The Great Commission tells us to “go and make disciples of all nations.” Have you ever wondered how exactly we’re supposed to do that? We recently sat down with one of our missionaries to hear his take on evangelism and sharing the love of Jesus with others.

What verses do you think of when referring to evangelism?

I think of Luke 10 and Matthew 10, where Jesus sends out the twelve and tells them to find people of peace. Both of those passages remind me He is with us. This is something He commissioned us to do, so we don’t have to be afraid. We can go with confidence, even if we get timid. Knowing Christ is with us gives us the courage it takes to get over fear.

How do you overcome fear?

Knowing Christ is with us gives us the courage it takes to get over fear. I think fear comes from the feeling of not knowing how people are going to respond. As soon as we get the message out, or at least get it started, we let go of this awkwardness inside of us. What is really awkward is the feeling when we know we need to say something, but we don’t. That is more awkward and more difficult than actually starting the conversation.

The first step is just introducing yourself, asking them about their day, what they’re passionate about and just acknowledging and affirming them as a person. Doing those things helps get rid of the awkwardness. Once that is out of the way, the door is open for you to talk about what you’re most passionate about, which is Jesus. That’s how I overcome fear.

How do we get in the mindset of implementing evangelism into our everyday lives?

I think we have a very unbalanced life if we only share the Gospel during mission trips. We aren’t called to have these mountain-top experiences. If we’re only sharing our faith during amazing spiritual encounters, then we’re going to miss out the rest of the year or the rest of our life to see the glory of God and to see Him move.

Sharing our faith with people we know also allows us to have more of God’s heart for our own city and the people we see on a regular basis. Jesus wants to invite us into this celebration year-round, as opposed to every once in a while.

What are some practicals and resources for evangelism?

• 1. Have a partner so you can have accountability and encouragement. You can talk before and practice together.
• 2. Pray beforehand. Ask God to reveal what He has for you or who He wants you to talk to.
• 3. Make it a part of your regular life. We do evangelism because Jesus is inside of us, and each day we’re reminded of what He has done for us and we want to share it with others.
• 4. Creation to Christ video: This is a resource that can be shown when you have more time with someone.

In the end, think about your own life and how you heard about Jesus. If those people who shared Jesus with you didn’t have the boldness to communicate, you could be in a different situation than you are right now. Think of the great potential that could happen if people continue to share.