How to share the gospel using the Proactive framework

Announcing the Proactive Framework That Helps You Share the Gospel Without Sounding Weird

Peter Guirguis Evangelism 15 Comments

[alert type=”info” close=”true” heading=”Important Info”] This is the longest post I’ve ever written. It’s long because it takes a big problem and completly anhiliates it. If you want to acheive the results promised in this blog post, then plan on spending the next 30 minutes reading this article.  [/alert]

Do you ever feel like you want to share the gospel but you don’t know where to start?

Do you want to tell people about how to get saved but you find yourself lacking the boldness?

Maybe you don’t know what to say, or how to say it. Or maybe you’re afraid of sounding weird or offensive.

If that’s you, then you’re reading an article that will transform you from being a muffled mouse and into a bold lion.

You see, I’ve been in your shoes.

For many years, I saw people in my church sharing stories of how they shared the gospel with unbelievers. They made sharing the gospel sound like it was as easy as talking to a 5-year old.

But I found that sharing the gospel to be as hard as squeezing ketchup out of an empty bottle. I just couldn’t do it because I was scared, and I didn’t know what to say.

But then I came across a teaching that wiped away all of those obstacles.

I went from never sharing the gospel with anyone to sharing the gospel with strangers, vendors I did business with, and even handymen that came to fix broken things in my home.

Over the years, I’ve taken this teaching that I learned, and added some secret sauce to make it simple to learn and, even more, persuasive.

The result is an easy to use framework, which shows you what to say, how to say it, while giving you the freedom to use your own words if you like.

And for the very first time, I’m sharing it with you now.

But first, I want to share with you the consequences of doing nothing about your fears when it comes to sharing the gospel.

Are You Acting Like This Bizzare Doctor?

I remember the first time I walked into my new doctors office.

There was nobody in the lobby; I was the only patient.

The phone wasn’t ringing. I was greeted by a nurse who could care less that I had walked into the office.

It made me think, “Holy cow, what did I sign up for? Is this doctor any good?”

What does this have to do with sharing the gospel? Here’s the deal:

  1. When you got saved, you went from being a sinner to being a saint (by the blood of Jesus)
  2. And you went from being a patient to being a physician
When you get saved, you go from sinner to saint, and from patient to physician. Click To Tweet

You were sick with sin disease, and then you swallowed the Jesus pill and got healed.

You became a new creation in Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:17

Then God gave you a white coat, a stethoscope, and a bottle of Jesus pills.

His marching orders to you are, “Go and tell people that they’re diagnosed with sin disease. Give them the Jesus pills so they can be healed.”

When you don’t tell people that they’re sick, and you don’t prescribe for them the Jesus pills, then you’re like an empty doctor’s office without patients.

What’s the point, right?

You aren’t fulfilling your Heavenly Father’s desire for you to be a busy doctor prescribing medicine for those plagued with sin.

And here’s the thing:

Actually, it’s Not Your Fault if You’re Not Sharing the Gospel Regularly

Maybe you’re like me, and you listened to sermons by a few pastors who pounded you over the head and told you that you should be sharing the gospel.

These pastors preach why you should be sharing the gospel, but they never tell you how to share the gospel.

That’s because, behind closed doors, they don’t practice what they preach.

They don’t share the gospel one-on-one even though they know that they should.

They don’t point their congregations to helpful books or courses that can help them share the gospel.

I’m not saying all pastors are guilty of doing this. But there is a certain breed of them that are doing more hurt than help.

That’s a shame because the job of the pastor is to equip the saints for ministry according to Ephesians for the work of the ministry (Ephesians 4:11-12).

If you’ve heard a sermon by this type of anti-sharing pastor, then it’s not your fault because you’ve never been taught how to share the gospel.

But today, that’s going to change because I’m going to give you an easy to use a framework that’s been proven to bring astonishing results for those who use it.

But before I do…

I’d Like to Thank Ray Comfort

I didn’t invent the core teaching that you’re about to learn.

Ray has been using it for years. He and Kirk Cameron made it famous several years ago.

It has been adopted by tens of thousands of Christians around the world.

This way of sharing the gospel has planted gospel seeds into the hearts of an endless number of unbelievers.

It has brought countless people to Christ, including yours truly (me).

I got saved (or rededicated my life to Christ) because of this type of evangelism.

One more thing:

This Framework is Unique Because I’ve Added My Own Secret Sauce to it

What I’ve done is take Ray’s teaching of how to share the gospel and transformed it into a powerful mnemonic.

If you’re not familiar with what a mnemonic is, it’s a memory aid that helps you remember a series of steps easily.

Also, I’ve been studying the art persuasion for years. As a result, I’ve learned what it takes to convince someone of your point of view.

I’ve added my secret persuasion sauce on top of the framework to make it, even more, convincing.

That’s powerful because this way of sharing the gospel was already super effective to begin with.

Now, check out this remarkable advantage:

You’ll Never Be Seen as an Annoying Pest When You Use the Proactive Framework and Here’s Why

Using the Proactive framework will leave the unbeliever thankful that you shared the gospel with them.

That’s because the unbeliever will look at you differently than all the other people who’ve tried to share the gospel with them before.

Here’s why.

There’s a guy that I know of called Dan.

Dan was one day working from his kitchen when all of a sudden, he heard the doorbell ring.

Dan is one of those guys that doesn’t like interruptions when he’s working so he just ignored it.

But the man at the door kept on ringing the doorbell. And Dan continued to ignore it.

After a while, the man at the door didn’t stop ringing the doorbell. In fact, he rang it even faster.

Finally, Dan went to answer the door thinking to himself, “Man who is this guy ringing my door frantically? He is such an annoying pest!”

When Dan answered the door, he found a man with an alarmed look on this face.

“Quick, your lawn is on fire!” The man said frantically.

“Call 911!” He continued.

Dan went out to his front yard with the man, and sure enough, his lawn had caught fire. They both started to put out the fire using a hose.

Thankfully, they were able to put out the fire.

When Dan shares the story, he says, “That stranger went from being an annoying pest to being a welcome guest.”

That’s because Dan discovered that the man was there to help him.

That’s exactly what the Proactive framework does for you. It puts you in the position of a welcome guest and not an annoying pest.

If you don’t use the Proactive framework, then you could be using a method that makes other people think you’re an annoying pest.

Share the gospel using the Proactive framework to avoid being seen as an annoying pest

Now, Here’s How to Use the Proactive Framework to Boldly Share the Gospel With Anyone

The Proactive framework is a framework and not a system.

The difference is that a system is very rigid. It’ll make you feel confined to a box.

But the Proactive framework will make you feel like you’re in a stadium. There are borders around the perimeter to keep you inside, but you have lots of space to maneuver.

At the same time, there is a structure of how to go from a non-spiritual conversation starter to sharing the gospel.

Each letter in the word “proactive” serves as a reminder of what to do next in the conversation.

Here are the steps.

Step 1 – The “P” in Proactive Stands for Personalize Your Conversation

The first step in using the Proactive Framework is to personalize your conversation.

That means is that you should start a conversation with an unbeliever in a personal way. The good news is that you can talk to the unbeliever about anything.

When Jesus met with the Samaritan woman at the well, He started a simple conversation with her that consisted of only four words. “Give Me a drink.” (John 4:7)

This was a natural conversation about their surroundings.

In the future, I’m going to be sharing with you conversation-starters that you can use to talk to your family members, friends, co-workers, and even strangers.

So if you’re not subscribed to my blog, subscribe now because you’ll want to read those articles about the conversation starters when they go live.

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For now, it’s enough to say that you can transition from any conversation about any subject into a conversation about the gospel.

Step 2 – The “R” in Proactive Stands For Request a Change of Topics

The second step in using the Proactive framework is to request a change of topics.

This is the part of the conversation where you’re going to switch from talking about the natural to talking about the supernatural.

In the conversation with the Samaritan woman, you see Jesus bringing up the topic of the supernatural in a very smooth and easy going way.

Check out the Samaritan woman’s reaction in verse 9 to Jesus’ request for a drink, and then Jesus’s seamless transition in verse 10.

[x_blockquote cite=”John 4:9-10″ type=”left”]”Jesus said to her, ‘Give Me a drink.’ For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.

“Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, ‘How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman? For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.’

“Jesus answered and said to her, ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, Give Me a drink, you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”[/x_blockquote]

You see from this example that Jesus deliberately changed topics from talking about the natural to the supernatural in His conversation.

He did this by talking about living water.

You can do the same thing in your gospel conversation by following a two-step approach. This two-step approach is done through the letters “R” and “O” of the Proactive framework.

So how do you request a change of topic in your conversation with someone?

There are several ways you can do this.  Choose one of the methods below that best suits your discussion.

The next step of “O” in the Proactive framework will show you how to build on this step as they go hand in hand.

Here are some transition questions you can use:

1. Ask, “Can I ask you an interesting question?”

During a suitable time in your conversation, ask the other person if you can ask them an interesting question.

This question signifies that you want to talk about something else.

The question is natural, conversational, and intrigues the other person’s curiosity.

2. Say, ”Hey, there’s something that I’ve been thinking about lately, and I want to get your feedback.”

This question is better suited for friends, family members, and co-workers. It’s not suitable to use with strangers.

3. Make a pit stop

Let’s say you’re at a restaurant, and you’re eating out with a friend that’s an unbeliever.

If you excuse yourself to go to the bathroom, when you come back, the natural thing is to start a new topic of conversation.

It’s the same thing if you excuse yourself to go to a restaurant buffet.

When you come back, it’s the perfect time to start a new topic, and you can transition to the next step in the framework.

4. Ask, ”Have you ever thought about…”

The smoothest way to use this is like a bridge with the topic at hand.

For example, if you’re talking about the weather, then you’d use this question to tie it in with the weather.

You’ll see more of how this works in the next step of the Proactive framework.

5. Say, ”I’ve been doing a survey asking people their thoughts about…”

This is an approach that I often use with strangers although it can work with people you know as well.

You’ll connect the dots in what to say in the “O” part of the Proactive framework if you choose the use the survey approach.

6. Ask, ”Did you hear about…”

If there’s something in the news that you can use to bring up the spiritual side, then this is a good way to use it.

Or, if there’s news about a mutual friend that you can use as a swinging door to change topics, then this is a great line to use as well.

7. Say, ”By the way…”

This is a transition question that ties into the topic you’re talking about but is a bridge to starting a spiritual conversation.

On to the next step of the framework

Step 3 – The “O” in Proactive Stands For Open Up the Subject of Heaven

The third step in the Proactive framework is to open up the subject of heaven.

I’ll be using the conversation transitions from the last step to show you how requesting a change of topics goes hand in hand with opening up the subject of heaven.

1. “Can I ask you an interesting question? What do you think happens to us after we die? Is there anything out there when we walk out of here?”

I like to give credit where credit is due. This is from Mark Cahill’s book, “The one Thing You Can’t Do in Heaven.”

2. ”Hey, there’s something that I’ve been thinking about lately, and I want to get your feedback. What do you thinks happens to us after we pass away?”

3. Using the pit stop approach, you go to the bathroom or the buffet. When you come back, you can use any one of these transitions like, “Hey, there’s something I’ve been thinking about lately, and I want to get your feedback. Do you believe in heaven?”

4. “Have you ever thought about what happens to us when we breathe our last breath on earth?”

5. ”I’ve been doing a survey asking people their thoughts on what they think happens to them after they pass away. May I please ask you what you think will happen to you after you pass away?”

6.“Did you hear about Scott Weiland (famous singer) passing away?” This is where you use something in the news.

Wait for the other person to respond. Then ask, “Where do you think Scott is right now? Do you believe in heaven?”

You can replace Scott with anyone else in the news that died.

Let’s say you’re talking about the latest cars coming out this year that you love and how you want to get fully covered by the best traders policy and that the other person wants the same.

Then you would say, “By the way, do you think there are cars in heaven?”

Your friend will probably laugh and then give you an insightful answer about what they believe about heaven.

You can use that as your request to change subjects and open up the topic of heaven.

7. “By the way, I was thinking the other day about you and I wanted to ask you this question: where are you on your spiritual journey?”

Then you would transition your way into asking them if they believed that heaven exists.

In future blog posts, I’m going to give you, even more, conversation starters that you can use with these different types of people.

  • friends
  • family
  • co-workers
  • strangers

If you don’t want to miss these conversation starters, then subscribe to my blog.

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Step 4 – The “A” in Proactive Stands For Ask The Unbeliever if They’re Good Enough to Go to Heaven

Depending on how the unbeliever answered your question in step 3, you’ll want to ask them about where they think they’re going to spend their eternal future.

But what if the unbeliever doesn’t believe that heaven exists?

Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. I’ll give you the answer in just a moment.

1. If the unbelieving person says, that they do believe in heaven, then you should ask, “Do you think you’re a good enough person to go there?”

The reason you want to do this is because you want them to start thinking about which road they’re on.

Either they’re on the wide road that leads to destruction, or they’re on the narrow road that leads to life. (Mathew 7:13-14)

Enter by the narrow gate

Most unbelievers will tell you that they think that they’re good enough to go to heaven.

That’s because Proverbs 20:6 tells us that, “Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, but who can find a faithful man?”

So it’s natural for unbelievers to think, “Yes, I’m a good person. I don’t hurt anyone and I help people. Yes, I do think that I’m good enough to go to heaven.”

2. If the unbelieving person says that they don’t believe in heaven, then investigate further.

“Why don’t you believe in heaven, if I may ask?” Or just a simple, “Oh yeah? How come?” will do.

You might hear answers like:

  • “I don’t believe heaven exists.”
  • “I don’t believe in religion.”
  • “I don’t believe in God.”

Most people would give up at this point. But not you because you’re armed with the Proactive framework.

So you would then say, “I know you don’t believe in heaven, but let’s just assume that heaven exists and God exists, do you think you’re good enough to go to heaven?”

You’re going to ask them to make an assumption or to imagine with you.

When you do this, the other person just goes along with it because you’re asking them to imagine.

This is going to help you overcome that objection of, “But I don’t believe in heaven, God, or hell.”

Then you’re ready for the next step.

Step 5- The “C” in Proactive Stands For Challenge Them if They’ve Broken The Ten Commandments

Step 5 in the Proactive framework is to challenge them to see if they’re really a “good person.”

The function of God’s Law (The Ten Commandments), is to show the unbeliever their real condition in front of God. They’re a sinner that needs to repent and put their faith in Jesus.

They fact is that all unbelievers are sinners that needs to repent and put their faith in Jesus.

Romans 7:7 says,

[x_blockquote type=”left”]“What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, [highlight type=”light”]I would not have known sin except through the law.[/highlight] For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, ‘You shall not covet.’”[/x_blockquote]

The advantage of using The Ten Commandments to share the gospel is that it’s a tutor that reveals to the sinner that they need to get saved.

Galatians 3:24-25 says,

[x_blockquote type=”left”]“Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.” [/x_blockquote]

The goal of the law is to stop the mouth of guilty sinners who try to justify themselves or deny their filthy deeds.

[x_blockquote cite=”Romans 3:19-20″ type=”left”]“Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, [highlight type=”light”] that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.[/highlight]

Therefore, by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” [/x_blockquote]

When you use the Law to show an unbeliever that they’re a sinner, you’ll never be seen as an annoying pest.

They’ll see that you’re giving them the gospel because you’re concerned about their eternal future.

what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul

That’s why the unbeliever will see you as a welcome guest.

This method is how you challenge the unbeliever.

In the Ask section of the Proactive framework, you asked the unbeliever, “Do you think you’re a good enough person to go there?”

In this Challenge section of the Proactive framework, you start by saying, “Can I ask you a few questions to see if that’s true?”

Or you can just say, “Ok, let’s see if that’s true.”

Then you’re going to ask them if they’ve kept The Ten Commandments.

Don’t go through all ten commandments, but just pick 3 or 4.

Below is a list of all ten commandments that you can pose as a question.

I’ve indicated which one’s Ray Comfort uses, and the ones that I use.

I’ve also expanded on a few of them.

Make Sure You Use This Powerful Persuasion Technique When You’re Asking Questions About Breaking the Ten Commandments

In the next blog post, you’re going to learn about a system that I call the eight points of persuasion.

If you use these 8 points when communicating, then your message will hit its target like a bulls-eye and stick.

One of these eight persuasion points is called relatability.

If the other person can feel like you can relate to them, then you’re much more likely to persuade them that they are a sinner who needs Jesus.

So how do you relate to unbelievers using the Proactive framework?

In this section, you’re going to be asking people if they’ve broken God’s Commandments.

When they tell you that they have, you want to share that you’ve broken them too. This is the key to relatability.

Or you can admit that you’ve broken these commandments right after you ask the question. You’ll see how this is done in just a moment.

That way, the unbeliever doesn’t end up feeling like they’re living in sin city while you’re living in righteous town.

Let them know as you’re going through the commandments that you’ve been found guilty as well of breaking the commandments.

You want to point out that both of you are sinners like each other.

Listen, this is the key to relatability that’ll make your message more persuasive.

The Secret Reason Why Asking Questions is Persuasive

There’s a secret to why asking questions is highly persuasive when asked the right way.

What you’re going to be doing from this point is asking a series of questions in which the answer to your questions is going to be, “Yes.”

When you can get the other person to answer your questions with a “yes” answer consecutively, then you’re building up what’s called “yes momentum.”

In any kind of persuasive message, if you can get the other person to start saying or thinking, “Yes, yes, yes…” to your questions, then you’re more likely to persuade the other person of your point of view.

The important thing here is not to ask any questions that will result in a “no.”

If you do, then it breaks the yes momentum that you’re trying to build up.

The Proactive framework is constructed in a way to maximize your yes momentum.

Even if the person doesn’t take up God’s offer of salvation after you talk with them, they’ll be left thinking about your conversation for days.

Additionally, it’s highly likely that they may choose to take the salvation offer at a later time since God will probably bring someone else to witness to that unbeliever.

You’ll by laying the foundational work for future salvation when you use the Proactive framework.

How to Ask Someone If They’ve Broken God’s Commandments With Respect and Reverance

You want to make sure you that you’re coming off as being a caring, loving, and respectful person.

That’s why you want to be careful of your tone of voice because it will affect the other person’s perception of you.

So here are the questions that you can ask to show the other person how they’ve broken the Ten Commandments.

Remember, don’t ask all of these questions, just use 3 or 4 of them.

You’ll be enchanted by the video interview that I share later in this article of how all the steps of the Proactive framework work together.

Make sure you watch it because it will hit home.

1. “Have you loved God with all of your heart?”

Most people will admit that they haven’t.

“If you answered ’no’ then you’re breaking the first of God’s commandments which is, ‘You shall have no other gods before Me.’ This is called idolatry.

“I’ve been guilty of loving things in my life more than God too.”

2.- “Have you created a god that you feel comfortable with? Do you have something or someone that’s the number one priority in your life such as money, friends, relationships, or work?”

Wait for their answer.

“If you answered that you haven’t made God the number one priority in your life, then you’re not giving God the priority that He is due. God should come first in your life and everything else second.

“Me too, I haven’t always made God my #1 priority.” Go on to tell them what used to take the place of God in your life.

3. “Have you always used God’s name with respect? For example, have you ever used God’s name in vain, instead of a 4-letter cuss word?”

Wait for their response. When they say yes, then you say, “This is called blasphemy. This is a very serious offense and God says He will not hold anyone guiltless whoever takes His name in vain.”

I use this question, and so does Ray.

If you’ve used God’s name in vain too, then admit it so you can relate to the other person.

4. “Have you always kept a day for God?”

I don’t recommend using this question because it causes confusion for the unbeliever.

5. “Have you always respected your mother and father?”

6. “Did you know that Jesus equates hatred with murder in the heart? So, have you ever hated someone and, therefore, murdered that person in your heart?”

I’ve used this question, and it’s considerably powerful. Ray sometimes uses this question too.

If you’ve hated someone before, then share with the other person your brief story.

7. “It’s been said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ Jesus said that if you look upon a person with lust, then you’ve already committed adultery in your heart? So, have you ever looked at someone with lust?”

Ray uses this question and so do I. Almost 100% of people who I ask this question answer, “Yes.”

It’s not just for men, it includes women too.

Don’t forget to admit that you’ve done this too so you can relate to the other person.

8. “Have you ever stolen anything? Regardless of its size or value.”

Ray uses this question like you’re going to see in the video below.

I use this question too, and I share a story about how when I was a child, I stole a toy from a store.

My mom found out, and she made me return it.

I also share that I’ve stolen paperclips and pens from companies that I’ve worked at before. At the time, I didn’t think it was stealing, but now I know better.

9. “How many lies have you told in your life?”

This question is a must-use.

Everyone has told hundreds of lies in their lifetime and probably even thousands.

10. “Have you ever desired to have somebody else’s profession, wife, house, car, job, salary, looks? This is what it means to covet, and God says we shouldn’t do it.”

Go ahead and share with them how you’ve been guilty of coveting too.

Step 6 – The “T” in Proactive Stands For Tell Them The Truth About Their Guilt Before God

You’re going continue to use the power of questions to show the unbeliever that they’re not good enough to go to heaven.

gavel

When you use the Law to witness to an unbeliever, they will see that they are guilty before God.

When I witness to someone, I ask them if they’ve:

  • Lied
  • Stolen
  • Used God’s name in vain
  • And lusted in their hearts

So the next step is to stay something like this. In this example, Chad is the name of the unbeliever:

“So Chad, you and I have a lot of things in common when it comes to sinning. I’m not judging you, but you’ve just admitted that you’re a liar, a thief, a blasphemer, and an adulterer at heart.

“The problem is that you have to face God on Judgement Day. When you do, are you going to be found innocent or guilty?”

It’s important when you ask this question that you give them the choice of being found innocent first and guilty second.

That’s because, as humans, we tend to remember the last thing in a list of items and are more likely to choose it. In human psychology, this is called the recency effect.

If the person says that they’ll be found guilty, then move to the next step in the Proactive framework.

If the person says they’ll be found innocent, then ask them why.

They may respond by saying, “Because all people lie, steal, and commit adultery in their hearts.”

Then you would answer, “Then ALL people are going to be found guilty.”

You can then follow-up by using this story-analogy.

“I want you to imagine that you’re driving on the highway, and you find that there’s a car ahead of you that’s speeding.

“You press on the gas, and you catch up to their car. You look at your speedometer, and you see that you’re going 90 miles per hour (145 kilometers per hour).

“Before you can slow down, you see the dreaded red and blue lights in the rear-view mirror. It’s the police, and they want you to pull over.

“So you pull over to the side of the highway, and the officer comes to your window. He tells you that he’s pulled you over for speeding.

“So you argue, ‘But officer, that other car beside me was speeding too. How come I’m the only one that’s getting pulled over and not them?’

“The officer replies, ‘Don’t worry about the other car, I’ve radioed ahead to one of my colleagues down the highway, and he’s going to pull the driver of the other car over as well.’

“You see, it may seem like you can get away with speeding on the highway of life without getting caught. But one day, you’re going to get pulled over when you die. When that happens, you’re going to have to pay for breaking the law.

“So are you going to be found innocent or guilty?”

If they continue to claim that they’d be found innocent, then go back to the law and remind them of their sins.

As Ray puts it, “You have to use Law to break the sinner’s hardened heart until he finally faces the fact that he is a sinner guilty of judgment.”

Step 7 – The “I” in Proactive Stands For Inquire if They’re Going to Heaven or Hell

Once the unbeliever admits that they’ll be found guilty, the next step is to ask them, “Will you go to heaven or hell?”

Once someone has admitted that they’ll be found guilty in the previous question, then they’re highly likely to answer, “Hell.”

Don’t forget, you want to position heaven first and hell second because of the recency effect.

In the rare occasion that the other person says they’re going to heaven, ask them why they think so.

Almost always they’ll give you an objection just like the previous step.

“Everyone does those things,” they’ll say.

If this is their objection, then use the speeding example I gave you in the last step.

Or, the unbeliever might say, “I don’t think those things are wrong.”

You can retaliate by asking, “Do you agree that torturing a baby just for the fun of it is evil?”

“Yes, of course,” they answer.

“Why is that?”

“Because it’s wrong. I mean, it’s just a baby, and it didn’t do anything to deserve to be tortured.”

“You see, you and I both agree that torturing a baby is evil even though the person doing the torturing may not agree. But there’s a set of moral standards that are universal. These are God’s Ten Commandments that are written on your heart.”

Romans 2:14-15 says, “For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them”

Step 8 – The “V” in Proactive Stands For Ask Them if They Value Their Eternal Future

Once they’ve admitted that they’re on the way to hell, you can now ask, “Does that concern you?”

Do you care that you’re going to hell? Most people will say, yes, that does concern them.

At this point, you would go to the Step 9 in the Proactive framework which is the final step.

If they say, no, they don’t care that they’re on their way to hell, then you can do what Ray does.

Ask them, “Would you sell one of your eyes for a million dollars?”

Most of the time people say, “No!”

Then you follow-up by asking, “Would you sell both of your eyes for $2 million?”

“No!”

“Why not?” You ask.

“Because those are my eyes. If I don’t have my sight, I don’t think I would enjoy my money.”

That’s when you go in and explain. “Of course, you wouldn’t sell your eyes for $2 million because those are your eyes, and they’re precious to you.

“Jesus said, ‘What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his own soul?’

“Your soul is much more precious that your eyes and you wouldn’t sell them for $2 million. You probably do care about your eternal future, but you’re just not aware of how precious your soul is.”

After that, you can move on to step 9.

Step 9 – The “E” in Proactive Stands For Explain the Gospel

Let’s recap the steps that you’ve taken the unbeliever through so far.

  1. Step #1 – Personalize Your Conversation
  2. Step #2 – Request a Change of Topics
  3. Step #3 – Open Up the Subject of Heaven
  4. Step #4 – Ask Them if They’re Good Enough to Go to Heaven
  5. Step #5 – Challenge Them if They’ve Broken The Ten Commandments
  6. Step #6 – Tell Them the Truth About Their Guilt Before God
  7. Step #7 – Inquire if They’re Going to Heaven or Hell
  8. Step #8 – Value – Ask Them if They Value Their Eternal Destiny
  9. Step #9 – Explain the Gospel (this step)

As you’ve seen from the Proactive Framework, it’s recommended that you use metaphors to make your points. That’s because metaphors are attention-grabbing and highly persuasive when used correctly.

In this last step, you should use a metaphor to explain the gospel.

This is how you can do that.

“God did something for you and me, so you and I wouldn’t have to go to hell. Do you know what that is, Chad?”

Give them a chance to answer, and then go on to explain.

“So, Chad, imagine you’re standing before a judge, and you’re about to receive your sentence for your crime. Then in comes Jesus and He tells the judge to give Him your punishment for your sins and to let you go free.

“You committed the crime, but Jesus paid your fine. That means that God can legally dismiss your case.

“All you have to do is accept Jesus’ terms and conditions. That means that you have to repent, which means to turn away from your sins. And it means that you have to put your trust in Jesus.

“You put your trust in Jesus the same way you’d put your trust in a parachute when jumping from a plane. There’s nothing you can do to save yourself from the fires of hell. Only Jesus can save you, and you can trust in Him only.

“Does that make sense, Chad?”

“Yes, it does.”

If they say it doesn’t, then you can ask them about which part doesn’t make sense. Then you can explain any parts of your gospel presentation.

I’ve never had someone tell me that it doesn’t make sense. They always seem to get it.

Now, Watch The Proactive Framework in Action

Watch this video to see how Ray shares the gospel with this young man.

As you’re watching, see if you can name all nine steps of the Proactive framework.

Should You Lead the Other Person in The Sinners Prayer?

The short answer is that you don’t have to.

You won’t find anywhere in Scripture where someone leads another person to Christ, and they tell them, “Repeat after me: dear Jesus, please forgive me…”

This is something that the modern church invented.

Has God used it to save souls? You bet!

You can use it if you want and I’ve done it in the past.

These days when I witness to someone, at the end, I thank the other person for their time and shake their hands.

You see, tt’s your job to show concern for the unbeliever through a gospel presentation. But it’s the Holy Spirit’s job to convince, convict, and convert.

Our job is to share the gospel, and God’s job is to convince, convict, and convert sinners. Click To Tweet

You might be wondering:

What Happens if the Other Person Doesn’t Turn to Christ Immediately?

I’d like to paint an accurate picture for you because there’s a dangerous practice that happens in many churches.

When sharing stories from the pulpit, well-meaning pastors and evangelists will share their conversion stories only.

That is, they’ll share an evangelistic story in which the unbeliever came to Christ. That’s fine if they also shared from time to time evangelistic stories where the unbeliever didn’t come to Christ as well.

The problem is that Christians who begin to share the gospel expect to experience the same conversion results as the pastor or the evangelist.

The Christian goes out and shares the gospel expecting that people are going to be repenting and turning to Christ in every conversation they have.

When that doesn’t happen, they end up feeling like they’re a failure because unbelievers are not being converted like when they heard the conversion story from the pulpit.

Pastors and evangelists who only share their conversion stories need to be more aware of how this is hurting Christians instead of helping them.

Now, Here’s the Delightful Upside Down Results You Can Expect When You Share the Gospel Using the Proactive Framework

The salvation of the unbeliever is always a team effort, even if you share the gospel by yourself.

Here’s what I mean.

It’s estimated that it takes about seven witnessing attempts before an unbeliever gets converted.

That figure is just an estimation because it’s impossible to measure the exact number of witnessing attempts before an unbeliever’s conversion. But nevertheless, the concept behind this statistic is the same.

So that means that God may send seven people in the course of a few months or years to witness to an unbeliever. It may take more, or it may take less.

You may be person number 6 that God is sending to share the gospel with someone. That means that after you share, you don’t see any visible signs of salvation.

What you don’t know is that behind the scenes, God will be sending person number 7 after you by a few months.

That person is going to have the privilege of seeing the fruit of their labor, and will lead that person to Christ.

Just because you’re person number 6, person number 3, or even person number 1, then it doesn’t mean that you failed when you don’t see the outward signs of salvation that you’re hoping for.

In fact, it means just the opposite. You can rejoice in knowing that you planted a gospel seed in someone’s heart.

God is going to water that seed and cause it to grow.

God’s going to use His team of planters and harvesters to share the gospel, and bring people to Christ.

sharing the gospel is a team effort

Most of the time, you’re not going to be person number 7 when you share the gospel regularly.

I have the privilege of sharing the gospel with unbelievers on a weekly basis. I found that most of the time I’m planting gospel seeds in people.

On few occasions, I’ve had the privilege of seeing someone repent and be converted right there on the spot.

When God allows me to be person number 7, I’m thankful. When God allows me to be person number 1 through 6, I’m trustful.

Don’t be frustrated when you don’t get the instant repentance that you’re hoping for.

Remember, it’s your job to show concern for the unbeliever by sharing the gospel with them. It’s God’s job to convince, convict, and convert.

Here’s the transformation you’re going to go through:

When You Use the Proactive Framework, You Go From Being Afraid and Cautious to Being Adventurous and Courageous

There are many advantages to using the Proactive Framework to share the gospel like:

  • You’ll have a step by step outline of how to start and how to end your gospel conversations so that you’re never lost for words again
  • You can easily switch from having an everyday conversation to having a spiritual conversation so that you don’t miss an opportunity to share the gospel
  • You’ll be using the same method that Jesus used with the Samaritan Woman that caused her to repent (using the Law). You’ll be guaranteed that a gospel seed is planted every time you use this framework.
  • You’ll never be an annoying pest but will always be a welcome guest
  • You’ll bond instantly with the unbeliever because you’ll be showing them that you’re a sinner just like they are too. This way, you’ll never sound offensive and will come across as being concerned.

You no longer have to take a back seat when it comes to sharing the gospel.

You can proactively share the gospel with anyone at any time without harming your relationship with them.

You can wake up looking forward to who you’re going to share the gospel with every day.

It’s extremely powerful once you start using the Proactive framework because you’ll seeing amazing results.

Listen, Here’s What Others Are Saying

Check out what these people who practice this way of sharing the gospel have to say about their results:

Bud WilsonBud Wilson says, “I overcome my fear by opening my mouth, from there the Holy Spirit takes over and directs my conversation using the law. It’s hard to mess up when all you’re doing is giving people direction.

“I understand why people are fearful of sharing their faith. It’s not an easy thing for me to do but I realize how short life is. And losing my son sure woke me up to look at Life and death with a sense of urgency.”

 

Rosanna Montoya

Rosanna Montoya says, “Using the 10 Commandments has helped me overcome my fear of witnessing because we were all born in sin.

“We are all guilty of breaking the law and deserve the punishment of hell, and I am no better than the one that I’m witnessing to.”

 

John DulleckJohn Dulleck says, “In the past, I have led people to Christ using the ‘God has a wonderful plan for your life’ method. But as I learned more about the Bible and salvation, I wondered, are these people even saved?

“Now, showing a person what they need to be saved from, if they understand this, I can be sure that their confession and faith are genuine, their salvation genuine.”

The Proactive Framework Works Even If…

  • The other person is an atheist who doesn’t believe in God
  • The other person has been away from Christ for a long time or never has given their life to Jesus
  • You’re nervous and worried that you’re going to mess this up (don’t worry, God will help you, and you have all the steps laid out for you)
  • You’re new to sharing the gospel and are worried about other people’s reactions

Answers to Your Lingering Doubts and Fears

Here’s list of objections that might be holding you back from using the Proactive framework:

1. “I don’t want to sound weird or offensive.”

I understand how you feel. I don’t want to sound weird or offensive either.

When you’re asking the unbeliever if they’ve broken God’s commandments, make sure that you share examples of how you’ve broken them too. That way, you won’t sound self-righteous.

If you do this, you’ll never sound weird or offensive.

2. “I don’t know how to start a conversation.”

The good news is that you can start a conversation with someone using the same conversation-starters that you would use in any kind of conversation.

You can talk about the weather, a personal project, or their family.

That’s because you can transition from talking about the natural to talking about the spiritual by following:

  • Step “R” (request a change of topics) and
  • Step “O”  (open up the subject of heaven).

3. “I can’t share the gospel because there’s sin in my life.”

If Christians never shared the gospel because of sin in their life, then no one would be sharing the gospel.

If Christians never shared the gospel because of sin in their life, then no one would be sharing the gospel.

Welcome to the club. We all sin.

You may feel like your sin is particularly big or bad. Maybe you’re doing it repetitively and you can’t stop.

The important thing is that you have to keep repenting. Ask God to help you.

Look at what Proverbs 26:16 says: “Though a righteous man falls seven times, he will get up, but the wicked will stumble into ruin.”

I know there are sins that I’ve committed hundreds of times and I asked God to help me break free of them.

I don’t let that get in the way of me sharing the gospel.

At the same time, I make sure that I don’t act like a hypocrite either, judging people for their sins while I have a plank in my own eye (Mathew 7:1-5).

I need God’s mercy every day, and so does every Christian.

4. “I’m afraid of rejection.”

The Proactive framework is built on permission based evangelism.

That means that you ask questions to the unbelievers to see if they want to go to the next step.

If they tell you they’re not interested (that’s never happened to me before), then you can move on.

But if you’ve hooked them and they answer “yes” to your questions, then there’s no need to be afraid of rejection.

5. “I don’t have time to share the gospel.”

I know your busy, but I need you to think how important it is to share the gospel.

Jesus said, “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Mathew 16:26)

People you know are on their way to hell.

The Bible says that people in hell are wailing (crying because of deep anguish), and gnashing their teeth (grinding their teeth because of pain).

Sounds like a God-awful and terrible place, right?

You don’t want people you know to go there, right?

You don’t want people to waste a day without Christ, right?

If you answered “yes” to these questions, then both of us agree that you need to make time to share the gospel with as many people as possible.

6. “I lack boldness.”

So do I, especially when I first started. But once I used the Proactive framework for the first time, I was hooked.

There’s always a fear of the unknown. But you can conquer fear by repeating this verse out loud:

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7

Don’t let your fear stop you from sharing your faith about Jesus. Click To Tweet

7. “It’s hard to convince others.”

Yes, it is.

Lucky for you, you don’t have to do a single ounce of convincing.

It’s the Holy Spirit’s job to convince the unbeliever that they’re a sinner that needs salvation.

It’s our job to share the gospel with the unbeliever by using the Law, because that’s the tool God gave us to convince sinners that they need a savior.

Key Takeaways

1. Using the Proactive framework is a remarkable way to bring unbelievers to Christ, and to plant gospel seeds in their hearts.

2. The P in the Proactive framework stands for Personalize your conversation

3. The R in the Proactive framework stands for Request a change of topics

4. The O in the Proactive framework stands for Open up the subject of heaven

5. The A in the Proactive framework stands for Ask them if they’re good enough to go to heaven

6. The C in the Proactive framework stands for Challenge them if they’ve broken God’s Law (10 commandments)

7. The T in the Proactive framework stands for Tell them truth

8. The I in the Proactive framework stands for Inquire if they’re going to heaven or hell

9. The V in the Proactive framework stands for ask them if they Value their eternal future

10. The E in the Proactive framework stands for Explain the gospel

Let the Proactive Framework Help YOU Share the Gospel – NOW!

This is a crossroads moment in your life. Three paths lie before you:

Path #1 – You can bury your head in the sand, continue ignoring my warnings and my offers of help.

You’ll still be stuck in the same empty doctor’s office that you’ve been occupying ever since you got saved.

It’s painful knowing that you have the prescription to get people saved, but you keep your Jesus pills to yourself.

I want to help your empty doctor’s office be full to the brim with patients who are begging you for the only medicine that will heal their sinful souls.

Path #2 – You can try to figure all this out your own, and grumble about the slow progress you’re making.

You’ll complain about how hard it is to figure out how to share the gospel.

And one day you may find yourself saying  “I wish I gave feet to my faith and shared the gospel with more people. I had the chance but never took advantage of it.”

Path #3 – OR you can TAKE CONTROL of your life and get the guidance and advice I’m offering from my sweat and trial and error.

The Proactive framework has been proven to enable you to finally be able to share the gospel with anyone without fear.

Frankly, only one of these choices makes any sense at all. Please – for your own sake – join me in taking advantage of what I’m offering you today.

Start using the Proactive framework to share the gospel because it will transform the way you share the gospel once and for all!

 

[author title=”About the Author”]

Comments 15

  1. Peter,

    This is a great article and wonderful tips. I am currently in a discipleship class and we are just starting the unit on evangelizing. I was wondering if it would be okay to print this out for those who don’t have access to the computer to share with them and I will share the link with others. I really do enjoy your blog and the messages you send. Thank you so much and God Bless.

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      Absolutely Floy, please help yourself and feel free to share it with your class. I wanted to create a one page synopsis of the Proactive framework but I didn’t have time. Maybe I’ll work on it in the future.

  2. Bravo, I’m glad you guys connected, youI and Ray Comfort. I keep on my work at Global Media Outreach, but it would be great, if you guys could reach out to CRU and GMO and teach em WOTM ( http://www.wayofthemaster.com ) What do you think? By the way, there’s a policy at GMO: No Ray Comfort’s aproach allowed at responding to people, who want a discipleship. “Nice” eh?
    Here’s my blog: http://www.robertivacic.wordpress.com ( I help a bit at http://www.poslovnitok.si/en and I’m translating a book called Managing finances God’s way. ( http://www.compass1.org ) If you ever need any harmonica music to your ears, let me know. I play gospel and blues. God bless you and your ministry. I’m in a search for work. I’m good in english, i’m flegmatic, dreamy idealist, people’s person, listening to Zig Ziglar and learning from Ray over 3 years now, watching whatever he has avaialable on his webpages. I’d love to go into full time ministry, but there are some financial drawbacks that I would like to get over first, my pastor advised me to find a payed work and work from here on, sharing Christ as a “tentmaker”. Here’s my profile on http://www.linkedin.com/ln/blueharp I have helped translate NOAH movie into slovenian language ( subtitles ), found on http://www.novorojen.si/noe from LivingWaters. What do you guys think about relationship discipleship ( having around 3 or more people that you really invest your life into, to disciple them life on life, and they can do that with others too. ( I’ve seen that on http://www.cbmcint.com ) Thanks for your help and reply. Great leaders S.E.R.V.E. ( there’s a book about it ).

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      1. Well, it seems like they are into more like love and grace aproach, God loves you, they want to start with a good message before they mention sin, they tend to focus on the message of people not having personal relationship with God because of their sin problem, and they can have that relationship with God by accepting , or responding to God’s invitation to accept Jesus as Savior and Lord. I suggest you ask them yourself. http://www.globalmediaoutreach.com That’s at least what I have got from people I worked under.
        Also, they say that confrontational evangelism aproach is negative and in many cases offensive to people, with bad results. I had an interesting discussion on Facebook with students of teology, who were studying various ways of evangelism, and they were very against confrontational evangelism. I can invite you in the story on Fb to see the messages. I don’t agree with most of them. I’m questioning my ability to minister at GMO as an online missionary ( I did it since 2007 ) , with limitations to use the aproach I see most fit for the advancement of the Kingdom of our God.

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          Robert, it does sound very limiting to me. I found a way of doing confrontational evangelism in a very nonoffensive way. The trick here is to include yourself as a sinner and not make the unbeliever feel like they can’t relate to you.

          I used to try to do the other type of evangelism of God loves you and wants to have a relationship with you. But I found that sinners then think to themselves, “Well, I don’t have a relationship with God right now and I don’t see the benefits of having a relationship with Him, so I think I’m fine without God.”

          Have you experienced any positive results with this other type of evangelism from GMO?

          1. Looks like GMO is prohibiting use of WOTM aproach, and there are reasons for it, but It’s not easy for me not to teach a new disciple how to share the gospel with others in a non WOTM way. I’m now more on a prayer team at GMO than much of a active responding side. I’ve heard that 4Laws kind a way, modernised, is for those, who click on links, presented to them based on what they search, soo it’s ment for those, who are already opened to the message, and seems like they are humble, and not proud. Soo that could be the reason WOTM aproach might not be the best to use with first time emailers, but those, who would like to know how to share the Gospel with lost, I still see WOTM as better aproach at least when you don’t know if he/she is prowd or humble, and then maybe use the 4Laws or anything simmilar, when they have went thru http://www.needGod.com or something simmilar with you/me.
            God bless you.
            I posted my CV ( added some stuff ) at http://www.ivacic.wordpress.com I was at WYD 2016 on a short term mission 3 of us (me myself and I )
            and in Romania with http://www.europartners.org and also having some free time to hand out 2.000 1M$ tracts in their language, and play some harmonica at jam sessions ( jazz and blues ). Check the Chicago jazz in Krakow, nice place to listen to live jazz and blues!

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              You are the second person that told me that GMO prohibits the use of Way of the Master. Honestly, I think that is a huge setback as I think this method works both online and off-line. I’ve tried many different approaches and I found that law to the proud and grace to the humble is one of the best approaches for evangelism.

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  3. Hi Sir Peter!

    Great post as always, and I can’t wait to try it out. Just one question though, suppose the unbeliever gets saved, do you give them follow ups to get them started in their new relationship with Jesus? Or do you let God make them grow (1 Corinthians 3:7)? If you do, how?

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      Thanks for your kind words, Sol ?

      If the unbeliever gets saved, then I would recommend choosing from a few options:

      1) Hand out a card with your email address to the person so they can contact you if they have questions or need more information.
      2) Ask them for an email address so you can follow up with them about how to get plugged into a good Bible-teaching church.
      3) Pray when you go home for the person that got saved and ask God to guide that believer to the next steps on their journey.

      I hope that helps, Sol.

  4. This is powerful. I always wondered about Jesus’ conversation will the woman at the well. His switch to spiritual was so smooth it’s easy to miss the point. I heard about you from listening to your discussion on Brady Shearer’s Prochurch podcast and I must say you made a difference. This article is an answer for me. I had been praying and wondering about more effective ways to share the gospel and you nailed it. I’ll surely incorporate these principles in my evangelistic endeavours. Thank you

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  5. Pingback: Who Do We Really Serve? « Sara's Musings

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