How to Start Sharing the Gospel

Sharing the gospel can be intimidating. The very thought of evangelism often brings about swirling fears and a flood of questions. “How would I start the conversation?” “What if they ask me something I don’t know?” “What if I mess up?” These are all normal questions and normal fears. But there’s one problem: they cause us to focus on ourselves.

I recently went on a Saturday morning run when I saw a man pacing back and forth next to his parked bike. I briefly thought to myself, “I wonder why he is pacing. I hope everything is okay.” But just as quickly as I saw him, I continued running.

I later began to reflect on this encounter: “Why didn’t I stop to help him and share the gospel?” I believe there are two reasons. 

First, I was too focused on myself. I allowed my inward focus to tune out those around me. Second, in that particular moment, I chose not to live as though all of Jesus’ words were true. 

In John 3:18, Jesus says that the person who does not believe in Jesus is condemned because they have not believed in the only Son of God. If I were living as though I believed that to be true, I would have stopped to help that man and asked if he knew Jesus.

We need to continually ask ourselves, “Do I really believe the gospel is true and that someone’s failure to believe in it will separate them from God for all eternity?” If so, we need to take our eyes off ourselves and look for opportunities to share the gospel with those around us. So, how do we do this? The best way to start sharing the gospel is to start praying and start practicing.

Start Praying

First, pray! Trying to share the gospel without prayer is like building a house without a foundation. Ultimately, our efforts will be futile because we can do nothing apart from God (Psalm 127:1; John 15:5). Take time to pray for these things in your life.

A Burden for the Lost

Our desire to share the gospel with others directly corresponds to the degree that we care about them. Paul’s burden for the Jews to know Jesus caused him to experience anguish in his heart to the degree that he could be cut off from Christ for their sake (Romans 9:2–3). Ask God to give you a burden for the lost and to pray for them.

Leading from the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is our helper, guide, and the one who convicts the world concerning sin. In Acts 16:6, the Holy Spirit forbade Paul from going to Asia because the Holy Spirit was leading him to Macedonia where there was a man who needed him. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you.

Courage Rather than Fear

Fear turns our attention inward rather than on those who need the gospel. If we want to truly love others and help them enter the kingdom of God, we must ask the Holy Spirit to transform our fear into courage. Here are several common fears and prayers to combat them:

• Fear of messing up? Ask God to give you the words to say as he did for Moses (Exodus 4:12). 
• Fear of inadequacy? Ask God to remind you that Christ’s power is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). 
• Fear of rejection? Ask God to remind you that they are really rejecting him and that he promises never to leave you (Luke 10:16; Deuteronomy 31:6). 
• Fear of persecution? Ask God to give you boldness knowing that those who suffer for his name will receive an eternal reward (Acts 4:29; Matthew 5:11–12).

Start Practicing

Second, practice! After you’ve prayed, take the plunge and practice sharing the gospel. One way to start is to carve out a specific time each week to go somewhere (I recommend going with a friend!) and initiate conversations with people about the deep things of life. 

Try going to an open, public place where people have time to talk (like mall food courts, parks, public transportation stations, and university student centers), and strike up conversations with people who do not seem to be in a hurry. You will be amazed at how many people are willing to talk.

A good way to start is to introduce yourself, and ask if they have a couple minutes to talk about faith-related topics and what gives them meaning and purpose in life. You can then start by getting to know them and asking questions about how they see the world and what is important to them. 

As your questions turn into a conversation, you will often have an opportunity to share what you believe and introduce them to Jesus: the one who offers salvation for sin. You may even have the opportunity to invite them to church or offer to meet again over coffee. As you do this, remember that gospel conversations are often best when we develop a genuine relationship with the person first. Sharing the gospel may sometimes be a one-time conversation, but equipping a disciple requires an ongoing relationship and bringing in the local church.

Sharing the gospel may feel awkward at first, and you will certainly make mistakes…that’s okay! At the end of the day, we can rest in the reality that God is the one who does the work. All we are called to do is introduce others to him. 

So, let’s start praying, and start practicing. After all, the gospel is good news that is worth sharing.