Donald McGavran (evangelist and missiologist)

Donald McGavran was a pioneering evangelist and missiologist who studied how effective Christian outreach can be within different cultures. He believed that understanding social and cultural groupings, like families or communities, is key to spreading Christianity successfully. His main idea was that people tend to respond best to faith when it aligns with their existing social bonds, so church growth often occurs most rapidly when efforts focus on these close-knit groups. McGavran’s work has influenced modern missionary strategies by emphasizing culturally sensitive approaches that respect local social structures while sharing the Christian message.