Telling your friends about Christ isn’t always easy. Maybe you know they don’t want to hear about your faith, or they consider themselves to be saved, though they don’t act like they are. It could be you’ve made a new friend, and they don’t yet know you’re a Christian, and they’re lifestyle suggests they’re not interested. For your part, maybe you don’t want to come across as judgmental or narrow-minded, or maybe you don’t want to offend anyone or risk losing a friend. For whatever the reason, you find it hard to share Christ.
Pray and Keep on Praying
The first thing you need to do is pray. That gets God in on what you’re trying to do. Prayer is too often the last resort. It should be our first resort. We can’t do anything apart from God. He’s the one who must open blind eyes and soften hardened hearts. You shouldn’t expect much success without prayer. But when you pray, make sure you pray in faith, and watch the openings God gives you. When it comes to sharing Christ with your friends, pray, and keep on praying.
Take Advantage of Easy Opportunities
It’s a little easier if someone is asking questions about the bible, religion, or ultimate issues. You have an open invitation to give them real answers connected to the gospel. Don’t hesitate. Don’t compromise. Don’t beat around the bush. Go ahead and give them what they need.
Look for Doors to Gently Push On
But what if they seem content? What if they have no questions? Sometimes things seem to be going well for certain individuals, and they’ve got it all together. The fact is that we live in a fallen world and no one’s life is perfect. Sometimes you have to look for doors to push on.
What kind of doors? Let’s say your friend says she’s having a hard time with her boyfriend or husband. There’s a door. Don’t kick it in, but push on it gently. Find a way to give her some biblical wisdom, and cut a path to her greatest need: Christ and the gospel. Maybe your roommate tells you he’s done something he regrets. There’s a door. Perhaps someone has lost a loved one, or even a distant relative. That’s a natural moment to talk about eternal things. Any number of situations can be turned to opportunities. Someone’s had a bad date; another is frustrated at his failure in some regard; one is stressed about work; one is worried about the rent. You get the idea.
Be a Sage
Whether in your place of work, your community, your coffee-shop group, or wherever, become known as the one who has solid advice and counsel. I’m not talking about being a know-it-all, talking too much, or being arrogant. I’m saying be the one to give a word fitly spoken (Prov. 25:11): saying the right thing at the right time. Know your bible, and know how practical it is. Know that it speaks to every life situation, not just the truncated gospel that we sometimes see in tracts. Take a course on biblical counseling. Take a course in theology. And then be ready. Be the one person that others know they can come to when they have a problem. If they know you love them, and if they know you have wisdom, they’ll come to you. And that makes it easier.
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