When it comes to sharing the gospel with Jewish friends and neighbors, many believers feel unsure about where to begin. But in Acts 17, Paul gives us a simple and practical model. He pays attention to people, learns about what matters to them, and then connects their stories to the story of Jesus.

This is called gospel contextualization, and anyone can do it!

Paul’s approach follows four steps:

1. Immersion: Paul spent time among the people he hoped to reach.

Meaningful gospel conversations grow out of real relationships.

2. Observation: Paul listened and learned.

In the same way, we honor Jewish people by understanding their values, experiences, and questions.

3. Engagement: Paul used the context around him as the door to introduce spiritual truth.

For us, this might look like asking thoughtful questions about someone’s faith experiences or sharing a passage of Scripture that is inspiring to you personally.

4. Call to Action: Finally, Paul invited his listeners to take a next step.

If someone has shown interest in spiritual things, don’t shy away from inviting them to read and discuss one of the Gospels or to attend an event where they can explore Jesus at their own pace.

Believe it or not, the number one way that Jewish people in the United States come to faith is through the witness of Christian friends such as classmates, neighbors, or coworkers. You can do this, and God will work through you as you take simple steps of love and curiosity.

To explore this more fully, I invite you to join me in the free Jews for Jesus Classroom, where I teach an entire course on engaging Jewish people with the gospel. It is designed to give you confidence and clear next steps.

Remember, God is already working in people’s lives and hearts! Our job is just to help draw attention to how God has been speaking to them all along.

Sign up today for the Jews for Jesus Classroom!