The Office of the Evangelist in a Digital Age
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Episode 15 · 1 hr 9 min
York Moore never expected to work in campus ministry. In 1987 he started college as a committed atheist, asking whether life could mean anything without God and what the point was if there was no soul or eternity. The answer came during a moment of desperation. On Christmas Day in 1989, during a suicide attempt, York encountered Jesus in a way he describes as miraculous, and his life changed.
Since then, York has spent over three decades preaching the gospel to students, strategizing for national evangelism movements, innovating at the intersection of justice and proclamation, and relentlessly calling the church to action.
Today he is President and CEO of the Coalition for Christian Outreach and a co-founder of the Every Campus Coalition. He is also a revivalist, an abolitionist and a TikTok evangelist, and he is convinced that the gospel is the most important news there is.
"Evangelism isn’t a strategy. It’s a transformative dynamism—God’s solution to every human and cosmic need."
Evangelism + Justice: The Both/And Gospel
In 2000, York had what he calls a second conversion, this time to the cause of justice. At Urbana he first heard about human trafficking from Gary Haugen, and it changed the direction of his life.
"Everything from this moment forward is going to change."
It did. Over the next 15 years York launched anti-trafficking campaigns on college campuses and in major cities, bringing together churches, businesses, lawyers, medical workers and students to fight slavery and proclaim Jesus.
He calls this approach transformative dynamism: preaching the gospel together with visible acts of power, conviction and justice, so that each strengthens the other.
"True gospel witness always includes words. But it never stops there. It comes in power, in the Spirit, and with lives of deep conviction."
What is an Evangelist, Really?
York holds the office of evangelist, one of the five gifts listed in Ephesians 4 that God gives the Church to equip and mature the body.
"An evangelist isn’t just someone who proclaims. She equips the church to carry the gospel."
He shares how early in his career, two moments confirmed that call: one at a Willow Creek Evangelism Conference, where Bill Hybels identified those uniquely wired for evangelism, and another in Atlanta where a Church of God in Christ elder prayed over him. From that moment on, the faucet of evangelistic fruit turned from a trickle to a flood.
Still, he’s quick to remind others: Everyone is called to do the work of evangelism.
"Desire is the starting place. If you want to be used, ask. Be curious. Be willing. God loves to give good gifts to his kids."
Reaching Gen Z: The Time is Now
York has tracked data on Gen Z for years. He sees this generation as a huge opportunity instead of a lost cause.
The largest and most unchurched generation in American history
84% are open to spiritual conversations
They want conviction more than nuance
"They don’t need another program. They need people of bold conviction, led by the Spirit, speaking the truth of Jesus with love and clarity."
He sees signs of revival across the country: 200 students coming to Christ in one place, 1,000 baptized in another. He says the church has to be ready to go to them as well as to receive them.
His advice: get curious. Get innovative. And for heaven’s sake, stop thinking digital and physical are separate.
"It’s all real life. The Church must become figital—both physical and digital—if we want to reach the next generation."
TikTok, AI, and the Future of Evangelism
During the pandemic York took to TikTok, gained more than 700,000 followers and reached millions with short gospel messages, calls to repentance and prayer.
"People were laying hands on their phones and experiencing the presence of God. Why wouldn’t he move in that space?"
He isn't starry-eyed about technology, but he sees opportunities like these:
AI-led discipleship cohorts
TikTok as a mission field
Zoom-based pre-college Bible studies
And yes, AI personas based on his own preaching and writing that can continue evangelizing around the clock.
"If Billy Graham had radio and TV, we have something 10x more powerful. Why wouldn’t we use it?"
The Gospel, Yesterday, Today, and Forever
At the heart of it all, York still gets on his knees every morning. Not to make content. Not to run a campaign. But to sit with Jesus, the one who still surprises him with grace.
"I should be better by now. But he still meets me. Loves me. Uses me."
His favorite verse? Revelation 11:15:
“The kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.”
That’s the endgame. That’s where all this is going. And until then, York will keep proclaiming Jesus with joy, boldness, and imagination.
What He’d Tell You
For students, pastors, new staff and anyone wondering whether they are called to evangelism, York has this advice:
Desire it. Ask for it. Develop it.
Your gift needs hours. Work at it like a craft.
Stay rooted in the Word. But take risks.
Be curious, be available, and be willing to throw your net on the other side.
"The gospel is for everything. And it’s for today. Let’s live like we believe that."
Resources & Links
Books by York Moore: Making All Things New, Growing Your Faith by Giving It Away, and more
Website: TellTheStory.net
TikTok Evangelism: @yorkmoore
EveryCampus Coalition: everycampus.com
Recent favorite read: All In Good Fun by Jaclyn S. Parrish
His final word:
“The good news is still good news. Not just for the lost, but for every moment, every day, for the rest of our lives.”
Guests & resources
Meet the guest
- York Moore
Official website