If Jesus is my most precious blessing, why am I more likely to tell you about my bargain from Lululemon than share the gospel?
Perhaps, like me, you struggle to share your faith. I want to do it. God commands us to do it, but like Paul, I often “do not do the good I want to do” (Rom. 7:19).
I’d rather stay in my comfort zone than face possible rejection or flat-out hostility. I find it difficult to make the transition from casual conversation to significant spiritual discussion. And what if someone asks questions I cannot answer?
My list of excuses could continue, but no matter how legitimate, they do not give me license to ignore my role as an ambassador for Christ, pleading for others to be reconciled to God (2 Cor. 5:20).
Jesus charged us to make disciples. When we do so, we benefit ourselves as much as those who need to hear the good news. Sharing our faith requires vulnerability, courage, and trust in God. When we step out in obedience, He grows our faith and strengthens us.
So how can we overcome our resistance and make sharing our faith a regular practice––maybe even one we enjoy?
10 TIPS TO SHARE YOUR FAITH WITH CONFIDENCE AND JOY
1. Pray
If we want to share our faith, we must begin with prayer. We need God’s help to make our speech full of grace––seasoned with salt so that we know how to answer everyone (Col. 4:6). We also need courage. Even Paul requested prayer so that he might “fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel” (Eph. 6:20). In our busyness, we need the Holy Spirit to nudge us to open our mouths “whether it is convenient or not” (2 Tim. 4:2, NET).
We should ask God for opportunities to speak and pray, that He will prepare the hearts of our listeners. We must petition Him for what we need and then listen for the prompting of the Holy Spirit.
2. Use Your Words
Perhaps you’ve heard the axiom, “Preach the gospel at all times. Use words if necessary.” It appeals to those who would rather keep their mouths shut while sharing their faith. And––for people like Mother Theresa––it works. But what about the rest of us?
I want to display the fruit of the Spirit so that people smell the aroma of Christ. But sadly, I often look like the rest of the world. If I depend on my Christlikeness to draw people, I will make few disciples.
Our secular culture has also hijacked much of the fruit that used to be associated with Christianity. Now everyone “spreads kindness,” “joy” comes from following your heart, and “peace” comes from yoga. That means even if I reflect Christ well, people will not necessarily connect the dots to Jesus unless I tell them that my kindness, joy, and peace come from Him.
3. Recognize The Enemy’s Lies
The Father of Lies often uses discouragement to keep us silent. Perhaps you have heard him whisper in your ear:
She practices new age spirituality; she won’t want to hear about Jesus.
No one would want to know Christ by looking at you.
If someone asks a difficult question, you’ll fail at defending your faith.
Do these sound familiar? If not, I bet you have some of your own.
So how do we recognize and refute these lies? Paul tells us we should think about what is true (Phil. 4:8). So, I begin by evaluating the accuracy of each statement.
Will people want to know Jesus, even though I fail regularly?
Yup––particularly if I acknowledge my shortcomings and dependence upon Him. The gospel is about His grace, not my perfection. I will make mistakes as God conforms me into the image of His son. As I rely on His help through my trials and failures, I hope to demonstrate His love, peace, and joy. But even if I model my faith poorly at times, I still have something precious from Him––something worth sharing.
4. All You Need Is Love
I used to think that having an airtight defense for every objection to Christianity would make me a bold evangelist. And it would help. But if I deliver knowledge without love, “I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal” (1 Cor. 13:1). No amount of evidence for Christ will matter if I do not love the person in front of me.
Paul reminds us that our “love must be sincere” (Rom. 12:9). If we evangelize out of obligation, people will sense our ulterior motive. We should share Christ because we care about people––we want them to know God’s goodness while here on earth and spend eternity with Him in heaven.
5. Prepare, But Don’t Wait
Peter tells us to “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (1 Pet. 3:15). But what exactly do we need to know?
While unlikely you will have the opportunity to present the gospel every time you have a spiritual conversation, you should have a basic method you feel comfortable using. You can find a variety of approaches online. Practice until you no longer sound like a robocaller, but don’t put too much pressure on yourself. The gospel is “the power of God” (Rom. 1:16, 1 Cor. 1:18). It’s His power, not your delivery, that matters.
Research common objections to Christianity: “Why is Jesus the only way? Aren’t all religions the same? You’re only a Christian because you grew up in America. How can a good God allow evil and suffering? Can’t I just be a good person?”
You can find many answers online or in books about Christian apologetics (Tim Keller’s The Reason for God is one of my favorites). I memorize defenses for common objections so that I feel and sound confident explaining my faith. The more you read, the more you know, and the easier it becomes to feel comfortable addressing people’s concerns.
Even with preparation, people will ask questions you cannot answer immediately. It’s okay to admit that you need some time to respond. Do some research and formulate a solid answer. Now you have a reason to initiate a future conversation.
6. Share Your Story
I love to hear powerful stories of how God has worked in someone’s life. I share them with unbelievers because they often seem more extraordinary than my own testimony. But in today’s skeptical culture, my personal experiences with God offer more credibility than those from a stranger. Your friend knows and trusts you. She’s never heard of Francis Chan, Priscilla Shirer, or Beth Moore.
Telling my own story also promotes dialogue––people can ask questions and God becomes real, not just an abstract doer of miracles.
But sharing what God has done for me requires vulnerability. I must reveal my brokenness, and I risk rejection if the listener discounts what I say. Although I’d prefer the safety of someone else’s story, it pleases God when I give Him the glory He deserves for what He has done for me.
7. No Christianese, Please
Perhaps you can define justification, sanctification, and atonement, but most unbelievers (unless they grew up in church) have no idea what these terms mean. To the unchurched, Christianese sounds like Aramaic. While we should speak about important doctrines, we need to define them, rather than assume the listener understands.
8. Ask Questions
Sharing our faith typically works best in the context of relationship. Most people like to talk about themselves, so asking questions can be a great way to get to know someone and learn about their beliefs. If you struggle in this area as I do, books like Randy Newman’s Questioning Evangelism can help.
9. Two Reasons to Shut It
As people wrestle with their beliefs, difficult conversations often ensue. Healthy debate can lead to understanding and foster deeper relationships. However, if the other party only wants to win an argument or trash your faith, Jesus warns us to disengage.
He says “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces” (Matt. 7:6). This means that we need to discern people’s motives. Enquiry does not always equate to interest. The Pharisees asked many questions not discover truth, but to trap Jesus. We must beware, but treat everyone as genuinely interested until they prove otherwise.
Another situation in which we should keep our mouths shut occurs when we encounter someone who has been hurt by Christians, harmful theology, or abuse in the church.
James tells us we are to be “quick to listen, slow to speak” (James 1:19). In these situations, we need to keep our five pertinent Bible verses to ourselves and hear what the other person has to say. Empathize with their experience and resist the urge to give advice. If appropriate, apologize for the harmful words and actions inflicted by others. Sometimes people just need a listening ear or someone who cares enough to ask, “how can I help?”
Hurt people often conflate God with the people who claim to represent Him. Because you listened, perhaps you will have a future opening for discussion in which you can help them to separate our always good Father from His followers, who often fail.
10. Evaluate, Learn, And Never Give Up
I often feel clumsy while sharing my faith. I say the wrong thing at an inappropriate time or remain silent when given a perfect opportunity to speak. Despite my awkwardness, I cannot give up.
If I want to improve, I need to examine where I fall short. How much of my struggle stems from pride, distraction, or lack of courage? Do I want to please people more than God? Do I speak the truth without love or love everyone without speaking truth? Have I failed to equip myself or been lazy about pursuing opportunities to share my faith?
If I acknowledge where I struggle, I can pray for God’s help in that area. He is with us and for us. If we ask, He will help us to carry His words to the ends of the earth.
