Evangelism has been on my mind this week, ever since I saw the results from Zondervan Blog's "Am I a Christian Atheist?" Quiz. Of the 402 people who took the quiz so far, two responses have proven especially popular. Take a look:
By a long shot, the top two picks are "I worry often" and "I am hesitant to share my faith with others."
Do these results surprise you? Not me. I can worry about anything, including evangelism. So I thought about some reasons I've been nervous about outreach (i.e., I didn't know how the other person would react; I didn't want to sound judgmental; I was afraid I would get branded as a religious weirdo; I just didn't know what to say!). Since I'm not alone in these fears, I wanted to share some books that have helped me take steps into more actively sharing my faith.
Does the following list leave out your favorite book on evangelism? Drop your recommendation in a comment on this post.
(-Adam Forrest, Zondervan Internet Team)
4 Good Reads on Evangelism
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1. The Faith
by Chuck Colson and Harold Fickett
If you find it difficult to answer questions about some of Christianity's basic truths (Who is God? What did Jesus do for us on the cross? Why do Christians trust the Bible?) then you will find The Faith both interesting and useful. Here's a key quote from the book: "We pray that the Kingdom of God will rule in our hearts and once again transform the places in which we live. That will happen only by knowing and living the faith. To the best of our ability, then, here is what Christians believe, why we believe it, and why it matters." Read Excerpt
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2. The Best-Kept Secret of Christian Mission
by John Dickson
The best-kept secret of Christian mission is that there are more ways to promote the gospel than verbal outreach. While not all Christians are called to become full-time evangelists, we are all called to promote the gospel through a wide range of activities that include prayer, good deeds, godly lives, public worship, financial stewardship, daily conversation, and more. This practical, biblically-based book will help you discover how you can be involved in spreading the good news of Jesus. Read Excerpt
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3. Just Walk Across the Room
by Bill Hybels
Hybels shows us simple steps that can make huge differences in peoples' lives. Central to Hybels' book is what he calls "Living in 3D" -- Developing friendships, Discovering stories, and Discerning appropriate next steps. I haven't read this book myself, but I know several people who've said it helped them get over what intimidated them about evangelism. Read Excerpt
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4. Organic Outreach for Ordinary People
by Kevin Harney
"The starting point of effective outreach is not a system, a program, or a speciļ¬c presentation," says Harney. "It is a heart deeply in love with God and with people." Staying true to this belief, Harney's book offers insight into how you can fully embracing God's love, then share it in ways that fit your own personality and unique calling. The related Organic Outreach for Churches comes out this fall. Read Excerpt
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PS - I recently discovered Lee Strobel is kicking off a newsletter about investigating the reasons for faith. Learn More
i'd love to repost this if possible at my website www.myfaithworks.me
Posted by: shea | January 09, 2012 at 12:37 AM
Hi Shea, go right ahead and post this on your site. Thanks for asking!
-Adam
Posted by: Adam | January 09, 2012 at 08:23 AM