What do you think?
Rate this book
Before You Share Your Faith: Five Ways to Be Evangelism Ready
When it comes to evangelism, we often struggle. Maybe it’s the inertia that comes with feeling out of practice. Or perhaps it’s the age-old presence of fear that keeps us from speaking truth in love. Sometimes, a low-level guilt over countless missed opportunities tempts us to despair of trying at all.
In Before You Share Your Faith―a follow-up to Before You Open Your Bible―Matt Smethurst presents five ways you can become “evangelism ready.” While many good books begin further downstream by teaching how to evangelize, this volume will help you be primed for when the moment arrives. Because if you aren’t ready to share your faith... you probably won’t.
Casting light on five key foundations―grasp the gospel, check your context, love the lost, face your fear, and start to speak―this resource will deepen your desire and enhance your readiness to share the best news anyone could ever hear.
In Before You Share Your Faith―a follow-up to Before You Open Your Bible―Matt Smethurst presents five ways you can become “evangelism ready.” While many good books begin further downstream by teaching how to evangelize, this volume will help you be primed for when the moment arrives. Because if you aren’t ready to share your faith... you probably won’t.
Casting light on five key foundations―grasp the gospel, check your context, love the lost, face your fear, and start to speak―this resource will deepen your desire and enhance your readiness to share the best news anyone could ever hear.
117 pages, Paperback
Published March 28, 2022
63 people are currently reading
517 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
Read
March 14, 2022It’s against my religion to give this stars, but not to invite you to leave a rating or brief review on Amazon 😉: amzn.to/3bwX7SE
August 26, 2023
Quick read - I didn’t find Smethurst’s thoughts to be particularly profound, but he does a great job of bringing together a bunch of ideas that all Christians should be familiar with in order to properly prepare oneself for sharing the Gospel.
I personally was hoping that this book might provide some guidance for the actual shaping of effective Gospel conversations, but Smethurst states explicitly that that wasn’t his intention and so I cannot really pick at that. Also, he does provide a bunch of resources for further thoughts on evangelism. Overall, a good read, but a little more introductory than I was expecting. 4 stars.
…
Quotes I liked:
“My view of God can shrivel so much that it makes humans look inflated and intimidating.”
“I have mastered the art of passing up good enough opportunities in the wait for a perfect one. This is not just cowardly - it’s foolish. The simple fact is that sharing Christ will almost always be inconvenient. There will be something unideal, something about the environment prompting the Devil to whisper two of his favorite words: “Not now.””
I personally was hoping that this book might provide some guidance for the actual shaping of effective Gospel conversations, but Smethurst states explicitly that that wasn’t his intention and so I cannot really pick at that. Also, he does provide a bunch of resources for further thoughts on evangelism. Overall, a good read, but a little more introductory than I was expecting. 4 stars.
…
Quotes I liked:
“My view of God can shrivel so much that it makes humans look inflated and intimidating.”
“I have mastered the art of passing up good enough opportunities in the wait for a perfect one. This is not just cowardly - it’s foolish. The simple fact is that sharing Christ will almost always be inconvenient. There will be something unideal, something about the environment prompting the Devil to whisper two of his favorite words: “Not now.””
January 13, 2025
This is a short read - no particularly new information, but it fulfilled its goal of being a book to read before you evangelize. Not focused on strategies, but more on our primary motivation being the glory of God. The author also provided a good reminder that God loves to save sinners and that it’s a blessing we have been saved to tell others about His glory.
June 4, 2024
A solid short book on sharing the gospel. Convicting and challenging in some areas, but for the most part your typical evangelism book. Would recommend for someone who is a new believer.
February 1, 2025
A powerful little book. You may feel convicted when you read it. I did. But it won’t be because Matt tries to guilt you into evangelism. Instead, as he opens the Bible, the book will simply shows you why and how to share your faith.
May 30, 2022
Memorable Quote:
The simple fact is that sharing Christ will almost always be inconvenient. There will be something about the environment prompting the devil to whisper two of his favorite words: “Not now.”
The simple fact is that sharing Christ will almost always be inconvenient. There will be something about the environment prompting the devil to whisper two of his favorite words: “Not now.”
July 23, 2023
4.5
Exceptional!
Exceptional!
January 8, 2024
This was great. Everything I’ve read from Smethurst has been short, because he writes what needs to be said and nothing more. I always find myself wanting to highlight just about every other line, and his writing style is inviting and fun. I really appreciate his insight into the kind of resources the Church needs today-- both in terms of content and format.
April 25, 2025
Fantastic book and very helpful to frame a correct and Biblical mindset for evangelism! This is definitely a must read for everyone.
January 25, 2026
I really enjoyed this book. 4.5 stars.
It was straightforward, easy to read, Biblical, and clear. Smethurst writes with honesty and humility on a topic that has an extremely wide variety of opinions and tends to lean towards programs, strategies or methods. Smethurst cuts through these distractions and gets straight to the source, anchored in God's character, motivated by His glory. His book is encouraging, motivating, and very helpful. I would highly recommend this to anyone wanting a short easy primer or encouragement on evangelism. I will likely come back to this book in the future!
Only very small criticism was, again, just some of the writing style being a little too informal for my taste. I tend towards more academic writing. But I do see the value of this style being very accessible and approachable by most people. It makes it an easy book to share with those who may not gravitate towards reading.
It was straightforward, easy to read, Biblical, and clear. Smethurst writes with honesty and humility on a topic that has an extremely wide variety of opinions and tends to lean towards programs, strategies or methods. Smethurst cuts through these distractions and gets straight to the source, anchored in God's character, motivated by His glory. His book is encouraging, motivating, and very helpful. I would highly recommend this to anyone wanting a short easy primer or encouragement on evangelism. I will likely come back to this book in the future!
Only very small criticism was, again, just some of the writing style being a little too informal for my taste. I tend towards more academic writing. But I do see the value of this style being very accessible and approachable by most people. It makes it an easy book to share with those who may not gravitate towards reading.
March 22, 2023
Another short one, but again I’d recommend.
Some of my favorite points:
1. If we wait to share our faith until our fear has evaporated we will never share it… there will always be something unideal about the environment, prompting the devil to whisper his two favorite words, “not now.” We mustn’t wait, but instead resolve to steward the moment God has given us.
2. No amount of righteous living can replace verbally proclaiming the gospel.
3. Life’s two greatest privileges are to speak to God on behalf of others and to speak to others on behalf of God.
4. The gospel is the treasure, we are just the clay jars holding it. We are not impressive containers intentionally; our inadequacy is not a liability, it is the point. (2 Corinthians 4:7)
Some of my favorite points:
1. If we wait to share our faith until our fear has evaporated we will never share it… there will always be something unideal about the environment, prompting the devil to whisper his two favorite words, “not now.” We mustn’t wait, but instead resolve to steward the moment God has given us.
2. No amount of righteous living can replace verbally proclaiming the gospel.
3. Life’s two greatest privileges are to speak to God on behalf of others and to speak to others on behalf of God.
4. The gospel is the treasure, we are just the clay jars holding it. We are not impressive containers intentionally; our inadequacy is not a liability, it is the point. (2 Corinthians 4:7)
Read
March 16, 2024Great little booklet!! I definitely recommend!
August 14, 2024
I thought this would be a cheap re-hash of obvious things, but I found it totally clear, warm and incisive.
Matt Smethurst has a sharp turn of phrase, and a friendly down-to-earth-ness.
Lots of things I ended up copying out, or marvelling at again.
Matt Smethurst has a sharp turn of phrase, and a friendly down-to-earth-ness.
Lots of things I ended up copying out, or marvelling at again.
December 6, 2024
4 stars for the best $4 you could spend today!
April 6, 2024
Great hand out for people who are taking the first steps toward faithfulness in evangelism.
January 15, 2023
Quotes
I have a love hate relationship with evangelism books.
On the one hand, they have helped me immensely. It's surely no coincidence that in the seasons of life when I've been most deliberate about sharing Christ with others, a good book on the topic has invigorated me. And vice versa: in the sluggish seasons, it's usually the case that I haven't pondered the subject in a while.
I'm quite skilled, you see, at avoiding things that are good for me. (1)
This is not a handbook of evangelistic jujitsu tips. I'll leave that to more able voices. This volume is about getting ready to open your mouth at all. It's about the preparation for the conversation. (2)
Nothing is more worth talking about. And nothing is easier to stay silent about. (3)
As a believer in Jesus l can know that on the cross he was treated as if he had lived my sinful life, so that I might be treated as if I have lived his righteous life. (6)
The law maker became the law keeper and died in the place of law-breakers. (15)
Our ultimate hope as Christians is not evacuation from this earth, but the restoration of this earth. (19)
Puritan Richard Sibbes, "There is more mercy in Christ than sin in us." (17)
Paul is not saying, "To the gossips I became a gossip; to the drunkards I became a drunkard; to the cannibals I became a cannibal." But he is saying, in essence, "I move as near to other people as I possibly can. I flex and adapt to meet them on their turf- -as far as truth and wisdom allow." (31)
Paul, sometimes in surprising ways, is willing to adapt and to accommodate. But he steadfastly, refuses to assimilate. (33)
Human history, C. S. Lewis observed, is "the long, terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy." (38)
If your main goal in evangelism is to hear yourself talk, especially with highfalutin biblical jargon, then many late-modern skeptics will walk-or run-away confused (at best). But if your goal is to be effective, then listen in order to understand, speak in order to be understood, and respectfully engage your fellow image-bearers in their lane of life with the best news they'll ever hear. (40)
I was convinced that fear was the primary obstacle to evangelism….Or so I told myself. Until one day it hit me: the main thing holding me back from speaking the gospel wasn't actually the presence of fear It was the absence of love. (41)
The first ditch is ignoring "Friendship evangelism" altogether, which can lead to treating people as projects. We're probably most susceptible to this when initiating gospel conversations with strangers. (44)
The second ditch is practicing "friendship evangelism" indefinitely, which can lead to idolizing relational comfort. As we have seen, friendship evangelism can be a beautiful thing-so long as the friendship doesn't crowd out the evangelism. (46)
If the danger of the first ditch [ignoring friendship evangelism entirely] is rushing the clock, the danger of the second [practicing friendship evangelism indefinitely] is assuming the clock will tick forever. "You are not worth my time" is patronizing; "We have plenty of time" is presumptuous. The first ditch is immediately tactless; the second is finally spineless. (46)
You can genuinely love someone in a brief interaction, just as you can fail to truly Bod love someone in a forty-year friendship. (47)
In fact, being listened to is so close to being loved that most people cannot tell the difference. (52)
[Penn Jillette] explicitly states that remaining silent is the least loving thing you can do- indeed, it's a form of hatred. (54)
I have mastered the art of passing up good enough opportunities in the wait for a perfect one. This is not just cowardly - it's foolish. The simple fact is that sharing Christ will almost always be inconvenient. There will be something unideal, something about the environment prompting the Devil to whisper two of his favorite words: "Not now." (57)
Don't wait for the perfect scenario; it'll never come anyway…Just resolve to seize, and steward, the one God has given you. (58)
The Devil is busy keeping sinners from opening their eyes, and he does so by keeping you from opening your mouth. (62)
Remember Lazarus? His physical state was our spiritual state until a voice from outside the tomb defibrillated his heart and breathed life into his lungs. Likewise, the world is a spiritual graveyard. Our job is to walk through the cemetery and speak to caskets. God's job is to crack them open. (63)
No amount of righteous living can replace the necessity of verbally proclaiming what God has achieved through Christ. (69-70)
It may be uncomfortable to admit, but our prayerlessness reveals our pride. H. B. Charles puts it simply:
Prayer is arguably the most objective measurement of our dependence upon God. Think of it this way. The things you pray about are the things you trust God to handle. The things you neglect to pray about are the things you trust you can handle on your own. (72)
The earliest Christians were eager to initiate gospel conversations with "random" persons-with whomever their sovereign God put in their path (Prov. 16:9; 20:24).
As you go about your day, then, be on your toes. Ask the Lord to arrange "divine appointments"—unforeseen encounters that may seem coincidental to you, but were on God's schedule all along. Some of my richest gospel conversations over the years have not been planned…by me. But God has a calendar of his own, and he delights to arrange encounters that stretch and strengthen our muscles of faith, for the good of the lost and the glory of his name. (77)
I'm reminded of a quip from Mack Stiles: "It's not that evangelism has been tried and found wanting; it's that evangelism has been found difficult and left untried." He's right. There is a real sense in which the greatest obstacle to evangelism is not unbelievers, nor even Satan himself. The greatest obstacle to evangelism is Christians who don't share the gospel. (83)
There is an old hymn by Kate Wilkinson, the final verse of which reads:
May his beauty rest upon me,
As I seek the lost to win;
And may they forget the channel,
Seeing only him. (85-86)
Remember: evangelism is not converting people. Faithful evangelism is simply taking the initiative to share Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit, and then leaving the results to God. (88)
[Or better: …leaving the outcome to God, and then being a good steward, servant, shepherd of those who respond!]
Let's not finish this book peering at a merely human horizon. For the most fundamental axis in evangelism is vertical. John Stott captures it well:
The highest [evangelistic motive] is neither obedience to the Great Commission (important as that is), nor love for sinners who are alienated and perishing (strong as that incentive is. especially when we contemplate the wrath of God), but rather zeal burning and passionate zeal- for the glory of Jesus Christ….Only one imperialism is Christian…and that is concern for his Imperial Majesty Jesus Christ, and for the glory of his empire. (90)
As we dive into the privilege of sharing our faith, let's not miss the forest for the trees. It isn't the work of evangelism but rather the worship in evangelism- that matters most. It is dangerously easy to get so caught up in good strategies for [1] grasping the gospel, [2] checking our context, [3] loving the lost, [4] facing our fears, and [5] starting to speak that we lose sight, somewhere along the way, of the God who is the reason for it all. (95)
Evangelism has an expiration date. (95)
I have a love hate relationship with evangelism books.
On the one hand, they have helped me immensely. It's surely no coincidence that in the seasons of life when I've been most deliberate about sharing Christ with others, a good book on the topic has invigorated me. And vice versa: in the sluggish seasons, it's usually the case that I haven't pondered the subject in a while.
I'm quite skilled, you see, at avoiding things that are good for me. (1)
This is not a handbook of evangelistic jujitsu tips. I'll leave that to more able voices. This volume is about getting ready to open your mouth at all. It's about the preparation for the conversation. (2)
Nothing is more worth talking about. And nothing is easier to stay silent about. (3)
As a believer in Jesus l can know that on the cross he was treated as if he had lived my sinful life, so that I might be treated as if I have lived his righteous life. (6)
The law maker became the law keeper and died in the place of law-breakers. (15)
Our ultimate hope as Christians is not evacuation from this earth, but the restoration of this earth. (19)
Puritan Richard Sibbes, "There is more mercy in Christ than sin in us." (17)
Paul is not saying, "To the gossips I became a gossip; to the drunkards I became a drunkard; to the cannibals I became a cannibal." But he is saying, in essence, "I move as near to other people as I possibly can. I flex and adapt to meet them on their turf- -as far as truth and wisdom allow." (31)
Paul, sometimes in surprising ways, is willing to adapt and to accommodate. But he steadfastly, refuses to assimilate. (33)
Human history, C. S. Lewis observed, is "the long, terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy." (38)
If your main goal in evangelism is to hear yourself talk, especially with highfalutin biblical jargon, then many late-modern skeptics will walk-or run-away confused (at best). But if your goal is to be effective, then listen in order to understand, speak in order to be understood, and respectfully engage your fellow image-bearers in their lane of life with the best news they'll ever hear. (40)
I was convinced that fear was the primary obstacle to evangelism….Or so I told myself. Until one day it hit me: the main thing holding me back from speaking the gospel wasn't actually the presence of fear It was the absence of love. (41)
The first ditch is ignoring "Friendship evangelism" altogether, which can lead to treating people as projects. We're probably most susceptible to this when initiating gospel conversations with strangers. (44)
The second ditch is practicing "friendship evangelism" indefinitely, which can lead to idolizing relational comfort. As we have seen, friendship evangelism can be a beautiful thing-so long as the friendship doesn't crowd out the evangelism. (46)
If the danger of the first ditch [ignoring friendship evangelism entirely] is rushing the clock, the danger of the second [practicing friendship evangelism indefinitely] is assuming the clock will tick forever. "You are not worth my time" is patronizing; "We have plenty of time" is presumptuous. The first ditch is immediately tactless; the second is finally spineless. (46)
You can genuinely love someone in a brief interaction, just as you can fail to truly Bod love someone in a forty-year friendship. (47)
In fact, being listened to is so close to being loved that most people cannot tell the difference. (52)
[Penn Jillette] explicitly states that remaining silent is the least loving thing you can do- indeed, it's a form of hatred. (54)
I have mastered the art of passing up good enough opportunities in the wait for a perfect one. This is not just cowardly - it's foolish. The simple fact is that sharing Christ will almost always be inconvenient. There will be something unideal, something about the environment prompting the Devil to whisper two of his favorite words: "Not now." (57)
Don't wait for the perfect scenario; it'll never come anyway…Just resolve to seize, and steward, the one God has given you. (58)
The Devil is busy keeping sinners from opening their eyes, and he does so by keeping you from opening your mouth. (62)
Remember Lazarus? His physical state was our spiritual state until a voice from outside the tomb defibrillated his heart and breathed life into his lungs. Likewise, the world is a spiritual graveyard. Our job is to walk through the cemetery and speak to caskets. God's job is to crack them open. (63)
No amount of righteous living can replace the necessity of verbally proclaiming what God has achieved through Christ. (69-70)
It may be uncomfortable to admit, but our prayerlessness reveals our pride. H. B. Charles puts it simply:
Prayer is arguably the most objective measurement of our dependence upon God. Think of it this way. The things you pray about are the things you trust God to handle. The things you neglect to pray about are the things you trust you can handle on your own. (72)
The earliest Christians were eager to initiate gospel conversations with "random" persons-with whomever their sovereign God put in their path (Prov. 16:9; 20:24).
As you go about your day, then, be on your toes. Ask the Lord to arrange "divine appointments"—unforeseen encounters that may seem coincidental to you, but were on God's schedule all along. Some of my richest gospel conversations over the years have not been planned…by me. But God has a calendar of his own, and he delights to arrange encounters that stretch and strengthen our muscles of faith, for the good of the lost and the glory of his name. (77)
I'm reminded of a quip from Mack Stiles: "It's not that evangelism has been tried and found wanting; it's that evangelism has been found difficult and left untried." He's right. There is a real sense in which the greatest obstacle to evangelism is not unbelievers, nor even Satan himself. The greatest obstacle to evangelism is Christians who don't share the gospel. (83)
There is an old hymn by Kate Wilkinson, the final verse of which reads:
May his beauty rest upon me,
As I seek the lost to win;
And may they forget the channel,
Seeing only him. (85-86)
Remember: evangelism is not converting people. Faithful evangelism is simply taking the initiative to share Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit, and then leaving the results to God. (88)
[Or better: …leaving the outcome to God, and then being a good steward, servant, shepherd of those who respond!]
Let's not finish this book peering at a merely human horizon. For the most fundamental axis in evangelism is vertical. John Stott captures it well:
The highest [evangelistic motive] is neither obedience to the Great Commission (important as that is), nor love for sinners who are alienated and perishing (strong as that incentive is. especially when we contemplate the wrath of God), but rather zeal burning and passionate zeal- for the glory of Jesus Christ….Only one imperialism is Christian…and that is concern for his Imperial Majesty Jesus Christ, and for the glory of his empire. (90)
As we dive into the privilege of sharing our faith, let's not miss the forest for the trees. It isn't the work of evangelism but rather the worship in evangelism- that matters most. It is dangerously easy to get so caught up in good strategies for [1] grasping the gospel, [2] checking our context, [3] loving the lost, [4] facing our fears, and [5] starting to speak that we lose sight, somewhere along the way, of the God who is the reason for it all. (95)
Evangelism has an expiration date. (95)
June 11, 2022
Evangelism is often a scary, challenging task. Matt Smethurst here labors to help us set our eyes on the ultimate goal in evangelism being that of worship. And in doing that, he encourages us in the means to share our faith for God’s glory. He helps us to get our footing in preparing for evangelism by making sure we are grounded in the message of the gospel we are to proclaim. Matt also helps us in facing our fears in doing evangelism. “Before You Share your Faith” is a great help for every Christian, whether or not you think you struggle with evangelism. For it will encourage those who are regularly sharing their faith and it will equip and mobilize those who are doubting they are ready.
December 3, 2024
This book may be short, but its impact is profound! If you’ve ever struggled with sharing your faith, felt unsure about how to start, or found yourself nervous in the moment, this book is exactly what you need. It’s practical, encouraging, and full of wisdom to help you confidently share the Gospel.
Whether you read it alone, with friends, or alongside your spouse, its straightforward approach and make it accessible for everyone. At under 100 pages, it’s a quick read that will leave you feeling inspired and equipped to share who Jesus is with others. Highly recommend!
Whether you read it alone, with friends, or alongside your spouse, its straightforward approach and make it accessible for everyone. At under 100 pages, it’s a quick read that will leave you feeling inspired and equipped to share who Jesus is with others. Highly recommend!
June 18, 2023
A concise, organized, and gently encouraging resource on preparing your mind and heart for evangelism.
This book doesn’t go into specifics on apologetics, it focuses more on the foundations of evangelism; understanding the gospel, treating others with compassion and love, and pressing on through fear.
This book doesn’t go into specifics on apologetics, it focuses more on the foundations of evangelism; understanding the gospel, treating others with compassion and love, and pressing on through fear.
May 10, 2025
I really warmed up to this one as I went. As I began, I think I was disappointed because evangelism didn’t feel any less intimidating as I made my way through the book. However, it did remind me of the beauty of the gospel and give me several new concepts to keep thinking about.
April 21, 2022
Well titled. Nothing ground breaking in this book, BUT a lot of good pre-evangelism principles for our day in Western cultures have been collected here. Further reading recommendations are made at the end. Good place to start for someone new to sharing their faith or need to recalibrate their mindset and approach.
May 1, 2022
This book was awesome! It gave me such a practical way to rethink evangelism. I was very much changed and challenged by this book.
August 24, 2023
It took me a while to read this NOT because it wasn’t good…the extreme opposite! Such a great read that I will be reading again and again! So many golden nuggets in this one!
December 9, 2023
Pastors: buy this book for your congregation.
December 19, 2025
I like the equipping he does for pre-evangelism work. I was spurred on to pray and seek courage to do the work.
May 21, 2023
Good short read. Nice little motivation for Evangelism. Again easy to read and follow
October 26, 2024
This is an easy read that leads you to feel ready to share your faith. I read this before heading out to do outreach with my church and was so glad it was recommended to read. I enjoyed it and will recommend it fellow Christians as well are all called to share our faith.
November 30, 2023
Pros: good approach to cover all the basics.
Cons: some technical jargon weakens the value of this text. Overly wordy.
Overall: a mix of mediocre preparation material and a terrific chapter on Face Your Fears. Excellent quote by famous Magician Penn Jillette precedes the top-notch statement “Our job is to walk through the cemetery and speak to caskets. God’s job is to crack them open.” Worth a quick skimming by anyone preparing for evangelism.
Cons: some technical jargon weakens the value of this text. Overly wordy.
Overall: a mix of mediocre preparation material and a terrific chapter on Face Your Fears. Excellent quote by famous Magician Penn Jillette precedes the top-notch statement “Our job is to walk through the cemetery and speak to caskets. God’s job is to crack them open.” Worth a quick skimming by anyone preparing for evangelism.
October 19, 2023
Great introductory or refresher book on evangelism from the interesting perspective of the preparatory timeframe. Can’t wait to go through this with church members!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews