Shanda Fulbright explores evangelism through Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman, showing how sharing both the bad news of sin and the good news of salvation leads to true transformation.
This article appeared in the Just Between Us Weekly Digital Magazine.
By Shanda Fulbright
“Do you want the good news or the bad news?”
That question makes most of us cringe. Who wants bad news? Just hand over the good stuff and let’s call it a day, right?
Unfortunately, that’s not how truth works—especially when it comes to the gospel.
Evangelism is one of those churchy words we often toss around without fully grasping its weight. It simply means “to share the good news.” And the person who shares it? That’s an evangelist. But here’s the catch: a good evangelist doesn’t skip over the bad news. Why? Because without the bad news, the good news isn’t all that good.
Even Jesus didn’t give people the good news in isolation. He told the truth—the whole truth—and that included the hard stuff. He’s the ultimate example when it comes to evangelism. And nowhere is that more evident than in His conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4.
Let’s walk through that story and uncover the keys to sharing the gospel like Jesus did: with honesty, grace, and a message that saves.
When the Bad News Meets the Thirsty Soul
We meet the Samaritan woman drawing water at noon—an odd time in a hot climate. But when you’re trying to avoid side-eyes and whispers, the heat is worth the solitude. She wasn’t just fetching water; she was hiding. Her past likely made her an outcast, and that daily walk to the well was probably as routine as the shame she carried with her.
Here’s the bad news: she was searching for satisfaction in all the wrong places. And that’s a relatable truth. Whether it’s relationships, success, or even religion, we all have “wells” we go to when we’re thirsty for something deeper.
But the good news? Jesus met her there.
Not only did He meet her, but He went out of His way to meet her. John tells us that Jesus “had to go through Samaria.” That phrase isn’t about geography—it’s about purpose. He knew who He was going to meet, and He showed up with the cure for her thirsty soul: living water.
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