“Chris Parsons has led more people to Jesus than I will ever know over the last two years," says Rosario Pardo, pastor of Mosaic Church where Chris is a member.

This year, West Ohio presented the Denman Award to Chris Parsons, laity, from the Miami Valley District on Friday, June 2 during Annual Conference.

The Harry Denman Evangelism Award honors United Methodists in each annual conference whose exceptional ministry of evangelism brings people into a life-transforming relationship with Jesus Christ. Wesleyan evangelism combines the works of loving kindness with the sharing of God’s love for all people.

As a teenager, Chris started using drugs and alcohol to cope with a difficult home life. Later in life, addiction left Chris without a home, as he bounced between prison and homeless shelters. When he finally got clean, his case manager helped him secure a job and then his own apartment. Now, Chris volunteers at Mosaic Church in Dayton with their Fighting Chance Recovery ministry.

Rosario Picardo, the pastor at Mosaic Church, says this about Chris:

“Chris is involved in friendship evangelism with those he meets on the street who are drug-addicted and homeless. Chris shares his story of sobriety and what Jesus can do in their lives. Chris' innovative ways are telling the ‘old story’ in new ways through his testimony and acts of mercy. Those with whom Chris shares are forever impacted. Chris yields more people to profess Jesus and go into drug treatment than anyone I have ever met. In his short time of evangelism, Chris is making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. I have never met anyone who is more fruitful in their evangelism quest. It is quite remarkable, and Chris is fully living into his calling as a Jesus-follower.”