Practicing Evangelism

When I was in seminary, there were many classes I had that I was excited about, but there was one class that made me pretty nervous: evangelism and discipleship. I liked the discipleship part of this class and was eager to learn how to come alongside others in their faith. But it terrified me a bit to focus on the evangelism aspect and actually share my faith with others. This class in particular required us to share the gospel with at least one person per week over the course of the semester. I remember thinking that I would much rather write a ten-page research paper than be bold about sharing the gospel.

Have you felt similar feelings of anxiousness when it comes to evangelism? As believers, we are commanded to go out into the world and tell others about Christ (Matthew 28:19–20). But doing so can be scary. It can feel intimidating to share the gospel with others, especially because we don’t always know how they will respond. But when we remember that people need to hear the good news of the gospel, we’re motivated to share, no matter how nervous we might feel.  Even though evangelism is still an area of weakness for me, here are some things that I’ve learned that have helped me in my own evangelism pursuits. 

Start with prayer 

Because God is the One who can truly change hearts and save lives, we need to rely on Him. We need to ask Him to give us the boldness to share and the words to speak. So before sharing with another person, pray. Ask for God’s help. Ask God to help you rely on the Spirit to give you what to say. And pray that God will work in the heart of the person you are sharing with so that they come to saving faith.

Be intentional 

As we desire to move toward the gospel in a conversation, it’s helpful to ask questions. Ask the person about themselves or about things you have in common, such as favorite activities. Then try to use that conversation to create a bridge to deeper dialogue. You can do this by asking more intentional questions that naturally allow for the conversation to move toward the gospel. For example, say someone is sharing with you about their job as a nurse. You might then ask them something like, “How do you hold onto hope when you are around so much sickness and death every day?” Their response will then allow you to segue into a gospel conversation about the hope we have in Christ.

Invite people into your home

Because evangelism can feel intimidating, one way to have natural and comfortable gospel conversation is by exercising hospitality. The word “hospitality” means to love the stranger, so hospitality enables us to invite people that we don’t know well into our home and show them the love of Christ. One of the best ways to have natural gospel conversations in your home is around the dinner table. This is something we’ve been emphasizing at Christ Church with our invitation to make room at the table! If you and your family have certain dinner table rhythms, such as praying together before eating or having a quick devotional, you are able to bring the person you have invited over into those rhythms. Even going around the table and asking one another what your “high” and “low” is from that day might create an opportunity for gospel conversation. 

Share your testimony 

Stories are powerful, and if you are a follower of Christ, you have a powerful story to share—your own. Sharing your testimony with others allows you to describe how Christ’s salvation has changed your life, which can be impactful to others. So if you want to share your personal testimony, remember the words “before, during, and after.” Describe what it was like before coming to faith in Christ. Be honest about any struggles you had or ways in which you were living opposed to God’s commands, being as open as you feel comfortable. Then talk about how you came to know the gospel—what occurred during your conversion. Describe what the gospel is, who shared it with you, and what caused you to believe and place your faith in Christ. And then explain what your life has been like after becoming a follower of Jesus. Share how Christ has changed you and caused you to live differently than you lived before coming to know Him as your Savior. 

All of what I suggested above takes practice. I often feel frustrated with myself if I try one of these things and it doesn’t work out the way I would like it too. But as you keep relying on the Spirit and stepping out in faith to share the gospel, you will grow stronger in the area of evangelism. You’ll learn what works the best for you when it comes to sharing your faith. So keep depending on the Lord and trust Him to use you and your words to be a witness for Christ.



Adapted from a previously published Daily Grace Blog