Happy Wednesday, wonderful friends and readers. Today I’m going to borrow from Rebekah’s video blog, and share the scripture (from Ephesians) she used in her “We’ve been here 7 years!” reflection this morning. I recommend that you read Paul’s words out loud, and literally hear the power of these wonderfully crafted words of love and affirmation:
For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Ephesians 3:14-21
Isn’t that an amazing affirmation and testimony?
It reminds me of a recurring conversation I have had with many individuals and groups, at retreats, conferences, and here at home. It’s the question about evangelism, or sharing our faith. People ask me how it works and what they are supposed to say.
I think Paul can help here, as he gets on his knees and he prays that the following things will happen:
- That God will make us strong through his Spirit;
- That Christ will dwell in our hearts through faith;
- That we become rooted and established in love;
- That we grasp how wide and long and high and deep Christ’s love is;
- That we know this love that surpasses knowledge;
- That we become filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Get filled up, then spill over!
In other words, Paul is pretty confident that the most effective way to share the love is to be so filled up with love ourselves that it spills out and gets all over everyone else; and to be so charged with life that life becomes irrepressible and contagious; to be so saturated with light that we cannot help but shine and thus defeat the darkness!
In other words, don’t take a seminar on handing out tracts, or “the 4 spiritual laws”, or “how prove God to an atheist”, or any other formulaic approach. Instead, spend more time with Jesus yourself, make worship a vital part of your daily routine, “pray without ceasing”, and simply live as an authentic follower of Jesus.
It is not pat answers this world needs so much as authenticity. Your transformation becomes their invitation.
Jesus – I say all the time – is God’s invitation. We, by extension, are a living invitation to, as John wrote, “life.” So the most important question becomes (if we really say we want to see more people accept the Good News of Jesus), is there anything in the way we live in response to Grace that tells the story of authentic life?
Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
1 John 5:12
Brilliant, Derek. Thank you.
Wow! This was really good and spoke right to me. I have never led anyone through the salvation prayer, except once and it was forced basically, which turned me off from sharing because I wanted authenticity. I have lately been convicted for not being more bold with my faith and sharing the gospel when the need arises. Thank you for this Derek.
I think the key is this: if we have a story to share then it’s not hard. So the more we nurture our own relationship with God then the easier it is to share – it just bubbles over. Or, like my wife often says in response to “When did you invite Jesus into your life?” – she says, “Around 7:00 this morning, when Derek brought me my first cup of coffee. I’ll invite him in again tomorrow, and then again the day after that….”
Great post! That truly is wonderful advice, to share Gods love from first filling up with time, love, and everything from God. I often get confused on how to get “motivated” towards evangelism, but as Paul says, simply be filled with the Spirit, and from that fullness, we’ll naturally overflow. Blessings!
You’ve got it! Your story is the most powerful tool you have!
Hmm, not a fan of your ‘Friendship Evangelism’, as it is neither friendship nor evangelism.
Paul writes that ‘faith comes from hearing, and hearing from the Word of God’ (Rom 10:17). If anyone is relying on my example in order to come to Christ, then the world is in big trouble!
I point people to Christ, not myself. Just my 2c!
You are right. But there is a lot we can do/be to help! I think of 2 Corinthians 3:3 – “You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.” And Colossians 1:27 – “Christ in you – the hope of glory”
Amen. I like how you said instead of trying to create a formula out of sharing your faith, let it be genuine and natural. When we spend time with the Lord, I think people will know and it will make a difference in the way we share our faith. Blessings to you!