Sharing the Gospel to the lost is a privilege that God has shared to us. Imagine what an honour it is to participate in the work of reconciling people back to God and the spiritual gain it brings to the overall body of Christ. Sharing Jesus is also a responsibility that we must steward and grow in.
The Bible shares how the heavens rejoice every time a single soul is brought to God, and we share in that celebration. The moment you lead someone to the Lord, it can be a joyous occasion unlike any other. Sure there are no fireworks, but deep down there is that joy that bringing a message of salvation gives.
Yet the delight of sharing the Gospel also comes with some "no-no's." There are great ways to share the love of Christ, but there are also some practices that we as messengers of God should follow. Here are five of the most commonly committed mistakes in sharing the Gospel that we should avoid.
1. Don't call them "unsaved."
The Gospel may come across as offensive to non-Christians because it tells people just how sinful they are and how they need a Savior because they cannot redeem themselves. The last thing an evangelist wants to do is offend a person some more by calling them "unsaved". It's true that the person is "lost," but one doesn't have to hear it from you.
2. Don't try to change them
Although God has called us to participate in the work of bringing the Gospel to the ends of the earth, it was never assigned to us to bring change to the person's life. Only God can do that. After leading a person to God, the last thing they want to hear is a list of "Dos and Don'ts." It's important however that they know what is right or wrong, so in order to teach them God's laws encourage a convert instead to read the Bible and find out for themselves.
3. Don't scare them
It's common for Christians to try to convert loved ones by "scaring them out of hell." This is not how the Gospel works. Instead, the Gospel is a story of the love of God that drove out the fear and consequence that comes from sin.
4. Don't neglect their ideas
At first, recent converts will have a lot of ideas, and a lot of them will be theologically wrong. It's important to listen to them and hear their side. Instead of debunking their thoughts, it's best to try asking them why they believe in such instead. We can provoke people into godliness, but we can never force them into it through shooting down ideas.
5. Don't debate with them
Lastly, it's important that encounters with those who are hungry for the Gospel should not turn into debates. When an atheist or non-Christian does not believe at first, respect their decision and accept they're rejection of the message of Christ. Again, it is not up to you to change the person. Instead of debating with a person, offer to pray for him or her instead (or pray for him or her on your own time if they refuse.)
