Do you long to be able to share your faith well, but it just feels incredibly intimidating? What I am about to share is, in my opinion, one of the simplest ways to sincerely and effectively share the gospel. I am by no means the originator of this method; you will find a version of it in almost every evangelism presentation. This method originated from a simple curriculum I developed years ago for my congregation to help them share their faith. I chose to call it S.H.A.R.E., which stands for sharing Him authentically, relationally, and effectively.
The premise is simple. You will never be effective at sharing the gospel until you can, in the course of natural conversation, present the gospel biblically and personally. On the occasion when someone has tried to share their faith with me, unaware that I, too, love Christ with all of my heart, the person usually appeared uncomfortable, awkward, or over-the-top pushy. We all take our social cues from how we are approached. Abrasiveness almost always creates defensiveness. Awkwardness makes us want to escape the conversation. Poor communication makes it hard to value what the other person is trying to say.
On the other hand, when people are approached with casual confidence and are made to feel valued, they are much more likely to engage. When the conversation is personal and grounded in the truth of the gospel, there is much for a person to hear and relate to their own life.
To share your faith effectively, there are four questions Christians need to be able to answer in a sincere, conversational way. It is also important to be able to answer these questions with an appropriate amount of detail, personally and casually. Knowing Bible verses you can incorporate into your answers that communicate the gospel well is also beneficial. One of the most famous lists of verses used is called the Romans Road.
Listed for you are the four questions and the five verses from the Romans Road:
Question #1: What was your life like before you accepted Christ as your Savior?
One thing about sharing your faith is that no one can argue with your story. You aren’t trying to win a doctrinal argument with anyone. You are bearing witness to how He has moved in your life.
Scripture you can reference: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,...” – Romans 3:23
Question #2: How did you come to fully understand the gospel and Christ’s call of salvation in your life?
Maybe you’ve been walking with the Lord since childhood. Don't be ashamed if your testimony seems boring, but also don't be ashamed if God saved you from a tremendous amount of sorrow and wickedness. Be willing to tell someone what happened in your life and when the gospel became real to you. Whether you were nine, nineteen, or thirty-nine, there was a time when you came to realize you were a sinner and could never earn salvation.
Scripture you can reference: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 6:23
“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” – Romans 5:1
Question #3: What is your life like now that you have a right relationship with God through Christ?
You are not perfect, nor do you need to pretend to be. You still struggle, but there is assurance, joy, and hope in your life.
Scripture you can reference: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” – Romans 8:1
Question #4: Why is knowing Christ so life-changing that you want others to have a relationship with Him as well?
You can’t force your faith down anyone’s throat or make them believe faith is a gift of God, but you should have a deep desire for others to have in Christ what you have found in Him.
Scripture you can reference: “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, ‘Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’” – Romans 10:9–13
I truly believe if a Christ-follower can comfortably and confidently walk a person through these four questions with these five verses in conversation, they can responsibly and relationally share the gospel. Does that mean everyone you share with will immediately come to faith? It does not. You might be the fourteenth person in a series of twenty-eight people who will share with them before they come to Christ. Thankfully, your job isn’t to save anybody. Your job is simply to faithfully and clearly share. Pray up, practice up, and give it a try!
How would you answer these questions? Download a copy of them HERE, print them out, and spend some time answering them today.