Everyday evangelism: eight easy tips
For those wanting to share their faith, but don’t know where to start, here are eight easy tips towards making everyday evangelism tangible.
Many Christians wish they shared their faith more regularly. We can picture ourselves sharing the beliefs we hold most dear with the person behind us in the checkout line, or at the coffee shop or even on the street. Yet for so many of us, this everyday evangelism seems elusive.
Ryan Rempel of Give the Word ministries believes evangelism is surprisingly simple; it’s about Bibles and unforced conversations.
For the last year, Rempel has been getting people excited about sharing their faith, by supplying Bibles for congregations and ministries to give away.
Some pastors may wonder how to get their congregation of 300 to share their faith, says Rempel. His solution: he will come to share a message on a Sunday morning, bringing as many Bibles as there are people. Then he will challenge the congregants to give their free Bible away.
“Keep it in your car or purse,” Rempel says, and find someone to give it to. All he asks is that each person share his or her story of what happens next with him and his growing Give the Word team.
“It’s incredible what we are hearing back,” Rempel says. “When you step out something amazing happens.”
For those wanting to share their faith, but don’t know where to start, he offers eight easy tips towards making everyday evangelism tangible.
1. Go to the people; don’t wait for them to come to you.
“A lot of Christians would like to share their faith,” Rempel says, but too many of us are waiting for that magic moment when someone comes up to us on the street, wanting to know what we believe so they can believe as well.
“I realized that was never going to happen,” Rempel says.
2. Look for the right opportunity.
“Stop asking for the opportunity and start taking them,” Rempel says. You never know what the Holy Spirit is already doing in a person’s life when you approach someone and hand him a Bible.
3. Expect to be uncomfortable.
“If it feels uncomfortable it’s probably the right opportunity,” Rempel says. “If it’s comfortable, you’re probably giving a Bible to another Christian.”
4. People are interested.
While we often assume people will be offended if we bring up religion, Rempel says many people are actually interested in talking about faith issues without fear of getting angry or insulted. Instead we too often let our own fears of offending someone stop us from taking that step.
5. Persecution is most likely minimal.
Rempel says the worst persecution he’s faced so far is simply the word, “no.” That’s it.
“That’s no excuse to give God for why I didn’t do this,” Rempel says. People in sales often experience far worse than Christians approaching others with a free Bible.
6. Be ready to have a conversation.
“Just be willing to give away a Bible,” Rempel says. “If they take it and walk away, great, you still did your job.”
However, if you sense the person wants to talk, Rempel says that is your cue to go for it.
7. Simple gestures mean a lot
You just don’t know what could come of a simple gesture. By handing a woman a Bible outside of a grocery store, Rempel says an entire family changed; through a series of events the family began attending his church, becoming Christians and friends.
“The joy I would’ve missed out on if I had missed that nudge,” Rempel says.
8. It will get easier.
“If you’re willing to do it, and witness God change someone, it fuels your fire to do it again,” Rempel says of giving out Bibles. “It’s addicting. You have no more excuses to stop.”
To learn more about Give the Word visit givetheword.ca.
Dear Readers:
ChristianWeek relies on your generous support. please take a minute and donate to help give voice to stories that inform, encourage and inspire.
Donations of $20 or more will receive a charitable receipt.Thank you, from Christianweek.
