Exploring Evangelism MythsНамуна

Did you know that the apostle Paul got nervous when sharing the gospel? Yep, that’s right. The zealous, brilliant writer of half the New Testament got butterflies in his stomach when it came to evangelism. That’s why he asked for his friends to pray for him to be fearless when explaining the gospel. 

Then there’s Peter and John. The Bible describes them as unschooled, ordinary men (hmm…sounds like me) who had been with Jesus. They didn’t rely on academic degrees and flawless public speaking skills to share the gospel. Instead, the Bible describes them as filled with the Holy Spirit (translation: They relied on God’s power, not their ability), resolved to follow God even when people told them to quiet down (translation: They listened to God’s command to share the gospel above humans’ commands), and pointed to Jesus as the source of salvation (translation: Salvation is found in Jesus. We’re here simply to point to Him). 

At times, evangelism can feel easy. We get a front row seat to see the Holy Spirit at work in someone’s life and it seems as if all the doors are open to conversation and the timing is just right.

Other times, evangelism feels hard. We feel awkward answering questions from our friends and people look at us like we’re crazy to believe in a bodily resurrection. 

Perhaps a better question to ask about evangelism isn’t whether it’s easy or hard. This question can lead those of us who feel like evangelism is hard to grow insecure or apathetic. Instead, what would happen if we asked, “Is evangelism costly? And am I willing to pay the cost?”

The Bible is clear that sharing the gospel is central to a disciple of Jesus. And discipleship is costly. Evangelism can get easier with practice, but it will always be costly.