Share Jesus Critique
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Bibliographical Entry
Fay, William and Linda Shepherd. Share Jesus Without Fear. Nashville, TN: B&H
Publishing Group, 1999.
Author Information
William (Bill) Fay graduated from Denver Seminary with a degree in leadership and has given himself the title of an evangelist. Fay has served as a volunteer chaplain, a pastor, and host of the radio show, “Lets Go.” and a speaker where he teaches others how to share their faith. Before coming to faith, in 1981, he had ties to the mafia and even owned one of the largest brothels in the U.S. After God became a part of his life, William wanted to help others have courage to share their faith.
Linda Evans Shepherds is a nationally known Christian speaker, a popular Denver television host and best-selling author. She is a highly sought after speaker around the U.S. She is the author of many books that helped her win the award of the 1997-98 Colorado Christian Author of the year. Linda is also the president of Right to the Heart Ministries, a leader of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, and the founder of the RightToTheHeart.tv website and ministries.
Content Summary
Every Christian was blessed by coming to faith in God and as a result should be sharing the message of God and His love to others without excuse. The basic summary of the book is really divided into three parts. The first is would be to share your faith, the second would be asked for a decision, and the third would be the answers section. This is not the way the book is laid out, but rather the style that is woven throughout the book.
Try it! Fay repeatedly tells the reader that they should be sharing their faith and going out and sharing to others (p.17). Everyone might have a reason or excuse why they dont or have not shared their faith, but they are not valid. This book lists many excuses people have as to why they dont share their faith, most of which are addressed in chapter three. Simply put, I dont want to is the only reason that a Christian has as to why they do not share their faith.
Giving people a choice to make a decision to put their faith and trust after a Christian has shared their faith is crucial into bring people into a relationship with God (p.59). Chapter six is devoted to turning the corner from telling someone about God and asking them if they want to know Him. If a person shares their faith and never calls for a decision or commitment, then it is just the same as not sharing. Asking questions for commitment allows a person to put their trust in God.
The final section that is touched on in Fay and Shepherds book is the answers section. Chapter eight deals with some common questions a nonbeliever might ask when someone has shared their faith and is calling for a commitment. These answers are not an exhaustive list, but rather a compiled list that are frequently asked to advert attention or trip up someone from sharing their faith. The 36th and final question listed is about whether a Christian is better than a non-believer (p.112). The answer is the frame of mind that all Christians should have when trying to share their faith, “I am not better, but better off”, that is the reason Christians should share their faith.
Evaluation
William and Linda achieve their purpose of giving everybody that reads their book the courage, knowledge, and charge of sharing the readers faith with others; however they have no control over whether a person does what the book instructs. Fay summarizes it best when he writes only two kinds of people will read the book, those who talk to lost people and those who talk about lost people (p8). The book gives a believer basic tools to share their faith, but a book can not overpower freewill.
The over all theme of the book seems very simple and is even broken down in a very straight forward approach. Fear is an emotion that people feel, but with more exposure, something becomes less frightening. The book tries to take away excuses so that people will feel as if they must share their faith rather than having the option to share when they want.
William and Linda have two presuppositions about a person reading their book. The first would be; that everyone reading their book is a Christian. In todays society marketing is big and people are curious. Someone might see the cover