19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matt. 28:19-20 – “The Great Commission”)
Man. That Great Commission really sticks with us, doesn’t it. Most of us get a little nervous, or even downright frightened, sharing our faith. Maybe if we understand a few things first, it might help.
Rule #1 and the only rule, “Sharing should be done in love, not as a duty.” Something a lot of us don’t understand is it’s not our job to save people. You heard me right. It’s our job to tell people. What happens next is the Holy Spirit’s job:
So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. (1 Cor. 3:7)
So, it is God’s plan to share. Then it’s God’s job to save. He does this in a number of ways, but to simplify it, we are just to share and leave the rest up to Him. You never know where you are along the chain for the lost person. You might be the first person ever to tell them about Jesus. You might be the one who God uses to support something he’s already heard, or you might be the one God has chosen to be involved in leading him to Christ.
I’ve always been struck by the fact God works on the heart of the non-believer. He puts him in a situation where he can hear the gospel from one of us. He puts the words in our mouth. The Holy Spirit persuades the person of the truth of the gospel, and he’s saved. The odd part is God gives us credit for what He did and barely involved us.
Most people reading this are looking for an easier way to share their faith. The way I see it, different situations need different tactics. Standing in an elevator with someone who sounds interested means you can’t tell him of God’s saving you from drugs and a murder rap, how the doctors told you your child would be born with a major handicap but was born without defect after days of prayer. In other words, a ten second witness is all that is possible. The guy will probably be gone in a few moments. So practice a short witness: “You know, Jesus changed my life when I turned it over to Him. The good news is I know He will do for you what He’s done for me. Just ask Him.” And, that’s it. Maybe something even shorter is all you can share.
The most stressful times is sharing with lost family and friends. You might need to provide a much longer message. Maybe you do want to remind them of how Jesus got you off drugs and the miracle child you hold in your arms. Practice something so when the moment comes, you’re not caught flat-footed.
There are a lot of reasons for us to withdraw from sharing: maybe we don’t really believe Christianity is true, maybe we feel unworthy or guilty, or we struggle with doubt. Maybe we’re afraid they’ll ask a question we can’t answer. There are scores of reasons not to witness, but there is one good reason to witness. God told us to.
Why is this important?
I read the other day 95% of all Christians never lead someone to Christ. That’s a sad statistic if true. The growth plan of Christianity is a “pyramid scheme.” We tell someone about Jesus, they tell two friends, then each of those folks tell two friends, and before you know it, the whole earth is saved. It is estimated there are 2.3 billion Christians alive on earth right now. The total world population is approaching 8 billion. That means if each Christian could introduce four people to Christ in their lifetime, the whole world would be saved very quickly. That’s just at the top of the pyramid. The reality would be much faster since the new converts would invite new converts of their own.
God tells us to do this. There’s really no way around it. The people I have been allowed to lead to Christ were all either one on one or in a church setting. Currently, I witness a lot on social media. I have the time, and I don’t run into a lot of lost people in my daily life. Also, in my area, there are a lot of Christians. I sometimes ask check-out clerks if I can pray for them about anything. I’m surprised how many tell me something on their hearts. What are they going to do if they get angry over my offer, yell at me in front of a store full of people?
Don’t sell yourself short. After all, Jesus said “I am with you always to the end of the age,” so you’re not in this alone. Ask someone to church, share your faith, Just take the step. God will honor it.
Believers Armed and Dangerous 