“Evangelism is not an optional accessory to our life. It is the heartbeat of all that we are called to be and do.” – Robert Coleman
All believers are called to be faithful gospel witnesses to the places we live, work, and play.
We can’t leave it to the “professionals.” There aren’t enough of us. How is one person going to reach 50,000 people in your community?
We need everyone in the game. The Bible says God used “uneducated, common men” (Acts 4:13) like the disciples to launch His mission of taking the gospel to the ends of the earth.
Then how’s the gospel to spread? When the people of God and people of faith go forth and gossip the gospel everywhere as an everyday lifestyle.
To effectively reach our mission field, we realized that we needed to train and equip people to share the gospel. We cannot rely on people coming to us. Instead, we must equip every believer to go and share their faith in everyday evangelism.
Here are four ways to begin today to begin gospel conversation with friends and family.
1. Pray for Kingdom Advancement
We see in 2 Thessalonians 3:1, where Paul requested for prayer so that the gospel might spread effectively through their ministry.
Paul made no waste of time and resources! Paul was a front-line ministry worker. Paul took his ministry in areas where the Church was non-existent.
“Finally, brothers, pray for us” (v. 1). Paul is sincerely asking for committed prayer partners who will pray nonstop for him and his ministry!
Reminds us that we never reach a place in our Christian maturity or service where we progress beyond the need for prayer. Prayer remains essential to the life and work of all believers, not as a ritual, but as an honest interaction of longing and trust with our Lord.
Why? Prayer aligns our hearts with God’s heart for the lost. We must get serious about prayer and the power of the Holy Spirit. Prayer prepares the hearts.
2. Run with Gospel Joy with All Your Passion and Strength
Paul knew the responsibility of preaching the message of the gospel!
“The word of the Lord may speed ahead” (2 Thess 3:1). The word here in Greek is τρέχω, which means to run. This word is often referred to as runners who ran a race in a huge stadium before adoring crowds of fans.
There is this sense of difficulty for one who is training for an athletic competition that exerts energy for a goal to win. Like a runner knows that glancing backward will only slow the progress toward the final finish line.
The apostle Paul described life in Christ as running a race in which we press on toward the goal of fully knowing Jesus as we hope in the final victory of our glorified bodies.
Paul uses the language from the world of athletics and focuses on the readers of the strenuous nature of its vocation. The Christian life as well is one of disciplining the flesh and straining forward to the upward calling.
To run successfully and finish triumphantly, every ounce of his strength and his complete attention was required. We are in a real spiritual race, a real spiritual competition. We are racing against the enemy who wants to eternally destroy and damn souls. Paul has put all his effort to save as many souls as possible.
3. Be Ready to Give an Answer
How can we take advantage of every opportunity to speak to others about Jesus Christ?
Peter says in 1 Peter 3:15, “Always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you”
As the world becomes more secular and sinful, we will increasingly find ourselves getting caught between the lines of fear and intimidation.
Peter says earlier in the verse, “Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened.” (vv 13-14). A better translation of the first part of this sentence would be, “Do not fear their threats or intimidations.”
What are the fears in your life that hinder you from running the race for God? Fear of rejection? Fear of failure? Fear of relationships? Fear of commitment? Other fears?
Instead of running away, Christians need a renewed allegiance. The truth will always prevail. Believers should always be ready to provide a rationale for their faith, but they should do so winsomely and righteously.
4. Just Share the Gospel. Don’t Overcomplicate It.
The great evangelist D.L. Moody was once confronted by a woman who said she didn’t like his method of evangelism.
– D. L. Moody said, “I don’t particularly like my method either. What’s yours?”
– The woman said, “I don’t have one.”
– To which D.L. Moody replied, “Then I like mine better!”
There are many methods for sharing the faith! As someone has said, sharing your faith is like prayer: there’s probably only one wrong way to do it, and that’s to not do it at all!
So, just do it. Practice the gospel conversation with someone three times this week. A great way to start conversations is to say, “I’m going through a sermon series at church and was wondering if I could practice what I’m learning with you?”
One of the reasons the gospel spread like wildfire in the book of Acts is that people could not stop talking about what they had seen and heard.
So, begin the movement today! No more excuses.
The Vehicle of Gospel is Through Conversation
Romans 10:14-15 makes it very clear; hearing requires preaching. Look at verse 14, “And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?”
This leads to the final portion, preaching requires sending. Even when his servant Jonah was unwilling to go to Nineveh, God has been sending the message of salvation to the ends of the earth from the beginning.
How will they preach unless they are sent?” (v. 15). Sent by whom? By God! The church is also involved in the sending. It ordains people to various kinds of ministry and provides them with resources.
We don’t have to talk about Jesus, we get to! We are all on a mission to fulfill the Great Commission.
We must get serious about reaching people who are far from God. There is a battle going on out there, and the church is losing ground.
3 billion + people have little or no access to the gospel, which means that multitudes will die without Christ unless we get the gospel to them. How much does that truly bother you?
May God allow us to live considering this glorious truth of the gospel and transform our everyday life.