Doing something new can be intimidating. We work really hard to avoid doing things that make us uncomfortable, sometimes going to greater lengths and effort just to avoid them! We may never even try just because we are afraid of doing something new or challenging.
Evangelism is like this for many people. It seems to be an impossible goal to convince people to give their life to Jesus and walk away from the world, life, and sometimes family that they love. Multiply that by the perceived pressure to save everyone and the possibility of upsetting people, and it is easy to understand why evangelism is so daunting.
But consider this. Would you climb the most difficult mountain in the world without climbing a smaller one first? Hopefully not! You need time to practice, test your body and your gear, and learn the skills needed to conquer more difficult challenges. Neither can we save everyone overnight. So take the pressure off yourself and start small.
Jesus started small. He did not march into Jerusalem and attempt to convert the masses in his first sermon as the Messiah. Jesus started with two people: two disciples of John (including Andrew) who left John the Baptist and followed the Lamb of God (John 1:35–40). Andrew then found Peter, and Peter came to follow Jesus. Then Jesus called Philip, who found Nathanael, who then found the Savior (1:43–49).
Jesus started small. We can too. You don’t have to save hundreds of people or convert the staunchest atheist in the world to be successful. Every individual soul matters. If we accomplish nothing this year except bringing one person to Christ, we have done well. Find one or two people and focus on bringing them to Jesus.
Spencer Clark