Three tips for sharing your faith
Meredith Higgins
Whether you feel the need to force someone to believe what you believe, or you're highly uncomfortable talking with someone who believes differently, it's OK. There's a better way.
Sharing the Gospel can be scary, intimidating, and sometimes completely overwhelming. As we try to tell others about salvation, we find our palms sweating and our minds grasping for the right words to say, but we don't need to look any further than Jesus for an example of how to share the Gospel with others.
In Matthew 28:19, Jesus tells us to go out and make disciples of all nations, teaching others everything He has taught us. The best way to share Jesus’ message with others is to look at how He did it: not making a sales pitch or arguing someone into faith, but caring about them, speaking the truth, and inviting them to something great: a relationship with God.
How to Share the Gospel Like Jesus
1. Be bold.
There's a world of difference between being forceful, mean, or aggressive and being bold. You don't have to act tough just because it feels like a tough conversation.
When Jesus shared the Gospel, He didn’t just give someone a tract and walk away. He didn't try to sell someone on the features of the kingdom of heaven like a used car salesman. He boldly called people to repentance and salvation! Jesus stood up against the religious leaders of the day and told it like it was (Matthew 3). He wasn’t afraid to share what God had done for Him and what was to come for those who believed.
We don’t have to be afraid either. When we accept Jesus as our Savior, God gives us the Holy Spirit which “does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7).
The best way to share Jesus’ message is to do what He did: care about people and invite them to know God.
2. Be graceful.
We are totally incapable of saving ourselves from sin. Jesus gave us something we did not deserve and could not earn: He gave us grace. Jesus always spoke the truth of the Gospel with grace (Ephesians 2:1-10).
When we focus on others’ sins, we’re telling them they have to fix themselves or "get right" instead of inviting them into a relationship with a loving Savior. We don’t share the Gospel with others when we kick them out for their wrongdoing or judge them for their thoughts. We share the Gospel with others to point them to Jesus.
It’s not our job to condemn others or force a certain mentality on them, but instead, we are to point them to the saving grace of Jesus.
3. Be real.
Jesus was Himself 24/7. Whether it was with a culturally condemned Samaritan woman (John 4:1-26) or in the presence of His best friends, the disciples, Jesus didn’t fake it or pretend to be something He wasn’t. He was sincere.
As you reach out to others and share the Gospel, be real. God has blessed you with the ability to relate to others in a way no one else can. Tell them what God has done for you. Tell them He loves them and wants to change their lives, too.
Telling others about Jesus can be scary, but Jesus gave us the perfect example of sharing the Gospel with others.