Tips for Telling Someone the Gospel
This summer is a perfect opportunity to take your gospel witness to another level as many more people are out and about in the sun. Here are 10 practical summer tips to help you stay motivated and intentional about your gospel witness.
Please share your experiences with us, so we can pray for you and rejoice in what the Lord is doing in and through you. You can share your experience here.
1. Pray regularly for open doors, divine appointments, boldness, clarity, and conviction for unbelievers you know in your sphere of influence.
2. Take the initiative to engage people. Be interested in their life and ask lots of questions (residence; occupation; birthplace; family background; interests, etc.)
3. Be a good listener. Listen for passions, fears, joys, sorrows, beliefs, values, struggles, etc.
4. Leave a good impression. Don’t argue and avoid using religious jargon (like “saved” or “justified” or “born again”, etc.) without clarifying the meaning of insider language.
5. Ask questions:
The famous 2 Evangelism Explosion questions:
Have you come to the place in your life where you know for sure if you died today, you would go to heaven?
Suppose you did die today and stood before God and He were to ask you, Why should I let you into my heaven, what would you say
The 4 Killer Questions by Worldview Academy:
What do you mean by _________? This is a good way to find out what people are really saying and understanding. Use this question to make sure you aren’t using the same word but meaning two completely different things.
How do you know that what you are saying is true? This question forces people to give you evidence for the validity of their belief.
What difference does it make in your life? Or So what? What are the logical implications of your belief in everyday life? Every belief system has logical actions that follow it.
What if you are wrong? This question forces people to grapple with the potentially grave implications of being eternally wrong.
The Columbo Tactical questions by Greg Koukl:
To gain information ask: “What do you mean by that?” This clarifies the claims the person is making, reveals what the person thinks and provides a good conversation starter.
To make them defend their own views ask: “How did you come to that conclusion?” This clarifies the reasons for the person’s ideas, how someone thinks and makes them bear the “burden of proof” in defending their own claims.
To exploit a flaw, begin your questions with: “Can you clear this up for me?” You can use this when reasons don’t properly support claims, challenge a weakness or contradiction and exploit a flaw with a question rather than a statement.
General questions help open up conversation:
Do you have a faith background? Do you have any kind of spiritual belief?
Would you consider reading this little booklet (a gospel booklet) and then we can get together again and I’d love to hear your feedback?
Have you ever considered the life and claims of Jesus Christ?
Have you ever given any thought to life after death?
What’s your take on the meaning and purpose of life?
So, what do you think about Christianity? After life? Jesus Christ?
How would you describe yourself when it comes to faith?
If what you were believing were not true, would you want to believe it?
What do you think about religion?
What’s your opinion about the person of Jesus Christ?
What is your philosophy of life? How do you know it’s true?
Where do you stand in all this talk about religions today?
Have your view on religion changed over the years? How?
Questions to use when presenting the gospel:
In your opinion, how does a person get to heaven?
How would you describe sin?
What is a free gift?
What is your concept of spiritual death? Hell?
What is faith to you?
How would you define repentance?
To you, who is Jesus Christ?
Why did Jesus die on the cross?
Would you agree that there are only three possible options about a person who makes unique life-changing claims like Jesus Christ? He is either a liar, lunatic or Lord?
6. Engage people around contemporary issues: racism; immigration; natural disasters; environmentalism; reproduction ethics; sexuality; technology; social media; music; etc.
7. Engage people around life circumstances: employment; hobbies; entertainment; marriage; divorce; death of a close family member; retirement; family; kids; new family members; taxes; etc.
8. Engage people around the four big felt needs Billy Graham identified after 60 years of ministry: fear of death; loneliness; guilt/shame; meaninglessness or no sense of purpose or belonging.
9. Share your story of conversion if you sense it connects well with their life or demonstrates how Jesus Christ can transform a life.
Great resources to use when sharing the gospel:
The 3-2-1 Gospel Presentation (Glen Scrivener) – A 5:40min video presentation of the gospel you can share with others
The Story – A 5:50 minute video presentation of the gospel message or a 10-page gospel tract
Two Ways to Live (Matthias Media) – A 3-minute video presentation of the gospel or a 16-page gospel tract
3-minutes video on What is Christianity? By Christianity Explored
How Good is Good Enough? (Andy Stanley) – A small 92-page booklet on the gospel message
How good are You? (Proclaimcourse.org) - A very brief 15-page tract on the gospel message
Are You a Good Person? (Ray Comfort) – A 22-page tract on the gospel message
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