Jesus Christ commanded His disciples to “go therefore and make disciples ...” (Matt. 28:19). This command is a mandate to all Christians to be involved in sharing the good news of Jesus in one way or another. This mandate that is often called “evangelism.”

I like to call this mandate outreach, as that word seems to describe best what Christians are to do - reach out to those around us in the name of Jesus Christ to share the good news that God has made it possible for people to have a personal relationship with Him, experience forgiveness of sin, and have eternal life.

But how is outreach done? How can you engage in outreach and thus “make disciples?” First, you need to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ yourself. You can find out how to do this by going to the “Spiritual Help” portion of this website. If you are already a Christian, you can engage in outreach by sharing your own story with others at appropriate times. (I Peter 3:15) You can also engage in outreach by living the kind of Christian life that shows the love of Christ and lives out the principles of the Bible under the Lordship of Jesus and in the strength of the Holy Spirit.

Ultimately you cannot make a person believe in Jesus; that “job” belongs to the Holy Spirit who convicts people of their sin and the need for a Savior. (John 16:7-11) But this “job” involves the Christian as an integral part of the “team.” In this cooperative process, God works through His word (Romans 10:17), through prayer (Acts 4:31-33) and through you (Romans 10:13 & 14). Therefore, it behooves each Christian not only to know his or her own story of coming to Jesus, but to be able to explain what a person needs to do to have a relationship with Him. The message of the gospel is not complicated. In fact, it is simple; so simple that there is no excuse for not knowing it. The essence of that message is as follows:

God loves you. II Peter 3:9

All people, including you, have done wrong things, things that are contrary to the requirement of a holy God that we live a perfect life. (these wrong things are called “sin.”) Romans 3:23

Because of your own sin, you deserve God’s punishment which is death and separation from Him. Romans 6:23

But God loves you so much that He came to earth Himself as Jesus Christ, lived a perfect life and yet died in your place and took God’s punishment for your sin. John 3:16; Romans 5:8

If you agree with God that you have sinned against Him, confess that to Him, and ask Him to accept Jesus’ punishment in place of yours and save you, He will do it, and then will want you to live for Him only. Romans 10:9

There are many other ways to explain the message of the gospel, but the point is that Christians are to be involved in the sharing of that message. If you are a Christian, are you involved in outreach? If you are not, you need to be.