Bibliography

Fay, William. Share Jesus Without Fear. Nashville: B and H Publishing Group, 1999.

Summary

“Share Jesus Without Fear”^[1] by William Fay and Linda Evans Shepherd is a book that aims to help Christians overcome their fear of sharing their faith with others. The book provides a practical and up-front method for sharing the message of Jesus with people in a natural and non-confrontational way. The book stresses the importance of having a personal relationship with Jesus and encourages readers to rely on the Holy Spirit when discussing their faith with others. It provides helpful tips and strategies for initiating conversations about Jesus and responding to common objections or questions that may arise.

“Share Jesus Without Fear” is a practical guide that seeks to equip Christians with a system to share their faith confidently and genuinely with others, trusting that God will work through their efforts to touch the hearts of those they meet. The book may seem to have manipulative concepts, but the author shows in scripture how Jesus used similar tactics. Much like here in chapter 5, “The second principle comes from Luke 10:26, which describes Jesus’ approach to a man who was reading the Law. Jesus simply asked the man, “How do you read it?” In other words, Jesus was asking, “What does this say to you? “In this way, Jesus was able to discuss Scripture without starting an argument. What a great example—an example you can follow when sharing Scripture from the Bible!

Book’s Strengths

The book offers a practical and hands-on approach to sharing the Gospel. The authors stress the importance of building genuine relationships with others as a foundation for this. They provide guidance on how to connect with people on a personal level while earning the right to share their faith. The book is grounded in biblical principles and uses relevant Bible verses to support its teachings on evangelism. It helps readers understand the importance of sharing their faith in obedience to the Great Commission. “Share Jesus Without Fear” offers encouragement and motivation to readers who may feel hesitant or fearful about evangelism. The authors provide anecdotes, testimonies, and practical tips to boost readers’ confidence in sharing their faith. The book is written in a clear and accessible style, making it easy for readers to grasp the concepts and put them into practice. It is suitable for both new and seasoned believers looking to improve their evangelism skills. Still, it stresses that the Holy Spirit converts the unbeliever, and you are just a page-turner, “The Holy Spirit, not you, is in charge of all the convincing and convictions. You are only in the page-turning business with one goal, to stay out of God’s way.”^{^[2]}

Weaknesses

“Share Jesus Without Fear” has a few weaknesses, but one that stands out is the principles are simplistic for the author but not going to be easy for some. You will have to train some personality types to overcome a lifetime of social fears and anxiety to approach a stranger. The author should have mentioned that there should be in-depth training for all book users by an experienced trainer. The skills he spoke about in the book are sales skills one would learn in a Dale Carnegie Sales course, so If people are afraid, they will not do it.

Favorite Quotes

God is sovereign! If he can take somebody like me and change him, he can take anybody in your life and change him as well.^{^[3]} Looking back, I see this in my journey as I was steeped in a sinful life, and no one thought I would become a Christian. God is awesome and will forgive and help us live a Holy life.
Did you know that as few as 5 to 10 percent of the people in an average church have shared their faith in the past year?^[4] This was alarming to me and has shown me that we have work to do as leaders in the church.
We all must evangelize through the power of the Holy Spirit. 5 It is not us, but God will show us, help us witness,and either plant or cultivate the seed.
By using the final question, “Do you have any spiritual beliefs?” we are suddenly on the track I want to take. We are running toward the gospel of Jesus Christ.^[5] This question is the most intriguing in the book as it removes the attack of witnessing and opens up dialogue.
Perhaps, instead of pulling out what looks like a cannon in the eyes of a nonbeliever, you could pull out a little derringer, the kind you can hide in your pocket until you need it.^[6] I had never realized this before reading this book; I ordered his recommended bible for sharing Jesus.
Isn’t it interesting that Jesus didn’t force the crippled man to receive restoration? As a matter of fact, Jesus never forced his healing or love on anyone. So it takes more than hearing the gospel to become born again. It comes down to making a choice about what you have heard^[7]. Simplicity is genius! This makes things easy for the sharer of the gospel as they have to hear and make a decision.
When your friend accepts Christ as his Savior, one of the most important things he needs to do is join a church fellowship. This is important not only to the body of Christ but also for his own spiritual growth. 9 This is vital to a new believer and should be part of the plan.
The best way to conquer an objection is through a simple three-letter word: “Why?” 10. It works in sales, arguments with your spouse, and sharing the gospel.
God did not call you to hide from the world. He called you to go into the world^{^[8]} We have to be the light for a fallen world and be genuine that we are sinners just like them, but have a God we can go to for needs, forgiveness, and comfort.
I cannot think of a single time out of the thousands of times I have shared my faith that I haven’t prayed for the person beforehand. Even if it is a chance meeting, I silently pray for God’s help.
God will give us the words to say and calm our spirits as we share if we pray, and sometimes it’s a quick prayer after you start the discussion.

Lessons Learned

One of this book’s central themes is learning to overcome the fear of sharing my faith with others. It emphasizes the importance of trusting in God and relying on His strength so that I can confidently share the message of Jesus. The book stresses the significance of being prepared to talk about my faith anytime and in any situation. This means knowing key Bible verses, articulating my testimony, and being ready to answer common questions about Christianity. Effective evangelism involves sharing my beliefs, listening to others, and asking questions to understand their perspective. The book encourages me to engage in meaningful conversations and build relationships with non-believers. Prayer is a powerful tool in evangelism, and the book emphasizes the importance of praying for opportunities to share my faith and for the people I am trying to reach. Ultimately, the book teaches me that the Holy Spirit convicts and converts hearts, not my own efforts. Trusting in the work of the Holy Spirit can help ease the pressure of feeling responsible for the outcome of my evangelism efforts. I need to approach evangelism with a spirit of love, respect, and humility. The book emphasizes the importance of treating others with kindness and compassion, even when facing rejection or hostility. “Sharing Jesus Without Fear” provides practical tools and techniques for effectively sharing my faith, and I can’t wait to implement the teachings in all areas of my life.

^[1] William Fay and Linda Evans Shepherd, Share Jesus without Fear (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999).