If you have not had a chance to obtain a copy of Alvin Reid’s book Evangelism Handbook: Biblical, Spiritual, Intentional, Missional, just published by B&H a few months ago, you need to get a copy of it! For several years, I required one of his previous books, Introduction to Evangelism, as a text book for my students. So, I was delighted to hear that he was publishing Evangelism Handbook, building off of this previous work. 
Alvin not only has a groovy web site that you will want to check out, but also a plethora of other books: The Convergent Church: Missional Worship in an Emerging Culture (with Mark Liederbach), Join the Movement: God Is Calling You to Change the World, Raising the Bar: Ministry to Youth in the New Millennium, Radically Unchurched: Who They Are and How to Reach Them, Light the Fire: Raising Up a Generation to Live Radically for Jesus, Introduction to Evangelism, Firefall: How God Has Shaped History Through Revivals (with Malcolm McDow), Evangelism for a Changing World (co-editor with Timothy Beougher), and Revival (co-editor with John Avant, Malcolm McDow).
When he is not writing like a madman, speaking and preaching across the world, handling his collection of pet snakes, or tweeting like it is going out of style, he does have a day job. Alvin serves as Professor of Evangelism and Student Ministry at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina, where he has been since 1995. He is also serves as the founding Bailey Smith Chair of Evangelism.
I’m very thankful for this brother and asked him to share with you about Evangelism Handbook.
Thanks brother for spending time on the blog today. Can you tell us a little about your book?
The Evangelism Handbook: Biblical, Spiritual, Intentional, Missional represents my effort to provide a comprehensive resource on the gospel and our sharing of it that connects both the timeless truth of Scripture and our rapidly changing world. You can see that in the subtitle: it is Biblical, founded on the mission of God in Scripture; it is Spiritual, focused more on what God can do than our techniques; it is Intentional, i.e. it does not take away the call to be advancing the gospel personally and corporately, locally and globally; it is Missional in that it seeks to move the church in the West from the mire of institutionalism to a missionary force in our increasingly gospel-ignorant world.
So, why did you write this book? 
The book actually serves as a dramatic rewrite and significant expansion of my Introduction to Evangelism, which has been used in seminaries and colleges around the world for over a decade now. Perhaps 50% is the same, but many new chapters and dramatically rewritten chapters makes this essentially a new book. So much new material, from a stronger section on what the gospel is, to a much stronger focus on reaching cities, on church planting, and on reaching the next generation, hopefully make it an effective resource for our time.
What makes this book different from others on evangelism?
Most books on evangelism are either methodologically driven, or focus on one aspect of the evangelistic task, or are reactionary to contemporary approaches. This is more comprehensive. I hope a busy pastor can open it, read the chapter on church planting, and from that be able to teach his people some basics on CP. Same with the cities, reaching families, the work of the Holy Spirit, etc. I hope each chapter at some level can be an introduction on the given subject.
You mention church planting. Why is this book important for church planters?
Church planting has so much to do with the DNA one develops early in the church’s existence. While this book can give some helpful information for the church planter (including an article by Ed Stetzer on Best Practices in Church Planting), I think it can be particularly helpful as the planter seeks to establish a gospel-centered, missional culture in his young church.
Why did you include several chapters on the history of evangelism?
My background is history, particularly the great awakenings. I have a strong conviction that Christianity in its essence is a movement to be advanced, not an institution to be maintained. History from Acts until today shows that reality well. Just this week I spoke from these chapters. More than one student contacted me after class telling me how the material brought great conviction to their lives. There is something stirring and hopeful about reading how God has moved in the past. He can still do this today!
I know you have a heart for church revitalization. How can older churches that have become stagnant become revitalized?
I honestly wrote this book with those churches in mind. I have preached in over 1700 Southern Baptist churches and many others as well. Most are in need of revitalization. So I would hope the principles here would help. In a nutshell I would say it takes a change in culture, not a new method or tool. It takes the intervention of the Spirit through fervent prayer. It takes a courageous leader who loves his people and is in it for the long haul, who faithfully teaches the mission of God from the Word of God, and who lives what he teaches. Hopefully, the things I have written in the book would encourage and equip leaders in this task.
Outstanding! Again, thanks brother for sharing with us today!
