Sharing your faith in Jesus is like turning your lifeboat around for people who are drowning. It’s an act of love. In fact, it’s one of the greatest acts of love you can provide for someone. However, sharing about Jesus and the gospel can definitely be intimidating. The devil doesn’t want you to lead people to the Lord, so he will try hard to put all kinds of doubts and fears in your mind to prevent you from doing it. These thoughts often look like this:
- “I’m not knowledgeable enough to tell people about Jesus yet”
- “What if I make a fool of myself?”
- “What if they think I’m weird?”
- “They won’t understand me”
- “Somebody else will do a better job evangelizing to them than I could”
- “They’re stuck in their own beliefs. They’ll never believe or listen to me”
These are just a few of the many strategies the devil will try and use to prevent us from pointing people to Jesus and the Gospel.
In this post, we’ll cover 5 practical and modern evangelism methods to lead someone to Christ in everyday life. Think of this as a guide to practical, modern evangelism methods.
A Modern Evangelism Method to Connect People to Jesus
Let’s face it… standing on a street corner yelling at people or walking up to people telling them they’re going to hell isn’t the most effective way to evangelize anymore. We need to find new ways to relate to people and their situations first. We must better understand what they’re struggling with and the questions they’re asking and use that to point them to Jesus. People are more open to people that can relate to them and understand them.
According to Dr. Daniel Strange in his book, Making Faith Magnetic, every person you encounter is trying to find the answers to 5 deep, universal questions that they might not even know they’re asking. If you learn to observe and listen for these 5 questions (or “magnetic points”) in your daily life, it can open up specific opportunities for you to connect people to Jesus. These 5 magnetic points (or
questions people are asking) are:
- “Is there a way to CONNECT?”
- “Is there a way to LIVE?”
- “Is there a way OUT?”
- “Is there a way to CONTROL?”
- “Is there a way BEYOND?”
Let’s take a closer look at each of these 5 Magnetic Points and how you can practically use each point to spread the gospel and tell people about your faith in Jesus.
5 New Ways to Lead Someone to Christ – Modern Christian Evangelism Methods
1. Is there a way to connect?
At a deep level, people know they are meant for close community and for intimate relationships with other people. Yet, loneliness is at epidemic levels. In the United States, over 25% of people live alone. Most people don’t even know their neighbors’ names. From single moms to widowers to fresh-out-of-college-new-job-20-somethings, everyone around you is looking for a connection. You see people searching for connectedness in political rallies, ancestry tracing, dating apps, music festivals, pride marches, social media groups, and more. But all these solutions will eventually fall short. They do not satisfy this deep longing to be connected to something real and true and eternal. And so, people keep searching, trying to scratch this itch: is there a way to connect?
The solution:
Jesus is the True Vine and His followers are the branches. This means that we are able to flourish in His presence and power. On the other hand, anyone not connected to Jesus is cut off, a dead stick. So, in our search to connect, neither something nor someone will give us the meaningful, fulfilling relationship we’re looking for, apart from Jesus. He alone can scratch this itch for connection.
Whenever you notice yourself or someone else searching for a way to connect, use this opportunity to show them that Jesus wants a connection with them!
How to get the conversation started:
- “When have you felt connected to something bigger than yourself?”
- “Do you feel valued and known by that thing/person you are connected to?
- “Maybe our desire to connect points us to a relational God.”
2. Is there a way to live?
When we move to a new town or get a new job or start a new school or make a new friend, we must navigate new norms and new rules. We might call it the “culture” of a place or a people. Most of these things are unspoken, making them difficult to figure out. And while we will all navigate those landmines in unique ways, none of us can avoid them. At almost every stage of our lives, we will be wondering, “is there a way to live?”
The western world of this particular time in history seems obsessed with mantras like “you do you” and “live your truth.” We’re all desperate for a good life. And we’re all trying to find our own path to that good life. But, along the way, we’d love to make sure others are choosing a path like ours. We’d love to make the rules for others! As Gavin Newsom wondered, “Why are we bothered so much by rules for thee and not for me?”
It’s hard to imagine that we will all ever agree on what the rules and laws of the land should be. But what if there is a standard of living that is better than anything that can be legislated or demanded by a teacher? As followers of Jesus, we know that our desire to find a way to live will only be satisfied by the God who created the universe, gave it natural laws, and made you and me too.
The solution:
Jesus not only leads us in the WAY to live, He is the WAY to live. He says “follow me” and He leads us through a broken world, through despair, even through the valley of the shadow of death (Psalm 23:4) to the Father, to heaven, and to eternal life.
Jesus’ claim to be the WAY to live was exclusive, but his invitation is radically inclusive. He said things like, WHOEVER believes in me will have eternal life. (John 3:36) And ALL who call on the name of the Lord will be saved. (Acts 9:14) So, the invitation is wide open; anyone and everyone can come to God – they just have to come through Jesus, accepting His WAY and His TRUTH, and His abundant LIFE. ALL are welcome through Him.
Keep an eye out for ways that you or others in your life are seeking a way to live and use this opportunity to point them to the one true way, Jesus!
How to get the conversation started:
- “Are you a rule keeper or a rule breaker?”
- “How have your norms and rules been informed by your upbringing?”
- “Do you think there are ‘universal’ norms? What are those?”
- “Do you follow any particular celebrity’s or influencer’s lifestyle?”
FREE RESOURCE: A practical guide to pointing people to Jesus
3. Is there a way out?
While some of us are more claustrophobic than others, you know that feeling. You’re in a confined space. You feel stuck. You’re desperate to find a way out. Sometimes life feels like that. You feel trapped by a boring job or a class you can’t pass or the expectations of society or a relationship that you can’t walk away from. Whatever it is, something has you itching for deliverance. And whatever that something is will determine how you look for a way out:
- If your problem is ignorance, then deliverance comes through education.
- If your problem is a virus, then deliverance comes through science.
- If your problem is identity, then deliverance comes through the right group.
- If your problem is loneliness, then deliverance comes through a partner.
The solution:
As followers of Jesus, we know that the ultimate problem isn’t “out there” but right here, in each of our hearts. The ultimate problem is that we’re trapped by our slavery to self, our slavery to sin. The brokenness of our lives, and the wars raging in the world around us are a result of our sin and its consequence- separation from God. At the most basic level of our lives, we’re all sinners.
But Jesus says, “I AM the resurrection and the life.” (John 11:25) Not long after this miracle, Jesus went to the cross. He died the ultimate death to overcome the ultimate problem. Neither Lazarus, nor you, nor your friend looking for a way out needs to be trapped by sin any longer. Jesus is the only way out.
How to get the conversation started:
- “If death is everyone’s destiny, why are we so afraid of it?”
- “Where do you feel stuck?”
- “If you could change something about your life, what would it be and why?”
4. Is there a way to control?
As humans, we naturally love to try and control every area of our lives. Financial planning, vacation planning, party planning, family planning, etc. You name your goal, and there are probably dozens of books, podcasts, blogs, influencers, and apps to help you control your destiny.
We want to be in control, and so we have tried to take over as gods of our own lives. But as followers of Jesus, we know that while God gave us the responsibility to steward creation (Genesis 2:15)- care for it, shape it, work with it, make a home in it- this world does not ultimately belong to us. God is the owner, and that means He is sovereign and in control of both the world and our individual lives.
The solution:
As the Good Shepherd, Jesus knows us, guides us, and satisfies us. It is remarkable that Jesus knows each of us intimately- every sheep has a name! He made us uniquely and He delights in each of us. We can trust that Jesus guides us faithfully- He has shown us the way. He navigated the temptations and struggles of life as a man, and we can follow Him knowing that He goes ahead of us. And Jesus satisfies us abundantly- a good shepherd leads his sheep to green pastures and quiet waters. We can let go of fear and worry and control because He supplies what we need.
How to get the conversation started:
- “Who is in control when a 3-year-old is in the room?”
- “What are the easiest things for you to control?”
- “How do you manage this specific area of your life?” (parenting, schedule, diet, etc)
5. Is there a way beyond?
One of the biggest questions of all time is, “what happens after we die?”. Death is the end for 100% of us, yet we’re surprised by it, and we live in fear of it. And so, we look for a way beyond. For followers of Christ, that way is obvious. The entire narrative of Scripture points beyond this life to a future hope and eternity in the presence of God. But if the people in your life have rejected Christianity, what are they finding when they look for a way beyond?
It may seem like modern society is disenchanted with the supernatural, but just a glance through the most-watched movies and tv shows might point to something different. Cosmic drama is a booming industry. Minimalism as a spiritual alternative is very cool. Ask any athlete what their lucky charm is that they would never take to the field or court without. We want to believe that the universe is bigger than just what we can see and touch. But we’re utterly in the dark without some sort of light.
The solution:
With Jesus, we aren’t left guessing as to the way beyond. There is a way beyond, and Jesus came to reveal it- to light up the path for all people- and He can do so because He comes from a world beyond. He came down and lived for a while among us. And while He was here He revealed God to us. He showed us the way beyond.
His light brings life! The ancients in the apostle John’s day believed that air, water, food, and light were all necessary to sustain life. Well, in the Gospel of John, Jesus is all four of these things! He gives the “Breath of Life” in John 3 (John 3:8; 20:22). He is the “Water of Life” in John 4 (John 4:10, 13-14). He is the “Bread of Life” in John 6 (John 6:35). And here in John 1:5, He is the “Light of Life”.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:5)
Even a tiny flame will dispel the darkness. In the same way, the truth always wins out in the end, and Jesus is that truth. He overcomes the darkness of deceit. He conquers the lies of men and demons.
Jesus shows us the way beyond this life to our eternal home. He has gone ahead to prepare a place for each of us (John 14:2), and He lights your path the whole way there. And He wants you to show the people in your life this path.
How to get the conversation started:
- “What if the universe isn’t impersonal? What if there is a Creator?”
- “Which parts of life feel like you’re living in the dark?”
- “What do you say to someone who has just lost a loved one?”
Next Step: Download our free practical guide to pointing people to Jesus!
We created a practical and easy-to-follow guide to help you point the people in your life to Jesus in any situation. The free guide includes:
- Overview of each of the 5 ways to connect people to Jesus
- Specific questions people are likely asking for each of the 5 points
- Specific answers to the questions they’re likely asking
- Practical prayers and scriptures to share for each of the 5 points
