How to Share the Gospel Without Feeling Awkward
➤ The Gospel Can’t be Shared Without Words: Living a righteous life is vital, but Romans 10:14 highlights the importance of explicitly sharing the gospel message through spoken words.
➤ Trust God's Role, Embrace Ours: Sharing the gospel is our responsibility, but saving souls is the Holy Spirit's work. We are called to deliver the message faithfully, trusting God to handle the results.
➤ Share with Intention and Simplicity: Through prayer, building relationships, and relatable conversations, sharing the gospel becomes natural and impactful. Jesus's command to make disciples starts with this authentic and obedient approach.
“But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?” —Romans 10:14 (NLT)
First things first, if you're curious to dive deeper into what the gospel truly is,
we’ve got you covered! Head over to this blog, where we unpack the gospel in detail.
People won’t just magically understand the good news by watching your righteous behavior.
You’ve probably heard the saying, “Preach the gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words.” It’s often linked to Saint Francis of Assisi, though there’s no actual evidence he ever said it. Nice sentiment, right? But here’s the problem: it doesn’t line up with Scripture. In Romans, Paul makes it crystal clear—living a righteous life is important, but it’s not enough for the gospel to be known. People won’t just magically understand the good news by watching your righteous behavior. You’ve got to actually say it out loud (Romans 10:14-15). So yes, use your words.
When it comes to sharing the gospel, there are three things that might be helpful to know:
Our Role vs. God's Role: Sharing the gospel is our responsibility, but saving souls is the work of the Holy Spirit. You can't want it for others; your role is simply to present the truth and let God do the rest.
Reason Over Impulse: A commitment to Jesus must be made with thoughtfulness and conviction, not just fleeting emotions. God seeks lifelong devotion rooted in understanding and deliberate choice.
The Danger of Active Disobedience: So there is no confusion; let it be known that Jesus's last command was to make disciples—which starts with the gospel. If you are not doing this, you are living in habitual sin.
(It's Easier Than You Think)
The first step to sharing the gospel is prayer.
I’m serious—whenever I tell women to ask God for a chance to share the gospel, He always delivers. And let’s be real, we all want to keep the “good news” from accidentally becoming the “awkward news.”The second step is to build a relationship with them.
Let me set the scene for you: My husband once shared this gem of a clip from the 1999 film The Big Kahuna. Now, fair warning—there’s one spicy word in the mix—but Danny DeVito’s character, Phil Cooper, drops some serious wisdom. It’s one of those moments where you’re like, “Wait, did a secular movie just teach me something deeply Christian?” Spoiler: Yes, it did. Trust me, this one’s worth the watch.The third step is to do it.
If you're feeling uncomfortable on how to actually bring up the gospel after building a relationship, try sharing your story (what some call a testimony).
Everyone loves a good story, and sharing yours makes you real, relatable, and maybe even a little encouraging.
Everyone loves a good story, and sharing yours makes you real, relatable, and maybe even a little encouraging. Jesus used stories all the time (and spoiler alert: He still does). Need proof? Let me show you.
“Then they sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. When he got out on land, a demon-possessed man from the town met him. For a long time, he had worn no clothes and did not stay in a house but in the tombs (Luke 8:26–27, CSB).”
Let’s unpack this. The man is demon-possessed, which is why he slept among the tombs. Based on Numbers 19:11, the man is unclean because of his interaction with human corpses. Additionally, the man is naked. Being naked makes humans feel shame, guilt, and vulnerability.
Think about dreams where you are naked in front of the classroom. Psychologists say it’s due to an underlying feeling of being exposed or vulnerable. In the Garden of Eden, there was no shame at their naked vulnerability until Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. It was then that we are told, “Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves (Genesis 3:7, NIV).” Shame and guilt reared its ugly head and took over.
“Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains, he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones (Mark 5:5, CSB).”
In 1 Kings 18, we learn of one of Elijah’s encounters with Ahab. Here, Elijah tells Ahab to take the 450 prophets of Baal and have them call on their god to bring fire on a burnt offering. He would do the same. They called on Baal from morning until noon, and “there was no response; no one answered (1 Kings 18:26b, NIV).” They danced around the altar, and at noon, they began to get louder and “slashing themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed (1 Kings 18:28, NIV).” Cutting oneself is an act of worship to demonic deities. When this man at Gerasenes is using stones to cut himself, he is doing two things:
Practicing the ancient worship of demonic false gods.
The demon is doing everything he can to destroy the body created in God’s image and likeness with His breath (Genesis 1:26-27).
“When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before him, and said in a loud voice, “What do you have to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torment me!” For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. Many times, it had seized him, and though he was guarded, bound by chains and shackles, he would snap the restraints and be driven by the demon into deserted places.
‘What is your name?’ Jesus asked him.
‘Legion,’ he said, because many demons had entered him. And they begged him not to banish them to the abyss. (Luke 8:28-31, CSB).”
In this context, the abyss that the demons are begging Jesus not to send them to is Hell. Keep in mind demons are not the rulers of Hell; they are slaves there.
“A large herd of pigs was there, feeding on the hillside. The demons begged him to permit them to enter the pigs, and he gave them permission. The demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned (Luke 8:32-33, CSB).”
Pigs are considered unclean in Jewish custom. See Leviticus 11:7-8
“The men who tended them ran off and reported it in the town and the countryside, and people went to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and saw the man who had been demon-possessed, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. Those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and told about the pigs. Then they began to beg him to leave their region (Mark 5:14-17, CSB).”
The possessed man was adopted. When Adam and Eve sinned, one of the first things God did was make a sacrifice and clothe them. (Genesis 3:21) It is reversing and covering the shame and guilt of nakedness. It is a sign of adoption.
“As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged him earnestly that he might remain with him. Jesus did not let him but told him, “Go home to your own people, and report to them how much the Lord has done for you and how he has had mercy on you.” So he went out and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and they were all amazed (Mark 5:18-20, CSB).”
Jesus sent the demon-possessed man back to his hometown to share his testimony and point others to Christ.
As the story of the possessed man showed, sharing the gospel isn’t just a good idea—it’s our calling.
As the story of the possessed man showed, sharing the gospel isn’t just a good idea—it’s our calling. It’s not enough to live a life that might point people to Jesus. We need to speak the truth and offer the hope we’ve found in Him. Whether it’s through a prayer, a relationship, or your own story, you have the power to introduce others to the good news. So go ahead—pray for that chance, take the step to connect, and then share what God has done in your life. The world needs to hear it. And trust me, you’ll be amazed at how God works through you when you take that leap.
Ah, the classic “Preach the gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words” – it’s like the introvert’s favorite Bible verse—except it isn’t one. The other problem? It’s completely missing the mark. Romans 10 tells us, loud and clear, that if we’re not actually talking about the gospel, we’re not actually spreading it. Living a good life? Great. But it’s not enough. You’ve got to open your mouth and say something. And just to be clear, spreading the gospel is our job; saving souls? That’s God's department. We’re just the delivery people. So, don’t worry about controlling the outcome—just focus on faithfully sharing the message. One of the ways you can do that is by telling your story. Everyone loves a good story, and let’s face it, Jesus was a pro at storytelling. Take the demon-possessed guy from Gerasenes—he was a mess: naked, cutting himself, living in tombs. But after Jesus heals him, He sends him back to his hometown with one mission: share the story. And bam, the whole town is shook. So, share your story too! Your personal testimony might just be the thing that gets someone thinking, “Hey, if that person can be changed, maybe there’s hope for me too.”
(some might call this a glossary)
Gospel—The good news that Jesus Christ fulfilled all the Jewish prophecies and promises made, and through His resurrection, provides a means to salvation.
Sin—A departure from God’s standards of uprightness.
Saint Francis of Assisi—A Catholic friar and preacher known for his devotion to living a simple life and helping the poor.
Testimony—A personal account of one’s experience with God, especially regarding salvation or significant spiritual events.
Demon-Possessed—In Christian belief, a person who is under the control of evil spirits, often marked by unusual or harmful behavior.
Legion—A term used to describe a group of around 5,000 Roman soldiers. In this case, it is referring to many demons that possessed a man in the Bible (Luke 8:28-31).
Unclean—A term in Jewish law referring to anything that was considered spiritually impure, such as contact with the dead, certain animals, or sinful behavior.
Pigs (unclean animals)—In Jewish custom, pigs were considered unclean, based on Levitical laws (Leviticus 11:7-8), making them unsuitable for consumption or sacrifice.
Adoption—In a Christian context, adoption refers to being spiritually adopted by God as His child, signifying a relationship with Him that covers shame and sin, like God clothing Adam and Eve after their fall (Genesis 3:21).
Decapolis—A region in the ancient Near East, mentioned in the Bible, where the man who had been healed of demon possession went to spread the news of Jesus’ mercy.