Sharing My Faith

I get a lot of compliments regarding the way that I am open and share my faith.  Sharing your faith is easy to do when surrounded by Christians.  Sharing your faith in a work or professional environment, or just in public, or at party with people you don't really know, and it is more challenging.  

Why is this?     

Fear of offending somebody.
Not being politically correct.
It's not a natural topic of conversation in most environments.
It's not a natural topic for most people to talk about.
Even the strongest Christians want actions to speak for their beliefs.
Strong feelings that their faith and beliefs are a private matter and not for others to know about. 

There are probably more, but the point is that it is difficult for people to share their faith.  

Where I Learned to Share My Faith

Robert Vaio was one of my closest friends. Robert was a Catholic and you knew this right away because he talked a lot about his family.  He and his kids went to all Catholic schools.  He was on the board at the local Catholic school in Houston that his son attended.  He was a very proud graduate of Notre Dame and still season ticket holder.  Saint somebody would be very proud of Robert. He didn't have to tell people he was a Christian.   It was pretty easy to figure it out after a five minute conversation. 

This was my first lesson in sharing my faith.   Roberts faith was so entrenched with his life that he could not separate the two if he wanted to.  When he spoke of what he did over the weekend, or plans coming up, or his family, or any topic - he had to mention Church and his Faith and God.  He did it in a way that was not offensive because he wasn't even asking about your belief or preaching  sermon to you.  He was just being honest by talking about his weekend or upcoming plans, they always talking about doing something with friends from church, small group, mens group, or some other connection. 

When Nancy and I were diagnosed with cancer, then Robert really started sharing his Catholic faith with me.  Not with then intention of trying to convert my Protestent beliefs but to share with me the reason for the things he was doing on my behalf.  Robert would provide and share certain Saints and explain why.  He would light candles for me at the great Cathederals of the world and explain why.  He would say certain prayers and go over with me the history of the prayers. 

Houston 

When we moved to Houston and started attending CLPC, and Saturday Night Alive, we soon surrounded ourselves by Christians who in hindsight were teaching me how to have conversations about my Faith in a safe environment.  They gave me the knowledge I needed to talk with confidence about God, Faith, Scripture, and Prayer.  When you combine knowledge, experience and confidence - then the ability to start sharing your faith increases dramatically.  

The Spot Light

Once people realize you are a "religious person" or Christian, then they will put you under a spot light and look for opportunities to make out to be a hyprocrit by waiting for you to mess up.   Nothing makes a non-believer happier than to see somebody who talks about their faith in a work environment and then does something that would be "non-Christian".  I like this personally.  Be vocal about your goals and the public will hold you accountable for reaching them. When people keep them a secret and you have nobody to hold you accountable. I feel the same way about my faith.   

However, if they know you are a Christian and then see you reinforce it with your actions, then you are even more comfortable sharing your faith and the sharing of your faith is more effective.

It's Our Job 

What makes it really easy for me to talk about my faith is that it is another job we have if we are truely believers in Jesus Christ and you follow scripture.   Then you have to follow the Great Commission.  

Matthew 28:18-20
NASB

18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 [a]Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost.

This all begs the question, what is keeping more of us from being vocal about sharing out faith?  or What is it that we need to work on to enable us to share our Faith?  

The Attacks 

When sharing your faith, even as I do on FaceBook, I often get attacked via comments by the hater.  The person that is bitter and full anger towards God.  Best thing to do is to take the high road and pray for that person.  Pray for God to soften his heart.   I recommend a private prayer because a public prayer will just make them hate more.  Believe me, they are out there. 

To Close

Let's go make some disciples!