Uber evangelism

Scott Ridout

Former Converge President

Point Magazine // January 2020

In recent months I have found myself constantly in planes, trains and automobiles. I love my job, but it requires my presence in many different places all the time. Travel disrupts the rhythms in many people’s lives. But it is such a constant in my routine that I have learned to embrace this new normal and look for ways to take advantage of it.

My favorite new discipline is Uber. I know Uber doesn’t sound like a discipline, so let me explain. I am deeply committed to our 10-year vision to see Each One Reach One. I am consistently praying every person in our movement will have the privilege of leading someone to Christ in this season.

Personally, I am making every effort in my neighborhood, but I also have found it very easy to strike up conversations with Uber drivers. Uber even makes it easy. Did you know that just like you rate the drivers, they rate you on your interactions with them? They do! Uber encourages you to have conversations. So why not talk about Jesus?

As he did his best to win me over to his view of God, I thought, Oh, I wish I knew more Christians as convinced, passionate, knowledgeable and intentional in sharing their faith as Fitah.

In my experiences over the past few weeks, I have met many drivers from around the world — Mauritania, Somalia, Ethiopia, Colombia, Palestine, Brazil and Honduras, to name a few. Fitah came from Somalia 13 years ago as a teenager. Now in his late 20s, he is close to finishing up his college degree in engineering.

It didn’t take long for me to realize that Fitah is a man of great faith. I was deeply impressed that on our 30-minute commute, we went back and forth sharing verses and talking about our worship and evangelism experiences. Fitah is bright, smart, winsome ... and Muslim. As he did his best to win me over to his view of God, I thought, Oh, I wish I knew more Christians as convinced, passionate, knowledgeable and intentional in sharing their faith as Fitah.

Friends, we are not the only ones doing evangelism. Other people of faith, such as Fitah, are just as convinced as we are. But they lack one thing: the true gospel.

Let’s be intentional in sharing the gospel so that more people can meet, know and follow Jesus.


Scott Ridout, Former Converge President

Scott served as president of Converge from November 2014 through August 2022. Prior to that he was the director of generosity for Converge from 2007-2014, concurrently with his time pastoring at Sun Valley in Gilbert, Arizona, for 22 years. He serves on the boards of Axelerate, Bethel University and The Timothy Initiative. Scott also serves the Finish the Task initiative working with denominations worldwide. He and his wife, Lisa, have been married since 1988 and have three adult children, Jon, Ashlyn and David. He loves God, the local church and simply wants to help people meet, know and follow Jesus.

Additional articles by Scott Ridout