Personal Evangelism Tips

By Eric Thompson, edited by Daniel Pentimone

Ask for Permission – Don’t wait for the ‘perfect opportunity.’ It will never come! Just humbly ask for permission to share the gospel. Say something like, “Can I share something with you that’s had a really profound impact in my life?” You can follow this up with a question like, “What do you think happens when somebody dies?”

You Must Be Genuine – People usually do not start considering the claims of the gospel until they have met a genuine, kind, transparent Christian whose life exhibits consistent integrity and who actually loves them as a person (not just as a ‘gospel project’). Speaking the truth to someone is not enough, and it is also not Biblical – you must speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15).

You Must Have a Clear Conscience – One of the main reasons Christians don’t evangelize is because of unconquered sin in their life (especially sins like pornography). Their conscience says to them, “How can you tell others about Jesus when you’re still secretly troubled by frequent sin?” 

Make the Gospel Make Sense – Use illustrations that others can relate to – the truths of the gospel can be illustrated in light of the common experiences and hobbies of others.

Pray – you can do a lot of evangelism, but if the Spirit isn’t empowering it, and if you don’t have a vibrant daily prayer life of actual communion with the Lord, you will “fish all night and catch no fish” (Luke 5:5).

Know the Word – Spend time in the Bible daily and fill your mind with the truth of Scripture. God can bring the Word to mind and apply it in all your daily interactions, whether at work, school, home, etc.

Cultivate a Mindset of Evangelism – You may be at the grocery store, but are you really there only to get milk? What about the people you meet along the way? Don’t compartmentalize your life into the “sacred” and “secular.” You are never “off the clock” for Christ.

Know What You Believe – Many believers can’t answer basic objections and common questions from unbelievers or articulate their own worldview.  You must invest time into learning and knowing what you believe and why you consider it the truth.

Consider Memorizing 2 Timothy 2:24-26 – A Believer must never be argumentative or judgmental. It’s easy to fall into an “us versus the world” mindset, but this will only build up walls in the minds of unbelievers. Christians are called to be kind, winsome, patient, able to gently articulate truth without raising their voice, and able to ask good questions without arguing. Just as you would never hit a blind person in the face, so you must never spitefully attack or argue with an unbeliever, who is spiritually blind apart from God’s Spirit (Romans 8:7-8).

Show Hospitality and Generosity – Genuine believers that practice real hospitality and generosity will see much fruit in their evangelistic endeavors. Having your own financial house in order and living below your means is key to having more of God’s money available to practice hospitality.

Exercise Wisdom – Remember, not everyone is in a position to hear the gospel, at least not right now. So show respect, take cues from the conversation and body language of the person, and don’t “data dump” the gospel on them. There is definitely such a thing as overstaying your welcome and saying too much.  This isn’t about you placating your conscience and getting out all you wanted to say to a lost person – it’s about meeting the other person where they’re at and having the conversation that God allows (or doesn’t allow) for that day and that time. 

Love People – You must actually love and care about people who are far (or very far) from God. You must be willing to take insults, jabs, scoffing, worldly and cultural mocking and derision, etc. and look past all of that to see what that person could become in Christ. Remember, some mock, some believe, and some say, “we will hear you again on this matter” (Acts 17:32-34).

Use Practical Tools – I always carry gospel tracts. I also keep emails, documents, and notes on my phone so that I can easily send them to people dealing with trials, sanctification, evangelism, biblical finances, etc. I’ve also made a personal ministry card with suggested apps and websites and our local church’s info. I populate my phone with great sermon and apologetics apps so I’m always ready to answer questions and have all the resources I need. Also – and this is critical – learn to ask good questions.

Seek to Glorify God – Evangelism is about God’s glory in proclaiming Christ, no matter how few or how many get saved. You can’t save anyone – you are merely a messenger. Don’t be anxious or overanxious about sharing the gospel (Philippians 4:6). Simply go out as a laborer with God and see what He does through your life. You will never do everything perfectly or always know all the answers, but simply follow Christ and keep witnessing, and it will become second nature to tell others the Good News.

Eric Thompson grew up in north-central Missouri and was saved in 2005, developing a strong burden for evangelism. He holds a degree in Construction Engineering Technology from UCM and currently works for the Missouri Department of Transportation. He resides with his wife in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, where he attends Summit Woods Baptist Church.