Quick Guide to Sharing your Faith
What to do BEFORE you share your faith:
Know the gospel
Remember the gospel is good news to proclaimed, not some sort of message to be lived out. Sharing the gospel involves using words. Therefore, we must know the basic content of the gospel before we can proclaim it.
In light of Luke 24:44-49 and 1 Corinthians 15:3-5, the essential elements of the Gospel are (1) Christ suffered and (2) died (3) for our sins, and that (4) He rose again from the dead three days later. (5) The death and resurrection of Jesus is the means of our forgiveness before God.
Pray specifically
People. Pray for lost family, friends and co-workers to know the Lord. Opportunity. Pray for inroads in conversation that will give you the chance to share your faith. Boldness. Pray away the hesitancies, fear and anxieties related to speaking about Christ. Wisdom. Before you share or even while you’re sharing, pray that God would give you wisdom.
Know a general framework
God – Man – Jesus – Response
Creation – Fall – Redemption – Restoration
Romans Road
What to do WHILE you share the gospel:
When you share your faith, don't...
Talk too much
Assume beliefs
Avoid scripture
Look past anyone
Be arrogant/self-righteous
Dismiss honest questions
Rely on yourself
Beat around the bush
Be afraid
Argue
Debate
When you share your faith, do...
Listen
Ask questions
Use scripture
Value everyone
Be humble
Take each question seriously
Rely on the Holy Spirit
Be direct
Be confident
Dialog in civil way
What to do AFTER you share the gospel:
Pray again
Pray for faith and repentance in the person with whom you have shared the gospel. Pray that person will hear the gospel again from you and from others. If the person repented and believed, pray for their spiritual protection and maturity in their new life in Christ.
Follow up
If there were questions or objections you struggled with, seek answers and ways to improve your gospel presentation. Schedule another meeting to follow up after the person has had some time to process what you shared. Share books or other resources that might be helpful with the person.
Resources for sharing your faith:
Three Circles
Free training for this simple gospel presentation is available at this link. A smartphone app is also available.
Romans Road
All men are sinners – Romans 3:23
The consequences of sin – Romans 6:23
Christ’s death for sinners – Romans 5:8
We must believe and confess Christ for salvation – Romans 10:9-10
"What is the Gospel?" by Greg Gilbert
A helpful little book that presents the essential aspects of the gospel in a winsome and memorable way.
Issues with sharing your faith:
Starting a spiritual conversation
Present Christianity as a worldview and not a religion. Every person has a lens through which they perceive, interpret and understand the world. Instead of speaking with someone about your religious convictions, share your worldview with them and ask them about their worldview. A worldview is someone’s answer to 5 ultimate and unavoidable questions. (1) What kind of God exists, if any? (2) What is the origin and nature of the universe? (3) How can we know what we know? (4) What is the nature and destiny of man? (5) What is the difference between right and wrong? Be sensitive for opportunities to ask questions about a person’s beliefs in any of these areas.
How to overcome objections
Be honest. If someone raises an objection or asks a question you don’t know the answer to, say as much. Ask for time to search for an answer and schedule a time to meet again to discuss the issue. Never make up an answer or change the subject. Respect honest questions.
If someone raises an objection or asks a question you don’t know the answer to, say as much. Ask for time to search for an answer and schedule a time to meet again to discuss the issue. Never make up an answer or change the subject. Respect honest questions and ask questions for clarity.
Some objections to the gospel are just trite responses the person has never considered. Seek understanding and help the person be more thoughtful about his or her position by asking three questions related to the objection:
- What do you mean by that?
- How did you come to that conclusion?
- Have you ever considered…?
Justin Nash, “A Quick Guide to Sharing Your Faith” The Witness, Winter 2020