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Share Jesus Without Fear
In recent years, the Share Jesus without Fear book and its growing family of ancillary products have sparked a faith-sharing movement that continues to gain momentum. It began with the jaw-dropping story of William Fay, once a money-driven businessman with Mafia ties who ran a house of prostitution until it was raided by police. Facing the threat of jail time, Fay turned to Jesus Christ for redemption and ever since has been turning others to Him as well.Now featuring a fresh new cover design, Share Jesus without Fear relays Fay's passionate, effective instructions on how to share the love of Christ with anyone--without feeling intimidated on either side of the conversation. Bold and joyful, the outreach movement continues without fear.
208 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1973
251 people are currently reading
540 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
December 11, 2019
Not my favorite topic. Especially when it is presented as a fail proof formula for salvation. There were still some good points in the book. But probably would have been better if it hadn't felt campy.
March 25, 2018
If you have been hesitant about sharing your faith, you don't know what to say, you're scared what they'll think, this is the book for you.
It's a brilliant book that helps you to have a new perspective of sharing your faith.
William Fay gives you the motivation to start sharing Jesus with others, gives a guideline of what to say and what questions to ask, encouragement and success stories.
Highly recommend this book to every Christian out there! READ IT!
It's a brilliant book that helps you to have a new perspective of sharing your faith.
William Fay gives you the motivation to start sharing Jesus with others, gives a guideline of what to say and what questions to ask, encouragement and success stories.
Highly recommend this book to every Christian out there! READ IT!
December 9, 2018
Share Jesus Without Fear is a work that seeks to impress upon Christians the importance of sharing their faith and how to practically achieve this end in a lifestyle of evangelism. First, the authors seek to encourage Christians by painting a realistic picture of evangelism—a picture that makes a lifestyle of evangelism reachable. Because God is sovereign, the outcome of an evangelistic encounter is strictly in His hands. All the believer is required to do is share the message God has given us. The rest is up to Him! (Fay et al., 17) Evangelism is more about obedience to God than it is about anything else. (Fay et al., 4)
Although resting in the sovereignty of God is an essential, the authors do not let this doctrine somehow become a blank check for Christians to remain complicate! Silence is referred to as a sin in the second chapter. (Fay et al., 6) God has commanded that Christians should share their faith, but He has not left them without tools to assist them in accomplishing this task. This is why the third chapter, “Overcome Your Fear” is so vital! This is where trusting in God’s sovereignty comes into play.
The practical tools for evangelism are introduced starting in chapter 4, “The Share Jesus Questions.” The authors advocate simply talking to people and swinging from the natural to the spiritual realm in order to get a conversation about God started. This is accomplished through conversation joggers, and more specifically “the five questions.” The reason these particular questions are effective is because there are designed to ask the individual about his or her own opinion—something humans love to talk about. (Fay et al., 33) In order to make these conversations directed toward a true salvific goal, the authors advocate using the Word of God. Seven specific Scriptures are advocated to share with a person in the course of conversation. If someone is ripe for the Gospel, it is then time to ask the “five commitment questions.” These questions are designed (after the individual has been confronted with biblical truth) to bring about a decision in the life of the non-Christian. (Fay et al., 61) Once a new convert has been produced, the authors advise the evangelist to follow up with ten questions that really authenticate the newfound relationship with Christ and connect them with a local Bible-believing church.
The last four chapters could be categorized as miscellaneous. They advise the Christian on how to deal with common objections, maintain non-Christian friendships, and pray for nonbelievers. Last, but not least, are the appendixes which recap much of the information in the book in nice bite-sized pieces for quick reference.
Evaluation
For the most part, the authors achieve their main purpose for writing the book. After sifting through its contents, the reader will be encouraged, inspired, and emboldened to share his or her Christian faith with nonbelievers. One of the main strengths of the book is that it is very practical. There are two reasons for this. The first is that many first-hand examples are given from which the reader can draw lessons to use in his or her own parallel situations. Personal stories tend to grab a reader and give him or her concrete information pertaining to the nitty gritty of how evangelism actually works. The second reason that this work is practical is that it contains an appendix with principles learned in the book for sharing with others. It’s a great field manual for the budding evangelist.
Theologically, the author does a fairly good job supporting his points with Scripture to back them up. However, there were I must confess, a few weak areas. The assertion that “Although God's mighty enough, he'll never break through the wall. He will enter only if invited in,” (Fay et al., 59) not only undermines one of the themes of the book, but is not substantiated in Scripture. John 6:44 clearly says, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him.” (John 6:44 NASB). Eph. 2:1 presents man’s condition as hopeless apart from the inner working of God. “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins.” According to Col. 1:13 and Psalm 3:8 salvation is a work that God gets full credit for. One of the themes of the book is that God is sovereign in salvation. “Even if you share stupidly, unlovingly, or with poor timing, our heavenly Father can use it. What he can't use is your silence.” (Fay et al., 18) However, if it is true that humans can block their hearts from God in such a way that God cannot break through the blockage, it really is up man in some way to open up his or her heart. This puts a tremendous amount of stress on the evangelist to attempt to open up man’s sinful heart, when in reality, as the book says toward the beginning, it is a work of God!
Another point that was made, I found to be out of sink with Scripture was the use of Revelation 3:20 to support the idea that Jesus is must receive compliance from the human heart before entering in. “You want your friend to understand that opening his heart to Jesus is his choice. Jesus is eager to come into our lives, but he never forces open the door.” (Fay et al., 51) The only problem with using Revelation 3:20 to support this point is that the context of Revelation 3 has nothing to do with Jesus entering in to any human heart. The door being described is not the door to the human heart, but rather the door to the church of Laodicea. This verse is not about the salvation of an individual, but rather about the sanctification of a church.
With those two caveats, this book should be read and analyzed by beginner evangelists. One of the unique things the book drives home is the idea that before making a decision to follow Christ, individuals must count the cost. (Fay et al., 62) This is a very good principle for evangelists to learn as it will keep them from slipping into a non-Lordship model of evangelism. The book definitely lets the reader know that Christ is Lord. This principle is the cornerstone of evangelism! The principles used in the book are very convincing for those who take Scripture seriously. I find especially unique and helpful for budding evangelists the appendix section that has to do with responses to objections skeptics may have. One of the weaknesses of many evangelistic programs is there seems to be a separation from apologetics. This work does not have that weakness. Taking the time to go through thirty-six responsible answers to common objections is the best gift this book pragmatically places in the hands of the evangelist. If we are to share our faith we must also be ready to defend our faith.
The sovereignty of God, as previously mentioned plays an important role in the book, but not nearly as important as it does in the chapter on prayer. This is so important! Praying for nonbelievers takes the stress and pride off the evangelist and places the control in the hands of God, where the control really belongs. I’ve witnessed many budding evangelists who think it’s all about their performance when in reality it’s about their obedience. The authors see this very clearly! They stress the importance of praying. It’s not an added bonus. It’s an essential part of the work of an evangelist.
In conclusion, Share Jesus Without Fear is an excellent, Scripture-focused, God-glorifying, and helpful book for any Christian to read for him or herself. I would do well to use some of the principles given, especially in regards to conversation starters. I oftentimes have a problem swinging a conversation from the natural to the spiritual realm. The authors believably present a system that is achievable because they have already been through it. They don’t seem condescending like they are in an ivory tower telling Christians what they ought to do without having ever done it themselves. They share their stories and principles with confidence as if they have truly lived this evangelistic life-style in their own lives. It is for these reasons that I recommend Share Jesus Without Fear.
May 6, 2025
Bill Fay and I have very, very different positions on soteriology, but the simplicity of his approach is undeniable. Basically he encourages christians who are evangelizing to ask questions and just be normal, lol. His method is having someone you’re sharing the gospel with read through a series of scripture passages, similar to the “Romans road” outline, and then asking them what each passage means.
Again, while the author and I disagree with how salvation occurs, I really appreciated his reminder that you aren’t doing the converting. Your job is to be obedient in sharing the message and ultimately to entrust that person to the one who judges justly.
So, two stars. But not necessarily negatively. I’d recommend this book to a solid believer with a firm doctrinal foundation, just with the caveat of “ignore his doctrine on how salvation is effected, but take his advice on how to share the gospel.”
Again, while the author and I disagree with how salvation occurs, I really appreciated his reminder that you aren’t doing the converting. Your job is to be obedient in sharing the message and ultimately to entrust that person to the one who judges justly.
So, two stars. But not necessarily negatively. I’d recommend this book to a solid believer with a firm doctrinal foundation, just with the caveat of “ignore his doctrine on how salvation is effected, but take his advice on how to share the gospel.”
April 26, 2014
William Fay, a formerly power obsessed Mafioso who owned and operated a brothel, encountered the redemption and salvation of Jesus Christ while facing prosecution and jail time. Share Jesus Without Fear is the product of his study of the Scriptures and his personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Coauthored by Linda Evans Shepherd, an author and nationally known speaker, Share Jesus Without Fear is also a popular evangelism training program taught by Fay in churches and seminars nationally.
The first three chapters of the text are loving admonitions to believers for their failure to evangelize as the Scriptures commend them to do. Fay encourages Christians to remain obedient to the Scriptures’ teachings to evangelize, despite their fears and excuses. Providing the assurance that Christians are not responsible for “causing a person’s heart to turn toward God,” Fay asserts that Christians cannot fail when evangelizing for mere obedience to the Scriptures is to experience success (3).
The majority of the remainder of the text consists of Fay’s approach to evangelism, which includes five “Share Jesus Questions,” “The Seven Share Scriptures,” “The Five Commitment Questions,” and “Ten Questions to Ask a New Believer” (29-79). The five “Share Jesus Questions” are sequential questions designed to elicit responses conducive to evangelization: “(1.) Do you have any kind of spiritual beliefs? (2.) To you, who is Jesus Christ? (3.) Do you believe in heaven and hell? (4.) If you died, where would you go? (5.) If what you are believing is not true, would you want to know?” (34-35) If a nonbeliever answers these questions and permits further discussion, the Christian is to share “The Seven Share Scriptures” by requesting the listening party read specific verses aloud (44-55). Once this process has been completed, Fay encourages evangelists to ensure the believer is prepared for discipleship by asking five key questions and to ask ten questions to confirm the new convert has indeed placed His faith in Christ Jesus (57-79). The rest of the text answers common objections to the gospel and evangelism.
The first three chapters of Fay’s text are highly motivational; certainly Christians must overcome their fears to unashamedly obey the Great Commission. The text’s accessibility and the author’s informal, passionate tone serves to embolden the scholar and the layperson alike. The strength of Fay’s work is its call to evangelize without fear and to worship God in full obedience to the Scriptures. Indeed, any who read Share Jesus Without Fear will desire an evangelistic encounter shortly thereafter.
The rest of the text, however, causes this reviewer some concern. Fay’s alleges that Jesus was killed due to the silence of the righteous; “no one spoke up for him” (6). While the message that Christians must not remain silent in the face of spiritual warfare or injustice is valid, the notion that the silence of Christ’s followers secured His crucifixion is absurd. The Scriptures indicate that the Son of Man came to give his life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28) and such sacrifice was predestined by the Lord (Revelation 13:8). Fay’s other conclusions are contradictory: he claims that “God is a gentlemen; he never forces us to love or to serve him” while also stating that it is the role of the Holy Spirit to allow someone to understand God’s love yet he then later instructs Christians to have nonbelievers read Bible verses repeatedly until the person experiences a change of heart (59, 42, 53-54). Fay seems to ebb and flow between Arminian and Reformed theologies, between emphasizing the evangelist’s responsibility and God’s responsibility. What is missing from Fay’s work is a solid theological foundation upon which he constructs his evangelism methods. The absent framework is glaringly obvious in light of the numerous anecdotes Fay includes in which nearly all non-Christians are converted to Christianity. He seems to imply that the process is flawless, which places responsibility for the salvation of others onto the evangelist. He fails to include the trials and struggles of overseas missionaries to share Christ with Asian Buddhists beside the story of the immediate conversion of the Japanese Buddhist (94). He cavalierly states that “it’s not his problem” if individuals fail to believe because all belief lies in the hands of God, yet fails to include anecdotes of the all too frequent reality that many reject the gospel (11).
Though it is likely due to the date of the book’s publication, the text fails to address the problems postmodernism presents. The first of “The Five Commitment Questions” is “Are you a sinner?” (62) In the postmodern world, most individuals cannot agree upon the definition or existence of sin. Fay’s answer to this problem is to have nonbelievers read Bible verses aloud until their hearts experience some type of change because of the power of the Scriptures (53-54). This reviewer will not deny the Scriptures their power, but Fay dismisses the entirety of apologetics in his instruction. As society rejects absolute truth and embraces relativism in all aspects of philosophical and spiritual life, Christian evangelism must include powerful apologies for the gospel alongside personal, servant evangelism.
Fay’s enthusiasm for Christian evangelism is contagious. While his method may not be the most appropriate for all evangelistic encounters, his imploration to believers to obey the Great Commission instead of making excuses is of significant import to the modern Christian culture. It is this reviewer’s hope that we declare the gospel to as many who will listen.
The first three chapters of the text are loving admonitions to believers for their failure to evangelize as the Scriptures commend them to do. Fay encourages Christians to remain obedient to the Scriptures’ teachings to evangelize, despite their fears and excuses. Providing the assurance that Christians are not responsible for “causing a person’s heart to turn toward God,” Fay asserts that Christians cannot fail when evangelizing for mere obedience to the Scriptures is to experience success (3).
The majority of the remainder of the text consists of Fay’s approach to evangelism, which includes five “Share Jesus Questions,” “The Seven Share Scriptures,” “The Five Commitment Questions,” and “Ten Questions to Ask a New Believer” (29-79). The five “Share Jesus Questions” are sequential questions designed to elicit responses conducive to evangelization: “(1.) Do you have any kind of spiritual beliefs? (2.) To you, who is Jesus Christ? (3.) Do you believe in heaven and hell? (4.) If you died, where would you go? (5.) If what you are believing is not true, would you want to know?” (34-35) If a nonbeliever answers these questions and permits further discussion, the Christian is to share “The Seven Share Scriptures” by requesting the listening party read specific verses aloud (44-55). Once this process has been completed, Fay encourages evangelists to ensure the believer is prepared for discipleship by asking five key questions and to ask ten questions to confirm the new convert has indeed placed His faith in Christ Jesus (57-79). The rest of the text answers common objections to the gospel and evangelism.
The first three chapters of Fay’s text are highly motivational; certainly Christians must overcome their fears to unashamedly obey the Great Commission. The text’s accessibility and the author’s informal, passionate tone serves to embolden the scholar and the layperson alike. The strength of Fay’s work is its call to evangelize without fear and to worship God in full obedience to the Scriptures. Indeed, any who read Share Jesus Without Fear will desire an evangelistic encounter shortly thereafter.
The rest of the text, however, causes this reviewer some concern. Fay’s alleges that Jesus was killed due to the silence of the righteous; “no one spoke up for him” (6). While the message that Christians must not remain silent in the face of spiritual warfare or injustice is valid, the notion that the silence of Christ’s followers secured His crucifixion is absurd. The Scriptures indicate that the Son of Man came to give his life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28) and such sacrifice was predestined by the Lord (Revelation 13:8). Fay’s other conclusions are contradictory: he claims that “God is a gentlemen; he never forces us to love or to serve him” while also stating that it is the role of the Holy Spirit to allow someone to understand God’s love yet he then later instructs Christians to have nonbelievers read Bible verses repeatedly until the person experiences a change of heart (59, 42, 53-54). Fay seems to ebb and flow between Arminian and Reformed theologies, between emphasizing the evangelist’s responsibility and God’s responsibility. What is missing from Fay’s work is a solid theological foundation upon which he constructs his evangelism methods. The absent framework is glaringly obvious in light of the numerous anecdotes Fay includes in which nearly all non-Christians are converted to Christianity. He seems to imply that the process is flawless, which places responsibility for the salvation of others onto the evangelist. He fails to include the trials and struggles of overseas missionaries to share Christ with Asian Buddhists beside the story of the immediate conversion of the Japanese Buddhist (94). He cavalierly states that “it’s not his problem” if individuals fail to believe because all belief lies in the hands of God, yet fails to include anecdotes of the all too frequent reality that many reject the gospel (11).
Though it is likely due to the date of the book’s publication, the text fails to address the problems postmodernism presents. The first of “The Five Commitment Questions” is “Are you a sinner?” (62) In the postmodern world, most individuals cannot agree upon the definition or existence of sin. Fay’s answer to this problem is to have nonbelievers read Bible verses aloud until their hearts experience some type of change because of the power of the Scriptures (53-54). This reviewer will not deny the Scriptures their power, but Fay dismisses the entirety of apologetics in his instruction. As society rejects absolute truth and embraces relativism in all aspects of philosophical and spiritual life, Christian evangelism must include powerful apologies for the gospel alongside personal, servant evangelism.
Fay’s enthusiasm for Christian evangelism is contagious. While his method may not be the most appropriate for all evangelistic encounters, his imploration to believers to obey the Great Commission instead of making excuses is of significant import to the modern Christian culture. It is this reviewer’s hope that we declare the gospel to as many who will listen.
March 19, 2019
One of the best most practical books on how to share the gospel with other people. Would recommend anyone looking to learn how to share their faith in an effective, easy, non overwhelming way! It gives personal examples for each part that it explains and is not to long or bulky. Every easy and helpful read. Definitely worth the time for any believer no matter where you are in your faith walk.
March 5, 2023
So practical! Great, quick read
February 24, 2016
Share Jesus Without Fear was helpful in spurring on thought about evangelism, but unfortunately its theology, its methodology and its exegesis were not without grave concerns.
Theologically, Fay both holds to and teaches his converts modalism, believing that God the Father and God the Son are the same person. He writes clearly, “Jesus is both God the Father and God the Son.” This is a heretical denial of the three distinct persons of God who have eternally existed as one God and was rejected by Tertullian in Adversus Praxean in the second century. Fay further confirms his seemingly modified Sabellianism with his co-author, Linda’s answer to a Jehovah’s Witness, “God is both God the Son and God the Father at the same time. He has different roles, but he is the same person.” To maintain that God the Son and God the Father are the same person is to deny the basic tenants of evangelical Christianity that have been clearly articulated since the First Counsel of Nicaea. Ironically, it is in answering the heretical objections of cult leaders like Jehovah’s Witnesses that deny Jesus’ divinity that Fay and Linda espouse a doctrine equally heretical and equally to be condemned.
Methodologically, Share Jesus Without Fear seems to reduce evangelism into a marketable sales pitch. Pre-programmed questions are memorized (or written in the evangelists’ Bible) and pre-programmed Bible verses are memorized to be shared with anyone the evangelist encounters. The gaping hole in Fay’s method was any type of conversation to get to know the other person. By his incarnation, Jesus entered our world, took on flesh and blood, and dwelt among us (John 1:1-14). Fay’s method does not allow for such entering, or true listening to understand the particular person, their idols, their doubts and how the unchanging Gospel applies to their particular situation, but merely asks memorized questions to move forward in a wooden pre-planned process. Such a method appears simplistic at best and manipulative at worst. But assuming the best, Fay’s method requires the unbeliever already has a firm grasp of Christian concepts. Scripture is to be read that addresses concepts like sin and Hell and faith, but if any questions arise, Fay’s method requires merely asking the individual to read the verse again and again without offering any explanation. This is a sharp contrast to Philip’s encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:31 who asked “How can I [understand], unless someone guides me?”
Exegetically, Fay often quoted verses out of context to support his ideas without any explanation of his exegesis. One example is Fay’s interpretation of Revelation 3:20 in which he pictures Jesus to be standing at the door of every unbelieving heart’s door, because Jesus is a gentlemen who will never force his way in. Even a cursory reading of Revelation 3:14-22 reveals the passage was written to a church at Laodicea and not to unbelievers. This one example is indicative of a troubling pattern of poor exegesis throughout Fay’s writing.
Theologically, Fay both holds to and teaches his converts modalism, believing that God the Father and God the Son are the same person. He writes clearly, “Jesus is both God the Father and God the Son.” This is a heretical denial of the three distinct persons of God who have eternally existed as one God and was rejected by Tertullian in Adversus Praxean in the second century. Fay further confirms his seemingly modified Sabellianism with his co-author, Linda’s answer to a Jehovah’s Witness, “God is both God the Son and God the Father at the same time. He has different roles, but he is the same person.” To maintain that God the Son and God the Father are the same person is to deny the basic tenants of evangelical Christianity that have been clearly articulated since the First Counsel of Nicaea. Ironically, it is in answering the heretical objections of cult leaders like Jehovah’s Witnesses that deny Jesus’ divinity that Fay and Linda espouse a doctrine equally heretical and equally to be condemned.
Methodologically, Share Jesus Without Fear seems to reduce evangelism into a marketable sales pitch. Pre-programmed questions are memorized (or written in the evangelists’ Bible) and pre-programmed Bible verses are memorized to be shared with anyone the evangelist encounters. The gaping hole in Fay’s method was any type of conversation to get to know the other person. By his incarnation, Jesus entered our world, took on flesh and blood, and dwelt among us (John 1:1-14). Fay’s method does not allow for such entering, or true listening to understand the particular person, their idols, their doubts and how the unchanging Gospel applies to their particular situation, but merely asks memorized questions to move forward in a wooden pre-planned process. Such a method appears simplistic at best and manipulative at worst. But assuming the best, Fay’s method requires the unbeliever already has a firm grasp of Christian concepts. Scripture is to be read that addresses concepts like sin and Hell and faith, but if any questions arise, Fay’s method requires merely asking the individual to read the verse again and again without offering any explanation. This is a sharp contrast to Philip’s encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:31 who asked “How can I [understand], unless someone guides me?”
Exegetically, Fay often quoted verses out of context to support his ideas without any explanation of his exegesis. One example is Fay’s interpretation of Revelation 3:20 in which he pictures Jesus to be standing at the door of every unbelieving heart’s door, because Jesus is a gentlemen who will never force his way in. Even a cursory reading of Revelation 3:14-22 reveals the passage was written to a church at Laodicea and not to unbelievers. This one example is indicative of a troubling pattern of poor exegesis throughout Fay’s writing.
December 11, 2020
William Fay has given a very simple strategy for sharing Jesus consistently. I've trained in many witnessing techniques, but this is one of the simplest and best I've seen.
There is certainly theology that one could quibble with, but the greatest strength, in my opinion is the use of five questions to determine a person's spiritual temperature.
Another strength is the author's repeating that we are not responsible for leading anyone to Christ. That is the job of the Holy Spirit. We are vessels for God to use to spread his Word.
It is certainly structured, but there may be some who need that structure, especially if they are just starting. If you don't know of good verses to use, Fay gives you some and shows you how to set up a New Testament for using them. Again, he emphasizes letting the person answer questions about the verses to see how the Spirit is leading. We are mostly letting the person talk.
Then he shares some questions to use to lead one to a decision. The final section of the book has 36 objections and simple answers that can be used.
Fay's goal is to get Christians over their fear of talking to other people because they don't know what to say. I think he accomplished that.
There is certainly theology that one could quibble with, but the greatest strength, in my opinion is the use of five questions to determine a person's spiritual temperature.
Another strength is the author's repeating that we are not responsible for leading anyone to Christ. That is the job of the Holy Spirit. We are vessels for God to use to spread his Word.
It is certainly structured, but there may be some who need that structure, especially if they are just starting. If you don't know of good verses to use, Fay gives you some and shows you how to set up a New Testament for using them. Again, he emphasizes letting the person answer questions about the verses to see how the Spirit is leading. We are mostly letting the person talk.
Then he shares some questions to use to lead one to a decision. The final section of the book has 36 objections and simple answers that can be used.
Fay's goal is to get Christians over their fear of talking to other people because they don't know what to say. I think he accomplished that.
August 21, 2021
Witnessed the Holy Spirit at work mightily
My executive assistant was leaving in 2 weeks for another job. She had become like a daughter to me. I had never experienced a person trusting Jesus after personally witnessing to them. I had also never used Share Jesus Without Fear. I was so concerned about getting it right I had written SJWF notes that I kept beside me. As she was reading the first verse of the SJWF verses (Romans 3:23) tears began streaming down her face. I was in awe of the Holy Spirit. When I asked her if she was ready to trust Jesus as her Lord and Savior she quickly and enthusiastically said yes. As Bill Fay says when she spoke the word “yes” she was saved. She left a few days later and I wanted to help in discipling her. I found another great book to send to her - New Believer’s Guide to Effective Christian Living , by Greg Laurie. A great tool for log distance discipling.
My executive assistant was leaving in 2 weeks for another job. She had become like a daughter to me. I had never experienced a person trusting Jesus after personally witnessing to them. I had also never used Share Jesus Without Fear. I was so concerned about getting it right I had written SJWF notes that I kept beside me. As she was reading the first verse of the SJWF verses (Romans 3:23) tears began streaming down her face. I was in awe of the Holy Spirit. When I asked her if she was ready to trust Jesus as her Lord and Savior she quickly and enthusiastically said yes. As Bill Fay says when she spoke the word “yes” she was saved. She left a few days later and I wanted to help in discipling her. I found another great book to send to her - New Believer’s Guide to Effective Christian Living , by Greg Laurie. A great tool for log distance discipling.
October 29, 2013
He has some practical ideas about how to do evangelism. I find his method to be very aggressive. Yet, I agree with him that most Christians are guilty of the "sin of silence".
April 5, 2024
It was a good book. It showed me a new way to share my faith with others.
June 19, 2024
The following are excerpts of a review I wrote of this book for my Contemporary Evangelism class at Liberty University:
Share Jesus Without Fear is an evangelism method along the lines of the Romans Road, Evangelism Explosion, or The Way of the Master. Like the others, the goal is to give a person confidence in being able to go about confrontational evangelism by equipping them with a set of tools. EE asks the question, “Have you come to a place in your life where you knew for certain…” The Way of the Master focuses on getting people to recognize they have broken the Ten Commandments. Share Jesus, instead, has two sets of five questions with seven scriptures sandwiched in between.
The first set of questions is used as conversation starters leading the target towards being open to reading the seven scriptures. The second set of questions then draws a person toward making a commitment based on what they have read and understood from those scriptures. Those seven lay out the plan of salvation beginning with the fact all have sinned (Romans 3:23) and the wages of that sin. (Romans 6:23) They follow with the truth that we must be born again (John 3:3) and this can only happen through Christ (John 14:6). We are born again by confessing and believing (Romans 10:9-10) that Jesus died and rose again for our us (2 Corinthians 5:15) and He is now knocking on the door of our hearts (Revelation 3:20).
One of the key things I learned in getting IB teaching certification was the science behind how and why the Socratic method works so well. When a person is guided through well targeted questions, they are forced to think and learn on their own and are more invested in exploring the answer rather than formulating a response. I also have always believed that scripture speaks for itself far better than we can speak for it. If we can simply get people engaged with exploring scripture on their own, we can step aside and let God do His thing. Share Jesus combines the best of these two concepts. The evangelist simply asks questions and then lets the other person read and interpret scripture for themself. I love this and have already been exploring ways I can incorporate it into my real life interactions.
Even though I loved the principle behind Share Jesus, the author himself came across as incredibly sketchy. In chapter one he alludes to his past mafia ties that are further detailed in an appendix. His testimony seems to be a cross between The Wolf of Wall Street and Michael Franzese. But the only thing I could find regarding any of this story on the internet are various Christian sites where he is sharing this story. The only reason I even called any of this into question was that Fay begins Chapter Two, “I had a dream…” and then plagiarizes almost verbatim William Booth’s famous vision. The only way this could possibly have been Fay’s true dream was if he was reading Booth right before going to bed. From here on out, every single testimony or story was met with skepticism and the fact that they were nearly all using generic first names with no other identifying information made it seem all the more sketchy. When nothing can be verified, anything can be said.
Another issue I had with the book was the author’s claim that he would simply repeat the question or make them read a verse again and again until they gave back an answer or an interpretation that he wanted. This seems to me like Fay isn’t interested in honest engagement but rather in getting someone to parrot back what he wants to hear.
Share Jesus Without Fear is an evangelism method along the lines of the Romans Road, Evangelism Explosion, or The Way of the Master. Like the others, the goal is to give a person confidence in being able to go about confrontational evangelism by equipping them with a set of tools. EE asks the question, “Have you come to a place in your life where you knew for certain…” The Way of the Master focuses on getting people to recognize they have broken the Ten Commandments. Share Jesus, instead, has two sets of five questions with seven scriptures sandwiched in between.
The first set of questions is used as conversation starters leading the target towards being open to reading the seven scriptures. The second set of questions then draws a person toward making a commitment based on what they have read and understood from those scriptures. Those seven lay out the plan of salvation beginning with the fact all have sinned (Romans 3:23) and the wages of that sin. (Romans 6:23) They follow with the truth that we must be born again (John 3:3) and this can only happen through Christ (John 14:6). We are born again by confessing and believing (Romans 10:9-10) that Jesus died and rose again for our us (2 Corinthians 5:15) and He is now knocking on the door of our hearts (Revelation 3:20).
One of the key things I learned in getting IB teaching certification was the science behind how and why the Socratic method works so well. When a person is guided through well targeted questions, they are forced to think and learn on their own and are more invested in exploring the answer rather than formulating a response. I also have always believed that scripture speaks for itself far better than we can speak for it. If we can simply get people engaged with exploring scripture on their own, we can step aside and let God do His thing. Share Jesus combines the best of these two concepts. The evangelist simply asks questions and then lets the other person read and interpret scripture for themself. I love this and have already been exploring ways I can incorporate it into my real life interactions.
Even though I loved the principle behind Share Jesus, the author himself came across as incredibly sketchy. In chapter one he alludes to his past mafia ties that are further detailed in an appendix. His testimony seems to be a cross between The Wolf of Wall Street and Michael Franzese. But the only thing I could find regarding any of this story on the internet are various Christian sites where he is sharing this story. The only reason I even called any of this into question was that Fay begins Chapter Two, “I had a dream…” and then plagiarizes almost verbatim William Booth’s famous vision. The only way this could possibly have been Fay’s true dream was if he was reading Booth right before going to bed. From here on out, every single testimony or story was met with skepticism and the fact that they were nearly all using generic first names with no other identifying information made it seem all the more sketchy. When nothing can be verified, anything can be said.
Another issue I had with the book was the author’s claim that he would simply repeat the question or make them read a verse again and again until they gave back an answer or an interpretation that he wanted. This seems to me like Fay isn’t interested in honest engagement but rather in getting someone to parrot back what he wants to hear.
May 2, 2020
I had to write a paper on this book for a seminary assignment. As a general rule I am very leery of “how to” books when it comes to evangelism. There is a fine line between evangelism and a Christian salesman. Overall I thought this book walked that line very well. There is a lot of very helpful information on how to engage in a gospel conversation with others. I also appreciated how the author magnified the work of the Holy Spirit, prayer and scripture in the whole process. An overall good read, despite a few minor theological differences.
August 4, 2017
A very structured book!! The goal is to provide a methodology for sharing the Gospel. So the readability of the book is choppy. But everything is well thought out, and structurally presented. A good tool for learning to share one's faith as a beginner. Some might point out theological weakness, but the practically overshadows the few minor issues. I was touched by Fay's testimony at the end of the book.
June 15, 2025
Lit a fire in me
For the first time in my walk with Christ I have a confidence and clear simple way to approach sharing my faith. The clear message that the responsibility is on the Holy Spirit and not me has finally taken hold and freed me from my intimidation. This approach is so conversational and non-threatening, loving!!! Thank you Bill Fay for this amazingly practical approach.
For the first time in my walk with Christ I have a confidence and clear simple way to approach sharing my faith. The clear message that the responsibility is on the Holy Spirit and not me has finally taken hold and freed me from my intimidation. This approach is so conversational and non-threatening, loving!!! Thank you Bill Fay for this amazingly practical approach.
May 24, 2018
This books has transformed the way I think about sharing the gospel. This book is great for christians and non Christians alike. I HIGHLY recommend it! Fay introduces a lot of helpful methods for evangelism, and he addresses how to respond to questions that people have when they hear the message of the gospel.
March 14, 2019
One of my favorite faith share books. This book has inspired me to reach out to others by sharing my faith. My favorite part in the book is the chapter dealing with tough questions people ask when your trying to share Christ with them. If your looking to deepen your faith and get comfortable sharing the gospel read this book.
August 25, 2024
This book was a great read on what it looks like to share the word of God with others. It wasn't some deep fancy special way to evangelize and win every argument but really gets down to the heart of sharing the good news with the lost. If you are scared and worried you don't know enough or if you just want more tools to use when you are sharing your faith I would 100% recommend this book to you!
May 8, 2025
Quite good. (more like 3.5 stars)
I went through this with a group of pastors and found the first half especially helpful. The second half works almost like a reference guide, walking through common objections to the gospel and how to respond. The simplicity of his approach is what makes it so appealing.
I went through this with a group of pastors and found the first half especially helpful. The second half works almost like a reference guide, walking through common objections to the gospel and how to respond. The simplicity of his approach is what makes it so appealing.
September 25, 2018
Share Jesus Without Fear is an EXCELLENT resource for anyone wanting to overcome their fear of witnessing to others. This method for sharing the Gospel is very simple and anyone can do it. I highly recommend this book!
March 26, 2019
Great book that introduces the witnessing strategy of asking people questions in order to get them to think for themselves and hopefully come to the right conclusions about God, instead of just telling people what to believe.
April 2, 2025
I had to read this for school, but it was such a great read! Fay makes evangelism easy. I have already used some of his tips in my life. Quick, easy read for Christians needing some help sharing their faith.
July 30, 2017
Challenging, encouraging, and practical.
February 28, 2021
Best book on personal evangelism I’ve ever read.
June 4, 2022
This is my second time reading the book. I read in a group of guys. We appreciated William's approach to evangelism. It will help those who have a desire to reach the unsaved for Jesus Christ.
July 6, 2023
Great topic, easy read, was convicted on the sin of silence. Just a little simplistic for a really complex subject.
October 22, 2023
This is a great book to help learn to share Jesus with others.
November 20, 2023
Well written. A good “formula”.
August 28, 2024
Excellent book. Convicting and an incredible testimony from the Author.
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