Defending Your Hope!

Stockton-on-Tees Town Centre Market, Northumberland, England. Photo by Stockton Borough Council.

but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong.

1 Peter 3:15-17 (NASB)

I remember a time about twenty-four years ago I stood on Stockton High Street on market day  with a few other young men and shared the gospel. I had a brief taster of street evangelism previously in the Salvation Army in the 1980s. In the picture above we stood in the left of the picture, at the top of the main market walkway which is a prime position to speak to folk as they enter or leave the market. We took turns about sharing a word of testimony or a gospel verse, and mingling with the bystanders to chat or pray with them. It was a thrilling day filled with both sincere and strong discussions, we prepared beforehand with a prayer and Bible reading at the church – it was important to be ready spiritually. On that day I discovered that using people skills learned in sales work was priceless when sharing Jesus with strangers; these gifts were God given for such a time as this day in Stockton. I went on to do more street evangelism in future years, in parts of Fife. 

Due to health constraints and family duties these days are in the past now, but I still seek opportunities every day to share some Good News with individuals I meet. When I see new ways of sharing, either in articles or videos, my heart thumps a bit faster with excitement. I see the work of evangelism not just as sharing, but also as a way of explaining/defending the hope of Christ that others see in me. Just as if I was trying to sell a product in my past, the gospel must be shared with care, but yet more care since it is a life changing message! In my opinion sharing Jesus is 70% listening, 20% showing love and 10% speaking – in this unselfish approach success isn’t completely guaranteed, but does have a good chance.

Dear reader, are you able to share Jesus with others? Don’t panic, it doesn’t require preaching but only the ability to share a single verse or testimony of how Jesus helps you. Even if you are shy, at the end of your conversation saying “can I give you this?” and handing a tract over is great work for Jesus. I recently watched a movie called “The Letter Writer” about an elderly man in a care home who wrote encouraging letters to strangers picked out of the telephone directory; what an inspiring story that was! It set light to an idea in my heart to do the same with notelet cards with folk I don’t know yet in church – please pray for my outreach with this in 2022. What ideas has God given you recently to share hope with others, that you may know or not know?

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