Overcoming Obstacles to Sharing Our Faith: FRIENDS, FAMILY and FELLOWSHIPS

In the first two posts we looked at FEAR and FINANCE. 

Today, we are looking at barriers that exist due to the people in our lives.  

It's great when our friends and family members are on the same page spiritually but even then there may be division. Most of us have friends that attend church denominations with views that are different to our own. Church fellowships and leaders can have very different opinions on methods of evangelism. There's plenty of potential for problems and that's just within Christian circles.

What happens if you're mainly mixing with non-believers. You might even be married to a non-Christian. You might have children who are starting to make demands on your time and who may end up resenting time given to something they don't think should be a priority. What do you do then?

Here are some ideas for dealing with these relationships with the people we care about:

1. Pray: We know that prayer works, especially if we ask according to God's will. We know that He wants us to share our faith so we can pray for circumstances to change and for people's hearts to be softened to allow us to do this. I know of missionaries who wanted their non-believing parents' seemingly impossible blessing. They prayed for years and were eventually allowed to go without fearing they were dishonouring their family members. Sometimes, the objections raised by family and friends are the consequences of our sin e.g. if as a Christian we married a non-believer. However, if we have repented of that choice, we can pray for God to make a way.

2. Communicate: Many of the problems that occur in relationships between friends and family members are because of a failure to talk to each other. Try explaining to your loved ones why you want to be involved in evangelism and what you are going to do. Creating a sense of urgency and excitement around the work can also make people curious, even jealous, because there is such a lack of purpose in the world that a sense of community with a common goal can be attractive. They might even catch the vision and want to join you. Don't bring it up all the time though or become obsessive and don't treat people as if they are stupid by manipulating situations or constantly bashing them with Bible verses about evangelism. 

3. Tell stories from the work (enthusiastically): When you have been out, relay stories of conversations or questions that people asked and how you answered them. Include those that you didn't know how to answer and ask your friends and family for their thoughts and ideas. If you are genuinely sharing about the work with them, you may get some great opportunities to share the Gospel in a natural way. It's normal to discuss workplace events and the unique nature of evangelism does make people curious, even those with no real spiritual interest. You may find yourself answering unspoken questions that your friends and family have had for years.

4. Show photos/videos: Linked to the last point, younger people especially are more visual these days and may watch something rather than reading or engaging in conversation. If you have photos or videos that you are in, they may well be interested and you can explain what is going on as you share it with them. Again, this is a normal part of life and we don't need to feel that we can't share our experiences just because it's "religious". It also helps reassure them that we aren't part of a cult or doing excessively weird things. It's amazing how people's imaginations can run riot when they hear the word "evangelism".

5. Preserve family/friends time: Don't allow your evangelistic zeal to take over time that you should be spending with your family and friends. This is a conscience issue ultimately, but you don't want them to end up resenting God for taking you away from them. This has been an issue with some of the great missionaries who seemed to forget they were married or left their partners as secretaries at home whilst they were away for lengthy periods. This is most relevant to non-believing loved ones as they are an important mission field and mustn't be side-lined in favour of the work. But, it can also apply to believing friends and family, if you are a workaholic and they never see you or if you don't enjoy any of  the activities they want to do because you are only interested in evangelism.

6. Encourage them: Your friends and family may have very different ideas about how to share their faith. You may prefer a more direct approach, they may want to build friendships. Both are valuable so encourage whatever they are doing if the goal is evangelistic even if you don't agree with their methods. There's room for discussions here, but don't condemn things that are being done in God's name unless they are unbiblical and don't act as if your way is the only way to do things. You might find that if you support them in what they are doing, they will reciprocate.

7. Request a platform: If it's your church fellowship that is resistant to what you are doing, ask any organisations you are involved with if they would be willing to come and speak at your church. Then approach your church leaders about receiving them. Sometimes, hearing about the work from an authority/someone with more experience, opens doors. Organisations like OAM, GNfE, UBM and BCM make speaking at churches part of their regular work and would be more than happy to come and share about the work at your church. Even just having someone else explaining the same things you have said in a different way can make all the difference.

8. Make new friends: You can't just ditch your family and friends if they are hostile towards your efforts, but you can develop new friendships with people who encourage you in the work. Those who are married should be careful that they aren't treading danger lines but singles can and should find like minded people to spend time with. If all of our friends are believers we can end up living in a spiritual bubble detached from reality. Conversely, if we only mix with non believers, we might be in danger of being unequally yoked. Balance is important.

9. Set the example: Don't expect you will be able to convince everyone to join you on the streets or whererever you choose to go. It might be small steps as we all progress spiritually at different speeds. Try not to be disappointed and discouraged when people don't show up or don't have the same enthusiasm or when they make excuses. Find at least one other person who shares your vision, work together and encourage each other. On the streets we are often approached by Christians who didn't realise street evangelism was even legal. Sadly, most who say they will join don't end up doing so as they get distracted by life and the devil. Don't let this put you off. Keep going!

10. Just do it: Don't wait for the perfect circumstances, resources or numbers. There comes a time where we have to obey God rather than men, or in this case our family and friends. Every Christian should be involved in some form of evangelism even if they don't have a lot of time and even if it feels like the whole world is against them.  If you do it anyway, others will join. If you don't go at all, there's nothing to join!

I hope some of these things will help you as you navigate the various obstacles that arise when we start seeking to share our faith. Remember that if we honour God, He will honour us. 

Next time we will look at the obstacles of FAME and FASHION...

Image by Gerd Altmann at Pixabay

Overcoming Obstacles to Sharing Our Faith: FINANCE

Last time we looked at FEAR which is arguably the biggest obstacle to sharing our faith. 

Today, I thought we'd examine FINANCE or FUNDING which is slightly more obscure but still a hurdle for some. 

What do you do if you don't have much or any money? Is this a good reason not to be involved in evangelism? Is money needed and is it necessary to have a lot in order to give back to God?

It's clear from the Bible that money doesn't have to be an issue as all that we have belongs to God anyway. 

Here are some ideas to help overcome this obstacle:

1. Pray! I indicated last time that this vital communication with God should appear on every list. In the past, many evangelists and missionaries lived "by faith". They made their needs known only to God in prayer and waited in expectation. There are some great stories of how God provided often down to the last penny needed. Hudson Taylor, missionary to China, who lived by faith, said, "God's work, done in God's way will never lack God's supply."

2. Free stuff. Evangelism doesn't need to cost an arm and a leg especially if we stop viewing it as always being an organised activity that needs a lot of preparation. It's good to carry Christian leaflets (tracts) but there are plenty of free options. Just do a Google search for free Christian tracts/leaflets and request some off the many organisations featured or print them at home. Make sure you check the content first; most good organisations will have an online version so you can view what's inside. Street preaching doesn't cost anything if you just carry your Bible and don't use amplification. Talking to people on the bus/train is free and so is talking to colleagues at work during breaks. We all do plenty of activities that we pay for and there are usually non-believers involved, we can talk to them. 

3. Ask your church leaders. For organised or planned evangelism, we should usually be working with others and most of  the time it should start from our local church. If we need literature, we should ask our church leaders to consider providing it. Some churches have a leaflet rack or table and regularly encourage people to take things and give them out. Most churches have a budget for evangelism/outreach. You could ask the leaders to reimburse you for costs/expenses and equipment you might need. Check first though and get it agreed. You might even find that your leaders want to encourage you and are more than happy to assist in this practical way even if they can't accompany you.

4. Ask Christian friends/family members to sponsor you. This may not be an option for some but many of us have friends and family members who may be happy to help practically if they can't be involved themselves. If you are involved in regular evangelism, you could write a newsletter keeping people updated and distribute this via email. Regular updates keep people interested and you might find that people start offering money or ask you how you are supported. Try to make sure anyone who helps in this way feels included by thanking them and thinking of their giving as a partnership.

5. Work extra shifts, do some overtime or take a second job. Again, this may not be possible for everyone. We all have different commitments and responsibilities. The Christian life involves hard work; Jesus told us to take up our cross and follow Him daily. If God makes it possible for you to earn a bit more through your job or by taking a second job, consider it carefully especially when you are young. It's much better for us to pay our own way if we can and work is a biblical principle. Society tends to encourage us to work more so that we can play more and get more stuff but this is not God's way!

6. Sacrifice something else. We all have things that we do that cost money and many of these are wants rather than needs. You could fast from something and keep the money saved for literature or other evangelistic resources. God will honour those that honour Him and He sees our sacrifices even if no-one else does. You could also sell stuff to raise the money; Vinted (clothes) and eBay/Facebook marketplace (everything) are a few options but there are many more.

7. Join local organisations/groups. If your church isn't doing anything, you could join local teams from the Open-Air Mission, City Missions or other local evangelists/churches. Many of these will allow you to freely use their resources if you are present for their outreach. Most will require a church reference and it's worth mentioning to the leader that you are working with a limited budget. Don't rock up, grab a load of literature and disappear for the rest of the day....that will try the patience of even the most humble-minded believers.

8. Join national organisations/mission teams. Many of these make provision for those struggling financially. They may ask you to do what you can and agree to cover the rest or they may find a sponsor for you. The important thing to remember is that God knows what you can and can't afford so don't be tempted to take advantage of these Christian folks. Good News for Everyone will supply Bibles for outreaches if you join your local branch for just £12 a month or sometimes if you become a "friend" which is free. Someone has to pay for these resources though so use them wisely. 

9. Apply for charity funding. There are some charities that have specific funding available for certain projects or activities. Many of them are niche but Christian evangelism could easily fall into some of the criteria. If you have an outreach idea, look for a charity that might fit and ask them. The worst that will happen is they will say no but even then they might have an idea of someone else that can help. Networking is good in some circumstances and you may receive a Divine appointment which can help.

10. Host a fundraiser.  I've put this last as personally I really struggle with this one. I've only done this once when I was seeking to raise funds for my 2 year mission trip on Logos Hope. It transpired afterwards that there had been a miscommunication between my church leaders and that they were actually going to provide the whole amount I had asked for so there was no need for a fundraiser. I also used my work salary to meet my church in the middle. It's important that we contribute what we can but there will be circumstances where the amount needed is just too much without an organised event or some outside help. Again, we should view this as a partnership where we are serving God and being supplied by His people.

I hope this list is helpful. I think the takeaway is that finance should never be a barrier to evangelism as God commands us to go, so He will provide. There are always things we can do without money and where finance is required there are usually Christians that can supply resources as needed.

Next time we will look at the obstacles of FRIENDS and FAMILY...

Gospel to the Dying

Yes, I stole the title from my friends Steve and Gerdine Stanley who are working as missionaries in Papua New Guinea. I highly recommend their blog which documents daily life in the jungle with three small children. 

However, today’s post was a heart breaking reminder for me and, I assume other readers, of the urgency of the Gospel. The team are not yet at the point where they are ready to communicate the Good News to the Kovol tribe, but they are progressing. Now, limited medical capabilities exhausted, they have a woman literally wasting away in front of them and obviously at death’s door. What should they do? I’ll let you read their post for the tragic outcome.

As many of you know, I’ve been in hibernation for a month or so recovering from a major operation. I re-entered society at the Open-Air Mission’s supporters conference about 10 days ago. A good number gathered to hear about the evangelism taking place across our country on a daily basis. I love this conference as it’s so encouraging to hear about the work and to catch up with people with a  real heart for evangelism. 

OAM is growing and has been able to employ several new evangelists in recent years. However, there are still large areas of the UK without a preacher which according to Romans 10 means that they cannot hear and be saved. I encourage you to consider joining a team event to learn more about the work.

I spoke to an older man recently who said that he had previously been involved in street evangelism and didn’t really know why he had stopped. Another man asked if I was “hanging around" in Reading to be involved in Franklin Graham’s crusade assuming that an organised mass-attended Christian event would be an attraction that I wouldn’t want to miss. 

I’m sure the crusade was well attended and, having just read Franklin’s autobiography, I know his priority is the sharing of the Gospel, but the point is that we have moved away from going out to where the people are and are instead expecting them to come to us. The transition is odd in that culturally society has gone the other way; people are less and less likely to want to attend an event in a church.

I meet a lot of Christians who have never heard of the Open-Air Mission or United Beach Missions (the main two organisations I’m involved with who do this type of ministry). Some churches won’t consider getting involved as they feel it is ineffective, old-fashioned or disrespectful to "shout at people in the street". Another friend told me recently about prison ministry where they aren’t allowed to proselytise!

There is a general feeling that we’ve moved on to more modern methods involving friendship evangelism. Again, there’s a place for this, but only if we are really willing to have that uncomfortable conversation with someone we’ve already befriended…and it doesn't negate the need for a more overt witness.

DL Moody once told a critic: “It is clear you don’t like my way of doing evangelism. You raise some good points. Frankly, I sometimes do not like my way of doing evangelism. But I like my way of doing it better than your way of not doing it.”

The covid pandemic woke a lot of people up to their own mortality as they saw loved ones die and were unable even to say their proper goodbyes. The public enquiry  is seeking to learn lessons for the future but all it will do is create a situation where we continue to put plasters on a major wound when the person is dying of sepsis. Now, we are seeing people dying in desperate situations in the wars in Ukraine and Israel/Gaza. Matthew Perry, a major sitcom star in the US died this week at the age of 54.

In all of these situations and others, people’s comments reflect the terrible and widespread deception of the devil; “At least they’re at peace now”, “He’s free from his suffering”, “They’re no longer in pain”, and “She’s in a better place”.

Perhaps, the lie that everyone will get to Heaven has even permeated Christian thinking to the extent that we don’t sense the urgency any more. Collectively, we aren't rushing to share the Gospel with these people as they take their last breath, whereas just a hundred years ago we have a story from the Titanic of a dying man frantically swimming in icy waters seeking to offer eternal hope to the lost.  

Sadly, in most of these cases, there is no evidence of saving faith. Matthew Perry had some sort of spiritual experience a few years ago where he asked a Higher Power for help to stop his addictions. Yet, just a few weeks ago he said he wasn’t religious and his focus was on helping other people that were going through what he had been through. Accepting that only God truly knows the heart, maybe the Christians who claim he was a believer are grasping at straws, seeking to reassure themselves as the alternative is too horrifying to contemplate.

If we are losing our grip on reality and what the Bible really teaches about death, it might be a good idea to remind ourselves. A person is only saved through faith in Jesus and his death for them on the cross. Believing that he died for them leads to repentance from sin, forgiveness of sin and a changed life, with God’s help. Only those who have trusted in Jesus go to Heaven forever, not because they have done anything good, but because Jesus lived a perfect life on their behalf. Everybody else will go to Hell to be punished for their sin. Salvation is a free gift available to anyone who will repent and trust in Jesus.

Christians, let’s refocus our lives and ensure our main mission is to reach others with the Good News of salvation before it’s too late for them. When we hear of someone dying, let’s take courage and pray for a way to reach them, then go and deliver the Message. We don’t have the excuse that there is a language barrier and even if there is, we have tools that can overcome this in the Western world.

On a side note, if you don’t know where to start and your church leaders can’t help, my new book Evangelism is Exciting! has some ideas. All royalties are reinvested in the work of sharing the Gospel and I’m always happy to receive comments and feedback.

What is the Best Shortcut to Spirituality?

I’ve mentioned before that a few months ago I began working as a volunteer for an organisation called Groundwire. We chat online to people all around the world about Christianity and answer their questions. Most of the people that I have chatted with, on being asked, say that they are Christians. They are usually struggling with serious life issues, hence the need to talk to someone anonymously. The interesting thing for me is that although most people claim to be Christians, a lot of them cannot explain the basics of the Christian faith. But I have already commented extensively on this in my previous post about Easy Believism.

 

Today I want to talk about those who say that they are Christians and can explain the basics of what they believe. They know at least intellectually who Jesus is and what He has done for them. They appear to be Christians, having trusted Jesus for salvation from their sins, and they say that they are also following Him as Lord (see prior post.) I have spoken to a lot of people like this in recent weeks. Why, you might wonder, are they frequenting Christian chat rooms and struggling with serious life issues? What are some of the issues they are struggling with? The issues can be wide ranging; financial problems, marriage problems, lust, drugs, alcohol. But there is nothing particularly unusual in this list--these are the things that you might expect believers and non-believers alike to be struggling with. 

The surprising thing is that the vast majority of people that I speak to are not seeking advice about vices, sin or temptations and how to overcome them. They want to know: How can I get closer to God? Why do I feel far from God? Why is God not listening to or answering my prayers? How can I become more holy, more spiritual, more sanctified? Where is God in my crisis? Why is God allowing this to happen to me? Why did God abandon me? Is God even there? Does God care about me? How can I feel God’s presence and know that He is there? Where is God when things go wrong?

A large number of professing Christians have become convinced that they need to have some type of emotional experience or feel some type of supernatural power to know that God is there. They doubt God’s presence because they cannot “feel” Him or because they believe they have felt Him in the past and they no longer do so because something has changed. They long for God’s presence and are desperate for Him to minister to their thirsty souls believing that He has abandoned them.  They have lost confidence in the Bible to guide them and are seeking other methods instead.

You might think that helping people with these types of questions and issues would be very tricky. Clearly, they are already serious about God and are likely doing everything they can to get His attention and to find a way out of their spiritual wilderness. So their problems must be complex and hard to resolve.  But, I’ve often found, after asking a few questions, that my assumptions were incorrect. I usually end up giving the same advice to those people as I would to a child or someone new to the faith. On the whole people who are feeling far from God or wondering where He is are not doing even basic things to cultivate their spiritual life. It makes me wonder whether new believers are even being taught basic spiritual disciplines in their churches. 

Having established that someone at least intellectually understands the Gospel and can explain what Jesus has done for them (only God knows their heart), we can then move into areas of spiritual growth. True Christians will grow in faith and should become more like their Saviour, Jesus. We may grow at different rates but there will be steady progress over time. So, how can we grow closer to God? What should we be doing to ensure we stay on track?

I might ask the person, “Are you reading your Bible and praying each day?” Surprisingly, I often receive “no,” or “sometimes,” or even, “I don’t have time,” in response to this question. Then I ask them, “Are you attending a church or meeting with other believers?” Again the answers range from a blatant “no” to “sometimes” to “I was but then I stopped,” or “I don’t get on with the pastor.” I might then ask, “Do you have Christian friends or relatives that you spend time with?” They might say “not really” or “some.” I don’t usually get as far as asking them if they are sharing their faith with others which would be another question to check for spiritual maturity. I hesitate to encourage them to do that wondering what they will end up sharing with others if they are not feeding themselves spiritually through prayer and Bible reading.

It’s incredible that so many Christians are not doing fundamental things to ensure they stay on track. It’s hardly surprising then that they “feel” far from God (although I usually point out that feelings are unreliable as they vary day to day). This is not about methods of sanctification or of trying to earn our place in heaven by doing certain things as a ritual. It is not about a “Purpose Driven” approach, it is much simpler than that. I’m speaking of the response of a grateful believer who has been saved from eternal punishment for their sins. We know that we are saved by grace through faith. We know that Jesus paid the whole price and that His death and resurrection for our salvation was a free gift. But how can we expect to grow spiritually if we don’t spend time with Him in reading His word and in prayer daily? How will we grow If we don’t gather together with other believers to share fellowship, to confess our sins, to learn, to encourage each other, and to hold each other accountable? 

Most of the people lining up to ask how they can get closer to God or where God is in their crisis are looking for shortcuts to spirituality. But they are not willing to submit to the discipline of a personal devotional time or to the authority of a local church fellowship. They want the benefits of Christianity without the cost of discipleship. But the truth is that there are no short-cuts.

To demonstrate how confused some Christians seem to be, I spoke to someone recently who was diligently fasting about an issue. However, he was not reading his Bible regularly. The issue that he was fasting about--which non-Christian girl to pursue--was something that God has already spoken clearly about in His Word. The man seemed surprised to learn that he shouldn’t be fasting about doing something unbiblical. Maybe if he had been reading his Bible he would’ve realised this himself. The Holy Spirit could have brought relevant passages to his attention. Fasting, tithing, participating in the Lord’s Supper, baptism and other Biblical instructions should of course be considered by Christians, but we need to start with the daily basics.

As Christians, we should all recognise that our personal devotional time is the first thing that the enemy attacks and undermines. He might distract us directly or indirectly so that we end up prioritising something else. He might even use prominent evangelical leaders to tell us that we don’t need to have a personal quiet time (I was present when such a leader received a standing ovation from a several thousand-strong congregation after making such a statement. The fact is he had just given all of those people licence to neglect their walk with God and do something else with the time.)

Gathering with fellow believers will be Satan’s second target especially, if we have fallen into sin. The last thing we want to do then is to spend time with believers whose presence makes us feel guiltier. But the enemy wants to isolate us from the body of Christ and to pick us off one by one, keeping sin in the dark where it can fester. Jesus is the light of the world and brings light into these situations. We need our church family if we are to thrive as Christians. We cannot go it alone.

Those who are walking most closely with God are those who:

1.       Spend regular daily time with Him in prayer and reading the Bible.

2.       Are likely to be actively participating in their churches or Christians gatherings seeking to worship God, to serve, to encourage others and to grow spiritually through corporate fellowship.

3.       Are longing to see others saved, praying for them and reaching out to share the Gospel with them whenever there is opportunity.

It’s thankfully not complicated. There are no mystical methods or easy recipes for holiness and sanctification. Let’s simply get back to basics. It’s the same path for all true believers. There are no shortcuts to spirituality!

Psalm 1 vs 1-3

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.”

James 4 vs 8

“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

Matthew 6 vs 6

“But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

Mark 1 vs 35

“And (Jesus,) rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.”

Hebrews 10 vs 24-25

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

2 Timothy 3 vs 16-17

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”