How to Lead Others to Christ

One day a lady criticized the great 19th century evangelist D. L. Moody for his methods of evangelism in attempting to win people to the Lord. Moody answered, “I agree with you. I don’t like the way I do it either. Tell me, how do you do it?” The lady replied, “I don’t do it.” Moody then said, “Then I like my way of doing it better than your way of not doing it!”

Do we really believe what we claim to believe? Do we really believe that there is a heaven and a hell? Do we really believe that the wages of sin is death? If so, how can we be so casual in telling others about Jesus Christ? Once you pray for a God-given burden for those who do not know Christ (as mentioned in the last message), I believe you are more than half-way there in leading others to the Lord.

• You do not need to be a theologian to share your faith . . . though you need to study and know your Bible.
• You do not have to know the answer to every possible question . . . though you can find them once you are asked.
• You do not need to be a master communicator . . . but you will grow more effective as time goes by.

You simply need to be willing and available! Remember the story of the woman at the well? Once she realized that Jesus was the Messiah, we read, "Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 'Come see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?' They came out of the town and made their way toward Him" (John 4:28–30).

Through that woman’s simple testimony, many Samaritans came to the Lord that day (John 4:39).

Basic Principles for Sharing Your Faith
Read Acts 8:26–40

Next to personally knowing Jesus and walking with Him, I know of no greater blessing or privilege than actually leading someone to Jesus Christ. The following passage lays out four important principles you should follow in witnessing to others.

Acts chapter eight tells the story of how God used one man, Philip, to lead another to Jesus. First, we see two forms of evangelism at work here. In the early part of this chapter, Philip is engaged in what you might call mass evangelism. Later, we see him doing personal evangelism, as he talks one-on-one with the Ethiopian.

This text shows that God uses both forms of evangelism in getting out the gospel. Interestingly, surveys have shown that 85% of those who come forward at a crusade have been brought by a friend. In a sense, it is one-on-one evangelism utilizing an event to expose someone to Christ.

Principle 1: Have a God-given Burden and Compassion for the Lost.

We never know when we start the day whether the Lord has plans for us to share His gospel with a whole roomful of people—such as a group of friends or family—or just one individual. But our witness will be empty if we have no compassion for the people with whom we are sharing. With that in mind, here are four essential truths about people that you must understand:

1. Every life without Christ has a basic emptiness.
2. Every individual experiences a certain loneliness.
3. Everyone has a sense of guilt.
4. There is a universal fear of death.

Some people may appear to have it all together, but no matter how much money, possessions, sex, or power they have, they still have a basic emptiness. Everyone longs for inner security and peace—and nothing outside of Christ can fill that need. As you recognize the fullness that a life in Christ offers, and you understand these basic facts about people in general, you will have a greater desire to share the hope that is within you.

Principle 2: Go to Those Who Need Christ.

This probably explains why Philip, though forced to leave the city he knew as home (v. 4), still preached the message of Christ wherever he went—even if it meant preaching to a group of people he had previously been taught to hate. In this case, according to v. 6, he went to Samaria.

As a Jewish man, he would have been raised with a natural prejudice against the Samaritans. Yet, Philip is simply following the lead of his Lord, Jesus, who had planted the first seed in Samaria through His conversation with the woman at the well.

The Apostle Paul reminds us of the mysterious work of conversion through sowing and reaping: “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor” (1 Corinthians 3:6–8).

This passage illustrates that God often uses a number of Christians to reach someone for Christ rather than just the efforts of one person. Consider the story of the four men who brought their crippled friend to Jesus for healing (Mark 2:3-12). The four of them, working in harmony, were able to bring that man to the Lord.

Principle 3: Be Open and Available to the Leading of God’s Holy Spirit.

Verse 29 says that the Spirit said where Philip was to go. He was led by God’s Holy Spirit. This can make all the difference in sharing one’s faith.

What does God’s Spirit say to us today? Remember Paul’s words to Timothy, “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season”(2 Timothy 4:2a). At the same time, we need to be listening to the Lord. As Jesus said, "My sheep hear My voice . . . and they follow me"(John 10:27). It may come in the form of an impression, or a sense of burden for an individual. But you must take it as a possible leading from the Lord Himself.

Principle 4: Be Obedient to God’s Leading.

We read that Philip “arose and went” (v. 27). He was obedient to the Lord’s calling. God told another individual to get up and go—and he got up and went the opposite direction! His name was Jonah, and after a little gentle persuasion from the Lord, he saw it God’s way. God then used him to lead the greatest revival in human history.

Philip could have easily questioned the logic of such a decision. After all, he was in the midst of a full-scale revival in Samaria, with many coming to faith, a number of miracles being performed, and people getting delivered from demons. He could have argued with the angel, “What? Leave this mighty work in Samaria to go to the desert? I’m 80 miles from where you want me to go. The apostles and other believers are at least 30 miles closer. Why don’t you just use one of them?”

But Philip did not argue. He obeyed—even if he did not completely understand why God was having him do this, or if it wasn’t his will. And God knew that Philip was the right man for the job. God had uniquely prepared both Philip and his subject for this very moment.

God has uniquely prepared you, as well. But if you do not seize the moment, He will find another to take your place. In the story of Queen Esther, Esther’s cousin, Mordecai understood this aspect of God’s work on earth, and he told Esther, “If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. What’s more, who can say but that you have been elevated to the palace for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14).

When God tells you to go and do something, He sees the big picture, while we are limited to the small one. God does not usually give us a detailed blueprint, but instead leads us one step at a time. If you are unwilling to take the first step, don’t expect Him to give you the second!

Interestingly, God decides to move Philip out of a great revival to reach one single man. This shows that God is keenly interested in individuals. As in the parable of the lost sheep, He is willing to leave the 99 in search of the that one lost lamb.

Principle 5: Be Tactful and Clear.

When Philip approaches the Ethiopian eunuch, he asks, “Do you understand what you are reading?” (v. 30). He does not start out with a statement like, “Are you saved?” or “Do you know that you are going to hell?” Instead, Philip carries on a dialogue with the man. He speaks, and then he listens.

One of the best ways to share your faith with someone is to listen to that person for awhile. Ask him about his opinions, his situation, his thoughts. Then build from there. That is certainly the model Jesus gave us in His one-on-one encounters with individuals (i.e., the woman at the well).

Responding to Philip’s tactful statement, this empty man from Ethiopia finds Jesus Christ. He asks Philip to guide him, or show him the way (v. 31).

Likewise, God wants to use you to show the way to others.

“How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” (Romans 10:14).

“For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe” (1 Corinthians 1:21).

This last verse does not say that it pleased God through foolish preaching to save, or it pleased God through Christian entertainment to save those who believe. It says “through the foolishness of the message preached.” In other words, God saves people through the simple message of the gospel. In the words of the blind man healed by Jesus, “One thing I do know: I was blind, but now I see!” (John 9:25). 

An Opportunity Seized.

In November of 1996, the news media covered the story of a highjacked jet of 163 passengers and 12 crew members that crashed near the Comoros Islands because it ran out of fuel. What we did not read or hear was a dramatic story of what God did in the final moments of that ill-fated flight. There was a man on board named Andrew Meekens, an elder in the International Evangelical Church of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He was on his way to a Bible conference. He was described as a reserved man, yet deeply committed in his faith. According to survivors of the crash, after the pilot announced that he would be attempting an emergency landing, Meekens, seizing the moment, stood up and quickly shared the gospel message with all on board, and invited people to respond. A surviving flight attendant said that about 20 people accepted Christ, including a fellow flight attendant who did not survive the crash.

While the opportunities God gives you to share your faith may not be as dramatic, they are just as significant to the Lord. If you follow these biblical principles for personal evangelism, like Philip from the early Church, you will surely see God use you in amazing ways.

Part XI