In Matthew 28, we’re given The Great Commission. Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
We’ve been given instructions and authority to share the good news of Jesus to our world. How can you help your students share their faith with confidence?
First, help them see the importance of sharing their faith. Everyone we know or meet is someone Jesus died for so that they could experience salvation and everlasting life.
Second, let them know that their story matters. If they made a personal decision to follow Jesus at the age of 5 or just last week, their story is meant to be shared. Salvation is not meant to be hidden or stagnant; it’s meant to be multiplied.
Next, help them find a method they can memorize so that it comes easily to say. One method we taught everyone at NTS Camp was from thefour.com. Four symbols: a heart, a division sign, a cross, and a question mark.
- The heart: God loves you unconditionally. He knows you and wants to be close to you. He wants the best for you and offers you a fulfilled life that goes beyond death.
- The division sign: By nature, we do not ask about God. We mistrust Him and go our own ways: that is what the Bible calls sin. Sin separates us forever from God and the life He has in store for us.
- The cross: God’s son, Jesus Christ, took our place on the cross, taking the consequences of sin upon himself. He died, but rose from the dead. In doing so, He bridged the separation between ourselves and God.
- The question mark: Jesus has restored the relationship between us and God. We can choose to live with God by accepting this gift through faith and by trusting Him. Would you like to do that today?
Helping your student feel confident in sharing their faith doesn’t guarantee that the people they share with will accept Jesus, but if at least one person does, the joy your student will feel from that moment is something they’ll remember forever.
Arianna Eckart
Director of NTS Camp
Photo by Rosalind Chang on Unsplash