‘We’re engaged!’, ‘I got a new job!’ We desperately want to be the one to share our good news with friends and family. Sharing good news is joyful, exciting and urgent, and yet when it comes to sharing the good news of becoming a follower of Jesus, most Christians are gripped by such fear that they avoid opportunities, or struggle to find the right words to explain the gospel with others.
What if there is a way for us to share our faith through our life and our words that is more organic than forced; more shared than private? We get a clear picture of what this might look like from Paul’s words to the church in Thessalonica when he writes:
“Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.” 1 Thessalonians 2: 8
Sharing ‘our lives’ and sharing ‘the gospel’, are essential in communicating the good news of Jesus. People need to see what it looks like to follow Jesus, and they need to hear that it can also be good news for them.
‘Share’ is a new resource that helps support congregations to develop their community witness, and grow in confidence in telling others about Jesus. The resource is conversational in nature, and is structured around three important sections:
Building Relationship
Creating Community
Inviting Encounter
The Building Relationship section will equip congregations to reflect upon the starting point for people in our culture today, one that is often further away from church than we appreciate. It will help church members to think about how they can join with people on their journey to faith in Jesus, and develop key relational skills. A relationship with a Christian is often a hugely significant part of someone’s journey to faith, and this section of the resource will help congregations to do this well.
The Creating Community section will reflect upon the unreached people who live around the church and think creatively about how to bring them into the community of the church. Traditionally we see people as either ‘inside’ or ‘outside’ of the church, but in reality the gap between these two extremes is too wide for people outside of church to navigate easily. How do we create spaces in church life were people are ‘around’ the church community in a way that is comfortable? Spaces that allow them time to grow into the community of the church, whilst developing curiosity about what it means to be a Christian.
The building blocks of loving relationship and authentic community in the life and witness of a congregation, are hugely significant in opening people’s eyes and ears to believing and accepting the sacrificial love and grace of Christ. Of course, at some point people need to hear the good news message about Jesus. The Inviting Encounter section will equip church members for sharing their story of faith and the gospel story with unreached friends in a simple and natural way. Alongside this, there will be tools to help churches build a culture that is both welcoming and invitational in its posture.
Each section of the resource includes a short clip featuring a member of PCI sharing their story of a life transformed by Jesus, through a relationship with a Christian, the community of the church and an encounter with the truth of the gospel.
It is hoped that these stories, along with the resources in each section of ‘Share’, will inspire and equip congregations to set aside their fears and with confidence, discover the joy to be found in sharing the good news of Jesus, with those God has placed in our lives.
‘Share’ can be downloaded from the website here. Some sample sessions and video material is already available. The remainder will be posted online in August.
For further information, contact the Councilf for Congregational Life and Witness office.
Neil Harrison is PCI's Mission Development Officer.