Evangelism has an image problem. When most people hear the word, they picture someone on a street corner with a bullhorn, warning strangers about hellfire. That image has kept millions of followers of Jesus from ever sharing their faith.
But that picture couldn't be further from what Jesus actually modeled and commanded.
The purpose of evangelism is to show the world how good the Father is — so that people would want to come back to Him.
What Evangelism Is Not
Before we talk about what evangelism is, it helps to clear the decks on what it isn't.
Evangelism is not about convincing people they are sinners headed for hell. It is not about getting people to say a prayer so they can go to heaven when they die. It is not about winning arguments or out-debating someone into the Kingdom.
Jesus never said "I am the way, the truth, and the life — no one goes to heaven except through me." He said no one goes to the Father except through me. The goal was always reunion with the Father — not escape to heaven.
What Evangelism Actually Is
Evangelism is getting people back to the Father so they can be filled with the Holy Spirit and begin to show the world what Jesus is like.
That's it. That's the whole goal.
When Peter preached on the day of Pentecost and thousands interrupted him asking "What do we need to do?", his answer was not "repent and be baptized so you can go to heaven when you die." His answer was: repent and be baptized so you can receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is the point. Once someone has the Holy Spirit, He teaches them everything they need to know about Jesus, gives them the power to live like Jesus, and sends them out to represent Jesus to the world.
The Good News of the Kingdom
Jesus preached about the Kingdom of God more than any other topic — over 50 times in the book of Matthew alone. He talked about hell only 4 times across all four Gospels.
The Gospel is good news — specifically, good news of the Kingdom of God. Not fire insurance. Not a ticket to a better afterlife. A whole new reality available right now.
Think about it this way. If you had a friend from the Netherlands who started telling you about their kingdom — how their queen provides healthcare for everyone, how she covers income if you lose your job, how citizens are taken care of — you'd say they were sharing good news about their kingdom.
The Kingdom of God has benefits too — righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. No sickness in heaven means we have the right to pray sickness out of people's bodies right now. When we pray "Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" — we're asking for heaven's reality to invade earth's circumstances.
The Story Evangelism Process
So how do you actually do it? Here is the complete process developed through years of field-tested evangelism across six continents.
The Miracle Question
"If God could do a miracle in your life, what would it be?" — 13 words that start a conversation about Jesus anywhere, anytime, without being pushy or weird.
Pray for the Miracle
Short, sweet, to the point, and always in command form. Don't ask God "if it's your will." His will to heal is already established. Command the sickness to leave. Then stop and check.
Share Your Jesus Story
Your 15-second testimony. Two words for before. A phrase about why you decided to follow Jesus. Two words for after. Finish with: "What do you think about Jesus?"
Who Is Jesus To You
Don't talk about the religious leader. Talk about your friend — the most faithful, joyful, loving, powerful person you have ever met. This is your favorite conversation to have.
Good Bad Give Go
God made everything Good. Sin brought the Bad. People try to deal with brokenness in broken ways. Jesus Gave His life and rose from the dead. Now we Go and make the world right again.
Why Who How
When they say yes — give them something to do immediately. Ask for 5 names of people who need to hear. Ask which one they will tell today. Follow up tomorrow. This is how you find Workers.
The Forgotten Half of the Gospel
Most of the church preaches a Gospel that is 90% cross and 10% Resurrection. But the Bible flips that. Paul spent one verse on the cross, one verse on the burial, and the rest of 1 Corinthians 15 on the risen Jesus.
The Resurrection is not a footnote — it is the entire foundation. If Christ has not been raised, faith is useless. Everything in Christianity depends on one fact: they really did kill Jesus, and he really did come back from the dead.
That's not religion. That's news. And it changes everything.
Signs Follow Believers
Jesus said in Mark 16 that signs would follow those who believe. Not pastors. Not evangelists with a special gift. Believers.
If you are a follower of Jesus, you have the right — and the responsibility — to lay hands on the sick and let God do the healing. It's not your job to heal. It's your job to pray. God's job is the healing.
Signs point to something greater than themselves. It is much easier to lead someone to Jesus after they just got up out of a wheelchair. The miracle is not the destination — it's the sign pointing to the King.