Prayer is Uniting Oneself to God in the Word

Share Jesus Without Fear

Bibliographic Details

Fay, William, and Linda Evans Shepherd. (1999). Share Jesus Without Fear. Nashville,

Tennessee: B&H Publishing Group.

Summary of the Book

Share Jesus Without Fear by William Fay and Linda Evans Shepherd is a guide for Christians on how to share their faith without having to worry about whether they are doing it the right way or not. The book outlines a simple, step-by-step approach to sharing faith, which includes asking five questions to determine the other person's spiritual condition, having the person read several key Bible verses, and asking what the verses say to them.[footnoteRef:1] The goal is to allow the Holy Spirit to bring conviction as the person reads and thinks about the truths of Scripture. The third step is another series of five questions that summarize the truths of the verses the person has just read, and they call for a decision to receive Christ. The authors emphasize that the power is in God's Word and that it's not about forcing someone to believe but about being faithful and allowing God to do His work. The book also addresses common fears and misconceptions about sharing faith and encourages believers to trust in God's power and wisdom.[footnoteRef:2] [1: Shepherd, Linda Evans, Bill Fay, and William Fay. Share Jesus without fear (B&H Publishing Group, 1999), 32.] [2: Ibid 17.]

Analysis of the Book's Strengths

The book's strengths lie in its practical and straightforward approach to evangelism. The authors provide a solid, step-by-step method that anyone can follow, regardless of their level of theological knowledge or experience in sharing their faith. This approach is empowering and actually really helps in terms of demystifying the process of evangelism. The book also addresses well the most common fears that people are likely to have when it comes to sharing faith. The book does a good job of providing reassurance and encouragement to believers who might otherwise feel intimidated or unsure about sharing their faith. The authors' emphasis on the power of God's Word and the work of the Holy Spirit in evangelism is also a strength, as it shifts the focus from the believer's efforts to God's power and wisdom.[footnoteRef:3] [3: Ibid 42.]

Analysis of the Book's Weaknesses

The book provides a practical approach to evangelism. Is it too simplistic though? It might be argued that the authors oversimplify the process to some extent. The step-by-step method presented may not be applicable in all situations or with all individuals, as people's spiritual conditions and openness to the gospel can vary greatly. Some might dismiss the questions out of hand. Then what? Sometimes one’s approach to people has to be individualized at a high level.

The book also seems to place a heavy emphasis on the individual's decision to receive Christ, which could potentially downplay the role of God's grace and sovereignty in salvation. It is true, the authors do recognize the divine part of the Holy Spirit in this mission.[footnoteRef:4] But perhaps more could be said on this. Additionally, the authors address common fears and misconceptions about sharing faith, but there may also be deeper psychological or emotional barriers that some believers may face in evangelism. These are unique to everyone, and there is no way the book can consider them all. [4: Ibid 42.]

Summary of Favorite Quotes

· “I never forgot the name, the face, the person, or the words of anyone who ever told me about Jesus.”[footnoteRef:5] The authors show here that it does not matter if the message is not receive right away. Never feel like a failure because you are rejected. The seed has been planted. Let the Holy Spirit water it and grow it. With this in mind, I believe I can rejoice simply in sowing the seed of the Word of God. [5: Ibid 2.]

· “If you and the members of your church have forsaken your duty to reach back into the world, I can promise you your church will start to divide, to backbite, and to fight over nonessential Christian issues like hymnal selection and carpet colors.”[footnoteRef:6] To me this speaks to the importance of priorities. It is the Christian’s priority to preach God to the world. This is how new people are brought to God—not through petty bickering about nonessentials. [6: Ibid 7.]

· “God has called each of us to share our faith, in obedience.”[footnoteRef:7] It is our job. This is an important point: God has given us work to do to increase His garden. It is not an option. It is a Christian duty. [7: Ibid 15.]

· “If you really care—really love someone—you will listen, attentively.”[footnoteRef:8] This work is not about having arguments. It is about getting the other person to think. That is why it is good advice to answer only with “Hmm.” It shows you are listening, not judging, and simply being about communicating the Word. [8: Ibid 33.]

· “God’s Word penetrates and changes hearts toward His Son.”[footnoteRef:9] This is why the Word is the seed. It does the work, really. If I am sowing the seed, then I am simply like one assisting in a very minor (but necessary) aspect of the gardening. I get the seed out. The seed itself is what does the work in the heart, however. I do not need to pry into it and make sure the seed is sprouting. The seed is the Word, and the Word is all-powerful because the Word is God. I am just a messenger—a delivery boy—on an errand of life, delivering the Word to those who may not even realize that they are in need of its saving power. [9: Ibid 41.]

· “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. Wouldn’t it be awful if you showed someone God’s love but did not give him the choice to receive it?”[footnoteRef:10] This quote really helps to clarify the mission. I should not force this choice on anyone. The choice is theirs. They decide. Everyone must decide for himself. [10: Ibid 60.]

· “Our culture often does not have a sensitivity to what sin is because moral absolutes are seldom taught in school.”[footnoteRef:11] This is an interesting point and it gets to the heart of one of the big challenges of this work. Namely, it shows that people need to be educated about what sin is before they can perhaps realize that they are living in sin. This is not an easy thing to do but it can be done with a look practice. [11: Ibid 88.]

· “Prayer is a conversation with God, hearing him first through his Word, then responding back to Him through His Word.”[footnoteRef:12] This is a good way to think about prayer. If one is struggling with prayer, it might be because one is trying to find the words. But the words are already there: the Word is there. And God wants us to use the Word, because the Word is God. If prayer is about uniting ourselves to God, then we should immerse ourselves in the Word. Then we are immersing ourselves in Him, and we are using the words He Himself gave to us in the Word. [12: Ibid 135.]

· “Just as knowing how to use the Heimlich maneuver can save someone’s earthly life, knowing how to share Jesus without fear can help you save someone’s eternal life.”[footnoteRef:13] This is a very essential point: it is not about me simply doing my duty in preaching the Word. It is about understanding that being able to do this well can be the difference between a soul being lost and a soul being saved. If you can save a drowning man, it is because you know how to swim. If you don’t know how to preach, how are you going to save a soul? If you don’t know how to save Jesus without fear, how are you going to get the Word out to others? [13: Ibid 140.]