Read and Grow

Do you ever feel that tug to share your faith but hesitate, unsure if you’re really ready? Many of us feel this tension—we know we should be stepping out to share Jesus, but we hold back because of fear. It might be fear of saying the wrong thing, or not knowing enough, or worrying about how the other person might react. But what if God wants to use us as we are, fear and all?

Recently, a member of the yesHEis community, Bella* shared her story with us, how she faced her fear head-on. She joined our “Overcome Your Fear” challenge, praying for courage to be authentic, to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit, and to be bold enough to share the love of Jesus with someone new.

Here’s how God worked through that moment of vulnerability and faith…

At the start of the challenge, Bella’s biggest prayer request was to let Jesus’ love shine through her and to be led by the Holy Spirit in sharing her story. When she prayed, she asked God not just for boldness, but also to help her truly connect with someone who needed to hear about Jesus.

Then one morning as she was praying, Bella felt a nudge to reach out to a new neighbour she’d only spoken to in passing. She arranged to go out for coffee and decided to trust God with the conversation.

Following the nudge

Over coffee, she asked her neighbour if she believed in God. The neighbour stated that she did believe in God and had even started praying for help with a difficult situation. Her neighbour also shared that while she has a Bible, she wasn’t sure where to begin in her faith journey.

Taking a leap, Bella shared her own testimony, describing the peace she found in Jesus and through prayer. “I’d never spoken to someone about God before, but I’m so glad I followed the Holy Spirit’s guidance,” she said. She walked away from that coffee catch up feeling encouraged and committed to praying for her new friend’s journey to faith.

What could happen if you overcame your fear?

This story is a beautiful reminder of what happens when we trust God to guide us, even when we’re afraid. The Holy Spirit doesn’t ask us to have everything figured out; He just asks us to be available. 

Are you facing similar fears about sharing Jesus? Don’t worry, we’ve got you! Here are some things you might consider:

1. Pray for Courage and Sensitivity:

Ask the Holy Spirit to help you see the person in front of you as God does and to give you courage to follow His nudges.

2. Take a Small Step:

Evangelism doesn’t need to be overwhelming. Sometimes, it’s as simple as asking someone a question about their faith or offering to pray for them.

3. Trust the Outcome to God:

Your role is obedience; God takes care of the results. Remember, you don’t have to lead someone to faith on the spot. Just be a faithful presence and let God do the rest. When we step out, the Holy Spirit steps in!

Imagine the ripple effect your step of faith could have in someone’s story of coming home to Jesus! God is ready to work through your simple “yes”—take the step today and watch how He uses your story to draw others closer to Him.

Join the “Overcome Your Fear” challenge in the yesHEis app

If you’re ready to step out but don’t want to do it alone, the Overcome Your Fear challenge is a great place to start.

Here’s how to join:

1. Open the yesHEis app. (Download it for free from the App Store or Google Play if you don’t have it yet.)
2. Head to the “Challenges” tab.
3. Select “Overcome Your Fear” and tap Start Challenge.
4. Follow along at your own pace with practical, simple steps to build confidence in sharing Jesus — one action at a time.

Let your first step be a faithful “yes.” He’ll take care of the rest.

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*name changed for privacy

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Do you ever get nervous about sharing Jesus?

You know that sharing Jesus is part of your calling as a Christian, but just thinking about it makes your heart race. Thoughts flood in, “What if I say the wrong thing? What if it gets awkward, or worse, offensive?” You might even worry that sharing Jesus means coming across as pushy or forceful. It’s as if you’re carrying the weight of someone else’s salvation on your shoulders.

But here’s the truth: sharing Jesus isn’t something you do alone. You’re not the hero of the story — the Holy Spirit is.

Evangelism isn’t about a single moment or decision. It’s about the transformation of someone’s heart, mind, and soul. And guess what? Transformation is the Holy Spirit’s work.

People don’t need your perfect words, they need a new heart.

The Holy Spirit is in the business of changing hearts. In Ezekiel 36:26–27, God promises to give people “a new heart and put a new spirit” within them.

That’s not something we can do on our own. But when you step out and share Jesus in partnership with the Holy Spirit, He moves in that person’s heart, doing what only He can do.

That means the responsibility for changing hearts doesn’t rest on you. Your role is simply to be obedient and share the message.

So, how can you learn to rely on the Holy Spirit’s power rather than your own strength? Here are three simple ways:

1. Pray for a sensitivity to the Holy Spirit

Romans 8:26 reminds us that “the Spirit helps us in our weakness.” Before you share Jesus with someone, ask the Holy Spirit to help you trust Him. Pray for guidance and confidence, not in yourself, but in His ability to work through you.

2. Step out in obedience

Share Jesus, even if it’s scary. Step out, not in your own confidence, but with faith that the Holy Spirit is sending you. John 14:26 tells us that “the Holy Spirit will teach and remind us of everything we need to say.” Trust that He will equip you in the moment.

3. Pray over the seed

After you’ve shared, pray that the Holy Spirit will nurture the seed you’ve planted.
Pray that His words will stay in their heart and mind. Ask Him to keep moving in their life, drawing them closer to Jesus.

Imagine what sharing your faith could look like, knowing it’s not up to you to change hearts. Isn’t that a much more liberating approach to evangelism?

The weight of sharing Jesus doesn’t rest on your shoulders alone. The Holy Spirit is your Helper–guiding, equipping, and working through you. Your only job is to show up and let the Holy Spirit do His thing.

Inviting someone to church can feel intimidating. As a Christian, you understand the importance and value of an encouraging and supportive community of faith, so naturally, you want your friends to have that too.

But what does it take to invite someone into that community? What does it mean to invite someone to church?

In today’s increasingly secular culture, inviting someone to church can feel like a significant deal. In recent years, the rise of culture wars alongside the public failings of prominent church leaders has heightened an already sceptical general cultural attitude towards the church. Additionally, it’s a significant undertaking for someone to visit an unfamiliar community, especially if they are unsure of any commonalities. All this can seem daunting, and we end up postponing it and never even offering an invitation.

So let us take a moment to recall why it is an important and effective way to introduce someone to Jesus. Inviting someone to church creates an intentional space for the Holy Spirit to manifest and work within people’s hearts. It welcomes people into a community where they can explore and grow in belief, serve, and take their place in the body of Christ. It's God's design for us to live within a life-giving Christian community.

So how can we make this process a little easier and less intimidating—not just for you, but for the person you’re inviting to church? Here are some practical steps that can assist.

1. Recognise that church can be daunting

If you've been a Christian for a long time, church will feel familiar and safe. But for many people, it's a foreign concept, only influenced by what they've seen in media and entertainment.

Being mindful of the language you use is vital. Rather than saying, “I'll pick you up at 7pm for the worship night,” start by explaining what a worship night is, and share details—such as who will be there, what the space will look like, and what they should wear.

By avoiding “Christian-ese” jargon and providing as many details as you can, you can help your friend make a more informed decision. They are less likely to feel overwhelmed, anxious or resentful of the situation they’re entering into. This brings us to point number two.

2. Begin with something familiar

It's far easier to invite someone for a coffee, or to take a walk, than to invite them to church! Consider Sam, whose swift decision possibly salvaged the relationship:

“I got my haircut recently, and when I mentioned my belief in God, the hairdresser said he’d been exploring faith more lately... I got to share a little about my faith story with him, and he seemed genuinely interested. I invited him along to church and he seemed hesitant, and I felt prompted by the Holy Spirit to offer to have a coffee with him before the service to help him feel more comfortable. He was very grateful for the offer and said he’d accept it.”

By meeting up in a neutral setting, you can avoid the natural power imbalance that arises from inviting someone into an unfamiliar church environment that you are very familiar with.

Remember, there’s no rush in this process. Meet them where they are, establish the relationship, then progress to the next step.

3. Invest time and energy

While it's the role of the Holy Spirit to convict hearts and lead them to Jesus (1 Corinthians 3:6), we are tasked with planting seeds of faith...and this requires investing time and energy!

Simply put, when you share Jesus, remember to care as well! Don't tell someone about Jesus and then leave them behind. Guide them on the journey. This might look like:

• Spending an evening each week doing Bible studies
• Sacrificing time with your social circle to make someone feel welcome
• Adding someone to your prayer roster and praying for them daily
• Sending a message or calling regularly to check in

Remember, if you're struggling to find time to care, you can always ask other Christians or people from your church to assist you. Introduce them to your friends, and share the responsibility (Galatians 6:2; Hebrews 10:24-25; Philippians 2:4).

4. Trust God with the outcome

If you take the leap and invite someone to church, remember: it's okay if they decline. Declining your offer doesn’t mean they’ve rejected you, or rejected God. Maybe they just need more time, or perhaps they have concerns or biases that you’re not aware of.

Rather than giving up or taking it to heart, pray about it. Ask God for clarity, discernment, and comfort, and continue praying for that person.

The critical point is that you made the effort. You've strengthened those faith muscles and will be better prepared and more confident the next time the Holy Spirit nudges you to invite someone.

Inviting someone to church presents an exciting opportunity. If you have a friend on your mind you'd like to invite to church, be intentional about organising a plan, muster the courage and go for it. Imagine what it will feel like when they say yes! The return is far greater than the expense. Ultimately, their journey of faith is in God's hands. Your role is simply to extend the invitation.

Tayla is a former competitive surfer and self-confessed introvert. After an injury halted her surfing career, Tayla felt that God was encouraging her to step outside of her comfort zone and live life with a focus more on others than herself. She tells the story...
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‍This Is Tayla's Story
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I found that living for myself is actually quite comfortable. So when I felt challenged to step back and start looking for others, it was scary, but I found that that's actually what we are called to do.

When I was living in South Africa, I was surfing competitively for a while and I was just so focused on myself - until I had an injury that prevented me from competing. The day before a competition that I’d been training really hard for, I sliced my foot right open and I couldn't walk anymore.

And that's when I really felt God was like guiding me that I needed to step out.

I'm a super introverted person, which made it challenging for me to step out and share my faith. So it took a lot of courage, but it also brought a lot of fear when it came to actually doing something. So, I was praying for opportunities to come along where I could share my faith and one day I was in the water surfing and I encountered these guys. I discovered that they were former street children and that one of my friends was going to start volunteering at the organisation where these guys were from, called Surfers Not Street Children.

I just had the idea one day, you know, maybe I should start a Bible study. So a friend and I started one up with these guys, which was really challenging because it was really out of my comfort zone. The first time we turned up at Bible study, it was pretty scary as we didn't really know what to talk about or how to engage with them. They were late teens/young adults, and were pretty sceptical.
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I found their push back difficult, but it was then I had to remember, you know, everyone comes from a different background, so just showing love towards them was the most important thing. Sometimes we have no idea where people have been or what they're going through, and sometimes they just need to be shown love. These guys were from the streets and they grew up on the streets. So we would try to choose topics that would relate to them.

There was this one really sceptical guy who came for the first few weeks. After a while he became a bit more engaged in the study and asked more questions. It was so cool to see him interested in wanting to know more. One day he came to Bible study and just showed us his chest… he had ‘God is good’ tattooed across his whole chest - just like the ‘No Ragrets’ meme - which was really cool to see.

That’s when I thought ‘this is so awesome’ and this is why I'm doing this. It was so encouraging because I had been so scared in starting the Bible study. It was so awesome being able to see how God can even use an introvert.

I realised it's so important to be obedient to God's calling even when it’s something that's scary and we have a lot of fear towards. It’s encouraging knowing that when we are obedient, God is with us and He has put the opportunity in front of us for a reason. He’ll always go before us and be with us through it all.

We live in a world full of restlessness, fear, and instability. Yet, as Christians, Jesus offers us peace amidst it all. As Christians, not only do we have access to this peace, but we are also called to reflect it to others who are longing for stability and hope in a chaotic world.

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“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33

Peace is one of the greatest gifts God gave to humankind. And it’s a gift we can share with those around us who are searching for meaning and rest. Yet, often we can feel far from peace. So how do we as Christians live from the place of peace that Jesus describes? Erwin McManus illustrates it well when he speaks about worship, and how genuine worship can create a shift of responsibility in our thinking.

When we are feeling overwhelmed by life, feeling the stress, anxiety, and the despair, McManus says it’s because we have taken on responsibility for things that we do not have the power to carry. So how do we shift the burden and draw on the peace Jesus offers?

Let it Go

Erwin explains when we take on the stressors it’s like we pitch a horizontal roof over our life. When the rain falls, it gets heavy and our roof collapses. Yet, if we shift our roof to be more vertical, aka, connect with God. It causes the rain to pour off to the side and water all the fields around it, growing a harvest that eventually bears fruit. When we live from a place of peace, it becomes evident to those around us. Our lives can spark curiosity and open doors for conversations about the source of our peace—Jesus.

Re-align

Worshipping God teaches our soul to shift our roof vertically. This helps us to re-align our internal narrative too, “This is bigger than me. This is not mine to bear. I’m going to give it to God.” which can provide a sense of peace even in the chaos. As you re-align and experience God’s peace, consider how you can gently point others to Him through your own example and words.

Practice

When the stressors of life start to take over your peace, practice the art of refining your soul worship so that when the rain comes, you can continue to be peacemakers who create fruit within the storm.

In practising the art of resting in God's peace, we not only nurture our own souls but also demonstrate to others the hope and security found in Jesus. Who in your life might benefit from hearing about the peace that Jesus offers?

How are you practising the art of resting in God's peace in this season?

Brian is a regular bloke who loves Jesus and has a heart to share him with the people he meets every day. A chance encounter at a petrol station became an opportunity to share Jesus in a miraculous way. Brian was ready for that opportunity because he made one simple life choice…

The other day I was at a petrol station. I noticed a bloke who seemed to be limping, he looked like he was in pain. So I went up to him and I said “Hey mate, can I pray for you?” he replied, “Sure, yeah, you can pray for me.”

It turned out he was a Muslim so he wasn’t bothered by me praying for him at all. I prayed that all his pain would go away. At first, nothing happened but after a few moments, he turned back to me and said that his pain had gone away! I said “That’s because Jesus loves you and cares for you.”

It was a super quick moment. He didn’t trust in Jesus at that moment but it planted a seed. And maybe further down the line, he’ll be open to hearing the Gospel.

An easy way I’ve found to start talking to people about Jesus is to ask “Hey, does that hurt?” because there are people everywhere who are in pain. I don’t always have the right words to say but I just try to build their connection to Jesus.

There is one decision I’ve made that has been super helpful in sharing the Gospel, when I go out into the world I simply keep my eyes open. Too often we’re so focused on ourselves we miss opportunities that are right in front of us. Sometimes there are things going on around you that the Lord wants you to see. He might want you to move in on someone else’s life. Right there at that moment. We need to learn to take our blinders off and ask God “What are you doing in this place around me?”

Pretty soon when you do this, you’ll start to see the needs of those around you. Everywhere you go, there’s somebody who needs a word of encouragement, kindness, an act of charity or healing through the gospel.

Anyone can do this.

You’ll be amazed at what comes across your path as you simply begin to move about your world with your eyes open.

Do you ever feel like your phone owns you, and not the other way around?

Through DMs, phone messages, and social media notifications you are connected with hundreds of millions of people around the world. Each ping from your phone is a demand of your attention, and every post, comment, and message you send comes from a desire for attention back. Instant attention from anonymous people on the other side of the world.

Thanks to the internet, our society is hyper-connected. Whether you like it or not we are plugged into the largest communication hub ever known to man. But the cracks are starting to show.

We are bloated with hyper-connectedness yet we hunger for a connection that is true, genuine, and personal.

Humans are hardwired for genuine connection. And it’s in that space Jesus calls you to share him with the world.

After His death and resurrection, Jesus gathers his disciples together and sends them out, saying, “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Notice the progression of Jesus’ instructions; Jerusalem followed by Judea and Samaria, and finally the ends of the earth.

For the disciples, Jerusalem was the immediate area, the centre of their culture and society. Judea and Samaria were regions beyond the immediate, and the ends of the Earth were… well, as far as you can go.

So if you’re looking for a way to share Jesus, start in YOUR Jerusalem.

Start in your immediate area where you are already personally connected. Start with your friends, family and the people you see every day. Cultivate a friendship that is personal and genuine and share Jesus in that space. It could be as simple as starting a conversation with your barista or someone at uni, or in a friendship you already have but want to take deeper.

As you grow your friendship, find ways to demonstrate the fruit of the spirit. Let peace, love, and joy shine out like a light on a hill pointing to Jesus. In the context of your close relationships, follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and take opportunities to open up conversations about Jesus, church, and faith.

People are hungry for genuine connection.

Share Jesus by limiting your hyper-connection with the world and explore true, genuine connection with the people already around you.

Who can you reach out to in genuine connection today?

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References
https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/the-human-connection/201912/making-real-connections-in-the-age-social-media

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

Galatians 5:22-23

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the Earth.”

Acts 1:8

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Social media has changed the landscape of how we share Jesus forever. In the past, it was rallies, cable TV shows, and church outreach events; now you can reach massive crowds with your social media account. Of course, it’s not always that simple.
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Social media isn’t always an effective space to discuss topics like faith and Jesus. Have you ever wondered why you can post a picture of your cat falling off the sofa and it basically goes viral, but a post about your faith makes you feel like people are scrolling with their eyes shut?

How can you leverage your social platforms to share Jesus in a way that’s effective and engaging?

To do this, it’s helpful to understand the nature of the environment in which you’re communicating.

The Social Space

When posting online, the first thing to recognise is you’re operating in a ‘social space’. A social space involves a large audience, such as a lecture, a church service, or even a YouTube video. Information can be shared with a large audience, but often at the expense of meaningful engagement and personal transformation.

The Personal Space

Talking about Jesus in a way that results in ongoing life change is most effective when you’re operating in the ‘personal space’. A personal space takes place in one-to-one conversations or small group interactions. Here emotional guards can be lowered, trust can be built, and meaningful life transformation takes place.

We can learn a lot from observing how Jesus communicated in these two spaces. Although He operated in both spaces, he invested heavily in the personal space. Most of his time was dedicated to his 12 disciples, and as a result, they were the most impacted by him and had the most meaningful life change. We still experience the effects of this investment over 2000 years later.

So how does that apply to posting about Jesus on your social media? Here’s a helpful strategy: speak to the large audience of your social media space, but prioritise drawing people into your personal space to share Jesus with them.

Here are 5 tips on how you can maximise meaningful engagement with your social media account.

1. Be a Normal Person

- Intersperse your posts about Jesus with posts about your everyday life. People are primarily interested in who you are as a person. Your relationship with Jesus is best shared in the context of your everyday life. Also, if people always scroll past your Jesus posts, the social algorithms will cause them to eventually not see your posts at all.

2. Ask Questions / Polls

- Engagement is gold! There are plenty of engagement tools built into social platforms like questions, polls, sliders, and video replies. Draw people in by asking intriguing questions and utilise polls in your stories for interaction.

3. Challenge The Norm

- You can grab people's attention by using language that challenges normal cultural ideas and their perceptions of what it means to be a Christian.

4. Speak To Need

- There are many needs out in the community. Raise the topic and share how Jesus, church, and faith intersect with those needs.

5. Follow Up In DMs

- When people engage with what you post in meaningful ways, follow up with them in DMs, or ideally, in-person.

Let’s follow Jesus’ example of drawing people from the Social Space into the Personal Space.

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”

Matthew 4:19

Keep in mind that while it’s nice to get many likes on our posts, every number is a person. Be intentional and prayerful about taking people deeper, even if it’s just one person.

Bella is a graphic designer and has spent most of her working life in ministry and church. Stepping out into a secular work environment was a challenge, especially when it came to bringing up her faith. But Bella discovered a simple secret that made all the difference…
   

In my life, I’ve only ever worked in Christian ministries and churches. But recently I started a new job in a totally secular environment. I’ve wanted to be serious about living life on-mission but I felt nervous about talking to people about Jesus in a natural way. The Holy Spirit challenged me to just be honest when the moment arises and I wanted to be obedient to that.

Well, the other day I was having lunch with a new friend from work and we were talking about life outside of work. I showed her some photos of my friends and my housemates, and she asked me where I met them. It was such a simple moment, but I said, “Oh, I met them all through church.” I explained how we grew close by serving on teams together for a long time at church. I mean, it’s not like I shared my testimony or led her through a prayer of salvation or anything like that, it was just a simple moment of obedient honesty.

I felt pretty nervous as we were having the conversation. I didn’t know how she was going to react. I didn’t know what her past experience of church was like. I was feeling on edge.

But as the conversation went on I kept reminding myself that I wasn’t trying to convince her of anything, I was just making a plain statement about my life. I was just sharing who I am and how I live, and that thought was really calming for me.

I realised that just being casual, honest and authentic took the pressure off. I could be obedient to the Holy Spirit and the outcome meant we grew closer as friends because we know more about each other.

The Bible says that ‘all things work together for good for those who love God’ Romans 8:28. So sharing my faith doesn’t need to be complicated, I can just be honest about my life and trust God to work out the good.

This whole experience reminded me that I don’t need to change the whole world, I just have to do my bit and be true to myself, display the heart of Jesus and be honest when Jesus comes up in conversation.

I realised that if I’m being honest and real, Jesus is going to come up in conversation because he’s such a big part of my life. So when someone says “Why do you do this? Or say that?” I can honestly answer with “Oh, it’s because I love God and I love people.”

And there it is, simple honesty.

Be honest when someone comes up to you with questions. Be honest when you’re in a conversation – if God’s a part of your life He’ll come up.

Just be honest, it doesn't have to be more complicated than that.

Henry lives life at 120%. He works hard to become an expert in whatever field or topic that he sets his mind to. From coffee to social media management and now garden maintenance, Henry is an entrepreneur with a big heart for people.
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He shared with us a recent opportunity he had to talk to a client about Jesus.

I was mowing one of my client’s lawns. He came out really excited about showing me the mirror in his house. He asked me to go look at the mirror and as I walked in I noticed the Bible. Then he showed me everything in his house. As we were walking back outside I saw the Bible again so I said, “Do you read the Bible?” And he said, “Not really. I used to. I mean I believe in God.” I told him that I go to church. That just started a whole conversation about Jesus.

This Is Henry's Story

Fast forward a few months…

Now every time I mow his lawn we pray. We’ve caught up a few times and we pray as well. He says, “I can feel the Holy Spirit.” Now he’s at the point where he really wants to come to church.

Opportunities like this are linked to how much you’re pursuing God at the time. I love what Paul says in Romans 1, “I am unashamed of the Gospel.” You can hear it in his blood. I can’t wait, every morning to share the hope and the strength that His goodness brings. The more I pursue God, the more I see the opportunities.

So, when I saw the Bible sitting there something jumped out. It was a split-second moment where I realised that this was the time to share. You become more aware of moments like these and God gives you a boldness to carry through with it.

This God-breathed boldness has made a way for many more conversations about faith and Jesus.

Henry shared another story about a workmate

‍He found a cross necklace when he was at work and was so excited to give it to me. I wanted to try and restructure the way he saw Jesus so I said, “Did you know that back in the day the cross wasn’t necessarily a nice thing for Christians, but their symbolism was a fish or an anchor because the hope that Jesus brought was the anchor for their life. So for Christianity our biggest symbol is hope.” He said to me, “I could go for some hope!”

From there it was a natural conversation talking about that and how Jesus is what you wake up for and He’s what gets you through the hard times. So that opened us up to talk more about what he’s struggling with and how Jesus could be the answer to his life.

The way you share Jesus with people who don’t yet know Him, is by talking about what He’s changed in you. You can argue the theology or why He’s real, but people see Jesus through the change in you. So sharing what He’s done in your life is always the best way.

We experience change through our own personal devotion and intimacy with Jesus. The result is life just like Henry has described — awareness of the opportunities all around us and a story of our own transformation.

Having a friend tell you that they want to learn more about Jesus is a really exciting experience. It can feel like a huge and wonderful responsibility; like you’re finally living out your purpose as a Christian (insert an adrenaline rush and praise songs here).
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Easter is a common time for people to start asking questions about Jesus. While you might feel prepared to begin this journey with them, have you thought about the long-haul, or the potential for future disappointment? It’s important to prepare yourself for that, too.

What to do when a friend loses interest. When your friend first asks you about Jesus, you’ll naturally want to expose them to everything—Bible studies, church services, paying them a visit, giving them a Bible, or sending them sermons to watch online. In fact, you might have to “play it cool” and hold yourself back from bombarding them with too much information.

If your friend is receptive, you’ll get to witness them engaging with church for the first time and seeing their eyes light up when they learn new truths about the Bible, and about themselves. This can bring intense joy and fulfilment—both to them, and to you.

But sometimes as they journey with you, they might stop replying to your messages. They might stop turning up to Bible studies, asking questions, or showing interest. This can be really disappointing. You might start to wonder if they were offended by something you said, or if you came on too strong. You might even doubt God and His plan.

When spiritual conversations or relationships lose momentum, what should you do?

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Step 1: Learn from the disciples

Firstly, you can take encouragement from the disciples’ experience. Walking with Jesus for 3 years, the disciples witnessed incredible miracles, teachings and grew in their relationship with God. But even though Jesus preached about a heavenly Kingdom and His death, they didn’t understand what He meant.

When Jesus died and lay in the tomb on Saturday, the disciples didn’t know what to do. They were devastated and began to doubt. How could their Messiah be the Son of God if He was dead? Were the last three years of their lives all a lie?

If a friend loses interest in their Christian journey, you might start to doubt and question too. Did your friend actually like coming to church, or were they just being polite? Were the revelations they experienced genuine, or just emotional highs?

When Jesus rose again on the third day, suddenly the whole gospel message made sense. Jesus was the Son of God because He had conquered death! This spurred the disciples on and they began to spread the Gospel with their communities, and the wider world. God had been in control the whole time.

Step 2: Get practical

If you have a friend who has lost interest in Jesus, take heart.

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world”

John 16:33

God’s still in control, and He’s doing everything in His power to bring them back into a relationship with Him. But there are practical steps you can take, as well:

Pray

Pray that the Holy Spirit will open your friends’ eyes to the importance of Jesus, the Bible and being in Christian community. Pray that their desire for Jesus will be revived.

Connect

Send your friend a DM asking if they want to catch up for a meal or coffee. If you’re afraid you might scare them away, you can even say, “I promise I won’t be pushy or talk about church if you don’t want to, I just want to see how you’re going.”

Invite

If you think your friend would be open to it, invite them to your church’s Easter service. Easter is a popular time for even nominal Christians to attend church, so it can be a non-threatening opportunity.

If you have a friend who’s lost touch with your church community recently, Easter is a great time to get in contact. Tomorrow is Easter Sunday—don’t waste the opportunity! And who knows—just like Jesus rose on the third day, there could be a wonderful spiritual journey still in store for your friend too. You just wait and see!

“I want to talk to people about Jesus, but I just don’t know where to start”.

Life is full and it’s easy to forget you have a helper—the Holy Spirit - John 14:26 for moments like this! Listening to the Holy Spirit is the place to start. He will speak to you and guide you when you need Him.

Let’s face it, listening to the Holy Spirit is a pretty strange concept. How exactly does it work? When does He talk? How do I know if it is Him or my own mind talking? Or did I just drink too much coffee at lunch time?

In the same way you know the voice of your mum or a good friend, you can learn to know the voice of the Holy Spirit by listening to Him, understanding more about Him, and good old fashioned trial and error.

Let’s set some foundations: 

The Holy Spirit IS God and shares in the God-head with God the Father and Jesus - that’s the Trinity. He spoke to Christians throughout the Bible, is our helper John 14:26 and He is a good gift from God. The Holy Spirit definitely is a mysterious expression of God, but this is exciting and should cause us to be curious and learn more about Him.

The Holy Spirit will give us guidance when we need Him. There are many examples of the Holy Spirit moving and guiding people in the Bible Luke 2:27-32, 2 Peter 1:21, Acts 8:29-31, if you talk to enough Christians you will discover that He continues to do so today. So, spend time listening to Him. He may speak through a Bible verse that suddenly stands out to you or it might be a thought or emotion that hits you as you’re praying. When it comes to sharing your faith He may guide you in a moment or conversation, encouraging you to say or do something. Sometimes you might suddenly recall a Bible verse, or a story or something your pastor once said. Sometimes it’s a strong feeling or urge to talk about a particular topic. Try following that guidance and see where the Holy Spirit leads the conversation.

The Holy Spirit is trustworthy. Although you might be cautious of whether the Spirit is speaking, you can be sure to trust Him when He is. God promises to work together all things for our good Romans 8:28, but that doesn’t mean you always get what you want, it means you always get what is good. So, trust the Holy Spirit to guide your life and conversations about Jesus knowing that God is good and He is working all things for good.

The Holy Spirit should be pursued

The Bible tells us to be filled with the Holy Spirit Ephesians 5:18 To “be filled” in the Greek (the original language in the Bible) means that it is an activity that is ongoing, it’s something that happens to you and you are commanded to pursue it. But how do you do this? Spend time being thankful to God Psalm 100:4 consider the times he has been good to you and thank Him for it. Repent and apologise to God for the wrong things you have done Psalm 66:18 and trust that God has more grace for you than any sin you might commit.

In your conversations about Jesus, be aware that the Holy Spirit might be speaking to you. Listen to His voice and follow it the best you can.