The day my sister told me she was pregnant was one of the best days of my life. I was seventeen, and I loved babies. I’d been looking forward to becoming an aunt my whole teenage life. It was the best news I’d ever received and I had to tell everyone I knew—whether they cared or not. “I’m going to be an aunt!” I said to the kids who were stuck sitting by me in school that day. I told all my teachers, and I texted all my friends. The news was so good, I just couldn’t help but share it!
I often wonder what it would look like if Christians—myself included—shared the gospel with the same fervor that seventeen-year-old me shared the news of my first niece. That news doesn’t even compare to the goodness of the gospel, and yet, I still struggle to feel this same urge to share my faith with others. But sharing our faith is an important aspect of the Christian life.
Why do Christians Share their Faith?
After His resurrection, Jesus gathered His disciples around and commanded them to go out and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19). Today, this same calling rests on all of us who consider ourselves to be disciples of Jesus. There are millions of people around the world who do not know Jesus. They do not know that their sin will lead them to death and they do not know that they have a loving Savior who gave His life so that they could have eternal life.
But sharing our faith is not an easy calling. It often requires a great deal from us. We might be called to leave our comfort zones, speak with strangers, travel—or even move—to unfamiliar places. It might make us feel inadequate or unintelligent. It might require us to experience rejection, or worse—persecution.
These are lofty requirements which may cause us to feel nervous about sharing our faith. However, with the same breath Jesus used to command us to go and make disciples, He also gave us the encouragement we would need to overcome all those fears. He says, “And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). Jesus assures us that we are not going out to share our faith alone. He is with us every step of the way through His Spirit who dwells within each of us. His Spirit will comfort us, give us boldness, and help us know what to say. Ultimately, He is the One who will provoke a response in the people with whom we are sharing the gospel. It is the Spirit who does the work—we are merely His vessels, so we can go out to the lost with confidence.
Ways to Share Your Faith
How you share your faith is often determined by who you are sharing with. You will likely approach a family member differently than you would approach a stranger. Below is a list of practical ways you can share the gospel with different people you may interact with.
Sharing with your lost friends and family members
When it comes to sharing your faith, the best place to start is with the people in your life with whom you already have a relationship. This can be close friends, coworkers, or family members. Allow the love you already have for these people to compel you to share the good news of Jesus with them. The easiest way in with people you know is through your own stories. Share how God has blessed you, comforted you through difficulty, strengthened you through challenges, and truly made a difference in your life. Cover all your interactions with prayer, asking the Lord to give you continuous opportunities to clearly share the gospel with them throughout the time you spend together.
Sharing with your neighbors
Neighbors are another great place to start when considering who you could share your faith with. Utilize moments in your yard, at the park, or at the neighborhood pool to strike up conversations with your neighbors. You can build relationships with them—invite them over for dinner or playdates—and share the ways God has worked in your life. Pray for them, invite them to church, and ask questions about what they think about God, the Bible, prayer, and other things related to faith.
Sharing with strangers in your area
Strangers—people you will likely never see again—are some of the easiest people to share with. The stakes are seemingly low. Lasting embarrassment is less likely, and there is no risk of ruining a relationship if there is no relationship in the first place. However, in actuality, the stakes are still high. A person’s salvation still matters, whether you know them personally or not. For this reason, sharing with strangers is a great thing to do. There are many ways of doing this, but the simplest might be taking a friend with you to a crowded place and asking people how you might pray for them. You will be surprised at how many people are comfortable asking for prayer—even if they are not religious. Those prayer requests can lead to deeper conversation. Allow the Spirit to direct your conversation, and share the gospel whenever the opportunity presents itself.
Sharing with people in other places
Many people also choose to give up their time to travel somewhere other than their home to go share the gospel with others. There are many options for these mission trips around the world. These are typically led by non-profits or churches and range from short term trips, to longer trips, to being sent overseas as a full-time missionary. Finding and going on a mission trip is a great way to dive headfirst into sharing your faith. Most trips include elements of service projects, partnering with local churches, and evangelism. If you feel a particular calling to sharing your faith, a mission trip might be a great option for you.
Encouragement and Resources
The most practical thing you can do to help you as you are preparing to share your faith with others is reminding yourself of the amazing truth of the gospel. The more you immerse yourself in the story of Jesus Christ, the more you will desire to share it with everyone you come in contact with—just like I shared the news of my soon-to-be-born niece.
Our Bible Study, Faith Foundations is a great resource to use when reminding yourself of the basics of the gospel, and it can also be used to introduce the gospel to the people you are sharing with. We also have a study on sharing the gospel called, Sharing Our Faith | Evangelism Bible Study. We also have another blog with more practical resources for evangelism: How to Share Your Faith With Others.
In the words of Jesus: “Remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). He goes before you, preparing the hearts of those you will share with. He goes behind you, softening the hearts of those who will receive Him, and He goes with you comforting you and guiding your every step.
