Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ. When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law. When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ. When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings. (1 Corinthians 9:19-23, New Living Translation)

Dr. Walter Wilson, who was not only a licensed medical physician but later on the founder and longtime pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Kansas City, Missouri, told the story of a wealthy man who lived near an army camp. The man knew that a certain soldier who was stationed at the camp was not a Christian, and he wanted to witness to that soldier. However, the post’s commanding officer had a fairly strict policy about visitation, and that policy didn’t make allowance for anyone to do any personal witnessing on the post.

Despite numerous requests to be allowed to visit the soldier and talk to him, the wealthy man was never granted permission to do so. Finally, he realized that he was going to have to get creative if he wanted to share the message of Jesus with that soldier. That’s when inspiration struck him. He went to a company that made mirrors and put in an order for enough small mirrors to give one to each soldier on the base. On the back of each mirror, he had “John 3:16” engraved just before the words: “If you want to see who it is that God loves and for whom Christ died, look on the other side.”

The man then took the mirrors to the commanding officer, asked for permission to give one to each soldier on the base, and was granted permission to do so. Because of the man’s creativity in evangelism, not only did he get the message of Jesus to that one soldier that he had on his heart, he got it to all the other soldiers on the base. All I can say about that is, may his tribe increase.

The fact is that many Christians do not have the confidence to verbally share the gospel with others. I’m not saying this is a good thing or something these Christians shouldn’t work to overcome; I’m simply pointing it out as an inconvenient truth. But if you are such a Christian, let me encourage you to find other ways (non-verbal ones) to share the gospel. Here are seven examples of the kind of thing I’m describing:

• Buy yourself some gospel tracts that are not only tactful but also doctrinally solid and strategically place individual tracts wherever the Lord burdens you to place them.
• Finance the radio or television ministry of an evangelist or pastor whom you trust.
• If you have a talent for writing, create your own blog and use it to tell others about Jesus.
• Give generously, sacrificially, to the missions offerings taken up at your local church.
• Take out an evangelistic ad in your local paper if that paper allows those type of ads to be placed.
• Don’t be shy about incorporating evangelistic verses into your Facebook posts and using your page to share your Christian testimony.
• Use acts of service (yard mowing, baking, car washing, snow shoveling, etc.) as springboards to not only help people who are in need but also to somehow share with them — perhaps through a Christian book or a tract — about the Savior whose ultimate example of service has changed your life.

Going back to Dr. Wilson’s illustration, my question to you, Christian, is: Have you found your mirrors yet? In other words, have you found your ways to become actively involved in evangelism? Remember that Jesus knows how you are wired, and He knows what spiritual gifts and talents you have. Therefore, you should ask Him to reveal to you what YOU can do to share the gospel in your own personalized way. Since Jesus Himself is infinitely creative, He will gladly convey some of that creativity to you if He sees that you are serious about wanting to tell others about Him. And if you are wondering if He has a need for you in this type of work, let me remind you that He once mournfully said, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few” (Mathew 9:37, N.K.J.V.).