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Evangelism Without Additives: What if sharing your faith meant just being yourself?
What if “evangelism” meant just being yourself?
If the gospel really is good news, why do most Christians avoid evangelism? Why is “witnessing” often a negative experience, for both the sender and receiver? Wouldn’t it be great if you could communicate the good news without having to become a spiritual salesperson?
What if…
•you didn’t have to make a speech in order to “witness”?
•you could use everyday experiences to nudge others closer to Jesus?
•the things you’re already doing counted as evangelism?
Evangelism can be as normal as asking great questions and paying attention to the people Jesus misses most. It involves doing things you already do, but with a little more intentionality. Just by being yourself and becoming unusually interested in others, you can discover that people will ask you about Jesus.
This isn’t another program or pitch. It’s a handbook on how to make real connections with the people formerly known as lost.
Think of it as evangelism for the rest of us.
If the gospel really is good news, why do most Christians avoid evangelism? Why is “witnessing” often a negative experience, for both the sender and receiver? Wouldn’t it be great if you could communicate the good news without having to become a spiritual salesperson?
What if…
•you didn’t have to make a speech in order to “witness”?
•you could use everyday experiences to nudge others closer to Jesus?
•the things you’re already doing counted as evangelism?
Evangelism can be as normal as asking great questions and paying attention to the people Jesus misses most. It involves doing things you already do, but with a little more intentionality. Just by being yourself and becoming unusually interested in others, you can discover that people will ask you about Jesus.
This isn’t another program or pitch. It’s a handbook on how to make real connections with the people formerly known as lost.
Think of it as evangelism for the rest of us.
192 pages, Paperback
First published June 7, 2005
11 people are currently reading
57 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 26, 2012
The book is okay. It seems more directed towards evangelical Christians who are recovering from "bait and switch" and heavy-handed salesmanship "evangelism"--things Orthodox Christians traditionally don't do. As such, I fell outside of the book's intended target audience and felt the author was belaboring a point I already get.
What the author recommends (treating "the missing" as people we should love and not as projects) seemed obvious to me, but clearly he's writing for a particular segment of people where this may not be so obvious.
What was a glaring omission in the book was any discussion of the Great Commission and how it fits into (or doesn't fit into) his whole approach. While there is a great deal of merit in the author's kid gloves approach, I can't help but think he's not doing all the work Christ has given us. Isn't there a reasonable middle ground between heavy handed and kid gloves when it comes to sharing our faith with others?
What the author recommends (treating "the missing" as people we should love and not as projects) seemed obvious to me, but clearly he's writing for a particular segment of people where this may not be so obvious.
What was a glaring omission in the book was any discussion of the Great Commission and how it fits into (or doesn't fit into) his whole approach. While there is a great deal of merit in the author's kid gloves approach, I can't help but think he's not doing all the work Christ has given us. Isn't there a reasonable middle ground between heavy handed and kid gloves when it comes to sharing our faith with others?
January 10, 2022
The author has some helpful ideas, and his approach makes evangelism feel doable for the average person. That said, there is a lot of fluff in between the helpful ideas. Also, as much as I agree that evangelism needs to be relational and authentic, there comes a point when Christians must connect their kindness to the message of Christ—or else "the people Jesus misses the most" will think that we are simply nice, moral people.
February 8, 2010
Good book. Kinda reinforced what I have always felt...rote evangelism rarely works and might do more harm than good.
This book shares practical examples and suggestions for creating authentic relationships,,,focus on REAL listening, caring about people and being the hands and feet.
I would rate this book higher, but it was a little dry to read.
It also comes with study questions and can be used as a class room study.
This book shares practical examples and suggestions for creating authentic relationships,,,focus on REAL listening, caring about people and being the hands and feet.
I would rate this book higher, but it was a little dry to read.
It also comes with study questions and can be used as a class room study.
April 29, 2025
The best thing about Evangelism without Additives were the "Attemping the Ordinary" suggestions at the end of each chapter. They are low-risk starting points for Christians to connect with non-Christians. I appeciated the short simple chapters, but the book was too long for what it covered.
Evangelism was described as "ordinary."
"Ordinary time" makes up the majority of the church calendar.
It's a start.
Evangelism was described as "ordinary."
"Ordinary time" makes up the majority of the church calendar.
It's a start.
October 25, 2019
Ok at best, starts off with a few interesting ideas and drifts onto endless cliches and the tired jargon of someone determined not to use jargon. The articulation of Christianity and understanding of Jesus is fuzzy at times and in the end it just overloads with hallmark-quality anecdotes.
August 16, 2012
What an awesome book! If you have ever thought about sharing your faith with others (family, friends) and were thinking it required you to be courageous, this is the book for you. Every chapter has solid examples of what is known as Ordinary Attempts that can jump start your path to evangelizing. It's very easy reading and is 139 pages plus about 18 pages of questions for each chapter so this can be used in a Study and Discussion Group.
October 19, 2008
The Shack teaches that everything you do matters because you are a Child of God. Evangelism without additives drives home the point that when God says everything He means everything. The simplest gesture of listening to someone is a gift. Do you have a divine appointment with someone today?
February 25, 2012
See http://www.BillDahl.net for the review
April 9, 2013
As with many books, I got the main idea after the first few chapters! A different paradigm to think about.
March 17, 2016
Some things he wrote made me change the way I would think to evangelize. Other things, though, I felt attacked me and other Christians.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews