For many believers, the moment when they actually step into gospel conversations can feel like the most nerve-wracking part of evangelism. Knowing what we believe is one thing; knowing how to engage someone with the gospel is another.
I remember participating in an evangelism training shortly after I became a Christian. I signed up knowing I would learn how to share my testimony and explain the gospel. What I didn’t realize was that the training also included going out into the community to actually do it.
When it was time to go, I did my best to hide in the back of the group and remain completely anonymous. Before long, I was pushed to the front and told it was my turn to knock on a door and engage in a gospel conversation. As I walked up, my hands were sweaty, my heart was racing, and I was terrified. I was afraid I would mess up or say the wrong thing.
I remember knocking on the door and silently praying, “Dear Lord Jesus, please don’t let anyone be home.”
Someone opened the door, invited us in, and all I could think was, “Now what do I do?”
That experience taught me something important. Knowing how to engage in gospel conversations is a game-changer for believers who want to share the good news of Jesus but don’t know where to begin.
As ministry leaders, we have the opportunity to help women move from fear to faithfulness. Here are three practical ways we can encourage women as they engage in gospel conversations.
- Help Women Remember the Mission
The first way we help women engage is by reminding them of the mission. As followers of Jesus, we exist to know Him and make Him known. That is why God created us. Evangelism is not a side assignment; it is central to our purpose.
Imagine what would happen if knowing Jesus and making Him known set the agenda for each day. Our lives would no longer be driven solely by to-do lists and responsibilities. Instead, our everyday tasks would become opportunities to live on mission.
Do you see how that changes our perspective?
When we remember the mission, we don’t go to work just to earn a paycheck. We go to work to engage people with the gospel as we earn a paycheck. We don’t go to the grocery store just to buy groceries. We go in hopes of engaging a worker or fellow shopper in a meaningful conversation as we shop. We don’t just sit in the stands watching our kids play sports. We build relationships with other parents and engage in conversations that can point them to Jesus.
When women remember the mission, evangelism stops feeling like an interruption and starts feeling like a purpose. Encouraging women to view their everyday lives through this missional lens helps them approach conversations with gospel intentionality rather than fear.
- Help Women See People and Start Gospel Conversations
The second way we help women engage is by teaching them to truly see people. When we see others the way Jesus sees them, gospel conversations become more natural.
Jesus never rushed past people. He noticed them. He cared deeply about their stories, struggles, and needs. When women learn to see people with an eternal perspective, it changes how they approach conversations.
There are several practical ways to help women do this.
- Slow Down and Talk to People
Encourage women to slow down and engage with the people God places in their path. This could be a cashier, a server, a hairstylist, a neighbor, or a coworker. Instead of rushing through interactions, take time to ask simple questions like, “How are you doing?” or “How is your day going?”
And when they answer, listen.
Listening communicates care. After listening, help women learn to respond in ways that gently point others to Jesus.
- Be Intentional in Relationships
Encourage women to take a friend out for coffee or lunch and intentionally engage in spiritual conversation. This doesn’t mean forcing the gospel into every sentence but being prayerful and open to where the conversation may lead.
When a need comes to light, encourage women to meet that need and use it as a bridge to a gospel conversation. Compassion often opens doors that words alone cannot.
When women begin seeing people as Jesus sees them—fearfully and wonderfully made, deeply loved by God—they become more confident in starting conversations that matter.
- Teach Women to Rely on the Power of the Holy Spirit
The third way we help women engage is by teaching them to rely on the power of the Holy Spirit. One of the greatest fears surrounding evangelism is not knowing what to say, saying the wrong thing, or not having all the answers.
But Jesus never promised we would go in our own strength.
In Acts 1:8, Jesus says, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
We don’t go out in our own ability; we go out in His power. And when we do, we become witnesses for Jesus everywhere He has placed us.
The Holy Spirit works in and through us to change lives. He gives wisdom, courage, and clarity in moments when we feel unsure. Our role is not to convince or convert; our role is to be faithful and available.
As leaders, we must remind women that God is not concerned with their perfection. He is concerned with their willingness. He honors obedience, even when it feels uncomfortable.
Encouraging Women to Take the Next Step
Engaging in gospel conversations will never be completely free of nerves. But when women remember the mission, learn to see people, and rely on the Holy Spirit, fear no longer has the final word.
As women take steps of obedience, they will experience something powerful: God showing up in ways they could never orchestrate on their own. They will see firsthand that evangelism is not about having all the right words, but about trusting a faithful God.
When we encourage women well, we help create a culture where gospel conversations are normal, supported and celebrated. And in that culture, God does extraordinary things through ordinary women who say yes.
This article was adapted from a session of the “Creating a Culture of Evangelism for Women” online training course. To learn more or take the course, click here. Also available in Spanish.