“If we’re unique, then why wouldn’t God specifically plan for our uniqueness to be a part of what we see and do?”
Our most recent guest on the Ask About My Faith podcast, Lorenzo Dawson, shares some incredible stories and inspiring ideas that will empower you to share your faith.
Lorenzo did not grow up in church. The first time he heard the gospel was at a Billy Graham crusade when he was 16 years old. Until then, church was irrelevant to him. However, it wasn’t the idea of religion that captured his attention; it was the idea of having a relationship with God that appealed to him.
That night, while alone in his room, he couldn’t shake the desire in his heart, so he gave in. Despite having no idea how, he prayed and asked God for salvation. The following day, he woke up feeling lighter.
Things didn’t change for him overnight. Lorenzo struggled to understand and grow his newfound faith without proper support. Seven years later, he came across a group of teenagers and followed them to a worship service, and for the first time in years, he felt the presence of the Lord again. This time, he knew he was going to hold on to that connection.
Authenticity Cannot Be Forced
“What is the gospel? It is us! We’re the carriers of it, and we’re the believable part.”
For years, Lorenzo has noticed that some Christians who go through one of the various ministry schools or discipleship training programs come out with an intense urgency when they evangelize. It is as if a switch is flipped, and they suddenly lose their ability to be themselves in those situations. They feel the need to force sharing the gospel at any given moment, and it creates a facade.
Lorenzo has learned that most of the time, people simply need to look at you to see the gospel. If you are authentic and earn credibility, that will make all the difference. The gospel will come out as you talk to people.
Throughout our conversation, Lorenzo reminds us how important it is to approach the gospel in a way that fits your unique personality and audience. Not everyone will embrace the idea of a stranger wanting to pray for them. Some might need a more subtle approach.
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Walk Toward Others’ Chaos
Lorenzo loves living so close to the beach. He often goes there to run, ride his bike, or play music with friends. He’s found that the beach is an excellent place to have faith conversations with strangers.
Recently, he went to the beach to play music and hang out with a few friends. While they were there, they saw a woman acting strangely nearby. She was yelling nonsense at someone who wasn’t there and behaving erratically. It was the type of behavior that made most people walk in the other direction, but not Lorenzo.
Lorenze felt an urge from the Holy Spirit to go talk to the woman. It was clear that she was suffering and needed the Lord’s peace. After approaching, the first thing they noticed was the way the presence of God started to calm her.
After about 30 minutes of conversation, they found a way to encourage her to ask Jesus how He sees her. She mentioned that she was experiencing pain in her legs and head and ended up asking for prayer. After they prayed for her, she appeared noticeably calmer and made eye contact for the first time. For a brief moment, Lorenzo could truly see the woman, and she was desperate for freedom.
Her freedom was brief that day, but Lorenzo and his friend invited her to meet them again in a week, and they were hopeful she would show up. That freedom wouldn’t have come at all if they hadn’t pushed past the discomfort and walked toward the chaos.
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Be Willing to Invest Time
Lorenzo shared so many incredible stories with us, and they all shared a common thread: his willingness to devote time to connect with people genuinely. He sits with them, listens as they talk, and listens for God’s heart for them.
He recalls watching a group of evangelists approach a homeless man and his dog at the park. They asked him if they could pray for him, and the man took offense to this despite their good intentions. He challenged them, asking why wouldn’t he be the one to pray for them.
God told Lorenzo, “If you want to talk to him, it’s going to cost you,” and he knew it would cost him time. He approached the man, sat at his feet, and started a friendly conversation while petting his dog. They sat there talking for over an hour and a half about his life, passions, and faith. Their conversation ended with the man asking Lorenzo to pray for him and him experiencing freedom from years of physical pain.
“I am interested in him as a person, and that is what earned me the right to deliver him from that awful pain. And I know it was all Jesus; I didn’t do anything more than touch him.”
Lorenzo’s Advice
As always, we ended our conversation with Lorenzo by asking if he had any advice for our community. His advice was simple.
Allow God to use you as the unique individual you are.
To do this, ask God how He sees you. Let this be your daily prayer. If you do, you’ll notice a shift in how you carry yourself as you see the world. God’s love and joy will overflow from you, allowing others to experience Him.
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