Blog based on Sisters Meeting October 26
How do you feel about sharing your faith with unbelievers? Is it something that invigorates you, or does it cause you to shy away in fear? As believers we need to understand that sharing our faith can come naturally, and it’s actually something we are called to do.
1Peter 2:9-10
“But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted.”
We got to interview a few girls from SISTERS that have great stories about sharing their faith with others. Here are the questions we asked them…
- I know your journey was out of the box when becoming a Christian. What did that look like?
SUE: I did not get saved in church, I got saved then came to church. I was raised Catholic and was 41 years old in the military when I got saved. A co-worker that always carried a Bible intrigued me and I always wanted what he and his wife had – at 3AM one morning I called and asked them to pray “*the prayer” with me. *sinners prayer
Who invited you OR how did you find yourself in church the day you became a Christian?
CARLEY: was an Old Dominion University Student and rode the Young Adult’s Bus (which picked up people who wanted to attend from ODU), a friend from Williamsburg invited her and she and a friend from her dorm decided to check it out.
HELEN: Going through a divorce from a 14year marriage and her friend asked her if she knew Jesus and she said of course I know Jesus – I’m Greek Orthodox. Helen knew that there was more and her friend always had a peace about her. Her friend reworded the question and said do you have a personal relationship with Jesus, to which Helen had to respond ”No, I don’t believe I do”.
- How did your decision for Christ impact your life & the life of those around you?
SUE: all of my close friends got saved and came to church with me, at work people were open and saw the changes within me.
CARLEY: living on campus, my goal was to get everyone at school and at the restaurant I worked at to come to church & experience what I had experienced. Also, after a year and a half of inviting my sister she came along and gave her life to Jesus too.
HELEN: within 3 weeks, 3 generations of my family were saved. It revolutionized our lives. My kids got saved the week me, and my mother got saved the week after that.
- What obstacles do you personally encounter when asking people to church? How do you get over these obstacles?
SUE: This isn’t something to hide and this is not about me, I had to be a light so people could come to me and ask about why I was so different.
CARLEY: Fear was an obstacle – fear of rejection and judgement. On campus, I would walk up to so many strangers – I wanted to tell everyone about Jesus. It’s good to be prepared with the right words and heart behind the invitation.
I know you don’t face any obstacles when asking people to church Helen – what drives you to have that boldness to invite others?
HELEN: Because I got saved at a later age, I saw the people out there and having the revelation that at any moment they may be going to hell. I consistently prayed that God would give me His eyes and ears. If you ask God to interrupt your day, He will. It’s important being cognizant and bold, if you have fear when it comes to inviting someone, that is the enemy not God, God is not a spirit of fear, it is the enemy, so I just reach out – you never know how that’s going to change someone’s life!
4. What is one tool you would give us to encourage us to be bold about sharing our Faith?
SUE: Love your neighbor. Start with your neighbors, how well do you really know your neighbors? Start in your circle and everywhere you go.
CARLEY: Being confident with what you know.
HELEN: Be intentional every day. Wherever you go, whatever you’re doing. And this church makes it so easy by printing us invite cards.
- What are you doing now to make sure that you continue to tell people about Jesus or invite people to church?
SUE: I moved into a brand new place, so I use my phone and put in notes like apartment numbers, people’s names and details about them so I can be friendly and have meaningful conversations.
CARLEY: Being open to talk about my faith and let people into my world. When people are asking me what I do for fun, I tell them that I’m in Bible College and I go to church on Sundays, as well as events that are coming up.
HELEN: I also make notes in my phone and pass out invite cards.
We learn that there is not a specific formula when it comes to sharing your faith because we are all unique and different. From this panel, we can try these simple tools and see God work through us: love your neighbors as yourself, be confident in what you know about God, and be intentional every day. You will see how easy and open people are to your invitation to church. Just remember a ‘No’ from an invitation is really a ‘Not Yet’, God’s timing is perfect, so do not be discouraged, you have already planted a seed so it is up to God to grow it.
PRAYER
Thanks you God for choosing me. Please help me to be intentional about speaking to people about you. I want you to use me. Thanks God – I love you! AMEN