How a Christian Evangelist can provide a clear presentation of the Gospel

The following is an example of how a Christian evangelist can share God’s message of salvation with a person that provides a clear presentation on what God’s Word teaches about the consequences of sin and the promises of the gospel.

“Our church uses God’s Word to teach that Jesus Christ has done it all for you. He has lived the perfect life God demands for everyone. And God has credited His perfect life to your account. Because nobody has lived the perfect life God demands, the severe consequences of our sins means eternal punishment of death and hell. Because of what Christ has already done for you on the cross, God has credited his death as your death. You are free. What God demands of you – perfection and no sin – God gives to you freely through Jesus Christ. There is nothing that you have to do. The work is finished.

Isn’t God an amazing, loving God to have done all this for you?

Now, the Bible says, “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). God promises, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.”

What about you? Do you see what God demands of you and all people? Your right. He requires absolute perfection.

How well have you lived up to God’s demands of perfection? Your right. You and I have sinned and have fallen way short of the perfection that God demands.

What have you earned by your sins? Your right. The Bible clearly teaches that the wages of sin is death. There is no way that you or any one of us can achieve what God demands of us through our own efforts. No matter how hard we try, we will come up short.

Do you see what God has done for you? He sent Jesus, His Son, into the world. And what kind of life did Jesus live in your place? Your right. He lived an absolutely perfect life. Where did God place all of your sins? Yes. He placed them on the cross of Christ. What has God done with Jesus’ perfect life? Your right. He credited it to your account.

Do you believe that Jesus did all of this for you?”

This presentation is in dialogue form. This will allow a person to respond to your questions. If a person responds in a way that does not indicate that they do not see themselves as a sinner and need Christ as their Savior, the Christian evangelist may have to back up and teach more about God’s demand for perfection. It is important to remember to always keep the spotlight on the object of our faith – Jesus Christ. Faith is not something produced by the individual, but a work of the Holy Spirit that responds “yes” to the message of sin and grace.

On the other hand, through the presentation of God’s Word, a person may recognize themselves as a sinner deserving God’s punishment. They may have come to trust in Jesus Christ as the one who has rescued them from condemnation. At this point, a Christian evangelist can assure them that they are a believer in Jesus and that forgiveness of sins and a right standing with God are now in their personal possession.

If a person replies, “Yes,” to the question, “Do you believe that Jesus did this all for you?”, a Christian evangelist can say,

“I’m very happy to hear that. This is what it means to believe in Jesus Christ – to recognize Him as the perfect substitute who did for you what you could not do for yourself. By trusting in His promises, you receive all the benefits of what He has already done for you. You will not perish, but have eternal life right now. This is God’s gift to you through Christ.”

Adapted from “We Believe – Therefore We Speak: The Theology and Practice of Evangelism” by David J. Vallesky, Northwestern Publishing House, 1995, pgs. 90-91.