Sharing the hope and truth found in Jesus to loved ones who don’t know Him as their Savior can seem a little scary. But it doesn’t have to be. You don’t have to be a Pastor to help others come to Christ. If you are a believer, you have the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of you. You have ALL you need to do this!!
What Does the Bible Say About Telling Others About Jesus?
The Bible has ALOT to say about this subject.
1.Talking with others about our faith is something Jesus encourages us to do.
Mark 16:15 “He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”
2. We are not to hide or be ashamed of the gospel.
Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.”
3. We need to be prepared at all times to share the good news of Jesus. It is also very important to talk with those who don’t believe with gentleness and respect. Can you imagine yelling at someone or being disrespectful about what they believe and wondering why they want to run from?
1 Peter 3:15 – “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”
What is Your Role as a Believer?
As a Christian, your role is to:
- plant seeds
- share the gospel with truth and love
- remember that God ultimately is in charge of the timing of when accepts the truth and is saved
Practical Steps to Help Your Family & Friends Discover Jesus
Pray for Your Family & Friends
Before you say anything about Jesus to a family member or friend, make sure you pray first. Prayer is so powerful and it works!!
- Ask God for wisdom of what to say
- Request that God to draw the person closer to Himself and prepare his/her heart for a conversation about Jesus
- Pray for God to put solid Bible believing Christians in your loved one’s life
- Talk to God for opportunities to share what He has done for you
John 6:44a – “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them.”
Show the Love of Jesus
Focus on building a relationship with your loved one. Actions speak louder than words.
Your loved one will notice how you…
- treat others
- respond to difficult situations
- forgive others
- show kindness
Make sure you …
- Listen to your loved ones and genuinely show them you care about them.
- Show kindness and do not expect anything in return.
- Ask God to help you to be patient, compassionate, and have a willingness to help others.
- Talk with others about your relationship with Jesus and share how He has influenced your life.
Matthew 5:16 “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
You may be the first Christian your family or friend has met. Your life can draw others closer to Jesus and help them want to get to know Him better.
Conversations with Your Loved Ones
Look for Natural Ways to Talk About Jesus
Don’t force spiritual conversations. Pray and ask God to help you recognize the opportunities to share your faith.
For example, you can ask you loved one if you can share how…
- God answered your prayers
- Jesus helped you through a difficult situation or season
- A Bible verse that encouraged your heart
You can also ask questions to discover more of what they think such as:
- Who do you think Jesus is?
- What do you think happens after you die?
- Is faith something that interests you?
Listen to what your loved one shares with you. Ask questions. Seek to understand. Remember it’s important not to argue when differences arise. God is ultimately in charge. You can pray silently for God to reveal Himself to your loved one.
Colossians 4:5-6 – “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”
Explain the Gospel in Simple Terms
Don’t use difficult words and feel like to you have to share everything all at once. Also, if you forget something…..that’s ok. God has it!! Here are some things you could share:
- God Loves You
- When your family member or friend learns that God created them and loves them, it can open up doors to some good conversations.
John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that He gave His One and Only Son, that whoever should believe in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
- Sin Separates Us from God
- Make sure you share that every single person in this world has sinned (except Jesus, of course). Our sin keeps us from separated from God. We can’t earn our salvation or His approval.
Romans 3:23 – “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
Romans 6:23 – “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
- Jesus is the Son of God, Died on the Cross & Rose on the Third Day
- Jesus paid a debt we could not pay ourselves! He not only died for us but Jesus was the first person to be resurrected from the dead.
Romans 5:8 – “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this; While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 – For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.”
- Confess with Your Mouth and You will be Saved
- We receive the gift of salvation because of our faith. We can’t earn our way into heaven. It’s a FREE gift!
Ephesians 2:8-9 – “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.”
Romans 10:9 – “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Tell Your Story – Share Your Testimony!
How did God draw you close to Himself? Personal stories go a long way and may times can help your loved one remember the story as they visualize what you share with them.
Your testimony can include:
- What was your life before Christ? What did you believe about God initially?
- How did you come to know Jesus as your Savior? What drew you to Him?
- How Jesus changed your life
Psalm 107:2a – “ Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story.”
Invite Your loved One to Take the Next Steps in their Faith
If they decline. That is ok. God is the One in charge of their redemption story!
You can ask questions like…
- Do you have any questions about what I shared with you?
- Would you like to know what it means to follow Jesus?
- What are your views about God?
1 Corinthians 3:6 – “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.”
Always remember God and the Holy Spirit are the ones who open up our eyes to the truth of who He is. We can’t argue to make someone understand who Jesus is and what He has done for each of us, personally.
If you loved one declines or changes the subject, you can always talk again later if they want. But make sure you keep praying for them!
All verses are NIV unless otherwise specified.
My Personal Story
I remember praying for the salvation of my Grandpa Frank for years. I was single for a long time and had the opportunity to visit my Grandpa weekly for over a decade. My Grandpa and I would play cards (usually SKIPPO) and go through the drive thru of Kentucky Fried Chicken week after week.
One day I remember praying before entering his condo building for his salvation and later that night during our meal, conversation came up. My Grandpa was talking about someone who hurt him over 50 years ago!! I told him he needed to forgive that person just like Jesus forgives us. He listened and asked questions. It opened up a conversation that I was not expecting to have that night. But my Grandpa decided to follow Jesus that night at the age of 85 years old!!
My Grandpa accepted Christ again about five years later because he couldn’t remember his first profession of faith. He wanted to make sure he was in the Family!! It was such a blessing to be used by God to not only walk my Grandpa across the finish line, not once but twice!
If You Are the First-Generation Christian in Your Family
Pray for your loved ones regularly!! They may not have any one else praying for them.
Keep your eyes on God. He is the One in charge of all things. The salvation of your family members or friends don’t rely on your fancy words. God is the One already working in their hearts ahead of time.
Don’t give up!! I’ve had family members come to Christ that I never expected. Even those who are very hard hearted or hard headed….God can still move!!
Helpful Resources
Below are some FREE Resources that can help you walk your loved one through the salvation process.
Books for further study:
Affiliate Disclosure: “The links under the Helpful Resource” page of my blog are affiliate links. If you purchase through the links above, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend resources I personally trust and believe will benefit first generation Christians.”
Reflection Questions:
- Do you have anyone you would like to share with them how Jesus changed your life?
- Are you praying for unsaved family members and loved ones?
Challenge:
- Make a list in your journal of your unsaved loved ones of family and friends who you would love to see accept Jesus and pray for them regularly.
- Pray for opportunities to share what Jesus has done in your life.
- Ask God to open your eyes to see the ways He provides for you to share the gospel with others around you.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for being Sovereign over all. Nothing is too difficult for You. Thank you for putting me into the lives of my family and friends. I pray that you will provide opportunities over the next few weeks, months and years to share what You have done for me. Open the eyes of my loved ones and soften their hearts towards spiritual things, especially ___________________ and _________________. Draw them closer to You and reveal to them who You really are and help them to understand what Jesus has done on the cross for them. Please give me the courage and the words to speak when the time arises.
I pray all this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Let’s Stay in Touch!
If this blog has helped you in any way or if you have a specific question regarding being a first-generation Christian, please email me at Denise@DeniseLBeyerle.com.
To read other First-Generation Christian blogs, go to www.DeniseLBeyerle.com.
Please share First-Generation Christian blogs or my website with
- anyone you know who is new in their walk with Jesus,
- a first-generation Christian or
- whomever you think the information may be helpful for them to read.
Let’s Connect By Social Media:
Facebook: Denise L Beyerle, Author
Facebook Group: First Generation Christians
Instagram: Denise L Beyerle Author
Pinterest: DeniseLBeyerleAuthor
Never miss a First-Generation Christian Newsletter …
Sign up to receive a bi-monthly newsletter and receive a FREE- E-Book called “7 Things Every First-Generation Christian Should Know.” First Generation Christian newsletters are released every other Wednesday.
