The Essential Question (Part 4): The Good News Changes LivesSample

Effective Evangelism

Prepare: What words come to your mind when you think of sharing your faith with others? Who first talked with you about Jesus? How did you feel about the conversation at the time? How do you feel about it now?

Read: Acts 8:26-40

Reflect: I'm no Billy Graham. I'm uncomfortable talking about spiritual things with people I don't know. A lot of people feel that way, including me sometimes. But in this passage, God makes clear that this was exactly what he wanted Philip to do: share his faith with a stranger. Let's examine how the story unfolds to see if we can learn some things about sharing the good news today.

First, notice that God created the opportunity for this spiritual conversation. Philip was just minding his own business when an angel and then the Spirit instructed him to meet and approach the Ethiopian official (8:26, 29). Our opportunities for faith sharing may not come from such dramatic interventions today, but if we learn to recognize the many ways God prompts us, we'll have more and more opportunities to naturally talk about spiritual things with others. Perhaps evangelism seems so unpleasant because often the emphasis is on a forced technique more than our ability to recognize a moment for sharing.

Second, notice the role of questions in this encounter. Philip asked, "Do you understand what you are reading" (8:30)? Brilliant! Simply asking questions and thoughtfully listening is an excellent, non-threatening way to start a spiritual conversation. Philip's approach was like a Google search of the Ethiopian's questions. People today are on all sorts of spiritual journeys. Like Philip, we must be ready to come alongside and help them "hyperlink" to the answers about Jesus.

Finally, notice the importance of the Scriptures. The Ethiopian was intrigued by a passage from Isaiah (8:32-34). Obviously, Philip was familiar with the passage, which no doubt means he had developed the practice of regularly reading God's Word himself. But the key wasn't his expertise in the prophetic writings. Rather, it was his clear understanding of the Bible's greatest story, the story of Jesus (8:35). You may not know everything about the Bible; few people do. But being able to guide others through the biblical storyline of salvation is an essential ministry skill.

Philip wasn't one of the high-profile apostles in the early church, but he was an effective witness for his Lord nonetheless because he had the courage to act on God's promptings, and he had the conviction that God's Word had the power to change lives. Philip's example shows us that in the end, the Bible is its own best evangelist.

Apply: Spend some time on the Internet researching ministries that are engaged in Bible translation, distribution or engagement. Pray about whether and how God would have you get involved with one of them.