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Paul told Timothy to “do the work of an evangelist” (2 Timothy 4:5). We might consider that he’d say the same thing to us. We should take comfort in knowing that Timothy was a timid non-evangelist. But that comfort could diminish when we realize his shyness didn’t let him “off the hook." He was still to do that work—as difficult and as daunting as it may have seemed.
We make this “work” slightly less burdensome by valuing pre-evangelism and venturing into conversations with non-Christians about things we have in common with them—concerns about current events, shared interests, the weather, etc. But sooner or later, we need to transition from pre-evangelism to evangelism—the verbal proclamation of the unique gospel message. We need to shift from paving the way for the gospel to actually sharing the gospel.
We still must ask and answer the question, “How do I share the gospel?” I propose three crucial skills to hone: Thinking clearly about the gospel, choosing carefully the words we say, and praying expectantly for God’s empowering of our efforts.
In our world today, it’s easy to get confused about the nature of our message. Many Christians speak about showing kindness to strangers, promoting social justice, giving cups of cold water to those who thirst and then add the tagline: “That’s the gospel!” While these activities are indeed very important—I might even say “non-negotiable”—they are not the gospel. They flow from the gospel, are the entailments of the gospel, and have deep connections to the gospel. But the term “the gospel” must be carefully guarded or, over time, it will mean almost nothing. The gospel is a very precise, verbal message—that God sent his Son to atone for sinners so that those who respond in faith may be saved. Let’s not blur the lines in our thinking about that unique proclamation.
We also need to be thoughtful in choosing the right vocabulary when talking to people with different perspectives than ours. Paul asked the Colossians to pray that he would be clear in the way he preached the gospel (see Colossians 4:2-6). If he was concerned about clarity, so should we be. There must be ways to express the gospel that are not clear. Otherwise, Paul wouldn’t have raised the concern and asked for prayer for clarity. Jesus chose different words when he spoke to Nicodemus than the ones he used with the woman at the well. Paul chose different vocabulary in a synagogue in Pisidian Antioch than he did on Mars Hill.
We need God to open blind eyes, soften hardened hearts, and raise people from spiritual death. And so, we must pray.
Sometimes our word choices need to be tailored to people’s level of education or fluency in our language. I once told someone about the juxtaposition of God’s love and my sin. My conversation partner looked puzzled. It didn’t help when I went on and on about how God loves people who rebel against him. I defined, explained, and illustrated what I meant by God, love, and sin. My friend finally asked, “What’s a juxtaposition?”
Whichever words we select, we need to include four essential topics:
Depending on who we’re talking to, any or all of these words may need defining: God, holy, loving, people, God’s image, sinful, Jesus, died, rose again, everyone, repentance, faith. Don’t be surprised if this requires numerous conversations.
Evangelism occurs at the intersection of what we do and what only God can do. We speak, ask questions, draw diagrams, quote scripture, etc. But we need God to open blind eyes, soften hardened hearts, and raise people from spiritual death (see Ephesians 2:1). And so, we must pray—before, during, and after we evangelize. Beforehand, we pray for God to open doors. During gospel conversations, we pray for God to grant us wisdom and to draw lost people to himself. Afterwards, we pray for God to continue the process long after we stop talking.
Evangelism occurs at the intersection of what we do and what only God can do.
How do we share the gospel? Thoughtfully, preparedly, prayerfully, expectantly, humbly, dependently, and joyfully. While this all may seem difficult, we should rejoice that God chooses to work through timid Timothys… like us.
With Mere Evangelism, you will be equipped to talk about your faith and engage with unbelievers wisely, whatever their attitude towards the Christian faith.
Randy Newman was the Senior Fellow for Evangelism and Apologetics at The C. S. Lewis Institute in the Washington, DC area. He also taught at numerous theological seminaries and colleges. After serving for over 30 years with Campus Crusade for Christ, he established Connection Points, a ministry to help Christians engage people’s hearts the way Jesus did. He wrote a number of books and articles about evangelism and other ways our lives intertwine with God’s creation. He was also the host of Questions That Matter, a podcast of the C. S. Lewis Institute. He was married to Pam and lived in Annandale, VA.
