Unit 6 - Sharing My Faith

Unit 6 - Sharing My Faith



DISCIPLE FOUNDATIONS

Sharing My Faith

Share Willingly

DAY 1

We hope you've grown by going through this study.  This is where we come full circle.  

We started with the gospel as our foundation in Unit 1.  Now, how can we share willingly the good news with others?

Paul described the gospel this way,

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes... (Romans 1:16)

Nothing else can do this!

But let’s be honest.  It can be intimidating to share your faith with others.  

  • What if they don’t want to hear?  
  • What if I say the wrong thing? 
  • What if I get all tongue tied, dry mouthed, sweaty palmed, BO, etc.?

Relax!  Perhaps that’s why Jesus started by telling His disciples,

“Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:19)

 

  • Look at Matthew 4:19 closely.  Do you see a cause and effect relationship? Why is this crucial?

 

Of course, people aren’t fish, but they have more in common than you might think. 

You see, their pond is drying up so to speak.  Everything your famiily member, friend, neighbor or coworker “swims” in to make a happy life, to feel secure, will one day evaporate. 

Knowing this, out of love for them and for God who wants to spend eternity with them, we have really good news!  Paul said, “the love of Christ compels us” in our sharing the good news (2 Corinthians 5:14).  And that is our motive.

  • Reflect:  Are there one or two people who come to mind that God is putting on your heart to share your faith with?

 

Memory Verse:  "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16).

 


DAY 2

Making Disciples

In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus’ time with his disciples was coming to an end. 

He had spent many days with them after His resurrection, but would soon ascend to heaven.  Given the shortness of time remaining with these men His words here are very intentional. 

The disciples were leaning in closely to hear these marching orders from Jesus.  With that in mind, let’s pause to listen in on Jesus’ words:

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.

And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.  (Matthew 28:18-20)

As disciples we are called to “make disciples,” to introduce others to Christ through sharing the gospel.

  • What else does Jesus say we are to do for these disciples?

 

  • The word authority also means power.  As we share our faith, why is it important to know Jesus has been given “all authority?

 

For now we are going to focus on the first part of what Jesus said to do, “Go into the world and make disciples.”

This is no simple task, but we can grow in our understanding of how to do it the longer we follow Him.

While you may not know fully what it means to make disciples, it is important you realize the minute you decided to follow Jesus, you became a part of His mission to reach the rest of the world.  You too became a fisher of men!

  • What has been your experience sharing your faith with others? What would it take for you to feel more comfortable sharing the gospel?

 

Discipleship begins with people hearing the gospel then making the decision to believe and receive Christ as their Savior. 

  • Reflect:  Who are some people you know that you could begin praying for and seeking an opportunity to share the gosepl with?  List them below by name and begin to pray for them daily!

 


DAY 3

HOW DO WE SHARE OUR FAITH?

Individually and collectively as the church it’s our responsibility  to give repeated opportunities to those around us to see, hear, and respond to the gospel.  How do you do it?

 

1. Loving People Where They Are.  Have you heard this famous quote? “People do not care how much you know until they know how much you care.”  It is famous for a reason. 

The truth is, most people won’t be interested in hearing from you until you have shown them you authentically care about them first.

This is unpacked in a book called, The Art of Neighboring: Building Genuine Relationships Right Outside Your Door.”  If you are looking for tips on how to connect in an genuine way with the people you rub shoulders with every day, this is a great place to start.

When you think of “evangelism,” what comes to mind?  Knocking on doors?  Handing out leaflets?  Awkward conversations?  Hard questions you can’t answer?  Remember….

Evangelism is simply sharing the gospel with others and  trusting God with the outcome.

We can do that in a way that is natural, relational, appropriate and more importantly, effective.  It starts with caring for the other person as a person, not a project. 

Don’t worry about preparing a sermon.

First, live life with them in a way they can see that Christ is really making a difference in your life.  Can they see evidence of the gospel in your life?

  • When did you first see a person's life change because of their faith in Christ? How did it impact you?

 

2.  Know that God is already at work. 

God’s Spirit is constantly working on the hearts of people around us (John 16:7-11).  Think about your own life.  Most of us could probably look back and see how God used circumstances, people, and bits and pieces of the truth to bring us to the place where we realized our need for Christ as our Savior.  In some cases this took years.

God is doing the same with those around you who don’t yet know Christ.  You have the privilege to be part of that process.

Some people’s hearts may be like red apples, ripe and ready to respond.  But others may be more like unripe green apples and a long way from believing, or even wanting to talk about anything spiritual.  Love them where they are! 

Remember, you are a witness to what you have seen, but the Holy Spirit is the one who convicts the heart.  It is the Spirit who empowers us to be effective witnesses.  Jesus said,

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.  (Acts 1:8)

God will give you the ability as you make yourself available.  Trust Him to work through you!

  • Reflect:  Create a simple timeline with the people, places and circumstances God used to bring you to faith and to the place you are today.  Understanding your story helps you share it so you can be a part of someone else's timeline!

 

3.  Share Your Story:

People can deny the gospel, but they cannot deny the power of a changed life.  When the Pharisees questioned the blind man whom Jesus had healed, and pressured him to disown Jesus as a sinner, he finally replied by using his own story of how Jesus changed him,

He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”  (John 9:25)

He couldn’t counter every argument, so he set their argument aside and literally gave his eyewitness (no pun intended) account.  When they heard his story, they could not refute it.

  • Describe a time when you heard someone share their experience and it changed your perspective.

 

We have the tendency to make sharing the gospel more complicated than it needs to be:  Share with them what Jesus has done in your life.

People who are uninterested in hearing the gospel now may eventually become open when you share the story of what Jesus has done for you.  God may use your story, even if it’s years later. In the final part of this Unit we will show you how.

In any case, we should be prepared.  Read 1 Peter 3:15:

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect...”

  • Unpack what it would look like to be "gentle" in sharing your faith?  How about "respectful?"  Why is this important?

 

  • What would be a next step in your being "prepared?"

 

Sharing your story doesn’t mean sharing your whole life story

We should be able to quickly and clearly explain how our life has been impacted by Christ.  In fact, it’s great to have the three minute version of what life was like before, then how you came to know Christ, and now the change it has made.

On Day 5, we have put some prompts and guidelines in place to help you to write out your story so you can share it with others.  Don’t skip this part!  Your story is your eyewitness testimony that the good news about Christ is true.

It’s good news!   If you knew the cure for cancer, and been cured yourself, would you share it? Absolutely! 

Every person you meet has a terminal diagnosis and the only cure is the gospel. The people you know and love are lost apart from trusting Christ as Savior.  But God has placed you in their lives as an ambassador for Him!  Let's get prepared!

 

 


DAY 4

Prepare Your Story

As you get started, remember these tips...

 

First, Keep it Simple and Focused on Jesus

As we share our faith, it is important to stick to the basic facts of the gospel message.

Don’t get sidetracked in issues of politics, church or other matters or trying to win an argument.  Focus on Jesus.  Notice what Paul told the Corinthians about his first coming to them,

“And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God.  For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified”  (1 Corinthians 2:1-2)

The Greeks loved to debate about all sorts of subjects.  They valued intellectual wisdom, but Paul knew they needed something greater. He kept it focused and simple.

  • What did Paul say he “determined” to do?

 

  • Why do you think Paul chose this method over complex theological arguments?  

 

That’s not to say we wouldn’t try to find answers for honest questions.  In fact, in the Resources section below there are several great books or tools you could give a friend who is skeptical.

But it is important to realize that often people have never actually heard the simple gospel.  They may be rejecting a wrong understanding of the claims of Christ, or a bad experience in a church growing up.

 

Second, Keep it Brief and Make Christ the Hero

This is a case where less truly is more! If you can tell your story in three minutes or less, that means you could share it just about anywhere.  Your main point is to share, “the reason for the hope that you have.”   Here is a suggested starting outline:

a.  Before faith in Christ, what struggle did you face? (1 minute or less)

b.  How you came to know Christ as your Savior (what led you to that point)

c.  Now, what does you new life look like?  How are you growing?

 

Finally, Keep Loving Them Where They Are

What if they are not open, or have questions and reservations?

That’s why it’s important to keep in mind you are an ambassador for Christ.  Think of how patient an ambassador has to be, even though they carry an important message!  Don’t get frustrated or argue. Remember that God is the one who opens eyes and hearts.  Always try to keep the door open and lead with love.  Keep praying for them and loving them where they are!

  • Reflect:  Spend some time in prayer and reflecting on your Before, How, and Now in preparation for tomorrow when we write it out.

 


DAY 5

Today is all about writing out your story!

1.  In the Before section, tell a part or summary of your story in less than a minute.  For example: 

“I grew up going to church but didn’t pay much attention and quit when I left home.  Out of college, my goal was to just be successful and have fun.  But after a while I knew something was missing.  I thought about checking out a church but never did.”    (That’s actually about 20 seconds!)

  • What do you notice about this example?  What details are left out?  Why could that be an advantage?

 

  • Take time now to write out a short summary or bullet point “before” part of your own story.  It might be quite different.  That’s OK.  It is your story and God will use it!  If you came to Christ very early in life that is also a great story; share some times of uncertainty or “growing pains” in your walk with God, but how He has been faithful.

 

 

2.  In the How you came to Christ section, transition quickly to the circumstances of how you came to faith in Christ.   Be conversational.  Leave pauses after key points, get their response.  If they are ready to hear, continue.  If not, don’t press.  The main idea is that they know Christ made the difference.  Here is an example of what the story side of the conversation might look:

“Then a friend invited me to a basketball league at his church.  They were just normal guys, but I could see that they had a deep contentment inside I knew I was missing.  Eventually I asked them about it….They explained  that God loves us and sent Jesus to die for us so we could be forgiven and have a relationship with God.   They encouraged me to trust Christ as my Savior, and I did.  And that has made a huge difference in my life…..

The “How” section can be this short and simple.  You aren’t necessarily sharing the details of the gospel at this point (you can do that later if your friend is interested and willing to know more and even use one of the RESOURCES at the end of this unit).  Just focus for now on the fact that you trusted Christ and that it has made a difference.

  • Take time now to write our your own personal how you came to Christ.  It will probably be very different from our example.  Again, it is your unique story and Christ is the hero.

 

 

3.  In the Now portion you can briefly describe how Christ has made a difference in your life.

  • Maybe start with, “That has made a huge difference in my life….”  It could look like this example:

“It has made a huge difference in my life.  I used to feel God was a million miles away,  and like maybe He was angry at me.  That “missing piece” of my life was suddenly there.  That distance and discontent was gone and I felt a deep peace I’d never had before.   So that’s my story.  Have you ever thought about God/Christ?”

Note the transitional question at the end, to give the person a chance to respond.  Now listen without criticism. Let them tell their story. Guage where they are and respond appropriately. If they are not ripe and ready to respond in faith, that's OK! Love them where they are. You are an ambassador for Christ. Continue to pray and trust God will use you and others. Keep the door open.

 

Your Spiritual Growth Plan

We grow by taking a Next Step!

We grow by taking a next step.  Choose either the  “walk,” “jog,” or “run” step in sharing your story.  For this unit, all the actions steps relate to writing and/or sharing your own faith story.

Nothing is more powerful than being able to share your story quickly and clearly as you have conversations with others where you live, learn work or play.  It can also serve as a great way for you to reflect and praise God for the work He has done in your life!

Note:  if you are still working on “walk,” “jog,” or “run” steps from previous units, don’t feel pressured to do any of these yet!  You can mark either the crawl, walk of run step below for future action.

Sharing Willingly Your Faith Story with Others….

 

 Write out your story (see above for the basic instructions).  Now pray and find opportunities to share it verbally.  You don't need to memorize it verbatim. Just use what you wrote as a way to make it concise and focused as you share.

Resources to Equip You

 

Resources you can give someone

FAQ’s and "Hard Questions"

What if I can’t memorize the gospel?

What if my friend has questions I can’t answer?

What if I’m very nervous about sharing my faith?

Won’t it be awkward suddenly starting a relationship with my neighbors?

I’m so far from perfect, how can I tell others about Christ?

What if my  family are from a very different religious background?

 

 

To MAIN MENU

What you have learned in this Foundations Study we encourage you to pass along to others by taking them through this study!  You can access all the materials online free anytime, anywhere.

 

 

 


6 - Unit 6 - Sharing Your Faith-PRINT Ver 6 - Unit 6 - Sharing Your Faith-PRINT Ver