I have been thinking about something lately (GASP! THINKING? ME?) and decided to try and get my thoughts, which blow about like the wind, down in one place so that I can really see what’s going on in my brain.
I am a Christian. I would think/hope that most people know this about me because it is an extremely important part of my life. The thing is, I have never been one of those “Bible Beaters” who talks/argues/proselytizes with non Christians about their faith or lack there of unless the other person’s interest is peaked. Part of me thinks that perhaps I should do more of this because if my faith is as important as I claim, why am I not more aggressive in sharing it? The other part, and frankly a much larger percentage, shys away from that sort of approach. I tend to think that it comes off as pushy, fake and contrived. I do realize that probably the majority of Christians who hand out tracts or try to witness to strangers in the grocery store really truly love God and want to see others have that same fulfillment, but I think most of the time it comes across as a sales pitch and is a huge turn off.
I have friends of different faiths and friends who do not desire any faith at all. I love all of those people. I would love for each of them to understand Christianity and eventually conclude that it is right for them, but I know that will not likely be the case. I despise the thought of making them feel like a pet project and that I am only interested in selling them a bill of goods. I know that Jesus gave us the Great Commission, but not everyone has the same sort of personality. I believe that relationships are essential when you desire to share your faith with another person. To me, the “cold call” is simply that. Cold, impersonal and uncomfortable.
The question that I have been grappling with is this: Am I still obeying God’s mandate even though I do not wear my faith on my sleeve? Should I be doing more or is this way ok too? I hope that by really truly developing friendships for the sake of friendship, I will also be able to share about this part of my life, but that despite the outcome of any such discussion, I would still have that person as a friend.
Discuss amongst yourselves.
7 Comments
March 2, 2007 at 2:46 pm
I’m the wrong person to ask, obviously, but I like your approach.
While I’m probably never going to convert to any religion, respectful, thoughtful discussions about a friend’s faith are fine with me. It’s the “cold call” kind of thing that just really sets me on edge.
March 2, 2007 at 4:16 pm
Since I became a Christian so late in life, I’ve thought a lot about that too. It is just not in my personality to “witness” to people and try to convert everyone I meet. I know that is what we are called to do, but I prefer to answer questions only when asked. I always hated it when people tried to preach to me and “share” when my heart just wasn’t open to it.
In all I guess I feel my “witness” is in the way I live and the way I see things. If I feel God has a hand in something in my life, I am not afraid to say so. If I feel He has a hand in someone else’s life and they don’t necessarily believe, I say a private prayer of thanks and move on.
Maybe that is the wrong way to go about it. I don’t know. Right now it works for me.
Good post!
D
March 2, 2007 at 11:51 pm
Lane.
I thought, and you spoke. I mean, that is exactly how I feel. I have struggled with this since I became a Christian, 8 years ago. I have come to the conclusion that your life is your witness. The fact that people know you are a Christian, and then see how you live your life, your values, etc. How important Jesus is to you. They will see Jesus in you and want to have a part of that. I think that in lieu of the verbal “cold call” witnessing approach, it is important to always be mindful that anyone who knows you to be a church member could be watching you or listening to you, so always be on your best behavior=) You might be the only example of what a Christian is like, so it better be a good example.
Before I became a Christian, if some stranger came up and tried to tell me Jesus loves me, I’d think, get away, freak. What worked for me was we had just bought a house and our new neighbors simply invited us to go to church with them. We thought, hey, why not. These friends never tried to shove anything down our throats, but they brought us where we needed to be to hear and understand the message. Of course, God worked out all those details. My friends were just the willing vessels.
You are so right that a wonderful message can be blocked by trying to send it in a way the recipient would not be receptive to. Stranger cold calls have worked many many times, but it’s not in my personality either. If someone asks, I am more than happy to talk then. And I am always open about being a Christian and try to give God credit for the things He’s done in my life, and I let Him work out the rest of it.
I agree, good post!
March 5, 2007 at 2:43 pm
Lane – very thoughtful. I agree you don’t have to be a “thumper” or a “beater” to get those points across. I think to become a friend is a much better route to take then to walk up to some stranger and start discussing the Word.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts…
March 5, 2007 at 2:43 pm
Lane – very thoughtful. I agree you don’t have to be a “thumper” or a “beater” to get those points across. I think to become a friend is a much better route to take then to walk up to some stranger and start discussing the Word.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts…
March 6, 2007 at 9:06 am
Lane,
I always knew you were a christian.
I’m so with you. Your exact thoughts, I’m right there with you. I’ve grew up christian, and where I live people are not accepting of Christianity at all. And like you I don’t like the pushy or ” Bible beating” approach to sharing my faith. But like you I do wonder if I’m living my life the way God called me to. Am I an example of my Christian faith? I believe that the trials that I’m going through now and my actions and reactions to it are painted on a canvas, people see it, and I believe that what they see does bear witness to my christian life and how I’m dealing as a christian with them. I tell everyone now that I’m trusting in God every step of the way, even in death of my child.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
September 14, 2008 at 11:16 am
For around Ten years I have been calling myself a follower of Christ. Today, with a little deeper understanding, I think I may actually be one. I loved your post… I don’t do Church very well. I have, with a sense of guilty obligation handed out tracts, and done a few cold calls. It was way uncool. I would have to hear an audible voice before I would ever do that again. The string of comments seem to run in the vein of relational evangelism, and I believe there is truth in that. People who have taken this approach with me are the ones who have been most instrumental in keeping my mind open, and later, deepening my faith. We are the sower. If the seed is precious, to cast it about indiscriminately is poor stewardship. Jesus tells us that not all soil is the same. Friendship, I equate to working in the garden… seed should be planted in certain places. What can I do? remove a couple rocks? A little water? stake someone up, provide something to lean on? You can work in the garden all year, but there is a definite window for sowing the seed. Poor judgement in this matter results in wasted effort, and the death of tender seedlings. It can create more work. I too, “despise the thought of making them feel like a pet project and that I am only interested in selling them a bill of goods.” I think this is a mistake.