“Sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with non-believers can be a truly rewarding experience. It may be a little uncomfortable or difficult sharing your faith in the beginning, but a little preparation and lots of prayer can help set you on your way,” says Carol Murugiah

Here are some practical tips on how to evangelise non-Christians:

Before you do anything, pray!
Seek the Father’s Heart and pray for opportunities – and the confidence – to share your faith. Pray also for non-believers that they will be open to hearing the Gospel. You should also ask others to pray for you for the wisdom and courage to share your beliefs.

Prepare yourself
Write a short script with all your key points and practise it until you’re confident enough to say it in public. Draw some inspiration from well-loved Bible verses such as John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Include a personal testimony about your own salvation, if you can, for added impact.

Ask non-Christians about their beliefs
This is a great conversation starter. By getting others to open up about their beliefs, you have the chance to share your faith in return. Finding out about others’ beliefs can also give you insights into their upbringing and this helps you tailor your message to suit them better.

Grow your knowledge
Once you’ve broken the ice about your faith, it’s important to continue talking about it. Reading books like The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel and The Reason for God by Tim Keller can help you better understand questions non-believers often ask and how to answer them faithfully.

Carry salvation tracts
There are plenty of materials that outline the Bible’s message about Jesus Christ, such as Two Ways to Live by Matthias Media. Carry these with you along with copies of the Gospels to hand out to those you have shared your faith with. You can purchase these at the Cathedral Book Corner.

Play to your strengths
If you’re good at hospitality, host a dinner and invite non-Christians to share your faith over a home-cooked meal. If you’re good at making new friends and building trust, try steering your conversations towards your faith. If you’re involved in organising church events, share with your non-Christian friends how rewarding it is to serve God with your administrative talents.

Invite non-Christians to church
If you have trouble explaining the Gospel yourself, enlist the help of your fellow Christians. Invite non-believers to evangelical events such as the Cathedral Guest Night (there is one coming up on 16 August) or to Cathedral-run courses such as Christianity Explored.

Don’t give up!
It is easy to feel sad or even intimidated if someone you have shared our faith with rejects the Gospel. Instead of giving up, reflect on your approach and see where you could have improved on your content and delivery. Observe how others share the Gospel for more pointers. Then identify your next evangelistic opportunity and try again. After all, your job is only to plant the seeds of faith in others. God does the rest.