Evangelism qualifications: Just be yourself

Have you ever felt completely unqualified? You are given a job to do at work or an assessment task at university. It can make you feel overwhelmed. You might feel at a loss of where to start, so you keep putting off the task. Perhaps you feel this way about sharing Jesus. You know the Great Commission exists, but the task seems too grand and unachievable.

The good news is you don’t have to feel unqualified, because you’re not. God made you on purpose and with a purpose. You are qualified to share Jesus because God created you with a unique personality, and skills and abilities to reach the specific people in your everyday life.

Here’s some truth to speak against the lie that you’re unworthy to share the gospel. You are who God intended and created you to be. You are not a mistake.

“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb… I am fearfully and wonderfully made” . (Psalm 139:13-14)

God has given you gifts, passions, and a personality that are designed to do the work of sharing Jesus that He has prepared for you (Ephesians 2:10).

Here’s the bottom line. You don’t need to be someone else when talking about Jesus with your friends. Be the ‘you’, God made you to be. For example, if you love hosting parties and cooking for people, do that. Invite people to your place, cook for them and use that time to share your lives together. As you go, find opportunities to talk about Jesus. If you’re a creative person, find ways to share Jesus through your creativity. There are many ways you can translate your gifts, passions, and personality to sharing the gospel – the only limit is your imagination.

You are in the right place, at the right time. Your mission field is all around you.

Think about your friends, your family, the barista at your coffee shop, the people in your study group or sporting club. These are the people God has placed in your life to share Jesus with. Just like the words said to Esther in the Old Testament, you have been called for “such a time as this” (Esther 4:14). Open your eyes each day to the mission field you already find yourself in.

So, how do you start?

1. Start by praying for the people in your world and ask the Holy Spirit for opportunities to have conversations and build relationships
2. Be salt and light. Let God bring out His flavours and colours in your life, and when people ask what is different about you, be ready to give an answer to what Jesus has done in your life.

God has placed you where you are for a reason. Don’t try to be someone else, be yourself. Think about the people in your life that you have regular contact with, how can you get creative with your gifts, passions, or personality to share Jesus with them?