Sharing Your Faith: A Biblical Study of Why and How We Share Our Faith

When someone brings up the term evangelism, how does it make you feel? What images come to mind? Talking about evangelism stirs up an array of emotions for many of us. Some of us suddenly feel shy. Others might feel excited. Participating in evangelism can feel intimidating. We might feel like we don’t know what to say or that we don’t know our Bible well enough. These feelings can make us want to leave evangelism to pastors, missionaries, or professional evangelists. But Jesus has commanded and equipped each of us to share our faith.  

Join Groundwork as we study the stories of Ascension Day and Pentecost, the origins of Jesus’ command to share our faith and the gifting of the Holy Spirit who equips us. In our series, “Sharing Your Faith: A Biblical Study of Why and How We Share Our Faith,” we will unpack the biblical meaning of evangelism, seek to better understand why Jesus has called each of us to share our faith, and explore what it looks like for believers in all stages of faith. 

What is Evangelism? 

The concept of evangelism has been around since the earliest days of the church. Evangelism, put simply, is sharing the Gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ. This happens any time we share our faith or any time we tell someone who Jesus is and what he has done for us. 

Thoughts on how we evangelize have certainly changed and shifted as the church has changed and shifted—both in response to the world we live in and as theological understanding has grown. This has also led many believers to doubt whether or not they are gifted and capable enough to share the Gospel. Returning to Scripture to study the origins of evangelism, as well as Jesus’ commands and promises, will provide clarity that helps us move forward and see how Jesus makes it possible for each of us to follow his command to share our faith.

The Origins of Evangelism

Ascension Day and Pentecost are two early and significant events in the life of the Christian church. In them, we find the origins of evangelism and come to better understand why many churches mark and celebrate these holy days each year. Some celebrate by designing entire worship services around these themes. Others simply acknowledge them with song, prayer, or liturgy.

These holy days are also significant for the growth and development of our individual faith. We find the stories of Jesus’ ascension in Luke and Acts, and the last words Jesus told the disciples in Matthew. Studying the instructions Jesus gives to his disciples before he ascends helps us understand what he is asking us to do when he tells us to share the gospel and make disciples and why this is for each and every one of us, not just pastors, missionaries, or professionals. It also reminds us that God does not expect us to do this on our own, by our own power. 

Pentecost celebrates the gift of the Holy Spirit to the disciples as recorded in Acts 2. Studying the story of Pentecost helps us discuss the nature and power of the Holy Spirit, the one who motivates and empowers us to share our faith with others. 

Seek Encouragement and Confidence in Scripture

Sharing our faith with others should be an outpouring of our own faith, but that doesn’t mean it’s always easy. God understands our doubts about our abilities. So whether you desire to better understand what it looks like for you to share your faith or whether you need biblical encouragement to do so, I invite you to discover God’s calling and think about what that looks like for you through our Groundwork series, “Sharing Your Faith: A Biblical Study of Why and How We Share Our Faith.”

• Sharing Your Faith Makes Disciples - Luke 24:46-53, Acts 1:6-11, and Matthew 28:16-20
• Sharing Your Faith Tells God's Story - John 14:25-27, John 15:26-27, John 16:7-15; 1 Peter 3:13-16; Matthew 5:13-16; and Ephesians 2:8-10
• Sharing Your Faith Relies on the Holy Spirit - Luke 24:45-49, John 15:26-27, Acts 1:4-5, Acts 2:1-41, and Acts 10:44-48
• Biblical Steps for Sharing Your Faith - Matthew 9:35-10:7, Acts 4:23-31, Acts 8:26-40, and Revelation 12:11

Together we’ll let Scripture teach us how we can confidently share our faith in our daily lives.