How to Share the Gospel (Without Being Weird or Pushy)

🌺  Written by Brittany Ann

Do you wonder how to share the gospel (without being weird or pushy)? When to speak and what to say? Keep reading for when and how to share, plus learn practical tips to inspire confidence.

Two women share a porch bench. They are talking with each other and smiling. The text on the picture reads, How to Share the Gospel (Without Being Weird or Pushy)If you’re reading an article about how to share the gospel, it’s probably for one of two reasons:

  1. You have someone in mind you’d like to share the gospel with, but you’re not sure how, or,
  2. You feel led to share your faith with others, but you don’t know where to start.

Whichever category you fall into, the good news is: You’re in the right place.

 

Even though thinking of how to share the gospel can initially feel overwhelming or intimidating, it really doesn’t have to be.

In fact, sharing your faith can be as simple as sharing your personal life experience, answering questions, or providing some insight into why you think and believe the way you do.

It definitely doesn’t have to look like street preaching in foreign countries or boldly witnessing to everyone around you all the time — though if you feel led to share the gospel in these ways, by all means!

 

Either way, you want peace and boldness about how to share the gospel, so in this post, we’re sharing:

  1. What the gospel of Jesus Christ is and is not
  2. 6 Tips for how to share the gospel (without being weird or pushy);
  3. And 25 easy ways you can share the gospel with those around you.

Let’s dive in!

 

*This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase, I may make a small commission at no additional cost to you. This helps cover the many costs of running this site and allows me to help provide for my growing family. Thank you!

 

Discover God’s Will (and how to share it with others!)

Follow God's Will Book and Workbook

Have you ever wondered, How do I share God’s love and truth with my family/friend/coworkers/the world?

Or maybe you’ve thought, I want to know how to share the gospel confidently! 

I dive into these questions (and more!) in my brand new book, Follow God’s Will: Biblical Guidelines for Everyday Life, along with the Follow God’s Will companion workbook.

Practical, encouraging, and full of biblical truth, Follow God’s Will is designed to help you answer questions including:

  • What does God want me to do?
  • How do I apply the Bible’s instructions to my life today?
  • Where is God calling me personally?
  • How can I make a difference right where I am?
  • How should I navigate relationships with those who think, act, or believe differently than I do?
  • And so many more!

Want to start reading for free?

Simply enter your first name and email below, and I’ll send you an exclusive “first-peek” right away, right to your inbox!

 

What the Gospel is NOT (2 Common Misconceptions)

 

First, I want to expose two common misconceptions about the gospel. You might be asking, Why start with misconceptions?

It’s important to know what the gospel is not, so we can share what it really is. If we misrepresent what the gospel is, we can do more harm than if we hadn’t shared in the first place!

People like honesty, and they like to know what they are getting into. Highlighting these misconceptions can help you speak more clearly about the gospel.

 

1. The gospel is not a life improvement plan.

 

The Christian life is not a vending machine. You aren’t guaranteed good outcomes based on the “payment” you put in.

YES, the Bible promises that “in all things God works for the good of those who love Him” (Romans 8:28). We can be confident in God’s love and care.

BUT, Jesus also tells us that “in this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33). Even the life of Jesus was filled with of trouble! His dear friend died, he was lied about and attacked, his best friends abandoned him — and that’s just for starters.

This is key in how to share the gospel — don’t promise something that Jesus never did!

 

2. The gospel is not “just one path of many.”

 

In today’s world, it can feel countercultural to take a firm stand, especially when it comes to faith.

Some people, even Christians, say that it doesn’t matter exactly what someone believes as long as they believe in God or live a good life.

But this is not what Jesus says in the Bible. Jesus boldly proclaims, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

Following Jesus and walking in his way is the path to meeting God. This truth shouldn’t be watered down.

 

What the Gospel Is

 

The word “gospel” literally means “good news” or “good story” in Old English.

You DON’T need a theology degree to share the gospel, but it IS important to be confident that you know the basics.

Not only will this help you know what to say when witnessing to others (whether sharing the gospel with nonbelievers or encouraging fellow Christians), but it will also help ensure you don’t miss any important points you won’t want to accidentally overlook.

Here are 7 key points I might make when sharing the gospel with an interested non-believer. Feel free to adapt to your own purposes and your own audience!

(Please note: You don’t have to share all seven of these points powerpoint-style, but it’s important to know what they are.)

 

  1. There is one God who exists is three Persons — the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three Persons of one God are the ultimate expression of love (1 John 4:8). The entire universe is created by God (Genesis 1).
  2. God created order in the universe. We don’t always understand this order, but it guides and protects all of God’s creation, including us humans (Isaiah 55:8-9).
  3. God is perfect and wants a relationship with us humans. But we all have sin in our lives, and that fractures the relationship with God (Romans 3:23).
  4. The result of this broken relationship is called sin. Sin means pain and death for our physical bodies, and separation from God after we die (Romans 6:23).
  5. Since we are His beloved children, God does not want us to be separated from Him. So He sent His Son Jesus to earth so that the relationship broken by sin can be restored (John 3:16).|
  6. Because God loves us, God respects the free will that He gave us, and He will never force us to do anything. Jesus is God’s gift to humans, and each human can choose whether to accept this gift, or to reject it (John 6:37).
  7. If we accept that Jesus is the way to have a relationship with God the Father, our lives will begin to look like that of Jesus. This desire to love God and others as best we can is a natural growth of our faith (James 2:14-26). We don’t follow God’s rules and order because we are scared, but because we love God and want to share that with others.

 

 

How to Share the Gospel — Without Being Weird or Pushy

 

Read the 6 tips below for everyday ways of how to share the gospel. You won’t find anything weird or pushy here — each tip is practical and should fit naturally into your life.

 

1. Remember Your Role in the Salvation Process

 

First, when you consider how to share the gospel, look at where you fit in. For perspective, take a minute to answer these questions:

  • Can you make anyone want to hear about Jesus?
  • Can you force someone to believe in Jesus?
  • Are you personally responsible for someone else’s salvation?

The answer to all these questions is a big “NO!” But sometimes people become angry, bitter, or depressed when they share the gospel and don’t get the response they wanted.

Instead, you can feel free and more confident when you remember that your role in the salvation process is actually pretty small. Christians are called to share God with others, but it is only God who can give salvation.

Do what God asks in how to share the gospel. Then step back and leave room for God to work, and for the other person to respond.

 

2. Pray for Wisdom and Guidance

 

Next, pray for wisdom and guidance about when, if, and how to share the gospel.

Each person you encounter has their own story. Each person has inherent dignity and worth. And each person has the free will to choose what to believe and how to act.

Asking and listening for God’s guidance will give you wisdom about how to share the gospel to fit each person’s needs.

I like to use the following 3-step prayer process when I share the gospel. This strengthens my connection to the Holy Spirit, and it helps me to not think of people as projects.

  1. I ask God to show me the right words and actions: “God, You know exactly what this person needs. Please show me how I can help.”
  2. I pray for a soft and receptive heart in the other person: “God, help this person hear Your voice and see Your love in their life.”
  3. Finally, I pray for my own surrender: “God, I know that you are in control and I am not. Please help this person to grow, and guide their steps as You see fit.”

 

Don’t get stuck in a “one size fits all” script about the gospel. Instead, ask for God’s guidance in sharing what will be most fruitful in each person’s life.

 

3. Share Your Story and Experiences

 

You know how you can tell a coworker about the movie you saw and loved without being weird and pushy and demanding that they go see it and love it too?

If you can do that, guess what? You can share the gospel too!

As a Christian, you have firsthand experience of the gospel, and this gives you a natural way to share your faith. 

You could share godly wisdom gained through a past struggle; you could invite a friend on a church retreat; or you could simply hold to your faith during hard times. These are just some of the ways you can share your story and your faith naturally.

Don’t worry about how to share the gospel in a formal or perfect way! You are equipped to share the gospel just by being faithful and sharing God’s faithfulness with others.

 

4. Know the Gospel

 

Want a dynamic and engaging way of how to share the gospel? You can emphasize the story of the gospel to invite others into God’s way of life. Use the 7 Key Points of the Gospel (outlined above) to share the gospel in story form, like this:

 

  • At the beginning, all of creation was perfect — including the relationship between God and humans.
  • But then humans broke this relationship and brought sin into the world. This separated humans and all of creation from God.
  • Next, God reached out to humans to heal this broken relationship. He offered us his most precious gift, His Son Jesus, even though we were the ones who turned away from Him in the first place.
  • The end of this story is described in the book of Revelations — those who love God will be fully united with God in Heaven.
  • But we’re not quite there yet — we live in the time before the end. Right now, people are choosing whether to be a part of God’s story of love and redemption, or not.

 

When you think of how to share the gospel, don’t forget the power of a story and invitation. This can feel more familiar and less formal than a list, and it’s a great way to share.

 

5. Know the Answers to Common Questions

 

Many people wonder, Why should I follow advice from a man who lived 2000 years ago? And the Bible is so old — how can it possibly be relevant today?

One way of how to share the gospel is showing how biblical wisdom answers common questions today.

This does NOT mean that you need to know everything! It’s perfectly okay to say, “I’m not sure, but I can look into that,” or, “I read a blog that talked about that — I’ll send you the link!”

The idea here is to share how “the word of God is alive and active” (Hebrews 4:24) and speaks to tough questions even today.

 

We discuss issues like this on our blog, showing how how to share the gospel and be guided by faith in the nitty gritty. Click the links below for some popular blog posts.

 

 

6. Be Sensitive to Controversial Issues

 

Sometimes one of the best ways of how to share the gospel is to say nothing, or very little.

Many people already know about traditional Christian teaching on issues like same-sex marriage, abortion, and LGBTQ issues. They’ve even heard some Christians claiming to have God’s insight on social issues like immigration and racial justice.

Fair or unfair, Christians and Christian teachings have a reputation of being intolerant and even hateful.

With controversial issues, be prepared to simply state what you believe (or even to stay quiet!) and let God take care of the rest. Faith is between each individual and God. Your responsibility is to love others, and to let God convict that person’s conscience if needed.

Jesus provides a great example of how to do this.

When a woman caught in sin was brought before Jesus, he did not condemn her. Instead, he gave her (and her accusers!) space to examine her own conscience and then told her to, “Go now and leave your life of sin” (John 8:1-11).

Sometimes God may lead you to be very direct with someone about sin in their lives — Jesus was direct in the story above.

But before he was direct, Jesus did not argue, yell, or condemn. In fact, he defended and saved the woman from angry religious leaders, and he spoke to her gently before he addressed her sin.

This way of peace and love is essential to sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

My Favorite Books for Sharing the Gospel

 

As an avid reader, I always LOVE finding new books that will not only help me strengthen my faith, but will also help me share the gospel message with others. Here are a few books I love and highly recommend — either for equipping you as an evangelist or for sharing with others who may have questions about the gospel message.

 

The Case for Christ Book1. The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel

It’s easy to see how this popular New York Times Bestseller has sold over 5 million copies.

In this easy-to-follow book, former atheist and journalist Lee Strobel shares his findings from interviewing reputable Bible scholars to answer the question: “What credible evidence do we have of the gospel, anyway?”

It’s honest, interesting, and packed full of very helpful information for anyone on the search for truth (or anyone who wants to share the gospel with someone who is.)

You can find The Case for Christ on Amazon here.

 

 

Keeping Your Kids on God's Side Book2. Keeping Your Kids on God’s Side by Natasha Crain

Written specifically for parents doing their best to raise their children in the faith, Keeping your Kids on God’s Side is a fantastic resource FULL of answers to the most common questions and tricky situations our kids (and friends… and coworkers…) are going to face today.

Even if you aren’t sharing the gospel specifically with kids, this book is a phenomenal resource for knowing questions nonbelievers are likely to have and how to answer them fairly and honestly.

I would highly, highly recommend this book for anyone who lives, works, or spends time with people skeptical of the Christian faith.

You can find Keeping Your Kids on God’s Side on Amazon here.

 

God Has a Wonderful Plan for your Life Book3. God Has a Wonderful Plan for Your Life by Ray Comfort

This book is an absolutely delightful read — and it absolutely changed the way I think of sharing the gospel with nonbelievers.

All too often, we Christians fall into a trap of sharing the “gospel” as a “life improvement plan,” where we can ask for whatever we want and God lives to bless us and all our desires.

In this powerful and insightful book, Ray Comfort shares where we often go wrong in sharing the gospel message, and how it’s leading to countless numbers of false converts — people who think they are saved but who haven’t ever really heard or embraced the true gospel message. Scary stuff, but SO important.

You can find God Has a Wonderful Plan for Your Life on Amazon here.

 

Follow God's Will Book4. Follow God’s Will by Brittany Ann

While this book is specifically about finding and following God’s will for your life, it is chock full of information and perspectives that are invaluable in reaching out to friends and family who haven’t yet embraced the gospel message.

It includes chapters on topics including:

  • how to share the gospel with nonbelievers (without being weird or pushy)
  • how to stand strong in your faith (when those around you disagree)
  • how to confront others’ sin (without alienating people)
  • and so much more.

You can find Follow God’s Will on Amazon here.

 

25 Easy Ways to Share the Gospel

 

Now that you know what the gospel is and is not and you’ve gotten several resources to equip you, you’re ready to start sharing the gospel with friends, family, coworkers, and acquaintances. But where do you start??

Here are 25 very easy (non-weird, non-pushy, and non-confrontational) ways you can share your faith with others.

Feel free to pick and choose the ones that work best for you, or use this list to brainstorm your own ideas!

 

  1. Tell people that you went (or are going) to church when they ask about your weekend. Add in a quick sentence about what the sermon was about.
  2. Refuse to participate in ungodly activities. When they ask why, politely(!!) let them know.
  3. Play Christian radio in your car when you carpool (It’s okay to have it on quietly. You don’t have to blast it and sing at the top of your lungs–unless you want to.)
  4. Pray for people when you hear they are going through a rough time. Pray right there with them, and let them know you have will be praying for them on your own too.
  5. Read the Bible or other Christian books on your lunch break. People will notice. They may ask you what your book is about, or you may bring it up yourself.
  6. Having a garage sale? Put a few Bibles on a table with a “Free–take one!” sign.
  7. Teach Sunday School.
  8. When someone is sick, bring them a hot meal and a card with a nice note and an encouraging Scripture verse written on it.
  9. Ask their opinion about current events. Share your (Godly, but humble) opinion as well.
  10. Be honest about a tough time you are having and how you are really having to rely on God to get you through it.
  11. Do a random act of kindness and leave a note simply saying “because Jesus loves you.”
  12. Invite them to a church event. Many people who don’t attend regularly would go if you ask, especially around major Christian holidays like Christmas and Easter.
  13. Do you own a business? Leave a couple Bibles in the waiting room for people to read while they wait.
  14. Share encouraging Scripture verses, memes, youtube videos, and posts by your favorite Christian bloggers on your social media accounts. 🙂
  15. Support a child in a third world country.
  16. Don’t be afraid to share the big things God is doing in your life.
  17. Did you know there are numbers people can call or websites people can visit at anytime–day or night–if they want to learn more about Jesus? You could sign up to be one of the people that answers their questions or talks with them.
  18. Feeling super brave? Go door to door. Even if most people aren’t interested, if you find a few that are, it’s completely worth it.
  19. Volunteer in a setting like a hospital, children’s home, women’s shelter or crisis pregnancy center. Listen to their stories, offer hope, pray with people.
  20. Go to a bar and talk to people. (No, I’m not joking.) Find out their life story. Share yours.
  21. Start a Bible study with a few Christian friends. Ask nonbelievers if they would like to join you.
  22. Wear t-shirts/jewelry with Christian themes on them.
  23. Help people stranded on the side of the road. Give God the credit.
  24. Be a big brother or big sister.
  25. Start a blog where you can tell the world about Jesus!

 

There is no shortage of ideas about how to share the gospel!

When we examine our motives to make sure that we are acting in love, and then follow God’s prompting, we’ll know how to share the gospel without being weird or pushy. And the more you do it, the more natural it will be!

 

Ready to Really Live Out the Gospel and Follow God’s Will?

Follow God's Will Book and Workbook

If you want to learn more about how to share the gospel and to confidently follow God’s will for your life, I’d love to help with that!

My brand new book, Follow God’s Will: Biblical Guidelines for Everyday Life, along with the Follow God’s Will companion workbook.

Practical, encouraging, and full of biblical truth, Follow God’s Will is designed to help you answer questions including:

  • What does God want me to do?
  • How do I apply the Bible’s instructions to my life today?
  • Where is God calling me personally?
  • How can I make a difference right where I am?
  • How should I navigate relationships with those who think, act, or believe differently than I do?
  • And so many more!

Want to start reading for free?

Simply enter your first name and email below, and I’ll send you an exclusive “first-peek” right away, right to your inbox!

 

In Case You Missed It

 

Equipping Godly Women is passionate about helping you seek God’s will for your life. Check out these related blog posts for even more practical ways to find, hear, and follow God’s will.

 

How to Know God’s Will for Your Life

How Do I Hear God’s Voice Clearly?

How Do You Know When God Is Speaking to You?

How to Memorize Scripture (Quickly and Easily!)

 

What has been your biggest barrier to sharing the gospel and how did you overcome it? Do you have any tried and true ways to make sharing the gospel easier? Please share your best tips on how to share the gospel with our community!

Brittany Ann Equipping Godly Women

About the author

Brittany Ann is an ECPA bestselling author of “Fall in Love with God’s Word” and “Follow God’s Will” and the founder of EquippingGodlyWomen.com, a popular Christian-living website dedicated to helping busy Christian moms find practical ways to go "all in" in faith and family. Her work has been featured on CBN, The Christian Post, Crosswalk, and more.

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