HOW TO SHARE YOUR FAITH IN 101 WORDS OR LESS

A number of young people came over from the local high school to complete a history assignment. They wanted me to tell them about Christian Faith and the history of Christianity. I asked them to come into the library and we could talk. "Actually," they said, "Couldn't you just do it in a couple of minutes? You know, the 90 words or less thing."

I can't even tell you my name in less than 90 words! What a challenge.

I ransacked my brain, trying to find some sort of outline to give them. The history part was easy. The content of the faith was the part I wanted to get right.

I rehearsed mentally the opening words of our Communion Service. "Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and blessed be his kingdom, now and forever."  That's the faith I wanted to communicate. This is what I said:

• God is.
• God loves you
• God has wonderful plans for you.
• Jesus Christ came to reveal these plans.
• The Holy Spirit comes to win you
• The Church helps you get where God wants you to be.
• Your response to this will probably be to resist everything that I have said because we are inclined to go our own way.
• The Spirit works in your life to show you that God is right and you are not. This is usually painful.
• When you finally ‘get it,' you will be grateful and will come to love God as much as He loves you.

This is theology 101: the gospel in 101 words. The kids listened. I hope this will help you to get some interested person to listen to you.