In Matthew 28: Jesus calls His followers to what is now known as the Great Commission: “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
It is a call that is often associated with the clergy and with those in vocational ministry, but it is intended for all followers of Christ. Indigitous believes that everyone can be a missionary, but most people think of missions as something that is too difficult, too demanding, or just not fitting for their personality. Maybe you think of people who visit your church every now and then to tell you about the great missions work they’re doing in some remote village. But what does it have to do with you?
To take part in the Great Commission, you don’t need to become a pastor or move to another culture. You don’t even need to be one of those super outgoing people who chats up everyone they meet. If you have a phone, you can share your faith. Here are a few simple ways how.
Social Media
Social media is used by nearly 4 billion people worldwide. And while a lot of the conversations on social media are superficial, and some are downright harmful, they don’t have to be. You have the opportunity to use your influence to share the Gospel with your connections.
But you don’t need to be an influencer with a huge following to make an impact. Start small. Remember, Jesus originally only have twelve followers. Whatever your social media platform of choice, you can use it to start conversations, to listen, and to love people well. “You can be a powerful witness and example no matter how many people you are interacting with online,” says Maddie Garcia, a digital missionary with Power to Change.
For tips on how to do that, watch your Indigitous PULSE video “How To Use Social Media For God.”
Gospel Presentations
But what about when you get to the point where you want to share the Gospel? As thick as the Bible is with great stories, how can you break down the Gospel into something easy to understand and respond to? That’s where an app like GodTools helps.
GodTools has a number of Gospel presentations that are easy to follow, each leading to a point where the person with whom you’re sharing must make a decision about whether or not to accept Christ as Lord and Savior. You can use the app in person or when sharing from a distance.
Video Clips
Film is one of the best ways to reach people, to help them experience something from another perspective. And there’s no ice breaker more natural than sharing a video and asking what someone thought about it. I mean, you do that all the time, right?
With the Jesus Film App, you can find a relevant short film or clip, one with themes that will speak to the person you want to reach. After sharing the video, you then have a series of ice-breaker questions that can help you get a spiritual conversation going. Most people are open to watching a video that you share and talking about it. So why not try having a spiritual conversation?
Taking the next step
Most people that don’t engage in missions find themselves paralyzed by indecision. What do I do next? I’ve had conversations with my friend on social media, but what do I do now? We got together for coffee, so how do I follow up?
MissionHub is an app designed to help with that. In the MissionHub app, you list contacts you want to join on a spiritual journey and it recommends the next steps to take with them. The app can also send you reminders to take those steps, because sometimes we need an extra nudge. Once the steps are completed, it recommends a new one.
Everyone in your life, from your closest friends to your neighbors and the person who bags your groceries, is a potential relationship. Each is someone you can join on their spiritual journey. “Each of us has split-second opportunities each day,” says Jeff Kreiser, Executive Director for the ACTS Group. MissionHub helps you take advantage of those opportunities.
It can be easy to be overwhelmed by the call to missions. It’s a big deal and something that might not seem natural at first. But with the right mindset and some of the techniques shared above, it can be a fun and rewarding experience. And remember that it’s not up to you to convert someone. Only God can change someone’s heart; only God can save. It’s up to you to take a step of faith and share the Gospel — leave the rest to God.