How can I evangelize without turning people away?

We have to finish the job God has charged us to do: evangelize. Evangelism is the faithful proclamation of the truth of Scripture (the gospel) while living our lives as true followers of Jesus.

"Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." —Mark 16:15-16

Talking about our faith can feel scary and awkward if we aren't prepared. When we want to have a spiritual conversation a family member, friend, co-worker, acquaintance, or even a stranger who is not a Christian, the nerves can get a bit frazzled or we suddenly get shy.

The Bible says that some people may get offended when they hear the gospel (Luke 12:51-53). There is no reason to give up though! The Bible also says we are to share the gospel bravely (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8; 1 Peter 3:15).

Sharing the Gospel: Where to start?

"In your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect..." —1 Peter 3:15

Perhaps the very first thing we need before we start sharing about our faith is to understand our own faith for ourselves. Why do we believe what we believe? Do we fully understand what salvation is? Are we prepared to share how God has worked in our lives? Do we understand what Jesus means to us? If we aren't confident in how to share what faith is, then we ought to keep studying, growing, and maturing in our own faith.

Prayer.

When you're ready to share the gospel with someone, the first step is to pray that God would change their hearts and open their eyes to what they are about to hear (2 Corinthians 4:4). Tell the person you're talking to about God's love for them. Pray that the Holy Spirit will show them that the only way to salvation is through Jesus Christ (John 3:16). Pray that you God will give you the words they need to hear (James 1:5).

Walk the walk.

One of the biggest, most convincing things you can possibly do to evangelize others is to live your life in a godly way, showing what a true Christian looks like. Your friends and family need to see how God has changed you and made you different from the rest of the world (1 Peter 3:1-2), and that happens through your words and actions.

Be brave.

Have you seen the movie We Bought a Zoo? At one point, the dad says, "You know, sometimes all you need is twenty seconds of insane courage. Just literally twenty seconds of just embarrassing bravery. And I promise you, something great will come of it." Can you muster up 20 seconds of courage to boldly share the gospel? Yes, it can be pretty frightening. But we all ought to proclaim the message of salvation through Jesus Christ to friends and family (Romans 10:9-10) to the best of our abilities. That 20 seconds of courage can get you started.

Remember that we cannot force the gospel upon someone. You are unable save anyone yourself. Leave the forgiveness of our loved ones' sins up to God. Only God's power and grace can save a person—it has nothing to do with our efforts.

"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day." —John 6:44

Show the world what a faithful Christ follower looks like. Prepare yourself to speak about your faith (1 Peter 3:15). When sharing God's message of love, be gentle and respectful. If the other person wants to share their experience or has questions, allow them a chance to talk. Listen carefully and try to understand where they're coming from. Take their side of the story into consideration. Then show them yours. All the while, keep praying that God gives you the words they need to hear.

God has charged us with showing the world His love and sharing the truth of the gospel. Once you have planted the seeds, leave the rest up to God. One day, when we are no longer part of this world, we want Jesus to say, "Well done, my good a faithful servant."

"The master said, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let's celebrate together!'" —Matthew 25:23 (NLT)

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