Sharing Jesus Without Freaking Out: Evangelism the Way You Were Born to Do It

by D. Scott Hildreth, Steven A. McKinion

What if talking about your faith felt as natural as discussing your family, your work, or your hobbies? Evangelism doesn't have to be uncomfortable. You're under no pressure to prove anything. It really just amounts to having a conversation, and almost any context provides the opportunity for evangelism. You can spot these opportunities when you listen, because people talk about what's important to them. So think of evangelism as building a relationship with someone and intentionally planning to share Jesus as a part of everyday living. Sharing Jesus without Freaking Out, Second Edition is not a comprehensive theology of evangelism or the methods by which that theological message is communicated. The goal of the book is simply to show what evangelism looks like when it’s part of ordinary, everyday conversations. Sharing Jesus with others isn't a mystery, and it can be as natural as working a job, practicing a favorite hobby, or engaging in any other kind of daily activity. The authors show how anyone can make sharing the gospel a commonplace part of their lifestyle. Without all the freaking out part.  

Genres: Evangelism, Christian, Christian Living

178 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 15, 2020

Reviews

[Tina Rourke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I encourage every Christian to read this book!

I have been gently reminded that I know the story of God and I have all I need to be sharing Jesus with other people in my everyday life. Evangelism is not about little ol’ me saving people, it is helping others understand the means by which they might be saved- Praise God! ❤️

[Bryan Eberl · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most practical books on evangelism I’ve read. I’d recommend reading through this book with anyone you are discipling or being discipled by.

Over arching themes: God will use your routines, your introverted or extroverted nature to reach the world. He created you with your routines, your interests, and your context so that you can reach those within those contexts. You don’t need to change or train to share the gospel (though more training is helpful and a good practice to have). It also lays out how sharing the gospel through dialogue is much better than monologue (not to dock when those have their place ie sermons and what not).

Jesus told stories, and made the gospel a part of life. We all know how to tell stories, whether of our weekend, or childhood, and we know how to tell of God. We just need to abide with Him and then talk about the things we know. It’s not about winning a debate, it’s about loving and explaining what we know and love. For those that won’t believe… we are called to go, and to share, it’s up to God to determine if their heart is soft enough to believe.

[Gabriella Da Silva · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for every believer! One of my favorite things were the exercises that the author helps you through, I can often think that I’m doing evangelism well on a daily basis but this book challenged me in areas that I can be better at and how to improve upon things I already do! The simplicity of the writing and uncomplicated practicality truly makes you confident and excited in sharing Jesus to others (without freaking out).

[Brady · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick and helpful encouragement for evangelism. Not a process or something to memorize, but a reminder that telling others about Christ should happen in whatever context we’re in. We don’t have pressure to save others, only to clearly present the gospel in understandable terms.

[Ashley Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gave some really helpful advise.

[Steven DiSebastian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sharing Jesus Without Freaking Out is a book I wish someone had handed me early in my walk with Jesus. I came to Christ as an adult after over a decade of skepticism of all things religious, and it became clear to me early on in my walk with Christ that part of following him was sharing my faith with others. The thing with evangelism is that though all Christians are called to share their faith, not every Christian has the calling of an evangelist. Forget standing on a street corner and proclaiming the good news of Christ, most of us aren’t even comfortable having a spiritual conversation with a coworker at lunch. So, if you’re a natural evangelist, the church thanks you because the church needs you! But, as I said, Christ calls all of his people—not just pastors and missionaries—to be disciple-makers and witnesses of his goodness and salvation—no exceptions. D. Scott Hildreth and Steven A. McKinion have written a book for the rest of us, who “freak out” when we think about sharing our faith.

What they lay out can best be described as “lifestyle evangelism,” and it’s so common-sense-based, you almost ask yourself, “Why didn’t I think of this?” Yet, I think so many of us have been thinking of evangelism in such a narrow way we’ve convinced ourselves we can’t do it. We think that if every conversation doesn’t end with us calling the person to repentance and faith (with complementary Bible verses), we’re not doing evangelism right.

To start, one way to open the door to sharing your faith is to live as Christ calls us to live, which includes caring for people and letting those relationships bloom and lead to conversations—conversations which will allow you to share your faith naturally. Instead of worrying about how to answer every objection, instead focus on simply explaining the big story of the Bible and making sure the person understands it. I even once said to someone, “Listen, I know you don’t believe in it, but I just want to make sure you understand what the Bible teaches and what I believe.” Your goal isn’t to win a debate, but to tell the story of the Bible. Again, this happens best in dialogues—not monologues—in relationships.

The authors remind us that conversion is the work of the Holy Spirit; we don’t convert anyone, but we’re called to be faithful. Our role is to “(1) retell the story of the gospel clearly, accurately, and convincingly; (2) try to eliminate any roadblocks or stumbling blocks from their minds that may keep them from understanding what Christ did for them; and (3) bring questions to their minds that show their need for a savior.” (I highly recommend the book Tactics by Greg Koukl, which compliments this book beautifully. If I were to teach an evangelism class, these would be the two main books I would use.)

Hildreth and McKinion’s book could easily be re-named, Don’t Be Scared: It’s Only Evangelism. I’ve been in ministry full-time a few years now, and I’m still not a natural evangelist. It takes effort and intentionality for me. There are certainly times when the Holy Spirit is already working on someone and that person is ready to receive the gospel as soon as they hear it proclaimed. But my experience has been that the most fruitful gospel encounters have taken place in the context of conversations between friends. Sharing Jesus Without Freaking Out is a welcomed guide for those of us who don’t want to come across as salesmen making a pitch, but instead as lovers of Christ sharing Christ in love.

*B&H Publishing provided me with a free copy of this book for review.

[Kaitlyn Williamson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the privilege of leading a girl’s Bible study through this book, and it was amazing. I saw women in college and young professionals become more confident in the Gospel and their ability to be obedient to the great commission. I got to hear story after story of their faithfulness to be more intentional to just have gospel conversations. I know the book itself didn’t do that…the Lord did. But, he used the book in a mighty way among our church and group.

The book itself is amazing. It really reminded me that there shouldn’t be much pressure. We are called to just have every conversation bring someone one step closer to understanding the Gospel. We can’t save. We are only called to share faithfully and intentionally with those around us, but our actions should support that in love and care for others. Highly recommend!

[Drew Correll · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really appreciated the approach of this book. Lifestyle evangelism is the main thrust of the authors. I completely agree with this in principle. The helpful perspective assists in taking out the “mystery” or “pressure” of evangelism. This puts witnessing in its rightful place at the center of the Christian life. Although this is true, I am afraid that the ideology of missions is deemphasized in the normality of evangelism. This made little to no effort pushing people to reach the unreached, rather just your neighbor. Neighbors definitely need to be reached, but how are those with no Christian neighbors going to be reached?

[Crystal Horton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the practicality and simplicity of this book. It approached evangelism as this laid back, everyday experience that was more relational rather than “selling a product, hoping to do it right” and moving on. I loved the perspectives and illustrations the author gave when talking about sharing the gospel. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone wanting to share their faith daily in a casual way but not knowing where to start!

[nickjaybird · Rating 4 out of 5]

Life-changing contents; slightly repetitive and unclear structure. I would consider this one of the “top ten books that changed my life forever.” Unfortunately, while the chapter headings appear to provide excellent structure, the prose itself does not stay true to the chapter’s heading, and it instead often meanders back to discuss the topics of previous chapters at length. However, it is still a must-read!

[Mara Harris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick and easy read with helpful encouragement and principles for practicing evangelism in day to day relationships! I liked how they challenged the reader to consider the story of Jesus, the gospel and Scripture in general and share it like that - as a story. I agree that though gospel presentations and tools can be helpful, sharing the truths of Scripture and how we have been changed by the gospel could be more impactful and meaningful.

[Naomi Hollans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good!! This was very practical, a quick and easy read. I think this book really changed the way I see evangelism, and I think the practices presented are super applicable & straightforward. I really liked the concept of “gospel fluency” and the idea that one of the most important ways we share the gospel is by constantly recognizing God at work in our own lives.

[Anna Castillo · Rating 4 out of 5]

love how this gives advice for how to evangelize in your everyday life that appeals to each person's strengths, while still challenging EVERYONE to be bold. love that it reminds you that you already know the gospel message, live it out and don't be afraid to talk about it. no 5 step gospel presentation that you must memorize, just genuine love and care for those in your life.

[Jamie U · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book on how to live a life of evangelism. How to make sharing Christ a part of our normal, every day conversations. So many people have tried to make evangelism seem so hard and unnatural that people get worked up over it and don't want to do it. This book helps solve that problem.

[Erin Logan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was EXCELLENT! I had to read it for a seminary class but it did a great job making the task of evangelism practical and natural. I am thankful for this resource and would recommend it to anyone who is looking to grow in sharing their faith.

[Allison Griffiths · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very helpful

I was looking for a tool to help prepare teams for missions trip. This does that and so much more. I would recommend this for any stage or age of Christian to learn about what sharing about Jesus really is.

[Kenzie Kraling · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was good! Challenged my view of evangelism and helped me process it as something that is very manageable and should be a daily practice in my life. Felt a little repetitive, but most Christian books do. Read this book specifically because it was assigned to me for Seminary.

[James Barr · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book encourages the reader to simply reach out to associates with conversational evangelism.

[Michael Kapp · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book wonderfully breaks down the often simple nuances of witnessing to others. This book is easy to read and its eight principles are simple enough to remember. I recommend!

[Kristin Manna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy to read! Very practical and encouraging

[David Domalski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy to follow, enjoyed it and agreed with it. Practically helpful

[Micah Yost · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book! The goal is to encourage confidence in evangelism, I think it does just that. However, I do not know that it stressed urgency enough, although that may have been the point, haha.

[Payton Bury · Rating 5 out of 5]

Totally changed the way I approach my relationships and how I share Jesus with those around me. Very good book for any Christian.

[Clark McGehee · Rating 5 out of 5]

82/100 One of the best evangelism books out there. Changes the way evangelism is done, for the better.