LIVE ON MISSION

Some people feel pressure to force a conversation, while others feel unsure of how to talk with someone who believes differently.
If that's you, you're not alone. Jesus shows us a better way. In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus commands His disciples to:

"Go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

Throughout His life, Jesus modeled how to do this. He did not pressure or argue people into faith. Instead, He cared deeply for them, spoke the truth with love, and invited them into a life-changing relationship with God.

Below are three resources designed to help you share Jesus in natural, relational and faithful ways.

Love God, love people. Could sharing Jesus really be that simple?
Often, it doesn’t seem so. It can feel scary, awkward, and uncomfortable as we try to navigate loaded questions and different perspectives. Even the most faithful of believers sometimes get stumped. But can you imagine if we, as followers of Jesus, simply spent time with people who are far from God and provided a safe place to talk about spiritual matters? If we listened to them and discovered what was really important to them? After all . . . it’s what Jesus did.  And it’s what you can do too.

01. The Art of Noticing
Noticing those around you and pay close attention to what God might be doing in their lives.

02. The Art of Loving
Love others authentically because you personally know God's love and see others with His eyes.

03. The Art of Welcoming
Welcome people by valuing their presence so that they feel that they belong.

04. The Art of Praying
Pray for those you meet in your day-to-day life and ask God to show you what He wants you to do to bless them.

05. The Art of Asking Questions
Ask questions that arise from genuine curiosity.  Draw others out with great questions, seeking to understand more than to be understood.

06. The Art of Listening
Listen with genuine care, interest, and empathy as you interact with others without editorializing or offering your own under solicited options.

07. The Art of Sharing
Share your own story, learn other's stories, and express God's story of forgiveness through Jesus in a way that is respectful and meaningful.

08. The Art of Facilitation
Facilitate good discussion in a group setting so that every person feels honored and respected, even when they believe differently than you.

09. The Art of Spiritual Conversation & Strategic Prayer Focus
Identify 10 people you know who you will have a spiritual conversation with and pray for on a weekly basis to fulfill the Great Commission.

When the apostle Paul stood before King Agrippa (Acts 26), he spoke simply, logically, and clearly about his life before salvation, how he met Christ, and what his life was like after conversion. Paul’s testimony takes three or four minutes to read aloud in a conversational manner.
It is important for you to be able to write out your personal testimony—not for the purpose of memorizing and sharing it verbatim, but because it helps to put into words some of the important and interesting details of your relationship with Christ. Our individual stories are some of the most powerful discipleship and evangelism tools because they are so deeply unique to us. The choice of the right words, the flow of your story, and knowing how to begin and end are all important.

Sharing how you came to know God personally is one of the most powerful ways you can help friends grasp how much God loves us.
If someone asked you to share today, you might find it challenging to explain how you came to believe in God, or what he means to you?
If so, that’s okay! Try setting aside just 15 minutes to capture some key milestones in your journey with Christ below, and use this as a guide for sharing your story with others, whether in snippets over time or all at once over coffee. Remember, it’s your story, so the more authentic and personal it is, the better.

BEFORE
01. Before you met Christ, what were some of your needs, what was lacking, or what was missing in your life?
02. What methods for improving your life did you try that didn’t work?

HOW
01. What were the circumstances that caused you to consider following Jesus?
02. What has become your favorite Bible verse and why?
03. Share about how you trusted Christ and give a brief explanation of the gospel. John 3:16 is a great verse to use.

AFTER
01. Give an example of how God has met your needs—either physical or emotional—since you accepted Jesus.
02. Share about what part of your relationship with God you’re most grateful for today.

“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.”  - 1 Peter 3:15

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 choose to follow 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.