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Sharing the Gospel Starts with Meeting the Lost
One of my seminary classes required students to share the gospel with at least one lost person each week and submit a report about how it went. The assignment was simple enough, but it proved more difficult for my classmates and me than we anticipated. This wasn’t necessarily because sharing the gospel is difficult but because many of us, especially those working in vocational ministry, spent most of our time in “Christian bubbles,” always around other believers.
Perhaps you’re in a similar position. You see the need to share the gospel. You want to share the gospel. But your days and weeks are spent with people who already trust in Jesus. How can we share the good news with the lost if we rarely interact meaningfully with them? The assignment taught me that I needed to make intentional lifestyle changes to cross paths more frequently with people who need the gospel.
Here are some practical ideas for how to pop the “Christian bubble” and invite more lost people into your life.
1. Use your hobbies.
Do you like art? Sign up for a class at a community college. Are you interested in pickleball? Go to a local court and ask if you can join a game. Maybe you’ve always wanted to learn a new language. Is there a language exchange program nearby? Think about activities you already enjoy and search online for groups, clubs, and classes to join in your community.
2. Join a gym and regularly attend at the same time.
After a while, you’ll recognize many of the same faces, and you can start to strike up conversations. Gyms that offer classes make this even easier. Shortly after my husband and I got married, we joined a CrossFit gym. By God’s grace, some of the people in the afternoon class we attend are now among our dearest friends. Some of these friends are Christians, and some aren’t.
3. Get involved with your local public school.
Public schools often have various opportunities for community members to get involved. Volunteer as a tutor or coach. Attend sporting events, band concerts, and plays. If your schedule allows it, become a substitute teacher. As you build relationships with the people you meet, take advantage of the opportunities the Lord gives to share the gospel.
4. Frequent the same restaurants and coffee shops.
Become a regular. Ask the staff their names and remember them the next time you visit. Show genuine interest in their lives. Tip generously and be kind. Invite them to attend your church, and be prepared to share what you believe.
5. Invite conversations with people of different faiths.
The next time a Jehovah’s Witness or LDS missionary knocks on your door, instead of turning off the lights and pretending you’re not home, invite them in. Respectfully listen to what they believe and then be prepared to lovingly push back against their false beliefs with the truth of the gospel.
I needed to make intentional lifestyle changes to cross paths more frequently with people who need the gospel.
You can also look for people who show evidence of a different faith. Maybe you have a neighbor who wears a hijab or you frequent a store where the clerk often wears a bindi. Maybe you notice evidence of a religious holiday celebration. Be kind to these people. Ask questions that honor them and be prepared to share what you believe as the Lord opens the door.
6. Talk to your neighbors.
It’s possible lost people live next door to you or down the street and you don’t even know their names. Offer to help carry in heavy groceries. Ask about a neighbor’s day when you pass her on a walk around the neighborhood. Bake cookies and introduce yourself when you deliver them. Be deliberate about developing relationships with your neighbors to share the gospel with them.
7. Take inventory of lost people you already know.
Maybe you have a lost relative who lives out of state. When was the last time you made a phone call? Maybe you have an old friend from college who doesn’t know the Lord. Perhaps you could send a text to check in. Do you have a lost coworker you don’t regularly interact with? Create a list of lost friends, family members, and acquaintances. Begin praying for those on the list, and make a plan to reach out to each of them.
Our God, who is sovereign over salvation, has providentially placed us in a specific time and place for his glory (Acts 17:26). It could be that your proximity to unbelievers is what the Lord uses to draw them to saving faith. What an honor! May the Lord give us eyes to see the opportunities all around us to share the gospel of hope with those who haven’t yet believed.
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