40 Days of Sharing: Speaking Boldly for Christ
As we enter the final stretch of our 40 Days of Sharing, we focus on the importance of boldly sharing our faith. This week, we explore The Art of Sharing and The Art of Speaking Out, recognizing that our words have the power to introduce people to Jesus.
(This series is inspired by the book The 9 Arts of Spiritual Conversations by Schaller and Crilly.)
The Art of Sharing
It has taken us this long, through learning 8 Arts of Spiritual Conversations, to actually get to Sharing. Why share our faith?
In research done by Luis Palau, it shows that “75% of all those who come to Christ do so through a relationship with a Christian friend, relative, or coworker.” The Institute of American Church Growth shows that actually, “90% of the 14,000 Christians recently polled said they came to Christ through a friend or relative who invested in a relationship with them.”
Notice these statistics didn’t say they received Christ from a stranger knocking on their door or a tract left at a restaurant. They came to Jesus through a relationship with someone who invested in them. This takes time and commitment.
Our first and most important reason to share our faith in Jesus should always be genuine love for the other person, not our own agenda or sense of obligation. If we are sharing with them to check off the boxes on our 40-day commitment, they can tell, and we will alienate people when they detect our motives. Remember, we are not salespeople—we don’t need to “sell” Jesus to those around us.
An important part of sharing Jesus with people who believe differently is being aware of how God might already be at work in their life, drawing them to Himself. Then, as the Spirit leads you, share how God has done a similar thing in your life. Every one of us has a story worth sharing!
When we share with others, remember:
Tell Your Story:
- Be brief – No more than a few minutes. You don’t want to make it all about you or lose their attention.
- Be clear – Use real language, no “Christianese” or Bible terms that they may not understand. Just tell what you were like before Jesus, how you met Jesus, and what He has done for you since you’ve given your life to Him.
- Be humble – Don’t criticize other churches, denominations, or people. Acknowledge that your own sinfulness is what led you to God.
Tell God’s Story:
- Good Judge – God is loving and just. Not one or the other. There is a penalty for sin, and we have all sinned (Romans 3:23).
- The Sacrifice – Because sin deserves a penalty that we couldn’t pay, Jesus Himself paid that penalty by dying on the cross for our sins.
- Victory – He rose from the grave and defeated the power of sin, so we can now live victoriously in Him.
Pray with Them:
Give them an opportunity to pray with you to receive Jesus as their Savior:
- Acknowledge – Confess that they are a sinner and choose to repent of their sins.
- Believe – Choose by faith to believe that Jesus died for them.
- Choose – Confess Jesus as their Lord and choose to follow Him.
Sharing your faith with others is an honor and a privilege, but it is also a command of God. In the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20), we see that it is what Jesus has left us to do here on the earth. I am praying for opportunities for you to share your faith with others this week!
The Art of Speaking Out
Today we are going to focus on the value of Speaking Out. I was disheartened to see early in the ministry that most leaders had never shared their faith with someone or led someone to the Lord. This is a problem! How will the church grow if we don’t tell others the Gospel? Are we really leading His Church if we are not leading people to Jesus?
Why do we Speak Out? Because:
- Hell is real.
- It strengthens your faith.
- It builds the Church.
- It blesses the world around you.
- It pleases God.
- The Bible commands us to.
In scripture, we see the command to speak out:
Psalm 107:2
“Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies.”
Two of the main reasons that we don’t share our faith are because we say that we don’t know WHO to tell or WHAT to say.
WHO needs to hear?
Everyone! Especially your acquaintances. Chances are that you’ve shared with your immediate circle (if you haven’t, start today!). Acquaintances are important because they unlock access to their networks—people that we otherwise would not have known. These people can be Persons of Peace.
Who are Persons of Peace?
- They are people who have been prepared by God to hear and respond to the Gospel.
- They have influence over others in their social networks.
- They will be drawn to you and show you favor.
People of peace in scripture are Zacchaeus, the Woman at the Well, the Jailer in Acts, Cornelius, and many others. These are people who were drawn to Jesus or the believers and were open to the Good News. And they told others!
Have you ever led someone to Jesus? Tell the story in the comments. Who are your Persons of Peace that God may have sent you today?
— Pastor Zoe