Foreword
Introduction
1. Someone Is Waiting for You
2. Is It Worth It?
3. Evangelism Is Awkward
4. They?re Experience Based
5. You Are in a Spiritual Battle
6. Engaging the Spiritual Battle
7. How to Hear God?s Voice in Witness
Interlude: A Powerful Official
8. God?s Role: Send and Set Up
9. Your Role: Follow Even If Fuzzy
10. Don?t Miss the Moment
11. How Do I Avoid Being Pushy?
12. How to Turn the Conversation to Jesus
Epilogue: Don?t Keep Them Waiting
Appendix 1: Five Guidelines for Hearing God
Appendix 2: GIG Suggestions by Theme
Appendix 3: Conversation Starters
Acknowledgments
Notes
Beau Crosetto loves helping people connect to and share Jesus right where they are. He serves as the director for starting new Greek InterVarsity chapters on college campuses in Greater Los Angeles. He is the founder of the missional blog Release the APE and has a MA in evangelism and leadership from Wheaton College. Beau has partnered in planting the church Vineyard Underground in Los Angeles.
"Beau Crosetto lives what he teaches, and out of his life comes
this powerful and inspiring book. He has helped thousands of people
on campuses and in churches to get beyond their fears and
awkwardness and into the zone of seeing God work to influence
people toward Christ. You will love it!"
*Rick Richardson, author of Reimagining Evangelism; director of the
evangelism, leadership and church planting program, Wheaton College
Graduate School*
"I have always been a firm believer that the game of football is
the ultimate team sport. Beau has made me re-evaluate my thinking:
evangelism and helping people know and love Jesus is the ultimate
team experience! Beau is truly a gifted evangelist, but more
importantly he helps us realize we can all be on the evangelism
team no matter our role, our talent or our background. God wants us
on his team and in his game. The Great Commission is a challenge to
all believers, and it's sure helpful to be coached, urged and
encouraged along by Beau."
*Brock Huard, former NFL quarterback, current college football
analyst for ESPN and radio host for ESPN Seattle*
"Beau Crosetto has truly crafted a Holy Spirit driven,
inspirational, biblically-based resource that should be put in the
hands of every Christian student in the university. Beyond Awkward
challenges us to take risks, alleviates excuses for not sharing
Jesus and is replete with pragmatic examples and advice on sharing
your faith in Jesus. Beau's understanding and articulation of the
partnership of the Holy Spirit with us in evangelism is fresh and
encouraging. This is one of the most significant books on
evangelism I have read."
*E. Scott Martin, national director, Chi Alpha Campus Ministries,
USA*
"Long before meeting Beau Crosetto, I heard how God was using him
to lead an evangelistic movement within InterVarsity. Beau is the
real deal—a gifted evangelist with a passion to see lives eternally
changed. The biblical role of the evangelist has little to do with
spotlights and stadiums and everything to do with equipping God's
people to boldly share Jesus. In Beyond Awkward, this is precisely
what Beau is doing—equipping the saints. This book hits the
trifecta: it's simple, biblical and practical. Read this book and
join God's movement toward the supernatural reset our world needs
today."
*Nick Hall, founder and CEO, PULSE Movement*
"Beyond Awkward by Beau Crosetto is a passionate, compelling
wake-up call to all Jesus-followers to be intentional in turning
everyday normal conversations into conversations about Jesus.
Evangelism can and should be the normal lifestyle of every
Christian. It shouldn't be awkward. Crosetto gives his readers
great principles and encouragement to help Jesus-followers make
evangelism a natural and exciting part of life."
*Kevin Palau, president, Luis Palau Association*
"With our hearts pumping and palms sweaty, Beau reminds us that on
the other side of scared and awkward, evangelism is power and
salvation through Jesus. With compelling stories from his own life,
scriptural examples and practical tools for every Christian to use,
Beyond Awkward is a primer on taking steps to trust the Holy Spirit
to experience the joy of witness. I'm grateful that Beau has
provided us with an inviting place to realize we aren't alone in
the awkwardness but that Jesus is faithful to always meet us there
and give courage to take risks for his glory."
*Jessica Fick, regional evangelism coordinator, InterVarsity
Christian Fellowship*
"If there is anything most Christians and non-Christians agree on
it is a mutual dislike for evangelism. In the ways most of us
learned it, well, it's just unnatural, or as Beau says, 'Beyond
Awkward.' In this much-needed book, he doesn't shy away from that
fact but experientially takes us there and helps us move beyond the
abnormal ways and means of typical evangelistic presentations. I
wish I would have had this book thirty years ago."
*Lance Ford, author of Revangelical: Becoming The Good News People
We're Meant To Be*
"For those who have already made the paradigm shift of what it
means to be sent people, living incarnationally and demonstrating
the love of Jesus, Beyond Awkward is a great next step in
practically proclaiming the gospel to those we come in contact with
on a daily basis. Evangelism tends to have a scary connotation
making us uneasy or anxious because of what others may think. But
Beau Crosetto helps us understand the importance of sharing our
faith because of the one who has captured our hearts—Jesus. Why
would we not want to share him and what he came to bring with
others? Great, practical, must read. You will be glad you did!"
*Laura Hairston, executive director, Forge America*
"Beau's book is a gift for the church as he takes the
beyond-awkward topic of evangelism and makes it beyond accessible
for all. With honest and inspiring stories and practical tips, Beau
equips and empowers us all to play our part in the Great
Commission. A brilliant resource!"
*Jo Saxton, church planter, speaker and author of More Than
Enchanting*
"Are you terrified about having spiritual conversations? This book
is a great primer, helping you avoid the extremes of being either
too pushy or too passive, while training you in practical and
Spirit-dependent ways to explain the reasons for the hope you
have."
*James Choung, author of True Story, national director of
evangelism, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA*
"The call to 'embrace awkwardness' may sound strange, but it could
be just what many Christians need to hear. In this enjoyable,
challenging and universally applicable book, Beau Crosetto empowers
believers to step beyond their fears, learn to hear God?s voice and
enter the amazing journey of relational evangelism. As you move
beyond awkward into evangelism action, your faith and joy will
rise. Let's live out this book!"
*John Teter, senior pastor, Fountain of Life Covenant Church*
"Whether taking the next step in a conversation with a skeptic or
preaching to a crowd of a thousand, Beau continues to fire me up to
share the good news. He is one of the most influential and gifted
evangelists I have ever met. For anyone seeking to grow your faith
and share Jesus with others, one interaction with Beau will inspire
you. And this book is a solid interaction. Dive in . . . and reach
out."
*Rev. Matthew Nault, City Church of San Francisco*
"I've read many books on evangelism, and there are very, very few
that breathe the rarified air of being beneficial for our
generation. This is one. In Beyond Awkward, Beau does a great job
of covering important truths, points and questions in sharing the
goodness of Jesus with others, and getting past the feeling of
awkwardness in our conversations. We need more books like this
one."
*Matt Brown, evangelist and founder of Think Eternity*
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