At its heart, Christianity is an evangelistic religion. We
have been so moved by what Christ has done in our life that we are compelled to
share it with others. However, one of the biggest problems that faces mainline
religions like the one that I am associated with is that we have lost the
passion to share what Christ has done in our life with others. Furthermore, we
have experienced or witnessed evangelistic methods that are turnoffs therefore
making the word “evangelism” a bad word.
Be that as it may, here are a few suggestions on how you can
encourage students to share their faith with others.
Lead by Example-If you want your students to share their
faith with others, then you also have to share your faith with others… This is
a leading by example! This is a practice that Jesus used often. He didn’t just
tell his disciples how they should share about the kingdom of God, he showed
them. If you want your students to be evangelistic and share their faith with
others, you need to model it for them.
Help Students Know Their Own Story-Students need practical
ways to share their faith with their friends and family… One of the best ways
is helping them articulate their own spiritual journey. If their story is filled
with sex, drugs, and rock ‘n roll-That’s okay because it’s THEIR story-but make
sure the focus rests squarely on Christ and his redemptive work. If their story
isn’t quite as dramatic, encourage them to point out how God is moving in their
life. Either way, having everyone write out their personal story is a great way
to help them build confidence around sharing their faith with others.
Create Opportunities to Share Their Faith-Every opportunity
you get, have some students share their personal faith testimony. This can be
done during worship, on a mission trip, on a retreat-ANYTIME! The more
opportunities you allow students to share their faith stories with others the
more confident they will become and the easier it will be for them to share it
with their friends, family and even with people they don’t even know.
