Dear Friends,
If statistics are correct, only 5% of all Christians have ever
experienced the joy of leading someone to Christ. And yet, as believers we are
commanded to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation”
(Mark 16:15). Why is it that so few of those who follow Jesus fail to take
seriously His command to share our faith.
Leighton Ford, who used to be on the staff of the Billy Graham
association tells the story of how he was speaking at an open-air crusade in
Halifax, Nova Scotia. Billy Graham was to speak the next night and had arrived
a day early. Dr. Graham came incognito and sat on the grass at the rear of the
crowd. Because he was wearing a hat and dark glasses, no one recognized him.
Directly in front of him sat an elderly gentleman who seemed to be
listening intently to his presentation. Ford writes. "When I invited
people to come forward as an open sign of commitment, Billy decided to do a
little personal evangelism. He tapped the man sitting in front of him on the
shoulder and asked, "Would you like to accept Christ? I'll be glad to walk
down with you if you want to."
The old man looked him up and down, thought it over for a moment,
and then said, "Naw, I think I'll just wait until the big gun comes
tomorrow night." Good News Is for Sharing, Leighton Ford,
1977, David C Cook publishing.
Unfortunately, there are many who think that only the 'big guns'
can do evangelism, and so they avoid sharing their faith like the plague.
"I'll bring someone to church so they can hear Pastor so and so, and he
can evangelize them, but don't ask me to share my faith, for I wouldn't know
where to begin."
Let me suggest a few things that might be of help to those of you
who are not the 'big guns' but the 'little shots.'
Try to find common ground with the person with whom you are
speaking. The Living Bible translates 1 Corinthians 9:22 like
this: "Whatever a person is like, I try to find common ground with
him so that he will let me tell him about Christ and let Christ save
him."
Be natural. Normal conversation is fluid and respectful, and it
allows for humor and invites response.
Be open and willing to admit your struggles and failures.
Be respectful, look at people for what they are as well as what
they can become.
Be simple, communication increases as simplicity does. Don't let
Christian jargon get in the way.
Don't forget what it was like to be a non- Christian.
The great preacher Charles Spurgeon once said, “That the reason
some saints will have a greater fulness of heaven than others will be that they
did more for heaven than others. By God's grace they were enabled to bring more
souls there.”
If you are not presently sharing your faith because you don’t feel
adequate, but you are willing to be trained, let me encourage you to go online
to “Harvest.org.” Go to “resources” and then “online courses” and click on “Go
and Tell.” The 5-session video course is taught by Greg Laurie, and it is one
of the best evangelism training tools available.
And then do me a favor and let me know what you think of the
course.
Whether you are a “Big Shot” or a “Little Shot” `God wants you to
be sharing your faith.
Yours in faith and friendship,
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