Why don’t some Christians share their faith? Every Christian knows those who are not people of faith. Most Christians know that Christianity changes lives – it has changed their own. Why don’t they tell others about what God has done in their lives?
Most Christians have dozens of “God stories,” eye-witness accounts of how God changed their lives. Prayer saved their marriage. The teaching of Jesus led them to forgive a wayward son. The power of God healed relationships. So why don’t you, Christian, share your faith?
The fear of rejection. You may be afraid you will spoil a relationship, damage a friendship or make someone angry. You might be afraid of getting into an argument.
Over the years, I have had one-on-one conversations with hundreds of Christians. I have discovered the issue behind the fear of rejection that roadblocks people from sharing their faith. Most Christians do not know when a person is receptive.
Jesus talked about people as a “harvest.” He said, “The harvest is ripe,” (Matthew 9:27). You can’t make your tomatoes get ripe. You can’t make corn ready for harvest. The Lord is the owner of the harvest. He is the one who makes it ripe. He is the one who makes people receptive.
Most Christians have never been equipped to know when people are “ripe” – receptive. You don’t have to fear rejection. You just need to learn to know the conditions of receptivity.
Anyone you know, who is not yet a believer may be moving toward receptivity. They send signals. All you have to do is pick up the signs. You just need to look for them. You should also be praying that God will help you to see them.
The first sign is the most obvious: anytime someone engages you in a spiritual conversation it is a sign of receptivity. It could be your green light to talk about what God has done in your life. This is only one signal. There are others.
Whenever your friend experiences change, he is likely to be more receptive to conversations about spiritual matters. The change could be the birth of a child, a job change, relocation, retirement, graduation, or marriage. When a person is in transition, they often take inventory of life. They think about the quality of life and the meaning of life. These issues often come the surface when a person experiences change.
The third sign of receptivity is when a person is under stress. Stress could be the result of an illness, loss of employment, a divorce, challenging news from the doctor, the death of someone close, or a serious car accident. Stress is a signal for help, a hunger for encouragement, even a curiosity about how you manage life, as a Christian.
Have you found others to be receptive to hearing about your faith? Feel free to share stories below.
As a believer, it is not your job to shove religion down someone’s throat. It is your calling to watch the harvest and look for receptivity. It is your opportunity to support, care, and be a friend. In that context, it is often easy to share what your faith has meant to you.
Kent Hunter, founder of Church Doctor Ministries, is known as the Church Doctor. His most recent e-books are The Future Is Now and The J-Dog Journey, available at no cost. Contact him at (800) 626-8515, by email, Twitter, Facebook, or visit www.churchdoctor.org.
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