Home Group guide

To effectively share the gospel, we need to clearly communicate the gospel.

Many people think they know the gospel because they’ve heard religious phrases, tried to live morally, or attended church. However, Scripture describes the gospel as a specific message of good news, not good advice (Romans 1:16). At its core, the gospel is not:

• “Be a good person.”
• “God helps those who help themselves.”
• “Try harder and do better.”
• “Jesus is an inspiring example.”
• “Attend church, and God will be happy.”
  
  

The gospel is the announcement that God sent His Son to live the life we failed to live, die the death our sin deserved, and rise again so that sinners might be reconciled to God.

• Humanity was created for God’s design (Genesis 1:26-27).
• Sin broke humanity’s relationship with God (Romans 3:23).
• Sin leads to death (Romans 6:23).
• Christ came to save sinners (1 Timothy 1:15).
• Salvation is by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9).
• Repentance and belief are the response God commands (Acts 17:30-31).
  
  

The Spirit gives new birth (John 3:5-8), opens blind eyes (2 Corinthians 4:6), and grants repentance and faith (Acts 11:18; Ephesians 2:8). Our responsibility is to proclaim clearly, not to convert powerfully—the Spirit alone does that work.

Imagine the changes to orient your lifestyle toward evangelism. What causes hesitation? What seems costly? What would you gain in your relationships with God and others?

1. Last week, we encouraged you to reach out and start conversations about God with your friends who need Jesus by asking them what they believe God wants from them. Did anyone have a conversation this past week that they are willing to share?

2. What kinds of things do people sometimes put their faith and trust in instead of Jesus?

3. Why is it important that we not only live our faith through action but also share the gospel with our words?

4. Read John 3:16-18. What is the gospel? Why is it hard to think that we had nothing to do with earning our salvation? Why or why not?

The 3 Circles is a visual tool for sharing the gospel, utilizing three interconnected circles to illustrate God's design, human brokenness, and the gospel message. It transforms everyday conversations into opportunities to explain that although God created life to be perfect, human sin causes brokenness, and only the gospel of Jesus Christ can restore the relationship with God.

The Three Circles

• God's Design: The first circle represents the perfect life God intended for people before sin entered the world.
• Brokenness: This circle shows how sin leads to brokenness, emptiness, and a deviation from God's design.
• The Gospel: The third circle represents God's solution through Jesus Christ, who died for our sins, was resurrected, and offers a path to forgiveness and a restored relationship with God through faith.

Watch this video as a group:

How to use this tool:

• Start a conversation: Begin by talking about a life challenge or problem someone is facing.
• Transition to the gospel: Use a transition phrase to connect their problem to your faith, such as offering to share something that has helped you with similar challenges.
• Draw the circles: Draw the three circles, explaining each one and the relationship between them:
  • Start with God's Design as the perfect life that was lost due to sin.
  • Next, draw Brokenness as a representation of human sin and its negative consequences.
  • Finally, show how Jesus provides a way out of brokenness and back to God's design through his life, death, and resurrection.
• Invite a response: Ask the person where they see themselves in the circles and invite them to repent and believe in Jesus to be restored to God's design.
• Practice: Practice to using this tool to become comfortable and effective in sharing it.
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You can find links to download the app here: https://www.namb.net/evangelism/3circles/

Practice explaining the 3 Circles method with another person in your group using an app, wristband, or piece of paper.

This week, we want to challenge you to start a conversation with a friend by asking them to share their perspective on the question: Why did Jesus die on the cross? Listen, ask questions, and encourage dialogue. Then, share what the Bible says about Jesus paying the price for our sins by dying on the cross and rising from the dead. Consider using the 3 Circles.

If you are interested in joining a group next semester, fill out the interest form below or contact Doug Barnwell at dbarnwell@fellowshipjackson.com.

We ask every Home Group participant to commit to the Four Essentials of a Healthy Group outlined in our Home Group Commitment. These essentials help ensure that every group stays healthy, welcoming, and spiritually meaningful for everyone involved. You can review those here.

Big Idea: To effectively share the gospel, we must recognize that everyone is called to evangelize, but not everyone does so in the same way.

Introduction: Courage isn’t the absence of fear but the willingness to move forward despite it, especially when feelings of inadequacy or fear of rejection arise. We overcome fear and insecurity by cultivating love and courage as we share the gospel. Love is the antidote to fear. When we genuinely care about people, fear loosens its grip, and we are compelled to share the truth for their good. Evangelism doesn’t need to feel awkward or forced; it often happens through simple, everyday conversations.

Not everyone shares their faith the same way, so discovering your natural style allows you to connect with others in a relational, authentic, and meaningful way.

Five Contagious Faith Styles

Faith Style	Description	Biblical Picture
Friendship-Building	Wins trust over time through relational presence and hospitality	Jesus with Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10)
Selfless-Serving	Demonstrates Christ’s compassion through tangible care	Dorcas/Tabitha (Acts 9:36)
Story-Sharing	Shares what God has done personally	The healed man (John 9:25)
Reason-Giving	Engages questions and doubts with gospel clarity	Paul in Athens  (Acts 17:16-34)
Truth-Telling	Clear and direct proclamation of repentance and faith	Peter at Pentecost (Acts 2)

This does not mean we choose “our style” and ignore the others. Rather, one may feel natural, and others can be learned. The goal is faithfulness, not personality matching.

Think about how you prefer others to approach you in conversations, especially on topics of faith. Would you rather be presented with facts immediately? Or do you prefer someone to listen and try to understand you first?

1. What are the biggest spiritual challenges you’ve encountered in today’s cultural environment?

2. Do you recall an occasion when fear stopped you from sharing the Gospel? What were you afraid of?

3. Different people engage others differently. Rank the “Five Contagious Faith Styles” from 1 to 5, where 1 is the most comfortable and 5 is the least.

4. Read 1 John 4:18. Have you ever been afraid to share the Gospel but did so anyway? How did you see God work through that?

5. Take a few minutes to brainstorm reasons why Christians may hesitate to share their faith openly. What factors should be considered to help overcome these barriers?

Last week, you were asked to set aside time to reflect on your salvation story and come prepared to share your testimony. Form groups of 2-3 people and have each member share their 2-3-minute testimony. (Note to leaders: This should take no longer than 10 minutes total. Feel free to set a timer and reconvene your group once the time is up.)

Reflection: Write down your top three fears or barriers to evangelism. Pray and ask God to remove these barriers and replace them with His courage and love.

Conversation Goal: This week, we encourage you to start a conversation with a friend who needs Jesus in their life. Listen carefully to their story, ask good questions, and offer hope without being forceful. If you have the opportunity, share about your relationship with God and how He desires an intimate relationship with everyone He has given life to.

Identify a friend who needs Jesus at the heart of their story. Spend some time praying for them this week. Take a moment now to pray for them together.

If you are interested in joining a group next semester, fill out the interest form below or contact Doug Barnwell at dbarnwell@fellowshipjackson.com.

We ask every Home Group participant to commit to the Four Essentials of a Healthy Group outlined in our Home Group Commitment. These essentials help ensure that every group stays healthy, welcoming, and spiritually meaningful for everyone involved. You can review those here.

Big Idea: To effectively share the gospel, we need to be willing to build relationships and learn to listen.

The call to evangelize is rooted in the Great Commission and reflects Jesus’ compassion for the lost (Matthew 28:18-20; Luke 19:10). It provides a biblical foundation that highlights listening and understanding before speaking. Effective evangelism begins with compassionate listening, focusing on the underlying pain. People often value feeling heard and understood more than hearing facts. Meaningful conversations can develop when we seek to understand the root of someone’s struggle rather than just responding to surface issues.
One of the easiest and most impactful methods is to ask open-ended questions about their lives, experiences, and worldview. Evangelism isn't a sales pitch; it’s about showing love and forming relationships. Be attentive and actively engage with your community.

Relationships are built through conversations, not presentations.  Here are some differences between the two approaches.

Presentation

• Begins with a Christian worldview
• Assumes knowledge and understanding of Christian vocabulary
• Focuses on salvation as a legal transaction
• Makes sense to people with a church background
• Goal is to answer any questions with truth, with a focus on winning
• Requires an immediate decision
• Success equals a positive decision for Christ

Conversation

• Begins with the other person's worldview
• Assumes little knowledge or understanding of Christian vocabulary
• Focuses on salvation as relational
• Makes sense of Christianity to those outside the church too
• Goal is to communicate information, striving for clarity of understanding
• Leaves the door open for a decision at any time
• Hopes for a positive decision, but success equals another conversation and an ongoing relationship

Have you ever been in a situation where you’re talking with someone, but it feels more like a lecture? It can seem like they’re not really trying to understand where you’re coming from, and their words might feel a bit disconnected or unrelatable. If they had approached you with more curiosity, how do you think that could have changed the conversation?

1. What are you most excited about as you think about conversations surrounding evangelism? What are you most nervous about being challenged to do?

2. When it comes to evangelism, what is God’s responsibility, and what is my responsibility?

3. Read Luke 19:10 and John 20:21. What was Jesus’ purpose in coming to earth? Considering His mission, what should be the main focus of His followers?

4. How can we engage more with our community? How does the pace of everyday life or cultural pressure lead us to neglect God’s mission?

5. Is there an area of your life you already know is out of step with God’s mission? What adjustments can you make to change this?

Watch the video from 411 on 15-second testimonies:

1. With your group, write these down and then practice sharing them either one-on-one or all together.
First, think of 1-2 words that describe your life before you chose to follow Jesus.
       
2. Use these two words to complete the statement, “There was a time in my life...” (Example: “There was a time in my life when I felt alone and inadequate.”)
Next, think of 1-2 words that describe how you came to Jesus. Example: “I was forgiven by Jesus and chose to follow him.”

3. Then, think of 1-2 words that describe your life now that you have chosen to follow Jesus. Example: “Now I get to serve him, and I feel like my life has purpose.”

4. Finally, ask, “Do you have a story like that?”

Personal Testimonies: These are powerful tools for sharing what Jesus has done in our lives. We will practice writing a full testimony to share in 2-3 minutes. Use the “Writing Your Personal Testimony” document and set aside time this week to reflect on your salvation story. Come to the next meeting prepared to share your testimony with a group member in 2-3 minutes. (Note: You don't need to share every detail of your life; focus on highlighting God's glory through your story.)

Prayer Exercise: Decide on a time that works for you to pray for at least one minute every day, asking God to move on behalf of your lost friends and family members and to give you His heart for them. Set a recurring alarm on your phone or a reminder on your calendar, and follow through each day.

Evangelism is fueled by prayer. Ask God for compassion, opportunities, and the Holy Spirit's empowerment. Pray for open doors, for the hearts of those you’re reaching, and for opportunities to share.

Example: “God, we know you love people. Give us each opportunities this week to help someone see your love for them and hear how they can enjoy life in Christ. Grant us wisdom to slow down and listen to their story, and give us the boldness to talk with them about Jesus.”

If you are interested in joining a group next semester, fill out the interest form below or contact Doug Barnwell at dbarnwell@fellowshipjackson.com.

We ask every Home Group participant to commit to the Four Essentials of a Healthy Group outlined in our Home Group Commitment. These essentials help ensure that every group stays healthy, welcoming, and spiritually meaningful for everyone involved. You can review those here.