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Sharing the Gospel with Ease: How the Love of Christ Can Flow Naturally from Your Life
Discover a Natural Way to Share the Love of Christ.
Think about an incredibly joyful event in your life. Perhaps you got a job you desperately wanted or you were really proud of something you made. Do you remember how you couldn’t wait to talk about it? You were willing and eager to have a conversation about it with anyone who would listen! Why doesn’t our excitement for Jesus overflow from our lives in a similar and natural way?
In this book, Thom Rainer explores what makes so many Christians hesitant to talk about the greatest news the world has ever heard. There are real obstacles, challenges, and fears, but God is bigger and stronger than these hurdles. His compassion extends to all who wander, and He wants to show them His love through the lives of His people.
With this helpful guide, you willDiscover why it is so difficult to share the greatest news in the worldIdentify common objections that are difficult to answer and learn how to respond to them gracefullyLearn about the three biggest barriers to talking to your friends and neighbors about the gospel and how to bypass those obstaclesSee how God loves to work through our lives to draw others to Himself
Think about an incredibly joyful event in your life. Perhaps you got a job you desperately wanted or you were really proud of something you made. Do you remember how you couldn’t wait to talk about it? You were willing and eager to have a conversation about it with anyone who would listen! Why doesn’t our excitement for Jesus overflow from our lives in a similar and natural way?
In this book, Thom Rainer explores what makes so many Christians hesitant to talk about the greatest news the world has ever heard. There are real obstacles, challenges, and fears, but God is bigger and stronger than these hurdles. His compassion extends to all who wander, and He wants to show them His love through the lives of His people.
With this helpful guide, you willDiscover why it is so difficult to share the greatest news in the worldIdentify common objections that are difficult to answer and learn how to respond to them gracefullyLearn about the three biggest barriers to talking to your friends and neighbors about the gospel and how to bypass those obstaclesSee how God loves to work through our lives to draw others to Himself
176 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 5, 2022
27 people are currently reading
379 people want to read
About the author
Thom S. Rainer
132 books139 followersThom S. Rainer is the founder and CEO of Church Answers and Executive Director of Revitalize Network. He is a graduate of the University of Alabama where he received his degree in business administration. He received both the master of divinity and the Ph.D. degrees from Southern Seminary.
Dr. Rainer has served as pastor of four churches. He is the former president of Rainer
Group consulting. He served for twelve years as dean at Southern Seminary and for thirteen years as the president and CEO of LifeWay Çhristian Resources.
Dr. Rainer has authored or co-authored 33 books. Among his greatest joys are his family: his wife Nellie Jo; three sons, Sam, Art, and Jess; and eleven grandchildren.
Dr. Rainer has served as pastor of four churches. He is the former president of Rainer
Group consulting. He served for twelve years as dean at Southern Seminary and for thirteen years as the president and CEO of LifeWay Çhristian Resources.
Dr. Rainer has authored or co-authored 33 books. Among his greatest joys are his family: his wife Nellie Jo; three sons, Sam, Art, and Jess; and eleven grandchildren.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
March 30, 2024
Not terrible, but not that great either. A lot of fluff and repetition.
The author strayed from the topic a lot, dwelling on subjects such as giving in the church and spending time with family.
This surprised me because I really enjoyed reading a couple of this author’s other books.
The author strayed from the topic a lot, dwelling on subjects such as giving in the church and spending time with family.
This surprised me because I really enjoyed reading a couple of this author’s other books.
December 1, 2022
Perhaps that title seems a bit odd to you. Sharing the gospel with ease? Really?
For most, sharing the gospel is not done with ease but with difficulty. It’s done while battling sweaty palms, stomach cramps, and brain fog.
Ever been there?
But, what if things could change?
What if you could learn to share the gospel with ease?
Rainer begins his book by reminding readers that the gospel is not simply a message to be shared like any other but rather, it is the most important message in all of history. Yet despite the gospel being Good News for all the world, local churches still struggle to share it.
“If you consider that most North American churches have only about half their total membership in attendance on any given Sunday, we can deduce that only one person per year will become a Christian for every thirty-eight members in a congregation.”[1]
That’s not a lot and quite frankly, it showcases why every mainline denomination in America is in decline. And while this doesn’t put a smile on the face of church leaders across the US, it certainly does for our common spiritual enemy.
“If we don’t share the gospel, if we come up with convenient excuses not to evangelize, we’re simply giving Satan his way. Satan wants us to keep quiet. He is very comfortable with silent, self-absorbed churches.”[2]
Rainer argues that for local churches to be effective in sharing the gospel with those who are far from God, it will take more than pastors becoming more vocal about their faith; it will take every follower of Jesus. Indeed, it is the responsibility of every follower of Jesus to both show and share the Good News.
“God put this book in your hands for a reason. He wants it to remind you that you are responsible for conveying the most important message he has for the world. You are responsible for telling people the Good News of Jesus Christ. You are responsible for seeking God’s power and strength through prayer.”
Rainer then offers numerous reasons why many Christ followers do not share their faith:
We are in a daily spiritual battle (Eph. 6:10-20)
We are “out of shape” in terms of our own gospel fluency (pg. 27)
Lack of belief that Jesus is really the only way of salvation (pg. 32)
Believing that evangelism is the responsibility of religious professionals (pg. 36)
Busyness (pg. 38)
Hesitancy over how others will receive the message (pg. 39)
Uncertainty of what to say exactly (pg. 40)
Moving past these excuses is aided by a recapturing of the gospel story itself and chapter three gives a synopsis of the gospel’s message through four major movements in history: Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Restoration.
Chapter 4, titled, “Praying . . . And Praying Some More,” is by far one of the most passionate chapters of the book. Rainer even confesses that he wrestled to begin the book with this chapter:
“I thought of starting the book with a chapter on prayer, but also thought it was important to deal up front with the importance of evangelism, the reasons for our uneasiness, and the essence of the gospel message. . . But please don’t see the placement of this chapter as in any way minimizing the importance of prayer in evangelism. In fact, prayer may be the missing ingredient in evangelism for most Christians and in most churches.[3]
By “missing ingredient” Rainer is suggesting that evangelism done apart from prayer is lacking in both power and purpose. It lacks power in the sense that it’s done without reliance on the Holy Spirit and it lacks purpose in the sense that it’s done without specificity and focus.
Prayer-less evangelism says,
I can do this on my own.
I’m apathetic toward evangelism and don’t really want to share my faith with others.
Prayer-ful evangelism says,
Lord, I can’t do this without you.
Help me see the opportunities all around me and make the most of every interaction.
In terms of “what we should say” while sharing the gospel, Rainer suggests that people rely heavily on their personal stories remembering, however, that the content of your personal story should contain the truth of the gospel. In other words, “When you tell others what Christ has done for you, you are sharing the gospel through your own testimony.”[4]
Rainer does not advocate for a singular method of sharing one’s faith suggesting that there are many great methods from which to choose. He does, however, urge his readers to avoid one thing: silence.
“But when it comes to sharing the gospel, silence is not an option. We must speak up. It is a sin to be silent when God has commanded us to speak.”[5]
In my opinion, chapter 6 is one of the most practical chapters of the book. In it, Rainer lists no less than eight objections to the Bible, belief in God, the nature of sin, and justification by faith. It is clear that these “pesky objections” were not chosen at random but are a collection of common objections many people have.
“If you share the gospel enough times, you will begin to see patterns. You will hear conversations you’ve heard before. You will grow in confidence and be better prepared to deal with objections. In fact, you’ll hear some of the same objections over and over again.”[6]
For those looking to address some of the biggest barriers to sharing one’s faith, Rainer’s organization Church Answers has consistently identified, “busyness, apathy, and lack of discipline” as the biggest.
In terms of busyness, Rainer states, “Here is the simple reality. If we don’t have time to share the gospel with people, it’s because we don’t make time to share the gospel. And if we don’t make time to share the gospel, it means we don’t think sharing the gospel is all that important.”[7]
Closely related to busyness is that of apathy. Rainer writes, “Apathy, though, describes motive and intent. It means you could do something, but you choose not to because it isn’t important enough to you…If we’re ‘too busy’ for evangelism, it almost sounds acceptable. But if we just aren’t motivated to share the gospel, we’re clearly guilty of apathy.”[8]
Speaking to lack of discipline, Rainer states, “Habits develop when we practice a discipline with commitment and regularity. The habit of evangelism grows from first making a commitment and then asking God to open doors for sharing the gospel.”[9]
The book concludes with a chapter devoted to next steps after a person professes faith in Jesus Christ. Walking alongside a new believer in Jesus and showing them what it looks like in real life is a critical yet often neglected step. Discipling new believers to practice the spiritual disciplines, engage in a local church, and join Christ on mission helps them to, in turn, learn to share the gospel with ease.
Justinwester.com
For most, sharing the gospel is not done with ease but with difficulty. It’s done while battling sweaty palms, stomach cramps, and brain fog.
Ever been there?
But, what if things could change?
What if you could learn to share the gospel with ease?
Rainer begins his book by reminding readers that the gospel is not simply a message to be shared like any other but rather, it is the most important message in all of history. Yet despite the gospel being Good News for all the world, local churches still struggle to share it.
“If you consider that most North American churches have only about half their total membership in attendance on any given Sunday, we can deduce that only one person per year will become a Christian for every thirty-eight members in a congregation.”[1]
That’s not a lot and quite frankly, it showcases why every mainline denomination in America is in decline. And while this doesn’t put a smile on the face of church leaders across the US, it certainly does for our common spiritual enemy.
“If we don’t share the gospel, if we come up with convenient excuses not to evangelize, we’re simply giving Satan his way. Satan wants us to keep quiet. He is very comfortable with silent, self-absorbed churches.”[2]
Rainer argues that for local churches to be effective in sharing the gospel with those who are far from God, it will take more than pastors becoming more vocal about their faith; it will take every follower of Jesus. Indeed, it is the responsibility of every follower of Jesus to both show and share the Good News.
“God put this book in your hands for a reason. He wants it to remind you that you are responsible for conveying the most important message he has for the world. You are responsible for telling people the Good News of Jesus Christ. You are responsible for seeking God’s power and strength through prayer.”
Rainer then offers numerous reasons why many Christ followers do not share their faith:
We are in a daily spiritual battle (Eph. 6:10-20)
We are “out of shape” in terms of our own gospel fluency (pg. 27)
Lack of belief that Jesus is really the only way of salvation (pg. 32)
Believing that evangelism is the responsibility of religious professionals (pg. 36)
Busyness (pg. 38)
Hesitancy over how others will receive the message (pg. 39)
Uncertainty of what to say exactly (pg. 40)
Moving past these excuses is aided by a recapturing of the gospel story itself and chapter three gives a synopsis of the gospel’s message through four major movements in history: Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Restoration.
Chapter 4, titled, “Praying . . . And Praying Some More,” is by far one of the most passionate chapters of the book. Rainer even confesses that he wrestled to begin the book with this chapter:
“I thought of starting the book with a chapter on prayer, but also thought it was important to deal up front with the importance of evangelism, the reasons for our uneasiness, and the essence of the gospel message. . . But please don’t see the placement of this chapter as in any way minimizing the importance of prayer in evangelism. In fact, prayer may be the missing ingredient in evangelism for most Christians and in most churches.[3]
By “missing ingredient” Rainer is suggesting that evangelism done apart from prayer is lacking in both power and purpose. It lacks power in the sense that it’s done without reliance on the Holy Spirit and it lacks purpose in the sense that it’s done without specificity and focus.
Prayer-less evangelism says,
I can do this on my own.
I’m apathetic toward evangelism and don’t really want to share my faith with others.
Prayer-ful evangelism says,
Lord, I can’t do this without you.
Help me see the opportunities all around me and make the most of every interaction.
In terms of “what we should say” while sharing the gospel, Rainer suggests that people rely heavily on their personal stories remembering, however, that the content of your personal story should contain the truth of the gospel. In other words, “When you tell others what Christ has done for you, you are sharing the gospel through your own testimony.”[4]
Rainer does not advocate for a singular method of sharing one’s faith suggesting that there are many great methods from which to choose. He does, however, urge his readers to avoid one thing: silence.
“But when it comes to sharing the gospel, silence is not an option. We must speak up. It is a sin to be silent when God has commanded us to speak.”[5]
In my opinion, chapter 6 is one of the most practical chapters of the book. In it, Rainer lists no less than eight objections to the Bible, belief in God, the nature of sin, and justification by faith. It is clear that these “pesky objections” were not chosen at random but are a collection of common objections many people have.
“If you share the gospel enough times, you will begin to see patterns. You will hear conversations you’ve heard before. You will grow in confidence and be better prepared to deal with objections. In fact, you’ll hear some of the same objections over and over again.”[6]
For those looking to address some of the biggest barriers to sharing one’s faith, Rainer’s organization Church Answers has consistently identified, “busyness, apathy, and lack of discipline” as the biggest.
In terms of busyness, Rainer states, “Here is the simple reality. If we don’t have time to share the gospel with people, it’s because we don’t make time to share the gospel. And if we don’t make time to share the gospel, it means we don’t think sharing the gospel is all that important.”[7]
Closely related to busyness is that of apathy. Rainer writes, “Apathy, though, describes motive and intent. It means you could do something, but you choose not to because it isn’t important enough to you…If we’re ‘too busy’ for evangelism, it almost sounds acceptable. But if we just aren’t motivated to share the gospel, we’re clearly guilty of apathy.”[8]
Speaking to lack of discipline, Rainer states, “Habits develop when we practice a discipline with commitment and regularity. The habit of evangelism grows from first making a commitment and then asking God to open doors for sharing the gospel.”[9]
The book concludes with a chapter devoted to next steps after a person professes faith in Jesus Christ. Walking alongside a new believer in Jesus and showing them what it looks like in real life is a critical yet often neglected step. Discipling new believers to practice the spiritual disciplines, engage in a local church, and join Christ on mission helps them to, in turn, learn to share the gospel with ease.
Justinwester.com
January 13, 2023
This book was encouraging and challenging towards personal evangelism. Like Rainer’s other books, it is very readable and succinct. For anyone wanting to grow in the area of personal evangelism, this book will very likely provide spiritual inspiration and practical instruction. Rainer writes as a self-professed introvert, so he is not (as he puts it) a “spiritual extrovert” when it comes to talking to non-believers and sharing the gospel. So he is able to sympathize with a lot of the usual struggles and barriers to sharing the gospel.
September 26, 2024
Rainer urges people to evangelize. He counteracts the three major barriers to a lack of witnessing -- busyness, apathy, and lack of discipline. The book is very readable.
Rainer starts the book with his own testimony of how he trusted Christ. He also gives his testimony of sharing the gospel and how he believed that he fumbled it.
Rainers title might be a misnomer. His basic premise is Just do it. That attitude was a great encouragment.
Rainer starts the book with his own testimony of how he trusted Christ. He also gives his testimony of sharing the gospel and how he believed that he fumbled it.
Rainers title might be a misnomer. His basic premise is Just do it. That attitude was a great encouragment.
December 8, 2024
Short, simple, biblically grounded reminder on the importance of living out the Great Commission in gospel sharing and discipleship. Few ideas that stuck out:
-prayer is such a critical enabler: prayer for your own heart posture to see people as God does, for faith into believe God’s words, for opportunities etc.
-the great commission doesn’t end at gospel acceptance, discipleship in the context of a local church is key
-prayer is such a critical enabler: prayer for your own heart posture to see people as God does, for faith into believe God’s words, for opportunities etc.
-the great commission doesn’t end at gospel acceptance, discipleship in the context of a local church is key
January 13, 2023
Great book
July 21, 2023
A challenging book that helps us see the biblical perspective on evangelism as well as who has been given the mandate: the local church.
September 9, 2024
Evangelism isn't just needed in overseas contexts. Missions isn't just an overseas concept.
November 18, 2024
Book summarized: practice, pray, practice some more. It gets easier with time and experience.
March 11, 2025
More encouragement than instruction. Quick read but a good motvator.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews