Thursday, September 13, 2018
How I Get Involved in Telling the Jesus Story
After one of my recent blog posts, several asked how I find people to talk to about Jesus. So I have been thinking about it and here are a few thoughts.
I ask everybody. That's what my wife Marsha says. And that is not much of an exaggeration. I ask church visitors, I ask neighbors, I ask friends.
"If you ever have any questions, I would love to ...
"I'd love to buy you a cup of coffee and tell you why Jesus...
"Can I pray for you? I'd love to share how we/friends of mine got thru a similar situation...
"We act this way/did this/said that because we are Jesus followers. I'd love to tell you why...
I suspect it is sometimes to pushy. Sometimes comes out awkward. Probably scares some people off.
I certainly get there are people much smoother and better at this than I am.
But I have resolved not to wait until the time is perfect. I cannot tell you how many times I have shared Jesus with people that have known Christians as neighbors and friends but never had any of them say anything to them.
Even visitors at church who never understood what the next steps were.
Now in fairness, I am beg believer in hearing their stories also. I often find out what they think about Jesus, or church, or life.
And at first we almost always share some version of our testimony: what Jesus has done, why we do what we do, why I do the job I do.
And I don't ask to study the Bible. I talk in terms of sharing, telling stories, that kind of language. Even if a lot of my stories are right from the Bible.
Church visitors. People we serve. People we help. People we get to know.
We listen. We ask. Sometimes they are ready. Sometimes they come back to us later and are ready. Sometimes someone else asks and they are ready then. And some never want to hear.
But at least I gave it a shot.
I'll write more later about where and how I find these people. And I'll talk more about the idea of being the "designated closer". Or as my friend Bobby Lawson puts it. Be a Peter and tell about Jesus. If you can't be Peter, be Cornelius and bring people to hear about Jesus from the evangelists you know.
But for now. I would suggest you just start asking.
So pray for those you can share Jesus with. Seek the opportunity to ask.
You will be overwhelmed at what God will do.
I ask everybody. That's what my wife Marsha says. And that is not much of an exaggeration. I ask church visitors, I ask neighbors, I ask friends.
"If you ever have any questions, I would love to ...
"I'd love to buy you a cup of coffee and tell you why Jesus...
"Can I pray for you? I'd love to share how we/friends of mine got thru a similar situation...
"We act this way/did this/said that because we are Jesus followers. I'd love to tell you why...
I suspect it is sometimes to pushy. Sometimes comes out awkward. Probably scares some people off.
I certainly get there are people much smoother and better at this than I am.
But I have resolved not to wait until the time is perfect. I cannot tell you how many times I have shared Jesus with people that have known Christians as neighbors and friends but never had any of them say anything to them.
Even visitors at church who never understood what the next steps were.
Now in fairness, I am beg believer in hearing their stories also. I often find out what they think about Jesus, or church, or life.
And at first we almost always share some version of our testimony: what Jesus has done, why we do what we do, why I do the job I do.
And I don't ask to study the Bible. I talk in terms of sharing, telling stories, that kind of language. Even if a lot of my stories are right from the Bible.
Church visitors. People we serve. People we help. People we get to know.
We listen. We ask. Sometimes they are ready. Sometimes they come back to us later and are ready. Sometimes someone else asks and they are ready then. And some never want to hear.
But at least I gave it a shot.
I'll write more later about where and how I find these people. And I'll talk more about the idea of being the "designated closer". Or as my friend Bobby Lawson puts it. Be a Peter and tell about Jesus. If you can't be Peter, be Cornelius and bring people to hear about Jesus from the evangelists you know.
But for now. I would suggest you just start asking.
So pray for those you can share Jesus with. Seek the opportunity to ask.
You will be overwhelmed at what God will do.
