Many Christians have been hindered in their efforts to tell others about Christ because of fear of rejection or being shunned.
Focus on pleasing God, not man. Remember the words of Paul, who wrote, For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a servant of Christ (Gal. 1:10). If we are serious in our desire to be servants of Christ, then we must make sure it is God we are trying to please, not man.
Pray for boldness. Paul believed in the power of prayer to provide boldness and he solicited the prayers of others as well in this regard (Eph. 6:18-19). As we prepare ourselves to engage in personal evangelism, let our preparation include diligent prayer for boldness. Even as you approach someone to invite to services or to offer a Bible study, say a short prayer asking God to give you the boldness necessary to say what you have planned to say.
Steps to Building Courage.
1) Start out sharing Christ in a way which does not place you face to face with people. Utilize the church business cards or tracts and carry them with you, leaving them wherever you go. What happens from there need not worry you; you’ve sown the seed and have done well.
2) Let your light shine naturally when around non-Christians (Matt. 5:16). Quietly confess through your actions and normal speech that you are a Christian. When you eat in public places, offer thanks for your food. Keep a Bible with you at all times and don’t be ashamed to be seen reading it. Make mention of things which indicate your faith in God. If a friend at work has confided in you with a problem, tell him in all sincerity, “I will keep you in my prayers”. Casual conduct and expressions like these not only help to build courage, they often serve as “door-openers” for people to inquire about your faith.
3) Personally hand your friend a tract, card or sermon CD. When beginning to face people, give a tract to a friend and say, “We’ve been friends for some time now and I would like for you to read this and tell me what you think.” Later you can ask them if they are interested in studying the Bible through a correspondence course or face to face.
Evangelism has to start somewhere and it can start with you wherever you are. Let’s all resolve to be more proactive in our efforts to serve God daily in our lives and reach out to touch others.
— For the elders, Gregg Woodall