Thirdmill Institute

Evangelism Badge
And Jesus came and said to them, “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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you
always, to the end of the age. Matthew 28:18-20

In the Gospel of Matthew these are Jesus’s final words before he was taken up into heaven. In your own
life, imagine what you might say to those closest to you if you had a chance to share your final words.
What would they be? They wouldn’t be about the weather, your job or the latest score of your favorite
team. They would be the things closest to your heart. The same was true of Jesus here. He shared
what was most important for them to hear. Making disciples was closest to his heart. Jesus’s mission
and greatest longing was to spread the Gospel of the kingdom and make disciples (followers). The first
step in making disciples is evangelism.

In this badge you will discuss what it means to share the gospel in your own context and how to do it. In
addition, you will have an opportunity to share your testimony with someone who doesn’t know the
Lord.

Topics to Discuss:

1. Describe to your coach what the gospel is. Discuss your answer in your group.
2. What is evangelism in your context? (How is it viewed? What is a common form of evangelism in
your context?)
3. What are the main components that must be included in a presentation of the gospel (or when
you share your faith)? Make a list. Then try to narrow it down to 6 items or fewer.
4. In your context, what is the most effective way to share the gospel? Is it through sharing with
people you don’t know or sharing with people you already have a relationship with?

Personal Testimony

Everyone has a story or a personal testimony of how they came to put their faith in Jesus Christ
as their Savior. Your testimony is powerful witness that you can use any time to make a difference in
someone else’s life. Think about how you came to know Jesus as your Savior. You will prepare a short
testimony of approximately 3 minutes that you can share with people.
Here are three helpful steps to think through when putting your testimony together.

Step 1: What was your life like before you came to know Jesus and how might that connect to
someone you’re talking to?
 Step 2: What were the circumstances in how you came to know about Jesus and place your
faith in him? What was it that allowed you to see that his is the truth?

Step 3: What changed in your life after you put your faith in Christ that someone can relate to?

Action Steps:

1. Write out your testimony, memorize it and share it with your trainer and the others in your
group.
2. Share your testimony with someone who isn’t a Christian.
3. Discuss with your trainer and your group how it went. What went well? What could you
improve?