Faith Sharing

We live in a curious time. People are often curious about other’s religious perspectives, but seldom inquisitive enough to come right out and ask…what do you believe? The often-quoted statement that people do well not to talk about religion and politics runs contrary to conversations and inquiry everywhere. Major newspapers today have religion columnists; news personnel discuss politics in all kinds of political dialogue and often from partisan viewpoints. What is hard to understand is why so few of the religious community are offered a real voice in such public matters, but only a few “representative,” to use the term loosely, spokespersons. As always, media is seeking
the momentum of viewers, listeners, or readers. Ratings that generate advertising dollars mean more than content or integrity it would seem. Controversy and generating classic conflicts is more appealing for the needed result.
But faith sharing is at the heart of the gospel. Telling others about Jesus Christ is the basic mission of the church as we teach, baptize, and make disciples who seek to learn and grow in their relationships as followers of Jesus Christ. So why is it that we seem to have such a difficult time getting around to doing just that?
One issue is the great divide created by the actions of the church during certain periods of her history. Divisions between clergy and laity became such that at times only the clergy were generally given access to the biblical texts. At other times, clergy alone were regarded as approved to baptize or to authorize the giving of the Lord’s Supper. The authority of clergy became institutionalized to the degree that the implications for laity were often to be sidelined as public witnesses in the context of worship, and led often to the implication that it was not appropriate to go to another layperson for information about the bible or Christ, but only clergy. In other words, a wall of separation was established, more by practice than intention, but nonetheless, often abided by in terms of practical application. Laypersons lost their voice, and their sense of calling, and their capacity to access the biblical texts. It was a difficult time for the church in general. Abuse was easy. People who did not read the scriptures seldom had a strong capacity to communicate the message contained in them. Sadly, some unscrupulous types within the ranks of the clergy were even able to abuse the general public in their own misuse of texts to accommodate their own interests. Out of this context the Protestant Reformation emerged, first from within the church and then of necessity outside of the Roman Catholic tradition. Interestingly, a general reform occurred within the Roman church as a result of those initial protests that initiated Protestant groups.
One of the significant parts of this historical movement came with the availability of printed scriptures and the broader dissemination of the biblical texts to the larger public. The availability of scripture for public reading was a radical departure from previous days and yet it opened the windows of understanding and knowledge for multitudes. As literacy in general spread through the population, even greater access to the scriptures opened the way for broader focus upon the study of the Bible.
It has been in these more recent centuries that the church has had available in wide use the scriptures. Yet once more, it seems the church has entered the dark ages. Biblical illiteracy is a staggering reality within much of the community of faith. In other words, people own bibles, but do not read them. People carry bibles but do not know what is in them. People talk about the bible often, but without a regular pattern of reading and understanding. Why? Largely, because we are a less literate culture than in the past. This generation of Americans, for example, have a smaller usable vocabulary than the generation before them. We have diminished our own use of language. Little wonder that we do not have the facility of thought and ability to delve into the challenging words of Holy writ.
For Baptists, the writing has been on the wall…we have institutionally supported and promoted education while in practice we have dismantled a strong church focus upon discipleship programs and personal bible study. Sunday School, initially focusing upon children’s literacy in its infancy, and growing to a large adult bible study movement in the early 20th century, is now largely in neglected decline in most churches. It is unusual to see persons in large numbers even bringing their own bibles to church any more.
The Bible is not a collection of stories to be regarded as an equal to any other book on the shelf. It is the living word of our living God! It is the testimony of God’s revelation of Himself to humankind. It is the work of divine initiative and inspiration. God used many to carry forward through history the story of His actions and instruction for our blessing. The words they recorded from the oral history of ancient days to the letters of the New Testament churches were shared for our blessing, our understanding, and our faith.
John’s gospel so specifically declares, “But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:31 NRSV)
So where is our faith story being told? Is it the sole proprietorship of our pulpiteers or professional ministers? Heaven forbid. Is it the commodity to be distributed by the most successful talking heads on the religious broadcasting network? Probably not. Is it the word of faith, born from above, that is ours to share with family, friends and neighbors? Undoubtedly so….at least according to what Jesus said. And if we really believe what we have come to know by faith…we will also understand that our story of faith is ours to share and no one can refute what we know by experience. In other words…God gives you and I the opportunity and responsibility to bear witness to our faith and trust in Him daily. We give witness of something to everyone all the time.
Are we living the abundant life in Christ? Are we sharing the story of Jesus? Are we following Him with the commitments of our time, talents, and resources?
Someone once said, “A mind is a terrible thing to waste.” What about a living soul? What about a child for whom Christ died? What about the friend or family member near you who needs to know Jesus? Start sharing what you know…soon…with someone near you. Trust God to use your witness for His purpose. Results are His business. Our responsibility is to share what we know. God is good. God is love. God sent His Son to save us. It is time once more that believers join together…so that our faith “is proclaimed throughout the world.” (Romans 1:8b)
It is time that we share, “No one who believes in him will be put to shame.” (Romans 10:11) “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13) That witness will come in answer to the questions…”But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him?” (Romans 10:14) Those are questions you and I must answer with our actions.