The author of this book, William Fay, has a very interesting past. He was once the “president and CEO of a multimillion-dollar international corporation” (p. 1). He was involved and directly tied to the mafia, as well as running a prostitution house. Apart from his business life, Fay was a very successful racquetball player. He would generally try to destroy people on the court and dare them ever bring up the topic of Christianity. During one of his games he met a doctor by the name of Paul Grant.
Grant would, later on, play a significant role in Fay’s life. A year and a half after meeting Dr. Grant, Fay’s prostitution house was raided and he was in the midst of a lot of trouble (p. 2). During the midst of Fay’s trouble Dr. Grant asked him a question that would ultimately change this author’s life. “Are you okay? ” Fay says “this is the first time in forty years anyone has asked me this question” (p. 2). He was invited by Dr. Grant to come to church which he accepted. Although nothing changed in his ife that day, seeds were planted that would eventually blossom in Fay’s life. After his house was raided he was arrested and then put on probation. While on probation, a sting had been set up and again Fay was arrested. This time though he believed he would have to spend the next six to eight years in prison, since he had violated his probation. It is at this point in his life when the Holy Spirit began to move. Through the use of many Christian acquaintances and his unbelieving wife on March 4, 1981, Fay accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior.
After his conversion to Christianity, Fay has had the privilege to tell several others about his Savior, including his daughter that he left and several of the police officers who were involved in both of his arrests. Content Summary As Christians we are called to go out and tell others about Jesus Christ, and ultimately there is no way fail as long as we go. In his book, Fay talks of the necessity of Christians to do more than merely come to church. There is a need to get out and tell others of a Savior. He also, throughout the entire book, speaks on what our Biblical role in witnessing really is.
We must overcome our fears. Fay deals with, in his view, six reasons that scare people away from sharing their faith: afraid of being rejected, afraid of what my friends might think, I can not share with my coworkers, I do not know enough, afraid of losing my friends and relatives, and I do not know how (p. 17-26). As Christians our Biblical role is to just go and tell. Somewhere in history it has been taught that a Christian’s success is based upon the number of people they lead to Jesus. Biblically this thought cannot be supported. In fact, it is completely opposite.
Fay describes success as “sharing your faith and living your life for Jesus Christ” (p. 3). Success is not dependent upon whether someone accepts Jesus as Savior or not. In the harvesting, salvation, process there will be planters, waterers, tenders, and harvesters. Fay says it takes a “ nonbeliever 7. 6 times to hear the Gospel before they will receive it” (p. 11). It is our job to go and tell. There should be no excuse or fear that will keep us from doing this. As Christians we must remember that we “have the same power that raised Jesus from the dead, living in us, so we lack nothing to get the job done” (p. 6). Fay then goes on to one of the hardest aspect of witnessing; turning a regular conversation to Jesus. He gives several conversation joggers and then five questions to ask that will lead the conversation to Jesus. He also gives seven scripture verses that share the Gospel message of Jesus Christ. Lastly, five more questions that help the person understand if they meant what they said or if they are really committed. Fay does his best to cover every step for a Christian to follow to make witnessing as easy as it should be.
He then moves to objections to Christianity. How to respond when witnessing to someone and they reject the Word that God is using you to tell them. Fay gives thirty six of the more popular excuses for rejecting Jesus. With each rejection is a way to be prepared for your next step with this person. With each of these Fay stresses never to be confrontational, and to just ask questions and let the Holy Spirit guide. With the final chapters of his book, Fay focuses on the Christian person. He discusses how important it is that we have non-Christian friends.
If you are living in isolation from the world and the only friends you have are in your comfortable Bible study, Wednesday night church get togethers, Sunday school, Christians picnics, retreats, homeschool events, and concerts, you will never experience the joy of sharing your faith (p. 114). Not only having non-Christian friends, but the power of praying for them as well. Never give up praying for them. We do not know how God is working in their lives and sometimes all we may have the chance to do is pray. Evaluation In the world we live in we face many challenges to why people will not ccept the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Fay does a good job responding to these excuses. He gives you avenues and even Biblical backing on how to respond to someone when they reject the message. Fay’s main point of sharing Jesus without fear is conveyed throughout the entire book. He eases fear by giving so many ways to respond to the various rejections that a witnessing person may face. If this reader may say there is anything negative, or bad, about the book it is the presuppositions that the author takes. It is assumed that the general Christian population cares about going out and sharing their faith.
The truth is, no matter how much a person is prepared to share their faith, if they do not want to, they never will. Although this is sad, it is the truth. There are Christian people who are comfortable and satisfied and not willing to do anything for the Kingdom. The author spends a great deal of time destroying the fear of sharing the Gospel, but fear may not be the root of why a person does not share. The author gives his conclusion about sharing the Gospel with the thought of success. This conclusion may be new to Christians as well.
Success is not based upon a person’s decision, but rather only the willingness to go out and to live for Jesus. Many churches and Christians tend to relay a different message, where success is mainly about whether or not people are being saved. They may not teach it publicly through their words, but through their actions it is proven. Fay also talks about the importance of having non-Christian friends. Which is opposite of what most churches teach of being unequally yoked. Fay stresses how will we ever be able to tell an unbeliever about Jesus if we are never acquainted with one?
The best topic, or idea, covered in Fay’s book is the removal of doubt about ones self. Many believers will not go out and share, because of some excuse about themselves. Many believe they do not know enough, do not think they can make someone understand, or something else that is about him personally. Fay tells that when it comes to witnessing it is not about the person, it is only about Jesus. If people can get past themselves, and see who witnessing is really about this student wonders if more people would feel more comfortable with going out.
Fay also could do a better job relaying the urgency with which believers must live with the idea of witnessing. There is only so much time that is given on Earth, not only for believers to live but also for unbelievers to hear. It is great that we know how, but going out is not something that is suggested or recommended, it is required by God. The style of witnessing Fay uses can be implemented into ones life or ministry immediately. He suggests you purchase Sharing Jesus Without Fear Bible. In this Bible it contains all the questions and responses that Fay gives in the book.
There is nothing for the believer to have to memorize. This also goes along with the way Fay encourages a person to witness to unbelievers. He likes to let the person read the scripture for themselves and let the Holy Spirit work in their lives and let them come to a conclusion of what the word says, instead of interpreting it for them. If anyone is not currently involved in going out and sharing what they believe, this would be a good book to read. Also, even if you are currently involved, but would like to be stronger and have more confidence when you go out, this would be a book to consider.
If you already have a method that is working and is comfortable, this book would still be good, it would only give encouragement to you. However, this book would have the best impact on those Christians who for whatever reason are not currently out sharing their faith. Being the leader of an outreach program at a church this book has helped this reader tremendously. It has given ways to encourage believers to want to share. As well as, understanding the true meaning of what Godly success is and is not. It has also given, a greater knowledge of responses to objections to Jesus Christ.
