Sharing your Story
3 Mark 5:18-19
As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you”.
1 Peter 3:13-17
Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
One of the common reasons given for why we don’t share our faith with others is that we don’t know what to say. We feel ill-equipped to answer all the questions people might ask us about the Christian faith. But there is a very simple way to overcome this, and it is something encouraged in the Bible.
Rather than facts about Christianity, perhaps one of the most powerful things that we can do is simply tell our story…and that’s something no one can dispute!
Shortly after healing a demon-possessed man Jesus instructs him in how he should speak about what has happened to him. “Go and tell your own people how much the Lord has done for” (Mark 5:19). The man is to tell the story of his own personal encounter with Jesus. Learning how to answer difficult apologetic questions is important. Not only so that we can answer the questions of others, but also to strengthen our own faith.
However time and time again the emphasis in the New Testament is on us simply sharing our own personal story, “the hope that you have” (1 Peter 3:15). In this passage Peter doesn’t say, “Always be prepared to answer any and every difficult question someone might ask you”. Rather he encourages us to simply tell our own story. We speak of the way that God has been at work in our life, in the ups and downs, the joys and the sorrows, such that we have hope for now and the future.
In light of this Biblical model of telling our story to others, Sam Chan suggests 3 three steps that we can all easily take in order to do this.
- Firstly listen to the stories of others. We earn the right to share our story in part by being willing to hear the story of others. A simple question such as “Do you have a faith?” might be a helpful way of raising the topic with others. Listen to their story, seek to understand where they are coming from, and empathise with their position.
- Secondly, tell your story, as a story. We need to learn to tell our story, as a story with an introduction, a moment of crisis, and a conclusion. That is, begin by sharing something about who you are (the dreams, plans and ambitions you have), then how you attempted to fulfil them in an idolatrous way (the crisis), concluding with how Jesus fulfils all your longings and hopes and gives you hope for the future.
- Finally, tell a story about Jesus. Share a story from the Gospels which really resonates with you and your experience. Is there one account in the Gospels which fits your experience?
Reflect on how you might tell your story of coming to Christian faith.
a. What was the moment of crisis in your life where you realised only Jesus satisfied all your longings, hopes and fears?
b. Is there a story from the Gospels which really resonates with your experience of encountering Jesus?
