Romans 10
But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on Him, for, “Everyone who calls on the Name of the Lord will be saved.” How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” Romans 10:8-15 NIV
Remember the Great Commission? “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 28:19-20). Paul makes an obvious, but great point in this scripture: How will your friends, family, coworkers, and those in your community and beyond hear the Gospel unless someone tells them? This command is just too important to pass over! While it is true that some people are gifted at sharing the Gospel with others, it doesn’t excuse the rest of us with less confidence from sharing the message of Jesus. What are some practical tips to remember when you feel that nudge from the Holy Spirit to talk to someone about Jesus?
1) Find a way to bring it up. Be creative and take that opportunity to bring God into your conversation. Talk about a great podcast you listened to recently. Talk about an interesting sermon you heard last Sunday. Talk about a worship song that you love. Talk about a missionary you know or learned about. Talk about how God has changed your life and answered some of your specific prayers. Talk about this Bible study website and invite your friends, family, coworkers to check it out!
2) Jesus promises to be with you always. This should help give you the confidence you need to take that first step towards changing the life and eternity of someone in need.
3) There is no pressure! It is not your responsibility to convert everyone you talk to into a Christian. That is the Holy Spirit’s part, to soften their hearts and then convict them of their need for a savior. Your job is to move them one step closer to Jesus.
4) Start with where he/she is at. Everyone has a different hesitation about becoming a believer of Christ. Listen to his/her questions and answer them in a loving, non-judgemental way.
5) Keep it simple. You don’t have to have an entire sermon prepared or be a Bible scholar in order to talk about Jesus. Talk about what you do know and focus on the amazing fact that “…God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).