I know it’s simple, but how do you spell “pie?”

I have a sweet tooth. One of my favorite desserts is apple pie and ice cream. There is not much better than a slab of creamy ice cream on top of some hot apple pie. There is just something about that combination of hot and cold that makes my taste buds jump up and down just thinking about it. When it comes to apple pie, my favorite is Dutch apple pie. It makes for one amazing bite when the hot pie melts the ice cream onto the crumbly topping… Excuse me while I wipe my mouth.

Chances are, if you saw me with a piece of apple pie and ice cream, you would want to try some, based on how much I have talked it up and shared my experiences with pie and ice cream.

When something means a lot to us, we are likely to share our experience with that thing with those around us. We interact based on experience. Maybe it’s not a dessert; maybe it’s a band, or a TV show, or a ___ (fill in the blank). For me, I can tell you about ice cream and apple pie because of my experience.

I used to be intimidated when I thought about the concept of “evangelism.” But when we think about it, isn’t the recipe for evangelism simply to share your experience? God means something to me, so I want to share this wonderful experience with others around me. Evangelism, simply put, is sharing your experience with God with somebody else. When I think of it in these terms, it makes it so much simpler and less threatening.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8

I’m not a criminal expert, but I know that a witness in a trial is somebody who can give a first-hand account of what happened. You are a witness to those around you, just by giving a first-hand account of the power and grace of Jesus in your life. You don’t have to know all of the deep, doctrinal and theological answers to any and every question that may get thrown your way. You only have to know your experience with God. It’s been said, “A man with an experience is never at the mercy of a man with an argument.”

So congratulations… You are now an evangelist! The next time you are feeling a little overwhelmed or scared to evangelize, just remember, it’s as easy as spelling P-I-E.