Overcoming Common Obstacles in Evangelism: Fear, Rejection & Misunderstanding

Music blared, conveyer belts whirred and co-workers cussed. It was a chilly morning, but I was sweating as I unloaded packages from a semi-trailer. It was 4:19 AM and my supervisor moved me from one section of the warehouse to another. He partnered me with a new guy, just my luck, I’d have to make up for the new guy’s lack of experience. 

While waiting for a new semi-trailer to be parked, above the sound of the music and unprompted, he looked at me and said, “I think being good enough will get me to heaven. What do you think?”  

I froze. I never gave him a straight answer. 

That was 20+ years ago. At the time, I was a part-time youth pastor. It’s not that I didn’t know what to say. I knew the next truck was coming and packages had to be unloaded. I stated something to the effect that Jesus was the only way and then conveyer belts started again. Before the morning was over, my supervisor moved me again. I committed to finding him the next day so that I could share a better answer, a fuller answer. I never saw him again. This story haunts me to this day.  

Because of fear, which Christian hasn’t kept quiet when they should have explained the gospel? Out of concern, which Christian hasn’t been silent because of the possibility of rejection? Due to anxiety, who hasn’t avoided sharing the gospel for fear of misunderstanding? Here are three underlying motivations to overcome the most common obstacles in evangelism:   

Motivation 1: Let your love for the souls of men overcome your fear. When I focus on how people may respond to me, I am taking my eyes off an eternal hell and placing my eyes on the barometer of self. John writes, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” (1 John 4:18) Meditate on the eternality of hell. Consider the joys of heaven. Remind yourself that someone cared for your soul more than the fears they experienced.   

Motivation 2: Fear God more than you fear being rejected by man. “Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others.” (2 Corinthians 5:11) The KJV reads, “knowing the terror of the Lord.” The verse that precedes v. 11 reminds the believer that we will stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Like no other Christian discipline, personal evangelism grows me in my fear of God. 

Motivation 3: Experiencing misunderstanding is how you grow as a gospel communicator. Let’s be honest, you and I are not quick on our feet. We likely are going to explain a concept or verse in an unhelpful way. Perhaps English is the second language of the individual we’re speaking to. Perhaps we are using the same terminology with different definitions. Each of these “misunderstandings” will only grow us in our understanding of the Scripture and the ability to communicate.  

Accurate communication is creating biblical categories for our friend to think through and to consider the claims of Christ. Fear, rejection and misunderstanding are part of the territory as we seek to be faithful. You can still be faithful while being fearful. You can still be faithful with the fear of rejection looming. You can still be faithful and be misunderstood. God grow His children to be faithful communicators of the gospel!