Simplifying Evangelism

I had the recent misfortune of dropping my phone in a lake—which is a rite of passage for most Minnesotans. It may be the price we pay for living in the land of 10,000 lakes, honestly, but it’s a worthy one to have the privilege of relaxing on the water. As you can imagine, the process of getting a new phone is, at times, a bit of a pain. What I can confidently say is that even our missteps are not wasted by the Lord—because stepping into the Verizon store on a random Wednesday afternoon gave me the chance to talk to a non-believer about Jesus.

For that, I count the discomfort of going without a phone for a few days a WIN, even though it was a short conversation and she didn’t accept Jesus then and there. It wasn’t perfect. It probably isn’t a testimony you’ll hear about from a stage.

Here’s what that situation got me thinking about, though—in church services, evangelism trainings and communities of Christians, we hear about incredible highlights, unimaginable testimonies that leave you in awe of God’s intentionality through the obedience of believers… and utterly terrified at the prospect of ever talking about Jesus ourselves. Instead, a perfectionistic mindset can easily rise up that says, "I can't share Jesus until I have ___ figured out." Or something similar. Maybe it's fear, or the worry that you aren't bold enough, well spoken enough, or more.

Friend, can we just be honest for a moment? That makes sense. Evangelism DOES sound so intimidating in the beginning. Everything new or unfamiliar can stir up anxiety when you’re not sure what to expect. That’s not something to be ashamed of; that’s actually a part of being a human that’s still learning and growing into who God called you to be.

Let's drop the "Not enough" thoughts for a second and stay in that moment of honesty.

Honestly, the highlights you hear about don't cover the rest of what evangelism really looks like. The sweetest evangelistic divine appointments I have seen weren't always filled with miracles or even overseas on a mission trip; they were in places like an airplane, involving a simple conversation where a Christ follower was simply existing and loving a stranger by choosing to see them, connect with them and not hide who they live for. They were low stakes conversations that simply blessed the non-believer. The best evangelists I know aren't the overly gifted speakers you see on stage, they're actually the everyday Christian who walks with compassion and mercy for others. Sometimes it doesn't go well and it's AWKWARD. Sometimes people aren't open. But those Christians don't give up--they shake it off and keep pressing in.

What does that mean for you? Friend, if you are living out the basics of following Jesus... it is more than possible for you to evangelize. You are more than capable of slowing down your day for a conversation and to choose to love on the people around you. Most of the time, it really is that simple.

There are 3 things we must keep in mind as we start to evangelize--and hopefully, this can make the task sound more doable for you:

Begin with kindness and connect with the person in front of you. In a world that is so divided, though, what could be more miraculous to a non-believer than being treated with compassion and unmistakable, supernatural love of the Father? Our words and actions can profoundly impact others in ways we won't realize until we stand before the Lord. Loving others and intentionally connecting with non-believers is absolutely something you can do to spread the Gospel. This is a tangible way we live out what Jesus taught: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart soul and mind and love your neighbor as yourself."

Secondly, do not doubt that God will work through you in your weaknesses--coming from someone who would not peg themselves as a natural evangelist. Do not forget that the Holy Spirit is within you and will absolutely fill in the gaps where you feel like your knowledge is lacking or you worry you aren't bold enough. God does incredible things. He speaks to and through His children and He desires that all would be saved--sometimes through miraculous means. Walk with confidence knowing that He will always show up. Boldness in your faith is not an absence of fear, it’s a choice to act in spite of that fear.

Be okay with the awkward moments--EVERYONE who evangelizes, ever, has those moments. Don’t let that define you or your abilities. You are working a muscle and increasing a skill. Did you wake up one day knowing how to read? Probably not--just like all skills, learning how to take opportunities to evangelize will take time. Be ready for imperfections and use those moments as lessons to try again. What would your life look like if you dropped the lie that your imperfect attempts to share the Gospel make you a failure and embraced the truth that you are learning and improving?

What would change in your life, or those around you, by choosing to open yourself up to allowing the Lord to teach you something new and to connect with new people?

Is there anyone the Holy Spirit brings to mind that you can share Jesus with today?

Beneath your nerves, what is the thought actually running through your mind the drives you away from sharing?

There is so much goodness and blessing on the other side of simple obedience. You can do this!