Some Christians think sharing the Gospel is for pastors and missionaries, but Jesus spoke clearly to His disciples:
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-19).
The Lord said, “Go and make disciples.” He did not say, “pay someone else to go” or even “pray for those who go.” We should support those who are in full-time ministry, and we should certainly pray for them, but every believer is to “Go therefore”.
In God’s sovereignty, people who have a relationship with Jesus are to bring more people to Jesus. He gave this charge to us because we are able to share the witness of our own salvation—that is something even Angels cannot do.
Love God Love Others
If you don’t “feel” a love for those who do not know Jesus, you are still called to love them not only for their sake as lost sheep and for your sake in obedience to Christ, but also for the sake of your Savior. Jesus has a passionate love for the lost that is beyond any human love we’ve ever seen or known—a passion that endured the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual agony of the cross. He was bruised and battered beyond recognition, derided and spat upon, abandoned by His followers, and—most agonizing—as He suffered alone on Calvary to pay the price for our sin, He was separated from oneness with the Father.
It’s time every believer understood the love of Christ and the value Jesus places on every human soul. It’s time we grow close enough to Jesus that we are motivated to please Him in obedience to the Great Commission. We need to see evangelism—sharing our faith—as a privilege rather than as a burden. As we obey God and “go” our compassion for the lost will grow.
Read on as we discuss how we can make ourselves available to those who are seeking Jesus and become prepared to answer questions about faith—simply and without apology. In everyday circumstances, let us determine to be always on mission for the Lover of our souls.
The Goal of Lifestyle Evangelism
What is evangelism? There are two ways that we proclaim the Gospel of Jesus to those around us: our way of living and our way of talking. What does that mean? You may begin to share the Gospel of Christ with people verbally and find they just don’t want to hear it right then. So, you don’t chastise them—you refrain from speaking. You live out a Gospel lifestyle in front of them. Over time, as they see your genuineness, the opportunity may present itself for you to share with them verbally—at a time when they are ready to listen.
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear (1 Peter 3:15).
When you take the truths of these two verses and put them together, you can see how one affects the other. It’s like the old cliche, “If your walk doesn’t match your talk, then what you say doesn’t matter.” The believer’s personal transformation and heart of compassion for others is what makes the difference.
If we pursue Christlikeness in love and service to the Father and to others, we will preserve and build relationships that allow us to speak the truth of the Gospel message to many—and God is glorified. This is the Christian mission.
Lifestyle evangelism means imitating Jesus in daily life, pointing everything to the Father, inviting people to church, sharing resources, being patient, and—when the Holy Spirit opens the door to conversation—speaking plainly.
The Power of the Holy Spirit
Remember, you are led by the Holy Spirit but you are not the Holy Spirit. Speak the Gospel truth in love and let Him do His job. Results are NOT up to us, but obedience is! Paul gives us a simple version of what to share:
Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
Read also, “Sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” This article discusses the ways in which God uses your personal witness combined with the witness of Scripture and the witness of the Holy Spirit to bring people to Jesus.
The Motivation and Reward of Christian Mission
Our achievements in life are impelled by the drive behind them. If we want to be soul winners for the cause of Christ, the Apostle Paul offers six mighty motivations.
A soul winner feels compelled by Jesus, understanding that he will one day stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ. Paul said:
Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him… (2 Corinthians 5:9).
Our goal is to please God; if we are not bringing souls to Christ, we are not pleasing to God.
We are not only compelled but also commissioned. Paul said:
Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation… (2 Corinthians 5:18).
We are saved to bring others to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. We are ambassadors of the King of kings, appointed and anointed by God Himself.
We are also motivated by our conviction that just as Heaven exists, Hell exists. Paul put it this way:
Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men...” (2 Corinthians 5:11).
Paul reminds us of what it means for a soul to die unredeemed, destined for Hell; he understood the terror of the Lord.
We are motivated by compassion for the lost, and even more by our love for Christ.
Adrian Rogers says, “What motivates me most is not my love for people; it is my love for Jesus. Yes, I love people, but the chief motivation of my life is His love for me and, therefore, His love through me.”
We are motivated by our confidence in what God does for us and for others. Paul said:
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new (2 Corinthians 5:17).
As Christians, we are confident that when we lead a soul to Christ, he will become a new creature. Every person is a potential brother or sister in the faith.
Finally, we are motivated by God’s compensation—His reward. This has been evident to God’s people for millennia. Writing more than 500 years before the birth of Jesus, the Prophet Daniel said:
And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever (Daniel 12:2-3).
Paul put it this way:
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10).
We will be compensated for our soul-winning work at the judgment seat of Christ. And whatever reward He gives us will never see corruption.
Scriptures used in this article: Daniel 12:2-3, Matthew 28:18, Matthew 28:19, Matthew 5:16, 1 Peter 3:15, 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, 2 Corinthians 5:9, 2 Corinthians 5:10, 2 Corinthians 5:11, 2 Corinthians 5:17, 2 Corinthians 5:18,
This six-week Bible study helps believers understand both the urgency and the mandate for all Christians to share the faith with others.
In partnership with Evangelism Explosion, we are here to help you be successful in sharing your faith! During this online course, you will be learning the basics of how to share your faith with confidence.
