"You're really making me feel uncomfortable right now. Can we please just not talk about this any more?"
Walking on Eggshells
I had been sharing my faith with a group of people around my age. This girl had already told me she was an atheist, and I must admit to you, I was a bit out of my own comfort zone. I was not intimidated by her beliefs, but I just don't like to make people feel discomfort. I like people to think I am "Such a nice girl" and that I am "So sweet". We can come up with many different reasons not to share the gospel. Sometimes we just do not want to make others feel uncomfortable though, and we feel like we are walking on eggshells. Whatever our reasons are, we must put them aside. We do not have to feel comfortable or make others comfortable; we just have to be obedient and share the gospel.
Time
I had one evening to spend with these strangers, most of which was quite interrupted. There was only a short window of time that I could actually talk to these people. As I prepared my mind for the evening, I thought about what I wanted to say to them. I was determined that I would not let my opportunities slip through my fingers. I knew that I would probably never see these people again. Ephesians 5:16 says to "[make] the most of your time because the days are evil." One reason we must not be too concerned with others' momentary comfort, is because we have limited time with them. We may not ever get another chance to share the gospel, and we cannot count on tomorrow. We must have eternity in view, not just the moment.
Loving Your Neighbors!
Christ did not command us to make others feel comfortable; He commanded us to love others. The most loving thing we can do for another person is to share the gospel with them. We must love them more than we love ourselves, our popularity, and even their opinion of us. Love for others must drive us to share the gospel. If we aren't sharing the gospel, then we do not truly love others.
Our God-given Ministry
What is a Christian's ministry? Are we supposed to end world hunger, lessen poverty levels, care for the sick and the elderly? Yes, we are supposed to do all of these things, but that is not our primary ministry. These causes cannot replace our main ministry. According to scripture Christ, "gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation." Our ministry is to share the gospel! This takes effort and we might not always feel comfortable doing it, but this is the work that God has given us to do.
Squirmy Syndrome
I replied to the girl,"Sure we don't have to talk about this anymore, but please think about what I said, because it doesn't matter what I believe if it's not true. If I didn't believe in gravity and jumped of a building, I'd still have to face the law of gravity. I guess if I die and I'm dead, then I won't even know it. But if I'm right, and you die then you will have to face God on judgement day."OF COURSE SHE WAS UNCOMFORTABLE! She was uncomfortable because her conscience told her that there was a God and she had been suppressing the truth (Romans 1). She knew there was a God but she didn't want there to be one. She was uncomfortable because deep inside she wasn't convinced of her own beliefs. Truly, if I had tried to explain to her that I had a little man who was one inch tall that lived in my pocket she would have laughed. She would not feel uncomfortable at all. She was uncomfortable because she thought she might be wrong and she didn't want what I said to be true. In fact she went to the restroom three times during the fifteen minute period I was sharing the gospel. She literally couldn't stay still.
Do not be surprised if no one claps for you, shouts encore, or ask for your autograph after you share the gospel. Others will probably be uncomfortable, and you may be uncomfortable too. If you share the gospel though, you have been successful! Your job is just to share the gospel faithfully. For some of us, that may be out of our comfort zones. Sometimes Jesus calls us to walk on raging seas though. The key is to fix our eyes on Jesus not the waves. It is outside our comfort zones that miracles happen, and if we fall Jesus is faithful and will pull us up when we call out to Him.
Showing posts with label religion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label religion. Show all posts
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Keeping Small Talk Small
"It's a nice day, isn't it?"
"Yes! I love it when the sun is out. How have you been lately?"
"Good! How are you?"
"Good! Thanks!"
"That dress is so cute!"
"Thanks!"
"So, what have you been doing lately?"
"I've got this paper I've got to write for English. It's been keeping me busy!"
"Oh, I hope that goes well! Well, I've got to go. I'm going to go shopping with Anna."
"Okay. See you, girl!"
Big Small Talk
I have heard many conversations that have gone something like this one. What was accomplished through this conversation, and who was benefited? No one! There is a time and place for small talk, but so often small talk has becomes all talk. We can talk forever about things that do not matter and never get to what is important! Matthew 12:36 says, "I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak," This is a sobering verse! I have realized how small talk has become too big in my own life, and I have been trying to be more intentional about the conversations I have.
Meeting Someone New
When you meet someone new, she might feel uncomfortable if the first thing you ask is, "What do you think the meaning of life is?" It is important to connect with the person first, but I have realized that "connecting" does not require as much time as I once thought it did. When I meet someone new, I like to introduce myself and ask a few questions, but after this, I try to go deeper.
Directing Conversation
Rather than just letting my conversations go where they will, I am learning to take hold of the reigns and direct the conversation. I start by asking a simple question, "So, do you go to church anywhere around here?" The usual reply is, "Yeah, I go to such and such a church." I then say, "Oh, okay. So how do you believe people are saved?"
You would be surprised to discover how many different responses church-goers give! I have gotten many different answers since I have started asking people this question. One girl said, "I don't know. I'm still trying to figure that out." One boy said, "Keeping God's law." Another person told me that she believed that baptism saved you. Others have said, "Accepting Christ into your heart," or "Believing in God, and doing good stuff too." After hearing what they believe, I am better able to share the gospel with them because I know where they are coming from. (The word gospel means good news. See post entitled "Death" to see what the good news is!)
Getting Past Shut Doors
Sometimes people will brush off the second question because they do not know the answer or because they are ashamed. One lady said after I asked her how she believed a person is saved, "There are two things I don't talk about at work because there is such a wide variety of views here, and I don't want to fight, and that is politics and religion." What I decided to do was share the gospel with her anyways in a gentle way. I said, "It's good that you want to keep the peace, but there's nothing more important than your eternal salvation. I just wanted to make sure you knew that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and salvation is only through faith in Him."
Zeal Without Knowledge
I have learned that many people who go to church have never heard the true gospel, and they may have even been taught lies! Many people are very devoted to "god", but their god is not the God of the Bible. Even Islam claims that Jesus was a prophet, but they have created a different Jesus. The Church of Christ believes that Jesus is the way to salvation, but that He saves through baptism of water and His death on the cross. (Which, by the way, is contrary to Scripture. Water baptism has no saving power.) Jehovah's Witnesses do not worship Jehovah, but the god of a man-made religion. There are many religions that include "Jesus", but he is not the Jesus of Scripture. There are even many religions that use parts of Scripture, but do not embrace all of Scripture, such as Mormonism and Catholicism.
"Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God." Romans 10:1-3.
Yes, people who go to Church meetings need the gospel too!
What if They Already Know?
Sometimes people can give you the right answer, without really understanding what they are saying. One girl told me that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, and that is how we are saved. I replied, "Yes! You're right, but just because Jesus died does not mean everyone is saved. The Bible says that even the demons believe, so how is His righteousness applied to us?" She said, "Well, no one's ever really asked me that before. You just believe in Him, but you have to do good stuff too." Then I was able to say, "Well, the book of Ephesians says, 'For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not as a result of works so that no one may boast.' We are saved by trusting in Christ for our righteousness. God gives us a new heart, and we are able to obey Him." She then said, "Yeah, I believe what you believe, but I just didn't know how to say it."
At the beginning of our conversation, I was concerned that she might believe you have to earn part of your salvation. It turned out that she already believed and understood the gospel, but neither of us lost anything! Afterwards I shook her hand and greeted her as a sister in Christ. It is our job to share the gospel, and we have no idea who needs to hear it, so we should share it every chance we get! That means we will run into people who are already saved, but we will also share it with people who are lost.
What if They Say No?
My reason for asking people if they go to church is to bring up their beliefs. I find it more natural than starting with, "What do you think happens when you die?" There are many ways to do it though; that is just my style. If they don't go to church anywhere, you can still find out what they believe because you are already on the topic! There are many questions you could ask as a springboard into the gospel, such as, "Who do you think Jesus was? What do you think happens when you die? Do you consider yourself to be a good person?"
Granted Ministries has a great tract by Charles Leiter entitled "Good Teacher or God Incarnate?" that is full of scriptures about who Christ said He was. When you are talking to someone about who they think Christ was, you can tell them who He said He was and then share the gospel. This tract does not present the gospel but I think it is a great tool for witnessing!
Is it Our Business?
Is it really our business to talk about what others beliefs are? Is it rude to ask others about the state of their soul? Yes, it is our business. And no, it is not rude. It is the loving thing to do! As Christians, our business is to be about God's business! Christ said, "Go therefore and make disciples of every nation, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit." Matthew 28:19. We should not be ashamed of the gospel! Romans 1:16 says, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes." We can have confidence that when we share the Gospel, God will save whom He wills!
Plan Ahead!
There are many ways to turn a conversation to important things. The key is to plan ahead. If you do not have a plan, your conversations will just happen how they happen. Come up with your own ways to bring up a person's beliefs, and then purpose in your heart to steer your conversations to what matters most.
Always be sure to pray first that God will give you boldness and help you know what to say. Remember, you cannot fail if you are being faithful. Just do your best, and God can take your "loaves and fishes" and multiply them! You do not have to defend God or the Scriptures! They can stand alone! Just proclaim God's Word!
Conversations With Believers
The most important thing is a person's salvation! If I have never met someone before, I like to talk with them about their soul because I may never get another chance to share it with them again. But what about friends who you know are Christians? It is easy to talk about small things with them as well, but as believers we have much better things to talk about! You can ask them what God's been teaching them lately or ask how you could pray for them. You could share things God's been showing you or exhort them in areas they are growing in.
You can discuss theology or important issues. You can "spur one another on to good works." You can talk about history and many other things! Just seek to talk about things that matter!
This begs the question, "What really does matter?" Maybe that would be a good thing for you to study in Scripture, pray about, and even bring up in your conversations.
Keep Small Talk Small!
Let us seek to use our tongues for the glory of God, the edification of the saints, and the spreading of the gospel! Let us discuss the things that truly matter in life and, as Ephesians says, "make the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is." Let us keep small talk, well, small!
"Yes! I love it when the sun is out. How have you been lately?"
"Good! How are you?"
"Good! Thanks!"
"That dress is so cute!"
"Thanks!"
"So, what have you been doing lately?"
"I've got this paper I've got to write for English. It's been keeping me busy!"
"Oh, I hope that goes well! Well, I've got to go. I'm going to go shopping with Anna."
"Okay. See you, girl!"
Big Small Talk
I have heard many conversations that have gone something like this one. What was accomplished through this conversation, and who was benefited? No one! There is a time and place for small talk, but so often small talk has becomes all talk. We can talk forever about things that do not matter and never get to what is important! Matthew 12:36 says, "I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak," This is a sobering verse! I have realized how small talk has become too big in my own life, and I have been trying to be more intentional about the conversations I have.
Meeting Someone New
When you meet someone new, she might feel uncomfortable if the first thing you ask is, "What do you think the meaning of life is?" It is important to connect with the person first, but I have realized that "connecting" does not require as much time as I once thought it did. When I meet someone new, I like to introduce myself and ask a few questions, but after this, I try to go deeper.
Directing Conversation
Rather than just letting my conversations go where they will, I am learning to take hold of the reigns and direct the conversation. I start by asking a simple question, "So, do you go to church anywhere around here?" The usual reply is, "Yeah, I go to such and such a church." I then say, "Oh, okay. So how do you believe people are saved?"
You would be surprised to discover how many different responses church-goers give! I have gotten many different answers since I have started asking people this question. One girl said, "I don't know. I'm still trying to figure that out." One boy said, "Keeping God's law." Another person told me that she believed that baptism saved you. Others have said, "Accepting Christ into your heart," or "Believing in God, and doing good stuff too." After hearing what they believe, I am better able to share the gospel with them because I know where they are coming from. (The word gospel means good news. See post entitled "Death" to see what the good news is!)
Getting Past Shut Doors
Sometimes people will brush off the second question because they do not know the answer or because they are ashamed. One lady said after I asked her how she believed a person is saved, "There are two things I don't talk about at work because there is such a wide variety of views here, and I don't want to fight, and that is politics and religion." What I decided to do was share the gospel with her anyways in a gentle way. I said, "It's good that you want to keep the peace, but there's nothing more important than your eternal salvation. I just wanted to make sure you knew that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and salvation is only through faith in Him."
Zeal Without Knowledge
I have learned that many people who go to church have never heard the true gospel, and they may have even been taught lies! Many people are very devoted to "god", but their god is not the God of the Bible. Even Islam claims that Jesus was a prophet, but they have created a different Jesus. The Church of Christ believes that Jesus is the way to salvation, but that He saves through baptism of water and His death on the cross. (Which, by the way, is contrary to Scripture. Water baptism has no saving power.) Jehovah's Witnesses do not worship Jehovah, but the god of a man-made religion. There are many religions that include "Jesus", but he is not the Jesus of Scripture. There are even many religions that use parts of Scripture, but do not embrace all of Scripture, such as Mormonism and Catholicism.
"Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God." Romans 10:1-3.
Yes, people who go to Church meetings need the gospel too!
What if They Already Know?
Sometimes people can give you the right answer, without really understanding what they are saying. One girl told me that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, and that is how we are saved. I replied, "Yes! You're right, but just because Jesus died does not mean everyone is saved. The Bible says that even the demons believe, so how is His righteousness applied to us?" She said, "Well, no one's ever really asked me that before. You just believe in Him, but you have to do good stuff too." Then I was able to say, "Well, the book of Ephesians says, 'For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not as a result of works so that no one may boast.' We are saved by trusting in Christ for our righteousness. God gives us a new heart, and we are able to obey Him." She then said, "Yeah, I believe what you believe, but I just didn't know how to say it."
At the beginning of our conversation, I was concerned that she might believe you have to earn part of your salvation. It turned out that she already believed and understood the gospel, but neither of us lost anything! Afterwards I shook her hand and greeted her as a sister in Christ. It is our job to share the gospel, and we have no idea who needs to hear it, so we should share it every chance we get! That means we will run into people who are already saved, but we will also share it with people who are lost.
What if They Say No?
My reason for asking people if they go to church is to bring up their beliefs. I find it more natural than starting with, "What do you think happens when you die?" There are many ways to do it though; that is just my style. If they don't go to church anywhere, you can still find out what they believe because you are already on the topic! There are many questions you could ask as a springboard into the gospel, such as, "Who do you think Jesus was? What do you think happens when you die? Do you consider yourself to be a good person?"
Granted Ministries has a great tract by Charles Leiter entitled "Good Teacher or God Incarnate?" that is full of scriptures about who Christ said He was. When you are talking to someone about who they think Christ was, you can tell them who He said He was and then share the gospel. This tract does not present the gospel but I think it is a great tool for witnessing!
Is it Our Business?
Is it really our business to talk about what others beliefs are? Is it rude to ask others about the state of their soul? Yes, it is our business. And no, it is not rude. It is the loving thing to do! As Christians, our business is to be about God's business! Christ said, "Go therefore and make disciples of every nation, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit." Matthew 28:19. We should not be ashamed of the gospel! Romans 1:16 says, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes." We can have confidence that when we share the Gospel, God will save whom He wills!
Plan Ahead!
There are many ways to turn a conversation to important things. The key is to plan ahead. If you do not have a plan, your conversations will just happen how they happen. Come up with your own ways to bring up a person's beliefs, and then purpose in your heart to steer your conversations to what matters most.
Always be sure to pray first that God will give you boldness and help you know what to say. Remember, you cannot fail if you are being faithful. Just do your best, and God can take your "loaves and fishes" and multiply them! You do not have to defend God or the Scriptures! They can stand alone! Just proclaim God's Word!
Conversations With Believers
The most important thing is a person's salvation! If I have never met someone before, I like to talk with them about their soul because I may never get another chance to share it with them again. But what about friends who you know are Christians? It is easy to talk about small things with them as well, but as believers we have much better things to talk about! You can ask them what God's been teaching them lately or ask how you could pray for them. You could share things God's been showing you or exhort them in areas they are growing in.
 |
| You can talk about the good books you have been reading! |
You can discuss theology or important issues. You can "spur one another on to good works." You can talk about history and many other things! Just seek to talk about things that matter!
This begs the question, "What really does matter?" Maybe that would be a good thing for you to study in Scripture, pray about, and even bring up in your conversations.
Keep Small Talk Small!
Let us seek to use our tongues for the glory of God, the edification of the saints, and the spreading of the gospel! Let us discuss the things that truly matter in life and, as Ephesians says, "make the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is." Let us keep small talk, well, small!
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Freedom of Speech
In America we have laws that were set up to give us freedom of speech and freedom of the press. Other countries are not this way, and our country may not always have the same laws. Even I wonder how long it will be legal to openly speak about my beliefs, but what I'd like to remind you is that if you are a Christian, you are always free to speak the truth and the gospel. We are not free to speak things that would dishonor God, but we have freedom to obey God and honor him in every aspect of our lives. Remember that the apostles were often told to stop proclaiming the gospel, but they continued to do so. We must obey God rather than men. We do have to love and honor all men, but our highest authority is God. We must obey him first and other authorities second. Click Here for more thoughts on submission to government leaders.
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