“If I feel a burst of compassion in my spirit like for someone … I know it’s the Lord. I’ll just tell them, ‘Hey, did you know Jesus loves you? He died for your sins, and He wants to give you eternal life.”
Pastor and author Alan Burns recognizes that many believers fear spreading the Good News of Jesus because of what others may think. But he also believes those fears are unfounded.
The author of Lifestyle Evangelism: The Missing Link in the American Church, Burns spoke with Taylor Berglund on a recent edition of “Charisma Connection” on the Charisma Podcast Network. Burns says if Christians simply share the gospel with people they meet on the street, they probably won’t be rejected as often as they think.
In a recent study by Barna, almost half of Millennials (47 percent) agreed that it is wrong to share one’s personal beliefs with someone of a different faith in hopes that they will share the same faith. Twenty-seven percent of Gen Xers felt the same way.
“Too many Christians are afraid to witness,” says Burns, founder and director of Rivers of Life Apostolic Center in Carrollton, Texas. “I think it’s sad. … Jesus said, ‘You are My witnesses.’ A witness does what? He tells others what he knows from personal experience.”
Burns has had positive, gospel-focused conversations with people from all generations. “I’ll tell you what: 9 times out of 10, they’re not offended by that. … It’s the enemy that puts that fear on Christians. Don’t let it happen,” he says.
Listen to the podcast below to learn more about overcoming the spirit of fear and sharing your faith with those who need to know.
