Knowing how to share the gospel is one of the most important aspects of the Christian faith. Walking as a Christian means constantly discovering more and more of the love of God, and sharing that love with the world. Mark 16:15 says, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”
For many of us, the thought of this can be intimidating, especially when it means sharing the gospel with someone you do not know. We may dismiss talking about our faith because we worry we aren’t good at evangelism. However, we’re here to tell you today that it doesn’t have to be scary or hard, and as Christians, we are all called to share our faith! Here are easy tips to share the gospel with anyone.
Why do we share the Gospel?
The first step to share your faith is to understand why it is that we share it. So, why do we share the gospel? We don’t share the gospel to prove a point or to be right. We don’t do it to get brownie points in heaven or to prove we are spiritual. However, we do share the gospel with people because we love them. Why? Because Jesus loves them, and we are partners with Him! This is key. We never want to communicate fear or anger; instead, we want to communicate love. This means we must ask God for his heart for the lost.
His love for them compelled him to lay down his life in order to bring them home. The Word says in John 15:13, “greater love has no one than this- that someone lay down his life for his friends.” We must understand the love God has shown us and those around us, and when we do, it becomes the cry of our heart that others would know it too. It isn’t that we want to shove a religion down people’s throats, it’s that our lives have been radically changed, and we know it is possible for others to experience this, too.
Who do we share the Gospel with?
There are so many people we encounter on a day to day basis; how do we know who to share our faith with? Often God will “highlight” people to us. In other words, He will put it on our hearts to go talk to someone. He might give us a specific word to talk to a specific person. However, this isn’t necessary. As our base director, Jachin, always says, “You don’t need a Word of the Lord to share the gospel.”
“He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.‘” Mark 16:15
Jesus tells us to preach the gospel to all creation and to every nation. If you find yourself wondering if you should share your faith with someone, the answer is YES. We don’t need to wait on a word of the Lord to share the gospel when there is already a mandate in His Word! Who do you share with? Anyone and everyone!
How do you share the Gospel?
Now that we have addressed why you share your faith and who we share with, let’s discuss how. The thought of starting a conversation about your faith with a stranger may sound intimidating, so take a look at these 4 ways to share your faith with anyone.
1. Share the Bible like a story
If you think about it, the story of Jesus is the most fascinating and beautiful story there is! You might be surprised how many people have actually never heard the full story, from creation until the second coming of Christ. Ask them if they have ever heard the full gospel. If they say no, take them through it. Here are some key points to get you started:
- God made man in His image and they walked together.
- Man stepped into sin by disobeying God.
- The price of sin is death and separation from God, who is life.
- Only a completely holy and perfect being could be a permanent substitute for our sins.
- He sent Jesus, fully God and fully man, to bridge the gap for us to come back to him.
- Jesus lived a perfect life, healing people and loving the sinners.
- He surrendered himself to be beating and crucified on a cross, a gruesome death that he didn’t deserve, so that we could have the life we didn’t deserve. He became the perfect and final sacrifice for anyone who chooses to accept what He did and follow Him.
- Three days after his death, he rose from the dead.
- He told of the coming Holy Spirit to the disciples, who would give them power to live just like He did.
- He commissioned the disciples to go make disciples and He ascended to heaven.
- One day, Jesus will return for us, His bride, and we will be reunited with Him for all of eternity!
If that’s not good news, I don’t know what is! The key to being able to share the gospel, is to KNOW the gospel! Get into the word, read the story and let it inspire awe in you. The more you know and love the gospel, the easier it will be to share it with others!
2. Share your own testimony
One of the easiest ways to share your faith is to share your personal testimony of what God has done in your life! People can argue what the Bible says, but they can’t argue with what God has done for you. Share with them how the God of love encountered you, transformed your life, healed you, or spoke to you. You can use this to start sharing your faith with anyone. Just ask them if you can tell them what God has done in your life! They can’t tell you it isn’t true; its your story!
“Come and listen, all you who fear God, and I will tell you what he did for me.” Psalm 66:16
3. Invite them into community
“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7
One of the best ways to make disciples is by inviting them into a community of believers! This is what Jesus did with his disciples. He invited them into His daily life to show them how He lived. He brought them along in His ministry. You can always invite them to come to church or a Bible study with you! Invite them to get coffee! Introduce them to your friends! The way you live your life is a reflection of your relationship with Christ, and they will see that. If they accept Christ, get them planted in a local body of believers. Discipleship doesn’t stop with a salvation prayer- keep pursuing them. It is important to show them that even though you may have just met them, you truly care about them!
4. Ask the Lord what He is saying over them
It is very powerful when you share a word of knowledge, prophesy, or encouragement that God showed you, because it often opens their eyes to how real God is. For example, God might speak to you that they have been broken by a recent relationship and that he wants to heal that. When you share that with them, they realize that God sees them and is with them.
Guess what? We have a blog post all about this! Check out our recent blog post on words of knowledge in missions to learn more about what it means to operate in this gift of the Spirit!
Words of Knowledge and their Place in Missions
Rejection will happen as you share your faith- and that is okay! People rejected Jesus his entire life. Jesus tells the disciples in John 15, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.”
He told the disciples how to deal with rejection in Luke 11:8-11:
“When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.’”
Remember: Our fight is not against flesh and blood, but against rulers and principalities in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12). There is a fight in the spiritual over people’s souls. Remember that if no one was under the influence of satan, they would be a follower of Jesus. Partnering with Jesus means experiencing the rejection and hurt he experienced, but when we fear only God and not man, it cannot hurt you. Your flesh is crucified. You cannot kill a dead man! Matthew 10:28 says, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” At the end of the day, it is ALL WORTH IT for the one who chooses to follow Jesus. We continue to share the gospel, because Jesus pursues the one lost sheep. There will be people who don’t want Jesus, but there will also be people who do. Don’t let fear of rejection keep you from the beauty and reward of showing someone the love of God. Go out, boldly proclaim the gospel to all, and watch God show up and change people’s lives.
Are you interested in learning more about how to share the gospel? Check out these other posts on sharing your faith:
How to Share Your Faith with: Your Family
How to Share Your Faith with: Co-workers
Are you ready to learn how to live a life of obedience to God as you share your faith with the nations? Know God and make Him known by signing up for a Discipleship Training School today!