As followers of Jesus, we’re called not only to draw nearer to God but to draw nearer to those around us. By engaging others with the love of Jesus, we’re helping them see the advantages of being in a relationship with Him. But engaging others isn’t always easy…in fact, we often avoid talking to others about our faith because we’re afraid of rejection.

If you’re a follower of Jesus and are familiar with this fear, please know that you’re not alone! Many of us have tried sharing our stories only to have others disagree with us or reject us, and it makes sense when we don’t want to put ourselves through that rejection again.

But I encourage you to not give up. Sharing our faith can be difficult, but it can be easier if we simply share our own experiences as followers of Jesus. This doesn’t involve quoting scripture, it just means being real with others.

Here are two ways you can easily incorporate your faith into conversations:

• Tell others to “come and see”— Like the Samaritan woman at the well, you can simply encourage others to see who Jesus is for themselves (see John 4:1-30). Inviting friends, family, co-workers and others to church is the perfect way to encourage them to come and see who Jesus is — especially with our At the Movies 2018 series coming up (June 16 – July 22).
• Tell them what He’s done for you— Saying something as simple as “If it wasn’t for Jesus, I don’t know where I would be” can be a powerful statement and conversation starter. You can talk about how He’s saved your marriage, cured your addiction, helped you change your mindset or anything He’s done in your heart. For a great example to follow, see the blind man’s response to Jesus healing him in John 9:1-25.

Once you’ve become comfortable sharing your experiences, I encourage you to turn to the Romans Roadmap to delve into scripture together if they have further questions. Know that I’m praying for you to have courage to share your story!

In Christ,

Jeff