The gospel is more than a string of words or lines of scripture, just like salvation is more than reciting a prayer. To truly spread the gospel and lead people to their salvation, we must learn how to live the gospel every day.
Our most recent guest on the Ask About My Faith podcast, Scott Pyle, shares some incredible stories about how he and his wife live the gospel daily. They will inspire you!
Scott Pyle is a successful businessman and entrepreneur. He is the founder and CFO of Pyle Financial Services. Scott and his wife have invested in local communities and abroad. Together, they helped build the Dream Medical Center, one of Rwanda’s biggest and most well-respected medical centers.
Despite growing up in the church, Scott didn’t find salvation until well into adulthood. God used a near-death experience to speak to him, inspiring a complete, radical change. It was truly a Saul to Paul-transformation.
He woke up forever changed and passionate about God.
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Channeling Your Passion to Live the Gospel
“I don’t need to bodyslam them across the salvation line.”
God radically changed Scott in that accident to the point where those closest to him were confused and concerned. But, nothing could quench his fire. He couldn’t contain his excitement and enthusiasm for Jesus. It got to the point that it was almost obnoxious or off-putting.
God taught him that simply loving people where they are, sharing God’s love through his actions, and then letting the Holy Spirit do His work is far more effective than throwing the gospel at everyone, hoping it lands. Scott was re-oriented to focus on the person in front of him.
It is easy to believe our job is to save people, but it’s not. The Holy Spirit is the one who moves people; we are simply a vessel for Him to occupy and work through. Our job is to love the person in front of us and speak the truth they need to hear. By doing that, by sharing our faith through relationships, we can truly grow.
“... there’s nothing wrong with small group Bible study…but we all get together, get together, get together, and we think that’s gonna’ grow us, but that’s not how The Word says we grow. We grow through the sharing of your faith.”
God Will Answer Your Prayers to Live the Gospel
If you ask God to send people into your life who need the gospel, He will do it. Scott shares an incredible story about just that.
After listening to an energetic speaker at a Christian gathering, Scott was inspired to ask God to open his eyes and make him aware of the people God wants him to connect with. He asked God to make it easy by sending people primed and ready to accept Jesus.
A few days after this audacious prayer, Scott received a call from a longtime friend. Now, they are friends who go hunting, play golf, and mess around together, so it was a little unusual for Scott to hear this friend crying on the other line.
His friend explained that earlier that week, he caught COVID and had spent a day and a half unconsciously sleeping. While sleeping, he saw the angel of death, who said to him, “You’re not mine yet.” When he awoke, he thought, “I need to call Scott Pyle.” He goes on to say that he’s been watching Scott for years and appreciates that Scott never once made him feel judged. Through that phone call, Scott watched as his friend of ten years accepted his need for Jesus.
The same day Scott prayed that prayer at the gathering, his friend fell into an unconscious sleep, leading to an encounter with God. Not only that, but God had been using his friendship for the last ten years to get this young man to the point of salvation.
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Seek God’s Heart for People
We often think of “sharing the gospel” as an overt act similar to preaching on a pulpit, but it doesn’t have to be.
During a big hunting trip, God filled Scott’s heart with love and compassion for a young man struggling with addiction and causing tension amongst the group. He had never met him before, but while watching this young man drink and behave obnoxiously, all Scott could feel was empathy for the kid.
Scott sat with him and had a wonderful heart-to-heart conversation. Scott didn’t preach, but he was present and did his best to hold a mirror up for the young man.
After the trip, the young man was never around, and Scott didn’t feel compelled to follow up and see if he got the help he needed. Scott was content knowing he did his part and God would do the rest.
Three years later, he was joining a group of guys for a hunt when a tall young man and his wife approached Scott. Scott didn’t recognize the young man, but the young man knew Scott. He said to his wife, “This is Scott Pyle.” She immediately embraced Scott and began crying.
That tall young man was the struggling young man from three years before. They shared how he found salvation and cleaned up his life. He is now a husband, father, and Bible study leader.
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Advice on How to Live the Gospel
We always like to ask our guests if they have any advice for our listeners and readers. Scott’s advice was simple.
Start with a self-assessment.
Ask yourself, “When was the last time I shared my faith with someone I don’t know?”
Set a goal for yourself.
Give yourself practical ways to live the gospel.
Have a conversation with God.
Don’t be afraid to ask God to ease you into talking about your faith. Ask Him to make you the most sensitive salvation detector.
“It is the Holy Spirit that leads us and nudges us. Remember, it is the Holy Spirit’s role to help us recall the written Word. You will have supernatural recall when you are sharing your faith.”
Our conversation with Scott closed in prayer for all of us! As you seek to live out the gospel, we invite you to join us in prayer. We encourage you to read this trimmed-down version of Scott’s prayer aloud and let it ignite your conversation with God.
Father, open our hearts and remind us of Your incredible power. We are just vessels, the new wineskin You have poured Your Spirit into. Lord, I don’t want to be selfish with You. So take away my timid nature. Take away my fear of being embarrassed. Lord, let me see the people in front of me through Your eyes. Let me see their soul in need of You or already with You. Give me eyes to see and ears to hear. Give me a heart that breaks for Your children. You call us to make disciples of nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. So let it start with me, Father.
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