The Great Commission isn’t a secret. It’s right there in the New Testament. If you’ve been a Christian for a while, you know that Jesus has tasked us to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19–20).
But if we’re honest, we know that obligation isn’t a great motivator. We need people who are excited about sharing their faith, but that doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Passion is caught. So we need to communicate the expectation for sharing the good news, while instilling an enthusiasm for doing so.
Here are three tips for getting others excited about the idea of evangelism.
1. Take a moment for a personal inventory
Passion is transferable—but we can’t pass off what we don’t have. So we need to ask ourselves, “Am I passionate about sharing the gospel?” And the way that you answer that question is by taking an inventory of your fruit:
- Have I shared my faith with someone recently?
- Do I look for resources to help me get better at communicating the gospel?
- Do I financially support organizations committed to evangelism?
- Am I praying regularly for others to come to know Jesus?
You don’t have to answer yes to all of these, but if you’re passionate about evangelism, it will be evident in the decisions you make. If you realize that your passion for the Great Commission is waning, don’t get discouraged. Try looking for someone who is excited about it and spend time with them, and get that fire back.
2. Share your successes and failures
A lot of Christians are open to the idea of sharing their faith, but they can’t imagine what that looks like in practice. They worry about saying the wrong thing or dealing with hostility. And sometimes they’re more worried about what to do if someone’s actually interested in accepting Jesus!
People need to know that it’s acceptable to learn by trial and error. They need to hear about the times you’ve blown it and what you learned. They want to hear about how you navigated successful conversations. And they want to know how to keep the conversation going when the other person isn’t closed off to further discussion.
3. Pray for a continued passion for sharing the gospel
Maintaining constant enthusiasm for anything is nearly impossible. Our passions go up and down based on everything from season to diet. The goal isn’t to manufacture a constant sense of elation about sharing our faith. It’s more about monitoring our temperature and responding when we feel a prolonged shift.
People need to know that they’re not expected to maintain this enthusiasm by their own will. But they are responsible to lean into the Lord to find what they lack. It’s not only acceptable, but it’s also advisable to pray when you’re not feeling particularly passionate about sharing your faith. God loves to answer prayers like, “Lord, I know the joy You feel when someone puts their trust in You. Please fill me with that delight. Restore my passion for telling people about Your love.”
