Dr. Desmond Henry
International Director of Global Network of Evangelists with Luis Palau Association
Johannesburg, South Africa
What has implementing Gospel Advancing done for you and your ministry?
Implementing a Gospel Advancing culture has brought intentionality, innovation, and accountability to our work globally. Within the Global Network of Evangelists (GNE), we’ve sought to embed evangelism into the DNA of everything we do—not as simply a one-off event, but as a lifestyle and culture—because sharing the Gospel is the most loving thing we can do.
A tangible example of the impact Gospel Advancing has had on me personally is how we’ve integrated youth leader training and missional activation into our festival strategy. For instance, during the Love Zimbabwe campaign, we launched Simuka (“rise up” in Shona), a grassroots initiative equipping youth leaders to train their students to reach their peers in schools, campuses, and communities with the Gospel. It’s been incredible to watch youth not only participate in outreach but actually lead one. It’s great to see them taking ownership of the mission in their context.
The Gospel Advancing philosophy has sharpened our focus:
- Equipping must lead to activation.
- Evangelism must lead to discipleship
- Discipleship must include evangelism.
- Movements must be measurable—not for pride, but for stewardship.
Gospel Advancing has helped us turn our passion into process, and vision into verifiable outcomes—while still relying fully on the power of the Holy Spirit.
If you could describe your ministry in three words, what would they be, and why?
Identify. Equip. Mobilize.
These three words summarize the mission of GNE and our heart for evangelists everywhere.
- Identify: finding and affirming evangelists whom God is already using in hidden and unexpected places.
- Equip: providing training, mentoring, and theological depth that builds both skill and character.
- Mobilize: launching evangelists into collaborative city and national movements that sustain Gospel momentum.
I often say:
God has wired you for the world He’s calling you to reach.
Innovation begins when evangelists embrace how God uniquely designed them. Whether they’re creatives, preachers, digital communicators, or grassroots organizers, they can use their unique gifts for His mission.
3 practical tips for equipping and supporting evangelists
- Don’t just equip; invite, model, and evaluate.
Evangelism training must go beyond theory. Model personal evangelism. Also, encourage everyone to share the Gospel within 48 hours of training, while their passion and confidence are still fresh. Then regroup to celebrate stories and reflect.
Training without activation fades, but modeling turns it into movement.
- Train; then mobilize in teams.
God is a Triune community on a mission. How then could we possibly not expect to work in community? Evangelism is a team sport. Pair experienced evangelists with emerging ones, and send them out in small, mission-ready teams. Teams create accountability, courage, and shared learning. This is how momentum spreads through movements like Simuka in Zimbabwe.
- Keep evaluation simple but sacred.
After any outreach or campaign, always ask:
- Who was reached?
- Who was discipled?
- Who was empowered to go next?
Measuring what matters—both quantitatively and spiritually—causes us to remain faithful stewards of the mission God has entrusted to us.
