Sharing your faith is good for you and them

All Christians are called to witness for Christ, a command from Jesus Himself that has come to be called the Great Commission. According to research from Barna Group, almost all Christians believe that witnessing is an important part of their faith. Despite this, most don’t.

If you’ve shied away from sharing your faith before, you’re not alone. The reasons for not sharing vary based on culture. In the west, it’s often about not wanting to offend anyone. Barna’s research shows that among younger generations in the United States, almost half think that it is wrong to share your personal beliefs with someone of a different faith. Society that celebrates identity politics and cancel culture makes many feel timid about saying there is an absolute truth, that there is a real God, and there is a right and wrong way to worship. So people avoid the topic of faith because they don’t want to offend anyone.

Maybe you’ve been there. It can be tempting to keep your beliefs to yourself, not wanting to offend someone. But the Gospel can be offensive. Throughout the Bible, Jesus’ words often offended, to the point that He was eventually killed. Being open and sharing your faith with those around you, including those who have other beliefs, is risky but it is worth it.

Worth the risk

Comedian Penn Jillette, who is an atheist, once said he doesn’t respect Christians who don’t share their faith. “How much do you have to hate somebody to not proselytize ? How much do you have to hate someone to believe everlasting life is possible to not tell them that?” he says.

It would be wrong, Penn argues, to avoid the uncomfortable topic because your friend’s salvation is much more important. While his argument is rather negative, let’s think of it in a more positive light. You have the opportunity to share with someone the greatest gift imaginable: an enteral relationship with God.

“I believe that Christianity has the best and most relevant answers to the deepest, most fundamental questions of life,” says Indigitous co-founder Russ Martin.

Isn’t that worth risking an awkward conversation? Isn’t it worth risking offending someone? Of course on a logical level you would say yes. Any Christan would. But does that logic help you when the opportunity arises? Maybe not. So how can you overcome that nagging fear of causing offense?

“Sometimes I forget what Jesus has done for me or I fail to see how that is making a difference in my life,” Russ says. When taking God’s grace for granted, it can be easy to lack motivation to share. “A lot of Christians often don’t live in the light of the reality of all the goodness and grace that God has given us, so that makes it hard to feel like you can be a powerful witness.”

If you’re having difficulty sharing your faith with others, you might first need to work on your personal relationship with Jesus. Take some time to pray and reflect on how He is working in your life. Once you are in a place of being thankful for what God is doing for you and what you have in your relationship with Him, look for opportunities to share that with others. If you need more help, reach out in our Facebook Group. The people there would love to help you.

Run

Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. (Habakkuk 2:2)

Think and pray about what God is doing in your life. Write it down so you don’t forget.
Look for opportunities to share that with others.
If needed, ask for help in our Facebook Group.

Jeremy Lukens

Writer, musician, and cream cheese eater. Follower of Jesus. Indigitous Story Architect.

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