encourage students to attend all of them but a minimum of 12 is required to complete the course. These days cover specific themes in evangelism and provide practical opportunities, including preaching.  Most training days will run from 9.00am in the morning to 6pm, though some will be half days. They will cover subjects including:

Induction Day 

A full introduction to the course.

Missional Expressions of Church 

Taking a fresh look at different expressions of church to reach and transform a community.

Ministry in Different religious and Cultural Contexts 

Learning from Christians ministering in a cross-cultural setting.

Preaching Workshop

Learning how to construct and deliver an evangelistic sermon

Youth Ministry

Learning good models of evangelism with young people.

Children’s Ministry

Learning good models of evangelism with young people

Healing Ministry 

A practical introduction to healing.

Doing Mission 

Principles and practicalities of preparing evangelistic events and a full week of mission.

Pastoral Care in a Mission context

Exploring what mission looks like in pastoral situations in ministry.

Leadership Training

Learning from those who are in Christian Leadership across the church. This will be covered over several days during the course.

Assessed Mission

We encourage all students to undertake one assessed mission during the course.

Aims:

  • to enable the student to learn by theological reflection

  • to give the student a practical setting in which to hone his/her evangelistic gifts

  • to enable students to function in a leadership role

  • to relate to local churches other than your own in mission

Support

Your church

As part of the application process, we ask you for a letter of reference from your church leader. We suggest you discuss it with him / her at an early stage and seek their support for the duration of the course.  You will need some good opportunities in your home church to engage in practical evangelism to complete your portfolio. It would be good to see if you can present what you’ll be doing to your church’s governing body to seek their prayer, support, and financial help.

Evangelist Placements

In certain circumstances we may be able to place you within an existing ministry or new church plant where you can complete this course as part of your ‘on the job’ training.  In these circumstances the total cost of the course will be covered by the host placement.

Support group

We would encourage you in a more informal way to draw together a support group of 2-4 trusted friends who will pray for you but also keep you accountable.  You could meet with them every couple of months.  Confidentiality will be important and you also want people who can gently challenge you.

Learning Support

There are several sources of support for students on this course:

For each unit you receive, you will be assigned a tutor. Tutors are trained to give helpful feedback and will usually contact you at the outset to introduce themselves.   You can contact them if you have queries about the unit content or how to approach an assignment.

Portfolio Assessors

These are the people to whom you send evidence of the practical evangelism you have been doing. They will attempt to give you constructive feedback to help you to make progress and you will be given contact details so that you can keep in touch.

Study Skills

At the induction weekend we run a study skills session because we realise that it can be difficult to enter the world of study again if you have not done this for a number of years.

Finance

The total cost of the course is £1980 (or euro equivalent).

This covers all the costs for the training days and the academic modules (including books).

A payment scheme is set up to pay monthly for the course over the two years, which works out as 24 payments of £82.50 (or euro equivalent).

We encourage applicants to seek financial support from their local church and, if applicable, from a central church body.

The Church of Ireland Diocese of Down & Dromore use the course to train Diocesan Evangelists. They provide part funding (33%) for the course.

The Application Process

Application forms are available on request from (see below).  Please also discuss your potential application with your church leader as a letter of support will be required from them.

For application forms or more information please contact George Newell on 028 9028 7011 or george.newell@newwineireland.org.

Deadline for Applications is 16th December 2025