Spiritually, Christian believers are immensely privileged. We have been reconciled to the awesome Creator of the whole universe, through his Son we have received grace, forgiveness, love, truth, and restoration, the Spirit of God is renewing our hearts and minds, and we belong to God for ever. All this is very good news.

We are not called to keep that good news quiet. Christians are called to bear witness to Jesus in our lives, actions, and words. We called to be light (Matt. 5:14-16), reflecting the Light of the world (John 8:12). We are called to be Christ’s aroma (2 Cor.2:15-16), his living letters (2 Cor.3:3), his ambassadors (2 Cor. 20), his witnesses (Acts 1:8), his apologists (1 Pet. 2:15), his disciple-makers (Matt. 28:19-20), his workers in the harvest (Luke 10:2), and those who go ‘fishing for people’ (Mark 1:16).

But how? Many people in New Zealand are unbelieving, apathetic, distracted, confused, and spiritually resistant. But the world has always been like that, in every time and place. The Light continues to shine in the darkness. God remains at work, by his Spirit calling people to himself, and empowering believers to live and speak for him.

Some suggestions about how to share the Good News of Jesus in our conversations:

• be prayerful, and led by the Holy Spirit
• be friendly, kindly, caring, empathetic
• be humble
• don’t judge
• be good at listening, asking questions, and discerning where individual people are at (they may know very little, or may already have some understanding)
• always show ‘gentleness and respect’ (1 Pet. 3:15b)
• be ready to address barriers to belief, giving sensible reasons for faith (1 Pet.3:15a), but don’t argue
• as God opens the door, progress from general questions about life and God, and bear witness to Jesus himself (how he shows us God, how he rose from the dead, and how he can reconcile us to God and give us new life and hope)
• share something of our own testimony and God’s goodness to us
• we may gently challenge, but don’t push – leave it to the Spirit of God to bring conviction of sin and righteousness, and to grant faith and new life in Christ

Mā Ihowa koe e manaaki, mana koe e tiaki
May the LORD bless and keep you

Author: Dr Stuart Lange

Dr Stuart Lange is the National Director of the NZCN and is a Senior Research Fellow at Laidlaw College, where he was formerly Vice Principal. Stuart wrote and presented the historical DVD documentary Te Rongopai: 200 years of the Gospel in New Zealand, 1814-2014.