I think we overcomplicate evangelism. Sharing our faith isn’t just about arguing with people of other faiths over discrepancies in doctrine or Scripture. Sometimes it is, and we should try to be ready. But at all times, it’s about reflecting Christ’s love to those closest to us, reaching out to people who are hurting, sharing our personal testimony, and intentionally living our lives as witnesses to who Jesus is.
Not everybody is called to share their faith in the way that I am. I mean, when I get in an Uber ride, I’m automatically looking around to see if my driver has anything hanging from his rearview mirror that might indicate he belongs to another religion so I can ask him about it. That’s just my personality. I’m outgoing, and I like to start conversations with people.
But when my wife, Jackie, gets into an Uber, she’ll put her earbuds in and go straight to sleep. She’s more of an introvert, and that’s okay—that’s her personality. But make no mistake: she’s also great at sharing her faith. She just does it differently. Jackie’s thing might not be walking up to someone on the street and starting a conversation, but when she gets comfortable with someone, I’m telling you, God uses that woman in amazing ways. She challenges people in their faith. She builds people up, and she disciples young women and moms. She might not be comfortable in as many situations as I am, but she prays for God to use her. And God does use her—often. He just uses us differently because he created us different.
A few years ago, we were flying from Virginia to Atlanta, and as we were walking through the airport, I saw some Jehovah’s Witnesses passing out tracts. So, naturally, I was like “Babe, we have forty-five minutes until our flight leaves, and our gate is right there, so I’m going to talk to these guys.”
And she was like “Okay. I’ll go get us some food. Peace out.”
Jackie went her way, and I went mine. After I finished talking to the Jehovah’s Witnesses, I headed over to the restaurant area by our gate. I was surprised to see Jackie with her head bowed, praying with the waitress.
After they finished praying, I introduced myself to the waitress and asked if I was interrupting anything. Jackie said, “Nah, you’re good. I just came over here to get some food for us, and when I ordered for two, she asked me who else I was getting food for. I told her it was for my husband. She asked me where you were, so I said, ‘He’s over there talking to some Jehovah’s Witnesses.’”
It turned out the waitress was raised by Jehovah’s Witnesses, and her family really messed with her head and drove her away from faith, so Jackie started talking with her, and the next thing you know, she was praying with her. Later Jackie told me, “I just felt like God was telling me to share the gospel with her, so I did.”
Jackie might not be as comfortable around strangers as I am or actively seek to engage people the way that I do, but she does ask God to provide opportunities for her to speak on his behalf, and when those opportunities come her way, she’s ready. She doesn’t shy away from them. And you know what? That readiness? That openness to doing God’s will? That willingness to step out of her comfort zone and speak truth and life into a fellow image bearer? That, more than anything, is what it takes to be successful in sharing our faith.
Now, I know what you’re thinking. Yo, Preston, that’s easy for you to say. You basically talk to people for a living and, man, you live and breathe for these conversations. That’s not me. I hear you. But believe me, as extroverted as I am, there have been plenty of times when I’ve been on my way home from a conference after talking with people for two days straight, and I just collapsed into the back of the Uber. Sometimes, the conversation has looked like this:
“So, where you coming from?”
“I was working.”
“So, what do you do?”
“I’m a speaker.”
“What kind of stuff do you talk about?”
I mean, the driver will literally throw the door wide open for me to share my faith, and sometimes I just don’t feel like walking through it. Or I’ll be at a party or out to dinner with a group of people, and I’ll see an opening but think, Man, I’m at a party . . . do I really want to get into this right now?
But as tempted as I may be to just let the moment pass, I try not to let it because this is what God has called me to do.
All believers have a responsibility to share their faith. The great commission wasn’t just for the apostles; it’s for all of us. Even if we don’t always feel like sharing our faith, this isn’t an excuse for disobedience. Because in many respects, sharing our faith is an act of obedience. It’s about intentionally engaging with the world around us.
If you’re driving in a carpool while listening to Christian music and your passenger asks you, “Why are you listening to that?”—that’s an opportunity to share your faith.
If a friend or coworker starts telling you about a difficult season they’re going through—that’s an opportunity to share your faith.
If you’re wearing a cross around your neck and someone admires it—that’s an opportunity to talk about your faith. That’s why I created Bold Apparel. I wanted to create organic opportunities for people to start conversations about their faith. When people see a hoodie or a T-shirt with “Jesus & Therapy” written on it, they get curious. And if the Holy Spirit is working on them, they might just ask, “What’s your shirt mean?”
God provides us with opportunities to share or talk about our faith with others all the time. What we do with them is up to us.
Adapted from How to Tell the Truth: The Story of How God Saved Me to Win Hearts—Not Just Arguments by Preston Perry, available now.
