Listen to Nancy’s answer recorded live on Moody Radio’s Mornings with Kelli and Steve.
Matthew 28:19-20, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”
Growing up as a non-believer in Jesus, I had the same thoughts. It was one of many reasons that I steered clear of Christians. I felt that they were more focused on pushing their belief system on me before they asked my name. Were they doing this to control me or was there something about Jesus that motivated them to share with as many people as they could reach?
Years later, when I finally became a believer, I could barely control myself with excitement. I wanted to tell everyone that there was an eternal cure to hopelessness, anxiety and emptiness and that they didn’t have to do life by themselves. I wanted to tell them that we all struggle but in the midst of our brokenness there was One who gives us the courage to live well through it all and his name is Jesus!
I tried to share with anyone who had a heart beat, but most responded like I had years earlier. As time went by, I realized that most people will not believe something big and life-changing like God, until they trust the messenger.
That is why we stress in the Anchors course that it is critical to get to get to know someone and establish a trust relationship with them before you lay out God’s plan of salvation. During that time, you can dialog with them and entertain questions like: Tell me your story? How do you perceive God? What has happened in your life to keep you from believing in Jesus? Do you have any questions about God that have gone unanswered?
1 Peter 3:15 “…but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect…”
Our greatest tool to bring people to Christ is to love them well, no matter who they are. That means sacrifice, time to listen and to do life with them. When they see the Christ in you, they will begin to trust you and will want to know more about Him.
“So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13