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This page helps Christians think through how to communicate faith sensitively and effectively in real-life conversations. The four scenarios involve a discouraged seeker, a busy believer in God, a disillusioned Wiccan, and a teen who wants to live life the way he wants to. Questions prompt reflection on how to engage people at different stages of belief with empathy, respect, and reliance on the Holy Spirit. The page reminds us that evangelism is not argument or coercion—it is relational, compassionate, and Spirit-led communication of Christ’s transforming love.
“He has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are, therefore, Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.” — 2 Corinthians 5:19–20
Here are four scenarios Doug Samples created for teaching a course in evangelism.
“I have always felt that Christianity was an ideal that was too difficult for me to achieve. I feel like I would never be able to live up to all of the expectations, rules, and demands in order to be considered a true follower of Christ. Being a follower of Christ places impossible demands and expectations that aren’t realistic for humans. I’m not interested in being rejected or feeling like a failure again.”
“I’m not sure why I’m not a Christian. I believe in God, but I am just not ready for a commitment. I have enough commitments with getting married and getting into medical school. There are so many rules in my life already. I don’t need any more. There are already tons of people trying to tell me how to live my life.”
A twenty-year-old man claims to be a Wiccan witch. He believes he is the highest power and that he chooses his own fate. Wiccans meet in sacred circles to perform rituals. They also have large “gatherings.” He says that “spells” work if you know what you are doing and have the right incantations. He believes that the human body is dead from birth. He explained, “From the minute you are born, your body grows, but really, you are starting to die. All of your living days, you feed your body to become a food buffet for worms and insects.” Life is, therefore, worthless.
He has a very Gothic appearance and says he lives a depressed life. He cannot believe in a God for whom there is no proof. He also feels that the Bible contradicts itself throughout. He said that he likes being depressed and does not want to change. He has many doubts and feels trapped in a lifestyle. He told me that Christ did not die for him; Christ died because he got caught and his captors killed him.
He then dropped a bomb on me. “Where was God when my six-month-old sister died?” he asked.
This is a seventeen-year-old from California. I asked why he did not believe in God, and he told me it was because God got in his way. He said there was a certain way he wanted to live his life and that God, Jesus, and all of that got in the way.
He told me that believing in God and Jesus takes a full commitment. He said it is something you should do with all that you are and that he could not do that. He even quoted the passage in which Jesus talked about counting the cost before becoming a disciple. He said he was not ready, but perhaps he would be someday. He had “things to do” before he could give up his life.
“Friends, we have nothing to do but save souls. We have nothing to do but offer new life through Christ. That’s our calling, whoever we are. That’s our response of faith to the joy of Christ’s resurrection.” — John Wesley
Sharing our faith in Jesus Christ can be an extremely personal experience. Here are some pointers to help you.
Remember that it is the work of the Holy Spirit to open hearts and minds to faith. Your role is to share your beliefs and experiences. Trust that God will work in the lives of the people you encounter.