Evangelism can make a lot of believers feel anxious, but it doesn’t have to be that way. There are a lot of good ways to share the gospel, and knowing the tools can help someone feel equipped to tell others about Christ.
Here are three simple ways to share the gospel.
15-Second Testimony
Your testimony is a great way to share how Christ has transformed your life. If you only have a short time to share your testimony, the 15-Second Testimony is a good tool to succinctly summarize your story. The 15-Second Testimony is divided into three parts: 1) your life before Christ, 2) when you met Christ, and 3) your life after meeting Christ.
First, describe what it was like living without Jesus. You can share whatever sin you struggled with the most before becoming a Christian, such as addiction, idolization, comparison, or unforgiveness. (Note: If you became a believer as a child, you can talk about a time in your life before your relationship with Jesus deepened.)
Then, share what you discovered when you met Jesus. Think of at least two things you learned about Jesus when you understood the gospel, such as how loving and forgiving He is.
Finally, share how Jesus transformed your life after you decided to follow Him. Think of things that clearly contrast your life before Christ.
Read more about how to share your 15-Second Testimony.
3 Circles
The 3 Circles tool is used around the globe to explain how God designed the world, how it became broken, and how Jesus came to redeem it. This tool is called the 3 Circles because the presenter draws out three circles to explain this story.
The first circle shows how God designed the world to be perfect and without sin. Draw a circle with a heart in the middle. You can then say, “When God created the world, everything was beautiful and perfect. God created mankind, and God and man had a perfect relationship. But then, man decided to sin.” Draw a person running away from God’s perfect world to the right of the first circle. Be sure to explain what sin is.
Now, you’ll explain how sin has affected the world. You can say, “Sin caused this world to be broken.” Draw a circle to the right of the person running away from God’s perfect world and draw zig-zagged lines inside of it, like a surface that is cracked. Then draw an arrow from the first circle to the second circle. Explain how we see brokenness in the world today.
Next, you’ll explain that people try to escape the brokenness of the world through various means. Draw squiggly arrows out from the second circle and list a few examples of how people tend to try to escape the world’s brokenness, such as money, relationships, or success. Then, you can say, “None of these things is enough to escape the sin and brokenness of this world.”
Now, explain God’s plan for addressing the brokenness of this world. Below the first two circles, draw a third circle and an arrow pointing downward inside of it. You can say, “God knew that people couldn’t address their sin on their own. That’s why He sent His Son, Jesus, to live with us on Earth. He lived a sinless life and died the death that we deserve to pay for our sins.” Here, draw a cross next to the downward arrow. Now say, “But after three days in the grave, Jesus rose from the dead.” Draw an upward arrow on the other side of the cross. You can then say, “This proves that Jesus is the Son of God. With His resurrection, he defeated death and sin. He is now seated at the right hand of God and has been given all authority in Heaven and on Earth.” Now draw a crown on top of the third circle.
Finally, explain how to a restored relationship with God. Draw a person kneeling down between the second and third circles and an arrow connecting the two circles. Then say, “Jesus died to pay for our sins. This is a gift we have to choose to accept. To accept this gift of salvation, you must surrender your life to Jesus, believing that He died and rose from the dead, repenting of your sin, and making Him King of your life.” Now, draw a happy person between the third and first circles and an arrow connecting them. You can say, “When you accept this gift of salvation, you will become a new person in God. The only way to get back to God is through Jesus’ sacrifice.”
Read more about how to share the 3 Circles.
The Bridge Illustration
One of the simplest ways to share the gospel is by using an illustration known as The Bridge. The Bridge helps explain the gospel to those who struggle to understand grace. This tool shows how Jesus’ death bridged the gap between mankind and God that sin created.
First, explain the consequences of sin. On the left side of your paper, draw a person. On the other side, write out the word “God” or a symbol representing God. Share how God created the world and how everything was perfect until mankind decided to sin (Romans 3:23). Draw an arrow to the left of the person pointing off the page. Define sin, and explain that the wages of sin is eternal separation from God (Romans 6:23). Draw a chasm between the person and God. Add jagged lines at the bottom to represent death.
Next, explain God’s solution for sin. Share how God didn’t want us to be separated from Him, so He sent Jesus to live a perfect life and die on a cross for our sins (Romans 5:8). Draw a cross that stretches across the chasm. Share how Jesus rose from the grave. Through His resurrection, Jesus bridged the gap and restored the relationship between us and God (John 14:6).
Close by saying what Jesus did is a free gift. We can choose to accept this gift or reject it (Romans 10:9-10). Ask your friend if he or she wants to accept this gift.
Read more about how to share the Bridge Illustration.
After using any of these tools, ask the other person what he or she thinks about the story. See if they are ready to accept Jesus as Savior or if they have more questions.
Pray for God to open the door for you to share the gospel with someone else, and try one of these tools this week.
7 Key Bible Passages About Evangelism
The Bible says a lot about evangelism. Proclaiming God’s name displays faith in the Lord, introduces others to His love and grace, and glorifies the Savior among all people. Some of the most important passages on evangelism help to instruct, encourage, and guide believers in this important task.
