About 3 minutes to read
Why Every Christian Tells Others
Christ sent his church to every nation (Matthew 28:19-20). Preaching belongs to ministers, but every Christian can tell what he knows and invite others to hear it. People cannot call on one they have not heard of (Romans 10:14).
You do not save anyone. You tell, and God gives the increase (1 Corinthians 3:6-7). That takes the pressure off. It also takes away the excuse. God uses the plain words of ordinary believers.
Know the Message
You cannot give what you do not have. Be able to say the gospel in a few minutes.
- God. He made us, he is holy, and we owe him everything.
- Sin. We have all broken his law, and his judgment on sin is just and real.
- Christ. The Son of God became man, lived without sin, died in the place of sinners, and rose bodily on the third day.
- Response. Repent of your sin and trust Christ alone. Everyone who comes to him he will in no wise cast out (John 6:37).
The gospel page sets this out in full. Read it until you could explain it to a friend.
How to Do It
- Pray for people by name. Ask God to open their hearts and to give you an opening.
- Live so your words are believed. Be honest at work, keep your word, and be kind. Hypocrisy closes ears.
- Ask questions. What do you think happens when you die? What do you think of Jesus? Then listen.
- Tell the bad news and the good news. Do not skip sin and judgment. Without them the cross makes no sense. Do not stop at sin either. End with Christ.
- Call for a response. Tell them to repent and believe, as Jesus did (Mark 1:15). Do not pressure them into a prayer or a decision. Faith is God’s gift, not something you can manufacture.
- Invite them to church. Bring them to hear the Word preached, and sit with them. That is God’s ordinary way of making disciples.
- Give them something to read. The Gospel of John, or the gospel page.
When They Object
Answer with meekness and fear (1 Peter 3:15). You do not have to win an argument, and you do not have to know every answer. Say you will find out, and then do. The answers to objections on this site take the common ones one at a time.
Remember that the deepest objection is usually not intellectual. Men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil (John 3:19). Keep coming back to the gospel.
What to Avoid
- Tricks and pressure. No false urgency, no manipulation, no promises God did not make.
- A gospel without repentance. Christ calls sinners to turn from sin, not only to accept a gift.
- A gospel of health and wealth. Christ did not promise comfort in this life. He promised himself.
- Silence out of fear. The fear of man bringeth a snare (Proverbs 29:25). Ask God for courage, and speak.