Why does it seem like we’re all too afraid to share the gospel with other people? Why are we all so scared to start that conversation? It may end up being scary for us for a few minutes, but it could also change the entire course of the other person’s life. Talking about Christ and the Bible is such a meaningful conversation, so why do we shy away from it?
I never used to talk about the Bible with other people, especially not people I barely knew. Then I was asked to be a Camp Counsellor at Crowsnest Lake Bible Camp for the whole summer. Before the first week of the camps started, I had to attend several training sessions. One of those sessions was about being ready and prepared to share the gospel. I got really nervous. I was worried that I wouldn’t know how, or that I would do it wrong, or say the wrong thing. But they made each of us choose a partner, and practice telling a summary of the main gospel points to each other several times over, to get us all to be more comfortable with it. But by the end of that session I still didn’t feel at all comfortable with telling someone who didn’t actually know the Bible at all, or who Jesus was.
A week or two later, my cabin filled up with 6 sweet young girls. During cabin devotions one morning I knew I was supposed to ask the girls how many of them knew about Jesus and what he did. Several of them didn’t, so inwardly, I freaked out again. “What was I supposed to say now?” I couldn’t mess this up. I told them all a quick summary of the Bible, from Adam and Eve, to Jesus rising on the 3rd day. Those few girls who hadn’t heard that before found it interesting, but after that morning we didn’t talk about it much more.
“After those girls were saved, talking to people about my faith became an important, exciting thing to me.”
My next week of camp, I felt more confident, and I was so excited about my new cabin, and all the girls that showed up were so sweet. This time I was excited to get to share the Bible and Jesus with this group of girls. I told them about pieces of the Bible during a hike one day, and they were all so captivated and had so many great questions. They had questions I thought they wouldn’t have come up with at their age. The next day we were all sitting in our cabin talking and one of my campers came up to me and asked me what she should do if she believes everything that the Bible says, but she doesn’t know what she should do next. Several of the other girls came and asked me the same thing. I went and got a senior staff member (Since I was freaked out, yet again) who explained a couple of very important things to them, and then prayed a prayer with the girls. That morning four of my campers accepted Christ into their hearts. I was just bubbling with joy and excitement over how amazing that whole morning was. All of it was really special.
After those girls were saved, talking to people about my faith became an important, exciting thing to me.
Throughout the summer, that became the topic I could easily go to to start a conversation. I noticed that talking about it with a shy/quiet camper would sometimes actually draw them out of their shell because they thought it was so amazing. And because I had been pushed way out of my comfort zone, I grew, a lot.
When we have good news, we like to tell our friends and others about it. The word “gospel” actually means “good news”, and it is the best news we’ve ever been given. We are called to share this good news in Matthew 28:19-20, which says, “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. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
So, I’m challenging you guys to join me and go out and spread this good news with joy and confidence!
God created us to be with him (Genesis 1:26-28) Our sins separate us from God (Isaiah 59:2) Sins cannot be removed by good deeds (Ephesians 2:8-9) Paying the price for sin, Jesus died and rose again (Matthew 27-28) Everyone who trusts in Him alone has eternal life (John 3:16) Life with Jesus can start now and will last forever (1 John 5:13-14)