Now, Palau has written a book on evangelism with co-author Timothy Robnett in Telling the Story. The book is a primer on understanding both the ministry of evangelism and the role of evangelist. It is geared for those trying to obtain a biblical grasp on the topic for the 21st century. Ultimately, Palau says it needs to start by defining both the interior and exterior calling and moving forward from the local church.

Recently, Palau made some time to answer questions on his motivations for writing the book and how the church can return to its evangelistic roots.

Ministry Today: Your new book, Telling the Story, attempts to redefine evangelism for a new generation. What do you think is the primary misunderstanding about evangelism today?

PALAU: Our definition of evangelism has always been a biblical one. It centers on the person and work of Jesus Christ�He is the good news. It's a message of hope about a relationship that connects people with a saving God who has done for them what they can't do for themselves. A true evangelist preaches Jesus Christ.

It's common today to focus on good deeds�to believe that helping the poor or healing the sick is the gospel, when those deeds are really a result of the gospel. Prayer, though vitally important, is also not evangelism. Paul described the message of the gospel in 1 Corinthians 15: Christ died for our sins, was buried and was raised on the third day. That is the evangelist's singular message.

Ministry Today: You spend significant time defining the interior life of the evangelist, as opposed to other books that specifically focus on the exterior workings. Is there not enough emphasis on that interior life?

PALAU: Absolutely! It's a major reason this book was written. The integrity and holiness of the evangelist is vital to the proclamation of the message. Recent history demonstrates that a believer�even one in a position of leadership and trust�can fall to temptation.

A successful evangelistic ministry begins with our personal lives as evangelists. We must have a transparent conscience with no unresolved conflicts or skeletons in the closet. Truthfulness has to be at the heart of our words and our writings. We must train ourselves to always give all the glory to God.

Ministry Today: How do you see evangelistic methods changing in the next decade or so of ministry?

PALAU: The methods should always be adapted to the culture and the times. We don't know what the future holds, but we believe that biblical evangelists in those times will discover ways of making the good news clear.

Just a few years ago, the concept of our festivals�rock bands, skateboarders, flying motorcycles�would have been too wild for most of us to grasp. Still, when I share the gospel now at these events, it's just me and a microphone and my Bible. The key is always going to be the messengers and the message�not the methods.

Ministry Today: In your book you seek to redefine roles for the evangelist to fit within the 21st-century church or ministry organization. Do you think the church still holds to outdated models?

PALAU: Models and roles will change. Churches at any given point in history are at various stages of growth as well as using various methods of ministry. Evangelists are Christ's gift�typically they are the ones who bring new roles, titles and methods of evangelism to the church.

When we bring a festival to a city, our first step is to reach out to the church community. Two of our festival-driven projects, friendship- evangelism training and counselor training, are designed to bring new information and, hopefully, new enthusiasm for evangelism to congregations of many denominations.

Ministry Today: What are the biggest dangers ahead for the church regarding the work of evangelism?

PALAU: I see three major dangers always facing the church when proclaiming the good news. The first danger is the idea that evangelism is left only to called evangelists. Every member of the body of Christ is called to be an active witness of the good news.

The second danger is that the church will fail to acknowledge the importance of evangelists and evangelism. When that happens, a ministry is created that focuses on methods and programs rather than equipping the congregation to pursue the Great Commission one evangelist at a time.

The third danger is that evangelism will be tied only to certain methodologies that may become outdated. When the methods become outdated, there's the danger that evangelism itself may be perceived in that way.

Ministry Today: So, are churches imbalanced in their approach to evangelism?

PALAU: The issue is not balance but fruitfulness and faithfulness. Some of the most evangelistic churches we encounter around the country are those that might seem imbalanced at first glance, but if the emphasis is on outreach, those churches almost always are flourishing.

Ministry Today: How does the church stay balanced?

PALAU: God has given evangelists to the church to prepare them for the work of evangelism. Congregations and their leaders must empower those people in positions of leadership. The call to join in winning the lost to Christ must come from the pulpit and from the church's lay leaders.