I used to live in a community where there were a lot of scientists. It seemed like almost everyone had a PhD. I would often ask people about their work but when they tried to explain it one of two things usually happened. Either they would lose me in a long monologue filled with technical jargon and confusing detail or else they would give a one-word answer as if to say, ‘You’re not going to understand this and I’m tired of trying to explain myself to people.’
I fear that the same thing happens when we have opportunities to share our faith. We either over-complicate the message or give up because we don’t feel qualified to explain it. How unfortunate it would be for the people you care about not to ever hear the good news of salvation because you were never able to explain it simply. With a little preparation, I’m convinced that anyone can share the good news. Specifically, I think there are eleven verses that every Christian should learn to share their faith.
When our dryer broke down last summer, I was faced with one of those buying decisions that I wanted to get right. I looked at ads, studied manufacturer’s websites, and read some comparison guides. But I knew that as detailed as those were, they were all written by people who were paid to explain a point of view. And so I didn’t feel my research was complete until I read the consumer reviews of my top contenders. What did people love? What did they find annoying? What surprised them? Reviews can help you find a trusted book, a better plumber, and avoid a restaurant with terrible service. The only thing better than an online review is a personal one. When someone you trust tells you about their experience with a great product or a fabulous service, it can help overcome a lot of doubts. The same is true when we tell others about our experience in meeting Jesus. In fact, the Bible says that we should leave Him lots of reviews. Let me explain.
Sometimes, our attempts to share our faith are little more than spamming the gospel. We go with the cheapest, most impersonal way to get the good news out. But gospel spam isn’t much more effective than the other spam that we receive. It’s quickly identified and sent to the trash. How can you be more than a gospel spammer?
As a former missionary, I’ve preached a lot of sermons on the Great Commission. Jesus famously called His disciples to, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:18). Those words have inspired Christians to take the good news of the gospel around the world. As urgently as I feel the need to share the good news with people at the ends of the earth, I fear that many Christians don’t even share their faith within the walls of their own church. Let me explain.
I still remember doing a survey of the church building we erected in Japan. The foundation had just been laid and the supervisor walked the perimeter with me and got down on the ground to show me how perfect the angles were. He said, “Get the foundation perfect and you’ll have a stable building. But make a small mistake here, and you’ll always have problems.” Thankfully, they did get the foundation perfect. And we were very happy with the finished product. Over the years, I’ve seen again and again that getting the foundation of Christianity straight is crucial to a healthy relationship with God. The problem is that you can’t get everything straight. There is too much to know in the Bible to know it all equally. So you need to be able to discern what the foundation is and get that straight and then over time do your best to add to it. Do you have the foundation straight? Have you helped your children get the foundation straight? When people ask you about your faith, do you get the foundation straight?
