When I accepted Christ as a young teen with no religious background, I didn’t comprehend much about what it meant. I opened my heart to Jesus even though much of the vocabulary was unfamiliar to me. Most certainly, the trajectory of my life changed and I knew I was no longer alone.
In the following years, I took Bible courses at a Christian college and participated in many Bible studies. Gradually, my understanding of what it meant to “come to Christ” and “be saved” deepened and evolved.
I learned of The Four Spiritual Laws [1]. These were simple steps which included the basic information guiding a person to accept Christ. I heard about the Roman Road [2] using verses from the book of Romans to explain the way to salvation. More recently, I have come across tracts using a more conversational approach [3]. Though the flavor of these varies, they generally offer a simple plan to become a Chrisitan.
These writings often begin with acknowledging sin or brokenness, or perhaps an emptiness and desire to find love or belonging. The issue of sin is touched on but not emphasized. As a new Christian, I had a vague idea what this step meant. Gradually, through listening, praying, and encountering Christ, I gained a growing realization about what sin is. It’s not just naming the worst things I have done. It’s not just the horrible things I’d heard about but never done. It’s not only things in my past.
Slowly, I began to reckon with the nature of my heart and to come before God with my sinful nature. I was captivated by God’s plan and convicted of my sin. I gained a very different attitude of thankfulness for what Christ had done on my behalf. At last, I felt I had found the beginning.
When I eventually became a Bible teacher, I taught on the process of coming to Christ. I had a hard time sharing about that process without referring to my own story. I had first thought Step 1 of admitting sin was a quick preface to the important information about what God did. I side-stepped looking closely at that step. I say “side-stepped” because that was the way I always heard it presented. Perhaps it does take a very long time for insight to lead someone to absorb the impact of looking at Step 1 more closely.
However, in my current season of life, I am encountering women who have no religious background. Is there a way to share the gospel that draws more on my journey and fleshes out not only Step 1, admitting sin, but the rest of the steps? Can I share appropriately what God did for me instead of a formulaic approach? Can I use my own recognition of my human nature to demonstrate how God works in a human heart? Can I influence people for Christ with balance that will not be offputting but also maybe more honest?
These are questions I ponder as I seek to make my path more relevant to my conversations. Perhaps the result would enable me to more effectively communicate meaning to those I am encountering and save them the confusion I grappled with. Maybe many of us could become more intentional and personal about how we share Christ.