Biblical Evangelism: Four Effective Steps in Sharing the Gospel

A few days ago, I was on a work call with a consultant, talking through a website project when he quietly admitted that he felt empty—not just tired, but spiritually disconnected.

I had a choice in that moment. I could keep things professional and move on, or I could step into the gentle nudge I felt from the Holy Spirit. So I prayed silently, “Lord, give me the right words.” Then I asked, “Can I ask what you believe about God?”

What followed was a conversation about faith. I listened and shared a bit of my own story. I spoke a few simple verses I’ve carried with me for years. And by the time the call ended, I realized something: evangelism didn’t start with what I said. It started with how prepared my heart was to say it.

That conversation reminded me that biblical evangelism is not about being clever or confident. It’s about being spiritually ready, biblically grounded and willing to step out when God opens a door. 

Over the years, whether sharing Christ on college campuses or inviting friends into group evangelism courses, I’ve learned practices that consistently make gospel conversations both faithful and fruitful.

Sharing With Confidence

Many of us have heard the word “evangelism” countless times, yet we still ask, what is biblical evangelism? When we talk about biblical evangelism, we mean sharing the good news of Jesus—His life, death and resurrection—and inviting people to trust Him.

The biblical meaning of evangelism is both simple and profound. We communicate the gospel clearly and lovingly so others can meet Jesus and respond in faith. We see this throughout Scripture, in the early church and in life today. 

As we learn about biblical evangelism, we discover simple steps, helpful tools and clear principles that make sharing the gospel more natural. We want to be people who share the good news of Jesus with confidence and hope, grounded in what the Bible says about evangelism.

Skip to the Four Effective Steps for Biblical Evangelism.

Understanding Biblical Evangelism

Isn’t all evangelism biblical? Yes! Still, it’s helpful to step back and look at the foundations of evangelism in Scripture, the examples we see throughout the Bible and how they all lead us to the Great Commission.

When we ask, “What does the Bible say about evangelism?” we find that evangelism in the Bible means proclaiming the message of Jesus so people can turn to God through Christ. 

If we want to understand biblical evangelism, the best place to start is—surprise—the Bible. 

• “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’” Romans 10:14–17, (New International Version)
• “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8, NIV
• “Therefore 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. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”  Matthew 28:18–20, NIV

Jesus sends His followers to make disciples. Reading these evangelism verses grounds us in truth and reminds us that faith comes through hearing the message about Christ. This is why we speak and listen with care. 

In other words, the biblical meaning of evangelism is sharing the gospel and trusting God to use ordinary people to bring extraordinary hope.

We also look at evangelism in the Bible to learn how God works in the hearts of people.

In Acts 2:42–47 and Acts 5:42, believers share the message of Jesus publicly and from house to house, crossing cultural lines with courage and grace. Persecution scatters them, but it becomes a way for the gospel to spread even further. 

These biblical examples of evangelism model a steady and relational way of sharing the gospel that builds diverse communities centered on Jesus. When we look at what the Bible says about evangelism, we see it is Spirit-empowered, rooted in love and expressed in everyday relationships. 

These core evangelism principles guide us today: 

• Keep Jesus at the center, rely on the Holy Spirit and pray.
• Live with integrity and speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). 
• Share our need for rescue and Christ’s saving work on the cross, inviting people to repent and believe the gospel. 
• Be sure our conversations are gentle and respectful, as 1 Peter 3:15 encourages.
• Allow our good works to point people to the Father, as in Matthew 5:16. 
• We aim for more than decisions (people deciding to follow Jesus); we want growing disciples who follow Jesus in community and in obedience. We can do this through meaningful follow-up.

This is what biblical evangelism looks like in daily life.

Four Effective Steps for Biblical Evangelism

1. Prepare our hearts for evangelism

We prepare our hearts to share the gospel through prayer and Scripture. Many of us pray for boldness, compassion and timely opportunities to speak. We rehearse the core truths of the good news of Jesus in simple words: 

• God is holy and just (Isaiah 5:6)
• We have all sinned (Romans 3:23)
• Jesus died for our sins and rose again to give us life (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)
• We can turn from sin and trust Jesus as Lord and Savior. (John 1:12)

We confess our fears and ask the Spirit to guide our words and steps. As we ask what biblical evangelism is in practice, we find it begins with a prayerful, Scripture-shaped posture.

2. Understand and memorize evangelism verses

We also memorize key verses that help us share our faith clearly and graciously. John 3:16 highlights God’s love. Romans 3:23 reminds us all have sinned. Romans 6:23 contrasts the wages of sin with God’s gift of life. Ephesians 2:8–9 teaches salvation by grace through faith. 

Years ago, I was sharing the gospel with my mom. She had a religious background, but hadn’t yet placed her personal faith in Christ. When I shared Scripture verses with her, I was shocked that she was deeply impacted by God’s Word! 

The Bible is indeed living and active (Hebrews 4:12). Bible verses speak to people’s hearts even before they have given their lives to Jesus. We should never underestimate the power of God’s Word.

3. Exercise our evangelism muscles

Personal evangelism often happens in ordinary routines. Just like physical muscles grow stronger with regular use, our confidence in sharing the gospel grows when we practice speaking about Jesus in everyday conversations. 

Each time we step out in faith, we build spiritual strength that makes the next opportunity feel more natural and less intimidating. Whether it is on a work call, with a friend or on a campus, we build our faith muscles by doing the work.

We begin to more easily notice needs and questions among family, friends and coworkers. We learn to recognize natural bridges in conversations about hope, purpose and forgiveness. 

Speaking of muscles, I remember a time when I ran into my friend Erica, whom I had met at a workout camp, at the grocery store. She was usually an upbeat person with an outgoing personality, but that day, she was subdued and quiet. I asked her if everything was okay. 

She shared that her sister was sick and in the hospital and Erica was very worried about her. I was able to stop my shopping and take the time to pray with Erica for her sister and their whole family. Erica walked out of the store with tears streaming down her face. Sometimes we share God’s love with a gesture of kindness and attention.

Over time, this kindness and consistency open doors for ongoing spiritual dialogue. When we consider evangelism in Bible examples like Jesus speaking with the Samaritan woman in John 4, we see how relational witness points people to Christ.

4. Use storytelling and analogies

Storytelling and testimonies are powerful. We share our stories honestly and keep Christ’s work at the center. We connect our experiences to Scripture and use simple analogies—light in darkness or a debt forgiven—that help people grasp grace. 

This short film called Venia uses a story to demonstrate the power of forgiveness.

I can remember using the analogy of a redemption counter at an arcade when I was sharing with a middle school student. I was trying to help her understand what the word “redemption” means when it comes to faith in Christ. 

I said, “When you trade in your arcade tickets, you get something valuable in return. In the same way, Jesus’s death and resurrection redeem us. We hand over our sin and brokenness and in return we receive new life in Christ and hope.” This helped her to understand what it means that Jesus “paid for our sins.” 

We return often to who Jesus is and how we respond: repent, believe and follow Him with joy. In this way, the biblical meaning of evangelism stays clear and compelling.

Key Passages and Themes

When we look at these passages, we see what the Bible says about evangelism with clarity. Jesus sends, the Holy Spirit empowers and the church reflects Christ through actions and words. 

These biblical examples of evangelism help us answer the question, “What is biblical evangelism?” and shape how we live it out with love.

Resources for Evangelistic Outreach

Tools and resources can be helpful to helping us start gospel conversations. These practical tools align with what the Bible says about evangelism: clear truth, shared with love.

Gospel Tools

Gospel tracts can be an awesome resource to share Jesus with others. Digital tools like the Jesus Film Project app reach people where they spend time online; evangelism apps like GodTools can spark spiritual dialogue. 

Media

Media builds bridges across cultures and ages. Films and short videos help people see the story of Scripture with clarity. 

My husband Aaron I had a great conversation with our rideshare driver a few weeks ago. She was curious about our work with the Jesus Film Project and eager to hear more about faith. Before getting out of her car, we shared a short video from the Jesus Film app and invited her to church for Christmas. The app made it simple—sharing a film took less than five minutes.

The driver didn’t come to a personal faith that day, and we didn’t see her at the Christmas church service. But we do trust that God will carry on with that seed of faith that we planted. 

Community

Doing evangelism in community with others can be helpful. Small groups, mentors and prayer partners keep us encouraged and accountable as we grow in biblical evangelism.

My husband and I are hosting an Alpha course with another couple from our church. The Alpha Course is a series of sessions that explore the basics of the Christian faith in a relaxed, open and friendly environment. It’s designed to encourage conversation and create a safe space where people can ask questions about life, faith and God.

Doing this together is helping to encourage both of our families. We can get to know one another more deeply while sharing the gospel with others.

Living Out Biblical Evangelism

Evangelism thrives when prayer and Scripture lead the way. We ask God to prepare hearts and guide conversations. We seek the Spirit’s help to speak God’s truth with kindness. We trust God to use small steps and everyday moments to impact eternity. 

Over time, sharing the gospel becomes part of daily life. We help people meet Jesus and grow as disciples in community. As we look at biblical examples of evangelism and the patterns we see in Acts, we gain confidence. 

There was a phrase we used to say in student ministry when we would go out to share our faith on campus. “Evangelism is simply taking the initiative, in the power of the Holy Spirit, leaving the results to God.” What a great summary of biblical evangelism!