How to Preach the Gospel

Before Preaching the Gospel

GREET the person, and give a clear statement about who you are. For example, “Hello, how are you? I am (name) with Bible Baptist Church.”

QUESTION those you begin speaking with about their religious background (e.g., “Are you a Christian?” or “Do you go to church?”), and their beliefs about salvation. The chart below fully explains how to check if someone is saved or not, and what kind of things to say based upon their responses.

OFFER to preach the gospel to the person. After knowing they are not saved, transition from determining if they are saved to an invitation for them to listen to the gospel. For example, “Well, many people believe that we must do good works to be saved, but the Bible says that going to heaven is much easier; it is only by believing in Jesus. Can I show you how to go to heaven from the Bible?”
Concluding the Gospel

Apply the gospel to them personally:

Explaining the difference of beliefs––get them to understand that before, they were trusting in themselves, and not in Jesus. For example, “Before, you were thinking you had to keep the commandments to go to heaven. So were you trusting in Jesus, or in yourself?”
Explaining the difference of eternal destinies––get them to understand that before, they were going to hell, not to heaven. For example, “If you would have died one hour ago, would you have gone to heaven or to hell?”
Explaining the difference of religious affiliation––get them to understand that the church they go to is a false church preaching a false gospel. You should also show them a couple verses about this, such as Romans 16:17-18, I John 4:1, Matthew 7:15, Galatians 1:9, etc.

Lead them in a short prayer. Explain that salvation is a one-time event, not a process. Offer to guide them in a simple prayer to God for eternal life, and then guide them phrase-by-phrase in the sinner’s prayer (see an example on the next page).

Preaching the Gospel

Bible Doctrine

Recommended Bible Verses

Questions

SIN

Teach them that we are sinners, and that we are not righteous.

Romans 3:23

Romans 3:10

What is a sin?

Have you ever sinned?

Are you a sinner?

HELL

Teach them that we do not deserve to go to heaven, but rather have earned hell by our works. Explain what hell is like according to the Bible.

Romans 6:23a

Revelation 21:8b

As sinners, do we deserve to go to heaven or to hell?

Where should a sinner go when they die?

JESUS

Teach them that Jesus is the only savior, that he is God, that he died for all of our sins, and that he rose again from the dead to save us.

I Corinthians 15:3b-4

What did Jesus do to save us?

How many sins did Jesus die for?

BELIEVE

Teach them that the one and only thing they have to do to be saved is to believe in Jesus Christ, and that they do not have to do good works to go to heaven.

Acts 16:30b-31

Romans 4:5

Matthew 7:22-23

John 3:18

Romans 3:28

Galatians 2:21b

Ephesians 2:8-9

What is the one thing we have to do to go to heaven?

What does the Bible say we have to do to be saved?

Do we have to keep God’s commandments/repent of our sins do go to heaven?

Do you have to work for a free gift?

Why would someone not go to heaven?

ETERNAL LIFE

Teach them that once they are saved, they will always be saved, and that we cannot lose our salvation no matter what we do after we believe in Jesus.

Titus 1:2

John 10:28

***Examples

John 1:12

I Corinthians 3:14-15

Matthew 5:19

We should not sin, but what if someone believed in Jesus and then continues to commit sins, and does not repent of their sins, would they go to heaven or to hell?

What if you believe in Jesus, but later you become a thief/drunk/murderer? Where will you go?

If you believe in Jesus, and God sends you to hell, did God keep his promise?

If God gives the gift of eternal life, can he take it away if you sin?

At the end of the gospel, review the five points with short, simple questions to confirm their understanding. Apply the gospel to them personally (see the other side of this paper) to ensure they have believed the gospel. Then, show them Romans 10:13, and lead them in a simple prayer, like this one:

“Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner, and I know that I deserve to go to hell. I believe you are the Son of God. I believe that you died for my sins, and that you rose again to save me. Please save me, and give me eternal life. I am not trusting in myself anymore, only in you, Jesus. Thank you for saving me. Amen.”