What Happens to Born Again Christians That Don t Share the Word

In Jesus Film Project'south® Multigenerational Survey on Evangelism, we asked more than 1,600 Christians about what they thought churches and ministries should focus on when sharing the gospel. And nosotros also asked about their personal approach to evangelism.

We asked questions similar:

How of import is it that y'all share your faith with others?
How do you share your organized religion with others?
How often do you lot talk almost spiritual matters with the following types of people:
- People who share your beliefs
- People who seem open to spiritual conversations, but might not share your beliefs
- People you know well, regardless of their beliefs
- People who voice beliefs you don't agree with

It's not surprising that people were much more probable to talk about their beliefs with those who shared them than those who did not.

Inversely, when it came to talking near spiritual topics with people who disagree, respondents in every age group admitted that they seldom broached the field of study.

What prevents people from sharing their faith?

Some of the nigh revealing information came from the question, "What prevents yous from talking about spiritual matters with other people?" Nosotros allowed respondents to share their own reasons why they shy away from bringing up their religion with people who may disagree with them.

Subsequently carefully combing through the responses, a few mutual themes emerged. The breakdown looked like this:

When a response vicious within more than than 1 category, we counted it for both. For case, a response maxim "I'1000 afraid of offending others" counted equally both "fright" and "offense."

Some response categories were and then small that we didn't include them in the graph. They include:

Afraid of making Christianity wait bad: 2%
No prompting from the Holy Spirit: 2%
Lack of organized religion: 1%
Language barriers: 1%
Sharing would put me in danger: i%
Laziness or apathy: ane%

Let'south take a few moments to examine the responses.

22% said fear keeps them from sharing their religion

When it came to talking to other people well-nigh the gospel, fear was far and abroad the near significant deterrent. People communicated that they were afraid of losing valuable relationships and wanted to avoid the tensions that accompanied these kinds of discussions.

Others felt entirely sick-equipped. They'd like to share more, merely they're scared that they'll end up fielding questions or dealing with objections besides uncomfortable to navigate.

Fear is the common thread that weaves together many of the dissimilar responses to this survey. Respondents often used words similar "fright," "scared," or "afraid," to describe their feelings about other reasons they don't talk nigh spiritual matters. For case, many responses came in forth the lines of "fear of rejection," "I'm agape I'll come across every bit pushy," or "I'm scared to start an argument."

Many of these fears evaporate when we realize that a person's salvation isn't dependent upon our performance. God is at work in everyone's life, drawing them to Him. Our pocket-size conversations are part of that process. Y'all might initiate that final dialogue that God uses to encourage them to trust in Jesus. Still, mostly, your conversation will be one the Holy Spirit uses to soften their eye.

Paul addresses this when he tells the Corinthian church building, "I planted the seed, Apollos watered information technology, but God has been making information technology grow. So neither the one who plants nor the i who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things abound" (1 Corinthians 3:6–seven).

17% didn't have opportunities to share their faith

Many people responded that the ideal moment seldom presents itself. For some, physical hardships brand it difficult to go out and interact with others. Most communicated that the circumstances just never seem correct.

While several legitimate reasons might limit ane's opportunity to share his faith, this is often a problem associated with expectations. People are unremarkably hoping for a clear indicate that a moment is perfect. They might be expecting a sure feeling of inner peace to come when the time is correct. Or it could be that they're waiting for someone to say, "Hey, could you tell me more than about what you lot believe?"

And while these things exercise happen on occasion, sharing your faith is a skill that requires some trial and error. You tin can learn to recognize, seize, or fifty-fifty create opportunities. But it's a skill you develop through prayerful practice.

Devote yourselves to prayer, beingness watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, and then that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it conspicuously, as I should. Exist wise in the way yous act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always total of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone (Colossians 4:2–half dozen).

17% said zero stops them from sharing their faith

Tied for second place were people who felt they were ready to talk to anyone at any fourth dimension. They gave answers like:

I tend to talk about spiritual things a lot and accept conversations with my neighbors sometimes.
Aught prevents me from talking to others.
"En verdad considero que no tengo ningún impedimento." (I truly believe that I accept no impediment.)
I ever share spiritual matters with other people.

Information technology'due south exciting to see so many who jump at any hazard to tell others nearly Jesus. When this kind of zeal is mixed with prayerful discernment, amazing things happen.

But in your hearts revere Christ equally Lord. Always be prepared to give an reply to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. Just do this with gentleness and respect (1 Peter three:15).

10% didn't feel equipped to share their faith

Every tenth respondent in our survey indicated that they didn't feel equipped to share their religion. They stated that they worried near fielding questions they couldn't answer or not having the required biblical cognition. This is where the church comes in.

More than once, Jesus sent His disciples out to share the good news with surrounding villages. Preparing His followers to exercise the work of evangelism was a high priority. He knew that eventually, He'd give them the Swell Commission and send them into the earth as His witnesses.

Churches should recognize the importance of preparing Christians to share their religion. This means equipping them through training and educational activity. But it besides means encouraging and preparing them to trust God and step out in faith. Because ultimately, God will use our imperfect efforts—and it's through practise that we grow in confidence.

For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in accelerate for us to do (Ephesians two:10).

9% said others weren't interested in their faith

When it comes to talking to others well-nigh Jesus, a lack of interest is a real deterrent. No one wants to share something meaningful when it'due south evident that the other party simply wants the chat to terminate. This is the reason our spiritual fruit is so critical.

Imagine you had a friend who sold cleaning products. Every time y'all saw them, they were trying to get you to purchase their wonder-working stain remover. Afterward a while, y'all'd practice anything to avoid their awkward sales pitch. But what if your friend was able to remove a terrible ink stain from your favorite white shirt? Suddenly, you'd be more than open to hearing about this cleaner.

In the aforementioned style, our transformed lives should assistance inspire interest in our testimony. Our values and behavior should become before usa. This was what Jesus was getting at when He said, "Past this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love 1 another" (John thirteen:35). People need to hear the gospel message, but we should pique their interest by the example we give.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things at that place is no law (Galatians 5:22–23).

eight% feared rejection for sharing their organized religion

Rejection can take many forms. In some instances, it can feel like abandonment as people go out of their fashion to avoid you. Mostly, it's having someone cut you off mid-sentence to say, "I'm non really interested in hearing nearly this." That feeling of clumsiness tin make it hard to speak up when the next opportunity presents itself.

We must recognize that dealing with rejection is part of the Christian experience. Isaiah prophesied that the coming Messiah would exist "despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with hurting. Similar 1 from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem" (Isaiah 53:3).

Jesus promised that His followers would experience rejection, too. He never downplayed the hurt that rejection causes. Still, He encouraged us to focus on the rewards, "And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times equally much and volition inherit eternal life" (Matthew 19:29).

Fear tells us that sharing our faith volition get u.s. rejected, but it doesn't happen that often. But that doesn't mean information technology isn't a legitimate risk. Sometimes following in our Savior's footsteps ways taking a chance that others might turn abroad from you lot.

Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects y'all rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me (Luke 10:16).

8% feared hostility for sharing their faith

We can never be entirely certain how someone volition reply to the gospel. Sometimes people catch us off baby-sit by reacting with frustration or anger.

Maybe they've had a bad experience with the church, and information technology's left them bitter. Or perhaps they'll respond with resentment at the conviction of the Spirit. You never know how people will react, and that tin can exist nerve-wracking. If you've experienced hostility from sharing your faith, information technology can make you hesitant to try again.

This is ane reason why we should be careful and gentle in our interactions. Paul explained his process to the Thessalonians, "nosotros were like young children amid you lot. Just as a nursing female parent cares for her children, so we cared for you. Because we loved you then much, nosotros were delighted to share with you non merely the gospel of God but our lives as well" (1 Thessalonians 2:7–8).

We tin't control how others respond, but we tin can command our presentation. We're like wood rangers coming upon someone who's been lost in the wilderness for weeks. They're starving, but if we overdo information technology, their trunk will reject the nourishment and they'll become violently sick. Nosotros're feeding malnourished souls, and we need to be tender and careful in our manner.

Then in everything, do to others what y'all would take them do to yous, for this sums upwardly the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 7:12).

8% were also busy to share their religion

A lot of people responded that they only didn't accept the necessary time information technology takes to share the gospel. In their heed, evangelism is potentially time-consuming, and their lives are busy enough as it is. Too often, busyness is a way we excuse things that we haven't bothered to prioritize. When we're tempted to justify ourselves as besides decorated to share our organized religion, nosotros need to consider a couple of things.

Commencement, we need to enquire ourselves if we're using busyness equally a comprehend for aloofness. We all have the aforementioned amount of time, and nosotros find time for the things that are important to the states. We also demand to ask if we have faith that God can provide usa with the time we need to practise His work.

The step of modernistic life is harried, simply we must brand time for the critical work of expanding the kingdom. For well-nigh people, evangelism is done every bit they become through their typical day. They're demonstrating the beloved of Jesus, and they're looking for (and creating) opportunities to share their organized religion.

But seek starting time his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to yous besides (Matthew 6:33).

4% were too shy to share their organized religion

In his alphabetic character to the church of Ephesus, Paul talks about how God equips the church:

So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up (Ephesians iv:11–12).

In the middle of this list, Paul indicates that there are people who have a unique ability to share the good news. They tend to be extroverted and bask talking to others nigh Jesus. And while there are people for whom evangelism comes naturally, we're all chosen to share. It's OK that y'all don't experience entirely comfortable knocking on a stranger'south door to talk about Jesus—God does not call anybody to exercise that.

A lot of people are uncomfortable talking about their organized religion with others. It feels similar a high-stakes conversation. If you're shy, you should choose your opportunities carefully, merely be careful not to brand introversion an alibi to go on the good news to yourself. If someone was ill and you knew how they could get life-saving medicine, you wouldn't permit shyness to arrive the fashion. We merely need to have organized religion that the benefit of knowing Jesus outweighs our discomfort.

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the globe, but to save the earth through him (John 3:17).

4% couldn't find an advisable time to share their faith

Many people communicated that they didn't share their faith because it felt inappropriate. Some people didn't want to share their faith at work, or they didn't feel similar relationships were in a healthy plenty identify to talk about Jesus. These are valid concerns.

Well-nigh work environments aren't the best place for these kinds of conversations. Employers don't want their employees to feel uncomfortable at work, and faith-based discussions can lead to people feeling harassed or fifty-fifty filing hostile work surround claims.

But this helps the states recognize that many Christians experience like in that location'southward no advisable time to share their organized religion because they're non close to many non-Christians. After being a Christian for a while, many people's social circles become largely Christian-centric. There aren't a lot of places where they interact with folks who don't share their religion. So, for many, work is the only place where they interact with non-Christians.

The respond isn't that people need to feel more comfortable proselytizing at work. Jesus would be better served if more than Christians found ways to expand their circles beyond other Christians. If we're modeling our lives after Jesus, we're going to find means to invite others into our circles.

Neither do people lite a lamp and put it nether a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the aforementioned manner, allow your low-cal polish before others, that they may see your proficient deeds and glorify your Father in heaven (Matthew five:15–xvi).

4% didn't discover it piece of cake to bring upward faith

How do I steer a conversation toward Jesus? That's the question many people struggle with. It can feel tricky to segue a discussion toward faith problems without making it feel forced and awkward. If you lot don't know how to do it well, witnessing can exist very uncomfortable.

Trying to make this transition feels so unpleasant that people abandon the idea of sharing their faith altogether. The trouble is that we oft think of faith as a topic that people aren't interested in or i that has no practical value.

Listening and asking questions are keys to bringing up organized religion in a natural way. When we're focused on how we tin turn a conversation into an evangelistic opportunity, the transition will always feel forced. But when we're genuinely interested in getting to know others and learn about their story, we find all sorts of natural opportunities to share the good news.

Preach the word; exist prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and conscientious pedagogy (ii Timothy four:2).

three% didn't desire to come across as pushy for sharing their faith

No 1 likes to feel cornered and badgered. Empathetic Christians tend to experience genuine concern about putting others in a frustrating or embarrassing position. The problem enters when we project uncomfortableness on others before nosotros ever talk to them.

There'south a massive difference between beingness bold and beingness pushy. The deviation lies in our ability to read others. We desire to pay attention to opportunities while gauging the people's receptivity. This helps usa recognize when to engage and when to back off. It takes some work to learn how to listen effectively, and that comes through practice.

Sometimes we need to be willing to do information technology poorly to learn how to do information technology effectively.

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the correct to become children of God (John 1:12).

3% didn't desire to offend others by sharing their faith

Like to the worry of being too pushy is the fear of offending others. No one wants to exist offensive, and there's a real fear that sharing our organized religion can be offensive to others. After all, fifty-fifty Jesus promised that His words would cause division.

We need to call back that a lot of the time, it'southward not the gospel that offends. Information technology's the way we're sharing it. When we think of our chore equally converting someone, it can brand the whole process feel a little disrespectful. Luckily, information technology's the Spirit that draws someone to Jesus. Our job is to share the skilful news, which doesn't have to be confrontational or difficult.

As Christian author Brennan Manning once explained it, "Evangelism is just 1 beggar telling another where they constitute bread."

For information technology is by grace y'all take been saved, through religion—and this is not from yourselves, it is the souvenir of God — not past works, so that no one can avowal (Ephesians 2:8–9).

Pray for workers to bring in the harvest

Matthew's Gospel tells us that Jesus had great pity for the people that He taught and healed. The Lord looked at them and saw people who were harassed and helpless—like sheep without a shepherd. Matthew tells us that Jesus responded by telling His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field" (Matthew 9:37–38).

Nosotros, too, should be praying for workers to assistance bring in the harvest. Just similar the disciples, we should recognize that nosotros're those workers. The prayer for harvesters is a prayer that our hearts would be pliable and prepare to answer to God's leading. Remembering that we're not being told to create converts, nosotros're being asked to share the proficient news. It'due south God who volition plow people'due south hearts.

We are all missionaries

God'southward committee is to grow and aggrandize His kingdom throughout the world, which means that we're missionaries everywhere we detect ourselves.

If you're looking for resources to aid y'all share almost Jesus, explore our media library for multi-linguistic communication films that volition help y'all interruption down barriers and start conversations about the gospel.

Plus, if you lot're set to larn how you can make a bigger touch in the Great Commission, download a free copy of "Nosotros Are All Missionaries." This four-week, give-and-take-based curriculum is a fantastic way to go your small-scale grouping or youth ministry building talking virtually what it means to share the gospel. Download your re-create today!

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Source: https://www.jesusfilm.org/blog-and-stories/asked-1600-christians-why-they-dont-share-their-faith.html