A large part of being a follower of Christ is evangelism. Jesus commanded his disciples:
“Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” ~ Matthew 28:19-20
You can’t exactly be a follower of Christ and ignore this commandment. However, many Christians shy away in fear of ridicule. Taking that first step can be scary! The truth is, evangelism rarely happens through one random conversation with a stranger. Rather, at least in my experience, it happens over time by building relationships. Sometimes, people take months or years to make a decision about faith. You may encounter someone only briefly but say or do something that pushes them in the right direction or adds to an experience they’ve had. Read on for five practical ways to show your faith and create opportunities for eventual meaningful conversations.
1. Be generous — with your money and your time.
It may not seem like it, but generosity is a huge way to evangelize. In general, people tend to see charity as an important characteristic of a religious person or group. People see greed as an opposite of God, as they should.
I divide my tithe between my church and random acts of kindness. Here’s some ways you can show generosity with your money:
- Pay for the drive-thru order behind you.
- Leave a food or gas card in the mailbox or on the car of a family you know is struggling.
- Buy someone groceries.
- Donate school supplies or clothes with the back to school season.
Short on cash? Many organizations will accept donations of used home goods and clothing!
Moreover, think about Jesus’s time on Earth. Jesus fed the hungry. He took time to have dinner with sinners and stopped to heal the sick. How can you donate your time?
- Mow the lawn for someone who might not be able to.
- Clean someone’s home.
- Volunteer your time at a nursing home.
- Babysit someone’s kids for free.
There are so many options for someone looking to donate time or money. I just listed a few off the top of my head! What does this have to do with sharing your faith? Being generous shows God’s love and kindness. It would be so easy to leave a note with your donation that has a Bible verse or simply says, “God bless.” When you volunteer your time you could offer to pray for the person you’re helping, or simply say, “I felt God wanted me to do this. I hope the rest of your day is blessed.” Boom. Evangelism.
Jesus’s words regarding generosity:
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’