7 tips for sharing the good news

Salvationist suggests some pointers to help share your faith with other people.

1. Refill before you pour

Sharing the good news can sound daunting, can’t it? What if someone doesn’t like what you say? What if you’re not very good at it? What if you can’t find the right words? All those fears can distract you from telling someone about who God is to you. Because why wouldn’t you want to share God’s love with someone else? Remember: the expert on how God has changed your life is you!

But you can’t pour from an empty cup. Evangelism and discipleship aren’t separate. One flows out of the other – when you’re full of God’s love, it naturally bubbles out in the way you live, act and speak, and the way you love others.

How’s your relationship with Jesus? Grounding yourself in God’s love and grace is the first step in building confidence. Trust that God is ahead of you and with you and is already at work in other people’s lives – you just have to be intentional in looking and listening for him. Pray into every conversation and situation.

2. Keep it simple

You don’t need big words to share God’s unconditional love. Resist the temptation to over-complicate it. Simply tell someone they are loved and valued. Take confidence in the knowledge that God made you who you are: focus on being that person and let God shine through you. You don’t need to put on a show. You might not even need words to be Jesus to someone. Reassure yourself: you’re not the one saving people, God is.

3. Share the load

Hospitality is a beautiful way to express God’s love to someone. It’s great to invite people into your corps building at Christmas, for example, but don’t overload yourself – especially if another church down the road is doing the same thing. Remember we’re part of the body of Christ: ecumenical partnerships can lighten the load and make sharing the good news more effective, efficient and enjoyable! What is God doing in your community? What unique thing can you do to join in?

4. Plan ahead

If people are in your hall this Christmas, have you thought about when you’ll see them next? Plan ahead into the new year so you have something to invite them back to, whether that’s a parent-and-toddler group or an Alpha course. Sharing the good news is for all year round, not just for Christmas!

5. Use the tools available

Whatever you’re doing, you don’t have to start from scratch: the Great Commission is a responsibility, but it shouldn’t be a chore. Every week, War Cry and Kids Alive! are ready-made for easy outreach: give someone a copy while you’re carolling or in a food parcel and they have an easy-to-read starting point for faith in their hands! This website is also primed with accessible content to help anyone interested in exploring faith this Christmas: if you know someone who is curious about God – and recent research around the quiet revival suggests that people today are more open and curious about faith – share this link with them: tsa.link/explorechristmas.

6. Ask questions

What gives you hope in life? What gives you your self-esteem or purpose? Do you have any spiritual beliefs? Have you ever been to church?

If you’re not sure how to start a conversation about faith, begin with a question. It can help take your conversation into spiritual territory, but more importantly it gives you the opportunity to listen to someone else and get to know them.

7. Be sincere

Nobody likes someone talking at them rather than talking with them – if you’re too busy broadcasting to listen, you’re missing out on the most important thing: the opportunity to build a relationship. The Kingdom of God is a community: we are called to connect with others and, in doing so, reflect something of God. If you want someone to know you fully, and God is part of your life, there’s no reason to hide that from them. But authentic relationships are two-way: be curious about them and remember they are also made in God’s image – they might reveal something new about God to you. After all, there’s always more good news about God’s love to discover for yourself!