FORGIVENESS: Growth Project B Share the Good News About Jesus with a Non-Christian Friend

Project 1.B

Share the Good News about Jesus with a

Non-Christian Friend

He gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors. God is making his appeal through us

(2 Cor 5:19-20).

When you become a Christian, you also become one of “Christ’s ambassadors.” Jesus wants you to be His messenger to those who need Him. Think of the person who helped you understand “this wonderful message of reconciliation” with the Father. God used a Christian who cared enough to tell you the Good News about Jesus. “God is making His appeal through us” for people to believe in Christ.

All real Christians will desire the honor of being one of “Christ’s ambassadors” and telling others how to be forgiven by the Father. Here are some practical steps for communicating the Gospel to a non-Christian person.

Pray for them

Jesus said, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me” (John 6:44). Because non-Christians are spiritually “dead” (Eph 2:1; cf. 1 Cor 2:14), God’s Spirit must work in their life to, “convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment” (John 16:8). It is not your job to make people feel guilty about their sin. This is God’s responsibility. And until He does His convicting work in a person’s life, the Good News about God’s grace will not mean much to them. God has to prepare people for the Good News. Therefore, you need to pray for those you hope to share the Gospel with. The great evangelist the Apostle Paul wrote: “Pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ” (Col 4:3 NIV). You should do the same.

Love them

Jesus said, “Let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father” (Matt 5:16). The Father wants to use your kindness toward people to draw them to Him. As an ambassador for Christ, it is your privilege to demonstrate the love and holiness of Christ. Find ways to be kind to the people you want to speak to about Jesus. As the saying goes: People do not care what you know until they know you care.

Test them

How can you know if God is drawing someone to Him and convicting them of their sin? Try to start a conversation with them about spiritual things and see how they respond. You can say something like:

“I have been studying the Christian Bible with a friend and have been amazed at what it says about how God forgives us. Would you be interested in hearing more sometime?”

A person’s response to such conversation starters will help you know if God is convicting them of their sin and drawing them to Him.

Invite them

Inviting a friend, family member, or coworker to church or a Christian event can accomplish two things. Their response is another test of their spiritual temperature. Also, meeting other Christians can be a powerful tool that God uses to draw the person to Jesus. Remember, Jesus said, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples” (John 13:35). It is not only important that non-Christians experience your love for them. It is also important that they see the love between your Christian family and friends. Invite them to opportunities to experience this.

Team up

When Jesus sent out His twelve disciples to preach the Gospel, He “began sending them out two by two” (Mark 6:7). Likewise, when “The Lord . . . chose seventy-two other disciples [He] sent them ahead in pairs” (Luke 10:1). Practice Jesus’ strategy as much as possible. Involve a Christian friend when you befriend, serve, or share the Gospel with a non-Christian.

Share your story

Jesus healed a man possessed by demons and the man became a follower of Christ. Jesus gave him this instruction: “Go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been” (Mark 5:19). Jesus wants you to do the same.

You should prepare and even practice being able to share your story in just 1-2 minutes. To develop your testimony about becoming a Christian, spend some time writing a few notes to the following questions. They will help you organize and communicate your testimony:

1) What was your life like before you became a Christian?

2) How did you become a Christian?

3) How has Jesus Christ changed your life?

Share Christ’s Story

The Bible says: “I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes” (Rom 1:16). The Father wants to use your prayers, kindness, character, and even story to give you an opportunity to explain the “Good News about Christ.” If God’s Spirit is working in their life, this message will be “the power of God at work” that convinces them to accept Jesus as their Savior and King.

To share the bad news about sin and the Good News about Jesus you can simply go through the first five chapters of this FORGIVENESS study with someone. In addition, you can use the “Cross Diagram” on the next page. It is a graphic summary of the 6 beliefs necessary to have forever forgiveness from God.

Project 1.B

You are encouraged to complete the following assignment. Think of a non-Christian friend or family member who may be willing to hear about your relationship with Christ. It is suggested that you specifically tell them the following:

“I am going through a class about Jesus. One of my assignments is to explain more about Jesus to someone who would like to know more about Him. Would you be willing to help me with this?”

Most friends will be glad to help you. But you will be helping them to have the most important thing they could ever have: forever forgiveness through faith in Jesus Christ! ^[1]

► When you complete this project, tell your small group what happened and pray for the person you talked to.

1. For more instruction on effectively communicating the Gospel see the section “Reaching Others” in Christian Essentials study #6: FRUITFULNESS. ↑