Teen Evangelism: Why Jesus Wants You To Share Your Faith NOW

Modern YA fiction is not afraid to talk about death and terminal illness. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green explores a budding relationship between teens with terminal cancer. Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott does the same with cystic fibrosis patients. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver is about a girl who dies in an accident and relives the last day of her life over and over until she “gets it right.”

(FYI, I don’t recommend any of these books due to inappropriate content.)

Do you know what’s missing from all three? Any mention of an eternity with Jesus.

The poor characters were forced to face their own mortality without any hope beyond life on earth. One referred to death as “the big sleep,” while another believed there was “something,” though he couldn’t name it. That’s completely sad.

But it doesn’t only happen in fiction.

Look at the people in your life—your teammates, classmates, and friends. How many hold the same bleak view of death? Do they know who Jesus is and what he’s done for them? Have they ever been told?

This is why teen evangelism is important. It’s not something you leave up to “the adults.” Christian teens have an obligation to share the hope of eternity with their peers right now.

Evangelism: Scarier Than Snakes, Spiders & Heights?

Spread the good news. Tell the world about Jesus. It’s all part of the great commission given to us by Jesus in Matthew 28 when he said, “Go and make disciples of all nations.” Today, we call that evangelism.

And it scares most of us speechless. Are you comfortable walking up to someone and starting a conversation about Jesus out of the blue? I certainly am not. I’d rather walk through bear-infested woods in the dark than start a cold conversation about the Bible.

(I might be exaggerating. Don’t hold me to it.)

I won’t pretend that you’ll be well-received by everyone you share your faith with. Some might even despise you for it. But if all you focus on is your fear and every possible negative outcome, you’re forgetting why teen evangelism is important.

The Big Question: What Happens After Life on Earth?

Young children are usually lucky enough to dodge the question for a while. They go about their merry way, playing hopscotch and skinning their knees climbing trees. Then Grandpa dies or a beloved aunt is diagnosed with terminal cancer. A brother falls to his death while hiking or a friend is killed in a head-on collision, and suddenly we have to face it: Death might be only an inch away.

So what comes next? Is the graveyard the end?

Jesus answers that question:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life.”

John 5:24

The Bible not only confirms the existence of eternity, but it tells us exactly how to get there:

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

John 14:6

Jesus isn’t being arrogant here. He’s telling us like it is. There’s only ONE way to heaven, and he is it. For him to withhold this information from us—or for you to withhold this information from an unbelieving friend—is like knowing the only way out of a burning building and not telling anyone else who’s inside.

Put that way, you might start to see why evangelism is not only necessary, but it’s the most loving thing you could do.

Share Your Faith—You Have the Answer!

For you to withhold this information from an unbelieving friend is like knowing the only way out of a burning building and not telling anyone else who’s inside.

You and I both know there truly is life after death, an even greater one than before death. (See my post Look Forward to Eternity: The Best is Yet to Come.) You know about the paradise that awaits us, and the assurance we have in reaching it.

You know there will be more than just peace. There will be elation, the thrill of victory. No more pain or sin or death. You’ve probably even heard about the almost mystical qualities that make up heaven—mystical because we’ve never seen anything like it on Earth. (See Revelation 21:10-27)

You also know how to get there. 

Don’t be afraid to share what you know. You may be one inch away from someone who’s one inch away from eternal death, and you’ve been entrusted with the most victorious message of all time. Share the hope of eternity and make a difference for that person.

This world has a lot of answers. We know the square root of -1 is an imaginary number, that potassium and water mixed together will create an explosion, and that junk food increases the occurrence of acne (go figure). But two questions cannot be answered by science, math, and all the reasoning in the world:

Is there life after death, and how do I get there?

Raise your hand and say, “Yes, and I know how.”

Encouraging Bible Verses About Sharing Your Faith

Be emoboldened to spread the gospel by these verses!

• Mark 16:15-16: He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”
• Philemon 1:6-7: I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ. Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people.
• Matthew 4:19: “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 
• 1 Corinthians 9:16: For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
• Psalm 96:2-3: Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.
• Mark 13:10: And the gospel must first be preached to all nations.

Powerful Bible Verses to Share the Gospel

Need a few verses to reference in conversations about faith? Try these, for starters.

• Romans 3:10-11: “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God.
• Romans 3:23-24: All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 
• Romans 6:23: For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
• Romans 10:9: If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 
• Ephesians 2:8-9: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. 

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.”

John 11:25-26

Teen Evangelism: Resources to Get You Started!

Don’t be afraid—you can do it! Check out some of my other resources on evangelism and sharing your faith.

Getting Started:

• How to Talk About Jesus With Almost Anyone
• Let’s Get Uncomfortable: Mental Toughness for Christian Teens
• Speak the Truth in Love: A How-To From the Garden
• You Missed An Opportunity to Share Your Faith. Now What?

Answering the Inevitable Questions:

• How to Handle the Toughest Questions About God
• Does it Matter What You Believe?

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