How should I introduce God to unbelievers?
by Jill Newman
QUESTION: How should I introduce God to unbelievers?
ANSWER:
Before Jesus was taken up to Heaven, He left His disciples with the Great Commission which said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Mathew 28:19
We are called to faithfully obey the Great Commission, but many struggle with how to share their faith with others. The gospel is a simple message and doesn’t change, but people are unique with different backgrounds, beliefs and ideas about spiritual things, so a “one size fits all” approach is not as effective as customizing the approach to the person. Also, Jesus never evangelized the same way twice. Consider the woman at the well versus the rich young ruler, or the woman caught in adultery. He understood each person enough to meet them where they were.
Col 4:5-6 “Be wise in your behavior toward outsiders, making the most of every opportunity. Let your speech always be winsome, as if seasoned with salt, so that you will discern the best response to each questioner.”
We are called to be wise. Sharing the gospel with an unbeliever should begin first with prayer. James 1:5 says that God gives wisdom generously to all who ask without finding fault. Pray and ask the Lord for wisdom, words and the right window of opportunity when approaching someone. Since God knows this person infinitely better than we do, He can give us the right words and timing.
1Peter 3:15 “But set apart Christ as Master in your hearts, always prepared to present a defense to everyone who asks you to give some reason for the hope that is in you, yet gently and respectfully.”
We are called to be ready. Do you know the gospel well enough to share it? While you don’t have to be a bible scholar to evangelize, you do need to be able to articulate the gospel accurately and know the relevant verses that apply. There are many methods that make it simple to share God’s truth such as The Romans Road, The Bridge or The Good News/Bad News methods. Additionally, we should be ready to share our own testimony of our life before Jesus, how we came to salvation and how our lives have changed because of Him. Our testimony is not about us, it’s about Jesus working in us.
As believers, we are the gardeners in the Kingdom of God. We plant, water and fertilize, but, ultimately, it is the Holy Spirit who provides the harvest. We are simply called to be ready to share the gospel and our testimony, seeking wisdom from God in every situation, as we faithfully obey the Great Commission, sharing Jesus with a lost world.
Resources:
How Good is Good Enough by Andy Stanley
Discovering My Mission by Bruce Stabbert
https://www.compellingtruth.org/bad-news-good-news.html
https://www.gotquestions.org/Romans-road-salvation.html
https://www.evangelismcoach.org/how-to-use-the-bridge-illustration/