The command for us to share our faith literally in black and white in the Bible. But I gotta tell you, just getting a conversation started with someone about Christ gives me Godzilla-sized butterflies in my stomach. I get so nervous (and I’m a pastor).
I have come to realize something – one of the greatest things that we can do to start a conversation about Christ is to simply shut up. I know, it seems like an oxymoron, but if we would just start by listening, we would be miles ahead.
For example, I was in New York one summer walking in central park. I saw a guy sitting all alone on a park bench, so I walked up to him and asked to sit down. He didn’t smell real pleasant, and was missing most of his teeth, but as we sat there, I simply asked, “So what’s your story?” This guy had so much to tell. He went on about how long he had lived in NYC and how he couldn’t wait to leave the big apple and get on with life. I listened, asked question, and really tried to pay attention to his every word. After he went on for about twenty minutes, he turned and asked, “What is your story?”
Ding… I was in. now it was time to tell him my past, and the unavoidable part that Christ has in my story.
Speaking of New York, I saw an article in the Chicago paper about two post-college grads for Manhattan who rode their bikes all around the US with a sign that simply read, “Talk to me.” They had no agenda, weren’t selling anything… just here to listen to what ever someone wanted to say. One of the guys that ended up talking to them shared his corroded past of crack addiction, but after 15 minutes he said, “I’ll stop talking now, and give someone else a chance.”
You see, people want to talk, but after they do, they then naturally want to listen. Their listener has now earned the right to be heard. People listen to people who listen.
That is why I said, one of the greatest things that we can do when sharing our faith is just start by authentically listening. When we hear their story, then they will naturally ask to hear ours, and our life can become a highway to get people to the cross of Christ.
1 John 5:9-12 says: We accept man’s Story, but God’s Story is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. 10 Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this Story in his heart. Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the Story God has given about his Son. 11 And this is the Story: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
Like this passage says, our story is our greatest tool for sharing our faith; people will accept it. But use it in a way to share the ultimate story, God’s story. Listen to theirs, share yours and highlight the saving story of Christ!
