How to Be an Effective Witness for Christ
Those of us who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and have experienced new life in Christ can give an account of His love and forgiveness, both verbally and in the way we live our lives. This is called witnessing. A witness is someone who attests to a fact, so in order to be an effective witness for Jesus, one must have firsthand knowledge of Him.
Sharing the Good News of the Gospel with others is one of the most important commands that Jesus gave us to follow (Mark 16:15). Sharing the Gospel and your faith in Jesus may seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be.
Here are a few steps you can take to help you to be an effective witness:
PRAY FOR COURAGE. Before you attempt to share the Gospel, ask God to give you boldness and the right words to say. Even Apostle Paul asked the believers in Ephesus to pray for his boldness to make known the mystery of the Gospel: “And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.” (Ephesians 6:19-20). We, like Paul, need to pray for fearlessness to share the Good News with others.
START A CONVERSATION. After you have prayed for boldness, start a conversation. You can ask a question that warrants a response such as, “What are your spiritual beliefs?” or, “Do you know for sure if you will go to Heaven when you die? Why?” After they have shared their thoughts, you can share what you believe and why. Don’t forget to give your testimony of when you got saved and what Jesus has done in your life since then.
EXPLAIN THE GOSPEL. The word Gospel literally means “Good News.” It is the Good News that God created us to fellowship with Him. Although sin has broken that fellowship, it can only be restored through faith in Jesus. When Jesus died, He paid the ultimate price for all our sins, suffering in our place. When He rose from the dead, He proved that He was who He claimed to be—the Son of God. Eternal life is not earned by our good deeds but is received as a free gift, solely by grace, through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Here is an acrostic that spells out GOSPEL clearly:
God created us to be with Him.
Our sins separate us from God.
Sins cannot be removed by good deeds.
Paying the price for sin, Jesus died, was buried, and rose again.
Everyone who trusts in Him alone has eternal life.
Life with Jesus starts now and lasts forever.
However you explain the Gospel, make sure to focus on the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Having faith in Jesus alone for salvation is key (Ephesians 2:8-9).
ASK THEM TO RESPOND. After you have shared the gospel with them, ask whether or not they are ready to place their full trust in Jesus Christ as their Savior. If they are not, ask them why. If they are, you can guide them in this simple prayer of repentance:
“Dear Jesus, I admit that I am a sinner, and I deserve to go to Hell. But I believe with all my heart that You died on the cross for my sins, were buried, and rose from the dead three days later. I now place my full trust in You alone for my salvation and not in myself. Please save me, Lord Jesus, and give me the gift of eternal life in Heaven. Come into my heart, and show me how to live for You. Thank You for saving me. In Your Holy Name, I pray. Amen.”
Remember to explain that merely saying a prayer does not save us. Only Jesus can save us.
HELP THEM GROW SPIRITUALLY. If they have trusted in Jesus as their Savior, help get them plugged into a church/youth group where they can grow in their relationship with God and the family of God. You also want to equip them to share their faith with others.
Sharing your faith is easier than you might think, as you are sharing the BEST NEWS on the planet! Pray, and open your mouth. The Holy Spirit will give you the words to say (John 14:26).