Before You Talk to ANYONE About Jesus - Read This!
Before You Talk to ANYONE About Jesus - Read This!
You're a believer in Jesus. Maybe you've just teamed up with God (or did a while ago) and you're super pumped about sharing your faith with others.
That's awesome - good for you! FAITH PRO HERO is here to help.
This blog post is going to address a few basics that every #Christian should know when sharing their faith with others, and what to do.
*This applies mainly to North America and European cultures. More flamboyant cultures like Latin America, Africa, and others have a different strategy.
1. Reality for most non-Christians is we creep them out.
If you've had the privilege of growing up in a non-christian home, then you might have also had the privilege of knowing what it feels like to be "weirded" out by a religious person.
I consider these a "privilege" because now you have first hand knowledge of what your audience will likely feel like if you approach them badly.
Whether you grew up in a Christian home or not, these questions are going to amplify your experience in a positive way as well as theirs, because it's going to give you some insight into how the conversation should go.
They Feel Uncomfortable, Here's What To Do
Ask yourself:
- how could someone really turn me off of a world-view I didn't currently have?
- if someone were trying to share their beliefs with me, what could they do that would make me think they were crazy?
- how would I feel if someone came up to me and got angry if I didn't agree with them on something?
Then ask yourself:
- how could someone really catch my attention with a new idea?
- if someone were "representing" their god to me, how would I expect they should behave?
- what would make me really want to listen?
Basic right? Pretty much it's the Golden Rule: approach others that same way you would like to be approached.
2. Everyone is open to spiritual conversations so long as they don't feel judged
One thing that stops us from opening up to others about Jesus is we assume others don't want to talk about spiritual things.
It's not true!
People love #spiritual conversations. Especially if it's about what they believe.
What they don't like is being disproved of simply for thinking differently. Back to the Golden Rule: Do you like being judged?
This is not to say that what they believe might be true nor that you need to agree with them. But it is to highlight that your goal right now is simply to have a conversation.
The fact that people have only felt judged by Christians is what I believe to be the main proponent of this nation-wide movement of "I have the right to do what I want."
When people feel loved, they are more open to the message. When they feel judged, they're only become more sure of what they stand for.
Conversations are safe for people. Being judged isn't. There are levels to having a spiritual conversation and for most people, you need to start off at level 1 which is simply just talking and feeling loved.
The second they feel judged is the second they'll likely put up a wall against you.
They Feel Judged. Here's What To Do
- ask more questions and do less talking
- find common points of interest to relate with them
- be sincere and empathetic (they believe what they do for a reason...probably because they were looking for an answer and this was the first that came up)
The foundation of a successful conversation is basic people skills.
The #Bible brings the message; evangelism is the method.
The message is the power of God for the salvation of those who believe. But if our method is terrible and turns others off from hearing us - like if we were to stand on the streets with signs saying "God Hates Fags," then it doesn't matter how much scripture you know. Others wont want to listen to you!
3. The conversation is up to you, the results are up to God
Here is permission to take ALL PRESSURE off yourself. Or else you might wind up like this ball below here.
Too many of us feel like we need to lead someone to Jesus the first time we chat.
You don't have to do that and you're not a failure if you don't! Relax. At this stage you're focusing on "sowing seeds" and letting God do the rest.
Consider sharing your faith with someone similar to sowing seeds. The message is the seed, their heart is the soil, and you're simply tossing it in there via conversation.
You can share with them, ask them questions, inform them, etc... but in the end, it is #God who grows the seed.
The best a farmer can do is plant it and maybe cultivate it afterwards. Or in the case of #evangelism, cultivating being friendship and authenticity.
One of the more powerful ways a person can make an impact in someone's life with the Gospel is
- Live it daily
- Love others authentically
This is of course a part of the "long term game" as opposed to the "short term game" of evangelism which we go over in other blogs.