Tips & Tools
You can share your faith with the person behind you in line at the coffee shop. The waiter who brought your meal. Your cousin at the annual family get-together. Your coworker. Neighbor. Even boss and best friend. Each of these people likely requires a different approach and have differing time restraints. With the person behind you in line for a latte, you might only have thirty seconds to show God’s love and share His truth. With your neighbor, you can invest in a new relationship. With your best friend, you already have one. And with your boss, perhaps you sense binding boundaries to respect. How do you share the Gospel in each of these unique situations?
First and foremost, PRAY! Be connected in prayer and let the Holy Spirit lead you. He can show you how to best reach the person at hand. There is no single strategy of evangelism that works perfectly on every person. Staying in tune to the prompting of the Holy Spirit will help you interact how Jesus would. Pray for wisdom with each conversation that you have, and continue to pray for the people you want to witness to, as well as those you have shared with.
Secondly, LISTEN! Even if you have a short window for conversation, be an attentive, active listener. People will not think you genuinely care about them or their soul if you do not show that you care through listening. Nod along to show you are engaged in what they say. Ask “why” and “how” questions that continue the conversation (as time allows) to go deeper. Use body language that demonstrates respect.
Also, SMILE! Remember that Jesus is “good news of great joy” (Luke 2:10). If you are going to talk about Him, don’t be a miserable messenger but a joy-filled one! People are attracted to the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), so choose to model it during your conversation. Of course, if you are told about something difficult, sad, or troubling during the conversation, show sincere and appropriate responses, which could mean shed a tear rather than flash your smile. But when you initiate conversation, a smile greeting can go a long way.
Below, find additional tips and tools that you can use when sharing the Gospel with a variety of people, whether you have thirty seconds with a stranger or thirty years of a friendship behind you. These ideas are not exhaustive, but may stir you up in fresh ways to serve, love, and share the Good News. The ultimate goal of conversations in witnessing is to share the Gospel message, so pray for boldness and wisdom and enjoy partnering with God in what He is passionate about: saving souls!
Meet a practical need and give credit to Jesus (pay for the order of the person behind you in line at the coffee shop and share that it’s a gift from Jesus to remind the person of how much Jesus loves him or her)
Ask, “Have you heard the Good News today?” and share the three main points of the Gospel message: Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose from the dead to prove His power over death and ability to forgive us of our sins
Ask if there is anything that you can pray for him or her about and do so right there
Give a tract, personalized note, or Bible verse
Use a natural conversation topic and turn it toward a supernatural conversation topic: “Oh, you just moved here? Have you found a church in the area?”
Purpose to be the most enjoyable customer; someone doesn’t want to hear about a loving God from a rude, short, and unloving customer
Show real interest in and respect for the person serving you; return the favor and ask how he or she is doing too
Engage in conversation from the start and ask good questions; you have the luxury of thinking about where to take the conversation next between interactions and how to turn it to the Gospel
Write a final note on the back of the receipt addressed to his or her name and share the Gospel, a Bible verse, a note of encouragement, and/or an invitation to church
Tip more generously than you normally would and write that it is a gift from Jesus
Show continual care and compassion (call to find out how your sister’s kids’ soccer games went, write letters including an uplifting verse to your cousin across the country)
Serve consistently (wash the dishes daily for your mom, mail healthy recipes you enjoy to your health-conscience sister-in-law, offer to help your brother assemble his new desk before he asks)
Testify of what God is doing in your life (no one can deny your own personal stories of God at work in your life)
Offer to pray (send a letter that includes a prayer or put up a sticky note: “Just wanted to say I thank God for you daily J and I’m praying that you have a great day experiencing God’s amazing love!”)
Take your family member out to lunch and ask if you can share what’s been on your heart: the Gospel message
Model being the best co-worker that you can be (people may doubt a message about a righteous God if it comes from a lazy, cutting corners, or impolite coworker)
Aim to serve (bring in coffee and fresh fruit, volunteer to take on that extra role, help someone finish his or her responsibility)
Ask how you can pray for your co-worker, share an encouraging verse, and/or ask if you can share how God has impacted your life through a relationship with Him (a great way to transition into the Gospel message)
Tell your co-worker that if he or she ever has questions about the Bible or God or has a prayer request, you are available to talk and pray
Read your Bible on breaks consistently to see how conversations open or even invite your co-worker to have a Bible study with you during lunch
Simply ask if he or she knows what the Gospel means and share it
Give a gift: give a Christ-centered gift at Christmas time, bake cookies or make jam, give a small basil plant in the spring, and always include a heartwarming note (perhaps with a Bible verse included)
Tell that you are a Christian and are available to answer any questions he or she has about God and the Bible or to pray for him or her
Extend an invitation to church – and offer to drive – and invite your neighbor to Christ-centered functions at your home (Easter lunch, a Bible study, a quilting party to donate the blankets to orphans)
Consistently greet and be available to lend a helping hand (always use wisdom and discretion when interacting with someone you do not know well; remember that you can decline when asked to help and do not put yourself in any compromising or uncomfortable situations)
Be the best employee that you can be (character speaks volumes and a hardworking employee with integrity is likely to have more influence)
Offer to pray for the success of the business: product launches, important appointments, meeting deadlines, creativity and innovation, etc.
Leave your Bible on your desk, read your Bible during breaks, and invite your boss to have a Bible study with you
Invite your boss and coworkers to church or church functions with you (Christmas, Easter, and climatic life events are especially opportune times)
Invite your boss out to lunch and share with him or her about how God has changed your life through responding to the Gospel
Invite your best friend to church, Bible studies, church events, etc.
If you have differing views on religion, death, heaven, etc., ask to start an open dialogue about your ideas and share the biblical truths you believe
Explain that if you knew your friend was driving down a road with the bridge out, you would frantically warn about it; likewise since you believe in heaven and hell you want to warn your best friend about hell because you care about his or her soul
Do not withdraw from your friend but spend time together doing what honors God (this may mean cutting out former activities that you once did together): go on hikes, take a class together, join an athletic team, have coffee Tuesday mornings, etc.
Don’t forget to pray for your friend and offer prayer, and when he or she needs encouragement or a heart-to-heart conversation, bring up Christ and share His love, strength, joy, peace, and wisdom
You’re sharing your faith because you’re caring for other people and where they’ll spend eternity. Be Spirit-led and connected in prayer. Remember to listen with authenticity and to smile as you spread the joy that is the Gospel. This is the best news anyone can ever hear and respond to. We get to share it!