Evangelists used to scare me. My first run-in with one was during my freshman year of college. I came upon him in a common area of campus known as "The Brickyard."  I stood back a little, listening in as he yelled through a megaphone. I didn't know Jesus at the time, and was certainly intrigued by what he was saying. But when he suddenly pointed directly to me in the crowd and shouted that I was headed for damnation, my heart changed. I'd never seen this man before. I blended quietly back into the crowd, wishing the bricks would part and swallow me whole.

I was so greatly affected by this that I avoided all other campus activity that had anything to do with religion for quite a while.  That's a sad effect of poor evangelism in my opinion, at least evangelism that is impersonal, accusatory, and vague.

Years later, I came upon some other evangelists at work. Two women I worked with were sold out for Christ. It affected every aspect of their lives. Everything they did, they did with Him in mind.  They had no shame in talking about Him or sharing their experiences with Him.  And I couldn't stop watching them.

I didn't know Jesus at the time and was completely absorbed by the things they said.  And when they continued to show me day in and day out that their relationship with Him was not only real but incredible, my heart changed.

So much so that I began spending every second of my free time investigating the claims of Christianity, hoping to have just a tiny bit of what they had.  That's the good side of evangelism in my opinion - personal, forgiving, and focused.

What kind of evangelist speaks to you?  What kind of evangelist do you want to be as you go out into the world to speak to others?

There are millions out there waiting to hear, watching believers with baited breath. Hoping that what we are living is real.  Will you speak to them in a way they can hear?

In 1 Corinthians 9:19, 22-23, Paul said:  "Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ.  When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ.  Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings."

He knew that each person on earth will come to Christ in a unique way.  He also knew that in order to be an effective evangelist, he must be willing to approach each listener in a unique way.  To "find common ground with everyone" in order to save some.  It's not always easy finding this common ground.  But it is easy to build relationships with people.  To talk to them about their lives. To ask them about themselves. To get to know them before pulling them into a conversation about Christ.

There is something to be said for blending in, as there is to be for standing out. There is a time and place for both.  Listen closely to the voice in your heart-  that's Jesus telling you what the person you are talking to is willing to hear.

Laura Polk is a wife and mother of three who has a passion for teaching young women that God is in the details of their lives. She has contributed to various magazines, websites and blogs and is currently working on a YA novel. While contributing to other ministries, she is building one of her own through a tween website that targets girls ages 8-11. Check out her blog or watch her website grow.