How to Evangelize Family and Friends without turning them off!

Sharing the gospel with others can be difficult, and it can become even more difficult when it involves someone with whom we have close emotional ties like our family and friends.

The Word of God tells us that some people will be offended at the gospel (Luke 12:51–53). Nevertheless, we are charged to share the Good News (Matthew 28:19–20; Acts 1:8; 1 Peter 3:15).

So, how can we evangelize our family members, friends, co-workers, and acquaintances? The most important thing we can do is pray for them.

• Pray for wisdom to know how to best minister to them (James 1:5). 
• Pray that God would convince them of His love for them, and their need for salvation through Jesus Christ (John 3:16).
• Pray that God would change their hearts and open their spiritual eyes to the truth of the gospel (2 Corinthians 4:4). 

We must be eager and bold in our actual sharing of the gospel. Always be ready to speak of our faith (1 Peter 3:15), doing so with gentleness and respect; proclaiming the message of salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9–10).

There is no substitute for personally sharing the gospel: the bible says “Faith comes from hearing the word of God,” and the word is about the Good News of Jesus Christ (Romans 10:17).

In addition to praying and sharing our faith, we must also live godly, sober Christian lives in front of our family, friends and acquaintances; so they can see the change God has made in our lives (1 Peter 3:1–2).

At the end of the day, we must leave the work of salvation in the lives of our loved ones to God. It is God’s power and grace that saves people, not our convincing words or articulate delivery.

The best we can do for them is to pray, witness to them (John 3:16 and Acts 2; 38), and live the Christian life so that they will see Christ in us the hope of glory. The bible says it is God who gives the increase (1 Corinthians 3:6). God bless you!