Called to Testify

In Articles, Faith Journey, Spiritual Growth by Kirk Giles

Spreading Faith is a Team Effort

When I was a child, my life was disrupted by the grace of God. Somehow, in my little mind, I knew I had sinned — my sin deserves death — God so loved me He sent Jesus to die in my place – and Jesus died and rose again, so I can have eternal life. I remember walking downstairs to see my mom sitting in the kitchen and asked her how I could know for sure that I have eternal life. In our kitchen, my mom prayed with me and led me to Jesus.

Looking back, I recognize how there were so many people involved in bringing me to this place of faith and growing my faith beyond that moment. There was a pastor who consistently taught the Good News of Jesus. My Sunday School teacher who loved me. My parents and other friends who consistently spoke of Jesus. Together, they disrupted my life with the grace of God.

When Christian men are asked if they share their faith with others, the most common answer is “rarely.” When we probe a little deeper we find out the reason is quite often because we fear the reaction or response of the other person, or we fear not having the right words to say.

Do you see the common element here? Fear. We should never be controlled by our fears, we should be compelled by our love.

The results do not rest on your shoulders, but the effort does. In 1 Corinthians 3:6-8, Paul talks about how he planted seeds, Apollos watered those seeds, but God gave the increase. Paul and Apollos each had a role to play in people coming to know Jesus, but it was God who brought the harvest.

I have heard men say, “Share the Gospel, and if necessary, use words.” That’s a nice idea to encourage faithful living in our actions and not just our words. However, it has also become an excuse to never talk about Jesus. Jesus said, “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel” (Mark 16:15). This is not a command given to the elite Christians, it’s a calling to every Christian to speak and testify to the message of Jesus.

Every time a man who attends one of our conferences decides to begin a journey in following Jesus, I am reminded of this truth. Many other men will have walked with these men long before they ever attended one of our events. Spreading faith is a team effort, and God gets the glory.

In the past few months, I have seen so many men respond in faith to Jesus. As our conferences and other events continue across the country in the coming months, my question to you is — who are you investing in with the message of Jesus? Who can you bring with you to a conference, workshop or online event?

Let’s work together to disrupt other men’s lives with the grace of God.

About
Kirk Giles
Kirk Giles is the co-lead pastor of Forward Church in Cambridge, ON. He was formerly the President of Impactus (when it was known as Promise Keepers Canada). However, his most important roles as a man are husband to Shannon and father to Carter, Joshua, Sydney and Samuel. He is also the author of The Seasons of Fatherhood.
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Kirk Giles
Kirk Giles is the co-lead pastor of Forward Church in Cambridge, ON. He was formerly the President of Impactus (when it was known as Promise Keepers Canada). However, his most important roles as a man are husband to Shannon and father to Carter, Joshua, Sydney and Samuel. He is also the author of The Seasons of Fatherhood.