You Don’t Need to Know Every Answer to Share the Gospel
One of my closest friends, Alexis, frequently takes to the streets of downtown Miami. This is one of the treks all our parents warned us about as teenagers. Stay out of Overtown, and if for some reason you have to be near there, go in a group and take some pepper spray with you.
And yet, Alexis is there almost weekly. She passes out donated clothing, takes portraits of people, and learns their stories. Most importantly, she tries to establish relationships for sharing the gospel.
Alexis says there’s still a lot she doesn’t know about the Bible and Christianity. We often talk about her questions, and I share some of my church background and Christian education to try to help. But while I may have more facts and theology memorized, Alexis is the one who boldly evangelizes in places many won’t go.
She’s the one willing to face the hard questions with grace and love. I admire that about her, and it has taught me something crucial. We don’t have to know every answer when we evangelize. There can actually be value in not knowing everything.
BEING VULNERABLE OPENS DOORS
When someone asks a question during evangelism that ends with the inevitable: “Actually, I’m not sure,” we’re often tempted to feel embarrassed, like we’ve failed some sort of invisible Christianity test. The reality is that those moments are not shameful, but an opportunity.
When we are honest about not knowing every answer, unbelievers may feel more comfortable asking questions about their own beliefs. This opens up the door for further conversation. Promise to research the question and schedule a day to talk it over. Be vulnerable and tell them about how that question has always stumped you, but your faith carries you through the not knowing.
You’d be surprised how many people will not only tolerate, but embrace these moments of vulnerability. Humanity spends a lot of its time trying to figure things out, and our world values well-informed people above all else. But we all have doubts, and we all have questions. The beauty of the gospel is that it promises to be bigger than any unanswered question we may have.
THE GREAT COMMISSION ISN’T A COMPETITION
The last verbal command Jesus gave the disciples before ascending to heaven is known as the Great Commission: “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation” (Mark 6:15). It is a command that applies to every Christian in the world, and we obey out of love and gratitude for the salvation Christ has given us.
But we sometimes see the Great Commission as something we must win at. When we’re faced with a question we don’t know the answer to, we often crumble. And if you’re anything like me, failure can feel suffocating and tempt us to stay away from anything we’re afraid we may not know enough about.
Pride is at the root of all of this. When the source that fuels our evangelism isn’t joyful obedience, the result falls short of what God wants from us
THE RESULTS BELONG TO GOD, NOT US
Recently, I was reading through 1 Corinthians and was struck by one consistent theme I kept seeing over and over: the transforming work of the gospel is only fueled by God’s Spirit and power. Paul reminds the Corinthians:
“And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God” (1 Cor. 2:3-5).
The point of evangelism is to share our faith with others so that they will believe in Christ as their Lord. But this faith is wholly based on God’s power. When we forget this, we try to use his Word as our tool and fail miserably in the process, rather than becoming tools in his hands.
This isn’t just a detriment for those around us; it is harmful to us because the act of sharing the gospel isn’t just meant for the person we are sharing it with. It’s also meant for us. To draw us closer to God, and to help us understand and trust him better each day.
So, when evangelism seems scary or like something that you might fail at, take a lesson from Paul: We walk “in weakness and trembling”, obeying the task God has given us.
Evangelism is not a chance to show off what super-Christians we are, chock-full of knowledge and facts. It is the calling to share the greatest gift we have ever known, and nothing should keep us from it, especially not ourselves. Let us always pray as young Christians that the Lord would open doors, soften hearts, and open ears as we step into the mission fields of our lives.
