Evangelism Outside the Box: Helping People Experience the Good News

Rick Richardson believes in journeying with people who are moving toward God. No need to sell Jesus, he says. The Holy Spirit will do that. Coming alongside others, with love, is all we need to do.An ordained priest with the Anglican Mission in America, Rick runs the evangelism and leadership program at Wheaton College Graduate School and is associate national director for evangelism with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA.

"Provides a heartfelt challenge, offering an excellent analysis of postmodern thought as the current milieu for evangelism. . . . Offers penetrating analyses and useful resources for a crucial area of Christian ministry."

"Reaching this new generation requires that we learn to evangelize an increasingly secularized culture. In his book Evangelism Outside the Box, Rick Richardson leans into past movements of God for valuable lessons, and then combines them with striking insight into today's culture which flow out of his vast experience of reaching university students through his ministry with InterVarsity. The resulting conclusions could dramatically improve church leaders' efforts to reach spiritually lost people--including the many who currently don't consider the local church a viable option in their search for God."

"Evangelism is a central part of the church's mission on earth. Even though each of us is called to witness and share the gospel, it is never easy for most of us. Here is a book that offers thoughtful ways to help many of us get started. Rick addresses our culture insightfully and helps all of us find natural ways to share our faith. I hope many will read this book. I commend it most highly."

"Allow me to encourage you to read Rick Richardson's Evangelism Outside the Box. For those of you on campus staff, encourage your student leaders to read it as well. Rick does a superb job of helping us to consider what evangelism looks like in our emerging campus cultures. The book is clear and compelling--full of new ideas and energy."

"Those with a passion to reach the unreached often struggle over how to share Christ's timeless gospel in a timely manner. In this book Rick Richardson sails headlong into the postmodern maelstrom without letting go of the anchor of Scripture. Read this, and feed off Richardson's passion for postmoderns who desperately need Jesus!"

"I finished reading [Evangelism Outside the Box] last weekend and found it to be by far one of the best sources of encouragement and instruction for reaching out to the lost of my generation! . . . In fact, I called up all of my friends who are involved in college and youth ministry and told them to buy and study the book ASAP. It will serve as a guide for myself and many others for years to come!"

"Rick Richardson's new book reexplores some key biblical/theological principles of evangelism in light of dramatic changes that are occurring in our postmodern world. As a result of this thoughtful reflection, Richardson offers a set of very innovative strategies of evangelism that is deeply faithful to the Scriptures and highly relevant to today's world. It is a book I will continue to use to challenge my students and myself to go beyond the usual, traditional views and practices of sharing the good news of Jesus Christ."

"There are few truly new books about evangelism, but Rick Richardson has written one. Drawn from his years of work as a campus evangelist as well as his wide and careful reading, Richardson suggests powerful new ways to reach a generation that is spiritual but not religious. Richardson understands postmodern culture and how to make Jesus known in it. He charts a useful course for the church as more and more of the culture becomes postmodern in outlook. I am using this book as a text in several of my courses, including a Ph.D. seminar on evangelism (as an example of how a thoughtful practitioner approaches the ministry of evangelism)."

"If the contemporary church is going to reach this postmodern generation it will have to embrace new methods of evangelism. Rick Richardson's book is an extremely useful guide for this challenging task."

"Is witnessing for you something like hitting a handball into a sand dune? Lots of effort, little response? Have you found [that] the old answers, the proven methods just don't seem to work? Then read Evangelism Outside the Box. Rick Richardson listens to our culture with sensitive ears, asks probing questions, points to fresh approaches. I believe his book, like Paul Little's How to Give Away Your Faithand Cliffe Knechtle's Give Me an Answer will help us to connect with this seeking generation. I plan to recommend it widely."