As we wrap up our series on “God’s Gossip,” we have come a long way. We have looked at how the story of Jesus does not become a “gospel” until we share it with someone. We then looked at two practical ways to share the story of salvation. The first was the ground-level gospel, which is the simplest way to lead someone, personally, to Jesus Christ. The second was the sky-level gospel, which gives a broad view of God’s redemption story throughout history.
After that, we looked at how to share our personal testimony as a means of connecting people to God’s story, and last week, we put some scripture verses to memory, which will aid us in our witnessing to others.
Now, I want to finish this series by giving you some practical advice I have learned over the years, for sharing the gospel with others. I pray they are beneficial to you.
Explaining Clearly
As you boldly go out to share the gospel with non-believers, remember that the people you are sharing with may have no grasp of the Christian-ese language we speak to one another at church. Make sure that you tell them what they need to know, very clearly, and don’t add so many extra thoughts you have in the moment that it confuses them.
To do this, use “street language,” rather than “church language.” I am not saying that you should be crass or try to look cool with slang words. I am simply saying to make sure they understand you.
Don’t say, “With the introduction of original sin in humanity, the imago Dei was marred in all people. However, God sent Jesus to be a propitiation for our sins, and through His imputed righteousness, we can be redeemed to fellowship with the Godhead, both in this life and at the final consumption of all things.”
Instead, say something like this: “The Bible says we are all sinners. That means God created us to live within certain boundaries that He set for us, and we broke all the rules. Jesus is the only one who can save us because He was the only sinless person to ever live. On the cross, He died to pay our debt to God and as we believe in Him by faith, rather than trying to be good enough to earn it, He will save us.”
A brand new believer does not need to know terms like depravity, atonement, propitiation, or sanctification. In the moment of salvation, no one cares about the immaculate conception, dispensational theology, or what it means to be Calvinist. As simply and as clearly as possible, just bring them to Jesus.
Dealing with Nervousness
When the opportunity arises to lead someone to Christ, the first thing that happens for most of us is that we immediately get nervous and feel uneasy.
I remember when I first began doing evangelistic meetings outside the United States, I would get so nervous during the altar calls, that after I invited people to accept Christ as their Savior, I would often chicken out of praying with them. I would instead try to look humble by asking another local pastor on the team to come up to speak to them and pray with them, so that he could share in the moment. In all honesty, I preached well, but I couldn’t bring myself to walking people personally into the kingdom out of nervousness and fear of messing it up.
Since that time, I have had the privilege to walk hundreds, if not thousands of people through this decision. The truth is that I still get nervous sometimes. However, I have to remind myself that it is the Holy Spirit leading that person, not me, and that I can trust Him to give me the words to say when I need to say them.
You might get nervous, but that doesn’t give you the right to back down. As the Holy Spirit for boldness and guidance, and then give people the opportunity to change their eternal destiny.
Fear of Rejection
Another reason we don’t always respond as the Lord leads us in ministry situations is the fear that the people will reject what we are explaining to them, and by extension, reject us. However, this is a situation where love and the opportunity to see their lives change must win out.
Again, we must remind ourselves that it is ultimately not us that they are rejecting, but Christ, yet even in their rejection of Him, He still loves them and wants them to find His salvation. Our goal is to share His love, and when we do that love will cast out our fear (1 John 4:18).
Feeling Like You Can’t Do This
The first person I ever led to Jesus was a young man in a Juvenile Detention Center (a youth prison) in Dallas, Texas, back when I was in college. I was excited to go be a part of this outreach with my friend and his church’s youth pastor, but that all changed when the invitation came and a young inmate came to me wanting to receive Christ.
Having never shared with anyone, personally, I couldn’t help but be afraid that I would mess it all up. Even though I knew God wanted to use me to lead others to salvation, in the moment I felt unqualified for the job. I thought to myself, “I know I’m saved, but I don’t know how to get this guy saved.” However, as I prayed in my head for God’s help, and began leaning back on some of those scriptures I had memorized to share with him, like Romans 10:9, I managed to explain that Jesus died for Him and how faith works. After a brief time, I had the privilege to lead him in prayer, and I have celebrated that one guy’s salvation more than any other, simply because I got through it.
In moments when you feel like you are unqualified or that you just can’t do it, the one thing you must remember is this: Jesus saves… not us.
Despite our worrying because we don’t want to mess up, we have to remember that just like we cannot be good enough to earn our salvation, neither can we mess up so bad that it might cause others to miss out when Jesus calls them. It is their faith in the response to the call that saves the person, not the perfection of the words they are told by the ministry team. Use the scriptures. Listen to the Spirit lead You. I promise you will get through it.
Unanswerable Questions
The biggest fear many people have in leading other’s to Christ is, “What if they ask me a question I don’t have the answer to?” The truth is, no one has all the answers where God and salvation are concerned. Never be afraid to admit that you don’t know. If you are pressed for an answer, then be willing to seek help from other believers around you, other members of your ministry team, or from the your pastor.
Paul tells us that until we see Christ face to face, all of our knowledge and understanding is like looking in a foggy mirror. We only know in part, but when Christ comes, then we will know Him the same way He knows us (1 Corinthians 13:12). Until then, sometimes we just have to accept the mystery and admit we don’t have it all figured out. Don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t know.”
Changing Someone’s Eternity
All of the previous tips have had to do with getting over our own insecurities in order to help others get saved. As a final note, I just want to remind you that when you get the privilege of leading someone to the Lord, that moment is no longer about you. In overcoming your fears and worries, you get the opportunity to look someone in they eye, ask them the golden question – “Would you like to accept Christ as your Lord and Savior” – and then lead them in a decision that will change the outcome of eternity for them (and likely many others they will encounter with the gospel as well). You will experience fear and doubt and insecurity, but you must ask yourself, is it worth it?
I think it is. Jesus thinks it’s worth it, too. That’s why He died, and that is why He has called you to this.
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© Anthony Scott Ingram 2020
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”
Cover Photo by Dylan McLeod on Unsplash
