3 Ways to Get Better at Sharing the Gospel Right Away
Sharing your faith is a scary prospect. Whether it is with a friend, family member, co-worker, fellow student or complete stranger communicating the good news can turn the once eloquent conversationalists into stuttering, stammering mumblers.
So how can we get better at evangelism right away? Here are 3 ways that may help.
1. Get filled up.
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"Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit." Ephesians 5:18
When we are filled with the Holy Spirit we are controlled by Him. In the same way that the right amount of alcohol controls those who drink it, the Spirit of God controls us when we yield to Him.
So how does this help us when it comes to sharing our faith? In many ways! The Holy Spirit gives us power to share our faith (Acts 1:8), boldness (Ephesians 6:18-20), clarity (Colossians 4:4) and just the right words to say (Matthew 10:19,20.)
We get filled with the Holy Spirit when we yield ourselves to God and ask Him to take control of us (James 4:7.) The Spirit of God already dwells in you if you are a believer in Jesus (Ephesians 1:13,14) but you need to allow Him to get behind the steering wheel of your life and drive. When you do he will empower you to share your faith more effectively.
2. Ask, Admire, Admit.
Do you know that Jesus asked about 300 questions throughout the Gospels? He asked questions, listened deeply and allowed others to wrestle through their answers.
We can ask questions about family, friends, fun and faith. What is their family/friends like? What do they do for fun? Where are they from? And then the faith questions: "Do you go to church anywhere?" "What's your religious background?"
As they share their answers admire everything you possibly can about their belief systems. Just like Paul complemented the Athenians for their religious fervor, admire what you can about other people's spiritual beliefs. As you do, walls of pride will come tumbling down and you will start having an actual conversation.
Don't ask questions to trick or trap them. Ask questions that get them talking and you listening.
And, finally, admit that the reason you are a Christian is that you are a filthy rotten sinner in desperate need of the gospel. Just like Paul admitted that he was "the chief of sinners" we can do the same.
This admission puts us in a position of humility, not arrogance. It lifts Jesus up and puts our own "goodness" down. This admission can take others off guard and help them to begin to realize the way of grace and faith is infinitely unique from the way of works and law.
3. Communicate the GOSPEL Message.
I'm not talking about a method or a gimmick to share your faith. I'm talking about making sure you have the message of the gospel nailed. I'm talking the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I'm talking the meta-narrative (full story) of the gospel from Genesis to Revelation.
At Dare 2 Share we have developed a pneumonic device to help you remember the whole message of the good news. We call it "The GOSPEL Journey Message." It starts in Genesis 1 and finishes in Revelation 22. It covers Creation, Fall, Redemption, Consummation and a few more important points. Oh yeah, and it happens to spell out the word "GOSPEL" to make it easier to remember.
God created us to be with him. Genesis 1,2
Our sin separates us from God. Genesis 3
Sins cannot be removed by good deeds. Gen 4-Malachi 4
Paying the price for sin, Jesus died and rose again. Matthew-Luke
Everyone who trusts in him alone has eternal life. John
Life with Jesus starts now and lasts forever. Acts- Revelation
Think of these phrases like chords on a guitar. Memorize them, practice them and then make them your own. They give you crucial bullet points to remember as you share the good news. They give you a guide (not a script) to share and they will help you get better at sharing the gospel right away.
You can use almost any method with the GOSPEL Journey Message to tell the whole story of the good news from beginning to end. It works great with The Bridge, 3 Story Evangelism, and, if you work with children, an EvangeCube or wordless book. But, whatever method you use (or don't use) make sure that you have the GOSPEL mastered and communicate it clearly.
Get filled with the Holy Spirit. Ask questions, admire what you can and admit why you need the gospel. Then share the GOSPEL. These three action steps will help you share the good news with more impact right away.
