WHat Matters the Most

Every Christ follower is called to regularly share their faith—few actually do. According to Barna Research, among practicing Christians, more than half (56%) report having two or fewer conversations about faith with a non-Christian during the past year. How can this be? 

The reason more than half of Christians do not regularly share their faith varies. Some people fear being asked questions about their faith they may not be able to answer, while others struggle to articulate their own faith journey or fear being rejected.

No matter the reasons, God has called all believers to proclaim the Good News. Yet often, in the busyness of life, many Christians tend to focus on accomplishing a to-do list instead of living life on mission for Christ. Consider the following story of Tim: 

The alarm sounds at 5:30 a.m. to wake Tim. He sips his morning coffee and silently prays for his wife and children before leaving for work. Tim is the senior vice president at a local bank, whose customers have grown to love his infectious personality. He answers emails, returns calls, and works with customers on the best solutions to their financial needs—a routine that has been a part of Tim’s life for the past decade. He leaves work a little early to prepare for his son’s little league baseball practice—trading in his suit and tie for his athletic shorts and coach’s notepad. Before you know it, Saturday is here, and it’s another early morning wake-up call as he heads to his Gideon prayer meeting, then once again joins his son’s team for their afternoon game. The Sunday morning rain creates a damp ride to church with his family where he serves on the finance committee and as a deacon. Phone calls, emails, practices, meetings, and church—all these things shape Tim’s routine.

A question rings in his mind as loud as a local train coming through town: What drives me to do the things I do? 

After asking himself the question, Tim is quickly reminded of a more strategic approach to his daily life. At Tim’s core, he is on a mission to fulfill a calling to win people to Jesus Christ. A calling that has been on his life since accepting Jesus Christ as His personal Lord and Savior as a young boy.

Moving from Checklist to calling

The activities of life can quickly become viewed as a checklist. A checklist mindset, even if unintentional, is driven by the phrase “I have to do these things.” It is easy to slip into this frame of mind to fulfill the ever-growing roles one has in life. Moving from a checklist mindset to a calling mindset involves processing why you do the things you do.

When your burden to reach the lost deepens, your passion for reaching the lost will become greater.

Tim loves his family and joyfully provides for them. He coaches his son’s team not only to create lasting memories but also because Tim sees it as a mission field. He is a Gideon because he knows God has called him to this Association—to strive side by side with other Christian business and professional men for the faith of the Gospel.

When Tim lives out his calling to its full potential, something beautiful starts to happen. The way he sees people changes. He has a deep appreciation for the words found in Matthew 9:36 (ESV), “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” Tim has a passion for the people God has strategically placed in his life. This drives Tim to have conversations—not just ordinary conversations, but Gospel conversations.

As a Gideon committed to the spiritual discipline of being a man who witnesses, Tim makes it a priority to witness. He observes the people he knows well and the seemingly random people who come across his path. Why? Because he cares enough about the people God has placed in his life to talk about what eternity looks like for them. Eternity is forever, and at the end of the day, the only thing that really matters is a person’s relationship with God.

are you tim?

Does Tim’s story resonate with you? Sure, the particulars may be different, but the core is the same. People like Tim have huge hearts, but easily slip into a checklist mentality as the busyness of life captures their attention. In this mentality, calling is often lost. Moving from a checklist mindset to a calling mindset leads us to have compassion for people. Compassion for people then drives us to have conversations about eternity. Do you care enough about the people God has placed in your life to discuss their eternity? What really matters the most? 

This is what sharing your faith is all about—strategically engaging in Gospel conversations with people God has placed in your life. Rather than a task to complete, personal witnessing is a calling and purpose to fulfill. When your burden to reach the lost deepens, your passion for reaching the lost will become greater.

Do you care enough about the people God has placed in your life to discuss their eternity?

How do you prepare to share your faith? It starts by evaluating what drives you to do the things you do, then reprioritizing your life to accomplish what matters the most. Pray for a burden to see the lost come to Christ, especially in your sphere of influence. A strategy driven by a passion for living out the Great Commission will result in seeing more opportunities to introduce people to Jesus Christ.