11 Practical Ways to Share the Gospel without Words
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You might have heard the quote, “Preach the Gospel. Use words if necessary.” It’s commonly attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, though there is substantial claim that St. Francis didn’t actually say this.
Whether he did or not, the idea of sharing the Gospel without words is appealing to many, especially those who are painfully shy or who have a disability that prevents them from speaking or otherwise communicating verbally. The Gospel—or, the “Good News” of the salvation we have in Christ Jesus—is a truth we typically do share verbally, but some people simply prefer non-verbal forms of communication. They are tired of words in what can feel like a society based on empty promises and false speech.
We don’t need to speak or even write to be able to introduce the Gospel to people. There are a number of ways that we can share the love of Christ, and the notion of Christianity, without opening our mouths.
As Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 28:19, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” He also told them, when asked what is the greatest commandment, that they are to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” and, second, to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:36-40).
Jesus also said, in John 13:35, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
When we show love in the name of Jesus, we are showing Jesus to the world.
Here, then, are some ways we can show Jesus to others without words:
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1. Feed My Sheep
After His resurrection, Jesus taught His disciples one key way they can follow Him and show their love for Him: by feeding His sheep (John 21:17). People need to be fed spiritually. But Jesus also knew people needed their basic needs met, and that overall care often translates to love.
We can literally feed Jesus’s sheep—His people, both current and yet-to-be—by cooking and serving them from our own home or kitchen. We can also do this in other ways. For example, we can volunteer with a hunger-relief ministry, donate money to a food bank or soup kitchen, or buy a meal for someone. We can pay it forward in a fast-food drive-through line by purchasing the order for the car behind us. We can pack sandwiches or stock a cooler full of icy-cold water bottles and hand them out at a street corner to passersby on a hot day.
If we are near a restaurant and encounter someone who asks for a dollar to buy a snack, we could give them that dollar—or even invite them to go inside with us and buy them a full meal. Extravagant generosity in the name of Jesus is a true blessing.
2. Visit People in Prison
Jesus taught that whatever we do for “the least” we also do for Him (Matthew 25:31-46). He specifically mentioned prisoners and our command to care for them. It is not up to us to judge whether a person is or is not condemned eternally. That is the job of Jesus alone. If someone is in prison for a crime, whether or not they committed this crime does not matter—we are still called to love them in Jesus’s name.
This might mean going into prisons to bring cookies or pray with people. It might mean writing a letter to an incarcerated person or sending Christmas cards or care packages.
If you own or manage a business, it also might mean extending grace in the form of a job to people who are recently released from prison.
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3. Tend the Sick
The sick are also among “the least” Jesus mentioned. We are to care for them, whatever that looks like. This might mean giving money to a hospital or signing up to be an organ donor upon your death. You could send someone an encouraging note or small gift, to let them know you are thinking about them. It also might mean modeling the “good Samaritan” in Luke 10:25-37, who nursed a stranger back to health.
4. Care for Orphans
Jesus also calls to provide for orphans. This doesn’t only include children whose parents have died. This includes other vulnerable youth—those in abusive situations, those who are refugees, those who face poverty and hunger, those with parents in prison, etc. Consider being a mentor, helping to tutor children, or donating money or time at a children’s home. You might also feel the nudge to become a foster or adoptive parent. Listen to what God is urging you to do, and respond in obedient love.
5. Care for Widows
Caring for widows and widowers doesn’t necessarily always mean financial assistance. A widow or widower has lost their mate, and likely they feel extraordinarily lonely, perhaps as if their other half is now missing. Extend Christian friendship to them. If you have a neighbor whose wife suddenly died and you happen to know she did most of the cooking, make him some cookies or fix him dinner every so often. If a coworker’s husband died and you know he mowed their lawn each week, pop over with some lawn care, or gift a mowing service.
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6. Provide Shelter
Jesus also calls us to provide shelter for other people. Just as we would like a roof over our heads, we should strive to provide that for others around us just as we would want ourselves. This could mean opening our home to strangers after a natural disaster or to refugees, or to a college student unable to stay in a dormitory. It could mean donating money to a shelter. Maybe it’s pitching in with hard labor to build a house or repair a home through a church ministry or neighborhood housing effort.
If you are a landlord, this could mean giving a significant discount on rent when you know a tenant is going through a difficult personal crisis.
7. Provide Clothing
Along with shelter, we can also offer clothing to others. Instead of throwing out or reselling your unwanted clothes, offer them to other people. Purchase a coat or warm socks for people without during the winter.
8. Wear Your Faith
Adorning ourselves with a visible Christian symbol, especially one that is easily recognizable like the cross, can also be a way to proclaim our faith without using words. Whether it is a symbol on a necklace, a T-shirt or hat, or even a tattoo, when we walk around adorned in a recognizable symbol of our faith, we become a representation of it. We should keep this in mind as we go throughout our day. Remember that we are ambassadors of Christ and should conduct ourselves accordingly (2 Corinthians 5:20). Be nice to other people when wearing the sign of the Lord. Show them kindness. Do helpful or generous things.
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9. Proclaim Jesus on Your Car or Home
Similarly, we can adorn our vehicle or home with symbols of Christianity. I have a cross and the word faith on the back of my car. Others might choose to put up a cross in their front yard or post a favorite Bible verse on a yard flag.
Again, as with clothing, remember that we represent God to the world when we proclaim Him with visible symbols. Make certain our driving and neighboring reflect our faith well. Be a good driver. Be considerate and don’t cut people off. Be friendly to people around our homes.
Sometimes people will judge Christianity because all they know about it is from other Christians. The way we act toward others can either repel or attract them to Jesus. Remember that.
10. Visible Prayer
When we pray, it should be between us and God. It is an honest and heartfelt moment, relationship-based and intimate. But sometimes those moments happen in public. We might witness a tragedy and wish to pray—and happen to be where others can see us. We might be accustomed to saying a prayer of thanksgiving before we eat a meal. In these cases, we should not be shy. Instead, we should embrace our faith and know it is perfectly acceptable to pray in public.
This is not to say we should be showy or draw attention to ourselves. But if a natural inclination to pray occurs when we are around others, don’t hold back. If another person witnesses a genuine moment between us and the Lord, it might begin to turn wheels in their mind or start to soften their heart toward Jesus.
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11. Carry a Bible
Many of us have our Bible on our phones, but why not get used to tucking our Bible in our briefcase or handbag? Again, this is not about showing off our faith or how religious we are. But if we happen to want to read our Bible during a coffee break or lunch break, if we do it on our phone, it’s private. But if we pull out our Bible, others might notice—and start to be attracted to the Lord.
Just be sure this is genuine. Being a religious show-off is never the goal. But not shying away from a genuine faith moment when we happen to be around others can bring them insight into what Jesus and being a Jesus-follower are all about.
There are many other ways to share the Gospel, or at least introduce people to the notion of Jesus, in our everyday lives. Get creative. Do what feels natural in a way that honors the Lord.
Remember: We might be the only example a person sees of Jesus in the world today. May we not be afraid to let that light shine.
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