The deeper the relationship, the more important your testimony becomes. What I mean by testimony here isn’t your conversion story; it’s the way you walk through life.
If I was sharing the gospel with somebody at a gas station, I wouldn’t have time to go into how I live in a way that matches up with what God commands in the Bible, that I have integrity at work and in my home. The deeper the connection that you have with a person, though, the more important it is that Christ lives through your life rather than just your words. This becomes so important to remember when we’re gathering with friends and family who don’t know God but know us very well. They’ve had years to watch how we respond to little inconveniences like someone hitting our car with a shopping cart and big losses like a loved one suddenly dying.
How do we live in front of people whose perspective on God might be their view of us?
As a pastor, I've found that some people come to me and say, “I just tell my kids something about Jesus all the time, and they just don’t want to hear it.” The more I talk to them, though, the more I realize that they act pretty judgmental and harsh. I can’t really blame their kids for not wanting to hear about Jesus from them.
When you engage and interact with people, let the life of Jesus come out. When you're ready to share the Word—God opens those opportunities—it will be so much more powerful.
In our culture in America, people have heard and seen the religious people. What they need to see instead is an authentic godly life. The more that you can capture that new life that God gives his people, the more your words will have power when you begin to talk about salvation or knowing Christ.
“Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. …Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:9-11,21).
John Bailey is the Vice President of World Challenge Inc. and the Founding Pastor of The Springs Church in Jacksonville, Florida. John has been serving the Lord in pastoral ministry for 35 years, ministering the gospel in over 50 nations, particularly as a pastor and evangelist in Cork, Ireland.