All believers are given the biblical mandate to live a lifelong lifestyle of being ready to share the gospel at a moment’s notice. This sharing doesn’t happen by accident. It starts with us cultivating a deliberate lifestyle of being ready so that when God puts into our lives the opportunity to share, we won’t miss it!
Over the years, GoodSeed staff members have found that giving a person a book, audiobook or DVD is the simplest way to give someone the gospel. In under a minute, we can give someone a well-developed tool that will explain the gospel step by step, story by story, to a person with absolutely no understanding or knowledge of the Bible. Through giving away, we have seen so many people come to put their trust in Jesus Christ for their salvation. Being ready to give away a gospel tool requires some very simple planning:
Think about your daily routine. Do you commute on public transport? Do you have lunch at diners or cafes? Do you work in an office or from home?
Ask yourself where your opportunities are to meet people and have a conversation. The people you meet may be the very ones who will be interested in learning about the gospel. Once you have built a rapport with them, you can offer them a well-developed tool that explains the gospel step by step, story by story to a person with absolutely no understanding or knowledge of the Bible. And you can give them a tool in less than a minute.
“It was great to meet you and have a chat. You know, when you shared about your uncle’s funeral and how you were wondering about the life and death… I’ve read a book that has helped me gain the Bible’s perspective on those issues. This book really explained things in a simple, objective way and I have a copy of it with me. Can I give it to you so you can find out for yourself?”
As an ambassador for Christ, it’s important to maintain good relations with the people in your life, from co-workers, neighbours, acquaintances, to business partners, service people, even your extended family. The way you live can attract or repel people towards or away from the gospel. Ephesians 5:15 cautions us to “be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise…” As others watch the living testimony of your life, God may nudge those who are seeking to understand the Bible towards you.
Consider the places and scenarios where you could give away a tool that explains the gospel.
If you have a small group of youth or a new group of believers, leading them through a Worldview Rethink course is an excellent way of grounding them in the basics of the Bible’s main message. The group can be of any size so but a smaller group provides better opportunity for participants to ask questions.
You can guide a friend, neighbour or family member one on one. With you using the leader’s guide and with your friend following along with a course book and workbook, it’s easy to conduct the course.
One couple leading another couple in the comfort of the living room is another good way of conducting a course. With the coffee table used to display the visual aids, this intimate setting helps to keep everyone relaxed and tracking with the course.
When a group of people show up at your church for the first time, how do you explain what church is all about? We have found that inviting newcomers to join in a Worldview Rethink study helps to give these new people a good grasp of the gospel message and helps to explain the Bible with clarity and simplicity.
Sometimes friends at work express an interest in the Bible. What should you do? The easiest thing is to offer to do a lunchtime study with them. In just 15 hours or so, your co-workers can come to a good understanding of the Bible’s central message and they will appreciate the objective, non-arm-twisting way in which the course is conducted.
Whether it’s in your car, or at your office, or in your house, you’ll you’ll want to have a box of gospel tools ready to be given away. We call this your “Be Ready Box.” The Be Ready Box is just any simple box for you to store the tools. It could be:
You just need a container that can store a number of tools and resources.
GoodSeed has a range of resources and tools that will meet the needs of a diverse range of people, from people who like to learn by watching or listening, to people who speak other languages. For your Be Ready Box, you’ll need to think of the type of people you come across in your daily life, and then pick out a number of tools that will be helpful for them.
For example, if your community is dominated with people from an Asian background and with immigrants coming from places where Islam has had an influence, you could select By This Name and All That the Prophets Have Spoken to include in your Be Ready Box. If you have friends who prefer to learn by watching or listening, then you can stock up on our video books and audiobooks.
Pack your box and now you’re ready to reach in and give a resource to whomever is interested in learning about the Bible’s main message. Remember to pray for opportunities and remember to engage people in conversation. Get ready for a lifelong lifestyle of sharing the good news of the Bible.
Scripture advises us to “always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you…” (1 Peter 3:15).
