Why We Need a Better Starting Point

In many circles, evangelism begins with Genesis 3, with sin, brokenness, and separation from God. The approach is valid, but I would like to challenge you on the starting point for evangelism. When we open with, “You are a sinner in need of saving,” we bypass the foundational truth of Scripture’s opening movement, that we were made in the image of God, for relationship, purpose, and flourishing. For those in positions of leadership and influence, this reframed approach is not only theologically faithful, but it is strategically wise.

Genesis 1 lays the foundation for all human dignity, vocation, and calling. Before the Fall corrupted, God created. Before shame entered, there was delight. There was shalom. Before rebellion, there was blessing. “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness’… So God created man in His own image” (Genesis 1:26–27). This is not incidental. This is essential.

To lead people toward Christ, we must begin where God began, with the inherent worth of every individual as His image-bearer. This starting point reframes the gospel narrative, not to dilute it, but to deepen it. It affirms what people long to know, that they were made with intention, not accident. That their desire to build, to lead, to shape culture reflects divine design.

Paul echoed this truth in Colossians 1:16 when he wrote, “All things were created through Him and for Him.” That includes leaders, organizations, and the structures of influence we navigate on a daily basis. Genesis 1 reminds us that God delights in order, beauty, stewardship, and meaningful work. When evangelism flows from this origin, it honors God’s creative intent. It offers a more comprehensive view of redemption, one that encompasses the restoration of identity, not just the forgiveness of sin. It shows the gospel and redemptive story through you and your walk.

I’ve seen this firsthand in the world of federal contracting. People are often reduced to roles, labor categories, or billable hours. Resumes become currency, and human worth is quietly measured in utilization rates and past performance metrics. In those moments, the imago Dei is forgotten. But Genesis 1 evangelism restores a vision of people not as commodities, but as image-bearers, crafted by God for more than function, for relationship and impact. That truth reshapes not only how we share the gospel but also how we lead, staff, and serve in our daily work.

For Christian leaders, this shift matters. Many in your sphere may reject a gospel that starts with guilt. However, they may lean in if the conversation begins with a call. A message rooted in creation allows us to affirm their instincts for excellence, vision, and innovation. We meet them not as adversaries to be corrected, but as fellow image-bearers to be awakened.

This is not soft theology. It is biblical theology. Genesis 1 evangelism does not skip the cross; it simply builds the road that makes the cross intelligible. Before people can embrace Christ as Redeemer, they must first understand what they were created to be. As Tim Keller once noted, “The gospel is not just the ABCs of the Christian life but the A to Z.”

To reframe evangelism is to recover its whole narrative arc, creation, fall, redemption, and restoration. And in a time when identity is contested, creation is dismissed, and leadership often collapses under pressure, beginning with Genesis 1 might be the way we offer truth with clarity and grace.

Let us lead and speak in a way that honors the whole story. Let us begin where God did, with dignity, purpose, and the image of God stamped on every soul we meet and lead.

This article is part of the series: Evangelism Reframed.

Too often, we begin the gospel story in Genesis 3. But what if we started in Genesis 1, where God began, with identity, purpose, and calling? This series invites leaders and culture-shapers to explore evangelism through the lens of creation, image-bearing, and the redemptive story as a whole. Each post is crafted to stir reflection and equip you to lead others toward Christ with theological depth and strategic wisdom.

Series Overview:

• Article 1: Why We Need a Better Starting Point
  Reframing evangelism through the lens of creation, not just sin, for a more faithful and strategic gospel witness.
• Article 2: Made in His Image: Identity, Dignity, and Design
  What it means to be made in the image of God and how that shapes leadership, purpose, and gospel conversations.
• Article 3: The Goodness of Work Before the Fall
  Exploring vocation as a sacred partnership with God and how Genesis affirms work as originally good.
• Article 4: When the Design Fractures
  Sin distorted the original design, but the image of God remains. How to walk with others through brokenness toward hope.
• Article 5: Bringing the Genesis 1 Evangelism to Work
  Practical ways to lead with grace and speak the gospel without Christianese in boardrooms, breakrooms, and beyond.

Let this series ground you in the whole story of Scripture – creation, fall, redemption, and restoration – so you can share a gospel that meets people where they are and leads them to where God is calling them.