Share Your Spiritual Story.

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect” — 1 Peter 3:15, NIV

Christians have something that is very valuable in today’s world: hope. As Christians, our hope is found in Jesus Christ and his redemptive sacrifice for us. 1 Peter 3:15 tells us to “always be prepared to … give a reason for the hope that you have.”

Sharing your faith story might not always be an easy task, especially if you are afraid of being judged or looked at differently because of what you believe. It may seem intimidating at times, however, sharing your faith story is a worthwhile endeavor that can lead to eternal life for those who you tell.

How do you share the Gospel?

“Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.” — Psalms 96:3, NIV

Sharing the Gospel does not have to be a source of stress, rather it can be an exciting chance to share your passion. There are various ways individuals learn how to share the Gospel. Some may try to use tools or visuals. Others may use resources such as the Romans Road, which explores different verses about salvation.

These can be useful if you don’t know what to say, but you do not need anything other than a willing spirit to share with others. The Holy Spirit will touch people’s hearts; your words don’t have to be elaborate or scholarly to teach others. Always remember you can turn to Scripture or a friend if the person you are talking to has questions that you are unsure about.

It is important to show kindness and respect while sharing about Jesus. Not everyone wants to hear about your faith, so try not to take it personally if they are unwilling to listen. Make sure not to be forceful while sharing your story as this does not make for a good witness. What you can do is pray that other people will come along who are more willing to listen to what you have to say.

Share Your Story.

Another good way to share your faith is by sharing your story or testimony. When you share your story one-on-one or in a small group, you form a personal connection. You can tell others about how Jesus has personally impacted you or why you are a Christian. This is also a way to work Christ into a conversation without it being too awkward, because you are sharing your own experience.

For example, if you invite some of your friends over for breakfast, they might bring up a topic that relates to your personal experiences and story, and this gives you a chance to share what Jesus has done for you.

Different people may share their testimonies in different ways. Some individuals may give their testimony in front of a large audience. Others may use their social media influence to spread the Gospel message. Some people may lead Bible study to share God’s word.

No matter how you share the Gospel, know that you are helping plant seeds of hope.

Some people may travel all the way across the world because they want all people groups to know the message of the Gospel. However, you do not have to travel to another continent to share Jesus with others.

Look at the people around you. Have you ever told your family or friends about the wonderful things of God? If not, this can be the perfect opportunity to share your faith. You never know the difference you may make, not only in someone’s life but in their eternity. Blessings on the journey.

Here Come the Crossroads.

At the end of the movie, “Castaway”, Tom Hanks plays a marooned FedEx employee who has to fight for his life on a barren island. Finally rescued, he gets back home to Memphis, TN where he discovers everyone has moved on. At the end of the movie, he is literally at a crossroads in the countryside deciding which way to go.

A crossroads is where two roads intersect. Two different things come together. As followers of Jesus, we find everyday that different people cross our paths…we intersect with others. As Christ-followers, our call is to tell the story of Jesus and how He’s changed our life every chance we get. And any time people intersect with us is a great time to share our life with them.

Jesus tells two stories in Matthew 13:44-46. Both are about finding treasure. One person stumbles on the treasure accidentally; another person is intentionally seeking the treasure. Both give up everything to have the treasure and both end up with the treasure. Those of us who found Jesus either stumbled upon him or we intentionally sought him out. But either way, both ended up with Jesus.

And because we are disciples, we are called to help others find Jesus too. I believe the Holy Spirit creates space every single day of our lives to intersect with others and in those moments, it’s a great opportunity to share what Jesus has done for us. There are several ways we can impact others with our story for the cause of Christ.

One way is just showing interest in the other person. Have you every noticed in a group when someone becomes emotional and gets vulnerable, humans try to change the subject? It’s just uncomfortable to see someone’s pain when we feel we can’t do anything about it. But let me encourage you to lean into that moment. You can show real interest by asking questions. There’s something very powerful in asking questions rather than coming with data. Create space with others to grow relationally by asking questions.

A second way is intercession. Pray specifically for people by name. When you pray for others by name you tend to check on them differently, don’t you? We follow up by seeing how the situation has changed. It makes us think about them often and how they are doing.

Another way is watching for life’s interruptions. When someone’s life is unexpectedly interrupted, there is potential for life-changing dialogue. Moments when there is a divorce, a job loss, or a death of someone close creates space to come alongside people with the story of Jesus. In moments of a new birth, a marriage, or a new job creates moments to share Jesus.

Finally, just getting involved with someone by saying something to them or doing something. It’s often messy and inconvenient but sometimes, you are the best person to say something and interact. Sometimes, you are the answer to prayer.

The challenge is living each day with an open hand and open heart for those around you. Know the Spirit will cross your path with others whom you can share the importance of Jesus. You have the ability within you to help others see how important Jesus can be to them. Blessings on the journey.

It's Go Time.

I know I’m giving it away but when my wife and I are at a party or gathering and I’m ready to go, I tug on my left ear lobe. Upon seeing me, she, then, knows I feel it’s time to go. Now, that doesn’t mean we are leaving because she may not be done socializing. But nonetheless, she knows I have had my fill.

Jesus tells his disciples in Matthew 28 to “go”. “Go into all the world…making disciples”. He tells them to “go”. And in Acts 1 just before Jesus ascends into Heaven, he tells them again, that they will be his witnesses in “Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth.” Jesus is telling us one of our mandates is to go and be a witness for the story of Jesus. Tell people and show people what Jesus has done for us. But the world is a huge place so where do we begin? We start by asking a series of questions.

Who lives with you? When Andrew finds Jesus and knows he’s the Messiah, Andrew goes to find his brother, Peter (John 1:40ff), who will later become foundational in the early church. We first go to the people we live with and call family. So, start where you are planted. We are called to tell our children about Jesus and teach them the Jesus’ way of life. We are called to journey with our spouse and daily tell the story. We have extended family members we love who need to hear from you how Jesus has changed your life. Ask, who lives with me?

Secondly, ask who lives near you? Those living near you include those in your cul-de-sac or on your street. But it also includes those with whom you attend church. We are called to make time for those with whom we do life. So get involved in a ministry like teaching kids about Jesus in a Sunday morning class or leading a small group in your youth group. Get involved on your praise team or in the sound booth. Be a real friend to your neighbors by helping out when they are down and out. Extend hospitality to those around you so they see Jesus in you.

Finally, ask who lives in you? Paul reminds us in Romans 8:11, “That the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead is the same Spirit that lives in you!” You will not be “going” on your own. Jesus will always be with you. That’s what he said in Matthew 28:20. He tells us to go and he’ll be with us. So don’t be afraid. God’s got this. He’s with you.

So it’s time to shed the “personal space” mentality. It’s time to look around instead of down at our phone. It’s time to create a space of sharing and inclusion. It’s time to go and be a witness for the one who gave you everything…and made you the best version of yourself you could ever be. Blessings on the journey.

Our congregation just had it’s “Mission Sunday” this past Sunday. It’s the day we fully acknowledge God’s call to us to be in the world and sharing his story in multiple ways. It’s the day we ask our church to financially back where our leadership team feels we are being called into the story. It’s an incredibly encouraging time to reflect and dream. But how persistent are we ready to be when it comes to retelling the greatest story ever told?

Jesus asks us in Luke 18:8, “…when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?”

This question cuts right to the heart. Jesus is asking: when I come back at the end of time, will I find any faith in the world? The question we have to ask ourselves is what kind of faith is Jesus talking about? Is Jesus simply talking about adhering to a long list of rules? Is he hoping that when he comes back he will find us all being super pious and rigidly religious? I don’t think so. Instead Jesus wants to know if he will find us living in relationship with God. That’s ultimately what faith is all about: living life in relationship with God.

God wants a relationship of love with us. He already has a relationship with us and loves us beyond our wildest imagining. He wants us to enter into this relationship of love with him, and allow it to transform our relationships with everyone — our family, our friends, our coworkers, the sick, the poor, and everyone we meet.Our challenge is to find ways that we can grow in our relationship with God and let that relationship spread into all of our other relationships in life.

How can we do this? Certainly through prayer: talking to God, speaking to him as a friend, as a father who loves us, giving thanks at the end of the day, taking time to go on a walk through nature, maybe even going to church or reading the Bible.

Faith starts in prayer but it doesn’t end there: it sends us out to love in return for God’s love for us. Faith leads us to help out a friend who's in need, to show our love for our family, to take time to help the poor in our community, to talk to a homeless person, to volunteer in the hospital. The question for us is: what concrete steps can we take this week to grow in our relationship of love with God and let it spread throughout our whole life? Then Jesus will surely find faith on the earth when he returns.

May you prayerfully answer the call to live missionally! May you lean into the story of God every day. May you experience the joy of passing on the story of God in your every day story! Blessings on the journey.

So...To Whom Should I Show Compassion?

We all like to be pampered. I’ve seen your social media posts. There’s massages, pedis and manis…restaurant plates…well, you get it. We love ourselves. We love to be pampered too when we aren’t feeling well. Chicken noodle soup in bed, our favorite blanket and a Netflix series we have been wanting to binge watch.

It’s interesting though, when it’s someone else, we have our doubts. We just say “pull up your bootstraps and let’s go”. We aren’t too worried about most people like we worry about ourselves. I’m mean, even the Apostle Paul said in Ephesians 5:29, “No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it." Case in point…

So, there’s a lawyer who is interacting with Jesus in Luke 10 and he’s got an important question. He asks the Son of God, the Messiah, the Anointed One, “How do I inherit eternal life?’ That’s a fair question. I mean, we’d all like to know the answer. Tell me exactly what I need to do to get there. So both Jesus and the lawyer agreed that one should love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. And love your neighbor as yourself.

But then the lawyer asks a question that reminds us that we are ultimately about ourselves when he asks, “Okay. But who is my neighbor?” He asks because he doesn’t want to spend anymore on anyone than he has to spend. He’s asking, “Where is the line? I only have so much compassion to give. Where does it end?”

So Jesus tells a story to answer a question, like he does so many times. The story is found in Luke 10 when Jesus tells the story of a man traveling who gets mugged by some shady characters and left for dead. Other people are on the road as well.

A priest comes along but passes by on the other side of the road. He keeps his distance. He doesn’t have time to be bothered with this inconvenience. Jesus is saying that’s one way to interact with the world…just keep your distance.

Then a Temple servant comes along who notices the man. He goes over to take a look but eventually passes by as well. You have seen this in church folks as well. I can be intrigued but uninvolved. Folks, religion doesn’t make us loving. Jesus makes us loving. We can be so “righteous” yet unloving toward those around us. Jesus says that’s another way we could interact.

But then a Samaritan comes by who happens to be the enemy of the man lying in the ditch. He stops to mend, bandage, support, and use his own resources to help this man. Jesus says that we can also care for those around us. Jesus says this one, the one that stopped to help, is the closest to God of all.

So from this story, we learn what we can do to love our neighbor. How do I love my neighbor?

You and I must see the need to sympathize. In verse 33 it says, “when he saw the man’s condition, his heart went out.” The Samaritan looked beyond the labels and saw him. Sympathy is seeing people from God’s point of view. And you know, we have hurting people all around us. The homeless person just needing to be noticed; the single parent weeping in the common area; a tearful spouse wondering if her marriage is over; a bewildered student on a college campus weighing if there is more to life; a silenced person of color; a defiant teenager who’s home life is less than helpful.

So many people around you need to see the love of God from you. They need to know someone cares and sees them. So you and I need to slow down to empathize with those around us. The Samaritan’s heart was filled with compassion. We need to slow down, create margin in our lives and calendars in order to serve and listen. Johnny Cash’s song, “Walk a Mile” says it all.

Finally, we need to take the love God’s offered us and put it in action. See, love is something you do. The Samaritan physically takes care of the man who is hurt. Following Jesus is not easy. You and I are called to give some things up on the way in order to help other people. See, God has called us to be salt and light; to bring some flavor to our world…to shine light into the dark areas.

So it’s time to lay down that cold shoulder; it’s important to free up some time to serve those around you; It’s time to have a conversation with someone you’ve been avoiding; it’s time to reconcile with someone from who you’ve been withholding love. Our call as Jesus’ disciples is to love unconditionally…not judgmentally nor presuming the worst. Jesus says in John 13, “Love one another as I have loved you”. How did he love you? He gave his life for you. Love in such a way that people see Jesus’ love in you. Blessings on your journey.