I like to see personal evangelism emphasized over church outreach. It seems churches grow, and the message spread more effectively when members of a congregation are busy on a personal level with their neighbors and co-workers witnessing the truth to them (in whatever way they are equipped to do that). I don't think I've ever seen a church wide evangelistic event have much success. The only thing it did was make the members of the church feel good about doing something. But I've heard lots of stories of individual believers leading people to an awareness of Christ and the gospel and getting them to come to church. Lot's of stories. Wonderful, edifying stories that encourage the rest of us to do personal outreach. IMO, evangelism should be a task each of us takes with us to the corners of the world we are engaged in, not the focal point of a church.
This may sound weird at first, but churches are not necessarily ministries. Churches are for growing Christians up into the faith. It's the family and house where spiritual children are raised. Ministries are for the work of purposely reaching out to the world according to whatever gift it revolves around - helps, evangelism, etc. Churches get in trouble when they devote themselves entirely to being a ministry rather than a household of growing, maturing believers.
Amen, I agree.
Ppl desperately need to be taught the truth in the word so they can tell others.