During my early years as a Believer, my husband and I attended a Bible study with other young couples. One of the men who attended had such a gift for evangelism. He loved to share the Gospel with anyone who would listen, even those who did not seem interested.
As an introvert, this was not something that came easily for me, let alone something I was comfortable doing. After all, I would justify by thinking "And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers." Ephesians 4:11 Certainly, evangelizing isn’t meant for just anybody…
Although there is some truth to that, as there certainly are those who truly have a gift for evangelizing, like the friend I mentioned, yet we are all called to be Christian witnesses. "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8
Did you know that 'evangelize' actually has a slightly different meaning than 'being a Christian witness'? When a person evangelizes, they are literally preaching the Christian gospel to convert others. Whereas a Christian witness not only shares their faith in Jesus, but their lifestyle reflects that faith. It involves testifying to the reality of God's redemption through both spoken words and everyday actions, embodying values like love, compassion, and service.” The approach is quite different in each case. However, in the end, they yield the same result. Winning souls to Christ.
Let’s take a look at three easy ways to be a Christian witness.
Your Story is Your Story
"Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story—those he redeemed from the hand of the foe." Psalm 107:2
If you talk to my family members or friends at church, they have all heard me say, “Your Story is your Story”. What I am basically saying is that there is no fear or trepidation when it comes to sharing what God has done in your own life. We all have different stories, unique ways that the Lord has drawn us to Himself, and how our lives have changed as a result. No one can dispute these points or argue against them. This is our lived-in spiritual experience with our Lord and Savior.
When my husband was in seminary, all the seminarians had to complete a “life map” that outlined their life story, including where/when the Lord met them. Not only is this a great exercise for you to do as it bolsters your faith with a reminder of how the Lord had His hand on your life even before you “knew” Him, right through to your
conversion and beyond, but you have now recorded YOUR story, which can then be shared with others as a witness to what Christ has done for you.
You might think, well, how is my story going to encourage another if their life experience is vastly different from my own? Because they will think if the Lord was able to do that for them, then He could do it for me in my circumstance.
Basically, a life map shows, in retrospect, that the Lord was calling you to Himself from the very beginning of your life, even though you didn’t realize it. That those circumstances and situations in your life had an eternal purpose.
You’ll never know how YOUR story will impact another for eternity unless you share it with others. Even introverts are comfortable when talking about their own lived experience. By creating a “Life Map,” you will have even more confidence in sharing your story. How do you introduce the topic? Sometimes a conversation will give you an opening to share. Other times, you may have the “urge to push” where something (the Holy Spirit) is strongly prompting you to tell your story. Or someone might be going through similar tough times that you once did before knowing the Lord. Tell your story.
I encourage you to complete your own “Life Map”. Not only will you be blessed, but you will now be prepared to share your story and bring Glory to God.
“Story Telling”
"We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done". Psalm 78:4
In addition to our own personal story, we have in our Bibles the greatest story ever told. The story of our redemption through Jesus Christ is told from Genesis through Revelation.
The Old Testament Israelites were instructed by God to continually retell the story of their great rescue from the harsh labor of the Egyptians and how the Lord delivered them to safety by parting the Red Sea, destroying those who were after them. Moses retold the story countless times, and to this day, Jewish people tell the story of God’s deliverance every Passover.
Why did they have to keep repeating the same story over and over? Not only to encourage their own faith, a reminder of ALL that God had done for them, BUT to ensure that their children, their children's children, and so on had the same hope and would live in that Truth. Not only that, but like the story of Rahab, who heard about what God had done for the Israelites through these stories, she made a safe place for those Joshua sent out to scope out the land, and as a result, she and her whole household were saved and protected by God.
Our church supports a missionary whose mission is to “tell stories” as a means to witness to people in countries where it is illegal to share the Gospel. The whole ministry is built on taking a passage of Scripture and developing a “story” around it that can be told discretely, but with the same impact and lesson of the Gospel message. This involved learning the language of that area, and then translators would turn a Bible passage into a story.
You don’t have to go to a foreign, dangerous land to do the same thing. Is there a Bible passage or story that really resonates with you? Whether it opens your eyes to the Gospel or a story that encourages you, or helps you in something you struggle with, or just a Bible character you aspire to be like, memorize that story. Share it with others. It doesn’t have to be awkward. Again, it’s amazing what can come up in conversation that is a perfect lead-in to share the exact story you memorized. It could be that the Lord led you to that passage for such a time as this!
And for the young moms out there, children are never too young to hear the stories of the Bible. There are plenty of great resources that don’t compromise on the Truth, but develop a “story” that shares the Gospel in simpler terms for little ears. What a mission field you have in your own home! The more they hear, the more they will retell the story to their friends.
As my husband always says, when a congregant encourages Him regarding a sermon he has shared, “I’ve got good material”. Indeed! The Bible is full of amazing stories testifying to God’s grace, mercy, and love. The more immersed you are in the Bible, the easier it is to tell those stories to others. They come to mind naturally.
Remember, even if this is outside of your comfort zone, ask the Lord to give you courage and the Words to speak. He WILL answer. You will then be blessed in the telling, and you will bless others.
Proclaiming Christ without Words
"Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us." 1 Peter 2:12
What’s that saying, “You may be the only Bible a person reads.” Our best Christian witness is how we behave. ESPECIALLY in difficult situations. We are all human, and it’s not always easy to “bite our tongue” or give grace in a moment of frustration, or not be afraid when something fearful happens.
When I first became a Believer, I LOVED to read what I call Christian Mentor books, books about women of faith like Elizabeth Elliot, Amy Carmichael, Susannah Wesley, Corrie Ten Boom, etc. The more I read their stories, many of whose lives were NOT easy, I would marvel at how their faith carried them through. I wanted to be like them, not in a cosplay sense, but in a transformative way.
Certainly, there are Bible stories where we can see ourselves in a Bible character, in terms of their weakness and how they overcame with the help of the Lord. The more we are in the Word, the more it will change the way we behave. When we are immersed in faith-filled, God-honoring behaviors, we will start to mimic that same demeanor.
A person’s behavior in the face of trial is very impactful when it features a peace that surpasses all understanding. There is nothing more powerful than seeing someone who has received a terminal diagnosis, but receives it with grace and peace. Or someone who has lost everything, yet still has hope. What about a person who is treated miserably by someone but exercises genuine patience and kindness? These are just a few examples of how we can proclaim Christ without Words.
Remember, the world is watching you. We want someone to look at us and think, “That person has been with Jesus”. Remember the verse from the song They Will Know We are Christians - "And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love, Yes, they'll know we are Christians by our love." But it’s also important to note that who we are when no one is watching carries into who we are when someone is watching.
This is the easiest way to be a Christian witness, no matter how shy we are. May our lives be a testimony to the love of Christ with every opportunity we are presented with.
Lord, help us to be Christian witnesses each day of our lives. In Jesus Name, Amen. Do you struggle with witnessing to others about your faith?
How will you be a Christian witness this week?
Photo credit: Unsplash/Alexis Brown
