Evangelism kick-start: 5 spiritual practices

As Christians, we’re all aware of the Great Commission. When Jesus stood on that mountain top and said, “Go into all the world and make disciples.” Often that can feel like it’s easier said than done. Kung gusto mong ibahagi si Jesus pero pakiramdam mo awkward ito at baka maging pilit, the first step is to understand that sharing Jesus needs to come from a place of relationship with Him. A relationship that’s honest and intimate.

Gusto mo ba ng closer relationship with God, pero minsan pakiramdam mo malayo sa Kanya at disconnected?

Just like any relationship, nurturing your bond with God requires care, attention, and intentional practices. Merong tinatawag na “Spiritual Disciplines” like prayer time, studying the Bible, worship, joining a church community. These practices are the heartbeat of the Christian faith and build a relationship with Jesus from which evangelism flows naturally.

Here are 5 practices that you can start today:

1. Read your Bible

The Bible is God’s love letter, instruction manual, all in one. Its contents and teachings are God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness ( 2 Timothy 3:16). In other words, the Bible is showing you the goodness of God, who He is and who you are to Him, and instructing you how to live a good life. So start reading the Bible today. If it seems daunting, just start with 15 minutes a day reading it and you’ll start feeling closer to God.

2. Pray

Ang prayer ay ang pakikipagusap natin kay God. He loves it when we pray to Him. It’s like a sweet aroma to Him ( Psalm 141:2 ). At kung hindi ka sigurado kung ano ang sasabihin don’t worry, the Holy Spirit will intercede for you ( Romans 8:26-27 ). As you read your Bible, include some time for prayer too. There are a bunch of different ways to pray: spoken prayers, journaling, praying the Psalms, praying for other people, silence and solitude, just to name a few.

3. Worship

Worship is more than just singing at church or a style of music on Spotify. Everything we do is designed to be worship to God. The way you treat strangers can be worship, the effort you put into your study or work can be worship, the way you love your family can be worship.

In the same way that God has given us music to worship Him ( Psalm 33:1-4 ), He has given us our lives to worship Him ( Romans 12:1 ). So, why not do both! Pwede ka gumawa ng worship playlist na mapapakinggan for your morning commute or for your gym workout and choose songs which speak of God’s greatness. Also, endeavour to live your life in a way that pleases God. This will take time (a life-time, in fact), but you will feel closer to God, because it’s literally what He created you for.

4. Join a church community

Church is so dear to Jesus’ heart that He calls it His bride ( Revelation 21:9-11 ). It is designed by God to help you – a community to support and encourage each other in the good way and in glorifying Jesus ( Hebrews 10:24-25 ). Attending a church service is a great start but it’s when you get involved in the life of the church and in the community of fellow Christians that you begin to become more like Jesus. Find a healthy church, make deep friends and be involved in their lives. If you have trouble making friends (people can be cliquey sometimes) ask the pastor to help, or find a church where you connect easily.

5. Talk to people about Jesus

Jesus told His disciples to go out and share the story of Jesus to the whole world ( Matthew 28:18-2 ). The foundation of growing your relationship with Jesus is cultivating obedience to Him. This means you’re a disciple of Jesus, and so you are called to share the Gospel with the world. Hindi kailangan pumunta sa ibang bansa para mag-share ng gospel, pwede ito mangyari sa mga kapitbahay mo o mga taong nasa paligid mo.

Kung pakiramdam mo ay malayo ka kay God at gusto mong magkaroon ng deeper relationship sa Kanya, start building these practices into your week; read your bible daily, pray daily, worship daily, join a church community, and talk to people about Jesus. And remember, take it easy. The best habits are built by the accumulation of small gains, so give yourself encouragement. And as you go, keep a prayerful outlook for opportunities to share Jesus. You’ll be surprised how they naturally come about.