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. Though it is used around the world, The Bridge is especially effective where people believe good works will earn them favor with God. You will need something to write with and something to write on when using this tool.
1. The Wages of Sin
First, you’ll explain the consequences of sin. Start by saying, “In the beginning, God created everything we see in the world today—the trees, the sky, the animals. God also created mankind.” On the left side of your paper, draw a person. On the other side, write out the word “God.” (Note: if you are presenting this to someone who doesn’t speak English, you might write out “God” in that person’s language or draw something that can represent God, such as a circle or a cloud.)
Then say, “God and mankind had a perfect relationship. Nothing separated them. But then, man decided to sin.” Draw an arrow to the left of the person pointing off the page. Be sure to define sin. You can say, “Sin is anything we think, say, or do that dishonors God.”
Now say, “Sin created a chasm between man and God. This is because the wages of sin is death.” Draw a U-shaped or V-shaped chasm between the person and God. Be sure to define a wage, as well. You can say, “A wage is what we earn for what we do. So what we have earned for our sin is death, which is eternal separation from God. There is nothing we can do to bridge this gap on our own.” At the bottom of the chasm, draw jagged lines to represent death.
You can reference Romans 3:23 and Romans 6:23 to explain the wages of sin.
2. The Bridge
Next, you’ll explain God’s solution for our sin. Now you can say, “But God didn’t want us to be separated from Him. He loves us and wants us to have a relationship with Him. So He came up with a plan.” Here, draw a cross that stretches across both ends of the chasm. Then, you can say, “God sent His Son, Jesus, to live a perfect life among us. He died on a cross for our sins and rose from the grave three days later. With His death, Jesus bridged the gap between us and God, creating a way for us to be restored to God.”
You can reference Romans 5:8 and John 14:6 to explain how Jesus bridged the gap between us and God.
3. The Choice
End your presentation with a question. You can say, “But it’s not enough to know these things. We each have a choice to make. Salvation is a gift Jesus offers us, and we can choose to accept or reject this gift. If you accept it by believing in your heart that Jesus is Lord and confessing that God raised Him from the dead, you will enjoy eternity with God. If you reject it, you’ll remain separated from God.” Draw a question mark under God and ask, “Would you like to accept God’s gift today?”
If the person responds, “Yes,” you can lead them through a prayer to ask Jesus to come into their life. If the person responds, “No,” then you can ask what is keeping them from accepting the gift of salvation today.
You can reference Romans 10:9-10 and John 1:12 to explain God’s free gift of salvation.
The Bridge is an easy way to explain the gospel in just a few minutes. Try sharing it with someone this week.
See an illustration of The Bridge in its entirety below:
How to Share the Gospel Using the 3 Circles
Another great tool for sharing the gospel is the 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. Learn how to use the 3 Circles below.
