Methods of Personal Evangelism

Since there are many different types of people in the world, there are also many different ways to share the gospel and personal evangelism styles. Depending on who you would like to reach and how depends on what method you choose.

The six methods of personal evangelism

1. Confrontational

Confrontational Evangelism is not about being combative in responding to the culture, yelling at each other, or even standing out in public with a large sign and a bullhorn shouting to whoever may hear. It is lovingly confronting strangers with the gospel directly on the streets, in the mall, or as we go about our daily business. This can be one-on-one witnessing, using tracts, or just striking up conversations with strangers or people we meet as we are out and about.

Other forms of Confrontational Evangelism might also be door-to-door witnessing, tract distribution, or setting up a table at an event to draw engage in conversation.

Some examples of this would be: Jesus and the woman at the well — John 4:1-42; Philip teaching the Ethiopian Eunic — Acts 8:26-37;

2. Intellectual

Intellectual Evangelism is much like Confrontational Evangelism, where you are engaging strangers on the street or online; but it has distinctions as well. It is having an intellectual discussion really diving into the meaning behind what is being talked about through debate.

Debating doesn’t mean yelling at each other drowning the other person out so as to only get your point across, which is childish. A real debate is when you hear what all parties have to say and discuss options, thoughts, and facts in a systematic logical discussion which is fair to everyone involved.

Open-air preaching the way it is biblically intended would fit this category. Even though it is confrontational in nature, it is more intellectual because you are in essence having an intellectual discussion everyone can hear, and can even engage as long as everyone gets to speak without interruption, or abuse.

There are several examples of Intellectual Evangelism in the Bible, most of which occur in Acts 17 when Paul confronts the people of Athens, Greece.

It was common for Paul to enter the synagogue and reason with the Jews from the Scriptures.

“Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, ‘This is Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.’ And some of them were persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women, joined Paul and Silas.”

Acts 17:1-4 (NKJV)

Notice some words that are used to describe Paul’s interaction with the Jews of the Synagogue: reasoned, explaining, demonstrating, and persuaded. This talks about having an intellectual engaging discussion.

Later, Paul and Silas were sent to Berea, where once again, Paul entered the synagogue there and reasoned with the Jews. The Jews not only listened but searched the Scriptures daily to find out if Paul was telling the truth. (Acts 17:10-12)

Paul also preached in the open air to the Greek Epicurean and Stoic philosophers of the Areopagus: a place where they all went to discuss new ideas and thoughts about culture, religion, and politics. (Acts 17:18-21)

Paul used their culture and idolatry to share Christ with the gentiles by proclaiming to them the UNKNOWN GOD they ignorantly worshipped and what was required of them to worship this new God that they were to repent and believe the gospel. They listened intently, some mocked, while his words piqued the interest of others. (Acts 17:22-34)

3. Testimonial

If you are a Christian, you have a testimony of how you repented of sin and put your faith in Christ Jesus. We all have a change on the outside to match our insides.

This is one of the easiest ways to share the gospel to the lost because your testimony is special to you. No one can say that’s not how it happened. Often, when I meet someone for the first time, they ask, ‘So what’s your story?’ I usually will say something to pique their interest a little more so that I can talk a little more; then turn it on them and ask if they go to church or know the Lord too.

The Apostle Paul often shared his testimony and how the Lord Jesus knocked him off his high horse to serve God the rest of his life. (Acts 22:1-22, 26:6-16) This opened doors for him to speak to various people: Jews and Gentiles alike.

Pregnant women have a life that is growing inside of them that they cannot wait to one day see. They are excited and full of joy talking about one day being a mother and what that day will be like. Every Christian has a Life inside of them — the Holy Spirit — fully developed, a friend and helper in time of need. We should be just as excited to talk about Him.

4. Relational

Where most would call this “friendship evangelism” it is where we befriend people long term in order to share the gospel with them. Relate with them in such a way that they would see your good works and glorify God in heaven. (1 Peter 2:11-17)

We should engage the world in such a way as to share our life with them so that one day we can have a discussion and an open door to share the gospel. Where this form of evangelism fails, though is when the Christian postpones the confrontation of sharing his or her faith in fear of losing the friendship they worked so hard to cultivate for the sake of the gospel.

When people see you day in and day out. It is really important to add words to this relationship, but our actions should match the inward spiritual work of salvation.

Many evangelists often “poo-poo” this way of sharing the gospel, but there are people-groups in the world in which this form is a must. Take the Amish for instance. They are a peculiar people so distant from the rest of the world and oftentimes reclusive, not allowing anyone else from the outside into their world. In order to share the gospel with them, you have to spend large amounts of time getting to know them on a more personal and intimate level.

Native Americans living on the reservation also have a structure similar to the Amish in which many are deep into the “old ways” and reject new ways of thinking, culture, and especially religion.

5. Invitational

The Lord uses us to invite people to church and invite those around us to come and see. Though church should be a place for believers to come and learn, grow, be discipled, and fellowship with the saints; it can also be a place to show unbelievers what church is really like and dispel any misconceptions they learn on the outside.

Jesus reached out to many unbelievers and invited them to come and follow Him. Though many did come, many did not.

Though Invitational Evangelism is useful and has its benefits, it should not be the primary way of sharing the gospel. We are commanded to into all the world (Mark 16:15), not to have them come into ours.

6. Serving

It is important to serve those around us as exampled by the life of Christ on earth.

“And you should love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: you shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Mark 12:30-31 (NKJV)

Loving others requires action on our part. We can serve our way to bring people to Christ, but like many other forms of evangelism, we need to back up our actions with words. We are to speak the truth in love. (Ephesians 4:15) We serve our way into bringing people to Christ. Serve and show God’s love. Jesus not only shared the gospel, but served those around Him. We should do the same.

The best method is…

As a Christian, there is no best way to share your faith as long as you are speaking words of life into others. Like the gifts of the Holy Spirit, each gift plays a part in the edifying of the body of Christ, which is made up of different parts as well. The Holy Spirit is not rigid with us and gives us the freedom to pursue Christ in our own way as long as it is biblical.

So, go out into the world and try some of these out. If you would like some guidance in this area, my friends and I would love to help.