First Step

Name what your faith means to you, how it helps you. Reflect on wanting others to have the same help, comfort, and guidance your faith provides.

  • For many Christians, the idea of “sharing your faith” makes us nervous, it brings up bad images of people trying to force their religion on someone else, and telling people they need to believe as you do or they will go to hell. One thing we can begin to do to be more comfortable with sharing what our faith means to us, is to take time and effort to think about what it does mean to us. Spend some time intentionally articulate what Christian faith means to you. Journal or make a list of the good things in your life that come through your faith or your church. Is it comfort, friendships, inspiration, community, opportunities to serve, challenge, care, or something else?

  • Begin to reframe what it means to share your faith. When you find a restaurant you really love, chances it will come up in conversation and you will tell other people about it. That’s not because you think the restaurants they go to our bad, it’s simply because you had a great experience there and you want other people to have great experiences. Think of your faith in the same way - if faith and church has brought love, growth, care, meaning, and support into your life, don’t you want the people you know to have those things as well?

NEXT Steps

Share your stories of faith and experiences of God with other people within the church. Invite someone to join you for worship or another church event.

  • A great way to get to know people at your church is simply to talk to them, tell them your story (the blessings of faith and church in your life from the First Steps above), and listen to their story. Offer to write a few paragraphs about what church means to you for a church email or newsletter.

  • Invite a friend of family member to church, or to a church event like a potluck dinner, or an interesting class or study.

Further Steps

Look for people in your life who have hurts or needs, and be proactive in offering them care and help.

  • Often when people are hurting, the best thing we can do to help is begin by noticing, saying something to them, and then listening if they want to talk about it. You may have heard the saying, “Share the gospel at all times; when necessary, use words.” Sometimes we show and share God’s love without saying a word as we listen to someone who just needs to talk to someone.

  • When appropriate, we can let someone know that we will pray for them, pray that they will receive comfort, wholeness, strength, or hope. Some people might welcome if we prayed with them right at that moment (remember, there’s no wrong way to pray - it doesn’t have to sound “churchy,” just say to God what’s on your heart).

  • You may know of something at your church that would really benefit someone in need - a particular worship service with a relevant sermon, a Sunday morning that will be uplifting, etc. If you think it would be welcome, invite that person to come with you to church, make it easier for them by offering to give them a ride and/or to sit with them.

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