How to Keep Sharing Your Faith a Priority in the New Year
Many believers start the New Year right, and they do mean well. They want to make sure they keep sharing their faith a priority in their life in the year ahead.
The problem is that some point in the year, everything in terms of evangelism becomes remarkably similar to the year before. Sharing their faith is an exception to the rule, instead of the norm. Many have said to me, “Just like my other New Year resolutions, I started well but didn’t carry through.”
So, the question they ask is, “How can I prioritize evangelism in January and keep it as high a priority in July?”
Four suggestions will make a noticeable difference and bring about year-long results.
1. Don’t just tell Christians about your concern; tell Christ.
When God says in (NKJV), “Let your requests be made known to God,” He means it. The context is that of anxiety and worry, but the idea is that anything that concerns you, you bring to Him. No one has a greater desire to see you carry through in sharing your faith consistently than He does. His heart bleeds for the lost. Therefore, as with other areas, you may find Him doing “exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.” ( ) Since we are praying in accordance with His will, we can know that such a prayer will be answered. ( )
2. Face reality.
Ask yourself the question, “Why don’t I share my faith with others?” Often, it’s not a lack of desire that prevents us, but lack of know-how. You are not sure how to turn a conversation to spiritual things, uncertain how to lay out the plan of salvation, fearful that you may not be able to answer their questions, and not certain how far to “push” the conversation. Training could make all the difference. So, go online and avail yourself to some of our books, blogs, and online training. Let it help you learn how and overcome your fears. Be one of those who say to us, “Before your training, I talked to next to nobody about my faith; now I talk to everybody.”
3. Take an honest look at your contacts and your schedule.
You cannot have personal evangelism without personal contact. To share your faith with unbelievers you have to be around them. Where and how can you have contact on a month-by-month basis that could afford you the opportunity to talk with the non-Christians? That involves time. The problem is not that we are too busy. Productive people are busy. It is that our busyness does not afford us time to spend with those who need us so badly. So, as you look at your contacts, also look at your schedule. What can you take out to work non-Christians in? Let go of what you need to in order to take hold of people who need you.
4. Find a believer who will be your accountability partner.
“Accountability” is a word used today in many ways and for many things. Strangely though, it is rarely used in sharing our faith. What better service could a believer who respects your desire and burden have than to ask you each month, “What contacts and conversations have you had with an unbeliever this month?” Who knows? That believer might be so moved by your burden he will ask you to do the same for him!
Put these four suggestions to work. Experience has proven that if you do, sharing your faith will not become a resolution you made, but one that you kept. Greatest of all, God might use the impact of your witness on His kingdom to make this year one of the most spiritually satisfying you have ever known.
Copyright © R. Larry Moyer of EvanTell, used with permission.
About The Author
