How to Share Your Faith in Christ
So you want to witness! I did too, but I didn't have a clue about how to do it
without stubbing my toe in the process.
First, let's recognize a basic fact. Every Christian is a
missionary. Any person who has been born into the family of God through faith and
trust in Jesus Christ automatically receives the Lord's commission.
Paul informed the Corinthians, "We are ambassadors for
Christ" (2 Corinthians 5:20). God makes His appeal through you and me.
Have you ever really considered this - that you are all some people will ever know of
Jesus Christ? Tremendous responsibility and infinite privileges are entrusted to us
representatives of Christ.
[I believe that every Christian will more easily share the Gospel in a particular way based on how
God has shaped them and that every non-Christian is more receptive to a particular way based on their shape.
On this page, I collected a few methods that I have found. I believe that most methods can be used by any
Christian, like giving out tracts at appropriate opportunities. If you haven't found the method that really
excites you yet, I encourage you to try them all out.]
From our Lord's conversation with the Samaritan woman at a well
near Sychar (John 4:6-26), we discover some practical basic principles to follow as we try
to represent Him in realistic, natural ways:
1. Contact others socially.
"Jesus, wearied as he was with his journey, sat down beside
the well. It was about the sixth hour. There came a woman of Samaria to draw
water." (John 4:6 and 7).
We must have social contact with non-Christians, When the Lord
called Simon and Andrew, He said, "Follow me and I will make you become fishers of
men." (Mark 1:17). Among other things, He was teaching them that to
catch fish one must go where the fish are.
We need to understand that withdrawal from those who do not know
Jesus Christ is out-right disobedience to the will of the Lord. Much of our
difficulty in this area stems from falsely equating separation with isolation from
non-Christians.
Ask God to show you one person whom you
can befriend,
pray for, love and bring to the Savior.
We need to discover how we can
initiate and develop friendships with non-Christians. To be a friend may involve
listening to a neighbor's or co-worker's troubles or participating with him in activities
that are of mutual interest. It means actively
seeking opportunities to show love by running errands, baby-sitting and performing any
other mundane but practical service that will demonstrate the love of Christ.
If you discover an absence of vital contact with non-Christians, ask God
to show you one person whom He wants you to befriend, pray for, love and eventually bring
to the Savior. He will show you that one.
2. Establish common interest.
"Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink." for his disciples
had gone away into the city to buy food." (John 4:7 and 8). Jesus began by
referring to something in which she was obviously interested. (She'd come to draw
water.) Gradually He directed the conversation away from the known interest to a
spiritual reality which she knew nothing about. As instruments in God's hands, we
must work patiently to establish mutual interest with others, beginning first where there
interest lie. Later on we can profitably discuss spiritual matters together.
When we listen long enough we not only begin to know an individual; we
also gain his gratitude and his willingness to listen to the gospel.
3. Arouse interest.
In John 4, it is fascinating to see this woman's curiosity
kindled as our Lord draws her out.
Only the Holy Spirit can create spiritual
interest in someone. But God can use you to
uncover that interest.
First, He came to her
where she was. Second, He showed an interest in her concerns. Now He is using
His actions and His words to arouse a positive response to Himself and His message of
truth.
We cannot create spiritual interest in the life of anyone. Only
the Holy Spirit can do this. However, God can use us to uncover the interest that He
has put there.
To arouse curiosity, we might begin asking him or her a leading
question, as our Lord did. Today's headlines can be openers for a discussion of
spiritual things.
Be alert for opportunities to share your spiritual experience. A
question relating to church can be directed into a conversation on spiritual matters, if
handled properly. Often a gospel leaflets or a timely book can stimulate further
consideration of spiritual matters and reinforce your witness.
4. Know when to stop.
The moment we detect a faint glimmer of interest in a non-Christian
many of us want to rush right in and rattle off the whole gospel without coming up for air
or waiting to sense audience response. By relying on the power and presence of the
Holy Spirit we can gain poise. The non-Christian needs gentle coaxing when he's just
beginning to show interest: give a person only as much of the message as he is ready for.
[You can use the following questions to see where they are at.
1. Do you have any kind of spiritual belief?
2. To you, who is Jesus?
3. Do you think there is a heaven and a hell?
4. If you died right now, where would you go and why?
5. If what you believe was not true, would you want to know it?
If they answer anything other than "Yes" to question 5 they are not yet ready for the full gospel.
If they answer yes, you can share the gospel with them, either through a tract, through a testimony,
or other means. Here is a tool you can use: Four Spiritual Laws
]
5. Don't condemn.
In their conversation, our Lord did not condemn the Samaritan
woman. As she answered Him about he husband, her sin itself condemned her.
Most of us are quick to condemn. Criticism is far more
natural to our lips and to the lips of the world than praise. When a non-Christian
offers us a cigarette, invites us to join them for a drink, or suggests some other
activity we consider out of bounds, our reply may have devastating effects. The key
is to recognize the compliment and generosity implicit in his offer and to decline on a
personal basis so the person doesn't feel condemned or rejected. One possibility is
to suggest an alternate activity.
6. Stick with the main issue.
In his conversation with the Smaritan women, our Lord did not
allow any secondary questions to sidetrack Him from the main Issue. In declaring the
He was the Messiah, our Lord reached the crucial point of the gospel. We must
eventually cross this bridge and bring the non-Christian into a direct confrontation with
the Lord Jesus.
As you watch for opportunities God gives
you to share your faith, life will become a
daily adventure.
The people to whom we
witness will fall into one of two categories initially. The first group includes
those who lack the necessary information about Jesus Christ. Be alert to discover
the misunderstandings and gaps in their knowledge and seize each opportunity to explain
more of the facts.
Those in the second group are already informed about the gospel
by haven't acted on their information yet. Continued cramming of the same information
down their throats is more apt to alienate than to win them. Pray earnestly and
daily for them, and love them into the kingdom of God.
Once we begin to grasp these six principles and move out in faith, life becomes a daily adventure. Watch with anticipation for the opportunities God will give you to bear witness as an ambassador of Jesus Christ and to discover how He is working in the lives of others, through you
Source copied from
First
Christian Church