"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek." —Romans 1:16
It is so awesome that you want to share your faith and are taking God's command to share the gospel seriously (Matthew 24:14; Matthew 28:19; Psalm 96:3). You are doing exactly what Jesus commanded His disciples when He said to go into the world and make more disciples. Here are a few things you could do to effectively witness for Christ...
One of the most important steps of preparing to share your faith is found in 1 Peter 3:15, which says to "always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." That means that we must first understand WHY we believe.
If you don't understand your own faith and/or you don't live like you follow Christ, then you need to work on your own faith before chasing after someone's heart for Christ. Study God's Word, live the way the Bible teaches, and be a living testimony of God's love.
It's important to get involved with other Christians around you. When you're close to other believers, you can help each other grow in your faith (Proverbs 27:17). You can learn how others live out their faith and discover how they talk to people about God.
Once you have established a safe place for your faith, you will have a place to invite those who don't know Christ or have questions about God. You could introduce them to your Christian friends and share your faith.
If your unbelieving friend isn't ready for a big group or to go to a church building, meet them where they are emotionally, spiritually, and socially. No matter where you are, you can always be on the lookout for opportunities to share the gospel and your faith in conversations.
If you are homeschooled or go to a faith-based school, it can be easy to surround yourself with only Christians. While having Christian friends is important, you still want to meet unbelievers if you are to share the gospel with them. Finding others in the community who like the same activities or have the same interests as you gives you an immediate common ground.
If you like to dance, maybe think about joining a dance academy. If you like to read, join a book club at the library. Find what you like to do and then get involved. Share your life and faith as you share the things you love to do.
When you go out to the mall, grocery store, or even a restaurant, let Christ's love and life shine through your words and actions. If it's somewhere you go often, the workers may start to recognize you, and after a while you may be able to share your faith with them, crediting Jesus to your attitude, actions, words, etc.
Once you feel comfortably close to an unbelieving friend, you may consider telling them your faith story. Your story, no matter what it is, is definitely worth telling. You don't need a dramatic story or have grown up in the church to have a valuable story. How has God changed you in comparison to what the world has expected of you? What would your life be like without Him? Share those thoughts!
If you're afraid to tell your story, ask God to make you comfortable and give you confidence to share your faith. The story of His faithfulness in your life will bring Him glory one way or another.
If you come across a situation where it seems like someone needs prayer, offer to pray for them. If you see a grieving parent, a victim of a tragedy, a homeless person, etc., ask if you can pray for them. Most people will be touched by your concern rather than hostile. Even if they don't believe in God, you can say that you do so it is OK for you to pray for them anyway.
If you feel it is appropriate, ask the Holy Spirit to help you pray with them right then and there. If not, or if the situation doesn't seem right (like it would do more harm than good in that moment), then make sure you DO follow through and pray for them on your own. You could even ask for their first name if you don't know it, then be sure to thank them for the opportunity to pray for them.
Because we have been told to share the gospel, we cannot be passive about it. Pray for opportunities, be on the lookout for them, and be prepared to talk about your faith when they come. And they will!
I remember when I asked God for a chance to share the gospel with someone. A couple days later, my mom and I were out to lunch at a restaurant. We joined hands and prayed aloud before our meal. Later into our meal, the man sitting at the table next to us stopped before leaving the restaurant and said he noticed us praying. That lead into a conversation where we could share the gospel with him and learn more about where he was at in life with God. Since I had prayed for this and was prepared when it came, God could use me in that moment.
Don't worry about being in a rush or a time crunch when you see a chance to share your faith. Jesus was always stopped by people. Even when He was "busy," He always took time for people. We should be the same. God takes care of the details when we're on His schedule and taking care of His business.
You never know what God will do through His Spirit working in you and through conversations, interactions, or any given situation in your life. If you get a negative response from someone, don't let it worry or bother you. God's ways are bigger than our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). Our efforts are to plant the seeds, but God is the one who will grow new faith in an unbelieving heart (John 6:44).
—Stephanie
Stephanie is a 21-year old with a passion to see believers grow and become passionate in their relationship with the Lord. She is a lover of sweat tea, sunshine, and the freedom that comes from Christ. In her free time, she can be found singing, playing guitar, writing or jamming out to Hawk Nelson, Phil Wickham, and worship music. Her dreams are to become a worship leader and a published author, while living a life full of fun and joy that comes from the Lord.
