Have you ever missed an opportunity to share your faith and kicked yourself for it later? I have, and it’s been bothering me for twenty years.
When I was in middle school, I became friends with a boy named Tripp (not his real name). We were band geeks, brainiacs, kindred spirits. He played the saxophone, I played the French Horn. Sometime during high school, I decided it wasn’t right that Tripp had no siblings, so I “adopted” him as my brother. This became a running joke, but it was indicative of our relationship. He teased me like a brother and gave me a healthy dose of sibling-like competition. (He blew mine out of the water on the ACT test. I’m still not over it.)
But mostly we just meshed really well, and I knew I could be myself around him. I’m pretty sure he felt the same way with me. Sound like the perfect opportunity for teen evangelism? You’re absolutely right, and that’s where I choked.
Hey, I’m Lauren, author of YA Christian fiction and blogger for teens with higher aim.
In This Article
Matters of Faith: This is Where I Dropped the Ball
Tripp claimed to be a Christian, yet he and his family never went to church. He did, however, share my interest in contemporary Christian music, so talking about music was as deep into religious discussion as we got.
Eventually, I graduated and left for college. Tripp graduated a year later, and though we attended college in the same city, we didn’t see each other much. Our core group of friends met less frequently and our relationship slowly cooled. Eventually, we both married (not to each other). We invited each other to our weddings, but neither of us went.
Today, we’re merely Facebook friends. (I think. I haven’t seen any of his posts in a while.) And I’m kicking myself for the lost opportunity.
I claimed him as a “brother,” so why didn’t I make the adoption complete? Why didn’t I adopt him as a brother in Christ? Why didn’t I ask him about his faith and beliefs? One can claim to be Christian, but did Tripp truly know Christ died for him and took away every last crumb of sin from his tainted hands?
If his parents weren’t taking him to church, who was encouraging his faith? Did Tripp read his Bible regularly and understand it? Did he pray?
I’m ashamed to admit I don’t know the answers to any of these questions, because I never asked. We didn’t talk about the meaningful stuff. I don’t know how deep the water was because I never went fishing. I was confident in my own faith, but not confident enough to ask him about his.
As his surrogate sister, I failed. I missed not one, but many opportunities to be a Christian witness to a brother.
Teen Evangelism: Why You Absolutely Need to Share Your Faith!
The importance of preaching the gospel to the world and being a Christian witness cannot be stressed enough. Check out what the apostle Paul says about it:
“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?
Romans 10:13-14
No one can put their faith in Jesus if they don’t know who he is. They are lost souls unless someone like you or I comes along and shares the gospel message. You speaking up and sharing your faith could be the catalyst that turns someone off the path to hell.
I had the answers, and I kept them to myself. Shame on me. Don’t do what I did and miss an opportunity to share your faith!
Related: Teen Evangelism: Why Jesus Wants You To Share Your Faith NOW
Not the End of the Story: But Then God
If you think this tale has a sad ending, think again.
Am I really so arrogant as to think Tripp’s salvation was entirely up to me, that I was his only hope? Absolutely not. God doesn’t need me in the same dire way I need him, and he could just as easily use someone else to set my “adopted” brother on the right course. As Christians, we must be on guard for when the moment comes to share Jesus with someone else.
But it’s not an epic failure if you fail. Because while you and I might bypass the perfect opportunity to tell someone about Jesus, God doesn’t miss opportunities. His word will accomplish the purpose it’s meant to serve, in due time.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth…so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
Isaiah 55:9-11
Embolden Yourself to Be a Christian Witness Right Now
Witnessing isn’t always about conversations. The way you live and conduct yourself in everyday life has more influence than you realize. Maybe I was more of an influence on Tripp than I think. Perhaps I was a Christian witness just by being me.
In the same way, you—right now—might be impacting someone simply by being the person God created you to be.
And, sometimes, the timing is just wrong. I often wonder if not speaking up meant I ignored the Holy Spirit. In fact, it may have been the Holy Spirit who moved me to hold back. Perhaps that moment in Tripp’s life wasn’t the right time for a heavy discourse on faith. Perhaps what he needed most from me was a good friend.
But don’t let that become your excuse. If you are afraid to share your faith, check out my teen evangelism resources listed below right now! Follow the Spirit’s guiding when he moves you to talk, act, and be what God needs you to be at that moment. Together, we are called to be witnesses to Jesus Christ.
That means, when I miss an opportunity for evangelism, maybe you’ll be the one who picks up the dropped ball.
Sharing Your Faith Without Fear: Teen Evangelism Resources
You don’t have to have all the answers.
But, hey, why not?
Bring me your questions about faith, life, God, the Bible… and I’ll help you find the answers.
- How to Talk About Jesus With Almost Anyone: Everyone needs to take a look at this one! (And check out it’s sister article How to Invite Someone to Church—Without Being Weird)
- Let’s Get Uncomfortable: Mental Toughness for Christian Teens will help you toughen up so you’re not so afraid to share your faith.
- How to Handle the Toughest Questions About God gives you a few pointers when someone you encounter someone hostile to Jesus.
- Speak the Truth in Love: A How-To From the Garden gives practical advice on how to share your faith effectively.
- See also an article from The Rebelution: They Will Know You By Your Love: 4 Ways to Embody the Gospel Through Your Friendships
*** And be sure to subscribe to my blog! Besides being the first to hear when faith-boosting content is posted, you’ll also be offered a rotation of FREE YA Christian fiction short stories, including One White Dark Night, a story about a sixteen-year-old girl whose moment of sharing her faith ends up altering the course of a boy’s life.