Book Review: Honest Evangelism

You neglect to do it. You know you should do it. You may even realize you are commanded to do it. Yet, you still don’t do it. What are we talking about? Evangelism, of course! As Christians, we love the Lord. Many of us have a deep desire to share our faith, but time after time we fail to do so. We allow the fear of man to win over the fear of the Lord. In the words of Rico Tice, we “are going to get hurt”. However, that should not stop us from sharing our faith. That is why I am so thankful for this resource by Rico Tice, Honest Evangelism.

In Honest Evangelism, Tice opens up with this truth: “So if you’re going to talk to people about Jesus, you are going to get hurt. It is going to sever some relationships. It is going to provoke people” (Tice 15). He admits there will be hostility to the gospel but there will be others who have a hunger for the gospel and will receive the message you share. From that, he addresses the fact that it is worth it to share the gospel (chapter 2), exposes the heart of our own idolatry to the neglect of witness (chapter 3), and equips us with what to say (chapters 4-5) and how to approach sharing the gospel with others (chapter 6). He ends the book on the note that this will take work, commitment, and availability (chapters 7-8).

What I found so refreshing about this book on evangelism was the author’s honesty. (The title Honest Evangelism lives up to its title.) With so many books on evangelism, this is one strikes a different cord. Tice helps remind us of the difficulty, especially in today’s world, of sharing the gospel. He speaks of his own struggles. Most importantly, though, he does not stop there. While evangelism is a demanding service, God’s grace brings us through it. Chapter 3 removes the veil from our eyes and shows us that we may not evangelize because we have an idolatry problem. The questions for “idol-spotting” (Rice 44-45) are worth reflection. Chapter 4 brings us the comfort that in evangelism God’s sovereignty, grace, and power are on display. One interesting aspect of this book is Rico’s approach in what to say. Instead of the more traditional “God-Man-Christ-Response” presentation, Tice lays out Identity (who Jesus is)-Mission (why He came)-Call (what He wants from you). While I am not sure whether one approach is better than the other, it did cause me to see sharing the gospel in a different light. Throughout the whole book, the heart motivation behind sharing the gospel is made clear.

If you are looking for a resource that speaks to the difficulties of evangelism as well as the delights of evangelism, Honest Evangelism by Rico Tice is a book you need to pick up.

I received this book for free from The Good Book Company via Cross Focused Reviews for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own and are my honest review of the book.