Sharing Our Faith/Missions - Part 1

“And you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8b
 
A witness is someone who testifies about the truthfulness of an event. Though translated “witness” in English, it comes from the Greek word “Martys” from which we get the word martyr. Even though we think of a martyr as someone who dies for a cause, a martyr is someone who is so convinced about the facts that he or she would rather die than deny what they know to be true. 
 
When Jesus calls us to be witnesses, He is asking us to tell others the true story of our very real God. Because we are so convinced that God is at work, we speak about Him with unshakeable confidence. And every time God demonstrates His active work in our lives, we have a new story to share with others. 
 
Our dinner table happens to be one of those places where we tell the stories of the day. What happened at school? Who did you play with? What did you learn? As they grow older our kids are beginning to ask us about our day as well. Often our adult stories revolve around conversations with friends, or productive things we were able to accomplish. Our table is the perfect place to practice being a witness for Christ. 
 
When you sit down as a family tell stories about people who expressed kindness, helpfulness or compassion. Talk about the day’s examples of courage or endurance. Share an observation of someone who was willing to give up their own agenda in order to be at peace with others. Recounting spiritual stories at home becomes the training ground for being a witness for Christ in the world. 
 
My daughter, Molly, loves to tell about the night at camp when they remembered the story of Jesus’ death for our sins. It was a moving experience for her whole cabin.   Every time she tells someone about it, she not only recounts the truth of what happened with her friends that evening, she also retells the story of our Savior’s self-sacrifice.   Being a witness can be just that simple. 
 
What story do you have to tell today? Go ahead, be a witness. 
 

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Camper Corner: Think of a story from camp (or church, or life in general) that illustrates something cool about God. Then get ready. When a friend asks you, “What have you been doing this summer?” Tell them your story!