If you’re a Christian, that means that at some point in your life, someone cared enough about you (and enough about Jesus) to have a conversation about faith. It might have been a parent, a coach, a friend, or a roommate, but someone shared the good news of Jesus with you.
When we choose to have conversations about faith with other people, we aren’t just sharing the gospel with them. We are also joining in a great, long chain of believers over the centuries who have been telling the same story about the same Savior.
Even though it can be intimidating to be a link in that chain, it’s also a privilege. So, how can you get started in regularly talking about your faith, even if you haven’t done it before? Here are four simple tips.
Be Ready to Have a Conversation About Faith
But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect - 1 Peter 3:15
Be ready, Peter wrote. Being ready to have a conversation about your faith means at least two things.
First of all, it means being ready with what you are going to say. You need to be comfortable enough to share how God has intersected your story. How is God writing your story? How has believing in Him changed your life?
You also need to be familiar enough with the truth of the gospel that you can easily and quickly share who Jesus is, why He died on the cross, and how believing in Him can change their life, too.
Secondly, being ready also means that you are expecting an opportunity to have a conversation about faith. Too often, we walk through the day in a haze. We just move from home to work to home without ever really looking around us.
But, being ready means you have a different attitude. It means you are expecting God to bring someone into your path that needs to hear the good news. When we are ready to talk about our faith, it means we walk through the day with that sense of expectation. Because we are aware of how Jesus and the gospel has changed our story, we are just waiting for an opportunity to share.
Pray, “Holy Spirit, lead me into conversations about faith today.”
Related Post: How to Explain the Gospel Using Just One Verse
Be Real When Talking About Your Faith
Sometimes we are hesitant to have a conversation about our faith because we’re worried about how it will go.
What if she asks me a question I don’t know the answer to?
What if I fumble with my words?
What if I mess it up?
All of those things might happen. The way we get over those fears is not by convincing ourselves that we can share our faith perfectly. Rather, it’s by reminding ourselves that a conversation is built on not only truth, but authenticity.
If someone asks you a question you don’t know the answer to, don’t pretend like you do. Tell them it’s a great question and you don’t know the answer.
If you fumble with your words, just admit that you’re nervous. If you mess it up, remember that God is the one doing the real work and entrust the conversation to Him.
Don’t let the fear of imperfection keep you from starting a conversation. We’re not perfect; that’s why we need Jesus in the first place! When you feel afraid, pray that God will make up for what you lack.
Pray, “God, may Your will and Your work be done in this conversation.”
Related Post: 3 Reasons Why Sharing Your Faith Story Matters
Ask Questions When Having Faith Conversations
When we think about sharing our faith, most of the time we think about what we are going to say. That’s a good start, because we should be prepared.
But, it’s also just as important that we are willing to listen. Really listen. That’s what a conversation is, after all. It’s not just one person talking, but two people engaging in dialogue with each other.
So ask some questions:
Do you believe in God?
Have you ever wondered if there’s more to life?
Where do you turn when you are sad or hurt?
Asking questions like these, and then really listening to their story, helps us not only have a conversation about faith, but also shows where the Lord might already be working in a person’s life.
Pray, "Lord, help me see and hear them with Your eyes and ears."
Related Post: 7 Questions to Help You Share Your Faith
Play the Long Game
When you start to have a conversation about faith with someone, remember that you don’t have to say every single thing you know or have experienced.
It might be that you are the first person to ever talk to your friend or neighbor about Jesus. If that’s true, then chances are you are actually starting a series of conversations that might stretch over months of years, and that’s just fine.
At the end of the faith conversation, you should not be asking, “Did I ‘save’ them?” or, “Did I win the argument?”
Instead, you should ask yourself, “Did that person walk away feeling loved by me and loved by God?” and, “Did they leave the conversation willing to have another conversation?”
Their next conversation may not even be with you, but you have planted a seed for someone else later down the line. Remember, we are not the ones who bring others to repentance. We plant the seed, but it is the Holy Spirit Who makes it grow.
Pray, "Lord, help them believe that You love them and Jesus died for them."
In the end, even with these tips, you are going to have to choose to talk to someone about Jesus. This is how the gospel is spread - one conversation at a time.
Related Post: Discovering the Chapters of Your Faith Story
The Layers of Faith Talks
Conversations about faith don’t have to be hard. When love is your motivation, you simply let God’s love lead. However, there can be layers of depth to faith talks. Sometimes conversations can start at the surface level, where just a few questions are being asked. Sometimes faith talks can turn deep, intellectual, or theological in nature.
Remember, if you don’t know the answer to a question, no worries! Remind them that they’ve asked a great question, you don’t know the answer, but you can look at God’s Word together. Faith conversations can become personal and vulnerable where a friend may share parts of their life story. However your faith conversations go, it’s always a good talk when you let love lead.
Bible Verses that Talk About Faith
Sharing your faith with others is all throughout the Bible. It’s so good to know that followers of God have been having conversations about faith long before us. Here are some of our favorite Bible verses about faith and sharing your faith with others:
Hebrews 11: 1 ESV | Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Romans 1:16 NIV | For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.
2 Timothy 1:8 NLT | So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News.
Pray: Father, I ask that you would give me grace to tell others about You even if it’s hard. Increase my faith so that I would be unashamed to tell those I meet about Your great love. Holy Spirit, bring me into conversations about Jesus.
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