Episode 16: Evangelism Isn’t an Event - It’s Everyday Life (w/ Ronnie Goble and Alfonso Mack)
For Ronnie Gobel and Alfonso Mack, evangelism isn’t just an idea—it’s a shared life. These two have been walking with Jesus side by side since their college football days at Bowling Green State University. Today, they serve together at Rooted Church, a gospel-centered, spirit-dependent church plant in southeast Michigan seeking to reach the Woodward corridor of Metro Detroit.
Rooted is young, just over a year old, but it’s already marked by the kind of evangelism that flows not from big events, but from people being faithful in the everyday.
"We don’t grow the church by relying on Ronnie or Alfonso, we grow by helping our people see the everyday ways they can share Jesus."
From Wings to Witness
Their friendship began at a Buffalo Wild Wings during training camp. Alfonso was having a heated phone call when Ronnie, sitting nearby with a teammate, waved him over. That casual moment sparked a friendship—and ultimately, a conversion.
Soon, Ronnie invited Alfonso to H2O Church and FCA. Both men came to Christ through that ministry, and both were shaped by its unique blend of gospel teaching and deep-rooted community on campus.
That’s why, when they planted Rooted Church years later, their vision was clear: reach people with the gospel through the ordinary rhythms of church and life.
Rooted in a Region of Need
The Woodward corridor, a cluster of cities just north of Detroit, represents a diverse and spiritually hungry population. Young adults, immigrants, post-church millennials, and cultural Christians all live side by side. Ronnie, who grew up nearby, returned to plant a church not for a trend, but for transformation.
The church’s name, Rooted, and even its logo (crafted by local artist Dion Mixon), reflect their desire to see people firmly grounded in Christ in a place with spiritual shallowness and church fatigue.
“We’re in a spot where people are spiritually curious but disconnected. There’s hunger, but also hurt. We’re here for both.”
Evangelism Without Events
Since day one, Rooted Church hasn’t hosted a single outreach event. Instead, they’ve equipped their members to live missionally wherever they go.
They call it RTG, Rattle the Gates, based on Jesus’ words in Matthew 16. If you share the gospel, invite someone into community, or initiate a spiritual conversation, you’ve had an RTG moment. Members post them in a shared group chat, celebrating and praying over what God is doing.
“It’s given people an imagination for what evangelism looks like in their real lives.”
From neighborhood trash runs to gym conversations to gospel chats in barbershops, Rooted is showing that evangelism doesn’t require a microphone, just intention, humility, and obedience.
From Stranger to Sister
One of Rooted’s most compelling stories began at a Panera Bread. A barista named Michelle, new in faith and displaced from church, noticed the group studying the Bible every Friday morning. She started lingering, asking questions. Eventually, someone invited her to church.
But she had no car. So another couple, who had just joined Rooted themselves, stepped in to drive her every week. Weeks later, all three of them were baptized and joined the church together.
“None of that was a program. It was all prayer and people. God just brought it together.”
Spiritual Openness, Real Discipleship
Ronnie and Alfonso both emphasize how spiritually open their region is and how different that is from their past ministry contexts. Metro Detroit isn’t resistant, it’s fragmented. You’ll find everything from New Age seekers to generational Jehovah’s Witnesses to progressive churches flying rainbow flags.
Their answer isn’t more arguments. It’s relational, Spirit-led discipleship. It’s prayer. It’s showing people that Jesus isn’t a vague spiritual concept, he’s a real person worth following with your whole life.
And that’s why evangelism at Rooted always leads to the church. They don’t just want professions. They want people planted, in Scripture, in community, in mission.
“We’ve had to help people see that joining Jesus means joining his people. The local church isn’t optional. It’s part of the gospel response.”
Prayer Is the Strategy
Rooted’s evangelism isn’t built on clever branding. It’s built on prayer. Their core value of “Spirit-dependence” drives everything. Team prayer before work. Prayers for the campus. Prayer walks in the neighborhood. And it’s working.
“We prayed for someone in Oak Park who needed community and met a girl working at Panera who lived in Oak Park. She’s part of the church now.”
They also echo the old “Pray for BOB” acronym: Burden, Opportunity, Boldness. Prayer is how they stay dependent, and prayer is what breaks open hearts.
Doubt, Lament, and Digital Spaces
Their posture with seekers is shaped by tenderness. Whether someone is spiritually wounded, casually Christian, or curious but cautious, Rooted seeks to make space. They don’t dilute the gospel, but they do create room for doubts, deconstruction, and grief.
Alfonso, especially, talked about lament as a part of evangelism: grieving the sin that traps people, the lies they’ve believed, and the pain they’ve walked through. And they both see digital presence (especially through GroupMe, Bible apps, and even location-based Google searches) as part of the mission field.
Make Disciples or Die Trying
Rooted’s unofficial slogan, borrowed from 50 Cent, is as gritty as it is sincere. Make Disciples or Die Trying.
“It’s not about building a brand. It’s about building a people who are rooted in the gospel and pursuing the renewal of our city.”
Their hope isn’t flashy growth. It’s faithful presence. A witness not only in word, but in life. A church made of people who walk slowly, love boldly, speak clearly, and follow Jesus visibly.
“Don’t say no for people. Most are more open than you think. Start the conversation. Invite them in.”
Final Word from Ronnie and Alfonso
“Evangelism is a team sport. You don’t have to be a superstar, just be faithful, and don’t go alone.”
Resources Mentioned
The Life We’re Looking For by Andy Crouch
The Relational Soul by Richard Plass and James Cofield
Rooted Church: RootedDetroit.org
Scripture Anchors
Matthew 5 (Let your light shine)
Matthew 16 (Gates of hell will not prevail)
Acts 2–3 (Gospel to belief to church)
Hebrews 12:1–2
Philippians 1:21
Practices to Try
Start an RTG (Rattle the Gates) thread for your team or church
Host a weekly Bible study in a public place
Share a meal and spiritual conversation in your home
Pair up, evangelism is better with a friend
Keep Going
Make disciples or die trying
