FROM THE DAWGHOUSE…
Boldly Sharing the Gospel
I imagine that many of us would love to take the gospel fire that’s in our belly and share it with as many non-believers as we can, whether family, friend, co-worker, or stranger on the street. Truth be told, when I look back over my life, I could probably fill up a book with names of people I should have shared the gospel with but didn’t. It’s frustrating.
When you really get down to it, most of our experiences in following Jesus reveal a journey where more often than not we’ve been surrounded by people who ARE NOT brothers and sisters in the faith. Yes, there is Sunday worship, perhaps a weekly bible study, and gatherings like Forge, but what about the rest of the week. When we are face to face with non-believers. They are all around us if we care to notice. My guess is that for many of us, the people we rub elbows with weekly aren’t sure what they believe, and some are likely against this whole Christianity thing altogether.
It’s tough. Even intimidating. Because when God moves in my life, I have always, yes always, wanted to tell people about it. When there is an answer to prayer or a super cool God moment, or I feel at peace in His presence, I want to share that. But historically, I haven’t – at least to non-believers. It is easy to tell my church family, but it can feel so frightening to share with those outside the circle. What if they think I am pushing religion or trying to “convert” them? In other words, I never want to make someone else uncomfortable or feel cornered; I just want to share my experiences.
Can you relate?
Well, as I have aged, my walk has changed, and God has been encouraging me more and more to boldly go forth and spread the good news. To put my fears in His hands and to allow the Holy Spirit to do the heavy lifting. This new journey of boldness has been amazingly invigorating. I wish I had been so bold much earlier in my life. And part of this newfound boldness has led me to write this blog – a desire to share with my brothers at Forge the things God has laid on my heart regarding evangelism.
ONE
Know that being courageous in conversation will be surprisingly welcomed, most of the time. Not because of anything we are doing, but because the Holy Spirit is in control. Listen, if the Holy Spirit has been pushing you to boldly share with someone, then do it. Fear is a human trait but not an attribute that resonates from Jesus.
I have a Jewish friend who I have connected with for lunch for years – somewhat regularly. Every time, literally, that I meet with him, I’ve wanted to talk to him about Jesus…and didn’t. This man, and his family, missing out on the greatest gift that exists in humankind, because I was “afraid”. Until about 2 months ago, when I met with him, and the Holy Spirit was pounding me – Joe, this is the day. So, I shared Jesus. I challenged my friend to at least consider the options…to read the New Testament, and
most of all, to find a Messianic Jew who could share with him why he or she became a Christian. It was an amazing moment in time to tell you the truth. I was not nervous. I was clear and simple in my delivery. And praise God, he intently listened, asking a few questions, and saying he would deeply consider all that I had shared.
My message: be bold. Be courageous in the Lord. If someone asks you “how are you?” or “how has your week been?”, don’t be afraid to mention how the Lord is working in your life. If prayer was answered, say that! If you’ve had a few tough months because you feel like you’ve lost touch with the Lord and haven’t felt his presence in a while, say that too. We don’t have to be afraid to mention the Lord in conversations with people who aren’t Christian. And don’t get me wrong, I haven’t suddenly become totally “unafraid”. What I have become, however, is a guy who says yes, more often, to the urgings of the Holy Spirit.
TWO
Be sensitive and respectful. This is crucial. In my example above, I had to fully understand that my friend was a practicing Jew. In my conversation, I had to be respectful of that. In our sharing, it is important to never make someone feel “lesser than” for not believing. Be careful of pre-conceived notions – we often don’t know someone’s history with church, religion, family, etc. You never want to turn someone off from a conversation about the Lord because they’re feeling judged about their current way of life or beliefs.
THREE
Listen. Most of us are horrible listeners. Too often we anxiously wait for someone to stop talking so we can get our two cents in. That is not a conversation. We need to bring back the art of listening, of clearing our mind and being present in the moment. We not only want to listen to what someone is saying, but think about it, engage with them, and deepen our understanding of that person. This is crucial when it comes to talking about the Lord with someone else because if you’re just speaking at them and not listening to how they’re processing what you’re saying or how they’re feeling; the conversation is pointless. Let your words wash over them and allow space to process and ask questions! These are the moments that God can show Himself to others through our words.
FOUR
Invite and encourage. There will be plenty of conversations where you will mention your faith or how God is working in your life and people will move right past it or not engage you in a conversation about God. That’s OK! But when you get the opportunity to share your faith a bit more with someone, take that platform and run with it!
We are called to share the Gospel, the Good News. We are called to bring people into the Kingdom. Invite and encourage friends, family, neighbors to come with you to church, to join a Bible study, or to read the Bible with you. Invite them into your relationship with God. Show them what life is like with Him. Just like we are more likely to try a restaurant or café if our friend recommends it, someone is more likely to dip their toe into the Gospel if it is encouraged by a friend.
Talking about the Lord to someone new if you aren’t used to it can seem daunting, but you CAN DO THIS!! I challenge all the men at Forge to bring up the Lord in conversation with one new non-believer in the coming weeks and see what happens.
Joshua 1:9 – Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Blessings!
Joe Bouch
FORGE Winter Springs
