How Can I Share My Faith Confidently?

    Sharing faith is done best in the context of caring relationships.  Consider these examples...

John 1:40-51      Andrew brought his brother Simon to Jesus; Philip invited his friend Nathaniel to “come and see.”

Mark 2:13-17     Levi invited tax collectors and “sinners” to eat with Jesus.

Mark 5:19          Jesus told the man he healed of demon-possession to go and tell his family about the Lord’s power and mercy.

John 4:1-42        Many Samaritans believed because of a woman’s testimony.

Acts 10:24-44     Cornelius called together his relatives and close friends to hear the Word of God from Peter.

Here are four ways to share confidently.

1. Accept people in Christian love.  Acceptance doesn't mean condoning sin.  It just means understanding their deeper need for Jesus and loving them in spite of their faults.  That's how Jesus treats us.  How can this practice of Christian love lead to sharing Jesus with someone?

2. Be interested in people who need Jesus.  “You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.” (Dale Carnegie)  

How?   Volunteer for community projects/organizations/groups.  Make connection with people who have similar interests with you.  If the only people you know are active Christians, what can you do to get to know people who need Jesus?

3. Help people in their everyday needs.  Our actions testify to the power of God’s love working in our lives. A kind word, a helpful deed, an unexpected gift are ways that we can let our faith show and generate curiosity about “what makes us tick.”

Be alert to "times of transition" in the lives of people you know. These are spans of time in

which a person's or family's normal, everyday life is disrupted by some event that puts them into

an unfamiliar, and therefore often frightening, situation.  What are some examples of such times of transition?  Why might people be somewhat more willing to listen to the message of the Bible at such times?

4. Commit yourself to the Lord in prayer.  Ask him to help you be more confident about sharing your faith. Pray for the knowledge you need for speaking about Jesus as the world’s Savior. Pray that Christ give you a deep concern for the souls of all people, but especially for the ones that you know personally. Ask God for the privilege of being used by him to reach out with the gospel to those people who need Jesus. Then get ready for the Lord to answer your prayer. Who can you pray for today?