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. If you want to share Jesus but it feels awkward and contrived, 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.

Do you desire a closer relationship with God, but sometimes feel distant and disconnected?

Just like any relationship, nurturing your bond with God requires care, attention, and intentional practices. God has given many practices and rhythms to help you cultivate that relationship with Him. 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, and manifesto 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

Prayer is how you communicate with God. You’re not bothering God when you pray; He loves it. It’s like a sweet aroma to Him (Psalm 141:2). And if you’re not sure what to say 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! Create a worship playlist 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’s 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 28:18-20). 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. This doesn’t mean you have to travel to a different country, but it may mean going into your neighbourhood, workplace or community.

If you’re feeling distant from God and want to go deeper with Him, 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.