Overcoming Awkwardness: Sharing Your Faith Early with Non-Believers

The Blue Cord, by iHOPE Ministries

About the Guest:

• Clay is a talented worship leader and church planter.
• He has been working behind the scenes editing all the Blue Cord Podcast episodes.
• Clay and his wife, Beth, have been dear friends of the hosts for over a decade.
• They have traveled the world together, shining the light of Jesus and sharing their faith.
• Clay's personal journey has taught him to shine his light for Jesus in his everyday life.

Episode Summary:

In this episode, Karen and Clay discuss the common problem of not knowing how to bring up spiritual topics or share their faith with non-believers. They share personal stories and practical strategies for overcoming the awkwardness and fear associated with sharing one's faith. Clay emphasizes the importance of having a faith worth sharing and allowing God to break your heart for people. He also highlights the power of love as a motivator for sharing one's faith and encourages listeners to step out in faith and identify themselves with Jesus early on in relationships.

Key Takeaways:

• It can be awkward and challenging to bring up spiritual topics or share one's faith with non-believers, especially if the relationship has been established for a while.
• The fear of rejection or judgment often holds people back from sharing their faith, but it's important to remember that sharing one's faith is an act of love and not a withdrawal from the person.
• Asking God to break your heart for people is a transformative step in overcoming fear and awkwardness and developing a genuine desire to share your faith.
• Identifying yourself with Jesus early on in relationships sets a foundation for authentic conversations about faith and opens the door for future discussions.
• Sharing your faith is not about convincing or converting others, but about letting them know why you believe what you believe and allowing God to work in their lives.

Notable Quotes:

• "Do you have a faith worth sharing?" - Karen
• "If you can answer that question with a resounding yes, then it changes everything." - Clay
• "Sharing your faith is not about withdrawing something from the person, but about offering them something valuable." - Clay
• "Let God break your heart for the nations, and everything else will fall into place." - Clay

Resources:

• The Blue Cord Podcast website: TheBlueCord.org

Stay tuned for more inspiring episodes of The Blue Cord Podcast and continue to be an authentic witness in your daily life.

Chapters:

00:01:00 The challenge of bringing up spiritual topics in relationships
00:02:00 Clay's personal experience with sharing his faith
00:03:00 The importance of a heart change and love for others
00:06:00 Overcoming the fear of awkwardness in sharing faith
00:10:00 Practical tools and strategies for starting conversations
00:14:00 Norma's perspective on identifying herself with Jesus
00:16:00 Jesus' authenticity in his relationship with the Father
00:21:00 Clay shares a personal story of sharing faith and experiencing God's provision
00:25:00 Karen's experience of fear and boldness in sharing faith
00:27:00 Authenticity in sharing faith leads to open conversations
02:28:00 Encouragement to overcome fear and let God break your heart for people