Sample Chapters

Introduction

“Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil.” — Matthew 13:5

Every follower of Jesus likely recognizes times when conversations about spiritual matters seem to have little visible effect. The words are correct, the motivation is appropriate, yet nothing appears to take hold. Our efforts to share the Gospel often elicit brief remarks signaling disinterest or, at worst, opposition. These moments reveal a simple truth: people seldom receive the Gospel in a vacuum. Our words must pass through the person’s story, worldview, wounds, assumptions, cultural narratives, fears, past experiences with Christians, questions, and doubts. Sire (2004) notes that worldviews operate most powerfully at the pre-conscious level, shaping how people hear and interpret truth long before they articulate their beliefs. These factors form the “soil” into which the seed is sown, and this is exactly the lesson of Jesus’ Parable of the Sower: the condition of the soil determines the seed’s fruitfulness (Blomberg, 2012; Snodgrass, 2008). Walsh and Middleton (1984) emphasize that every person lives within a worldview story that shapes their sense of meaning and truth, making worldview awareness crucial for ministry.

Ministry often begins long before a word of the Gospel is spoken. I learned this while teaching in China, when a student told me about an older American missionary couple who had invited her and several other students to an “American” dinner years earlier. The dinner included a Gospel presentation and an invitation to commit their lives to Christ. My student, a shy Chinese girl, felt intimidated by her hosts and unfamiliar with Americans. Wanting to be polite, she accepted the invitation to accept Jesus but vowed never to return. The couple’s intentions were sincere, and they faithfully presented the Gospel. However, my student described the evening as something she “escaped” from, and her “commitment” lasted only minutes.

This experience revealed a truth that has shaped my understanding of ministry. Her story became, for me, a modern picture of the very soil conditions Jesus describes in the Parable of the Sower. The seed was sown, but the soil was unprepared. Scripture affirms this pattern. Jesus’ parable highlights the varying conditions of the soil, and John 4:35–38 reminds us that “one sows and another reaps. . . Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.” The couple who first welcomed her sowed seeds they never saw take root, yet their labor became part of the hidden groundwork I later entered.

Clearly, our work as Gospel proclaimers involves both sowing and cultivating the soil. This theme recurs throughout Christian literature, which emphasizes nurturing the inner life so that truth can take root (Palmer, 1993; Smith, 2009; Willard, 1988; Nouwen, 1975). Yet a consistent pattern emerges across Christian higher education and cross-cultural ministry: professors are trained to teach and conduct research but rarely to minister.

This book presents the theological and practical foundations for preparing both the Sower and the soil, offering a framework for ministry that is intentional, reflective, and deeply rooted in the way of Christ. Stott (1972) reminds us that Christian ministry requires the full engagement of the mind, making intellectual formation central to preparing the Sower. As Willard (2002) reminds us, formation creates a life that “naturally and freely does what Jesus would do,” marked by attentiveness, peace, and moral clarity.

Chapter 1

An Approach to Ministry: Why Soil Preparation Matters

“You have to take the time to prepare the soil if you want to embrace the seed.”

William P. Young, a Canadian Christian author

Why Soil Preparation Matters

Every generation of Christians has wrestled with the tension between proclaiming the Gospel and preparing people to receive it (Willard, 2006). In many ministry settings, proclamation has taken center stage—through sermons, presentations, arguments, and invitations—while the slow, patient work of preparing the soil has often been neglected. Yet Scripture, experience, and Christian scholarship all point to the same truth: the condition of the soil determines the seed’s fruitfulness (Matt. 13:1–23).

Jesus Himself taught that the Gospel does not land on neutral ground. It lands on hearts shaped by wounds, assumptions, cultural narratives, fears, and long-standing habits of thought. As Newbigin (1989) argues, the Gospel is always heard through the lens of a person’s worldview. Sire (2004) adds that these worldviews operate largely at the preconscious level, shaping how people interpret truth long before they articulate their beliefs. This chapter introduces the foundational conviction that effective ministry requires preparing both the Sower and the soil.

The Formational Foundations of Ministry

A growing body of Christian scholarship argues that faithful ministry requires far more than delivering information or persuading the mind (Willard, 2006). Effective ministry demands both the formation and shaping of the whole person who ministers and pre-evangelism, the intentional preparation of the person who receives the message (Geisler & Geisler, 2009).

Christian scholars consistently emphasize that proclamation alone is insufficient. Spiritual formation (Willard, 2002), cultural intelligence (Hiebert, 2008; Newbigin, 1989), emotional maturity (Barton, 2006), pedagogical preparation (Banks & Ledbetter, 2004; Shaw, 2010), and the intentional groundwork of pre-evangelism (Geisler & Geisler, 2009; Andrews, 2024) all contribute to a holistic approach to ministry. These dimensions overlap and reinforce one another, forming a unified framework for shaping followers of Jesus into faithful and effective servants. The literature highlights several essential dimensions:

Spiritual formation shapes the Sower’s inner life, cultivating Christlike character, attentiveness, and moral clarity (Willard, 2002; Nouwen, 1975). Without this interior grounding, ministry risks becoming performance rather than participation in Christ’s life.

Cultural intelligence helps ministers recognize that people interpret the Gospel through the lens of their cultural stories, plausibility structures, and lived experiences. As Newbigin (1989) argues, no one hears the Gospel in a vacuum; it is always filtered through a worldview. Developing cultural intelligence enables Christians to enter another’s world with humility, discernment, and sensitivity, thereby creating space for meaningful, respectful engagement.

Emotional maturity equips ministers to engage others with presence, patience, and self‑awareness (Barton, 2006). Emotionally mature ministers can regulate their responses, listen without defensiveness, and remain grounded in compassion, even when conversations grow difficult. Barton notes that emotional maturity is essential to sustaining a non‑anxious presence — the relational stability that helps others feel safe enough to explore deeper questions of faith, doubt, and identity.

Pedagogical preparation helps Christians communicate clearly, ask thoughtful questions, and guide others through the learning process (Banks & Ledbetter, 2004; Shaw, 2010). Effective ministry requires more than good intentions; it demands the ability to teach in ways that honor how people learn. Pedagogical preparation equips ministers to structure conversations, adapt explanations to the listener’s level of understanding, and ask questions that stimulate reflection rather than shut it down. This preparation ensures that the Gospel is communicated with clarity, accessibility, and relational wisdom.

Pre-evangelism prepares the soil by addressing misconceptions, surfacing questions, and building relational bridges (Geisler & Geisler, 2009; Andrews, 2024). It recognizes that many people carry intellectual, emotional, and cultural barriers that hinder their ability to hear the Gospel clearly. By patiently uncovering these obstacles and engaging respectfully with people, ministers create space for genuine spiritual curiosity.

Formation Prepares the Sower

Dallas Willard (2002) describes spiritual formation as the inward transformation of a person into Christlikeness—a reshaping of character, desires, and habits so that one “naturally and freely does what Jesus would do.” Such a person embodies attentiveness, peace, humility, and moral clarity. These qualities make them sensitive to God’s work and able to invite others into deeper questions of meaning and truth. A transformed life becomes fertile ground for an authentic witness to flourish. Ministry flows not from pressure or performance but from a life continually shaped by the Spirit.

Formation produces the kind of person who can evangelize well because people are drawn not merely to Christian arguments but to the life of Christ as expressed in a transformed character. Willard insists that proclamation without character lacks spiritual authority, arguing that the church has too often produced “consumers of religious goods” rather than disciples whose lives embody the Gospel. For evangelism, this means that a formed life gives weight to our words, while a lack of formation can make evangelism feel hollow, manipulative, or disconnected from the very message it proclaims.

Spiritual formation also cultivates the practices that sustain evangelism over time. Willard highlights disciplines such as solitude, silence, prayer, service, confession, and embodied obedience—practices that shape a person who listens well, loves well, discerns the Spirit’s leading, and engages others with humility and patience. Smith (2009) adds that these practices shape our loves and habits, forming people whose lives bear witness to Christ not only through words but also through the desires and rhythms that animate their daily lives. These are the very qualities that make evangelism relational and Spirit-led rather than pressured, mechanical, or technique-driven.

Finally, formation aligns evangelism with the character of Christ. Willard is clear that the goal is not to “win arguments” but to become people whose lives reflect Jesus. Evangelism, then, becomes invitational, relational, patient, Spirit-guided, and rooted in love. Willard (1998) emphasizes that the work of the kingdom must be carried out in the character of the King because ministry flows from becoming the kind of person who lives and loves as Jesus did.

Why Pre‑Evangelism Matters in a Postmodern World

In a postmodern, pluralistic, and often skeptical culture, people carry complex barriers—intellectual, emotional, cultural, and spiritual—that shape their openness to the Gospel. In contemporary Western culture, many people inhabit what Smith (2009) describes as modern life, characterized by secular liturgies and formative cultural practices such as consumerism, entertainment, and digital habits that shape our desires and worldview long before we articulate our beliefs (pp. 23–26, 94–95). Taylor (2007) argues that individuals now live within an “immanent frame,” a social environment that renders transcendent claims unnecessary or implausible (pp. 539–593).

Cultural narratives about autonomy, authenticity, and self-construction further complicate openness to the Gospel, creating what Keller (2008) describes as “defeater beliefs,” assumptions that make Christianity seem automatically false before it is even considered (pp. 4–5). Additionally, sociologists observe that distrust of institutions, including the church, forms a significant barrier for many, as people often reject Christianity not because of its message but because of their experiences with Christian communities (Putnam & Campbell, 2010).

Defining Pre‑Evangelism

If evangelism is the planting of Gospel seeds, pre‑evangelism is the tilling of the soil, the work that makes the heart more willing and able to hear truth. Andrews (2024) emphasizes that pre‑evangelism does not proclaim the Gospel but prepares the way for it.

This preparation is essential because:

• Some hearts are hardened by wounds or misconceptions (Eph. 4:18)
• Some minds are shaped by distorted views of God, of self, or of truth (Jer. 17:9)
• Some people cannot understand the Gospel until foundational misunderstandings are addressed (Matt. 13:19).
• Some need to see the Gospel lived before they can hear it proclaimed (John 13:35)

Pre-evangelism honors the reality that God often tills the soil through our presence, questions, listening, and lives. To capture the depth of this work, Andrews (2024) offers a definition worth quoting at length:

Pre‑evangelism is the groundwork laid before sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ, designed to prepare individuals to receive the message of salvation. It involves clearing intellectual, emotional, and moral obstacles that might hinder a person from hearing the Gospel with an open heart. Preevangelism does not proclaim the Gospel, but it lays the foundation for evangelism. It is a critical step because, in many cases, people are not ready to hear the Gospel immediately; they must first address their misunderstandings, objections, or misconceptions (p. 20)

As Andrews (2024) notes, pre-evangelism is the work of clearing these obstacles so the seed can be heard clearly rather than confused. This work includes:

• asking thoughtful questions
• surfacing doubt
• uncovering hidden assumptions
• creating interest
• building relational bridges
• addressing misconceptions
• demonstrating the credibility of the Christian story

In many cases, we may not see immediate results. Some soil requires long-term care. Our task is to help people take one step closer to Jesus (1 Cor. 3:6) while trusting God with the timing and the harvest.

A Framework for Preparing the Sower and the Field

This book proposes a set of tools—testing, plowing, leveling, questioning, serving, sowing, and reaping—that draw on agricultural imagery, educational theory, and ministry research. These tools are not mechanical techniques but dispositions and practices that help educators discern, prepare, and cultivate the soil of the heart and mind. In this sense, the framework is designed to form both the Sower and the field, shaping the minister and the context in which ministry unfolds. This integrated framework moves from preparing the soil to harvesting the fruit, showing how formation, pre‑evangelism, and evangelism work together in the Sower’s ministry.

Theological Foundations: The Sower and the Soil

Although Jesus’ Parable of the Sower (Matt. 13:1–23; Mark 4:1–20; Luke 8:4–15) is often read primarily as a description of varied responses to the Gospel, contemporary scholarship highlights another essential dimension: the conditions into which the seed is sown. Bosch (2011) and Wright (2006) argue that effective ministry requires attentiveness to cultural, emotional, and spiritual contexts—what might be called the “soil” of human receptivity. The parable, then, is not only about the seed but also about the readiness of the ground and the Sower’s attentiveness.

Building on this insight, this book proposes a structured framework for preparing both the Sower and the field. Formation shapes the Sower into a person whose life reflects Christ’s character, while pre-evangelism prepares the soil by addressing misconceptions, surfacing questions, and cultivating openness. Evangelism then plants the seed in soil that has been thoughtfully and prayerfully prepared. Together, these dimensions form an integrated vision of ministry in which the message, the messenger, and the context are taken seriously.

Ultimately, this book argues that ministry is not a moment but a process—an unfolding work in which God invites us to participate with attentiveness, patience, and wisdom. The work of testing, plowing, leveling, sowing, and reaping reminds us that ministry is rarely instantaneous; it is cultivated over time through formation, discernment, and faithful presence. As Jesus teaches, “one sows and another reaps” (John 4:37), underscoring that no single minister completes the entire work. Our calling is to labor faithfully in the often unseen and uncelebrated tasks of preparation, trusting that God is at work long before we arrive and long after we leave. In this way, ministry becomes an act of cooperation with the Spirit—steady, humble, and rooted in hope.

In closing, ministry is more than a moment of proclamation; it is a way of being in the world. Preparing the Sower and the soil is not optional—it is essential. Jesus’ parable of the Sower reminds us that the Gospel is always good seed, but the soil’s condition determines its fruitfulness. Formation shapes the Sower into a person whose life reflects the character of Christ. Pre-evangelism prepares the soil by addressing the intellectual, emotional, and cultural barriers that shape how people hear the Gospel. Evangelism plants the seed with clarity, courage, and love. In this sense, ministry is both relational and formational. It is relational because it involves entering another’s world with humility, curiosity, and compassion. It is formational because it requires becoming the kind of person who can love, listen, discern well, and speak the truth with grace. As we move into the next chapter, we will explore the first tool in the soil-preparation framework: testing, the practice of assessing the soil’s condition before planting the seed. This tool helps us understand where a person is spiritually, emotionally, and intellectually, so we can engage them with wisdom, patience, and love.

 

 

 

Chapter 5

Preparing the Soil Through Questions

“Sometimes asking a few questions can open the door for more receptive hearts and minds.”

― Randy Newman, Questioning Evangelism: Engaging People’s Hearts the Way Jesus Did.

Why Questions Matter for Ministry

Ministry often begins not with answers but with questions. I learned this early in my teaching years abroad. During a workshop, a participant confidently claimed that a strategy I was presenting had been introduced to the world by the Prophet Muhammad. I knew the method predated him, but instead of asking a gentle question that might have fostered discovery, I nodded and moved on, missing a teaching opportunity. Jesus often responded to statements like hers with a question, not to correct but to invite reflection. A simple inquiry, such as “Are there other great teachers who might have used this approach?” could have created space for learning. That experience reminded me that questions are not only pedagogical tools; they are also ministry tools that reduce tension and invite others into the shared discovery of truth.

Good questions can reveal hidden assumptions, reduce defensiveness, and soften hearts. Therefore, I see questioning not only as soil work but also as a ministry of presence, listening deeply, and cultivating the soil in which genuine transformation can take root. With that in mind, the following discusses the ministry of asking questions and explores the specific purposes they serve in preparing the ground.

What Formational Questions Do

In ministry, questions are not merely conversational tools; they are tools for formation—gentle ways of preparing the ground for truth to take root. When asked with humility and genuine curiosity, questions invite reflection rather than debate. As Copenhaver (2014) notes, “For the most part, answers close and questions open” (p. xxiii). Downs (2009) also observes that questions turn passive listeners into active participants.

Formational questions are intentional and reflective, shaping a person’s inner life by encouraging self-examination, revealing assumptions, and creating space for the Spirit’s transforming work (Willard, 2002). They are not meant to gather information but to foster awareness. Formational questions serve a variety of purposes, each contributing to the relational work of preparing the heart’s soil.

The Ministry of Asking Questions

Like a Sower preparing the soil, ministry involves asking questions that gently loosen assumptions, reveal hidden loyalties, and encourage reflection. This layered process moves from surface engagement to deep spiritual transformation. These layers offer a helpful way to understand how questions guide a person from initial connection to deeper reflection.

Surface Layer: Questions That Build Trust

Surface questions are safe, relationship-building, and non-threatening, helping the other person relax, feel understood, and “seen” (Schein & Schein, 2021). They foster rapport and encourage people to share their stories (Cozolino, 2021). Even a simple question—asked with genuine curiosity—can guide someone toward discovery (Miller & Rollnick, 2023).

When we ask rather than tell, we uncover the stories and internal logic that shape a person’s thinking (Kegan & Lahey, 2016). Asking is the first act of spiritual hospitality—a way of saying, “I want to understand you before I speak” (Swinton, 2017). Each of these four types of Surface Layer questions plays a distinct role in preparing the soil.

Worldview Layer: Questions That Reveal Ultimate Concerns and Idols

As the conversation deepens, questions surface the underlying stories, loyalties, and assumptions that shape a person’s worldview. This is the Worldview Layer—the space where internal narratives quietly influence decisions and reactions. Sire (2009) describes these hidden assumptions as the “orientation of the heart” (p. 20), while Walsh and Middleton (1984) note that each of us lives within a worldview story that shapes our sense of meaning and truth. Thoughtful questions help bring this story to light.

At this level, questions do more than build rapport; they reveal what a person considers meaningful, trustworthy, or worth pursuing. They expose theological and philosophical commitments—what someone believes is ultimately true about God, life, and purpose (Wright, 2013). Questions such as “What does this say about who you are?” or “What do you think your purpose is in this?” invite individuals to articulate their worldview in their own words. As Newman (2023) notes, answering a question with a question “brings the questioner’s assumptions to the surface” (p. 32).

These questions also reveal the deeper attachments that lie beneath the surface. Asking what a person fears losing, what they trust to improve their life, or what they desire most brings these functional gods into focus. Smith (2009) describes these as the “habits of the heart” that quietly guide a person’s loves. Together, these worldview questions lay the foundation for deeper exploration. Guinness (2015) notes that these profound questions stem from the core of human longing and commitment. Having uncovered the stories, loyalties, and desires that shape a person’s worldview, we now turn to the deeper questions that help them reflect on what is happening within.

Deep Soil Layer: Questions That Invite Reflection

Once deeper loyalties and narratives are uncovered, questions gently guide a person toward reflection. This is the Deep Soil Layer, the place where meaning, purpose, and hope are wrestled with. Here, questions invite sincere self-examination and inner work. They help individuals face what feels hardest, recognize what drives their choices, and discern what they believe God is doing in their circumstances.

Questions about suffering and hope help people articulate their pain, longings, and the vulnerable places where trust is built. Questions about transformation heighten awareness of how God might be shaping them and prompt reflection on what they are discovering about themselves. As Nouwen (1975) reminds us, true spiritual growth begins when we dare to “enter the inner room” where fears, desires, and wounds live.

Copenhaver (2014) notes that answers tend to close a conversation, whereas questions open it, creating space for discovery. Downs (2009) observes that people grow tired of listening to others talk yet are energized by questions that invite participation. Here, meaning is formed, and truth can finally take root. Yet even at this depth, wisdom is essential. Before sowing truth, we must discern whether the heart is ready to receive it. This leads us to the final layer of questioning—the bedrock of readiness and spiritual openness.

Bedrock Layer: Where Insight Becomes Conviction

As conversations deepen, questions take on a new purpose. They no longer reveal assumptions or provoke debate; instead, they assess whether the heart is prepared to accept the truth. This is the Bedrock Layer, where motives, openness, and spiritual receptivity become clear. Willard (2002) reminds us that spiritual formation cannot be rushed; it develops as the heart becomes willing and surrendered.

Bedrock questions reveal intent and readiness. A simple inquiry, “What made you ask that?” can reveal whether someone seeks understanding, an argument, or deeper wrestling. Questions such as “Are you open to exploring this further?” or “Would you like to think about this together?” respect agency and prevent truths from being forced into unprepared soil. As Copenhaver (2014) notes, Jesus used questions to expose motives, redirect conversations, and invite self-examination.

At this stage, questions also help us recognize where the Spirit is already at work. Asking, “What do you sense God is stirring in you?” or “What feels like the next step for you?” encourages the listener to notice movements of grace in their life. Barton (2018) highlights that discernment begins with noticing the Spirit’s subtle invitations—quiet nudges that signal readiness for transformation.

Foster (1998) describes this as the moment when inner truth “takes root” and reshapes a person’s life. Bedrock questions ensure that truth takes root in soil that is gently, lovingly, and prayerfully prepared. They help us work with the Spirit’s timing, honoring both the sacredness of the moment and the dignity of the person before us. With these bedrock questions in view, we can now turn to two approaches that shape how we ask them in real ministry settings.

Two Questioning Approaches for Ministry Formation

Question Strategy One: Choose Who You Will Serve

Questions open dialogue and encourage deeper reflection (Bannisteron, 2020; Newman, 2023). One approach that raised fundamental questions for me is rooted in Joshua 24:15: “Choose this day whom you will serve.” Goudzwaard (1975) offers “three basic biblical rules which together explain man’s relation to God and to his theoretical and practical pursuits” (p. 14). This reflects a concept of idolatry. First, Goudzwaard (1984) discusses the first rule, based on Augustine’s principle of concentration: “Every man is serving god(s) in his life” (p. 14). The second rule states that “every man is transformed into an image of his god” (p. 14). Lastly, the third rule is that “mankind creates and forms a structure of society in his own image and likeness” (p. 15).

This perspective naturally raises questions such as: What are you living for? What guides your decisions? What carries the most weight in your thinking? Fox (2015) offers several helpful questions that reveal the idols of the heart.

• What do you fear losing?
• What do you trust in to make your life better?
• What are your “if onlys”?
• What controls you?
• What do you expect out of life—from yourself, others, and God?

This questioning method leads naturally into the next approach.

Question Strategy 2: Making the Strange Familiar and the Familiar Strange

During my doctoral studies, I encountered a concept from McLaren (2015) that has shaped my teaching ever since. Drawing on Novalis’s idea of “making the strange familiar and the familiar strange” (Rosen, 1998), I began applying this interpretive approach with my students from the start of my career.

One example comes from an undergraduate lesson on assessment. I ask them to imagine school without grades. After a few humorous comments, the whiteboard quickly fills with thoughtful responses: No one would know how they’re doing, I wouldn’t know where I rank, and there would be less pressure.

We then examine why these reactions occur so rapidly. It also creates space to challenge assumptions: learning for the grade, losing the love of learning, or fearing that without grades, no one would study. This approach is effective across many topics, especially those that address fundamental concerns.

Authentic Relationships and the Ethics of Questioning

It is crucial to recognize that building relationships solely to cultivate opportunities is unethical, manipulative, and contrary to ministry principles. Bonhoeffer (1954) explained that when we relate to people with an agenda, we begin to use them to serve our own goals. Root (2006) states that “A relationship designed to influence the other is not a relationship and is unworthy of Christ” (p. 269). Nouwen (1975) wrote that spiritual hospitality involves creating environments where people can encounter God, rather than designing or controlling those encounters.

The Quiet Work of Asking Well.

In closing, Oswald Chambers (1936) captures the spirit of this chapter with striking clarity:

You can never argue anyone into the Kingdom of Heaven… The only result of arguing is to prove to your own mind that you are right and the other fellow wrong. You cannot argue for truth; but immediately Incarnate Truth is presented, a want awakens in the soul which only God can meet (p. 25)

His words remind us to focus on the process of preparation—the careful, relational tending that creates space for truth to be received. We ask questions not to win debates but to ignite longing, to honor others, and to create space for the Spirit’s work.

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