In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus tells his followers, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.”

Many people assume sharing the gospel is only about trying to convert new people to Christianity. Ultimately, converting someone to Christianity is the work of the Holy Spirit. Spreading the gospel is a way for us to partner with the Holy Spirit in that work. But evangelism doesn’t have to mean making your best sales pitch for Christianity to anyone who will listen. And drawing new believers isn’t the only reason for sharing the gospel.

Evangelism itself often has more to do with building relationships than building a case for Christianity. In fact, most evangelists look more like the neighbor who offers to shovel a snowy driveway than the street preacher who peddles salvation like a heavenly retirement plan. By definition, the gospel is meant to be good news. That means “it must be good to whoever is receiving the message,” says Kim. But we don’t all receive the same things as good news. And the good news a person needs to hear about the gospel can change based on what is happening in their life. So sharing the gospel often starts with asking, what does good news mean for the person in front of you right now?

God could have found many conduits to deliver his message, but he chooses to allow us to join him in the work. It is an honor to be able to share the story of God’s grace and mercy that has been revealed to us in the Bible. May we love God’s Word so much that we cannot keep the good news to ourselves: this is one message we can share that never grows stale!

The Gospel is the greatest story ever told. When we care about others, we share great things that happen to us that might also help them. Jesus loves them just as Jesus loves us. Sharing this great story with others also is an important part of our life as disciples. We are called to share our feelings and our love for Jesus, as well.