Acting on the Word, moving from passively hearing the Bible to becoming a “doer of the word,” a nod to the verse James 1:22, requires stepping out into the unknown. And from what I have found, nothing compares to the excitement of getting out there and sharing Jesus with strangers. Scripture makes it clear that we are all called to share the Gospel. This is central to the Great Commission across the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, and Paul reinforces it in 2 Timothy 4:2, charging us all to preach the word in every season. Taking a backseat and allowing only “trained professionals” to share Jesus with others is not acting on the Word. Since we are all called to speak the name of Jesus to others, when we operate in faith and go out there, God will give you the words when you do the work. Since He has called each of us to minister to others, it is really invigorating to get out there, and as I write this note, I am personally attesting to God giving you the words to speak with others. Encouragingly, when you share His truth, the words- great words- just come to you and flow off your lips. It is awesome!
To illustrate this, here is my retelling of a recent trip to Pittsburgh, where I stepped out in faith to talk with people about Jesus. From this trip, I learned that effective ministry is not about reaching massive numbers; it is about engaging deeply with a handful of individuals. Sometimes God will call you to share your personal testimony, while other times—like this trip—the focus will be on a simple theme, such as eternity. Either way, before heading out to evangelize, I highly recommend writing out your story first (you can read my personal testimony here). Because God faithfully leads you to the exact people He wants you to meet, every encounter becomes deeply meaningful and eventful.
My time in Pittsburgh began in the downtown Cultural District. While filming in the area, I noticed two young men: one leaning on a concrete bollard and another seated on a nearby bench with a young woman (whom he later said was his girlfriend). Camera and microphone in hand, I approached them. The young man by the bollard graciously agreed to talk, even without knowing where the conversation would lead. I opened by acknowledging his youth and the long life ahead of him, before pointing out the most sobering reality that 100% of people die. I then asked him if he knew where he would spend eternity.
This opening led into a great conversation, especially when his friend joined in. While his friend had a solid baseline understanding of Christ and salvation, the concept seemed entirely new. I explained the simple biblical framework found in Romans 10:9, which teaches that salvation comes only through confessing with your mouth and believing in your heart that Jesus is the Lord. At that point, his friend shared with deep scriptural insight, admitting concern over how he had fallen away. I used the opportunity to remind him that God’s mercies are new every morning, and I encouraged him, in a roundabout kind of way, to pick up his cross and follow Christ. We closed our time together in prayer. I later wished I had given him my contact information so he could have a source if he needed an accountability friend to encourage him in his faith. But, overall, my first evangelistic trip to Pittsburgh was a huge success!
Shortly afterward, as I headed back toward my car, I spotted a man wearing a cowboy hat. So, I walked up to him and asked if I could interview him. He graciously agreed, sharing that he was visiting from Kentucky for a commercial trucking convention. After he talked a bit about trucks, God gave me the words to connect with his earlier commentary, where I basically said: “Trucks have a shelf life. Even the best ones expire after a million miles. Just like a truck, our time on earth is limited. Do you know where you will go when your time comes?” At this point, the man affirmed his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, which led to a wonderful but brief conversation. Before long, we exchanged Facebook contacts, and he kindly invited me to grab ice cream with his friends. I later found out that the man was Hunter Shearer, the Chief Growth Officer at the Truck Parking Club. Hunter was a super nice guy, and the business he promotes is really interesting and offers a highly valuable service to American industry.
While we were standing on the street enjoying ice cream, a woman approached us, drawn by Hunter’s cowboy hat. She appeared to be struggling with drug addiction. Right then and there, God gave me the words to speak to her heart: “I believe God wants to heal you from your pain.” The statement was simple yet profound. She immediately teared up, visibly moved by the moment. After she shared that she had already professed Christ, I encouraged her to lean into Him for the healing I had mentioned to her. Then I prayed over her, keeping my eyes open to stay aware of the spiritual environment in case a demon would attack me through her.
Reflecting on that encounter later, I was reminded of Christ’s words to “go and sin no more,” which importantly sparks a reminder for me to pray for her, and for anyone who reads this post to do the same, asking Jesus that she will be healed from her pain and no longer seek drugs as a means to subdue the scars in her memories that she appears to be burdened by. But from all of these experiences I had in the City of Pittsburgh, with the interesting opportunity to ultimately step out and meet only the individuals Christ placed in my path, the trip, most importantly, gave me the chance to serve as a vessel for His message, which proved deeply profound. And as I think of this person, I pray for her healing in Jesus’ name. Amen.
I hope this writing serves as encouragement to you to go out and meet people. Keep things unusual in your life. Do something new today. Be a vessel for Jesus and let Him use you to help bring hope and healing to others with the important Gospel message of salvation and healing.
