Not long after I placed my faith in Christ as a 7th grader, I sensed that I should tell others about Jesus’ love for them. After a few awkward tries, I gave up and decided that professional pastors and evangelists were better equipped for that work. I still tried from time to time, but didn’t know what to say.
Shortly after I arrived on the campus in Kearny as a college student, I began attending Cru meetings and a small group Bible study. There, the students and staff members talked about sharing the gospel as a part of life that every believer could be involved in.
After some training, I began to talk about Jesus with people in the dorm and at my part-time job in a grocery store. It still didn’t come naturally. But I finally knew what to say to start that conversation. One highlight was leading two coworkers to Christ in the store break room during the summer between my last two years of college. We started a Bible study to learn more together.
Over the years, I’ve relied on that training to tell people about Christ in different situations. As a college student, I shared that message on beaches in the U.S. and Croatia, in neighborhoods in Washington, D.C., and in summer camps in Poland. As a Cru staff member, I shared the message on a plane on the way to the Philippines for my first full-time role with Cru, on a campus in Baguio where I lived for most of five years, in churches there and here in Orlando, and in daily life.
To many Christians, the idea of being an evangelist can seem intimidating. But evangelism is simply telling someone how much Jesus loves them.
Bill Bright, Cru’s co-founder, said, “Success in witnessing is simply taking the initiative to share Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit, and leaving the results to God.” How they respond isn’t our responsibility. Few things have brought me as much joy as introducing someone else to Christ.
This year, our digital communications team at Cru’s headquarters created a resource for anyone who wants to tell others about Jesus. We titled it “Know Your Story. Share His Story.” You can find out more at cru.org/evangelism, or by using the QR code below. I invite you to take a look and to find new ways to tell others around you about Jesus.
Please pray that many people who come to our site will join in talking about Jesus in their daily lives.
As Anne Marie and I think about Thanksgiving later this month, we have much to be grateful for, including Jesus’ love and sacrifice for us, the opportunity to share that message and opportunities to help others meet Him and grow in faith. And we’re grateful to you for your prayers, friendship and generosity.
Sincerely in Christ, — Mark