Our faith isn’t just for ourselves. God’s call to us as Christians is to live according to our faith, and to share it with the people He places in our lives.
At the end of His ministry, Jesus said, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” Mark 16:15-16 (NIV)
Evangelism is sharing with others the Good News of Jesus, His life, death, and resurrection. Many of us won’t be called to the foreign mission field or to full-time ministry. Yet all of us are called to share God’s love and the truth of the Gospel with those in our communities—neighbors, coworkers, family, and friends.
We all have everyday evangelism opportunities.
Obedience to God
Only 31% of Christians strongly agree they have a personal responsibility to share their faith; according to according to Barna Group, a Christian research organization. When Jesus Film Project asked 1,600 Christians why they don’t share their faith, 22% said fear. It’s often easier to stay quiet when it comes to sharing our faith than to risk “rocking the boat.”
Sharing our faith can feel uncomfortable, inconvenient, or seem fruitless. It puts us at risk of rejection, and it requires us to be different. But obedience to God often requires us to sacrifice personal comfort, at least in the moment. God has promised to reward our obedience, something that far outweighs momentary discomfort.
God has not left us alone. He empowers us to share our faith. He’s given us the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8). He’s given us His grace. The early church believers experienced this in Acts 4:33, “And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.”
Sharing faith
Many people around us are carrying burdens we may never see. According to a 2023 survey by the Harvard Institute of Politics, nearly half of adults under 30 felt down, depressed, or hopeless on multiple days over a two-week period. When we open our hearts in obedience to God, we may find that we have more opportunities to share our faith than we realize. Here are some ways we can be a light to the world:
- Pause throughout your day to notice those around you. Share God’s love with someone through a kind word or gesture.
- Offer to pray for people who are in need. If they’re comfortable, pray with them right away. Prayer can open doors to share your faith.
- Build relationships and trust with those around you. As you live out your faith, people may seek you out when they have questions.
- Share what God has done in your life. Your personal experience with God is a powerful witness to others.
- Let God’s love influence your daily interactions. Jesus said, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34 (NIV) The way we treat one another is a testimony to the world of God’s love for them.
Remember that God is the one who changes hearts. We share our faith in obedience and trust God with the outcome.
As a CHM member, you’re supporting, encouraging, and lifting the burdens of medical bill costs for other Christians. By doing so, you’re also supporting the spread of the Gospel through fellow members who are missionaries, teachers, pastors, evangelists, and those who share their faith every day.
CHM members’ love and prayerful support of one another is a testimony to the world of the Gospel’s life-changing power.
References:
https://barna.com/trends/faiths-shrinking-influence/
https://www.jesusfilm.org/blog/christian-evangelism-statistics/
https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2023/4/24/iop-youth-poll-spring-23/
