(This is the complete 3-part ‘pastor’s desk’ series on everyday evangelism)

It is often difficult to write on a topic when you yourself struggle with it. And so, I write this next series of pastor’s desks not as an expert but as one who is trying to implement in my own life what I am about to write from my research on this topic.

Why do we avoid evangelism? The sad truth is that this question needs to be asked because many, if not most of us struggle to evangelise even though we know that evangelism is one of the ‘core’ activities of every Christian.

Many of us know the content of the gospel, some of us have even memorised gospel presentations like “2 Ways To Live”… and it is a good and important thing to know what the gospel really is! But we struggle to situate the gospel in the lives of others.

We look for and struggle to find that opportunity to ‘do a gospel presentation’ on them. Now, there are times, when a full-fledged 2WTL presentation is most appropriate, but at most times, bringing the gospel into the lives of our family and friends involves a rather different approach.

We know that the gospel is good news whether the person we are seeking to share the gospel with perceives it to be good to them or not. Evangelism is about convincing people that the gospel is good news to them.
Here is a quote from Jonathan Dodson, an author on evangelism:

If Jesus did die and rise for the world, then it is incumbent upon his followers to tell them how and why his gospel is good. Reciting the memorized fact that Jesus died on the cross for sins to unbelievers doesn’t tell them why this important or how it can change their life. Reciting this information dispassionately is even less convincing. What people need to know is not only what the gospel is but also what the gospel does. Asking people to believe in the death and resurrection of a first-century Jewish messiah, for no apparent reason, is quite unbelievable. The problem we face […] is how to share the gospel in a way that is worth believing.

In the coming weeks of pastor’s desks, I will be exploring how to more effectively communicate the riches of Jesus Christ and his gospel in a way that makes sense to those we evangelise, how to go from just knowing and sharing the ‘dot points’ of the gospel to communicating how and why the good news of the gospel is actually good news to those we evangelise.

What stops us from sharing the good news of the gospel with others? I can think of two broad reasons (perhaps you can think of more – if so, please do tell me!).

The first is that we haven’t quite ‘captured’ enough by the gospel: its absolute goodness, it being the only real hope, it being the all-important thing to share with others. We don’t share the gospel because we don’t feel compelled to. If that’s the case, then your spend time focusing on how to let the immensity of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ sink in more for you. Even as you go through this ‘journey’ of gospel discovery yourself, why not share what you’re going through and thinking through with others? Perhaps they’ll come on the journey with you!

The second is we don’t really know how to bring up the gospel in conversation. We look out for or try to manufacture an opportunity to do a gospel ‘presentation’ and look for ways to ‘prove’ Jesus and the gospel, but we either struggle to find the words or struggle to find the courage. The first suggestion I have is to put aside for the moment the idea of having to give a full-blown gospel presentation. By all means, if that opportunity arises, do take it! But in ‘everyday’ evangelism, it might help to consider a different approach.

Here are some ideas:
1. Prime your heart and mind
Remind yourself each morning, perhaps with a simple prayer, of why the gospel is, to be honest, the single most important thing in this life and the next. Let that set the tone for your day. It is not meant to guilt trip you into making every conversation a gospel one. But having it there, at the back of your mind or at the forefront of your mind, means that you will always be considering and looking for opportunities to speak the gospel to people.

2. Be who you are
Speaking the gospel isn’t a special, obscure skill – it’s just about being who you are – well, the ‘who you are’ that has encountered the Lord Jesus Christ and been transformed by him. It’s about chatting about the things that really matter to you.

3. Close the Gap
So close the gap! Speak to your non-Christian friends the same way you do to your Christian friends. With Christian friends you easily and freely say things like ‘God really gave me the strength to get through this busy period’… well, why not say it to your non-Christian friends also? There’s something deeply attractive about people who talk about their faith with enthusiasm and warmth. Help people see that being a Christian really matters to you and how God and the gospel is at work in your own life through the way you speak.

4. Speak the way you speak
Some of us go into ‘evangelism’ mode and start speaking in some kind of presentation voice. Some go into argumentative mode. It just sounds all weird. When you bring up the gospel in your everyday speech, bring it up in your everyday speaking way. The best way to do this is to start bringing up the gospel in everyday conversation. It may start of sounding a bit stilted and awkward (just because for some of you it may be a really new thing), but the more you speak of it, the more natural it will become!

5. Talk about your life with God and be ready to explain
Speak about God and Jesus Christ as real people you actually relate to. Speak about how the gospel impacts on your everyday life. Tell people that you are praying for them.
When you’ve made a mistake, say something like ‘I’m so thankful that God forgives my mistakes’. When you struggle with the kids or with work or with life, say ‘I’m going to keep asking God for strength and wisdom’. When faced with troubles of many kinds, say something to the effect of ‘times are terrible, but I’m so glad that I can have hope in Christ’. When relevant, say ‘I read something in the Bible recently about…’
Initially some who hear you speak this way will feel uncomfortable about what you say, but they’ll get used to it! Some will pretend they don’t hear and keep relating to you keeping God out of the picture. Some, however, may ask you about your life with God. Be prepared to say something more!

6. Live differently and be ready to explain why
Living differently should be something you are already doing as a ‘saint’ – a set apart person belonging to God and living God’s way, which is indeed very different to the way the world lives. If that isn’t the case, then start living differently now!

And when you do, be prepared to say why you live and act and speak differently.

For example: when you have been hurt at school and you refuse to hold a grudge, be ready to tell your friends that you have been forgiven much by God, that grace is what God has shown you and so you will show it to others; when you are a stay-at-home mum, be ready to explain why financial gain/extra security/career advancement will take a back seat to raising children to know and love God (if this is indeed the reason). As a businessman, when you speak the truth even though you know your customers will be angry to hear the truth, be ready to say why being truthful is so important to you as someone who follows the God who loves truth and hates lies.

7. Listen more, speak less! Really care for people!
Everyday evangelism is a ‘project’ we do ‘on’ people. We want to bring evangelism into our everyday lives because we truly care for the people around us. There’s no better way to care than to listen to people and be truly interested in them: their principles for living, their ambitions, attitudes and actions, and their successes and struggles. As you truly care and listen, you will then know better how to bring the gospel to bear in their lives.

8. Bring it all back to Jesus (as much as you can!)
We don’t want to portray Christianity as anything other than being about Jesus. Christians are those who trust in Christ. We need to emphasise the good news of Jesus life, death and resurrection. We need to major on themes like grace and forgiveness, hope and peace with God.
As much as possible we need to avoid the impression (that many non-Christians have) that Christianity is about rule-following, yet we still do want to convey that we are under the authority of Christ who is Lord and King (both ours and theirs). And so perhaps, rather than talking about following God’s commands, speak of living under God’s authority and rule, speak about the joyful obedience to our loving Father.

9. Keep trying and keep praying!
Keep planting the seed and keep watering… God will cause the growth!

(Some points have been borrowed from another great article on this topic and edited. The blog post can be found here: http://jeaninallhonesty.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/gospel-speech-at-our-school.html – I would highly encourage you to read it!)