Let’s be honest. Evangelism is a scary word for many of us. Although I regularly share the gospel, my heart pounds in my chest every time I do it.
I’ll never forget an evening years ago when a coworker called me at home to ask about my decision-making philosophy. It was an odd situation since she and I had no real relationship outside our work as engineers. When she asked such a poignant and personal question, I knew I was at a crossroads.
Would I bypass the awkwardness by recommending a self-help book, or would I come clean about my relationship with Jesus? What would she—a fellow MIT graduate—think if I told her that the Bible is my source of knowledge and wisdom? How could I face her at work after admitting my reliance on prayer? What if she wrongly concluded I was a “science denier”?
We often make these kinds of mental calculations when given an evangelistic opportunity. Far too often, fear gets the best of us and we walk away. It’s normal to feel timid when sharing the gospel. We’re telling people the most important news they’ll ever hear, and we want to get it right. Furthermore, we want them to believe it.
Much of our fear, however, is rooted in self-preservation. We fear rejection. And rightly so. Jesus was rejected by some of his own disciples when he claimed to be the only way to eternal life (John 6:57–66), and he warned that we’d face similar treatment for his name (15:18–21). The gospel is an offense (Gal. 5:11), and sometimes we’re not sure we can handle an unbeliever’s negative response to it.
Three Ways to Overcome Fear of Evangelism
We know people need Christ, but we fear the awkwardness that gospel conversations can create. How can we move past our fear?
1. Change your expectations.
For many years, I was reluctant to share my faith because I assumed evangelism was only successful when it resulted in an immediate profession of faith. I blurred the lines between God’s work and mine, not realizing that God is glorified in every gospel proclamation—whether or not the hearer responds with belief.
Much of our fear is rooted in self-preservation.
We place tremendous pressure on ourselves when we expect an on-the-spot conversion every time we share the gospel. But when we realize that people often hear the gospel multiple times before believing it, we can have more realistic expectations. We can go into gospel conversations hopeful for what the Lord might do but aware that the person may not be ready to believe.
We need not fear that a lacking response means we’ve failed in our task. Paul addressed this when writing to the Corinthian church. He “planted” the seeds of the gospel; Apollos came after him and “watered” those seeds, possibly with another gospel presentation; but “God gave the growth” (1 Cor. 3:6). Our responsibility is simply to tell others what Christ has done and give them an opportunity to respond. We leave the rest to the Lord.
2. Get to know and love nonbelievers.
I once asked a group of moms why they think it’s so much easier to share the gospel with their adult children than with adult strangers. The answer is perhaps obvious but convicting: Moms love their kids far more than they love strangers. Their desire for their children’s salvation overcomes fear and justifies the relational risk involved.
So one way we can overcome fear of evangelism is to grow in love for people who don’t know the Lord. We can spend time developing relationships with nonbelievers, and as we do, our desire to see them converted will naturally grow.
3. Meditate on the doctrine of hell.
Another powerful way to defeat the fear of evangelism is to meditate on the doctrine of hell. Do we really believe that hell is a place of constant torment where lost people will spend eternity (Matt. 13:41–42; Mark 9:43; Rev. 14:11)? Do we fully grasp that there will be no second chances after we die (Heb. 9:27)?
The last thing we want to do is meditate on something so dreadful, but the gospel is so sweet because hell is so real. Meditating on the doctrine of hell makes us less afraid of what will happen to us when we share the gospel and more afraid of what will happen to those who never hear or believe it.
God’s Mission
My heart still skips a beat whenever I share the gospel. It’s a weighty thing to tell another sinner about the saving grace God offers through his Son Jesus Christ. But I’m encouraged to get past my fears when I remember there are countless other ways God could accomplish his work of turning hearts to himself.
The gospel is so sweet because hell is so real.
Knowing that God allows us to be a part of his mission should motivate us to think rightly about evangelism, to pursue relationships with lost people, and to meditate on doctrines that remind us of eternity’s nearness. As we press on in faithfulness to spread the good news, let’s cling to God, remembering that he goes before us, he will be with us, and he will save his people.
