Apicontent

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Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1: Our Message

Chapter 2: Why Witness?

Chapter 3: Who to Share Christ With

Chapter 4: Why Christians Don’t Witness

Chapter 5: The Power

Chapter 6: Your Personal Testimony

Chapter 7: Attitudes and Approaches

Chapter 8: Asking Questions Using Conversations to Share the Gospel

Chapter 9: The Process

Chapter 10: Articulating the Gospel

Chapter 11: How Christians and Churches Reach Out

Chapter 12: The New Roman Roads

Chapter 13: Answering Objections

Chapter 14: Answering Specific Objections

Chapter 15: Make Disciples

Chapter 16: Next Steps and Final Thoughts

Resources

Surveys

What Is Apologetics?

In the book Therefore Stand, Wilbur Smith defines apologetics as “a verbal defense, a speech in defense of what one has done or a truth which one believes.”

First Peter 3:15 says, “But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.” The Greek word apologia means “a speech of defense.”

Theologian John Stott said, “We cannot pander to a man’s intellectual arrogance, but we must cater to his intellectual integrity.”

I once shared Christ with a person who was studying for a doctoral degree in psychology. I gave him some evidence on the resurrection of Christ and of Jesus being God by showing him that Jesus was either a liar, a lunatic, or Lord and that it makes far greater sense to believe that Jesus is who He claimed to be (Lord, God). The man said he had never heard answers like this before, and I often wonder if later on he made a profession of faith in Christ. Our aim is to make the gospel clear and answer people’s questions as best we know how.

Consider buying some books for your church members to give out to their non-Christian friends. Your church might have a budget for buying large quantities of books such as More Than a Carpenter by Josh McDowell, The Case for Christmas, and The Case for Easter by Lee Strobel, and One Second after You . . . by Mark Cahill. If I give a book or booklet to a Christian, I ask them to read it, and then I ask them to give it to a non-Christian to read.

A Different Worldview

“For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are saved, it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18). Expect people who have not been brought up in a church or have never read the Bible to have a different worldview than yours.

How to Give an Answer

You don’t have to know all the answers to every question. If someone asks a question you don’t know the answer to, be honest, and tell them you don’t know. Then say, “Let me research this, and let’s get together again for coffee to discuss it.” That could lead to more dialogue. Invite the person to read a book such as The Case for Faith by Lee Strobel. Our main goal is to introduce the person to Christ, and that may take many conversations and a lot of time.

Tim Muehlhoff, a professor at Biola University and author of I Beg to Differ: Navigating Difficult Conversations with Truth and Love, suggests asking yourself four questions when sharing with people who may be averse to Christianity or the Bible.

1. Exactly what does this person believe?
2. Why does this person believe what they believe?
3. Where do we agree?
4. Based on this knowledge, how should I proceed, or what is the one thing I should say?

Aaron Pierce in Not Beyond Reach recommends following this process: affirm, reframe, challenge.

• Affirm whatever is true or admirable about the person’s viewpoint.
• Reframe their viewpoint and point out any false assumptions.
• Challenge the untruths that stand in the way of the gospel.

Win the Relationship

You can never argue anyone into the kingdom of God. It may be that the person is a tire-kicker and just wants a friendship or wants to see if Christ is displayed in your life.

At some point in your discussion with someone, you might ask them, “What would it take for you to receive Christ into your life?” or “What is holding you back from receiving Christ?”

You may be surprised at their answers. It could be something simple or a misconception about the Bible or the Christian faith.

Ignorance

Often people who raise questions have either never heard the gospel or their ignorance is self-imposed. When the Apostle Paul preached to the Athenians on Mars Hill in Acts 17, some of his audience believed, but some did not and then mocked Paul. As the old saying goes, the same sun that hardens clay softens butter.

Lean into Disagreement

Sam Chan, author of How to Talk about Jesus, recommends leaning into disagreement because being vulnerable to disagreement shows unconditional love. Jesus often ate and drank with people who disagreed with Him. The gospel by its very nature is offensive because people will react to the notion of sin and their need to repent.

Avoid Endless Rabbit Trails

If people you share Christ with keep bombarding you with questions, you could ask them, “If I answer that question, would you be ready to receive Christ as your Lord and Savior?”

Greg Laurie said, “People will try to take you down endless rabbit trails . . . but the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing which is the gospel faithfully delivered.”

When Lee Strobel encounters a skeptic, he suggests that they do a cost-benefit analysis. He tells them to take a sheet of paper and list what Christ offers on one side—forgiveness, peace of mind, eternal life, fulfillment, power to live the Christian life, and so on. On the other side, he asks them to list their current lifestyle—lack of purpose, no peace, no pardon, no power, eternal separation from God, and so on. He wants to show them the difference so they can see what Christ offers compared to what they are experiencing. That can be a good exercise to give to someone who is hopefully searching despite their smokescreens.

“We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments” (2 Corinthians 10:4 NLT).

What about Scoffers?

Jesus warned against those who treat the gospel with scorn. “Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces” (Matthew 7:6).

Some people, no matter how much evidence you give them, will choose not to believe (John 3:19; Romans 1:21, 2:5). Case in point is Judas who saw Jesus perform countless miracles, heard amazing teaching, and yet denied the Lord. It took Noah, a preacher of righteousness, 120 years to build the ark, and only his family turned to the Lord. Jesus said, “For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah” (Matthew 24:37).

Don’t get discouraged if people reject your gospel presentation. Our responsibility is to declare the good news of salvation regardless of how people respond to it. The only hope for a scoffer is the healing touch of the Holy Spirit who can open their blind eyes to the gospel.

In Luke 14, Jesus shares the parable of the dinner. Many who were invited gave excuses and did not come. Finally, “the master said to the slave, ‘Go out into the highways and along the hedges, and compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste of my dinner.’” (Luke 14:23–24). This is a picture of God the Father wanting us to urge non-believers to come to Christ so they will participate in the glories of heaven forever. We must urge them to respond to the Father’s invitation and then leave the results in God’s hands.

Reasons People Object to the Gospel

Moral Issue

People’s basic problem ultimately is not intellectual. It’s moral. “But the natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised” (1 Corinthians 2:14).

I witnessed to a guy who kept bringing up objections to the gospel. Finally, he asked me what the Bible said about premarital sex and abortion. I found out later that he had gotten his girlfriend pregnant, and she had had an abortion. I was honest about premarital sex and abortion being wrong but focused on what happens when we receive Christ—He forgives us and cleanses us of all sin.

Paul Little once wrote, “Alleged intellectual problems are often a smokescreen covering moral rebellion.”

The famous atheist Aldous Huxley wrote, “For myself, as no doubt for most of my friends . . . we objected to the morality because it interfered with our sexual freedom.”

Emotional Issue

I shared the gospel with a young lady who said she was an atheist. When I asked her how the universe came into being, she admitted that the main reason she rejected a belief in God was because her mother had tried to slam religion down her throat. She had an emotional issue with her mom. Prior to coming to Christ, many atheists such as Lee Strobel and Josh McDowell had emotional barriers.

Pride and the Will

In John 7:17 (ESV), Jesus said, “If anyone is willing to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority.”

The reason most educated people don’t believe is the same reason most uneducated people don’t believe. They don’t want to believe. Randy Newman in his book Bringing the Gospel Home states that when Jesus spoke to the religious Jews, He said, “Because I tell you the truth, you do not believe me” (John 8:45 NIV). He did not say “although I tell you the truth.” The religious Jews failed to believe because they had a pride issue.

Years ago, I gave a book on the evidence for Christ to an atheist airline stewardess. She responded, “Dave, thank you for your kindness. I am returning this book to you. Pass it on to someone who might like it. I’m afraid I am hopeless to change my opinion.” Part of my reply to her was this: “God will never impose His will on anyone. There may be reasons why you have chosen not to seek God, but we’re all getting older, and someday you and even I may find ourselves staring death in the face— whether through health issues or even an accident. My counsel to you is to ask the Lord to come into your life, to forgive you, and to give you eternal life. The most famous verse in the Bible says, ‘For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.’ You may be passionate about the government, but I am passionate about the awesome privilege of having a personal relationship with the Lord. People are often incapable of solving real needs. I would rather you express how you feel than not. God bless.”

Idols

The rich young ruler asked Jesus: “Good Teacher, what shall I do so that I may inherit eternal life?” Jesus told him to sell all his possessions and give to the poor. The rich young ruler “Went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property” (Mark 10:17, 22).

People have various idols in their life. I emailed Mark Cahill, author of One Heartbeat Away, regarding his witness efforts to Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan and their need for Christ. Mark wrote back, “Amazing how money, wealth, and fame can make someone put God in the back seat.” The well-known athlete Deion Sanders had tried everything— parties, women, expensive jewelry—but had no peace and was on the verge of suicide before he found Christ.

Know Why You Believe

We need to know why we believe what we believe. There are many reasons why the Christian faith makes total sense, but ultimately it comes down to a personal encounter with Jesus and the empty tomb.

Paul Little in his classic book Know Why You Believe makes this profound statement: “‘Little, how do you know you haven’t been taken in by a colossal propaganda program? After all, you can’t see God, touch him, taste him, or feel him.’ And then I go on to ask myself how I know the gospel is true. I always come back to two basic factors: the objective, external, historical facts of the resurrection, and the subjective, internal, personal experience of Christ that I have.”

God Is Patient

Chuck Swindoll said, “When you think you know someone who is too far gone to believe in Christ, remember the centurion. If that hardened, toughminded Roman soldier could become aware of the truth, so can your lost loved one.” When the centurion saw Christ die on the cross, he said, “Truly this was the Son of God!” (Matthew 27:54).

I encourage you to do your own research for the answers to some of the questions people commonly ask.

What’s Your Style?

In the book Becoming a Contagious Christian by Mark Mittelberg and Lee Strobel are six evangelistic styles: (1) direct (Peter in Acts 2); (2) intellectual or apologetical (Paul in Acts 17); (3) testimonial (blind man in John 9); (4) interpersonal or friendship (Luke 5:27–29); (5) invitational (Andrew told Peter, “We have found the Messiah”); and (6) service- or life-based.

God wants to use your unique personality to share the gospel. My wife’s spiritual gifts are different than mine. She is very caring and relational. She demonstrates the love of Christ by her warm, sweet heart and desire to help people. She is not as vocal as I am in sharing the gospel but shares God’s love to people when the occasion arises.

Regardless of what style you relate to the most, everyone needs to be able to articulate the gospel. If you knew someone who was dying of cancer in the hospital and there was no pastor around to call upon, what would you say to that person who was soon facing eternity? You need to know the gospel message and share it by using your own style and personality.

James Kennedy, founder of the Evangelism Explosion ministry, once said, “I like my way of doing evangelism better than your way of not doing it.”

Many Methods

We learn from Jesus that He used a variety of methods with different people to share the gospel. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:22 (ESV), “I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.”

Try to adapt the gospel message to the person you are sharing with because everyone is different. In fishing for fish, a good fisherman uses a variety of bait such as worms, lures, salmon eggs, and more because some fish may want worms instead of eggs. The goal is to catch fish. Some people use Ray Comfort’s method of evangelism; others use the Bridge, Evangelism Explosion, the Internet, or social media to share Christ. Be willing to learn different methods to share your faith.

Nicodemus and the Woman at the Well

Jesus spoke differently to the woman at the well (an immoral Samaritan woman) than He did to Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. In John 4:7 (ESV), Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink?” Jesus transitioned from the known (physical water) to the unknown (living water). She had been seeking fulfillment by going from husband to husband. Jesus did not condemn her. He began where she was and dialogued with her. With Nicodemus, Jesus referenced His impending death on the cross using scriptures from Numbers 21:4–9. In John 19, we see Nicodemus assisting in the burial of Christ.

Reaching Intellectuals

When Paul spoke to the intellectuals of his time, he began with common ground. In Acts 17:16–31, he spoke to the Athenians by stating that they were very religious, and then he mentioned their inscription, “To an unknown God.” Paul moved from general revelation to special revelation.

GOSPEL RESOURCES

Tracts

Evangelist George Whitfield and the great Hudson Taylor were both saved through gospel tracts. On one recent occasion, a young lady named Ashlee who had been on drugs and was about to give up on herself read a gospel tract that was left at the door of her apartment by Christians from India at my local church. Ashlee committed her life to Christ and was soon baptized at my church. She said, “I can’t live without Jesus now.”

If you’re not good at memorizing a gospel outline, don’t use that as an excuse not to share. You can easily access gospel tracts online that will walk a person through the gospel. If you have a tract, ask this of the person you are conversing with: “If you have a few minutes, I’d love to see what you think about the main points of this booklet.” Invite them to coffee or lunch and highlight the main points. Pastor and evangelist Greg Laurie said his first experience in sharing his faith was when he went to the beach and simply read a tract to a lady sitting on the sand. To his amazement, she received Christ.

Some Popular Tracts

Some very popular tracts are “The Four Spiritual Laws” and “Would You Like to Know God Personally?” Over two billion “Four Spiritual Laws” tracts have been distributed worldwide since they were first printed in the 1950s. I had the privilege of sharing this tract with hundreds of college students each year while I was on staff with Cru. If you are not familiar with the “Four Spiritual Laws,” here’s a brief outline. It begins with this statement: “Just as there are physical laws that govern the physical universe, so are there spiritual laws that govern your relationship with God.”

Following that are four main points:

Law 1: God loves you and offers a wonderful plan for your life.
Law 2: Man is sinful and separated from God. Therefore, he cannot know and experience God’s love and plan for his life.
Law 3: Jesus Christ Is God’s only provision for man’s sin. Through Him you can know and experience God’s love and plan for your life.
Law 4: We must individually receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; then we can know and experience God’s love and plan for our lives.

Cru’s tract. “Would You Like to Know God Personally?” can be downloaded from your mobile device at sites such as GodTools (http://godtoolsapp.com).

Other good tracts include “Steps to Peace with God” by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association; “The Bridge Illustration” by the Navigators; and “Do You Know?” by Evangelism Explosion International.

The Romans Road

Some people share Christ using scriptures from the book of Romans (Romans 3:23; 5:8; 6:23; 8:1; 10:9). You can download Romans Road from the app store on your mobile device.

Share Jesus Without Fear by William Fay and Ralph Hodge

This book shares a natural, nonthreatening way to share the gospel. The authors use five simple questions followed by seven Bible verses for a person to read aloud (Romans 3:23; 6:23; John 3:3; 14:6; Romans 10:9–11; 2 Corinthians 5:15; Revelation 3:20).

Evangelism Explosion International

When I was pastor of evangelism at a large church, I taught the Evangelism Explosion method to many believers. It has five main points relating to the gospel.

GRACE—Salvation is a free gift that cannot be earned (Romans 6:23).
MAN is a sinner (Romans 3:10, 23); he cannot save himself (Isaiah 64:6).
GOD is love (1 John 4:8) but is also holy (Habakkuk. 1:13) and must punish sin.
CHRIST—Who He is: God (John 1:1–3, 14); what He did: He is our substitute (2 Corinthians 5:21).
FAITH—Temporal faith versus saving faith (John 1:12; Romans 10:9–10, 13). www.evangelismexplosion.org features great resources for teachers and students.

The Way of the Master

The Way of the Master by Ray Comfort uses the Mosaic Law to show how a person has broken God’s laws and show them their sin and need for repentance. Ask the person you are witnessing to, “If God were to judge you by the standard of the ten commandments, do you think you would be found innocent or guilty, and would you be going to heaven or hell?” This is followed up by a presentation of the gospel. Go to www.wayofthemaster.com to learn more.

One-Verse Evangelism

One-Verse Evangelism is a simple, interactive way to share Christ’s love conversationally and visually. It is very easy to learn. It is based on Romans 6:23 (NKJV) “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” You can find this at https://www.navigators.org/resource/one-verse-evangelism/.

Three Circles Gospel Presentation

This is a simple tool that helps Christians share the gospel using three simple circles that represent (1) God’s design, (2) our brokenness, and (3) the gospel. At the end of a gospel presentation, the Christian asks, “Is there anything that would prevent you from repenting and believing the gospel today?” You can learn more about this unique gospel presentation by going to www.namb.net/evangelism/3circles/.

The book Turning Everyday Conversations into Gospel Conversations by Jimmy Scroggins and Steve Wright explains a three-circle method and how they relentlessly train believers to share the gospel.

Reaching Jewish People for Christ

The Apostle Paul wrote that the gospel is to go to “the Jew first” (Romans 1:16 ESV). God has not done away with His people, Israel. Romans 11 speaks of a future remnant of Jewish people who will turn to Jesus as their Messiah. The book of Revelation reveals that God is going to commission 144,000 Jewish evangelists to preach the gospel to the entire world during the final few years of human history. Author Joel Rosenberg says there are currently about a million Jews worldwide who believe in Jesus as their Messiah.

I recently shared Christ at a 24-Hour Fitness gym to a young Jewish man in his early 20s named Roy. He knew very little about the Bible. I sent him an article called “Did Jesus Rise from the Dead?” and encouraged him to read the Gospel of Matthew. Whenever I talk to a person who is Jewish, I tell them I love the Jewish people. I quote Genesis 12:2–3 where God told Abraham, “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

I tell them that I’m praying for their country and for the peace of Jerusalem. This usually gives me an opportunity to share the gospel with them.

Here are a few of the many great ministries to the Jewish people:

• Chosen People Ministries seeks to reach Jewish people for Christ. Their top-selling book is Isaiah 53 Explained by Mitch Glaser (www.ChosenPeople.com).
• Jewish Voice’s aim is to share the gospel of Yeshua (Jesus) to the Jew first and also to Gentiles (www.jewishvoice.org).
• One for Israel uses cutting-edge media evangelism in Hebrew, Arabic, and English to reach their people for Christ (www.oneforisrael.org).
• The Joshua Fund (www.joshuafund.com) and Jews for Jesus (www.jewsforjesus.org) are ministries that proclaim the gospel of Messiah to the Jewish people.
• Bridgesforpeace.com is a ministry where Christians support Israel and build relationships between Christians and Jews in Israel and around the world.

Pray that the eyes of the Jewish people will be opened to the gospel and that there will be a revival among the Jews to come to Christ. Give Jews a copy of the New Testament and share your personal testimony— how Jesus changed your life and why you believe that Jesus is the promised Messiah.

Reaching Muslims for Christ

Many Muslims have a zeal for God, but the gospel, who Jesus really is, and the concept of grace are foreign to them. Muslims respect Jesus as a great prophet, and the Quran has verses on Jesus as a prophet, but they do not know that Jesus claimed to be God—the “I AM” statements Jesus made in John 14:6, John 10:30, and John 8:58 that demonstrate that He is God.

In The Camel: How Muslims Are Coming to Faith in Christ, author Kevin Greeson shares how thousands of Muslims in the Middle East are coming to Christ. The book shows specific verses in the Quran that speak positively of Jesus and the Bible to help Muslims read and understand the gospel.

Many Muslims today are coming to Christ through dreams. While our son Matt was serving the Lord with Church Resources Ministries (CRM), he met an Iranian named Ali who was Muslim. Matt began praying that Ali would have a dream about Jesus. A few months later, Matt and Ali watched the movie The Passion of the Christ. That night Ali had a dream about Jesus and told Matt, “You’re not going to believe what happened to me last night. Last night, Jesus appeared to me in my dreams, and He showed me the wounds in His hands and feet. I felt His peace, and I knew the story was true. I believe 100 percent that Jesus died and rose again for my sins.” Yes, many Muslims are coming to Christ through dreams. YouTube and Instagram portray many testimonies of Muslims coming to Christ. Go to www.ifoundthetruth.com, which is a great website on how Muslims all over the world are encountering Jesus. You can watch their stories now on YouTube.

Tips on Sharing with Hindus and Buddhists

With Hindus:
There are one billion Hindus in the world. In the book, Disciple Making Among Hindus by Timothy Shultz, he provides the following tips to reach Hindus for Christ.

• Hindus view truth through the lens of experience and relationships are very important, especially family and friends. Build authentic and sustainable relationships with Hindus over time. Look for a “person of peace who will invite you into their network of relationships such as family and friends.” George David, a pioneer missionary in North India said: “We need to learn the art of narrating the stories of Jesus in a simple . . . manner.”

Hindus believe that all people are trapped in a cycle of reincarnation and karma, and the way to break this cycle is in one of three ways: (1) to purify one’s soul, they must obey all the laws and obligations of the Hindu scriptures called Vedas; (2) they teach the total rejection and denial of your individual self; (3) they teach that you must commit yourself totally to the worship of a particular god or goddess, and that deity will release them from reincarnation or the karma cycle. Share with a Hindu that in Christ’s resurrection, Jesus broke the power of karma and rebirth, or sin and death, because He returned to life in the same body in which He died.

I once asked a Hindu if he did something bad, what would he have to do to make up for the bad deed. He replied, “I would need to do 50 good deeds to make up for the one bad deed.” Here’s some helpful advice for sharing Christ with a Hindu:

1. Ask and listen to what they believe about God, sin, salvation. You could ask the following:
   • What do you like about Hinduism? What is the most difficult thing for you to accept or practice in Hinduism?
   • What do you think happens after you die?
   • Who do you think Jesus is? Have you ever read what the Bible says about Jesus?
2. Explain what it means to be born again because a Hindu believes in reincarnation. Jesus taught a totally different definition to Nicodemus in John 3. Hebrews 9:27 says, “It is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment.”
3. Share Jesus’s forgiveness. Bakht Singh, an Indian evangelist who converted from Hinduism to Christ, said, “I have never yet failed to get a hearing [with a Hindu] if I talk to them about forgiveness of sins and peace and rest in your heart.” Matthew 11:28 (ESV) says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
4. Focus on a personal relationship with God. The parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11–32 illustrates how the son rebelled against his father, but the father longed to be reunited with his son. Sin disrupts our relationship with God, but when we confess our sin and guilt, we can receive forgiveness because Jesus paid the full price for our sins. If we ask the Lord for forgiveness, He will completely forgive us and give us eternal life with Him.
5. All the avatars or incarnations of Vishnu are mythical in nature, but history shows that Jesus lived, was crucified, and rose from the dead. Jesus claimed to be “the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25).
6. Gandhi said, “I shall say to the Hindus that your lives are incomplete unless you reverently study the teachings of Jesus” (Hingorani, 23). Encourage your Hindu friend to read the Gospel of John and share your personal testimony with them.

Rob Adams in his seminar on reaching Hindus recommends sharing stories in the Gospels about Jesus and suggests showing your Hindu friends the Jesus Film, The Chosen series, and also Share the Story (www.biblicalstorying.com) to reach Hindus with the gospel.

When sharing with a Buddhist, keep in mind that their worldview is totally different. A Buddhist does not believe in a personal God. Instead of using terms such as born again, focus on the idea of freedom from guilt, forgiveness, and the gift of eternal life. Talk about the person of Christ and His resurrection from the dead. Share your personal testimony. Offer to give them a Gospel of John to read. There are several online resources for how to share Christ with a Buddhist. Christiananswers.net is an excellent website on how to witness to a Buddhist.

Wrap Up

As you share the gospel, you can ask the person a few questions to find out where they are on their spiritual journey. You might say, “Does this make sense to you?” If they are ready to receive Christ, it’s helpful to review with them what a commitment to Christ means. Do they understand that they have sinned and want forgiveness for their sins? Do they believe that Jesus is God and rose from the dead? Do they now want to put their faith in the Lord as their Savior and Lord? If they would like to receive Christ into their life, ask them to pray audibly with you, or they can pray in their own words. It’s important to follow up with them and get them connected to a local church.

If they are not ready, you can ask, “Why do you feel you are not ready to receive Christ?” They may say, “I don’t know enough.” They may still not understand the gospel. When I was 12 years old, a Presbyterian pastor visited our house and shared the gospel with my twin sister and me. I prayed the prayer, but I didn’t understand what he was sharing. It wasn’t until seven years later that I actually committed my life to Christ.

When I think a person understands the gospel, I review the prayer with them and say something like this: “When you invite the Lord into your life, He promised to come to indwell you, to forgive you of your sins, and to give you eternal life as a free gift. He will be in you the rest of your life.” Review with them the promises of God such as John 1:12, Revelation 3:20, and John 3:16. Follow-up is important.

1. Invite them to your church and be willing to disciple them.
2. Introduce them to other believers in Christ.
3. Be a friend, and model what a Christian looks like.
4. Give them a New Believers Bible.
5. Encourage them to get baptized out of obedience to Christ.
6. Encourage them to get into a home Bible study at your church.

Every day we have conversations about things such as sports, hobbies, health, diets, politics, finances, weather, shopping, family, children, pets—you name it.

I recently was at the airport, and standing next to me was a man in a suit who looked like he worked there. I asked him if he worked at the airport, and he told me he was a limousine driver. I asked him where he was from. He said Uzbekistan, and I asked, “What is the religion of Uzbekistan?” He said about 90 percent are Muslims, and about 10 percent are Russian Orthodox. It turned out that he was an agnostic. I shared the gospel with him and told him, “Of all the great religious leaders, Jesus is the only who declared He was God and that He would rise from the dead exactly three days after His crucifixion. Mohammed, Buddha, and Confucius are still in the grave, but Jesus’s tomb is empty. I’ve been in Christ’s tomb, and it’s empty.” He then asked, “Dave, did it take you three days to get out?” We laughed, and then I told him about Y-Jesus.com and that it has scholarly articles and videos such as “Did Jesus Rise from the Dead?” “Is Jesus God?” and many other related topics. He asked me if he could take a picture of my phone that showed the website Y-Jesus.com. My prayer is that he will find Jesus someday from this website. Asking questions shows a genuine interest and helps you understand people’s fears, hurts, concerns, and needs in life.

Be a Good Listener

James wrote, “Be quick to hear, slow to speak” (James 1:19). People are more inclined to listen to us and share our beliefs if we listen to them. Lee Strobel said, “Many times the best gift we can give our spiritually seeking friends is our time, a listening ear, and a caring heart.”

A recent Barna study states, “People of no faith are clear that they are looking for understanding, empathy, and belonging.” Some gospel presentations are like a sermon or a script that allows for little interaction with the person you are sharing Christ with. Let them talk, and consider asking when you do share, “Does this make sense to you?” or “What do you think?”

Expect people to throw out questions, but don’t be afraid to ask them questions in return. By asking questions, they may realize that their worldview is not based on rational arguments. Jesus was a master at asking questions. He would often ask them a question in return.

In Randy Newman’s book Questioning Evangelism is a chapter called “Why Are Questions Better Than Answers?” Newman said, “It’s uncanny how often our Lord answered a question with a question.” Newman encourages the use of questions more than direct answers. In fact, Jesus used a mix of probing and rhetorical questions when talking to people. When people questioned his authority, Jesus said, “I will ask you a question, and you tell Me; Was the baptism of John from heaven or from men?” (Luke 20:3–4).

Informational Questions

“Who do people say I am?” (Mark 8:27, 29 NIV). “Who do you say I am?” Jesus asked the Samaritan woman at the well. “Will you give me a drink?” (John 4:7 NIV). He then spoke to her about salvation.

Discerning Questions

“And [Jesus] asked them, ‘How many loaves do you have?’ They said, ‘Seven’” (Mark 8:5). We may ask in a given situation, “What do you think?”

Corresponding Questions

“[Jesus] answered them, ‘What did Moses command you?’” (Mark 10:3). Jesus said, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?” (Luke 10:26 ESV). You can ask a person to read a scripture such as Romans 6:23, Ephesians 2:8–9, or Revelation 3:20. Then ask them what they think it means. Bill Fay in Share Jesus without Fear asks the person to read the scripture aloud and then asks them, “What does this say or mean to you?”

Conversational Questions

1. Do you have any kind of spiritual belief? At what point are you in your spiritual journey in life? Do you go to church anywhere?
2. When you and I leave this planet, what do you think is on the other side?
3. Do you believe that God exists and that you can know Him personally?
4. Do you consider yourself a good person?
5. What role, if any, has God ever played in your life?
6. Do you ever wonder about life after death?
   Questions Relating to Heaven
   • On a scale of 1 to 100, how would you rate your certainty of going to heaven?
   • What do you think are the general entrance requirements into heaven?
   • If you were to die tonight, how sure are you that you would go to heaven?
   • If you were to die tonight and God were to ask you, “Why should I let you into heaven?” what would you say to God?
7. Has anyone ever taken the time to explain how a personal relationship with God is possible?

Below are some questions to ask when people go through trials (from Randy Newman’s Questioning Evangelism):

1. What have you found helpful in handling such difficult things?
2. Do you have the kind of faith that has helped you deal with this?
3. Would you mind if I prayed with you right now?

Bill Fay’s book Share Jesus without Fear has five main questions he asks people to open up a conversation on spiritual matters.

1. Do you have any kind of spiritual belief? Do you ever think about spiritual things?
2. To you, who is Jesus Christ?
3. Do you think that there is a heaven or a hell? Do you ever ponder about life after death?
4. If you died, where would you go? If you say heaven, why would God let you in?
5. If what you believe is not true, would you want to know?

Emotional Questions

I’m sure you’ve had people ask you, “How’s your day going?” As you get to know people and show them that you care, sometimes they will open up and share what they’re going through.

We live in a culture where everyone is tied to their mobile devices and people are lonely and socially starved. The next time you are at a doctor’s office, at the airport, or in a restaurant, watch how many people are tied to their cell phones. Listening shows that you care. It allows you to understand more where they’re coming from and can be an entryway to the gospel.

Application: Write down 5–7 questions on a 3” x 5” card or in the box below so you can review it for a gospel conversation starter.

Be Humble and Positive

Paul said in Philippians 2:5, “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond servant.” Humility and patience with people are important. Remember how you came to Christ. We have the most positive news to share with others.

Communicate the Message of Love.

Our motive for sharing the gospel is love. 2 Corinthians 5:14 (NIV) says, “The love of Christ compels us.” Our love for Christ should move us to share the gospel with those who don’t know Christ. Some people attribute this quote to St. Francis of Assisi: “Preach the gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words.” Some historians state there’s no evidence that St. Francis ever said this. No matter who said it, people need to know that God loves them.

“I am convinced that the greatest act of love we can ever perform for people is to tell them about God’s love for them in Christ.”—Billy Graham

A student named Steve Walker was sitting outside on the grass one day by himself, waiting for class to start at Cal Poly, Pomona, California. Two students from Cru walked up to him and asked if they could talk to him about something. He asked them what about, and they said, “Jesus.” That didn’t scare Steve because he had grown up in a very religious family, but he had been taught that Jesus died and suffered on the cross because he (Steve) was a bad person. He believed that God was always mad at him or sad because of his badness. The guilt and shame of his condition was so strong that he never felt there was any chance to please God or any chance that God would love him. These two fellow students shared the Four Spiritual Laws with Steve, and it was the first time he had heard that God loved him. It froze him in his tracks. The students asked Steve if he would like to accept Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, to have his sins forgiven and washed away, and have the Lord change him into the person God wanted him to be. Steve’s response was a combination of anger and disbelief—anger because no one had ever explained this to him in all his years of religion, and disbelief because he couldn’t imagine saying no to such an offer of God’s love and forgiveness, as well as God’s willingness to change him into a person who was pleasing to Him. Steve prayed to receive God’s offer of love and forgiveness. One week later, Steve was walking around campus with the same two students, asking other students if he could talk to them about Jesus. Steve soon got involved in discipleship, and a few months later, he left his engineering major and his college and transferred to a Bible college to study to become a pastor. Eventually, he started an amazing new church that has grown to nearly 5,000 people in Bothell, Washington, and has many amazing ministries that impact people for Christ.

Love in Action

In Matthew, Jesus said we are to love God with all our being. He added, “The second [commandment] is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (Matthew 22:39 ESV). The gospel message becomes more receptive when we demonstrate God’s love in sacrificial ways. Words coupled with love have a great impact.

We are to be salt and light in the world. “You are the salt of the earth. . . . You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house” (Matthew 5:13–15 ESV).

In 2007, my niece Rebecca Pratt started a ministry called Orphan Relief and Rescue to get children out of human trafficking and domestic abuse in Benin and Liberia, West Africa (a stronghold of voodoo and witchcraft practices). The ministry has rescued hundreds of children who were sold into slavery. Initially, the team decided not to share that they were Christian missionaries because their lives could be at risk. They built friendships, and in time, the parents wanted to know why they were helping their children. The team shared with them the love of Christ, and many parents and children embraced Jesus as their Savior. Orphan Relief and Rescue headquarters is located in Burien, Washington, and can be found online with more details of its ministry.

Lee Strobel writes, “Is there an elderly widow down the block . . . or a junior high student who’s looking for someone to shoot baskets with . . . or a single mother who could use a babysitter for her two children . . . or a colleague who’s going through a divorce. Someone said, ‘People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.’”

Show an Interest in People’s Lives

Recently I returned an item at Home Depot. I asked the cashier in the return section what her name was. She was from India and was a Hindu. She said her name was Kshama. Then she wrote it on a Home Depot business card and gave it to me. She asked, “Do you know what my name means?” I said no. She said it means “forgive me.” I then explained to her that Jesus forgave us at the cross of all our sins when He said, “It is finished” (John 19:30 ESV). She said she had never heard the gospel before. I went back to my car and got her a gospel tract on heaven and the Gospel of John, and she thanked me.

When I occasionally strike up a conversation with someone with tattoos, I ask them the significance of the tattoo and then try to somehow connect that to the gospel.

Offer to Pray

I was working out at a local fitness facility and met a Hindu man named Ranga who was 79 years old. I gave him a booklet my brother wrote called “Why Jesus? Have You Considered Him?” Ranga read the booklet, and then we often talked about what it said. He has lung fibrosis with scarring of the lungs. I asked him if I could pray for him, and he agreed. I touched his shoulder as I prayed for him, and I saw that my prayer touched his heart. Soon after, I gave Ranga the book More Than a Carpenter by Josh Mc Dowell. Ranga texted me, “I am reading the book that you gave me; a page every day.” Then he noted, “I am the way (John 14:6); Jesus claimed to be the visible expression of God (John 14:9). Jesus is the true manifestation of God himself. . . . Blessed is the one that can surrender with unconditional faith and devotion.” The last time I saw Ranga at the fitness facility, he gave me a big hug. I plan on helping him download a Bible app and giving him a copy of the New Testament and a DVD on The Passion of the Christ movie. Ranga recently told me he now believes that Jesus is God.

Reaching Gen Zs and Millennials

Gen Zs were born from 1997 through 2012, and Millennials were born between 1981 and 1996. A large percentage of Millennials and almost 50 percent of Gen Zs are religiously unaffiliated (the “nones”), which means they have walked away from the church. Barna research indicates that over 30 percent of Millennials identify as LGBTQ. In Not Beyond Reach, Aaron Pierce writes, “We can’t wait for people to come to us (church); we have to go to them. . . . We need to learn to share the gospel in ways they will understand.” The global youth culture is based on secular humanism, naturalistic evolution, Eastern religious spirituality, and a religion of self.

Jon Sween has a ministry to Gen Zs in the greater Seattle area. He offers this advice in reaching Gen Zs for Christ:

• Pray for an opportunity to connect with Gen Z young adults (Romans 10:1).
• Listen and ask good questions.
• Be a friend and love them.
• Read Not a Hopeless Case by Halee Gray Scott on Gen Z.

Look for Divine Appointments

When you pray for divine appointments to share your faith, expect that the Lord will open doors for you to share. The enemy of evangelism is often because our schedules are too full. Make time in your schedule for people. Jesus was often interrupted by people, but He always took time to minister to their needs. Ask the Lord to show you how you can be more available to the needs of non-believers.

I like Kevin Harney’s suggestion in Organic Outreach to have a “thirty-second rule” where you say a quick prayer to the Lord such as “Lord, here I am. I’m ready to scatter the seed of your gospel.” Then ask yourself, “How might I extend the love of God and the grace of Jesus in this situation?” This is great advice!

Our son Matt and his wife, Amy, joined the ministry of Church Resources Ministries (CRM) in New Orleans and later decided to move to Columbia City, a highly ethnic area of Seattle, Washington. They intentionally chose to live and serve in this area where more than 60 languages were spoken. Matt is now a successful Realtor in the greater Seattle area. Recently he was the recipient of the Good Neighborhood Award for his donations to local ministries such as World Relief, Orphan Relief and Rescue, and other ministries that reach out with the gospel. God has placed us in our work, recreation, and neighborhood to impact those around us with the gospel. Where has God placed you to live, work, and impact others with the gospel?

Be Gracious and Tactful

Share with others as you would have wanted to be shared with before you came to Christ. Colossians 4:6 (ESV) says, “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”

1 John 4:7 says, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” God’s infinite love extends to both the believer and the non-believer.

Warren Wiersbe in his book Being a Servant of God says, “Ministry takes place when divine resources meet human needs through loving channels to the glory of God.”

Avoid Being Offensive

In 2022, the Seattle Mariners baseball team was celebrating its first playoff game in 21 years. A friend of mine at church and I decided to pass out tracts at the game, but when we arrived at the Mariners’ stadium, some men with large banners and loudspeakers were telling the crowd, “The Lord hates all workers of iniquity. America declares its sin like Sodom and Gomorrah!” Most people were repelled by their approach.

God can use wrong motives and methods to reach people, but we need to build a bridge for people, not burn one (Philippians 1:15–18). We need to season the gospel with grace and avoid being offensive. The gospel is good news!

Talk about Jesus

The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing. During the start of NFL training camp, the legendary and Hall of Fame football coach Vince Lombardi walked into the locker room of the Green Bay Packers, picked up a football, and said, “Gentlemen, this is a football.” Greg Laurie’s advice is to “keep the main thing the main thing. And the main thing is the gospel faithfully delivered.”

The basics of the gospel can be found in 1 Corinthians 2:3 (ESV) where Paul said, “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” It’s important not to get off on tangents but to focus on Christ, who He is, and what He did for us.

Paul Little in his book How to Give Away Your Faith suggests, “In presenting the claims of Christ, it is helpful to use the words of Jesus where possible.”

Be Yourself, and Keep It Simple

When I first became a Christian, I memorized a gospel presentation by Dave Hunt, a Christian author and radio commentator. Staff members of Cru were also required to memorize Bill Bright’s 20-minute gospel presentation called “God’s Plan.” These gospel presentations were more for giving a speech than interacting with a person or sharing a simple gospel presentation. You don’t need a script to share Christ.

Let God use your natural personality to talk about Jesus. Most people are not gifted salespeople and don’t have the gift of gab. Keep it simple and trust the Lord for the results.

Mark Mittelberg writes, “Take a deep breath, say a quick prayer, open your mouth, and let it fly . . . and watch God work.”

It’s a Team Effort

Look for ways to supplement your witnessing efforts such as inviting your friends to church or a small group to meet other believers; giving them a book; or sharing a blog, a YouTube video, a podcast, or a link to a website. I shared Christ to an Uber driver in Arizona and showed him the Bible app where he can listen audibly to God’s Word. He said, “Great! I need to start listening to something other than the news.” He thanked me and added the Bible app to his mobile device.

Your personal testimony is one of the greatest tools you have when you share the gospel. People like stories, especially ones that are true. Stories emotionalize information. Jesus often told stories (parables).

No persuasive argument will ever be a substitute for your personal testimony. To be an effective witness, you simply need to tell others what you have seen, heard, and experienced with Jesus (1 John 1:1–3). The famous apologist Josh McDowell said that when he gives his personal testimony and someone asks him how he knows it’s true, his answer is this: “I know it’s true because I was there.”

Recently, I was on a plane from Seattle to Phoenix, and the passenger next to me was a lady from New Zealand. She was in her early 50s and recently divorced. She had just been hired as a tennis instructor at a high-end resort in Scottsdale, Arizona. She had rarely attended church as a child, but she was very interested in talking to me about spiritual matters. I told her that I became a Christian at the age of 19, and she asked me, “How did that happen?” That gave me a wide-open door to share my personal testimony and the gospel with her, and she listened with keen interest. It was a divine appointment.

Examples of Personal Testimonies in Scripture

There are many instances of personal testimonies in Scripture. The woman at the well, for example, believed in the Lord and immediately began telling others about Christ. She went back to her city and said, “Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done” (John 4:29).

In Mark 5 after Jesus healed the Gerasene demoniac, He told the man, “‘Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you and how He had mercy on you.’ And he went away and began to proclaim in Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him” (Mark 5:19–20; Luke 8:39). In the book of John, Jesus healed the man who was born blind, and then the man testified to the skeptical religious leaders. “One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see” (John 9:25). This was his personal testimony.

The Apostle Paul shared his personal testimony three times in the book of Acts (Acts 22:1–22; 26:12–18) to segue into the gospel. Paul’s testimony serves as a biblical model you can follow in developing your own personal testimony.

Your personal testimony, a subjective experience, is backed up by the objective evidence of the resurrection of Christ and the Word of God. Cults and false religions do not have this truth.

Greg Laurie wrote, “The point of sharing your story is so you can tell His story . . . we don’t want people marveling over our story, but over . . . the price that He paid because of His great love for us.”

Your Story

Practical Importance

A well-prepared personal testimony is a true story about how you met the Lord.

The Preparation

Prayerfully ask the Lord for wisdom (James 1:5) as you develop your personal testimony. Outline the main elements of your personal testimony.

The Main Elements in a Personal Testimony

A personal testimony has six main parts:

1. The opening: Think of a theme you can use to share your story.
2. Before you came to Christ: What your life was like before you met Christ.
3. How you realized your need for Christ.
4. After you became a Christian: The difference Jesus has made in your life.
5. The closing

The Opening

Look at “Some Personal Testimony Themes” at the end of this chapter and select the one that fits your life before coming to faith in Christ.

Before You Came to Christ

What was your life like before you met Christ? For example:

• What was lacking in your life?
• How did you attempt to meet what you were lacking—through wrong friends, marriage and family, work, sports, physical fitness, drugs, sex?
• Don’t brag about past sins or struggles. Share just enough to show your need for Christ.
• What common circumstances would a non-Christian relate to—attitudes, what was important to you, how you substituted God for something else?

How You Realized Your Need for Christ

What were the circumstances or details that caused you to consider Christ? Explain the events that led to your conversion. How did God get your attention? Be specific. If you became a Christian as a child, focus more on how Christ has made a difference in your life since you became a Christian at an early age.

After You Became a Christian

In the “Before You Came to Christ” section, you expressed your needs and how you did not find fulfillment. In this section, share how Christ made the difference in your life—how He met your needs. Emphasize the changes in your behavior or character since you received Christ. Share a scripture that was meaningful to you at that time. You may want to paraphrase the verse.

The Closing

End with a statement, a question, or a verse that summarizes your story and relates back to your theme, and that requires a response.

Tips on Sharing Your Story

Outline the main points on a 3” x 5” card. Keep it clear and simple (KISS method) and keep it short (2–3 minutes or 100 words or less).

• Ask for permission to share—“Would it be okay if I shared with you how God changed my life?”
• Be honest, positive, and joyful. Don’t lie or embellish. Be truthful.
• Don’t criticize a church or denomination.
• Consider practicing in front of a fellow believer for input.
• Be conversational—you are sharing, not preaching, your personal testimony.
• Use ordinary language—avoid religious jargon such as redeemed, saved, born again, justified, sanctified, baptized by the Holy Ghost, and so on.
• Include some humor and human interest.
• Highlight God’s presence and power in your life.
• Share before and after stories.
• Compare a life without purpose and direction to a life of deep meaning and purpose.
• Compare self-centeredness to a desire to be more giving and loving.
• Compare the fear of death to peace for the future.
• Compare loneliness to a sense of belonging.
• Compare addiction to something like drugs or pornography to freedom.
• You may have more than one testimony since the Lord is teaching you many things in your life with Him and maturing you in relationship with Him.
• Practice sharing your personal testimony with a friend.
• In your personal testimony, be clear how you received Christ, share the gospel, and invite them to respond.

Use the Testimony Worksheet to prepare your testimony.