Why is sharing my faith so hard? Do you have tips for witnessing about Jesus?

Why is it so easy to talk about the weather or sports, but so difficult to talk about our Jesus? Some might say it’s because we don’t want to offend people or have them look at us differently. That may be part of it, but I don’t think that’s the ultimate reason.

I think it’s so difficult because it’s so important. The devil doesn’t care if you talk about the weather or have the sports page memorized. He does care if you read about your Savior in the Bible and tell others about him. Now eternity is on the line. Now it is actually important. And that can sometimes make those discussions harder.

Tips for witnessing

So how do you talk to people about Jesus? Do you just go up to them and start talking? You could, but I’m not sure how well that would go. No, it starts with having everyday conversations. In everyday conversations, there is something spiritual because we are spiritually minded. Ecclesiastes 3:11 states, “[God] has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”

Someone needs to tell people about God—someone like you and me.

Before you even get started, here are some things to keep in mind.

• Listen. Think about the last time you had a lengthy conversation with someone. Was the person listening? How could you tell? He or she was looking at you! It would be very strange for me to greet you with, “Hi, how’s it going?” while I’m looking at the floor. People who listen give feedback and ask questions because they are genuinely interested. When you actively listen to others, you are communicating something important. You respect them. You are interested in them. You care about them.
• Talk about them. I’m going to let you in on a universal truth. The topic people like to talk about most is themselves. When I was a parish pastor, I gauged whether a visit was “good” if, when I walked away, the person didn’t know much about me. Why? It’s because I was able to listen and learn about him or her! I don’t refuse to talk about myself, but I genuinely want to hear about others. That opens the door for them to listen to what’s most important about you: Jesus. Read the gospels and notice how this was Jesus’ pattern.
• Keep expectations in mind. Have you ever missed an opportunity to share your faith? We all have. We like to wait for the perfect opportunity, but that rarely comes around because Satan doesn’t want us to have it! One thing that helps you find the opportunity is to keep in mind what your expectations for people are. Ultimately, I don’t care about the weather or sports. I want the person I’m talking with to be in heaven with me.
• Be genuine. Don’t pretend to be someone you are not. If you are one person at church and another at a party, that’s a problem. People can smell hypocrisy a mile away. Care about people and rejoice in them. Be their friend, not just friendly. Love them for them. Then you’ll have a chance to give them the comfort of the gospel when they need it most. Jesus always knew his expectation for you and everyone you talk to: “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).

Turning the conversation

Now, how do you turn a conversation from everyday matters to spiritual matters? Everyone has problems. We all need help and advice from time to time. The psalmist says, “My help comes from the LORD” (Psalm 121:2). Talk about the solutions that God gives to everyday problems.

I like the p-P-S-s outline. It stands for problems–Problem–Solution–solutions. The idea is to listen to a problem that a friend, family member, neighbor, or coworker has and help that person see the solution the Bible gives. You turn the conversation from people’s small p problem to see the big P problem of sin so that you can tell them about the big S solution of Jesus. That will lead you to more specific small s solutions to their individual problem.

We all have the fear of rejection or of not being able to answer someone’s questions. God’s Word has the answer to our fears.

Let’s just take the problem of low self-esteem (i.e., the small p problem). I have never really liked the word self-esteem. I don’t think anyone can truly have high self-esteem because the self is the problem. The Bible says, “All our righteous acts are like filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6). Even my best attempts are not pretty because I am imperfect. That’s the big Problem of sin. However, something is worth whatever you are willing to pay for it. Jesus paid for you with his own blood on the cross. That is priceless. You are worth more than you can imagine. That’s the big Solution of Jesus. Now the small solution is that you have Christ-esteem. It doesn’t matter what others say about you. It doesn’t even matter what you say about yourself! All that matters is that God looks at you and says what he does about Jesus, “This is my child, whom I love. With you, I am well pleased.”

Whatever the problem is—whether it is disappointing family, feeling that there is no point in life, or suffering from addiction—you can show the person how Jesus solves it with his Word and how you, as a Christian friend, are there to help.

Confidence for witnessings

We all have the fear of rejection or of not being able to answer someone’s questions. God’s Word has the answer to our fears.

Jesus says, “Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me” (Luke 10:16). This statement guards against both pride and despair. If people listen, Jesus gets the credit, because they are really listening to Jesus’ voice. If people reject you, they are really rejecting the voice of Jesus.

God’s Word is powerful. “So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11). There’s a story about a young preacher who approached the famous preacher Charles Spurgeon. The young preacher was concerned about not being able to defend God’s Word. Spurgeon said, “How do you defend a lion?” The answer is that you don’t. You let it go. The same is true of God’s Word. It’s powerful! Let it go!

Finally, remember that Jesus is with you. He says, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). The one who can calm the sea with a whisper, the one who speaks to demons and they flee, the one who has spoken the final word on your death and sin with his resurrection . . . he is with you!

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Author: David Scharf
Volume 112, Number 12
Issue: December 2025