The Principles of Evangelism for Christian Teens

Ways to Effectively Witness to Those Around You

Many Christian teens feel a passion for sharing their faith with others, but many are fearful of how their friends, family, and even strangers will react if they try to share their Christian beliefs. Sometimes even the term "witnessing" brings up anxiety or visions of people shouting Christian tenets on street corners. While there is no one right way to spread the Gospel, there are five principles of witnessing that can help you share your faith in ways that will ease your anxiety and plant seeds of faith in others.

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Understand Your Own Faith

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Understanding the basics of your Christian faith can go a long way in easing your fears of sharing the gospel. Christian teens that have a clear vision of what they believe find it easier to share their faith with the people around them. Before you start witnessing to others, be sure you know what you believe and why you believe it. Sometimes even writing it down can make it all clearer.

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Other Religions Aren’t All Wrong

Some Christian teens think that witnessing is about disproving other people's faiths and religions. However, that isn't necessarily true. There are inherent truths in other religions that are also present in the Christian faith. For instance, doing good things for the poor is a part of many religions around the world. Don't be so focused on proving their beliefs wrong. Instead, focus on showing how Christianity is right. Show what your faith does for you and talk about why you believe it is the truth. This way you'll keep people from getting defensive and allow them to actually hear what you have to say.

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Know Why You're Sharing the Gospel

Why do you want to evangelize to others? Often Christian teens witness to others because they sometimes have an internal counter of how many people they "convert." Others feel they are above non-Christian and witness from a point of arrogance. If your motivations are not coming from a place of love and patience you could end up relying on manipulation to "get a result." Try to know why you are sharing the gospel and don't feel pressured to get a decision. Just plant a seed.

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Set Limits

Again, planting a seed is an important part of witnessing. Avoid being a Christian teen that has to see a result, because you could become one of those argumentative witnesses that thinks they can "debate" someone into the Kingdom. Instead set goals and limits for your discussion. It helps to know your audience or practice conversations. This way you will know how to answer tough questions and be prepared to walk away from a discussion before it becomes a shouting match. You will be amazed at how many of those seeds you plant flourish over time.

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Be Prepared for What You May Face

Many non-Christians have a vision of witnessing and evangelism that involves Christians "in your face" about faith. Some will avoid any discussion of religion because they have had some very bad experiences with "forceful" Christians. Others will have misconceptions about God's nature. By practicing your evangelistic techniques you will find that talking to others about the Gospel will come easier over time.

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Mahoney, Kelli. "The Principles of Evangelism for Christian Teens." Learn Religions, Aug. 26, 2020, learnreligions.com/principles-of-evangelism-for-christian-teens-712514. Mahoney, Kelli. (2020, August 26). The Principles of Evangelism for Christian Teens. Retrieved from https://www.learnreligions.com/principles-of-evangelism-for-christian-teens-712514 Mahoney, Kelli. "The Principles of Evangelism for Christian Teens." Learn Religions. https://www.learnreligions.com/principles-of-evangelism-for-christian-teens-712514 (accessed March 29, 2024).