Apicontent

Power Source #1: The Holy Spirit

Evangelism is about the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit who enables us to share the good news. The Holy Spirit is the One who causes a person to put their faith in Christ. In Acts 1:4, Jesus commanded His disciples to wait for what the Father had promised—to be endowed with power from the Holy Spirit. The Lord will never ask us to do something without giving us the resources to do it. Ephesians 5:18 says, “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit.”

Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2:4 (NKJV), “My message and preaching was not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.” Whether you use a tract or simply share the gospel from your heart, you are to rely on the Holy Spirit. God uses ordinary people filled with extraordinary power to share the good news. All glory goes to the Lord when a person comes to Christ.

Bill Bright in his booklet “How You Can Be Filled with the Holy Spirit” explains how important it is to be controlled by the Holy Spirit when we share Christ with others.

It is Christ himself, living within you in all of his resurrection power . . . speaking with your lips— who will empower you with the Holy Spirit. It is not your wisdom, your eloquence, your logic, your good personality, or your persuasiveness that brings people to our Savior. First-century Christians, controlled and empowered by the Holy Spirit and filled with his love, turned the world upside down. As the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit, they received a divine, supernatural power that changed them from fearful men to radiant witnesses for Christ. They were used by God to change the course of history. And this same omnipotent power, the power of the Holy Spirit, is available to you to enable you to live a . . . fruitful life for Jesus Christ.

Jesus told His disciples that the Holy Spirit “will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8 NKJV). The Holy Spirit shows the non-Christians their need for Christ, and unless they repent of sin and accept Jesus as their Savior and refuge, they will face God’s judgment. Ask the Lord to fill you with the Holy Spirit and show you what steps to take as you share Christ with others, whether they are a neighbor, a relative, a coworker, or a friend.

Power Source #2: Prayer

Someone once said, “When we work, we work, but when we pray, God works.” Without prayer, evangelism is impotent. Author E. M. Bounds said, “Prayer is the mightiest agent to advance God’s work.”

The early church was a model for prayer. They prayed for 10 days and preached for 10 minutes, and 3,000 were saved (Acts 1–2). As Pastor J. D. Greear said, “Nowadays, we pray for 10 minutes, we talk for 10 days, and three people get saved.”

Prayer is an act of humility and aligns our hearts with God’s heart to open blind eyes and deaf ears to the gospel. What should we pray for?

Pray to Have a Heart for the Lost

Ask the Lord to forgive you for being apathetic toward the lost. Talk to the Lord and say, “Lord, please forgive me, and give me a heart for those who don’t know You.” Trust God, and step out in faith as you look for divine appointments. Paul told Philemon, “I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ” (Philemon 6 NIV).

Pray for Boldness

The greatest missionary who ever lived, the Apostle Paul, asked for prayer in Ephesians 6:19: “And pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel . . . that . . . I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”

John and Peter said, “Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to your servants that with all boldness they may speak your word” (Acts 4:29 NKJV).

When I was on staff with Cru, I was given the assignment of reaching the fraternities for Christ at UCLA. Fraternity life is often filled with sexual promiscuity, drunken behavior, and an anything-goes lifestyle. I prayed for boldness, and my team was able to share the gospel to 10 of the 11 fraternities. I claimed 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV) where Paul said, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

Ralph Drollinger was on our outreach team to reach the fraternities for Christ. He was a 7’2” basketball player at UCLA, and when we walked into the fraternities, all the frat guys were impressed with his height. They would often walk up to Ralph and ask, “How’s the weather up there?” They listened to Ralph and our team as we presented the gospel. Ralph initially turned down a pro basketball contract in order to share Christ with thousands of college and semi-pro players while playing basketball for Athletes in Action. Today, he is a ministry leader with Capitol Ministries, leading Bible studies with members of Congress.

Pray for Open Doors and Divine Opportunities

Paul said in Colossians 4:3 (NKJV), “Meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word.” Open doors are divine opportunities bathed in prayer that produce fruit. In Acts 18:9–10 (ESV), the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.”

Crossroads Bible Church has this motto: Passionate Prayer. They have a Sunday morning prayer gathering before the first service, an online prayer ministry during both services, prayer after the services at the foot of the cross, corporate prayer on Tuesday evenings, monthly all-church worship and prayer, prayer in community groups, and prayer in the various ministries of the church.

Pray That Spiritual Eyes and Hearts Will Be Open to the Gospel

Ask the Lord that His Word will not return void (Isaiah 55:11). Pray for a person by name that they will understand the gospel.

“And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:3–4). Satan’s main goal is to keep people locked in darkness and take as many people to hell as possible.

Pray that the non-believer will recognize their need for Christ much like the Samaritan woman at the well when she said to Jesus, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst” (John 4:15). Paul said, “Grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and . . . come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil” (2 Timothy 2:25–26).

Ask a non-Christian if you can pray for them. That shows compassion. At a restaurant, ask the waitress, “How are things going?” or “How is your day going?” People are often very receptive to being prayed for.

Pastor Kevin Harney in his book Organic Outreach suggests keeping the prayer simple when you pray for them. Use common language. Lift up their needs and joys, pray in Jesus’s name, and stay in touch. If you see them again, your compassion in praying for them may provide an open door for more spiritual conversations.

Pray That Satan Would Be Hindered from Stealing the Seed of the Gospel

Ephesians 6:10–13 says we are engaged in a spiritual battle. The weapons we fight with are not those of the world. Paul said, “For . . . the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses” (2 Corinthians 10:3–4).

Satan is on an all-out mission to hinder non-Christians, including your neighbors, your family, and your friends, from receiving Christ. He wants to do everything possible to convince believers that they are inadequate to share their faith.

Jesus said, “When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart” (Matthew 13:19). As believers, we have the power of prayer, the Holy Spirit, and the Word of God to advance God’s kingdom and tear down strongholds.

Paul told King Agrippa that Jesus sent him to the Jewish people and the Gentiles “to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins” (Acts 26:18).

Prior to a Billy Graham Crusade in Washington state years ago, my friend Jim Hagensen and I went to a room for counselor training. Everyone was dressed conservatively, but one young man stood out. He was dressed in all white, had a shaved head, and looked like he had either just gotten out of jail, was on drugs, was the milkman, or had been in a hospital for cancer treatment. This man among 3,000 conservatively dressed trainees was suddenly in line right next to me. I tried to share the gospel with him, but he immediately fled as if something had beckoned him to leave. When our training session was over, we went to the foyer where hundreds of people were gathered. The security guards who had been interrogating him told us, “We’re absolutely convinced he is demon-possessed.” I believe this young man was dispatched by the enemy to disrupt the crusade’s training orientation.

Pray for Unsaved Family Members

Randy Newman in his book Bringing the Gospel Home writes, “Develop a system for prayer for your family.   Thank God for his love for each family member.” Realize that it may take a long time for a family member to come to Christ.

Dr. Howard Hendricks, President of Dallas Theological Seminary, prayed 42 years for his father, George Hendricks, to come to Christ. In a miraculous way, a chaplain led him to Christ.

Praying for your family is not a guarantee that everyone in your family will come to Christ. We need to rest in the fact that God is completely trustworthy and that He will wipe away every tear from our eyes in heaven.

Pray for Men and Women to Join the Lord’s Army of Witnesses for Christ

Jesus said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few: therefore, pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (Matthew 9:37–38 ESV).

Pastor David Jeremiah said, “He is praying that your simple work for Him will bring souls into the kingdom and glory to the Father.”

Author and speaker Lee Strobel said, “Prayer isn’t just one more thing we can do. It’s the very best we can do.”

Pray for the lost. Pray that your family, friends, coworkers, and neighbors will be open to the gospel. Pray for divine opportunities and open doors to share the gospel with your unsaved friends and acquaintances. Write down the names of five people you want to see come to Christ:

Write down their needs, concerns, hobbies, and so on. Do they like sports, shopping, or movies? This will help you pray specifically for them and know possible ways to connect with them.

Power Source #3: God’s Word

There are two things in this world that are eternal: people and God’s Word.

Scripture Memory

My older brother was a new Christian at the age of 16. He would wake me up at 5:00 in the morning and ask me to quiz him on some of the 500 Bible verses he had recently memorized. Seven years later when I became a Christian, my brother was overseas traveling, and I had no one to disciple me. I thought to myself, what do I do now that I am a Christian? I decided to engage in scripture memory like my brother had. This was the most important spiritual discipline for my spiritual growth, and it gave me confidence in sharing my faith.

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus explains the parable of the sower. He said, “Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God” (Luke 8:11).

Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing as far as the division of the soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

When evangelist Bill Fay shares his faith, he often asks people to read some key Bible verses out loud. Then he asks, “What does this say to you?” He says there is something dynamic going on when people read God’s Word.

It is because of the work of the gospel through the Holy Spirit and God’s Word that a person can come to Christ. Martin Luther said the Bible is like a lion. If people criticize it, you don’t defend it; you let it out of its cage. The Holy Spirit will use God’s Word to show people their need for Christ (1 Peter 1:23).

Reason from God’s Word

Acts 17 says that on three sabbaths Paul “reasoned with them from the Scriptures” (Acts 17:25). He emphasized who Jesus is (the Messiah and God) and what Jesus did for them (suffer and rise from the dead).

Scripture Answers People’s Emptiness

People are often searching for meaning in their lives. Augustine said, “Thou hast made us for Thyself, O God, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in Thee.”

Ask someone, “Have you ever read the Bible for yourself?” Some will say yes; most will say no. You can follow up with a question such as this: “Do you know what the Bible’s main theme is?” Most will say no, and then you can share the gospel with them and how it addresses their deepest needs—pardon from sin, purpose for living, peace in life, sense of belonging, personal relationship with God, and eternal life. I like the five Ps that only Christ can provide for a person: Purpose (for living), Peace (with God), Pardon (from sin), Power (to live the Christian life), and a Place in heaven.

In Acts 8, an Ethiopian eunuch was reading a passage from Isaiah 53. Philip, the evangelist, asked him, “Do you understand what you are reading?” (Acts 8:30). Philip explained the gospel to him from God’s Word, and the eunuch came to faith in Christ.

God’s Word Gives Us Confidence

Memorizing a handful of Bible verses as it relates to the gospel is important. However, if you have difficulty memorizing scripture, you can use a gospel tract. You can also download a Bible app that you can refer to as you share your faith.

Here are some effective ways to memorize scripture:

1. Read the verse aloud several times.
2. Use notes or flashcards to write down key verses.
3. Review those verses daily.
4. Listen audibly as you read them out loud.
5. Pray for the Lord to help you memorize scripture.
6. Go to www.biblememory.com, and download the app.

Paul Nowak, Founder and CEO of IrisReading.com, says “Memorization serves as a workout for the brain. The brain is like a muscle that requires exercise for optimal functioning.” Pastor Dudley Rutherford, author of Compelled, states, “When you repeat important verses, they will be stored in your long-term memory just like the lyrics of your favorite songs.”

Jesus has given us all the resources to share the gospel, including the power of the Holy Spirit, the power of prayer, the power of the Word of God, and the power of His presence. We should focus not on what we can’t do but what we can do through Christ. He has given us everything we need to be an effective witness for Christ.

In “Next Steps” is a list of scriptures to memorize.

I’m an Atheist

An atheist believes that nothing × nobody = everything.

Sam Chan recommends Tim Keller’s book Making Sense of God because it focuses on the reasons we need to believe in the existence of God.

Anthony Flew, probably the most respected atheist of the last 100 years, changed from atheism after studying DNA and said, “I now believe that the universe was brought into existence by an infinite Intelligence. I believe that this universe’s intricate laws manifest what scientists have called the Mind of God.”

Norman Geisler’s book I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist wrote, “If there is no God, why is there something rather than nothing at all?

Years ago, I was canvassing a neighborhood for a new church plant. I knocked on the door of a home and introduced myself. The man at the front door stated, “We’re atheists. We don’t believe in God. Just make God appear right now on the front lawn, and I’ll believe. Go ahead, make Him appear!” I replied, “The universe is 15 billion light years in all directions, and you’re a dot in the universe. Is it possible that God could exist outside your realm of experience?” And he said yes. Then I said, “You’re not an atheist. You’d be an agnostic, and there are two kinds of agnostics. One says, ‘I don’t know, and I don’t care.’ The other one says, ‘I don’t know, but I’m willing to find out.’ Which one are you?” He said, “I don’t know, but I’m willing to find out.” I noticed that his countenance had dropped from one of arrogance to one of astonishment and humility. I began to share the gospel with him, but his common-law wife (the neighbors at the next door I knocked on told me they weren’t married) behind the door yelled, “Honey, it’s dinner time,” so I was unable to finish sharing the gospel with him. I gave him a tract, and I often wonder to this day if he ever pondered what I shared with him and if later on he came to Christ.

William Craig, an American philosopher and Christian apologist, has five powerful arguments for God and Christianity. I’ll use the acronym CAUSE.

C—CAUSE: Whatever begins to exist has a cause. The universe began to exist; therefore, the universe has a cause. Either no one created something out of nothing, or someone created something out of nothing. If you can’t believe that nothing caused something, then you don’t have enough faith to be an atheist.

A—ACCURACY: Design of the universe defies coincidence and shows there is an Intelligent Designer. Every design had a designer. The universe is highly complex in its design. Stephen Hawking wrote, “If the rate of expansion one second after the big bang had been smaller by even one part in a hundred thousand million million, the universe would have re-collapsed before it ever reached its present size.” The universe had a Designer.

U—UNIVERSAL MORALITY is evidence that there is a God. There must be a God to account for the sense of right and wrong that is universal to humankind.

S—SUBJECTIVE EXPERIENCE is that God can be known by those who seek Him. Your personal testimony is proof that God can be known and exists.

E—EMPTY TOMB and eyewitness accounts. Many atheists such as Josh McDowell, Lee Strobel, Simon Greenleaf, Frank Morison, and others became Christians by studying the resurrection of Christ. Read or watch “Did Jesus Rise from the Dead?“.

What About Those Who Have Never Heard about Jesus?

A guy named Mark mentioned to me that he had asked several people a question that no one could answer. Here was his question: “What about those who have never heard the gospel before? God won’t send them to hell, will he?” I could tell by the expression on his face after I answered his question that he had never heard the answer before. His ignorance, which was really arrogance, was self-imposed. He didn’t want to believe. He wanted to continue in his sinful lifestyle.

This question calls into question the justice and fairness of God. There are books, videos, and articles on this question, but the way I answer this question is by using the acrostic JUSTICE.

J—GOD IS JUST: Whatever God does, He does fairly and with perfect justice. Genesis 18:25 (NKJV) says, “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” People in general want justice. We all want justice, and when history comes to an end, everyone will see how perfect God’s justice is.

U—GOD’S LOVE IS UNCONDITIONAL and infinite. First John 4:8, says, “God is love.” He “desires all men to be saved” (1 Timothy 2:4). God longs for people to come to repentance and to return to Him. He wants heaven to be populated. “He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9 NIV).

S—GOD HAS SHOWN all men that He exists by creation (Romans 1:19–20; Psalm 19:1–4) and by conscience (Romans 2:14–15; 1:19; John 1:9). Every person born into this world knows that there is a God by external means (creation) and by internal witness (their conscience). Every culture has a belief in gods or God. But what do people do with this knowledge that God exists? Most people suppress the truth of God (Romans 1:18–19).

T—TRANSGRESSED TERMS: Every person has sinned before a holy God in thought, word, and deed (Romans 3:23; James 2:10; Romans 3:10–12; James 4:17; Isaiah 64:6). They have also violated the moral standard written in their hearts, which is why their conscience bothers them when they violate that moral law. All stand guilty before the holy God of the universe.

I—INITIATE (CALL UPON) GOD: The Bible tells us that if a person wholeheartedly seeks God, they will find him. “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13). Before Jesus came to earth, Abraham, Rahab, and others in the Old Testament put their faith in the one true God and His provision for their sins (Genesis 15:6; Joshua 2:9–11). God will move heaven and earth to see that a person comes to know God if they will earnestly seek Him.

In Dreams and Visions: Is Jesus Awakening the Muslim World? Tom Doyle shows how many Muslims are coming to Christ through spectacular dreams. The wise men in Matthew 2:1–12 followed the light God gave them (the star) and brought them to the Christ child. In Acts 10, Peter and Cornelius both had dreams, and Cornelius’ whole household came to Christ.

C—JESUS IS THE CATEGORICAL CURE: Jesus is the only way to salvation (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). People before Christ put their faith in a Messiah who would ultimately die for their sins. We look back to the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ as having paid for our sins on the cross.

E—EXPECT EXAMINATION: When you witness to a person who has clearly heard the gospel, the God of the universe will not ask them, “What about those who have never heard?” Rather, the Lord will show them the many ways He has tried to get their attention and will ask them, “What have you done with my Son, Jesus, who died for you and has paid the full price for your sins?”

Is Jesus Christ God?

Jesus never acquiesced to the idea that He was simply a great moral teacher.

Jesus Claimed to Be God

Many times, Jesus claimed to be God, the Creator of the universe. He said to Philip, “Whoever has seen Me, has seen the Father” (John 14:9 ESV).

Jesus claimed to be the great “I AM” (John 8:58), which infuriated the Jewish leaders of His day, and they sought to kill Him “because you, a mere man, have made yourself God” (John 10:33). His power over nature, disease, and death (Mark 4:41; John 9:1– 41) proved He was God.

Jesus Predicted His Resurrection from the Dead

No other great religious leader dared to predict that he would rise from the dead (John 2:19; John 11:25–26).

Examining the Alternatives

• Liar: How could the greatest moral teacher who ever lived be the greatest deceiver of all time, even among his closest friends?
• Lunatic: Psychologists state that Jesus had the most stable personality ever. When Jesus was being crucified, He exhibited great composure and poise, and uttered these words: “Father forgive them for they know not what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).
• Legend: The overwhelming evidence from history both by secular historians and Christian scholars is that Jesus was an historical figure of great significance.
• Lord: That Jesus is Lord is backed up by His life, incredible teachings, miracles, and resurrection.

Did Jesus Rise from the Dead?

Evidence of Christ’s Death. Gregory Koukl in The Story of Reality indicates that the vast majority of scholars, including those who are entirely secular, agree that Jesus died on a Roman cross on a Friday, that He was buried in a tomb, and that the tomb was empty on Sunday morning. Numerous witnesses testified that they saw Jesus alive multiple times.

Early Accounts. The earliest creed taken from 1 Corinthians 15:3–4 alludes to the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. It has been dated within months of Christ’s death.

Empty Tomb. All the enemies of Christ had to do to destroy Christianity was simply to produce the body of Christ, which they never did. Christ’s tomb remains empty. Theologian R. C. Sproul said, “Buddha is dead. Mohammad is dead. Moses is dead. Confucius is dead. But . . . Christ is alive.”

Eyewitnesses. Besides the four Gospels, there are non-biblical sources that reference the resurrection of Christ (e.g., Tacitus, Pliny the Younger, Josephus, Lucian).

Experience of Christ. Every believer, the moment they receive Christ, are indwelt by Jesus (Colossians 1:27). Jesus says in Revelation 3:20 (ESV), “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door [of their heart], I will come into him and eat with him, and he with me.”

Why Do People Suffer?

Greek philosopher Epicurus who lived a few hundred years before Christ proposed this argument:

1. God is all-good and all-powerful.
2. An all-good God would want there to be no evil.
3. An all-powerful God would have the power to eradicate evil.
4. There is evil.
5. Therefore, God is not both all-good and all-powerful.

A good answer to this argument can be found in Lee Strobel’s book The Case for Faith where he quotes philosopher Peter Kreeft that evil is evidence for God: “If there is no God, where did we get the standard of goodness by which we judge evil as evil?” God created the possibility of evil. Man’s freedom is the source of evil. God could decree by midnight all evil cease, but by 12:01 a.m., none of us would be left. Someday God will destroy all evil.

In his book The Case for Christ, Lee Strobel wrote that God has “demonstrated how the very worst thing that has ever happened in the history of the world ended up resulting in the very best thing that has ever happened in the history of the world” (the death of God on the cross).

Isn’t the Christian Experience Only a Psychological Crutch

Conversions Contrast

Paul Little in Know Why You Believe states, “We cannot explain Christian experience on a conditioned reflex basis . . . since thousands reared in Christian homes unfortunately never become Christians. . . . In Christianity, our personal subjective experience is tied into the objective historical fact of the resurrection of Christ.” Some people who were raised in a Christian home later abdicated their faith, whereas many who had no exposure at all to Christ became followers of Christ. Christianity is not based on wish fulfillment; it is based on the objective historical fact that Jesus rose from the dead.

Christ Is Constant

Over 60 generations have shown that Jesus changes lives. We are created for God. St. Augustine said, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.”

The ultimate answer to the argument of wish fulfillment or that Christianity is a psychological crutch is that our experience with Christ is that it is based on irrefutable, objective facts—the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. See the video and article “Did Jesus Rise from the Dead?”.

Is the Bible the Word of God?

Here are some of the answers to this question:

Argument from Analogy

God has instituted communication in the natural world. Therefore, it seems probable that communication from God to man would take place.

Argument from the Indestructibility of the Bible

The Bible is the best preserved of all books transmitted from antiquity. The Bible has been preserved despite attempts to destroy it and deny it.

Argument from the Character of the Bible

The contents of the Bible are unsurpassed in its subjects (creation, sin, trinity, etc.). The Bible was written by 40 authors over 1,500 years but clearly the product of one Author (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20–21).

Argument from the Influence of the Bible

The Bible has had a scientific, cultural, social, political, and domestic influence. It has answers to the major questions of philosophy such as “Why does evil exist? What is good and right?”

Argument from Fulfilled Prophecy

One-fourth of the Bible is prophetic. Jesus fulfilled over 300 specific prophecies (Psalm 22; Isaiah 52, 53), and the Bible gives a panorama of future events with many prophecies that have already been fulfilled (Matthew 24; Revelation).

Argument from the Claims of Scripture

Over 3,000 times, the Bible declares itself the Word of God and having divine authorship. Aristotle said that a book is innocent until proven guilty.

Argument from the Scientific Accuracy of the Bible

The Bible says that the stars in the heavens are innumerable (Jeremiah 33:22). Scientists in the past thought there were only a few thousand stars in the universe, but recent scientific discoveries reveal millions of galaxies with hundreds of millions of stars. Until the 19th century, physicians bled a patient, hoping that would heal them. But the Bible all along stated that blood is the source of life (Leviticus 17:11). In his book Scientific Facts in the Bible, Ray Comfort lists 100 scientific facts.

Won’t a Good, Moral Life Get Me to Heaven?

If someone asks this question, ask them if they ever told a lie, stole something, took the Lord’s name in vain, looked at someone of the opposite sex in a lustful way, and so on. Every person has broken God’s commandments (James 2:10; Matthew 5:48; Romans 3:10, 23).

Acknowledge that you as well as they have sinned, but the difference is that you have found forgiveness in Christ. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

You may be a great swimmer, but none of us could swim to Hawaii. We’d all fall short. People often don’t receive Christ because they won’t believe, not because they can’t believe.

Nicodemus: In John 3, Nicodemus, a Pharisee and member of the Sanhedrin in Israel, comes to Jesus, who tells him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). Faith in Jesus Christ, the One who paid the penalty of sin, is how a person is born again. It is trusting in Jesus Christ alone, repenting of sin, and receiving Him as your Savior and Lord. None of Nicodemus’ good deeds could earn him a place in heaven. By the end of the Gospel of John, Nicodemus appears to have become a disciple of Christ.

The Thief on the Cross: The thief on the cross said to Jesus, “‘Remember me when you come into your Kingdom.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise’” (Luke 23:43). He entered into heaven solely on the mercy and grace of God, just like everyone else who puts their faith in Christ. Jesus paid for our sins at the cross and offers us the free gift of His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Why Would a Loving God Send Someone to Hell?

You could reverse this question by asking, “If God is so holy, why would He ever let anyone into heaven?” The Bible is very clear. God says: “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live” (Ezekiel 33:11). The cross of Christ shows God’s desire that people can receive His grace and forgiveness and spend eternity in heaven as opposed to hell.

When people ask how a loving God can send a person to hell, Sam Chan asks them to read with him Jesus’s parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19–31). He then asks them what they like about the story and what it says about hell. He says that people often think the rich man justly deserves to be in hell. C. S. Lewis wrote, “The door of hell is locked on the inside.” There are only two kinds of people— those who say to God, “Thy will be done” and those to whom God in the end says, “Thy will be done.” All that are in hell ultimately choose it.

The Bible is Full of Errors, and There Are So Many Translations

If someone says, “The Bible is full of errors,” ask them to show you one. Chances are they have never read the Bible and can’t point to a single so-called error. If they say, “There are so many translations,” implying that the Bible can’t be trusted, the simple answer is that all translations come from the Hebrew (Old Testament) and Greek (New Testament), and they all say basically the same thing. Ask them, “Do you mind if I share with you what the main theme of the Bible is and how it changed my life?” Then share the gospel and/or your personal testimony with them.

What About Other Religions?

All religions other than Christianity exhort people to reach God by their own efforts with no assurance of eternal life or heaven. They can be summed up in one word—Do. Even Mohammad, the founder of Islam, did not know what Allah would do to him after he died (Quran 46:9). If Mohammad had no assurance of salvation, what hope is there for his followers?

Christianity is based on one word—Done. Jesus paid for all our sins at the cross (Gal. 2:16). By accepting Jesus and His death on our behalf, we are justified and made righteous before a holy God. Jesus staked His full claims to deity on His resurrection. Today, Jesus’s tomb is empty. Buddha, Mohammed, Confucius— their tombs are occupied. Only Jesus claimed to be God incarnate and the only way to heaven. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6).

I’m Not Ready

Ask someone, “What is the reason you’re not ready?” You might ask them, “What would it take to make you ready?” They may say they don’t know enough. Review with them the benefits of receiving Christ and share your personal testimony. Offer to meet with them again. If they are interested, they will agree to meet with you. Consider going through the Gospel of John with them.

There Are Too Many Hypocrites in the Church

Agree with them. Say, “There is no perfect church because there are no perfect people.” If you were to join a perfect church, it wouldn’t be perfect anymore. We’re all hypocrites in a way because we all fall short of living up to all of God’s commands. The only people who will get to heaven are forgiven people. The only perfect person who ever lived is Jesus. That’s why Christ came. He came to die for our sins and offer us forgiveness of all our sins. Would you like to receive the Lord’s offer of love and forgiveness for your sins?

I’m a Good Person

Ask, “Have you obeyed all of God’s commands?” James 2:10 says, “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.” Some other scriptures to share are Romans 3:10; 3:23; James 4:17; Matthew 5:48; Isaiah 64:6, and the Ten Commandments to show we’re all guilty before a holy God. But God offers complete forgiveness, and He paid the full price for all our sins. After sharing these verses with them, ask them if they would like to receive the Lord’s offer of forgiveness.

I Tried That, but It Didn’t Work for Me

Ask them what they have tried. What church did they go to? Maybe it was a liberal church or a cult. Maybe they got baptized or prayed the prayer to receive Christ but never really understood what they were doing (that happened to me). It’s possible they don’t really know what it means to be born again. Ask them if they would like to make sure they know God personally and review the gospel with them. Some may have been exposed to a Bible-believing church and the gospel, but now they are living in sin—viewing pornography, taking drugs, and so on. They may have had parents who distorted the gospel by their lives, and now they are in rebellion against God. Review the gospel with them and share with them the story of the prodigal son—that God, like a perfect, loving Father, is there for them to return to Him like the story Jesus tells in Luke 15.

Evangelistic surveys can be effective in sharing the gospel. Here are a few samples from a church in Washington state that uses them when they visit malls, parks, and bus stations to engage people in conversations about the gospel.

Christmas Survey

1. What would you say is the meaning of Christmas?
   • It’s a family holiday.
   • It’s a time to party/enjoy your friends.
   • It’s a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
   • It’s a religious holiday.
   • Other: _________________________________
2. What is the most meaningful part of the holidays to you?
   • Time spent with my family.
   • Time to enjoy the fun and festivities of the season.
   • Time to enjoy friends and activities.
   • I like to go to church and celebrate the meaning of Christmas.
   • Other: _________________________________
3. In what ways does celebrating Christmas impact you?
   • It makes me a more giving person.
   • I volunteer to help others in need.
   • I am happier and more optimistic.
   • It fills me with joy and gives meaning to life.
   • I love giving gifts to others.
   • Other: _________________________________
4. Christmas commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ.To you, who is Jesus Christ?
   • Prophet
   • Myth
   • Son of God
   • Savior of the world
   • Other: _________________________________

Easter Survey

1. To you, what is the meaning of Easter?
2. In what ways do you celebrate Easter?
   • Gather with family for a meal.
   • Get together with friends.
   • Take the day off to relax.
   • Do a fun activity.
   • Go to church.
   • Other: _________________________________
3. Why in your opinion is Easter an important holiday?
   • It’s something that is always done.
   • It brings families closer together.
   • It gives us something spiritual to think about.
   • It is the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
   • Other: _________________________________
4. Do you have any spiritual belief in your life?
5. To you, who is Jesus?

General Spiritual Interest Questionnaire

1. What is your spiritual/church background?
2. How much of the Bible have you read?
   • ❑ All
   • ❑ More than half
   • ❑ Less than half
   • ❑ None
3. To you, who is Jesus?
4. Let’s suppose you were to die tonight and stand before God. If He asked you, “Why should I let you into heaven?” what would you tell Him?
   • ❑ I tried to be a good person and follow the rules.
   • ❑ I haven’t sinned.
   • ❑ Jesus is my Savior.
   • ❑ Other: _________________________________
5. On a scale of 1 to 100, how would you rate your certainty of going to heaven?
   • ❑ 0–49%
   • ❑ 50–74%
   • ❑ 75–99%
   • ❑ 100%
   • ❑ No clue
6. May I get your opinion on a brief outline that explains how you can be certain of going to heaven and how to know God in a personal way?

Future Events Survey

Date: _________________________________

Name: _________________________________

1. What concerns you most about the major challenges facing our world in the future?
   • ❑ World War
   • ❑ Famine
   • ❑ Israel/Middle East
   • ❑ Other
2. If you were to die by a disease like COVID or from nuclear war, where would you go?
   • ❑ Heaven
   • ❑ Hell
   • ❑ Don’t know
   • ❑ Other
3. On a scale of 1 to 100, how certain would you be to get to heaven? ______________%.
4. Do you know what the Bible says in order to get to heaven?
   • ❑ No
   • ❑ Yes
5. May I share with you the general entrance requirements for heaven based on what the Bible says?
   • ❑ Yes
   • ❑ No
   • ❑ Already know

Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8–9; John 14:6; John 3:16; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 10:9– 10; Revelation 3:20; 1 John 5:11–12

COMMENTS:

Books on Evangelism and Discipleship

• One Heartbeat Away by Mark Cahill
• Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God by J. I. Packer
• One Thing You Can’t Do in Heaven by Mark Cahill
• Good News for a Change by Matt Mikalatos
• Bringing the Gospel Home by Randy Newman
• Organic Outreach by Kevin Harney
• The Unexpected Adventure by Lee Strobel and Mark Mittelberg
• Tell Someone by Greg Laurie
• How to Talk about Jesus by Sam Chan
• How to Give Away Your Faith by Paul Little
• Becoming a Contagious Church by Mark Mittleberg
• Becoming a Contagious Christian by Bill Hybels and Mark Mittelberg
• Turning Everyday Conversations into Gospel Conversations by Bennett Leslie and Steve Wright
• Digital Evangelism by Jeffrey Akers
• e-Vangelism by Martin Luther Quick
• The Art of Neighboring by Jay Pathak and Dave Runyon
• Sharing the Gospel with Ease by Thom S. Rainer
• The Evangelist by Richard D. Phillips
• Share Jesus without Fear by William Fay
• Questioning Evangelism by Randy Newman
• Compelled—The Irresistible Call to Share Your Faith by Dudley Rutherford
• Not Beyond Reach by Aaron Pierce
• Evangelism That Works by George Barna
• Street Smarts by Gregory Koukl
• Tactics by Gregory Koukl
• Master Plan of Evangelism by Robert Coleman
• Real-Life Discipleship by Jim Putman
• Discipleship Shift: Five Shifts to Help Your Church Make Disciples by Jim Putman and Bobby Harrington
• Discipleship Essentials by Greg Ogden

Books for Sharing with Jewish People

• A Rabbi Looks at Jesus of Nazareth by Jonathan Bernis
• A Rabbi Looks at the Last Days by Jonathan Bernis
• Betrayed by Stan Telchin

Resources for Sharing with Muslims

• Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus by Nabeel Qureshi
• No God but One—Allah or Jesus? by Nabeel Qureshi
• Glad News! God Loves You My Muslim Friend by Samy Tanagho
• A Christian’s Pocket Guide to Islam by Patrick Sookhdeo
• Answering Islam at answering-islam.org
• Dreams and Visions: Is Jesus Awakening the Muslim World? by Tom Doyle
• The Islam Debate by Josh McDowell
• The Camel—How Muslims Are Coming to Christ by Kevin Greeson
• Son of Hamas by Mosab Hassan Yousef
• Standing in the Fire by Tom Doyle Standin

Resources for Sharing with Hindus and Buddhists

• Sharing Christ with Hindus by Madasamy Thirumalai
• Marg Network
• Disciple Making Among Hindus by Tim Shultz
• Christian Barriers to Jesus by Paul Pennington
• Connecting With Hindu International Students by W Stephens
• Ten Tips for Ministering to Hindus by HL Richard
• Is the Commission Still Great by Steve Richardson
• Sharing Your Faith with a Buddhist by Madasamy Thirumalai

Resources on Apologetics

• A New Kind of Evangelism by Sean McDowell
• Evidence That Demands a Verdict by Josh McDowell
• The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel
• The Case for Faith by Lee Strobel
• The Case for the Creator by Lee Strobel
• Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis
• Cold-Case Christianity by J. Warner Wallace
• I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist by Norman Geisler
• Apologetics Study Bible by Broadman & Holman Publishers
• The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism by Timothy Keller
• Answers to Tough Questions Skeptics Ask about the Christian Faith by Josh McDowell and Don Stewart
• When Skeptics Ask by Norman Geisler and Ronald Brooks
• The Kingdom of the Cults by Walter Martin
• Fast Facts on False Teaching by Ron Carlson and Ed Decker
• A Different Gospel by Dan McConnell and Hank Hanegraff
• Reason to Believe by R. C. Sproul
• Letters from a Skeptic by Dr. Gregory A. Boyd and Edward K. Boyd
• The Story of Reality by Gregory Koukl
• God Doesn’t Believe in Atheists by Ray Comfort
• Is God Real? by Lee Strobel

Web Resources

• Josh.org/resources/apologetics/
• GotQuestions.org/content_apologetics_basics.html
• Y-Jesus.com
• Apologetics315.com
• Summit Ministries (Summit.org)
• “Does God Exist?” William Lane Craig vs. Christopher Hitchens Debate (reasonablefaith.org, YouTube)

Websites, DVDs, YouTube, and Apps

• JO App by JesusOnline Ministries—downloaded by millions with vast resources on evangelism, apologetics, discipleship, and more. View the web app at app.JesusOnline.com, or download it at Jesus Online.com/app.
• GodTools by Cru—training on how to share your faith, the Four Spiritual Laws, Knowing God Personally, and other tools for Christian growth
• Y-Jesus.com, Jesusonline.com, and Jesusonlineministries.org
• Francis Chan’s YouTube video “Just Stop and Think”—an excellent 15-minute presentation of the gospel.
• Gospel Coalition website: thegospelcoalition.org
• Outreachmagazine.com—ideas, resources, and innovations for Christian leaders and churches

Witnessing Tools and Resources

• “Eternal Answers to Life’s Most Important Questions”—tract
• “The Gift of Heaven—5 Keys to God’s Incredible Offer”—tract
• “One Second After You . . . ” by Mark Cahill—an excellent 62-page booklet; order at: www.markcahill.org
• “Two Ways to Live”—tract (https://twowaystolive.com/)

Now What?

We are to be involved in the Lord’s command to fulfill the Great Commission. It’s as simple as ABC.

A—ASK

Ask the Lord to show you who in your life needs Jesus. God has put you in certain people’s lives to share the good news with them.

Lee Strobel concludes his book The Unexpected Adventure with this challenge: “Whose door is God telling you to knock on? What phone call do you need to make, or what email do you know you ought to send? Which neighbor . . . what relative . . . who is the old friend you need to reestablish contact with? Ask the Holy Spirit to show you the steps to take—big or small—to engage in the unexpected adventure. Then step out and follow His lead today.”

Make a list of perhaps five or more friends, family, neighbors, coworkers, or social media connections who need Jesus, and commit them to the Lord in prayer.

B—BASIC STRATEGY

1. Get Trained

Learn how to share your faith at your church or from a parachurch ministry. Select a gospel method that you prefer and develop your personal testimony so you can share it at anytime and anywhere.

“We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life” (1 John 1:1 NLT).

2. Memorize Key Scriptures

Pick five or more of these 11 verses to memorize so you can share your faith and repeat them on a regular basis.

• Romans 3:23 (ESV): “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
• Romans 5:8 (ESV): “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
• Romans 6:23 (ESV): “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
• John 3:3 (ESV): Jesus said: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
• John 14:6 (ESV): “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’”
• Romans 10:9–10 (ESV): “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
• John 3:16 (ESV): “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
• Revelation 3:20 (ESV): “Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone opens the door, I will come into him and eat with him, and he with Me.”
• John 1:12 (ESV): “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”
• Ephesians 2:8–9 (ESV): “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
• I John 5:11–12 (ESV): “And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”

C—COMMIT Your Time and Resources to Fulfilling the Great Commission

Here are Jesus’s final words before ascending to the Father: “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18–20).

Read a book on evangelism that includes discipleship as a strategy to fulfill the Great Commission. There are many ways to strategically reach people for Christ in our day and age. One of the most cost-effective ways is through the Internet. Today it’s possible to reach people with the gospel in nearly every country of the world for as little as three cents. A ministry my wife and I personally support—JesusOnline.com—is seeing people indicate decisions for Christ for under 50 cents each.

Phil Wiegand, a business investor and author, wrote, “Whenever I invest my treasure in His Kingdom, I am storing up treasure in heaven that will last for eternity. A few years ago, I became aware of the tremendously effective outreach JesusOnline is having around the world on the Internet. . . . It took me a nano-second to decide I wanted to get in on this eternal investment opportunity.”

Whatever ministry you choose, invest your financial resources to proclaim the extravagant news of the gospel that will echo into eternity.

It Only Takes a Spark to Get a Fire Going

Have you ever heard of Mordecai Ham? Mordecai came to Charlotte, North Carolina, to put on an evangelistic crusade. A sandy-haired young man named Billy Frank heard Mordecai preach. Frank responded to the invitation, was converted, and became known as Billy Franklin Graham who probably preached to more people than any other person who has ever lived.

Who knows? The next Billy Graham may be someone you share Christ with and later gives their life to Christ. God has placed you and me at a certain place at a certain time to make an eternal impact for others.

The Story of Charles Peace

Charlie Peace was an English burglar and murderer who embarked on a life of crime. In 1879, he was arrested and taken on the death-walk to be hung. A prison chaplain routinely read some Bible verses, and Charlie Peace was shocked at the way the chaplain showed no emotion when reading about hell. Could this preacher believe the words that there is an eternal fire? This was too much for Charlie Peace. “Sir,” he said, addressing the preacher, “if I believed what you and the church of God say that you believe, even if England were covered with broken glass from coast to coast, I would walk over it, if need be, on hands and knees and think it worthwhile living, just to save one soul from an eternal hell like that!”

Our salvation and the gospel are “things into which angels long to look” (1 Peter 1:12). Angels who have a front-row seat to God’s power and miraculous works are awestruck by the fact that the Son of God laid down His life to save us. There is nothing on earth or in God’s universe that can compare to the gospel. During Jesus’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the Pharisees said to Him, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.” But Jesus answered, “I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out” (Luke 19:39–40). Let’s not become silent. Let’s proclaim the most amazing news ever to the world.

In Luke 14:15–24 Jesus tells the parable of the great banquet to show how God is graciously extending His invitation to everyone. Many of those invited to the banquet made excuses not to come. The head of the household then invited “the poor and crippled and blind and lame” so that his house would be filled. God is inviting everyone to His eternal home. Someday perhaps very soon, the entry door to God’s great invitation into Heaven will be closed.

Revelation 22:17 says: “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes would take the water of life without cost.”

May God grant us the courage to faithfully witness to those who don’t know Christ before the door to heaven is eternally closed.

The Great Commission is found in Matthew 28:18–20. The main phrase of the Great Commission is “make disciples.” We tell unbelievers the good news and then help those who believe in Christ to grow in their faith.

Some churches prioritize evangelism, while others prioritize discipleship. These are like two wings on an airplane. Lifeway Research says biblical disciplemaking involves the whole process of winning the lost, building the believer, equipping the worker, and sending out proven multipliers.

Paul said in 2 Timothy 2:2 (ESV), “The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” There are four generations of discipleship in this verse: (1) Paul’s own generation, (2) Timothy’s generation, (3) the people Timothy will teach, and (4) the ones they will teach and disciple.

Today, there are vast resources on the Internet for spiritual growth, including ministries committed to discipleship and disciple-making. Here is a list of resources on discipleship:

• Master Plan of Evangelism, a classic book on discipleship.
• Cru has the “10 Basic Steps toward Christian Maturity,” which is designed to provide the new believer with a sure foundation of their faith. Cru also has “Transferable Concepts” in print and on video that teaches the principles of the Christian life.
• Since 1933, the Navigators (Navigators.org) have helped people worldwide know Jesus through what is called Life-to-Life Discipleship. It includes a Digital-Discipleship Journey that includes emailing a person on a weekly basis and topics to help you grow spiritually. These and other great resources can be found on their website at www.Navigators.org/resources.
• Bible Study Fellowship (bsfinternational.org) offers free, in-depth Bible studies for men and women to uncover the truths of God’s Word together.

Churches should focus on building disciples who are followers and learners of Jesus. Pastor Marc Fournier of Crossroads Bible Church in Bellevue, Washington, says, “All that we do at our church is about building disciples who will bring Jesus to our world and who then build other disciples. Our discipleship pathway includes helping folks get ‘planted’ in Truth or God’s Word. Mature disciples seek to make other disciples as well as serve in our church community.”

Canyon Hills Community Church in Bothell, Washington, has as their motto “to make more and better disciples of Jesus Christ.” They have a School of Discipleship where they offer courses on topics such as How to Study the Bible, Know What You Believe, Theology, the Life of Christ, and more.

Real-Life Ministries is a church led by Pastor Jim Putman that started with a few people and now has several thousand each week based on a focus on discipleship. Putman’s book Real-Life Discipleship focuses on true, effective discipleship for churches. DiscipleShift: Five Shifts to Help Your Church Make Disciples Who Make Disciples written by Putman and Bobby Harrington is another great resource.

Discipleship.org breaks down these three key parts to what it means to be a disciple:

1. “Following” Jesus (head)
2. “Being changed” by Jesus through the Holy Spirit (heart)
3. “Fishers of men” being committed to the mission of Christ (hands)

JesusOnline Discipleship

JesusOnline Ministries (JOM) helps website visitors and JO Discipleship App users become faithful and fruitful disciples of Jesus Christ. This is an online ministry that helps believers develop a more comprehensive understanding of who Jesus is, what He has done, and what His purpose is for their lives so they can follow Him more wholeheartedly. This online discipleship is not meant to replace or compete against discipleship that takes place in a local church.

Their Strategy

After presenting the gospel, JOM invites visitors to download the free JO App, the primary platform for discipleship. It allows users to communicate directly with the JO App online ministers. Over 500,000 people to date have downloaded this free JO App.

Their Resources

Those who come to Christ can access on the JO App:

• The Adventure of Living with Jesus
• New Life in Christ
• R.E.C.A.P. Bible Study Method
• Time with God section with devotionals and a Bible study series
• Building Blocks for Maturity with key topics of discipleship
• Share Jesus with articles on evangelism and evangelistic tools
• Facts for Faith with apologetic articles to deepen their faith in Christ

Below are two of the thousands of comments on JOM’s online discipleship materials. These comments are from the continent of Africa in particular.

“The discipleship booklet has transformed my life and my understanding about what it is to live for Christ and trust His Word. The Adventure of Living with Jesus discipleship booklet is a real treasure for me!” —Pastor Assah, Togo

“My name is Pastor Stanley Fachi in Malawi. The JO App has helped me be grounded in the Word of God. I preach to thousands of people every Sunday and also teach about 600 pastors in Malawi and Mozambique. I have printed everything on the JO App, and I have started already making some tracts and sharing them with people. Thanks again for all you’ve done to encourage and equip me.” —Pastor Stanley Fachi, Malawi

Discipleship Is God’s Strategy

Jesus told His disciples to teach all that He taught to their disciples. In a few short years, they had “turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:6). Discipleship starts with evangelism, and we should never forget that, but we should always pursue making disciples who will in turn make disciples. To reach the world for Christ, we need to share the gospel to as many people as possible and disciple those who come to Christ. This was the model Jesus commanded in the Great Commission.

Ed Stetzer is an author, speaker, pastor, church planter, Christian missiologist, and Billy Graham’s Distinguished Chair of Church Mission and Evangelism at Wheaton College. He summed up the relationship of evangelism and discipleship: “Our evangelism has to be focused on making disciples who become disciple-makers, and our discipleship has to be mission-driven, leading those discipled to share Christ.”

True discipleship leads to evangelism, and true evangelism leads to discipleship, which is the Lord’s way of reaching the world for His glory.

When the Apostle Paul was led by the Holy Spirit to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the Roman Empire, his efforts were greatly facilitated by the network of Roman roads that covered 120,000 kilometers (almost 75,000 miles). God used these roads to spread the good news of Christ throughout the Roman Empire.

Jesus told His disciples that just prior to His return, “this gospel will be preached to all nations” (Matthew 24:14 NIV). How could this be possible unless God raised up a new technology that would enable the gospel to reach every person on earth? Little did they realize that 2,000 years later, God would raise up a new Roman road that would lead to the literal fulfillment of Jesus’s words.

Just as the gospel was spread throughout the Roman roads during the birth of Christianity, so today the gospel is being spread worldwide by the Internet. As of this writing in 2024, there are 5.35 billion global Internet users of this new Roman road. That number is expected to reach 6.54 billion in 2025 primarily through the proliferation of smartphones.

Easier and Faster Ways of Communicating

At the click of a mouse on a computer or a tap on a smartphone, the gospel can be sent out in seconds around the world and in different languages. We are in a new digital era where almost everything is done digitally, and technology is affecting the spread of the good news all over the world.

Easy Understanding of Scripture and Gospel Resources

Because of technological changes, people can obtain gospel and biblical materials even in remote areas where they were previously unavailable. The gospel is being spread worldwide through this new technology of the Internet.

Many ministries are using this new Roman road to fulfill Jesus’s Great Commission to take the gospel worldwide before He returns.

JesusOnline Ministries is one such ministry that has been proclaiming the gospel on the Internet since 2005 and has reached nearly every nation of the world.

JesusOnline Ministries

JesusOnline Ministries (JOM) has received over a quarter of a billion website visits from people in 195 countries who have read the articles or watched videos about Jesus’s life, crucifixion, and resurrection. For each person who indicates a decision for Christ, the cost to the website is incredibly low at less than one dollar.

JesusOnline Ministries uses a proven four-step outreach strategy to reach them with the truth about Jesus.

Step 1. JOM poses questions people are asking about Jesus. They identify those with an online search history related to questions they’re asking about God, Jesus, faith, and the Bible.

Step 2. People click ads that link them to compelling gospel articles and videos. By placing curiosity-provoking ads on thousands of promising websites every day, JOM captures interest and makes people think about who this Jesus is that they have heard about.

Step 3. Visitors to the website then discover answers that reveal Jesus’s true identity and the life He offers. After hearing the gospel on video or in print, they discover that Jesus is their Savior and Lord and have the opportunity to come to Him by faith.

Step 4. JOM follows up with those who respond and encourages them to join the JO App community where a discipleship pastor and team of volunteers help members nurture their relationship with Jesus. The team also prays for people and helps guide individuals to find biblical answers for their challenges.

The three main websites are Y-Jesus.com, JesusOnline.com, and JesusOnlineMinistries.org.

Y-Jesus has PDF articles and videos on such topics as “Is Jesus God?” “Did Jesus Rise from the Dead?” (also, a video version); “Has Science Discovered God?” “The Gift of Heaven” (in PDF and video formats), and a host of other topics. These articles and videos can be placed on Facebook or Instagram, or emailed to your non-Christian friends with whom you are sharing the gospel. I have sent some of these articles and videos to non-Christians who are looking for reasons to believe and have also posted these articles on Facebook.
Jesusonlineministries.org shares the vision of JOM along with “The Gift of Heaven” video that has reached millions of viewers with hundreds of thousands making a decision for Christ.

JesusOnline.com has an app downloaded by millions called the JOApp. This app has resources such as Bible studies, gospel tracts, online Bibles, New Adventure with Jesus, and several other resources.

In 2023, JOM had 98,393 daily visits, 6,625 daily decisions, and 2,418,015 people who committed their lives to follow Jesus from 190 countries around the world. Over 300,000 of these decisions were from “The Gift of Heaven” video that reached people even in many countries where Christians are persecuted.

2030 Ministry Vision:

• One billion website all-time visits
• 30 million all-time decisions for Christ

Below are brief samplings of the thousands of comments JOM receives on a monthly basis.

Moges, Ethiopia
I was thinking to kill myself. I was in depression and stress, and I think I’m alone and everybody hates me, but Jesus told me if you’re alone I am with you. If anyone doesn’t love you, I love you and he is my friend and my father. I can’t describe his love to me.

Roberto, Guatemala
I’ve been an atheist for a long time. I asked God to show me if He was real. But last month I began fearing about death and asked God to show me if He was real. I prayed and asked Him for a sign to help me know the truth. Then I was navigating on Pinterest, and your ad came about the resurrection. Although I wasn’t searching for anything about life after death, I realized this was God’s answer, and I read the article showing that Jesus really rose. I’m glad that God answered me. Thank you for your website.

Kalyani, India
I am a Hindu who was told the truth of Christ very recently. . . . I have seen and heard enough to believe in Jesus, but my nagging mind plagued me with doubts, and I ended up on this wonderful site. Such direct, amazing facts. Verifiable, sourcecited. You people don’t know how much it helps me to read these articles. How much it calms me. Keep up the good job. Hope this site helps many lost sheep reach the truth. God bless.

Reynaldo, Israel
I am now truly convinced that Jesus and God truly exist . . . and His promises are true . . . I like to devote my life to Him. . . . Amen!

Serwaa, Ghana
Could you believe I was crying before I clicked on the link? I’m in debt to the extent of thinking of taking my life for everything to end. I have a seven-month-old baby girl too. And now I have seen how wrong I am thinking I have nobody to help me, Almighty God is here for me.

Ahmed, Ghana
Although I’ve been a Muslim for 10 years, I read your article and am very grateful for your insightful facts about Jesus. I’m really inspired how your website helped me discover the truth of the gospel.

Pastor Ayodele, Nigeria
I am a minister of the gospel for over 30 years now, but I have never seen the gospel so clearly presented as this. This message will help us present the gospel message better. Thank you.

Neil, Philippines
This article really captures my heart, my whole being. . . . It makes me cry out loud alone in my room. . . . I feel sorry for all my sins.

Sakeena, Pakistan
It was amazing. I never read such content. May God accept me with my sins.

Michael, New Guinea
Convincing and heart-touching, and this is my turning point. My tears rolled down my eyes while praying the prayer. I need to return to Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God. Eternal life is real, and Jesus Christ is the firstborn into the eternal life.

Miguel, Venezuela
Until today I never understood why God gave His only Son as a sacrifice for us who literally do not deserve it. I cannot imagine giving my son for other people. That’s how great God’s love is, and today more than ever, my God, I love you, and I receive you.

Ariel, Colombia
Now I understand that Jesus Christ is the one who will help me fill that void in my life. I receive Him in my heart and my life and accept Him as owner and master of my life. I ask you, Jesus, to come in and take control of my being and make me what you want me to be. Amen. For a long time, I was looking for you, but I did not see until today.

Beverly, Guyana
I was deeply moved by these wonderful words of life today. I feel that I found a new life. I am moved to live my life with Jesus. I found this new birth with tears in my eyes. These words touched my soul, and I think I am now free to live my true life and have that relationship with God.

Abdel, Peru
It has helped me to understand many new things. I am grateful, and I do not consider it a coincidence to find this spiritual help. I was a convinced atheist, but I had the opportunity to meet God.

Alexander, Canada
I now believe in God; I finally have faith. Sweet Jesus, I love you. You’re everything to us. It’s true. I acknowledge Your sacrifice of Your life for us!

Rosario, Mexico
I’ve had some questions about Jesus’s resurrection, but now I see it so clearly. He rose again, to the tears that now run down my cheeks. He resurrected. Thank you very much.

Kathleen, USA
This is the most wonderful article I have ever read. Being raised Catholic, it never crossed my mind that Jesus is my Lord and He rose up to heaven so we could have eternal life with Him. And that I pray for.

Enrico, Italy
I was having a crisis of faith, and suddenly I got this link where I found so much benefit. Jesus sought me out, and I accepted Him.

Zhimoka, India
I am struggling to get out of addiction and sinful habits. This article indeed has helped me answer my questions and doubts about whether a person like me can be given a chance in life. Now I believe I can because Jesus is indeed my Savior and my one true God.

Sujatha, India
I am a Hindu, but while reading about Jesus I am crying. I don’t know why, but after reading your article, I feel peace in my heart. I accept Jesus as my saviour. Thank you very much.

Youcef, Algeria
Now I have evidence that Jesus died on the cross and three days later He resurrected from death. In spite of my precedent belief as a Muslim that Jesus never died on the Cross, today I feel free on discovering the reality about the Christ thanks to so wonderful evidence. Life without Jesus is not worth living.”

Global Media Outreach (GMO) is another effective ministry that leverages technology to reach the world for Christ. GMO has seen millions receive Christ worldwide since it began. In summary, several ministries such as JesusOnline Ministries are taking the Lord’s words seriously and using the new Roman road of the Internet to proclaim the gospel to every nation.

Articles and Videos to Share Christ

You can go to Y-Jesus.com and send an article or video to those you are witnessing to and ask them their opinion for further follow-up. You can also post the gospel or an apologetic article on Facebook, Instagram, or other social media about the Lord and how Christ has changed your life.

The Social Media Phenomenon

The gospel remains the same, but the methods change. Today, social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn, Snapchat, Pinterest, and Reddit are reaching billions of people daily. Facebook is the world’s largest social network. As of January 2024, Facebook had 3.05 billion monthly active users (MAU). It’s the most used, most universal, and most effective social media tool for evangelism. The vast majority of users are between 25 and 54 years of age.

YouTube has 2.5 billion MAU; Instagram has 2 billion MAU. More than 80 percent of every generation uses social media at least once per day.

First Chronicles 12:32 says, “Of the sons of Issachar, men who understood the times, with knowledge of what Israel should do.”

The Internet and social media present an amazing opportunity to get the gospel out to the world. Thousands of evangelists are using social media platforms to spread the gospel.

Here are some ways to use social media to share the gospel.

1. Understand your audience and the social media platform you want to reach. With Facebook, tap the circle to the right of the audience you’d like to see your content (example: friends, public, only me). Thirty percent or more of people between the ages of 18 and 24 make up most Instagram users. To post on Instagram, you can turn on your Facebook account in the share section. The share to section will be set to your Instagram account. For public accounts, anyone on Instagram can see your posts.
2. In general, ages 20 to 29 are the biggest users of social media.
3. Pray for people viewing your post. Ask for prayer requests. “How can I pray for you and follow up for an update?” Share prayers and praises.
4. Share your story or personal testimony, scripture, and what it means to you. Share posts from your church. Share burdens. Share resources to meet needs. Share opportunities to connect. Share the gospel message and how to know Christ.
5. Post regularly because over time the message of the gospel will penetrate a person’s heart. Be consistent.
6. Respond to comments you may receive. Follow-up is important, and over time a person may come to Christ since it takes time for people to understand and receive the gospel.
7. Many pastors post their sermons on the Internet and social media. David Jeremiah’s ministry Turning Point is available on most all social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. His organization informed me recently that they have reached more than 300 million organically on these platforms in a short period of time.
8. R. York Moore, President and CEO of the Coalition of Christian Outreach and Tellthestory.net, posts three to five short videos a day, mainly on basic doctrines of sin, judgment, and common struggles such as pornography, anxiety, and fear, as well as what salvation is and how a person is saved. Moore uses TikTok as a social media platform and has been doing that for two years. He says that the most effective platforms for getting the gospel out are TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels. As of November 2023, Moore’s sites have 717,000 followers, over 8 million hitting his posts, and an estimated 400,000 people who have received Christ. Moore commented, “God is using TikTok in a powerful way to reach Gen Z with the gospel.” He suggested using www.robertbenjaminconsulting.com to learn how to use social media.
9. Search on Instagram or YouTube on topics such as faith in Jesus, apologetics, sermons, evangelism, salvation, the resurrection of Jesus, the second coming, and other topics. You will get a host of posts.

Edigital ministries such as www.godkulture.global, www.udemy.com, and www.delmethod.com explain how to use social media to share the gospel. You can also contact someone in your church who is tech-savvy and ask them to show you how to use social media to share Christ evangelistically.

SeekGrowLove.com says, “Internet evangelism is how the nations will have an opportunity to hear and receive the good news. . . . Today one person, right out of the comfort of his home, can reach millions of people in places he has never been and most likely, never will go. . . . As good stewards, we must use what God has given us if we desire to obey the Great Commission and bring the return of our anticipated Savior!”

There are countless ways that Christians and churches can reach out with the gospel. People all over the world are sharing Christ one-on-one; in large gatherings; and through the media, radio, TV, Bible translations, podcasts, YouTube, TikTok, and the Internet. There is one gospel but many ways to share it.

Equipping People for Evangelism

It is very important that believers are trained to share their faith. Ephesians 4:11–12 says that we’re to equip the saints, and that includes evangelism. Most churches are not evangelistic because their members are not equipped to share their faith.

Passing the Baton

While I was on staff with Cru, I met Jim and Tori Wright who were sophomores at Portland State University. At 19 years of age, Jim had just committed his life to Christ. Whenever I saw Jim on campus, I said to him, “Let’s go witnessing.” And then we would go share the gospel with students on campus. Jim always did great in sharing the gospel, and he quickly caught the bug for full-time ministry. The trajectory of his life had dramatically changed, which began a lifelong adventure that included sharing the gospel as a way of life. Jim and Tori graduated from seminary, and since then Jim has been in five full-time ministries, faithfully serving the Lord for more than 40 years. Now retired, Jim teaches evangelism at his church and is fully engaged in serving the Lord on mission trips to places such as Zimbabwe, South Sudan, Namibia, Liberia, Chad, and France to equip pastors in biblical theology and evangelism. Jim has faithfully and zealously carried the torch of the gospel, passing the baton on to others. Jim and Tori have clearly modeled 2 Timothy 2:2, which says, “The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”

The Uber Pastor

Jayson Turner is a close friend of our family who helped mentor our son Matt into full-time ministry. He is an associate pastor gifted in preaching who also drives for Uber. For the last eight years and with around 10,000 rides, he has shared Christ countless times. Instead of closing the deal, most of his conversations are pre-evangelistic in nature. Jayson commented, “Harvesting is wonderful, but the harvest never arrives if the gardeners (seed planters) are not present the rest of the year.” Jayson often gives his riders a small New Testament Bible along with either Tim Keller’s book The Reason for God or Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis and a gospel tract. Around the holidays, he hands out Hidden Christmas by Tim Keller. Jayson also gives people his business card so they can get in touch with him for a follow-up phone call or a time for coffee. Here’s a recent post from Jayson:

Often, I am surprised at how open people are to share the details of their lives with me. A young woman entered my car recently and proceeded to share much from the therapy appointment I picked her up from. Somehow our conversation moved to one’s view of God in relation to all the difficulties people experience in life. I got the chance to tell her about how God entered into all this difficulty in the person of Jesus—the One who had nowhere to lay his head (Luke 9:58); Jesus, the One who came in the form of a servant (Phillipians2:7); Jesus, the One who came to ultimately die for the rebels, rejects, and outcasts to offer all of us new life (Romans 5:8).

After sharing this news about Jesus, my passenger responded, “That’s amazing that Jesus would do that for me.” Her statement came out in the form of a whisper as though I had just told her an important secret that she was now restating back to me. I was caught off guard by her response. In fact, I was convicted. This young woman had responded to the good news as though it was the best news she had heard in a long while. God’s grace had surprised her heart, and I could hear the wonder and delight in her hushed voice. I was convicted because I forgot. I share the gospel often in my Uber conversations, and even then, I forget. I forget that the gospel is indeed the best news ever. It is news of the greatest joy. It is for all people of all time. And it is a remarkable thing to learn that there is a God in heaven who didn’t skirt the stench of this planet but rather gave everything to rescue us. May we walk in that wonder this advent month. And perhaps as we meditate on the scandal of God taking the form of a man, we too will worship Him afresh in a massive joy. I am thankful for Jesus. Joy!

Jayson concluded his post with Luke 2:10 (ESV). “And the angel said to them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.’”

To learn more of the creative ways that Jayson shares the gospel, I encourage you to go to either www.uberpastor.com or Instagram@uberpastor. You’ll see several of Jayson’s posts that are very helpful and insightful in sharing the gospel.

Gospel Tracts are Effective

A good friend of mine, Tom Harmer, staples a $5 bill to a Gospel tract where the people can see the $5. He often will go to Home Depot early in the morning where there is a crowd of five to ten people standing at the entry hoping to get a day job from customers. Tom pulls his car up and they all gather around his driver’s window. He smiles and holds up a handful of tracts with the $5 bill poking out and he says, “Hi, guys, I don’t have any work for you today, but I do have $5 for each of you and special instructions in this tract which are far more valuable than $5 bucks. If you read and follow these instructions, then you will gain eternal life and have all your sins paid for by Jesus!” They all reach out and take a tract and Tom shares the gospel and finishes by saying, “You can count on God’s promises! Repent + Believe & Receive = Heaven.” Tom tells me: By doing this, “I’m storing up treasure in Heaven!”

Another friend of mine, Don Hiebert, will give tracts out at car washes, in waiting areas in restaurants, at a restaurant with a good tip, in bill payment envelopes and other strategic venues. Sometimes Don will ask a person, “Hi . . . are you interested in doing a short interview for a free $5 Starbucks Gift card?” Don then asks questions about life in general and then shifts to spiritual questions which lead into a gospel presentation.

Telemarketers

Has a telemarketer ever called you? I think they have called everyone. Many of the telemarketers that call me are from overseas in countries such as India or the Philippines. After they ask me several questions, I say to them, “Can I ask you a few questions?” They usually say yes, and then I ask them what country they are from; what religion they associate with, if any; and do they know for sure how to get to heaven. That gives me an opportunity to share the gospel with them. Many have thanked me for sharing how they can be sure they are going to heaven. Pastor David Jeremiah in his book The Jesus You May Not Know tells of a friend who turns nuisance calls into good news calls. For example, if a caller is offering a vacation, his friend says, “I can’t travel right now, but can I take a moment to tell you about the most exciting destination of all—heaven.” Use your imagination for how to introduce the gospel to telemarketers.

Email Signature

Everyone has a signature at the end of their emails. I have added to my signature a video gospel presentation called “The Gift of Heaven” (https://jesusonline.com/receive-jesus/the-gift-of-heaven/) that clearly communicates how they can go to heaven. I want people to know that this is what I stand for. I may lose a few “sales” from letting people know about Christ, but I always want to get the message out, and the Lord will honor this. Let’s not be ashamed of the gospel of Christ!

Instead of Tracts

At times, I have purchased for my church large quantities of The Case for Easter and The Case for Christmas by Lee Strobel, and More Than a Carpenter by Josh McDowell and Sean McDowell. The cost is very minimal. Books can be door openers for gospel conversations and be the seed in people’s hearts to come to Christ in due time. I gave one of those books to my cardiologist who thanked me and said he would read it on the airplane. I have given out some of these books at the fitness gym. When I give one of them to a believer, I ask them to read it and then give it to a non-Christian friend. Recently, I had hip replacement surgery (yes, I am getting older) and gave out More Than a Carpenter books to my doctor, the physician assistant, the nurse and the anesthesiologist. Opportunities are everywhere.

How Some Churches Reach Out

George Barna of Barna Research found that most churches are interested in growing numerically by transfer growth but have a limited commitment to evangelism. Churches that have evangelism as a top priority typically have a senior pastor who has an intense desire to emphasize evangelism.

Evangelist Bill Fay in his book Share Jesus without Fear wrote, “The primary mission of the church is to establish a way for every lost person to hear the news of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.”

There are myriad ways that churches reach out with the gospel. Here’s a sampling of a few effective ways some churches reach the lost for Christ during the year.

Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, California— Senior Pastor Greg Laurie constantly encourages people to come to Christ. One of their many ministries is a street witnessing ministry where a team goes out to the parks, cooks hot dogs, and shares Christ to the homeless and to soccer moms.

Canyon Hills Community Church, a megachurch in Bothell, Washington, has a Food Bank ministry in which they will distribute thousands of pounds of food to thousands of people of 11 ethnicities and nine different languages. They proactively share the gospel while providing food to families. Hundreds of people have received Christ since the inception of this ministry. They also have a “Damascus House” which is a gospel-centered drug and alcohol recovery ministry for men and women.

Here’s a summary of their Evangelistic strategy at Canyon Hills:

• Their Community Life Groups commit to an ambassadorial lifestyle for spiritual growth and where evangelism is prioritized as a way of life in teaching all of Jesus (Matthew: 28:20)
• Their International Student Ministry with Bridges International of Cru encourages students to build relationships with international students.
• CHCC conducts a 10-week Evangelism Training and a 10-week Disciple Making training through the year.
• Every quarter, they sponsor a ½-day R3ACH Trainings focused on reaching religious demographics such as Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, Hispanics, etc.
• They host Ramadan Dinner and Chai Chats in order to create opportunities to learn and have Gospel Conversations.
• High School students get trained and then go out applying what they have been trained on, planting seeds, praying for opportunities to have Gospel Conversations.
• Church-based Residency. Residents are trained in evangelism as a part of their Residency with Global Outreach
• Annually, they have a GO-week which focuses upon the Mission of God in Jesus and in us, as Jesus teaches twice (John 17:18, John 20:21) as the Father has sent me, I send you.
• Every Sunday morning at each of their four services, they have an altar call where people can come forward to talk to counselors about making a commitment to Christ.

Crossroads Bible Church in Bellevue, Washington, is a large, multi-ethnic church. For the last 10 years, a strong core of faithful Indian believers has mapped out most of the apartments on the east side of Seattle. Twice a month, they share Christ to the apartment residents and have handed out thousands of gospel tracts. They also share Christ in the community, at parks, in malls, at bus stations, and at festivals to engage in a gospel conversation with people.

Crossroads Community Church in Valencia, California has several outreach strategies led by their Evangelism Pastor, Jim Stitzinger who shares the following:

• Scarlet Hope is a fantastic ministry that pursues women in the adult entertainment industry. Christian women are trained to evangelize those who are being exploited and trafficked. This ministry uses a technology service to text a gospel invitation to any of the over 40,000 women in Los Angeles that have made themselves known in this industry. They also provide home-cooked meals on a weekly basis into various strip clubs, building conversations with the employees and presenting them with the gospel.
• Various Crossroads members have companies that produce a service or product that can be easily given away. From car wash gift certificates to jars of honey, they are able to take those donations and turn them into a springboard for the gospel. These items are given to the congregation, along with a church invitation, and then in turn given away throughout the community.
• The world of martial arts brings together a wide variety of people across our area. They started a “Jesus & Jiu-Jitsu” outreach Bible study to bring the good news of Christ to unbelievers that are interested in training together. This event usually starts with an hour of open mat training time followed by a Bible study led by one of our pastors. While this is an unconventional gospel outreach, it is profoundly impactful!
• Another strategic ministry is “Hands of Hope.” This gospel work brings compassionate believers into various retirement homes, to hold the hands and tell the gospel message to all who will hear. Understanding that retirement communities are often filled with lonely, discouraged people, it is a joy to see the good news of Jesus Christ bring hope to those who hear.

Scottsdale Bible Church in Scottsdale, Arizona, partners with several local nonprofit ministries designed to build relationship on an ongoing relational basis. Their Alpha groups (a nationwide evangelistic ministry) focus on invitations to friends, family members, neighbors, and coworkers. Of the non-believers who attend, 70–90 percent come to Christ. There is a Beta class for anyone who desires to grow in Christ. For more information, go to https://scottsdalebible.com/events/alpha/. Alpha’s national website at https://alphausa.org/run-alpha/ explains how to start an Alpha group.

Christ’s Church of the Valley in greater Phoenix, Arizona, has several campuses. They equip their members with how to share their personal testimony and teach the gospel using the Romans Road or the Bridge Illustration. Thousands of families are involved in Stars Youth Sports program, and about half of the families don’t initially attend church but later make Christ’s Church of the Valley their church home.
Christ’s Church in Gilbert, Arizona, reach out to the poor through their City Hope ministry where they provide food, clothing, and hygiene items which gives them an opportunity to share the love and gospel of Jesus Christ to those who don’t know Christ.

Real Life Ministries in Post Falls, Idaho, started under Pastor Jim Putman with about 30 people and has grown to over 7,000 people based on multiplying small groups. They host several outreaches to the community such as a harvest festival and a Christmas outreach to needy kids. Go to https://realliferesources.org/ to see their resources.

Shadow Mountain Community Church in San Diego, California, has several outreach ministries, including a food bank and a prison ministry. They equip their people for evangelism with Evangelism Explosion.

Family Church Network in West Palm Beach, Florida, has a vision to plant 100 churches in South Florida. The book Turning Everyday Conversations into Gospel Conversations shares highlights about multiplying disciples. The pastors of this church network aim to reach all six million South Floridians (Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties). Their strategy is to equip everyday, ordinary people to be missionaries in the places they live, work, and play.

Reaching Illegal Immigrants. Many ministries and churches are reaching illegal immigrants who have come across US borders. Samaritan’s Purse and World Relief work with churches and evangelical partners to provide water, food, and other emergency supplies to illegal immigrants. Samaritan’s Purse shares the gospel of Jesus Christ with them.

Door Hangers. A ministry called Prayandgo.com is engaged in a prayer walk and puts door hangers with the church’s address, phone number, and email address for sending prayer requests.

Laundry Mat Evangelism. Some believers from a local church will take a ton of quarters and some baked goods and go to a local laundry mat and simply offer to pay for people’s laundry. They seek to build relationships that will open up to spiritual conversations.

Street Evangelism. Steiger International has developed Steiger Streets, a handbook for street evangelism where adults go to places where young adults hang out to spark spiritual conversations. Their handbook is available at Steiger.org.

Here are some proven strategies for how to have an effective strategy for evangelism in your church:

1. Pray for the lost. Does your heart burn for lost people?
2. Inspire those in the church to be salt and light in your community.
3. Have an ongoing equipping class to teach church members how to share their faith.
4. Conduct mission trips or local outreaches where people share the gospel with others.
5. Have a follow-up system in place such as a Next Steps team member to meet with each new believer at a convenient time and place.

Pastor Charles Swindoll in his commentary on the Book of Romans reminds us of this:

We must care enough for the souls of others to go out of our way, to leave our comfort zones, to lay aside our desires in order to proclaim the gospel where it would not otherwise be heard. We must share the good news faithfully, freely, and often . . . we must submit their destinies to the loving care of their Creator. Pray that blind minds will see, and deaf souls will hear.

Evangelism is usually a process of sowing the seed of the gospel. That takes the pressure off our having to “seal the deal” and keeps us from being discouraged if a person does not receive Christ immediately. It is the Holy Spirit who convicts people of their need for Christ, but it is our responsibility to share the gospel.

There are multiple exposures and many conversations before a person comes to Christ, which could take years. Be encouraged because you may be one of the stepping stones for a person to come to Christ in God’s perfect timing.

Some Sow, Others Reap

Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows, and he who reaps may rejoice together. For in this case the saying is true, “One sows, and another reaps.” I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labor. —John 4:36–38

Several years ago, I met with a successful businessman named Steve who was in his 30s and not a believer. His wife, Kelly, was a strong believer, and she was faithfully praying for Steve. They both attended a strong, Bible-believing church. For about two years, Steve and I met on a monthly basis for breakfast and reviewed the gospel several times. Eventually, Steve in God’s perfect timing received Christ as his personal Savior. It took several seed-planting times for Steve to realize his need for Christ. Steve and Kelly are now faithful servants of Christ at a large church in Washington state.

I was the founding pastor of a new church plant on the east side of Seattle. Fred started attending our church and was open to meet and discuss the gospel with me. We met for about 10 weeks, but Fred was still not ready to receive Christ. Jon Sween, who attended our church, decided to meet with Fred on a regular basis. Finally, after a year and a half, Fred announced to Jon that he had received Christ. You may not be the first person to share Christ with a person, a family member, or a loved one, and you may not be the last one either.

Bill was a robust South African rugby player who was a Jewish atheist. One day he came into my brother’s retail store and commented sarcastically, “You guys are Christians, aren’t you?” Then he stormed out and remarked, “I am an atheist, and I’m a Jew!” Bill’s wife was a godly Christian who had been praying for Bill for many years. I met Bill at his home and began to share Christ with him. His wife told me, “Bill has been wanting someone to share Christ with him.” Within a few minutes, Bill broke down sobbing. He was not yet ready to give his life to Christ, but he still had questions and was weighed down by an emotional trauma from his past. I learned that when Bill was a child, his mother used to beat him until his back was bloody. But now, Bill had a loving wife and was surrounded by Christians at work. Not too long after my encounters with Bill, a new Christian shared Christ with Bill and led him to Christ. Immediately after receiving Christ, Bill called to thank me for my involvement in his salvation. Some sow, and some reap—and God gets the glory!

Don’t Give Up

When Cru trained me how to share the gospel, we headed to the local beaches in Southern California, took surveys, and then shared the gospel. Over the course of several weeks, one of the lifeguards heard the gospel from various believers 46 times. The lifeguard then said, “Don’t ever give up. On the 46th time after hearing the gospel, I received Christ.” Evangelist Bill Fay says it takes an average of 7.6 times for a person to hear the gospel before they receive Christ.

A Story of Faithfulness

Salvadore Rivas Gomez was born in 1924, immigrated to the United States, went to Bible school, and became a chaplain. In his later years, Salvadore was unable to drive. Church members often drove him to places like grocery stores where he befriended folks, gave kids candy, and asked questions such as “Do you have a Bible at home?” or “Do you ever pray to God?” He bought boxes of Christian tracts and prayed for the needs of those he spoke to. He distributed food and tracts to people who were looking for work.

He shared the gospel to the poor as they were served meals at the local church, and he provided leftovers and clothing to the homeless camps. He distributed books and tracts at grocery stores, dentists’ officers, and barber shops. In his old age, Salvadore could barely walk and had to use a walker, but that did not deter his desire to introduce Jesus to others. At 98 years of age, the Lord called Salvadore home to heaven and probably said, “Salvadore, you’ve been my servant on earth for a long time. Come and rest for a time. I’ll have something for you later. Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of thy Master.”

The Lord wants us to sow the seed of the gospel. Jesus tells the parable of the four soils (Matthew 13:1– 23; Mark 4:1–34; Luke 8:4–18). Only one of the four soils produced fruit. “And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty” (Matthew 13:23). Witnessing is simply sowing the seed of the gospel and leaving the results to the Lord.

“Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously” (2 Corinthians 9:6 NIV). The amount of the harvest is directly proportional to the amount of seed that is scattered.

Sowing and reaping require waiting, just like the farmer who needs to be patient to see the fruit of his labors. My friend Randy Clinesmith, who is a farmer, told me it takes about six months for the harvest. The amount of harvested wheat depends on things such as soil, fertilizer, and the weather. The more seeds he plants, the greater the harvest.

Fertile Soil

Recently I saw on LinkedIn a person I thought I knew from several years ago. I messaged him and said, “Chris, are you the guy I shared Christ with several years ago?” He answered, “Yes, Dave. It was May 13, and he gave me the exact year. At the time, Chris was the newly elected president of his fraternity at UCLA. Our Cru team had made a gospel presentation to the whole fraternity during their weekly gathering on Monday nights. When Chris was a young teen, he had experimented with drugs and alcohol, and he was arrested a few times before he was 18 years old. He was clearly headed in the wrong direction, but the Lord was pulling at the heartstrings of his life. His whole family had come to Christ, and he could see the changes Christ had made in their lives. Chris and I had met for lunch, and after sharing the gospel, I encouraged him to receive Christ. Chris went back to his fraternity, and in the privacy of his room, he reviewed the gospel and, on his knees, prayed, “Lord Jesus, I need You. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of the throne of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be.”

When Chris prayed that prayer to receive Christ and got off his knees, he said he felt like he had been hiking all day with a heavy backpack and then it had been taken off his back. He knew that Christ had come into his life. Chris began leading some of his fraternity buddies and others at UCLA to Christ. He got involved with Cru and taught Bible studies. For the last several years, he and his wife have been faithfully involved in serving the Lord in their local church and supporting various ministries. Jesus said in John 6:44, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them.” God is the supreme evangelist. Ultimately, it’s the Lord who draws people to Himself, but He wants to use us in the process to sow the seed of the gospel. One of my favorite visual illustrations is called the Engel Scale. There are many examples of the Engel Scale on the web.

After sharing the gospel with a person, I often ask myself where that person is after they heard the gospel. They may have “no belief or interest in spirituality,” but after sharing the gospel with them, they may have moved, for example, to #4 on the Engel Scale where they have a positive attitude toward the gospel and Christ. At times, I have shown a person the Engel Scale after sharing the gospel with them and then asked where they are on the scale. Then I say, “What do you think it would take for you to receive Christ?” Rarely does a person suddenly move from “no belief or interest in spirituality” to an immediate decision to ask the Lord to be Lord of their life. Usually, there are many steps before they receive Christ.

In Mark 12:28, a scribe who was an expert in the Mosaic Law asked Jesus, “What commandment is the foremost of all?” Jesus masterfully answered the question. As He dialogued with the scribe, He said, “You are not far from the kingdom of God” (Mark 12:34). Jesus peered into the scribe’s heart and saw that he was moving closer to surrendering his life to Jesus, the Messiah.

Once I had a conversation with a young man who said he was an atheist. I asked him, “If you could know God personally, would you be interested?” He responded by saying yes. I shared the gospel with him, and he was almost ready to receive Christ. He had moved from a stated atheist to grasping an understanding of how to become a Christian. If possible, keep a relationship open with people you talk to.

Christ Fills the Void in People’s Lives

Years ago, my wife and I lived in Southern California after we had moved from the Great Northwest in Portland, Oregon. My new assignment with Cru was to share Christ on the campuses of UCLA and Moorpark College. We purchased our first home in the town of Moorpark and moved in with our two young children. The house was a few blocks from the college. One of the students who received Christ at Moorpark was a young man named John Ruttkay. Over the years, we lost contact with one another, but recently I tried to locate him. I didn’t know whether John was even still alive or if he still lived in California. I did a search for John on the White Pages and finally found him. I called his phone number and left a voicemail that explained the purpose of my call. A person called me back and excitedly said, “Dave, it’s John Ruttkay!” We both rejoiced greatly together. Needless to say, it made my day. John then shared his full, amazing testimony with me.

In 1974, I was setting out on my grand adventure from the Washington, DC, area to hitchhike across the nation to California to play football at a junior college in a little town called Moorpark. There were three of us from the DC area that were going to try to make that team. It was an interesting time in our culture. We were coming into the tail end of the hippie movement but still holding strongly to the zeitgeist of that time, which was sex, drugs, and rock ’n’ roll.

It was a revolutionary time with many things happening geopolitically. It was pushing many people my age—late teens, early twenties—to start asking the bigger questions of why we are here and what is our purpose. I certainly was one asking those very questions and as a result started on my spiritual quest. . . . By the time I reached 17, I was experimenting with drugs. I was having some spiritual experiences through drugs and began to realize there was a whole supernatural realm that left me hungry to pursue alternatives from my past experience.

I started exploring transcendental meditation first but had no appetite for just sitting around and going inward. A friend of mine came to me. He was also on that quest and took me to Buddhist meetings. That was more my style. It was more bent to my moral and philosophical mindset at the time. I believed everyone was looking for Nirvana and thought they could do it by their own means. At 19, I was no different. It wasn’t long before I got my whole family and friends involved in Buddhism. I became a bona fide evangelist for Buddha.

In 1974, I started my trek to California. I was a devout Buddhist with a backpack and a sleeping bag, and I was ready to conquer the world and hopefully make the football team. On my way to California, by the time I hit Nebraska, there was a whole lot of talk about Jesus by people picking me up. I was aware that there were people called Jesus Freaks on the West Coast but never gave it a second thought. By the time I got to Salt Lake City, I was cleaning up in a bus station and ran into a hippie kind of a guy, and I was like he was. He asked me if we could hitchhike to San Francisco together. He was hesitant at first but forthrightly shared, “I am a believer in Jesus Christ and just want you to know I’m going to tell you about Him.” I said, “Awesome! I’m a Buddhist, and I will tell you about him.” Little did I know that I was going to a knife fight and the other guy’s got a gun. We had engaging conversations, and I stayed with his family the entire week. They invited me to a midweek service in their neighborhood. It was the time of the Jesus Movement, so there was literally a great awakening taking place that would soon sweep the entire nation. Everyone at the meeting that night was my age or a little older. The preacher came out, and he was a hippie and started preaching about Jesus and what it takes to know Him. I was intrigued for sure but still had questions.

The next day, I left for Southern California with a lot of questions, enough so I decided to hitchhike to the Buddhist monastery in Santa Monica. I asked them to explain to me about born again Christians because I had never heard the term. Their only admonition was to stay away from them; they were very persuasive. I decided my spiritual pursuits would have to take a back seat because I had a football team to make. I made the team, and one of the guys from the East Coast was my roommate. The coaches got us a house that we shared with a couple of the basketball players. It was a lot of fun. . . . After the football season was over, that haunting spiritual void started to return. Pascal, the French philosopher, said,

“There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus.”

That’s what was happening to me—the partying, the girls, all the accoutrements that go along with an athlete playing college football were becoming white noise to the cry in my heart.

We finished spring ball. I was the starting QB, was excited for the next football season, but couldn’t shake that gnawing void in my heart. Finally, one day while walking up to the campus, I let out a cry to God. “Lord, I don’t know You, so You need to tell me who You are.” I went to the center of campus to hang out with my boys, and I noticed a guy, somewhat conservative, looking ready to violate my space. He came over and introduced himself as Dave Chapman. He asked me a few questions that were about me personally, like what I was studying and things that would open up to a broader conversation. Little did I know that broader conversation would lead into the reality of getting born again. Dave didn’t know that 45 minutes prior to that conversation, I was having a conversation with the God of the universe to tell me who He was. After Dave and I prayed a simple prayer, I knew that I knew Jesus saved me. He was pursuing me all along. It all made complete sense with that encounter that day. On a tract, Dave made sure to share the three Fs—Faith (our trust in the trustworthiness of God Himself and His Word), Fact (God and His Word), Feeling (the result of our faith and obedience).

One of the providential things is that Dave lived just three houses down from my house. For the next month, I couldn’t get enough of the Scriptures. I had so many questions. Thank God for Dave and his sweet wife for just embracing me like they did. I told the coaches I was not going to be there for summer ball because I got saved and was on a mission—the mission to get my family saved and get them out of Buddhism. It was with prayer and fasting that they all came out and got saved and filled with the Holy Spirit. All my friends got saved, and when I came back for football, I led many teammates to Jesus. There was already a tremendous momentum because of the Jesus Movement, so it made our community grow substantially. I believe that having someone alongside me early on my journey, discipling me, was my key to spiritual growth. After all, the Lord said to go and make disciples, not converts. After my second year, I transferred schools because football was no longer my priority, and following Christ became my all-consuming passion. Again, I want to reiterate that there was a major move of God happening at the time, and I was at the center of it in Southern California, so the spiritual prevailing winds were in my favor, and there were thousands coming to Jesus. There was a group of us that fall semester who started a Christian club on campus, and within three months, we had outgrown the classroom and filled the quad to share the love of Jesus. We built a strong community from that group and saw many move on into ministry, including myself.

I enrolled in Melodyland Theological School and ended up getting a degree in Religious Studies from Vanguard University. For the last 43 years, I have traveled all over the world to preach the gospel of the Kingdom (Matthew 24:14). I have established drug rehab centers that have impacted thousands of people’s lives. I am currently establishing house churches all over Southern California, trying to get back to basic, foundational teachings to get the ekklesia equipped for the coming storm. The kids I am discipling said they thought it was important that my voice get out to the broader Body of Christ. They shared for their generation that it has to come from a digital platform on the Internet. They called it the New Romans Road. The last year and a half, I have explored this venue to communicate to the Body of Christ and the world what the Holy Spirit is saying and doing. There have been hundreds of thousands of views and an overwhelming response from the Body of Christ. I believe we are on the cusp of the greatest outpouring ever seen, and God has called us all to this time. There is a great harvest out there, and the King of Glory is beckoning us to bring in that harvest.

At least four great principles come out of John’s story and testimony:

1. We will greatly rejoice someday.

John and I were filled with joy when we reconnected after several years of being disconnected. Jesus said, “I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent” (Luke 15:7 NIV). Think of the joy we will have when we get to heaven and see those we shared Christ with on earth who are now in heaven with us. Let’s keep sharing the greatest news ever!

2. More seeds planted equals a greater harvest.

Evangelism takes patience. Most people don’t come to Christ the first time they hear the gospel. There may be many seeds planted in a person’s heart before they receive Christ. We may be the blessed ones who see them come to Christ. In John’s case, several people had planted seeds in his life before he received Christ. Sharing Christ is an act of faith and obedience. Let’s remember Galatians 6:9: “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.”

3. People are searching for meaning and purpose in life.

Many people are trying to fill the void in their life with things that end up causing them to feel even more empty and unhappy. Jesus is the only One who can fill that God-shaped vacuum in our hearts.

John was the starting quarterback who experimented with drugs, sex, transcendental meditation, and Buddhism, but none of those things filled the void in his life. Only the resurrected living Christ could and did fill that void. Since coming to Christ, John has never looked back. He has had a massive impact on the world. I was privileged to be in the right place at the right time after John uttered his plea to God.

4. Some bear much fruit.

Jesus said in Matthew 13:8, referring to good soil, “And others fell on the good soil and yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.” John said in his testimony that there is a great harvest out there, and the King of Glory is beckoning us to bring in that harvest. I’m so glad I reconnected with my friend and brother in Christ, John Ruttkay. What a joy unspeakable and full of glory!

Are you a seed planter? Are you sharing the gospel or your personal testimony? Are you reaching out to others in love? Are you speaking to their needs and interests? Are you a good listener? Are you authentic? Are you showing an interest in people by having coffee or lunch with a coworker or neighbor? Are you doing kind gestures of love such as giving them a book, inviting them to church, praying for them, having fun together, or writing them a thank you note? There are myriads of ways to plant seeds in people’s hearts. When people see the light of the gospel in you, they will notice something different and perhaps open their hearts to the gospel message.

Here are some ways we can sow the seed in people’s hearts, so they are better prepared to receive the gospel.

• Share a scripture verse with them.
• Offer to pray for them about a need.
• Invite them to church or a special event at your church.
• Invite them to join you in a small group in your home.
• Email them an article or video from a website or send them a podcast about knowing Christ.
• Walk through a gospel presentation with them.
• Visit them in the hospital and pray with them.
• Take them a meal when there is a crisis of some sort.
• Give them a book on apologetics such as More Than a Carpenter by Josh McDowell or The Case for Faith by Lee Strobel.

Fear is one of the main reasons people don’t witness. I was teaching evangelism at a church, and one of the attendees raised her hand and said, “I agree with what you have said, but how do you get rid of the fear?” I said, “You don’t. You need to do evangelism, and then you’ll get over some of the fear. But if you have no fear, maybe you aren’t trusting the Lord.” Aaron Pierce in his book Not Beyond Reach wrote, “Fear doesn’t disqualify you from being used by God; it simply reminds you of your dependence on Him.”

In sports, experts say “muscle memory” is a process that allows your body to remember certain motor skills and perform them without conscious effort. That can be achieved through practice and repetition. The more you share the gospel, the easier it will become.

The Apostles Peter and John were arrested and brought before the Sanhedrin. “Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13 NIV). This was their reply before the council: “For we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20 NIV). Even though they were being persecuted, it did not stop them from passionately sharing the gospel.

Persecution Is Not Uncommon

In many countries such as Syria, Iran, Egypt, and Iraq, Muslims who come to Christ often face persecution. These Christians are tortured for their faith and nailed to crosses. In North Korea, Christians are murdered for owning a Bible.

Christianity is increasingly coming under attack in America. High school coach Joe Kennedy was fired for exercising his First Amendment right to pray to God in public. It took him almost seven years to undo this unjust persecution when the Supreme Court finally ruled in his favor.

Tertullian was an early church father and author who wrote, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.” Persecution caused the early church to spread like wildfire. The word martyr comes from the Greek for “witness”—someone who gives testimony. It came to be associated with someone who died because of their testimony for Jesus.

The Apostle Paul was stoned at Lystra and left for dead, but the next day he went with Barnabas to Derbe to preach the gospel. George Barna stated, “As fewer people share our theological and worldview commitments, Christians will need courage that was not required of recent generations of believers.”

Every year, some people die trying to climb Mount Rainier in Washington state, which is 14,411 ft. in elevation. Some fall into a crevasse, some have a heart attack, and some even freeze to death. But the dangers do not deter people from climbing. There may be risks in sharing our faith, but there is a great reward. The joy and blessing of sharing our faith should supersede the fear of being persecuted. Jesus said, “If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20 ESV). So why do believers fail to witness?

1. Fear of Rejection

Remember that successful witnessing is simply taking the initiative to share Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit and leaving the results with God. The Apostle Paul said, “I came to you in weakness and great fear and trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power” (1 Corinthians 2:3–5 NIV).

Even the great Apostle Paul felt inadequate at times to share the gospel. Moses said to God, “I have never been eloquent. . . . I am slow of speech and slow of tongue” (Exodus 4:10 ESV). God is interested in your availability more than your ability. God can take your inadequacy and make it adequate for Him.

2. Fear of What My Friends Will Think

Bill Fay in his book Share Jesus without Fear wrote, “Either you can share your faith, or you can say nothing and . . . love your friends into hell.” Most people have never heard the gospel, and many are waiting for you to tell them. Even if they initially reject your message, at some point they may come to faith in Christ.

3. Fear of Losing Friends and Loved Ones

Jesus said our witness for Christ will at times cause division in our families and among our friends. “Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division” (Luke 12:51–53 ESV).

I have never regretted sharing Christ with others. Some came to Christ, and most did not receive the Lord. It can be a lot easier to witness when you are sitting next to someone on an airplane or with someone you meet casually. Our families are familiar with our lives, so we need to pray for the Lord to open their hearts. Remember that the Lord does the saving. Ask the Lord to help you demonstrate the love of Christ to them. Back up your words with godly actions. Share your personal testimony and how Christ changed your life.

Fear of Not Knowing Enough

Fear of not knowing enough usually comes from a believer who has been a Christian for several years. If you don’t know the answer to a question, simply state, “That’s a good question. Let me research the answer and get back to you on this.” Get their contact information, and research the answer on the Internet. Ask an elder or pastor of your church. I recommend memorizing the basics of the gospel tract, so they become second nature to you when you witness. If it is difficult for you to memorize, there are downloadable tracts on your mobile device that clearly present the gospel. The more we are prepared to share our faith, the easier it will be to become a witness for Christ.

When David Livingstone, the great missionary to Africa, returned to his native home in Scotland, his body was emaciated by some 27 fevers during his service. His left arm hung limply by his side; it had been mangled by a lion. As he spoke to the students at Glasgow University, he said, “Shall I tell you what sustained me during the hardship and loneliness of my exile? It was Christ’s promise, ‘Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’”

This is the same great promise and motivation to every believer as they share their faith with others. God grants His power (Acts 1:8) and His presence as we tell others about Jesus.

Jesus sent out His disciples “in the midst of wolves” (Matthew 10:16 ESV) to proclaim the gospel to Israel. Three times He told them, “Do not fear” (Matthew 10:26, 28, 31 NKJV). Hebrews 13:5 says, “For He Himself has said, ‘I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you.’” Jesus promised that He will be with us as we proclaim the gospel.

When all else fails in terms of your not feeling like you know enough to share your faith, you still have your personal testimony. That is a true story, and people like to hear true stories.