Transform fear into confidence and awkwardness into authentic connection with this groundbreaking guide to meaningful faith conversations.

Are you watching your church community shrink while it seems like everyone around you is feeling increasingly uncomfortable talking about faith? You're not alone. New research reveals that Christians today are significantly less engaged in spiritual conversations than we were 25 years ago, leaving many pastors and spiritual leaders searching for answers.

Don Everts understands this struggle personally. As a self-proclaimed reluctant witness, he once believed spiritual conversations were destined to be painful and awkward. But after falling into one spiritual conversation after another, he was surprised to discover that they don't have to be.

What you'll find in The Reluctant Witness:



- Original research from the Barna Group and Lutheran Hour Ministries on spiritual conversations in the digital age.

- Rich Scriptural insights that ground these conversations in God's Word.

- Best practices and habits learned from those who are eager to share their faith.

- Fresh, hopeful insights and best practices for fruitful everyday conversations.



Unpacking what God's Word says about spiritual conversations and digging into the habits of eager conversationalists, Everts describes what we can learn from Christians who are still talking about their faith. He uncovers what Scripture and cutting-edge research both confirm: spiritual conversations can actually be a source of joy and connection.

Perfect for pastors, small group leaders, youth ministers, and anyone working with Christians who feel ill-equipped to share their faith, this book transforms reluctance into readiness for authentic witness. Whether you're leading a congregation, discipling individuals, or supporting young adults in their faith journey, The Reluctant Witness provides the encouragement and practical guidance needed to rediscover the delight of spiritual conversations.



Don Everts is the senior pastor at First and Calvary Presbyterian Church in Springfield, Missouri, and has been serving in ministry for over thirty years—on campus with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and in the local church with the Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians. He is also an award-winning author who has published over twenty books including Jesus with Dirty Feet, I Once Was Lost, and The Spiritually Vibrant Home. An avid reader, frequenter of rocking chairs, and amateur chicken farmer, Don and his wife, Wendy, have three adult children and live in a home solidly built in 1887.



Foreword by Roxanne Stone

Introduction: Are My Feet Beautiful?

1. Reluctant Conversationalists

2. Why We Stopped Talking

3. Delightful Conversations

4. Eager Conversationalists

5. Everyday Conversations

Conclusion: Back on the Bus

Acknowledgments

Appendix A: Research Partners

Appendix B: Research Methodology

Appendix C: Definitions

Notes