GETTING STARTED
Things you can do to start developing an evangelistic lifestyle

James 1:22
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”

Far too many Christians learn various things during church services, classes and seminars but never enact what they’ve learned into their lives. They listen to the word but never do what it says. Don’t deceive your self into thinking that your life and effectiveness in evangelism will change automatically because you’ve received training. You need to make a deliberate and conscious effort to put into practice what you have learned. It has been said, “experience is the best teacher.” I have found that statement to be true. You will learn significantly more about evangelism by doing the work, rather than just hearing about the work.

Here is another word of advice:
Don’t Wait! Begin to use what you have learned immediately. Determine in your heart and before God, that from this day forward you are going to be a faithful witness and do whatever you can to labor for the salvation of the lost. The longer you wait, the less likely you are to do this.

Here are some very simple and practical things that you can begin to do to develop an evangelistic lifestyle. Make these things a way of life from this point on. Remember that you can do everything because God is working with you (Philippians 4:13)!

Practice Talking to Strangers
Not everyone is extroverted and enjoys talking to people, especially people they don’t know. Many Christians are this way especially. Practice talking with complete strangers. When you go to the store or out to eat, practice initiating and carry on conversations with the people who work there. Use humor as much as possible and try and make the experience as enjoyable for the person as you can. Express genuine interest in people and appreciation for service they have given you. Like most everything, this will get easier and more effective with practice. This will also help to decrease the fear factor and give you confidence and wisdom in speaking to people.

Tract Distribution
Discipline yourself to give out tracts wherever you go. If you aren’t comfortable yet with giving tracts to people, begin by leaving them where they will be easily found. Leave them in airport seats, hotel rooms, elevators and restaurant waiting areas. For more ideas for where to leave tracts go to page 23. Keep tracts in your purse and cars. Put tracts by your wallet and car keys so you will remember to take them with you whenever you leave the house. Many of the people you may interact with, you will never see again. Or you may only have a moment with them and cannot get into a conversation. Leave them with tracts. Give them to bank tellers, waiters, people working at fast food windows, etc. Then each night pray for those you gave tracts to and ask God to use your efforts to bring them to Christ. God uses tracts and we should to.

Be a Friend to Sinners
Jesus was called a friend of sinners (Matthew 11:19). We should be also. Endeavor to develop genuine relationships and friendships with sinners, while not participating in their sins. Invite co-workers and neighbors to go to dinner or to attend a barbecue. Go fishing or play golf with people you know that are not Christians. Do random acts of kindness for no reason. Build sincere friendships with those in your spheres of influence for the purpose of leading them to Christ and personal discipleship. Too often the Church becomes exclusive. We fellowship only with Christians and the Church becomes a monastery without walls. We become salt among salt and light among light. The Church should be “in the midst…among whom…in the world” (Philippians 2:15 KJV). Make yourself be in places where your light can be seen, your love can be felt and your message can be heard.

Pray
Begin to pray that God will give you a compassion for the lost that will swallow and destroy your fears. Confess your apathy and indifference to the lost to God. Ask for a heart that is pliable and responsive to God’s leading and obedient to His commands (Ezekiel 36:26-27). Pray and earnestly seek the power and presence of the Holy Spirit to flow through you and empower you to be a witness wherever you go (Acts 1:8). Pray for boldness and courage in witnessing (Acts 4:29).

Pray that God will “open doors” for you and give you divine appointments for sharing your faith with unbelievers. The Apostle Paul made this a prayer request in Colossians 4:3 when he said, “Pray for us, too, that God will open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ.” Once you’ve prayed for opportunities to share the Gospel begin to look for them and have the courage to make the most of them when God presents you with that glorious opportunity.

Pray for the salvation of lost people. Pray for your unsaved family, friends and neighbors. Ask the Lord to give you a genuine burden for the lost. Walk around your neighborhood and pray for your neighbors and seriously consider the eternal fate of those who reject Christ and die in their sins.

Pray and ask the Lord of the harvest to raise up and send out more workers into the harvest fields (Matthew 9:37-38). Pray that other Christians will respond to the call of Christ to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to everyone they come in contact with (Mark 16:15).

Write a Letter
Write a letter to an unsaved loved one or friend. Express your love and affection for them, as well as your genuine concern for their eternal salvation. Use what you have learned to clearly show them their personal need for repentance and faith in Christ. Use the Law to reveal their sins and expose their condemned spiritual condition. Write to them in the same way you would talk to them about salvation. Begin by relating to them and speaking about something you have in common. Create an opportunity to transition from speaking about natural things to spiritual matters. Use the Ten Commandments to convict them of their sins. Finally, reveal Christ and His sacrifice on the cross as their only means of salvation and reconciliation with God.
Many times, unsaved family members will not allow us to witness to them verbally, but they will read a personal letter, even multiple times.

Let Your Light Shine
Begin to make it a habit to do good works, especially to those you are around most often. Bring fresh baked cookies over to a neighbor. Visit a co-worker who is in the hospital. Be willing to help others without being asked. This can work even with people you don’t know. Visit people in nursing homes and veteran facilities. Offer to volunteer with community projects or events at local schools. Get some people together from your church and do a free car wash. As people come in to have their car washed hand them a tract to read or witness to them while others wash their car. Hand out ice-cold water on a hot summer afternoon in a downtown area or park. You will probably be surprised how a simple and kind gesture such as this will have a positive impact on people and open doors for you to witness to them. Make good works a habit for life.

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