Tell a Friend about Jesus 

As another birthday approaches next month, over the past weeks I have discovered one of the consequences of this event marking my sixty-fifth year. Since it means that I will now be eligible for Medicare, I have been inundated with daily mailings and phone calls soliciting my participation in various group’s healthcare plans. The barrage has been relentless, even offering me free dinners to come to listen to their informational meetings or sales pitches. I have ignored virtually all of those inquiries, not knowing who can be trusted or who can’t. In addition to legitimate venders who simply want your business, there are always scammers around seeking to take advantage of people. Therefore, when I did pursue information and assistance in this matter, I resorted to someone from whom a couple of friends had received help. I valued their recommendation much more than some unknown salesperson over the phone or internet.

This should remind us of the value of personal connections when it comes to sharing our faith with others. As churches and individuals reach out to the people around them, there can be a place for mass mailings, huge events, and conversations with total strangers. However, people tend to respond most readily to recommendations and testimonies coming from individuals whom they know and trust.

A couple of the best biblical examples of this are found in the first chapter of the Gospel of John. After Andrew had spent some time with Jesus, he “found his own brother Simon, and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (which is translated, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus” (1:41-42). The next day Jesus called Philip to follow Him. Philip then found Nathaniel, told him about Jesus, and invited him to “come and see” for himself (1:43-46). In each case, these individuals who had encountered Jesus did something very natural and effective. They simply told someone close to them about this wonderful news. They wanted to introduce their family member or friend to the same person whom they had met. They wanted others to experience what they had experienced.

Sometimes we can overcomplicate our efforts at witnessing and evangelism. We can make it all about memorizing dialogue, gathering data about people groups, and making ourselves or our churches as attractive as possible. And those factors or methods may need to be considered and utilized. However, nothing can take the place of one friend or acquaintance simply sharing with another what he has found or what has helped him. Our best method often involves talking to someone we already know about Jesus and encouraging that person to “come and see”.

I was watching a church service online last Sunday afternoon when one of the worship leaders asked the congregation how many of them had friends outside the walls of their church. While most people raised their hands, apparently a few didn’t. She commented that maybe they needed to make a few such friends. Then she proceeded to encourage everyone to invite one friend to church the next Sunday.

For some of us, most of our friends may be in the church. That tends to be the case especially for those who have followed the Lord for many years. Could it be that our first step needs to be to enlarge our circle of acquaintances? Get to know some new people. Start building some relationships. Then you will have an avenue for sharing your faith with those individuals. They will value what you say when you tell them about the Lord and what He means to you.

Whom do you know to whom you can be a Philip or an Andrew? They may need an acquaintance like you to point them to the good news and to bring them to Jesus.