10 Ways to Respectfully Share the Gospel
Jesus has called you to share the Gospel with the rest of the world. Yet at times, sharing your faith may seem easier said than done. It’s normal to feel anxious about telling other people about Jesus, and no one wants to offend someone they care about. Thankfully, the Bible describes plenty of tips on how to spread the Gospel respectfully.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at how to tell others about Jesus without being offensive or insensitive. Everyone has their own story and deserves the utmost respect, especially when you’re sharing God’s love for them.
What to Say When Spreading the Gospel
The first step in spreading the Gospel is knowing what to say. To know that, you need to have some familiarity with what the Bible says about the topic. One of the most-used verses for spreading the Gospel is John 3:16. In this verse, Jesus explains he is God’s only begotten Son and that God sent him into the world because of his love for humankind. The reason God sent Jesus was so that anyone who believes in Him may experience eternal life.
This is the heart of the Gospel message. It has the power to change lives and has changed lives since Jesus walked on the Earth during his ministry. All you have to do is share it and tell how it has changed your own life. Showing other people how the Gospel has impacted your life can help them understand that it could change their lives, too.
How to Spread the Gospel Online
We live in an age when many people spend a considerable amount of time on the internet for amusement, education or both. While it’s true many people use the internet to argue about politics or other topics, you can use it to spread the Gospel and share the love of Christ.
Your loving posts about what Jesus has done for the world, and yourself, could be a breath of fresh air to people as they scroll through their feeds. In fact, the Gospel message could be the exact thing they needed to hear at that moment. The internet is also a great tool if you’re wondering how to spread the Gospel in quarantine as society continues to experience the effects of the pandemic.
How to Evangelize Respectfully
Whether spreading the Gospel online or in person, you should always be respectful. Here are 10 ways you can evangelize the people in your life in the most loving way possible:
1. Accept the Individual for Who They Are
Jesus gives the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19. He tells the apostles and all future Catholics to make disciples of all nations. And when Jesus says all, he means all. Share the good news with everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender or religious background. God’s love is big enough for all types of people, and your willingness to share should include everyone.
2. Pray for the People God Has Laid on Your Heart
The Apostle Paul was one of the first missionaries, and you can learn a lot about sharing the Gospel from his example. He writes in Romans 10:1 that he prays to God for the salvation of those God has placed on his heart. If you feel God pulling your heart to share the Gospel with someone, be sure to answer that call. Continue praying that the individual would accept the message of Jesus.
3. Be Understanding
Everyone has different backgrounds, upbringings and experiences. You should be understanding of these factors and allow them to shape how you minister to each person you contact. In I Corinthians 9:22-23, the Apostle Paul says he became weak to win over the weak. In fact, he became all things to all so that some could know Christ. These powerful words show the importance of understanding your audience when evangelizing.
4. Always Be Ready to Share Your Faith
In I Peter 3:15, Saint Peter states the importance of always being ready to give an explanationof your faith when someone asks where you get your hope. As you travel through life, any moment can suddenly become an opportunity to share the Gospel. Be ready so you can make the most of the moment and explain what Jesus has done for you.
5. Be Gentle
Saint Peter continues in I Peter 3:16 by saying that in addition to always being ready to share the Gospel, you should share it in a gentle way. Being rude or aggressive with your message could end up doing more harm than good. Everyone is different, but you can be sure that gentleness will open up more ears than being the loudest voice in the room.
6. Take Time to Listen
When you’re excited about something, it’s easy to take up most of the conversation. The same can be true when telling others about what Jesus has done in your life. Sometimes, the best way to impact someone is by letting them do the talking. Show them you care by lending an open ear to their questions and struggles, and they may be more willing to hear you when it’s your turn to talk.
7. Have Confidence in What You’re Sharing
In Romans 1:16, the Apostle Paul says he is not ashamed of the Gospel message because it is powerful and can change the life of anyone who believes. When you share the Good News, you’re sharing in the same power the Apostle Paul mentions in this passage. Let this be a major confidence boost as you minister to those around you.
8. Seek Wisdom Daily
The Apostle Paul in Colossians 4:5 says to live wisely among unbelievers so you can make the most of every witnessing opportunity. Living wisely includes the following principles:
- Learning and growing in Scripture so you can use it to guide your conduct
- Asking God for wisdom as instructed in James 1:5 so you can spot opportunities to share the Gospel
- Practicing what you preach so unbelievers can see that the Gospel does change lives
9. Be Gracious in All Circumstances
After telling us to seek wisdom, Paul says in Colossians 4:6 that our conversation should be gracious and attractive. This means you should talk about topics that are spiritual, kind, sensitive and wholesome. Your unbelieving acquaintances will watch how you react to certain life situations. If your conversation remains gracious through difficult life circumstances, they’ll find the Gospel message to be much more attractive.
10. Be Honest
People can tell when you’re being genuine. When sharing the Gospel, make sure you’re honest at every point in the conversation. Remember, it’s fine to tell someone you don’t know the specific answer to a question. You can always tell them you’ll get back to them after doing some more studying. Being honest shows you genuinely care about the other person and that the Gospel is worth the extra effort to get the information right.
How Catholic World Mission Is Helping
Another way you can share the Gospel is through mission work. Being a missionary means going to an area with the intention of helping people’s physical needs while sharing the Good News of Jesus. Knowing how to become a missionary may seem complicated, but remember that every Catholic can be a missionary wherever they are. Some people are called to travel across the world to share the Gospel. Others are missionaries to their neighbors or the people they go to work or school with.
Catholic World Mission is helping people hear the Gospel by partnering with communities around the world. And the best part is that we can help you be part of it. Every donation we receive goes toward providing communities the resources and education they need to thrive physically and spiritually.
Donate to Catholic World Mission Today
At Catholic World Mission, our work is more than charity. Our goal is to help impoverished communities become self-sustaining and experience a new relationship with Jesus Christ. We ask that you partner with us in spreading the Gospel by donating to our work today. Together, we can make a lasting difference in the world.