How to Preach the Gospel
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.”
—Romans 1:16 NIV
Now, more than ever, is the time to preach the gospel. People are open, the world is broken, and Jesus is the answer. The harvest truly is plentiful; we just need the laborers (Matt. 9:37).
After the tragic assassination of Charlie Kirk, many flocked to churches. It’s a sign that people are getting in touch with their need for God. This is why we must preach the gospel to the world around us.
It’s awakening time! It is a turning point for America!
The fruit of Charlie Kirk’s life and death can be seen in the last couple of weeks.
Inspiring Courage: Vice President, J.D. Vance, shared this at Kirk’s memorial: “I always felt a bit uncomfortable talking about my faith, as much as it was foundational to me. But I have spoken more about Jesus in the last two weeks than I ever have.”
Inspiring Forgiveness: Charlie’s wife, Erika Kirk inspired Tim Allen (actor) with her forgiveness. He recently posted on X, “I will say those words now as I type: “I forgive the man who killed my father.” (see post below)
On top of all of that, there is an estimated amount of up to 100M people who heard the gospel of Jesus Christ at Charlie’s memorial service. Thousands of people are turning towards Christ in wake of his passing.
People may not have agreed with everything Charlie said, but you can’t argue with the fruit.
Charlie Kirk was one of the most gifted and courageous truth-tellers of our generation. The world lost a voice of reason. But out of that void, I believe many will rise up and take forward the mantle of bringing light and truth to a generation. His influence has already seemed to drastically increase after his passing! Charlie spoke from a Biblical foundation, addressing even the most controversial issues with decency and respect toward those he debated.
Look at this prophetic word that pastor/prophet Michael Maiden shared with Charlie a few weeks before his passing:
I believe this word is already starting to come to pass.
One of the things I admired about Charlie was his boldness to speak the truth. That kind of courage only comes from deep conviction; a security in your identity.
His courage is now working to inspire many to rise up and stand for truth. It reminds me of a quote by Billy Graham:
“Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened.”
While the controversial subjects of abortion, marriage, gender, etc. are important to speak out on from what God says in Scripture, the most important truth is the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Paul called the gospel of our salvation the truth:
Colossians 1:5 ESV, “...the word of the truth, the gospel.”
Ephesians 1:13 ESV, “...the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation.”
In light of all of this, I want to equip you and encourage you to share the gospel!
Maybe you’re a veteran at this, maybe you’re brand new—or somewhere in the middle.
Wherever you’re at, would you share the gospel with one person this week?
Many times, people are more open than you think. And God is more eager to reach them than you are! And at the end of the day, it’s not your job to save people; that’s Jesus’ job. We’re the messengers; He is the Messiah!
Here is an excerpt from my book “Clothed With Power” on how to share the gospel.
HOW TO PREACH THE GOSPEL
So, how do you preach the gospel? How do you lead someone to Christ?
I remember the first time I led people to Jesus. I led two men to Christ on July 4th, 2004. I shared the message of the cross with them and then asked them if they wanted to receive Jesus. They said yes. I thought, I’ve never gotten this far. What do I do next? Now, I knew what to do, but this was exciting, and I was nervous. I led them the best I knew how, and they prayed to accept Jesus!
You may feel like you don’t know what to do, but that’s the point of this book. This book is meant to equip you to walk in power and share Jesus. As you step out and share Jesus, you’ll find the best ways that work for you.
Here is a template you can use to preach the gospel.
THE MESSAGE
Here are some points to cover while sharing the gospel:
God’s desire
· To be in relationship with you
· To give you life and purpose
(John 3:16, John 10:10)
Our problem
· We’ve all sinned
· No one’s perfect
· Sin separates you from God
· Sin requires a penalty
(Romans 3:23, Isaiah 59:2, Romans 6:23)
God’s solution
· Jesus came and died on the cross for our sins
· He loved us and took the penalty we deserved
· So we could be free, forgiven, and reconnected with God and His purpose for our lives
(Romans 5:8, 1 Peter 2:24, 1 Peter 3:18)
Our response
· Repent from your sins
· Believe in Jesus and what He’s done for you
· Confess that He is Lord and risen from the dead
· Follow Jesus
(Acts 2:38, 3:19, 16:31, Romans 10:9)
Use these points as a guide to share the gospel message. Put them into the conversation, mix in your own story, and be concise. Trust the Holy Spirit to move in their hearts.
THE INVITATION
Once you share the gospel message, invite them to receive Christ!
Ask the person you are talking to, “Do you want to receive Jesus? Do you want to give your life to Christ?”
Here is a sample prayer:
“Lord Jesus, I come to You now. I ask You to forgive my sins. I believe You died on the cross for my sins, you were buried, and on the third day, You rose again. This day, I make You my Lord and Savior. I give You my life. I turn from my sins and turn to You. I receive Your forgiveness. I receive a brand-new start. I am now a follower of Jesus. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
After people accept Christ, I usually follow up that prayer with asking the Lord for the baptism in the Holy Spirit. I encourage them that they need the Holy Spirit to follow Jesus.
THE FOLLOW UP
· Celebrate their decision to follow Jesus!
In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!
—Luke 15:7 NLT
· Encourage them with Scripture about their salvation.
And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.
—1 John 5:11–13 NIV
· Encourage them with keys on how to deepen their relationship with God. Such as,
o Reading the Bible
o Praying daily
o Sharing Christ with others
o Finding a good church and building community with other believers
After that, you could exchange contact information to follow up with them and encourage them in their relationship with God.
You may find that it’s way simpler than what I’ve presented. When I received Jesus, I didn’t understand much of what I’m sharing with you in this chapter. All I knew was that I needed Jesus. Praise God that the Bible says, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13 NIV). The thief dying on the cross next to Jesus didn’t know much either, but he called on the Lord and He was saved (Luke 23:39–43).
There are many different ways to share the message. Some people use gospel tracts, or an evangecube[1], or even skits. but the bottom line is to preach the gospel! The methods change, but the message stays the same.
It’s that simple?
Yes, it’s that simple!
The message itself, Paul says, is the power of God! (Rom. 1:16)
Within the message of what Jesus did for us at the cross is supernatural power to set people free!
Yes, you’ll face resistance sometimes. Yes, people may reject you.
But that’s why I respect Charlie Kirk so much. He didn’t let the naysayers stop him. You may personally not agree with him on everything he said. That’s ok. But his courage to stand for what he believed in was inspirational. Let his example encourage you.
Ultimately, it’s the love of God that will compel you to share the gospel.
Instead of focusing on “What if someone rejects me?”, think about what will happen when they accept Jesus!
Don’t overcomplicate it! Maybe start with really simple things, like:
Texting someone a prayer, or a scripture
Calling someone and asking if you can pray with them
Share you testimony on social media
Bake some cookies and deliver them to your neighbor! Tell them Jesus loves them!
Here’s the activation section from the end of that chapter:
ACTIVATION
Prayer Activation
Put your hands out and pray, asking God to give you a heart for souls.
You can pray something like this:
“Lord Jesus, thank You for the price You paid at the cross. It wasn’t only for me, but for the entire world; for my family, for my neighbors, and for all the people I come across. I ask that You give me Your heart for people. Fill me with Your love for souls. Give me boldness to share the gospel. Use me to lead people to Christ. Show me who I can share the gospel with. Give me Your words. Thank You, Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Take a few minutes and wait in His Presence. Let Him fill You with His heart and His love for souls. Meditate on the gospel message.
Preach the Gospel
· Take a moment and ask the Lord to highlight someone to you that you can share the gospel with this week.
· Be bold and share the gospel with them!
· Partner the message with a demonstration of God’s power (i.e., prophetic word, word of knowledge, healing, etc.)
· Give the person an opportunity to accept Christ!
Get your copy of “Clothed With Power” today!
Learn how to walk in power that points people to Jesus.
*Here is a message I recently preached on being light in the world