5 Practical Ways to Share Your Faith With Others
Have you ever tried to share your faith and that proved difficult? Did you get dismissed or outrightly asked to keep quiet about it? Think of it this way, you may have come off too strong or you simply didn’t present the discussion with an open mind. It might also have been due to the fact that you didn’t give the other person a chance to state his or her objections or ask questions regarding your faith.
Sharing your faith the people around you is much easier than you actually think. However, the most important part of sharing your faith is how you are able to convey the message without coming off as obnoxious or imposing. The world is morally deteriorating daily. Therefore, evangelism has become more essential than ever before. Nevertheless, you need to be able to share your Christian faith with others in the most subtle way possible.
Here are five of the best ways through which you can share your faith with others.
Be Aware of the Culture
Within the past five years, our world has changed to a large extent. There have been cultural shifts in the way that people think and view the world. As a matter of fact, people from various generations may reason differently and may not share the same opinions as you on certain topics. It is important that you are aware of the shifts that have happened over time. There is a wealth of resources through which you can get informed about each generation, how the events in the world have shaped them and where to draw the line in your interaction with them. You have to show personal interest in the lives of those to whom you are trying to evangelize. Invest time in knowing how the people around you think and feel and try to speak to them in a language they can easily understand. By doing this, you will be bridging a generational gap.
Pray
Sharing your faith might seem like a very easy task but backing it up with prayers will make you feel more confident while evangelizing. Prayer is the most powerful weapon you can use when seeking the face of God on how to evangelize to the unsaved. Even though you haven’t gotten an opportunity to speak to someone about Jesus, you can pray that God softens their hearts to receive Him as their savior.
If you find yourself struggling to share your faith, you can start your personal prayer journal. Ask God to show you people that you need to intercede for. You can write their names down in the journal. If the list becomes too long, break it up into sections and pray for a selected number of people daily, keeping in mind that God can reach those who may seem impossible to reach.
Cultivate Friendships
As Christians, we are often apprehensive during evangelism, especially because it puts us on the spot. The fear of being rejected probably tops that list. However, it is important for you to know that unbelievers can easily identify ulterior motives if you only try to be friends with them simply because you want to convert them. If you would like to share your faith in an impactful way, you need to be open and honest about your experiences with God. Focus on building legitimate and meaningful friendships with people and in the long run, your belief will be evident in your way of life and this might eventually rub off on your friends.
Invite People to Church
This might seem like an easy task but is it?. Many Christians do not invite people to Church, not even their own friends, for several reasons. Some do not take the time to ask while others feel rejected when the person says no. You don’t need to keep bothering that colleague at work who never shows up or that friend who keeps saying “some other time”. Why not try extending an invitation to those in close proximity to you, like your next-door neighbor or that family that lives two blocks away? If they say no, try not to take it personally. Instead, take the risk of asking irrespective of the outcome.
Also, people are more likely to attend an event at your church instead of a sermon the first time and that is totally a good start! Take advantage of Christian movie nights as well as church picnics and other fun activities by inviting your friends and neighbors. This will make them feel welcomed, making it easier for them to agree to attend a formal service at your Church.
Live an Exemplary Life
The most common complaint of people about Christians is that a lot of Christians are hypocrites. They do not practice what they preach. They act a certain type of way in Church and act completely different outside the Church. This is one of the reasons why a lot of non-Christians do not feel encouraged to turn to Christ. Do you know that you are indirectly sharing your faith through your lifestyle? However, you need to ask yourself questions like this: Is my life worthy of emulation? Do I embody the characteristics of a Christian? Am I a good role model to the people around me? If the answer is no, you need to strive to do better as a Christian and to live a life worthy of emulation.
Now more than ever, the world needs individuals who will be shining examples of what the Christian faith is all about. In 1 Timothy 4:13, Paul speaks highly of Timothy by saying, “let no one on despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.” You need to pursue God with all your heart and be anchored in His word in order for you to hear from Him regularly, otherwise how can you expect that anyone else would want to do the same?