Becoming a Contagious Christian

Mark Mittelberg, Lee Strobel, and Bill Hybels developed this evangelism training resource at Willow Creek Community Church and field-tested it with over 5,000 people before publishing it — that kind of real-world grounding shows. The core insight is that effective personal witness isn't one-size-fits-all: different personality types evangelize differently, and the book helps Christians identify their own style. The formula — Close Proximity + High Potency + Clear Communication — has since reached nearly one million people. One honest theological note: some critics argue the approach leans too human-centered and underemphasizes the Holy Spirit's initiating work, though the authors do address the Spirit's role in the text. Worth noting this is an adult ministry training resource, not a children's book despite its catalog classification. For evangelical churches, it remains a widely respected tool.