Why share your faith?

As you are in relationships or intentionally developing new ones with people who are different than you—people who may not yet know Christ—honestly ask yourself the following questions:

• Do you want the best for them?
• Are you convinced that knowing Jesus will give them not only assurance for eternity, but also the most fulfilling life here and now?
• Do you care deeply for them?
• Do you want to spend eternity with them?

International evangelist Luis Palau‘s research shows that 75 percent of all those who come to Christ do so through a relationship with a Christian friend, relative or co-worker. The institute of American Church Growth reports an even higher percentage, with almost 90 percent of the 14,000 Christians recently polled saying they came to Christ through “a friend or relative who invested in a relationship with them.”

Are you that friend, relative, or co-worker?

Are you compelled by love?
Sharing your faith should always come from a genuine love for the other person, not your own sense of agenda or obligation. If we share our faith because we think we’re supposed to or because we think, perhaps subconsciously, that we’ll earn God’s favor or some sort of divine credit, we will alienate others as they detect our tainted motives. Sharing your faith is not like closing a sales deal! Out of love, share your experience and understanding of who Jesus is.

Do you believe that Jesus has met your deepest need?
Do you believe the gospel has met your deepest need and will meet others’ as well? What makes you willing to take the risk of sharing your story and God’s story? Have you come to the conviction that the gospel is not just true for you, but that it is “good news that will bring great joy to all people” (Luke 2:10, NLT) in the midst of any and all current circumstances? 

Do you know God is your greatest treasure?
How wonderful to be convinced that God is worth knowing! You know the priceless value of forgiveness, of new life, of having God part of every moment. You have found the “pearl of great price”—that treasure that makes all others seem like worthless trinkets—and are glad to share its beauty and value to the world.

Can you imagine living without the love and forgiveness you found in Christ? It gives meaning and purpose.

This is why we share our faith—so that others will know the peace, joy, and love that only God can give.