Sharing Faith (3) With Everyone Else

James 5:20      Remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

Every week we are all given opportunities to share our faith with other people. It may be a neighbor or a stranger. It may take place in a casual encounter or at an appointed time. Whatever the moment or circumstances, if you are prepared in advance you will be able to share your Christian beliefs without hesitation or embarrassment.

Here is a step by step process using the word ‘FAITH’ to help you share your Christian beliefs with other people

Formulate Your Beliefs

Firstly, before you share your faith, you need to know what you personally believe. This takes preparation and study. You need to ask yourself ‘what are the foundational beliefs about my faith that I will never compromise?’ This may include the forgiveness of sins, Christ’s sacrificial death, His resurrection, and the promise of everlasting life. Most Christians share the same core beliefs, but each person has their own special ‘faith’ interest.

You will also need to know certain passages of scripture and where to find them in the Bible. You can add many other stories and verses to this short list, including your favorites.

John 3:16-18    "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. 

Acts 4:10-12    Then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. He is “‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." 

Romans 5:1-2  Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 

Matthew 11:28-30      "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

John 14:6         Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

What other Bible verses or stories would you include in the above list?

Awareness of needs

Sharing your faith is a wonderful experience, however if someone is in need of help, support, or care, don’t neglect to share your compassion and resources, as well as your faith. Sincere loving kindness goes a long way to open up a needy heart and mind to God; cold doctrinal Bible thumping quickly closes spiritual doors.

Matthew 14:13-21     When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. 

As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a remote place, and it's already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food." 

Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat." 

"We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish," they answered. 

"Bring them here to me," he said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.

How aware is Jesus of the needs of the people? What about his disciples: how do they react to the issue? What does Jesus do? What does this teach us about sharing faith?

Insincerity Ruins Your Witness

The worst thing that you can do when sharing your faith is to be insincere. If you are tired and feel burdened, don’t share your faith because it will come across as negative and wearisome. If you are just going through the motions – (Baptist – ABC plan of salvation) then you will quickly bore the other person. The whole point is to engage in a conversation about faith without being manipulative or belligerent. Beware of being condescending or aggressive; by all means be assertive, but do not be forceful. And remember this: you do not have the power to convert anyone to Christ – that is the exclusive work of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 7:24-29       (Jesus said) "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 

But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash." 

When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

How assertive was Jesus being in this passage? What faith-truth did He seek to share with the crowds? How was His teaching different from the typical religious leaders? What does this teach us about sharing our faith with others?

The Teaching Moment

Every school teacher and church preacher knows that sometimes there is a special moment in the lesson or the sermon when people actually ‘get’ what’s being taught or preached. It’s important to be aware of when this occurs in sharing faith because it can be ruined by reading it wrong. Spiritual intimacy is a sacred gift and if this happens when you are sharing your faith with someone else, then the best response is a quiet word of encouragement and perhaps a short prayer to bring the conversation to a close.

Mark 12:28-34                        One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" 

"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." 

"Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices." 

When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.

How does Christ’s sincerity come across to the teacher of the law? What truth is Jesus conveying to him? How does the teacher of the law respond? Why does this delight Jesus? What does Jesus do to make this ‘teaching moment’ effective? How can we apply this when sharing faith with others?

Handling Follow Up

Your efforts to positively share your faith may have lasting results. Handling opportunities to follow up will involve inviting the other person to church, making arrangements for another meeting, and being there when they need help. How you follow through with the conversation will be a test of your faith to the other person. If no ‘follow through’ occurs, then they will end up believing that you were insincere. If you try to force another meeting, you will come across as being manipulative and controlling. The best way to follow through is to say something like: “Thanks for allowing me to share my beliefs with you. If you need to talk again or if I can help you in any way, please just ask. God bless you.”

If you think the moment is right, invite the other person to your church.

Your initial work is done – follow through with focused prayer and ask God to give you guidance for any future meetings you may have with the other person.

Prayer (together):                  Lord Jesus, thank You for the opportunities that You give to all Your people to share their faith. Help us to be open to these blessings throughout this coming week and give us the courage to engage others in faith conversations, so that we may encourage them to draw nearer to You. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Sharing Faith (2) - With Friends

SHARING YOUR FAITH WITH YOUR FRIENDS

Proverbs 18:24           “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”

Friendship is one of the most precious gifts that life has to offer. People develop friendships at school, in their neighborhoods, within their careers and at sporting events. Church people usually have friends who do not go to church. Sharing faith can be a risk for any friendship, especially if that friendship is based upon events and circumstances outside of church world.

Here is a step by step process to help you share your faith with your close friends

A:         Focus them in prayer.

If you were inviting your friend over for dinner or to watch a football match, you would make plenty of preparations to ensure that your house was tidy, your fridge was full of food, and there were plenty of refreshments. You would take time to get ready for your friend’s visit.

Sharing your faith with your friends cannot be done haphazardly or on the spur of the moment. Take time to bring them to God in prayer. This may take days, weeks, or even months. Focus on them and ask God to provide a special opportunity to share your faith with your friend. Without the proper prayer preparation, you’ll either miss the right time or jump in too soon. To respect both God and your friend, take time to pray.

B.         Recognize the Right Time.

‘Kairos’ is the Greek word that is used in the New Testament to describe the appointed time. It’s a God-given moment that is full of opportunity and blessings. If you are sincere about wishing to honestly share faith with your friend and have taken time to pray, you will recognize when the right moment comes along.

Sharing faith is not like sharing a beer or passing the bread rolls at the table. It requires an appropriate setting or a relevant event. If you try to artificially begin a conversation about faith your friend (who knows you all too well) will see it as a set up. Waiting for the right moment is better than grasping the opportunity all too soon, or even losing a good friendship.

C.         Invite them to Church

Once you’ve had that deep conversation about faith, life, and meaning, then invite your friend to church. Christians get involved in discussions with friends and others about the realities of religion and the meaning of faith, but sometimes forget or avoid asking the other person to come to church. If our faith is so important to us and Christ is at the center of our lives, then why wouldn’t we show that faith by asking our friends to join us? We’ll ask them to dinner, sporting games, community events, and movies very easily, but when it comes to church, that is altogether a different matter.

Why is this? Are we afraid our friends won’t like us because we go to church? Are we worried that our church isn’t good enough? Are we concerned that they might get the wrong idea? If they really are our friends, then they will stick even closer to us with faith sharing.

D:         Encourage their participation by participating in church ourselves.

Years ago, a church family invited a family of friends to come to church. They wanted their friends to enjoy the same blessings of faith and fellowship that the church family had experienced. The invitation worked and the second family became fully involved in the life, ministry, and work of the church. The first family, however, were not as deep into church as the second family was becoming. As the invited family increased their commitment to the congregation, the first family decreased their participation. Eventually, they left the church but the second family continued to grow in faith, spirituality, and devotion to God. If the first family had continued to participate, their friendship with the other family would have been even greater than it had been at first. Fortunately, the second family continued to grow in their journey of faith.

E.         Nurture their spiritual journey.

Non-church going friends who begin coming to church still have a lot of questions about faith, traditions, worship styles, and the Bible. They need your constant concern and devoted attention at times. Brushing them aside or leaving their questions unanswered will make them feel foolish, unimportant, and friendless. If you invite them, you need to stay right with them; if you choose to ignore them, you will lose and bore them very quickly. So make a commitment to mentor them for a couple of months, if not a year itself. (The ideal amount of mentoring time is actually 18 months).

One word of caution: if they ask you a question and you don’t know the answer, don’t make it up. Find someone for them who can answer their query.

F.         Delight in their faith experiences.

Faith journeys are sacred moments in our lives. If your friend has become a regular attender at church, he or she will want to express their feelings, as well as their findings. They may even have some positive suggestions for the church because they see and experience it with new eyes and a new heart. Make time to meet with them outside of church and ask them about their spiritual growth. Remember, you invited them to church in the first place, so you are obliged to help them with their journey.

Notes

New Testament passages

John 1:43-50 (NIV)

43         The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, "Follow me." 

44         Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 

45         Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the             prophets also wrote--Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." 

46         "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked. "Come and see," said Philip. 

47         When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false." 

48         "How do you know me?" Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before             Philip called you." 

49         Then Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel." 

50         Jesus said, "You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that."

            What made Philip seek his friend Nathanael? How did Nathanael respond? What did Philip do about that? What was the outcome of this invitation? How does this inspire us to share our faith experiences with our friends?

Mark 2:1-12

1 A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. 

2 So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. 

3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. 

4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on. 

5When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven." 

6 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 

7 "Why does this fellow talk like that? He's blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" 

8 Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, "Why are you thinking these things? 

9 Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, take your mat and walk'? 

10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . . ." He said to the paralytic, 

11 "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." 

12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"

What does this passage tell us about friendship? What obstacles do the four friends face? How do they overcome those problems? How much preparation and hard work did they have to undergo before they brought their friend to Jesus? How did He respond to their determination? How does the outcome of the story inspire us to bring our friends to Christ? What hopes do we have for them?

3 John 1:1-6     A Letter to a Friend

1 The elder, To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth. 

2 Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. 

3 It gave me great joy to have some brothers come and tell about your faithfulness to the truth and how you continue to walk in the truth. 

4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. 

5 Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers, even though they are strangers to you. 

6 They have told the church about your love. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. 

What does this letter tell us about sharing faith with a friend? How can it help us to do the same?

Sharing Faith (1) - With Family

SHARING YOUR FAITH WITH YOUR FAMILY

Lessons from Jesus and His family – It’s Not Easy!

How hard is it to share our Christian faith with our family? What problems get in our way of being effective Christian witnesses to them?

A. They know your history

Matthew 13:54-58

Coming to his hometown, Jesus began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. "Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?" they asked. 

"Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? Aren't all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?" 

And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honor."  And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.

How does familiarity diminish the effectiveness of faith? How can we counter this?

B. They may take offense

 Matthew 10:34-38

"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn " 'a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law-- a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.'

"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.”

How does our faith affect our loyalty to our family members? How does our church life impact our families?

C. They may think you are crazy

Mark 3:20-26

Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, "He is out of his mind." 

And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, "He is possessed by Beelzebub! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons." 

So Jesus called them and spoke to them in parables: "How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come.”

Do our religious beliefs make us different from our families? How do our Christian principles differ from those of our relatives?

D. They may not understand you

John 7:1-6

After this, Jesus went around in Galilee, purposely staying away from Judea because the Jews there were waiting to take his life. But when the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles was near, Jesus' brothers said to him,

"You ought to leave here and go to Judea, so that your disciples may see the miracles you do. No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world." 

For even his own brothers did not believe in him. 

Therefore Jesus told them, "The right time for me has not yet come; for you any time is right. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that what it does is evil.”

How is our religious commitment viewed by our relatives? Is this a fair assessment of who we are as Christians?

E. Patience, perseverance, and prayer prevails

Acts 1:12-14

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day's walk from the city. When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

How has our faith positively impacted our families? What faith sharing opportunities do we invite them to?

F. Great Christian Leaders are first raised in the home

2 Timothy 1:3-7

I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. 

How was your Christian faith shaped by your own family?

Any other questions?

Connections Class: Prayer Changes Things (4) - Healing

Prayer is an essential ingredient of our Christian faith, but sometimes people find it hard to pray. This short series discusses different types of prayers, as well as focusing on how and what to pray for.

Healing – from old English word “hal” or “Helen” – to be whole, complete, perfect

1          a : to make sound or whole <heal a wound> b : to restore to health

2          a : to cause (an undesirable condition) to be overcome :mend 

            b : to patch up (a breach or division) <heal a breach between friends>

3           to restore to original purity or integrity <healed of sin>

Example of healing prayers in today’s bulletin

Pastor:             O Lord, as we abide in Your sanctuary, may Your Holy Spirit descend upon us. As                          we await Your sacred presence, may Your righteousness cover all our sins.

People:           Speak to our hearts, Loving Father, and let Your truth comfort our souls. When                                 we are hurting, heal our pain. When we are grieving, grant us grace. When we                                  are fearful, fill us with faith.

Pastor:             Gracious Lord, we depend upon Your promises to sustain us in times of trouble,                            worry, and stress. Hear our prayers, Holy Lord. Heal our loved ones, and us, from                        all the harm and ill health that damages our hearts and minds, as well as our                              bodies and souls. Hear us now as we quietly pray.

Silent Prayers for others and ourselves. A candle is lit.

Pastor:             The Lord keeps His word, so we shall not be shaken. In Jesus' Name, we pray. Amen.                    (Healing prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 15)

Why do we pray for healing during worship? What are we asking for in today’s prayers? How do we use the time of silence? What is the candle for? Why use the psalms?

Bible examples of healing prayers

Psalm 38:1-8

1 O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath. 

2 For your arrows have pierced me, and your hand has come down upon me. 

3 Because of your wrath there is no health in my body; my bones have no soundness because of my sin. 

4 My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear. 

5 My wounds fester and are loathsome because of my sinful folly. 

6 I am bowed down and brought very low; all day long I go about mourning. 

7 My back is filled with searing pain; there is no health in my body. 

8 I am feeble and utterly crushed; I groan in anguish of heart.

Is this a prayer or a complaint? How ill is the psalmist? Why does he reach out to God? What healing is he actually looking for? Do we equate God’s anger with sickness today?

Mark 7:24-30

24 Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret. 25 In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an evil spirit came and fell at his feet.26 The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter. 

27 "First let the children eat all they want," he told her, "for it is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs." 

28 "Yes, Lord," she replied, "but even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs." 

29 Then he told her, "For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter." 30 She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.

What causes the woman to beg for her daughter? Why does Jesus delay the healing? How does the woman respond? How is the healing transmitted? What does this passage tell us about praying for healing?

Acts 3:2-8

2 Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, "Look at us!" 5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. 6Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.

Where do Peter and John get the power to heal? What is remarkable about this healing? What does this tell us about healing by Christ through His Church? How do we practice this today?

Any other questions?

Healing Prayers -        A word about OUR EXPECTATIONS: we are meeting together in the name of Jesus, and we are sure that according to His promise He is with us.  He is still the healing Lord, and through Him God answers our prayers.  We can therefore confidently expect SOME healing touch or gift for all those for whom we pray.  It may be a physical healing; it may be swift and dramatic, though more often it is likely to be gradual or cumulative.  It may be an invitation to trust and follow Jesus in a new way, and perhaps a call to penitence and forgiveness – or to forgive others.  It may be a healing of wounded relationships.  God has many healing gifts in store for us, if we turn to Him and work with Him, together, in faith and love. – Sandy Duff, Scotland.