Evangelism: Jesus´ Example in Reaching People

The Great Commission, found in Matthew 28, is a command by our Lord Jesus to spread the gospel.

18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

The very essence of evangelism and outreach requires action under the authority of Jesus when He said, “All power is given unto me in heaven and earth.” The action here is encapsulated in the word “Go”—a command made to the twelve disciples and generations of followers of the risen Christ.

So, if we are to go, what do we say, and how do we go about sharing the gospel or reaching out? We don’t always know what to say, but having communion with God—through studying the Bible, praying, and practically living by godly principles reflected in Scripture—will help us be effective evangelists.

There are many ways to evangelize: friendship evangelism, sidewalk evangelism, digital evangelism, and personal witnessing, to name a few. Though the methods may vary, it is essential to keep Christ at the center and always seek His guidance. He modeled how to win people to Himself.

In the book Ministry of Healing, Ellen G. White wrote:

“Christ’s method alone will give true success in reaching the people. The Savior mingled with people as one who desired their good. He showed sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won their confidence. Then He invited them, ‘Follow Me.’” (MH 73.4)

Jesus goes to Sychar, a city in Samaria, where He meets an unnamed Samaritan woman at a well. He asks her for water, and she expresses surprise that a Jew would ask a Samaritan woman for a drink, considering the history of rivalry between the Jews and Samaritans (v.7). Here we see Him socializing with her with her good in mind, seeing beyond cultural division and her social status as an outcast.

His request for water segues into a deeper conversation about living water (v.10) and His divinity as the one who can give water that forever quenches thirst (vv.13–14). Jesus then asks her to call her husband—already knowing her complex history with past husbands and her current relationship (vv.16–18). Here, He shows sympathy—a sorrow for her situation and a desire to relieve her of the shame and pain of being marginalized.

When the Samaritan woman asks for this living water, she implicitly acknowledges that something is missing in her life and that she needs a lasting solution to her dissatisfaction (v.15). Jesus ministers to her deep longing for wholeness—ultimately, for Himself.

Their dialogue is interrupted by the disciples just after Jesus reveals He is the Messiah (v.26). We know He won her confidence because she testified of her belief in Him, sharing her encounter with the people in her city (vv.28–29).

The story of the woman at the well in John 4:5–42 shows us how Jesus lived this method.

Though we live in a different generation, shaped by diverse cultural contexts and environments, Christ’s method remains relevant and just as effective today. If our lives and characters are transformed through walking with Jesus Christ, it will be reflected in a sincere desire to serve our neighbours, rooted in a Christlike love for others. So start today, you are already in a mission field or will soon be going to the next. 

“The badge of Christianity is not an outward sign, not the wearing of a cross or a crown, but it is that which reveals the union of man with God. By the power of His grace manifested in the transformation of character, the world is to be convinced that God has sent His Son as its Redeemer. No other influence that can surround the human soul has such power as the influence of an unselfish life. The strongest argument in favour of the gospel is a loving and lovable Christian.” (Ministry of Healing, p. 470.1)