Have you ever wondered how to more effectively share your love of Jesus with others in your community? Here are a dozen tips that will help you share the Gospel using some of the same methods used by Jesus Himself.
1. Do not be in a hurry.
It takes at least nine months for a baby to develop in its mother’s womb. In the spiritual life, time is also required for a person to become a true disciple of Jesus. Therefore, do not rush those to whom you desire to share the Gospel with. Instead, invest time in strengthening your friendship with them, without giving the impression that you want them to change their views on religion or faith.
2. Devote time to prayer.
Conversion is the work of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, devote much time to prayer. Do not become tired of doing so. Even if it seems that you are not making progress, God’s Spirit is working in your friends’ hearts. When you least expect, you will notice great surprises. Intercessory prayer, aside from serving others, does you good as well. Job’s terrible situation changed when he started praying for his friends: “And the Lord restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before” (Job 42:10).
3. Love people.
God is love. And His church should reflect this divine attribute. People suffer when they are outside the circle of love. Our mission is not only to share the Gospel, but to envelop them in an affectionate environment. When you love people, you have greater success leading them to Jesus. Prayer helps you love your neighbor.
4. Have respect, diplomacy and tact.
Do not start by discussing religious topics with your friends. Popular wisdom has an interesting expression: “If you want to be my friend, do not talk to me about sports, politics, or religion; for in these three arenas, everyone has their own team” Give people time to know you and appreciate your God.
5. Be friendly.
People have to be drawn to you, whom they can see, before they can be drawn to Jesus, whom they cannot see. Many times we fail in our attempts to lead people to Christ because we believe that to do so involves only indoctrination.
6. People do not follow strangers; they follow friends.
Who leads teenagers to do drugs? Friends do. Many young people who begin using drugs are aware that they can fall into an abyss from which they may not be able to escape. However, the power of friendship is so great that they follow their friends in spite of the risk. When people are won over by genuine friendship, why would they reject an invitation to church or a conversation about eternal matters?
7. Building friendships takes time.
Genuine friendships are not cultivated in a week or a month. Friendship is like a plant that requires tíme to grow and develop. And it is one of the most efficient methods God gave us to carry out our mission. As Ellen White wrote, “Christ’s method alone will give true success in reaching the people. The Savior mingled with men [and women] as one who desired their good. He showed his sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won their confidence. Then he bade them, ‘Follow me” (The Ministry of Healing, p. 143).
8. Show friendliness.
Friendliness attracts. If Christ lives in you, and you reflect His character, your life will be like a magnet that attracts people. A greeting, a smile, a polite gesture, such as opening the door for someone, expressing honest praise, or remembering someone’s birthday, are friendly details that win over the hearts of neighbors, relatives, co-workers, or classmates.
9. Pay attention to people’s needs.
People all have emotional and physical needs. At some time, they have all gone through adversities. During those difficult times, they need friends to whom they can open their hearts. If you have put yourself in God’s hands to be a blessing to those around you, take advantage of the opportunity to show that Jesus is the source of eternal life, able to fulfill any human need.
10. Earn their trust.
We are back to the time factor. Trust is not earned in a short period of time. Trust exists with others for a sufficient period of time. Thus, learning to listen to others is very important. Everyone needs to be heard. Pay attention to what people say. Do not display impatience to seemingly irrelevant comments. Good friends laugh at your jokes, even if they are not funny. Likewise, they sympathize with your problems, although they may not seem serious. If you do not listen to others, how do you expect them to pay attention to you?
11. Invite them to your home.
As time passes, you will be able to invite your new friends to your home, perhaps for dinner. They will see your home, meet your family, and have an opportunity to share a meal or “lunch” with them. In eating together, you will have an opportunity to pray. Prayer is key. Pray that God will bless your friends in their personal lives, in their dreams, and in their plans. Prayer touches the heart of any human being.
12. Trust in God’s guidance.
If sharing the Gospel truly is your mission, and step #2 is implemented, God will guide you on timing of when to share and what to say. Only He is the one who can truly know the hearts of all we encounter and knows if they are open, closed, or simply ready to receive a “seed” that He can then nurture and grow.