Christian Living

How Can I More Effectively Share the Gospel?

by Tom Harvey 
04/18/16
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        Last chapter I began by answering the question, “How can I better defend the faith, and more effectively share the gospel?” Feeling the need to separate the question into two, because “defending the faith” (or “apologetics)” is different than “sharing the gospel” (or “evangelism),” I would like to present a guideline that some have found helpful, for when God provides an opportunity to present the gospel to someone who is not yet in Christ. I am indebted to the training that Ann and I received through a group called “Open Air Campaigners.” Before we went overseas, we trained with OAC for a few months, and I highly recommend getting involved with them (they are in most major cities) if you want to gain experience in sharing your faith.
        I hope that this will also help you in your ministry. One thing that I had to learn, that seemed to take me a surprisingly long time to learn, was that Jesus meant it when He said:

“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
John 6:44

         And so to quickly answer this week's question, before getting to this hopefully helpful tool, is that you cannot “more effectively share the gospel.” When it comes to the activity of evangelism it is not we who have any effect. It is God who “draws” a soul to Jesus. Evangelism is not about being effective, but about being available. It is not about spear fishing, but about letting out the nets; and trusting God who draws souls to Himself, to fill the nets. Still the joy of evangelism will be fuller, when you share the gospel clearly, so that you know in the end, that you’ve left your listener with a clear opportunity to become born of God.

“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, verse 6

Amen and I hope that you find this helpful:


Personal Evangelism and the Core Gospel Message


         Doing the work of an evangelist is bringing to others, God’s message of salvation; presenting His plan. It is extending His invitation to people who do not yet know this. Although we are using our voices to proclaim the message, the message and plan are his for the hearer. So it is always a good idea to use scripture when presenting the gospel (good news). The message for the tender heart is between God and that person. Given this, the less we talk about what we think, and the more we talk about what God has actually said, the better. He uses our testimonies too however, and so telling of your experience in how you came to know Christ, is important to also tell.
        The goal is to help people see from the scriptures, their need for Christ, and to present Christ’s offer of salvation, under His conditions. His love is unconditional, but the reward depends upon both His calling and the person’s responding appropriately. The plan has always been His.


Three things to never forget in a gospel presentation:

1. The Problem. (The problem with man is sin. The result is death. And man can do nothing about this problem by himself.)


“As it is written:
‘There is none righteous, no, not one;
There is none who understands;
There is none who seeks God.
All have turned away,
They have together become worthless’
There is none who does good, not even one”

Romans 3:10-12


“…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
Romans 3:23

(Fallen Short: that is, none have lived the life God intended and created us for, due to sin.)

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.”
1 John 1:8


2. The Provision. (Jesus’ blood is the remedy for our sin.)

“But God demonstrates His own love for us in this:  While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
1 John 1:9

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”
John 3:16-18

(Note: When presenting the Gospel, it is powerful to use verses that have been influential to change your life. These verses here are only samples of the many places throughout scripture, which express God’s plan of salvation.)

Note: Explain “Repentance” if necessary:

“Repentance towards God.”

“I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.”
Acts 20:21

         Repentance gets a bum rap when we only preach half of it. The meaning of repentance is “to turn,” but Christian repentance is not just turning from sin, but it is at the same time turning towards God.
        God’s love is unconditional. Salvation has this one condition: Repentance both from sin, and repentance toward God.


3. The Promise. (Eternal life starting now, the gift of faith, peace even now, and the resurrection.)

         Don’t forget to include in the Gospel presentation, the truth of the resurrection of Christ, and the promise that we who believe, have likewise been raised to life, and that death will have no power over us.

“For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”
Romans 5:10-11

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 6:23

“And  if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who lives in you.”
Romans 8:11

Note: Remember that those who are inquiring about how they can know God, want to hear from Him. It is not God’s goal to just improve inadequate lives. The goal is not self-improvement, but death. When we die with Christ, we are then also raised with Him into new life. People come to Christ desperate, and with just enough hope. Therefore, let’s not forget any element of the gospel. Good news is only good news when we are in a needy situation to start with.

“…if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile … If only in this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.”
(From 1 Corinthians 15:16-19)


“But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead,”  (verse 20)


“He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.”
1 John 5:12,13


         How many of us can testify that before we had the Son, the Bible made little or no sense. But once we had the Son, the Bible was alive and fresh. This isn’t because we suddenly got smarter. It is evidence that the Holy Spirit has indeed entered the newly born (hence “born again”) child of God. Giving the scriptures to one who has just expressed their new faith in Jesus, is an awesome gift!
        Be active in sharing your faith. Share the gospel together with a believer first, and not just for practice but also to strengthen each other in faith. Here is a helpful checklist for after you have had an opportunity to explain how someone can know that they have eternal life. After presenting the gospel message, check to see if you covered all of the important points:

1. Did you present the problem of sin? ________________

2. Did you present the consequence of sin (death)? __________

3. Did you present God’s provision for our sin (Christ’s Blood)? __________

4. Did you present the promise (Eternal life/Living faith)? ___________

5. Did you pass on Christ’s invitation to the listener? _____________

(This can be done by praying together, or by allowing the listener to express their new faith in Christ; thus confessing their faith.)


Jesus said:

“…whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
John 4:14

“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 11:28