Any or responses to these letters can send them to this email: alwaysreadyforchrist@gmail.com
Are you hesitant or anxious when you think about sharing your faith? You are not alone. Nearly 80% of professing Christians think evangelism is important but only 20% have some spiritual conversations with a nonbeliever within a six month period. Nearly 50% of professing Christians think it the pastor’s job to get people to accept Jesus. Some Christians think all the they have to do is get people to church the pastor can evangelize them there. Some Christians think most nonbelievers don’t want hear about their beliefs but a survey done in 2016 from a sample of 2,000 showed that 47% are willing to have a conversation with a Christian about their beliefs and another 31% a willing to listen but not precipitate in conversation. That nearly 78% of nonbelievers that willing to listen to you. Also they are more willing to listen if the Christian is living out their beliefs.
I know some of you are thinking I can’t be that bold. I don’t think Jesus gave the Great Commission if he thought we couldn’t be bold enough. What does it mean to be bold to share your faith with a nonbeliever? Are you thinking it means you argue about your beliefs with a nonbeliever? Is it getting someone to accept Jesus at the end of every spiritual conversation? Do you think it’s making point that Jesus is the only way then drop the mic and walk away? 1st Peter 3:15 says “Always be ready… with gentleness and respect” Being “Bold” isn’t about presenting the gospel with a loud voice or overconfidence but rather with humility and respect to a nonbeliever. Biblical Boldness is telling the truth in love and compassion.
Josh McDowell made a statement in one of his lectures which summed up how Christians should boldly share their faith and it was this “aggressively live in love and humbly stand for the truth”. If we look at Acts 4:13 ESV “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.” I think Peter didn’t shout or pointed his finger at them but rather told them in voice of calm and reasonable manner then the religious leaders were amazed at their boldness because they spoke confidently of their belief in the power of Jesus though Peter and John had no religious education and did travel with Jesus while he was alive.
God created each one of us with a distinct personality and there certain people God has put in your life’s pathway to share your faith. In Mark Mettleberg’s book, Contagious Faith” He has five different styles of how you can share your faith. There is a style that can fit your personality. If each of us find that style that fits our personality then amazing things can happen in the body of Jesus Christ. Do you want to see some amazing things happen then find the style that fits your personality and learn more how you can be more effective in sharing your faith. Pray for all the nonbelievers and pray for your eyes to open for those people that God has put in your life’s pathway to share your faith. I am going to share the five styles in my next blog post.
You see, you don’t have to have a big voice or stand in front of crowd, or get into an argument to be bold for Jesus. All you need to do is find your style then pray to God to help you use it to get more people to come to Him. I believe you can do it!! So look for my next blog post with the five different styles of Evangelism and may the force(Holy Spirit) be with you.
