Truth That Transforms

Why the Bad News Still Matters

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.