Pastor Miles McPherson believes sharing the gospel doesn't have to be complicated. Sometimes, it starts with just one person.
The senior pastor of Rock Church in San Diego and founder of the evangelism movement Just 1 is challenging Christians to step beyond the walls of their churches and share the hope of Jesus with the people around them.
Through Just 1, McPherson hopes to equip believers with a simple, practical way to share the gospel using their personal stories. His goal is to help Christians overcome the fear of rejection, recognize their responsibility to evangelize and understand how God can use their testimonies to reach others.
“I think the most important message in the history of the universe and creation is that Jesus died and rose from the dead for our sin,” McPherson said. “And we need to leverage the body of Christ that has a responsibility to share that gospel.”
(We invite you to listen to the edited conversation between Jalon Caldwell and Pastor Terry Wayne Brooks in the podcast below).
Turning personal stories into opportunities to share the gospel
McPherson said the heart behind Just 1 isn't necessarily about reaching a specific number of people. Rather, it's about encouraging more Christians to become comfortable sharing their faith.
The movement provides believers with a straightforward format for sharing what God has done in their lives, connecting that experience to the message of Jesus and offering others an opportunity to accept Christ.
McPherson believes personal testimonies are particularly powerful because they give people an opportunity to hear how faith has made a difference in someone's life.
“No one can deny your story,” he said. “I've been sharing my story, my testimony for 42 years. I've never had one person tell me I wasn't telling the truth, even challenge it.”
He explained that a personal testimony can open the door to a deeper conversation about the gospel without requiring someone to have an answer to every theological question.
For McPherson, the approach is about making evangelism accessible to everyday believers, not just pastors or people who feel particularly gifted at sharing their faith.
Thousands unite for evangelism in San Diego
That vision was on display during Just 1 San Diego, an event that brought together more than 3,200 people representing 42 churches and 23 cities.
While McPherson was encouraged by the size of the gathering, he said the most meaningful moments came from watching attendees put what they learned into practice.
Participants received instruction on how to share their testimonies and present the gospel in a simple, conversational format. Some even practiced delivering their stories and leading others through a prayer of salvation shortly after receiving the training.
McPherson recalled inviting young attendees to practice by leading him through a salvation prayer in front of the entire gathering.
“What was most important to me and emotional was seeing them practice sharing their testimony, practice sharing the gospel, and practice leading someone to the Lord in a salvation prayer,” he said.
He emphasized that the process is designed to be simple enough for anyone to learn, including those who might otherwise feel intimidated by evangelism.
“Our job is to declare the truth and the Holy Spirit does the job,” McPherson said. “So this is a very conversational way to share the gospel through your testimony.”
The event's impact also extended beyond the gathering itself. McPherson said more than 1,000 attendees subsequently posted their gospel stories online, generating an estimated reach of 83 million across platforms.
He also reported approximately 1.8 million views and more than 500 salvations associated with the online effort during its initial days.
For McPherson, those numbers represent something much bigger than social media engagement. They demonstrate what can happen when ordinary believers recognize the influence of their own stories.
Overcoming the fear of sharing faith
Despite wanting to share their beliefs, many Christians hesitate because they fear rejection, confrontation or being unable to answer difficult questions.
McPherson said those concerns can become obstacles that prevent believers from fulfilling what he sees as their biblical responsibility.
He believes Christians sometimes underestimate the spiritual opposition surrounding evangelism and allow the possibility of an uncomfortable conversation to keep them silent.
“The devil would love for you just to go to church, worship, read your Bible, just don't talk about Jesus,” McPherson said. “He's good with all those other things as long as you stay to yourself.”
However, he encouraged Christians to recognize that sharing the gospel doesn't require having an answer for every question someone might ask.
“You don't have to have an answer for every question. You just have to have a response,” he said.
If someone asks a question they cannot answer, McPherson said, it's perfectly acceptable to admit they don't know. What matters is being able to explain what God has done in their lives and communicate the message of what Jesus has done for humanity.
He also pointed to the growing emphasis on authenticity among younger generations, arguing that a person's relationship with Christ is an important part of their authentic story.
“The most authentic thing about you is what Jesus is doing in your life,” he said.
Taking the gospel beyond church walls
As the leader of Rock Church, McPherson has emphasized the importance of putting faith into action throughout the community.
He believes the church was never intended to exist solely for the benefit of the people who attend its services. Instead, its purpose is to reach those who have not yet experienced a relationship with Jesus.
To illustrate that point, McPherson compared Sunday church services to a football team's huddle.
“When you go to a football game and you see a huddle, the reason you have a huddle is so they can call it the play, but nobody goes to the game to see the huddle,” he said. “We go to see the play that comes out of the huddle.”
In the same way, he believes Sunday gatherings should prepare Christians for the work they are called to do throughout the rest of the week.
“Sunday is our huddle. That's not the play,” McPherson said. “The play is when we take the gospel to the world.”
He added that the church's mission is rooted in God's desire to bring people from every nation into a relationship with Him.
For McPherson, that means believers should not view church attendance as the finish line of their faith. Instead, they should see it as preparation for serving others and sharing the love of Christ wherever they go.
A challenge to reach just one person
For Christians wondering where to begin, McPherson offered a simple challenge: identify one person in their lives who needs to hear about Jesus and begin praying for them.
Referencing Luke 15:7, which describes the joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, he encouraged believers to develop a genuine concern for those who have not yet come to faith.
“Choose one person in your life that you know needs Christ in your life and start praying for them,” he said. “Ask God to break your heart for them like His heart is broken for them.”
As the conversation came to a close, McPherson offered a sobering challenge to Christians who may be content keeping their faith to themselves.
He asked listeners to imagine entering heaven and encountering people from their lives who never came to know Christ, people who might wonder why they were never told about the gospel.
It was an intentionally uncomfortable illustration, but McPherson said he wanted believers to recognize the seriousness of their responsibility to share their faith.
“Jesus didn't save you for you,” he said. “He didn't choose the church for the church. He sends us out.”
Ultimately, McPherson believes evangelism is not a responsibility reserved for pastors, missionaries or church leaders. Every Christian has a role to play in making the message of Jesus known.
“Take that very personally, that you have a responsibility to embody the gospel and to share the gospel and bring the glory of God, the forgiveness of God, the redemption, the love of God to the world,” he said. “That is why you are here and don't miss out.”
For McPherson, the challenge is straightforward: start praying, learn to share your story and take the opportunity to reach the person God has placed in your life.
Because sometimes, making an eternal difference begins with just one.
