Guide 04: Share the Good News

Tip: You may find it helpful to set a timer for each section

Two Essential Components of Witness

  1. Living a beautiful life in community

    • Our first and most important task is to live as a sign of the coming kingdom of God.

    • To live in a way that begs the question: Why do you do life in community? Why do you call people “family” who aren’t like you? Why do you give so much of your money away? Why do you stay married, you two are so different?

  2. Sharing the Good News of Jesus

    • There comes a time when we must tell people about Jesus. We can’t just be really kind and cook good food and hope people figure it out.

Six Best Practices for Witness

  1. Live a beautiful life in Community

    • Just follow Jesus, together. Love one another deeply, from the heart. So deeply, and genuinely, that people are drawn into your community.

  2. Be authentic

    • Don’t hide who you are. You love Jesus.

    • Celebrate your life in Jesus the way your secular friends celebrate a new restaurant, sound bath, or yoga studio. When people ask what you did that weekend, don’t hide that you went to church. Just be authentic.

  3. Pray

    • Whenever anyone comes to follow Jesus, it’s a work of the Spirit.

  4. Practice hospitality

    • Intentionally make room at your table and in your schedule and your heart for those far from God.

    • You may invite people to: Your table for dinner, or to church on Sunday, or an event like Alpha, or just to a conversation.

  5. Tell your story

    • No one can argue with your story. Do not underestimate the power of telling your story with God.

  6. Practice Hospitality

    • When the time is right, talk about Jesus.

    • Let the good news of Jesus be on your lips.

We Can’t Control the Outcomes

Our job isn’t to “seal the deal”; It’s just to tell people what we have seen and heard and know to be true of Jesus. Our job is to bear witness, in love, to people wherever they are in the spiritual journey.

Key Scripture Passage and Context

“Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.”

— 1 Peter 2v11-12

Living a beautiful, counter-cultural life points beyond itself to God and brings people to him

“But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. ‘Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.’ But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.”‍ ‍

— 1 Peter 3v14-16

When we live a beautiful, compelling life in the imitation of Jesus, it can spark conversations with people about Jesus and we should be ready to answer questions about our faith.

“How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?”‍ ‍

— Romans 10v14

There comes a time when we must tell people about Jesus.

Discuss Together: is there anything that stood out to you in this section? Anything you’re struggling to embrace?

Read the following exercises (5 Minutes)

Baseline Exercise: Practice articulating the gospel in your own words and share with someone in your band or church. You may consider our resource “The Story of Scripture” as a helpful frame for articulating the gospel of Jesus.

Important note:

  • We are not asking you to share with a non-believer, but if the time is right and they are curious to hear, consider sharing it with them through your words, or you could simply send them our “Story of Scripture” resource for them to read and have them share their honest thoughts/ questions.

  • Remember, the goal is not to argue someone into the Kingdom; the goal is to have them thoughtfully engage with the Story of Jesus, and give them a chance to process and respond.

Reach Exercise (optional): Identify 2-3 of the main objections people have against the gospel in your cultural context or relational world. Consider reading How to Reach the West Again by Tim Keller for more help.

Keep Growing (optional):

Discuss Together: Are there any ideas, questions, or concerns you have with the exercise?

Close in Prayer (10 minutes)

Before we close, let’s take some time to pray for each other. What can we offer to God in prayer for you?

Remember: everyone prays, and everyone gets prayer.

Reflect (30 minutes)

  • How is it with your soul?

  • Have you been listening to the teachings?

  • Who did you invite over for a meal this week, and how did they respond? If they said yes and already came over, share what that experience was like.

  • What drew you to invite the person you did? What are or were you hoping would happen through this meal?

  • If there is still time in this section, confess any sin, anxieties, relation tension, or anything else to the group? (If not, consider utilizing voice memo outside this time to share).

Read overview (15 minutes)

Either one person read this entire section, or split it up

Key Session Theme: In our post-Christian culture, the dominant cultural atmosphere at times feels hostile to the message of Jesus, and we’ve been socially conditioned by our culture to stay silent.

Good news: When we live a beautiful, counter-cultural life in proximity to others and share the good news of Jesus with gentleness and respect, our life can become a kind of proof of the faith itself, sparking conversations that bring people to God.