Many of my friends do some kind of MLM marketing. I have friends that sell Avon, friends that sell Mary Kay, friends that sell Tupperware, friends that sell Scentsy, friends that sell Norwex, and friends that use essential oils (both Doterra and Young Living). You know the one thing they all have in common? They love to tell me about the things they sell. Why? Well, because these women believe their products are the best in the world. They believe their products do something no other product on the market does or that they do it better than other products or safer than other products. In short, these women LOVE the products they sell. They use them daily in their own life. They love the results they get from using them, and they can’t wait to tell everyone they know about the difference these products make in their own lives.
I love my friends. I love their enthusiasm for the things they sell and love. I love how passionate they are to share the message about these products with others. It got me thinking. How many of us will easily share a favorite product or recommend a favorite restaurant or talk about a favorite hobby? And how many of us will share our faith and witness to our neighbor? Suddenly, the numbers drop. We can go all out in talking about products we love or places we love or things we love to do, but when the subject of evangelism and sharing our faith comes up we become tongue-tied and silent. Why? What is the difference?
I think for a lot of people the difference lies in how they feel about the subject. Many of us have heard the label “Bible thumpers.” We’ve had bad experiences with street preachers or street evangelist who have turned us off with their yelling, and we don’t want to be lumped in with people like that. Maybe we think we don’t know enough to share our faith. Maybe we think that we should leave this job to pastors or evangelists or other professionals trained to know the Bible and be able to answer deep theological questions. Maybe we’re afraid of rejection or afraid of screwing up. Maybe we just think someone else will do it.
“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28: 18-20 THE GREAT COMMISSION
Jesus gave the directive to his disciples to go into all the world and make disciples. The great commission was given to his followers. It was given to those of us who believe. The early church took this commission seriously. They shared their faith with everyone they came in contact with, and as a result the church grew exponentially, even in the face of great persecution and trials. How could those early Christians share their faith so powerfully when we often feel that we can not?
I think the answer comes down to a rethinking about what it means to share our faith with others. You see these believers had found a solution to their problem: Jesus. Jesus had changed their lives. People who knew them before saw the change in them. The early believers were passionate about what they knew of Jesus. They were passionate about the salvation He had given them. They didn’t want any of their neighbors to miss out on that salvation. So they shared what they were passionate about. And we’re not talking elegant street preaching. We’re talking simple messages of truth. These men and women told others about what was happening in their lives, about what Jesus had done for them.
You have a story to tell. I have a story to tell. All of us who have come to have a close, personal relationship with Christ have a story to tell. It’s the story of what our lives were like before we met Jesus, how we met Him, how He rescued us, how He changed us, and what He has done in our lives from that day to what He is doing in our lives right now at this moment. And the beauty of this story is that it’s ours. People can argue a lot of things. They can argue the teachings of religious orders. They can argue what the Bible means. They can even argue if Jesus was really the Son of God. Know what they can’t argue about? Your story. They can’t argue with your lived, personal experience. They can reject it. They can refuse to believe it. But they can’t argue with it.
That’s why our testimony is so powerful and so important. You see we are called to spread the world about the greatest solution to the greatest problem ever. While we might be able to passionately talk about makeup to make us more beautiful or cleaning products that are safe for us and for the environment, we need to be able to just as passionately speak about the one who saved our soul and the only one who offers that love and salvation as a free gift to everyone everywhere in the world no matter what they’ve done or where they’ve come from!
How do we do it?
First, we live it. No one is going to care about your story if they can’t tell you’re passionate about it. If your life has been changed by Jesus Christ, those closest to you are going to notice. They’re going to see that there is something different about you. They might know you from before your salvation and wonder why you don’t go to the places you used to go or do the things you used to do. They might work with you and wonder why you have such a strong work ethic and such integrity. How do you do it? Why do you do it? Maybe they live near you and notice that you are always kind and compassionate and giving. Maybe they run across you during a crisis moment in the world, and they notice that you are calm and steady and seem so sure that everything will be okay.
The truth is that you can’t have a close, personal relationship with Jesus Christ and not be changed. You may not notice the change in your life right away, especially if you came to know Jesus when you were very young, but others will notice. Your life is your greatest testimony of Jesus. You are Christ’s ambassador. The only way anyone will ever see Jesus is through the lives of His believers, showing His love to the world in His name. Make sure you are a good ambassador for the Lord.
Preach the gospel at all times. When necessary, use words.
St. Francis of Assissi
Next, we pray. Some people skip over this step thinking it really isn’t important, but it is. We need to pray. We need to pray that God will open doors of opportunity for us to pour into the lives of our friends and neighbors. We need to pray to God that we will have an answer for anyone who comes asking us about the reason for our hope. We need to pray to the Holy Spirit for the right words and the right time. We need to pray that we will recognize those moments when it’s time for us to speak out and share with someone else. We need to pray that those we are led to share with will have a receptive heart. Prayer is a very necessary and important step.
We need to listen. Jesus is an excellent listener. Have you noticed that? All throughout the gospel books of the Bible we find times when Jesus sat down and had a conversation with someone and really listened. He seemed to see right through them to their needs. We aren’t going to be able to read minds like Jesus did, but we can see their needs if we’re praying and listening for the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Bottom line: listening is an excellent way to show love. When you truly listen to another person, you are loving them. You are allowing them to share with you. Listening presents an excellent opportunity to share. Maybe a friend or neighbor comes to you with a problem. They pour out their heartache to you. You listen. You love them. And then, you offer them prayer and a touch from Jesus. It can be as simple as offering to pray with them over the problem. It can be as simple as telling them about your own struggle with the same issue or a similar one and how Jesus touched your life in that moment. Sharing our struggles with others is a great way to connect and to show love to them the way that Jesus would show love to them.
We need to speak. As I said in the previous point, there will be lots of ways that we can share what Jesus has done in our lives. We need to be unafraid to share. We need to be willing to be authentic and vulnerable. Ultimately, we’re talking about sharing with another person the one way that they can have eternal life and relationship with God. That’s huge! It’s really bigger than whether or not they accept us and like us after we share. The thing is that even if they don’t accept our message, most people won’t reject you for sharing it as long as you do it authentically and out of love. People can sense when you are speaking from your heart. They can also sense when your words and your life don’t match up. Nothing is more frustrating than dealing with a hypocrite. So don’t be a hypocrite. Be yourself. Be real. Be authentic.
We need to let go. Often, the biggest reason we don’t share the gospel with other people is that we’re afraid they won’t receive it. You know what? God doesn’t promise us that sharing the gospel with someone else will result in an immediate harvest. God simply asks us to share. To go. To speak. To love. To plant the seed. It’s our job to plant. It’s the Holy Spirit’s job to water. It’s God’s job to see it through to the harvest. If we do happen to have someone listen to our message and want to pray to accept Jesus right then and there, chances are good that others who have come before us have shared the same message and been rejected.
If we are sharing in love, trusting in God, and praying all along the way, then it doesn’t really matter how the other person responds. We have been faithful and obedient to our part. We are trusting God for the rest. If the person you are sharing with doesn’t respond right away, keep praying. Keep praying that God will water that seed you planted and make it grow. And keep sharing as the opportunities present themselves. You have no idea what God is doing to prepare their heart to receive while you faithfully follow His leadings.
When my husband and I began dating in high school, he was not a believer. He knew that I was a Christian, though, so he asked me about the whole “Jesus thing.” I shared with him my own testimony, what I knew about Jesus, how much I loved the Lord, what he had done in my life, and Jesus’ offer of salvation for everyone in the world. It was short and simple. He appreciated my openness, but he did not accept the Lord. So I prayed. I prayed for his salvation while we dated. I prayed for his salvation when we broke up. I prayed that others would share the message with him. I prayed that his eyes would be opened and he would see God. When we got back in touch as adults, I prayed some more. I shared the message only when he asked me. Otherwise, I simply lived my faith. We got married, but he was still not a believer. Now I prayed standing on the promises in God’s Word that my household would be saved and that a believing wife could sanctify her husband.
I tried diligently to be a good example of Jesus’ love for him by loving him the best way that I knew how. And I prayed. All the time. I prayed that he would have an encounter with the Lord in a way that he would not be able to deny what happened. Then one day, when I was about 8 months pregnant with our first son, my husband came to me and said that he had encountered the Lord. He prayed with me in our home to accept Jesus as his savior. I had prayed for his salvation for 20 years at that point. I don’t know how many others had shared their testimony with him. He had been attending church with me for 3 years at that point. You see, you don’t know what it will take for another person to come to faith, but if you are obedient to God and don’t give up, you will see the harvest some day.
Still unsure about sharing your faith? Check out this article by Nicolas Davis, 7 Simple Ways to Share Your Faith With Others, or this one by Jay Lowder. Luis Palau has great tips on sharing your faith. So does Billy Graham’s website.
A Beautiful Mess 