A Personal Note from Pastor's Pen - Journey

At some point, every Christian has had a family member, friend, co-worker, or acquaintance who is not a believer and follower of Christ. We all know the difficulty that sharing the Gospel with them can be, because we love them and have close emotional ties. Our love for them compels us to desire to witness to them and yet fear pushes us from it, because we are nervous it may strain or separate the relationship. Add to this the truth that Luke 12:51-53 gives us, that some people will be offended at the gospel. However, we are commanded to share the gospel and there is no excuse for not doing so. So, how can we evangelize our family members, friends, co-workers, and acquaintances? I believe the most important thing we can do is pray for them. Pray that God would change their hearts, tear down their walls, and open their eyes to the truth of the gospel. Pray that God would convince them of His love for them and their need for salvation through Jesus Christ. Then, also pray for wisdom as to how best to share the truth with them. Romans 10:17 reminds us of an important truth. So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Through prayer we must be willing and bold in our actual sharing of the gospel. Always be prepared to speak of your faith in Christ, but do so with gentleness and respect. One of the greatest places to start is by sharing your personal testimony of salvation and about how you came to trust in Jesus. From there, take them to God’s Word. The Bible tells us in Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. In addition to praying and sharing our faith, we must also live godly, Christian lives in front of our friends and family members so they can see the change God has made in us. These are things we all can do daily. However, this time of year offers us a wonderful opportunity to invite them to see something powerful and life changing, Journey to Easter. If you have someone around you that needs to know Jesus and experience the Gospel, look no further. Invite them to come with you, confirm their attendance, then reserve your tickets!

-Pastor Tommy