May 1, 2007

Sharing with Family

Matt and I shared Christ (law to the proud, grace to the humble) with his family a few months ago. Keep in mind as you read this that since it has been some time, our outlook is better now. At the time this experience was very painful. This is long because I want to use it to encourage those who have similar experiences.

Matt's parents are Catholic. We both had concerns about their salvation, though. We found out on Christmas (Eve?) of 2005 that his dad is not a believer because of a conversation with him about who God is - although he would probably disagree. We had concerns about Matt's mom although we couldn't really pin-point anything. Conversations with her about God are always very vague. We both assumed that she was a non-growing, uneducated (in the Bible) believer.

At church we had just started the Basic Training Course and so Matt and I now knew how to share our faith the way Jesus did! This was life-changing for us to learn this!

We invited them over for desert. It was suppose to be very easy. Lisa W. talked with me that day and asked how I thought it would go... I said, "Oh, just fine." I was so excited to finally have the words to use to make them see their NEED for a savior. I thought that they would say, "Oh, yes! I need you Jesus!" This is that attitude I went into the evening with.

To put it mildly, I was wrong. Out of respect for them, lets just say that they were upset. The evening ended with his mom crying and his dad angerly ushering Matt's teenage brother, his mom and himself out the front door without any "goodbyes." We, and Matt's mom, found out that night that she is not a believer in Jesus Christ - that she does not have a relationship with Him.

A few days later Matt sat down with his mom again - just the two of them. He talked to her about her misunderstandings about what we were saying to her. She said that she was not ready to give her life over to Christ. He suggested that she read Romans. As far as we know, she is still at the same place - not ready and not reading - but at least now she has come fact-to-face with her actual position in life.

His dad went home that night and got out the Bible and another Catholic book (about rules or something?). I think he was trying to figure out if what we said was true or not. Yeah! He is very angry towards the things of God. More so now. At least he is not pacified!! Yeah!

We've left tracts at their house recently (the "God has a wonderful plan for your life" tract with the burly guy hitting the guy wearing a cross - check it out at http://www.livingwaters.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=203 and also a funny one-liners tract). I just set them down without them knowing... Obviously once they found them they would have known, though. :c)

We see no good fruit yet but we are trusting in the Lord and believe that it is there even if we don't see it. We give Him all the praise!! And, I believe that He will do a good work in them. Especially his dad (after having a dream recently about his dad becoming a Christian).

We have also shared with his grandparents with similar feelings although much more contained. Anger from his grandpa (very contained) and his grandma thinks that I've "joined a cult" but that she still loves me. :c)

I have shared with my teenage brother which hasn't gone "badly" although I think he has gotten annoyed.

What we have learned (in no particular order):


  1. A bad reaction is actually a good thing. Surprise! It shows that a nerve has been hit. It takes a lot of work to break up a hard heart but it must be done before the gospel can take root. Otherwise, you end up with false conversions.
  2. It is hard to share with family - even though you care the most about them!
  3. When sharing, do it in the most compassionate way possible (tone of voice, body language, timing) but then leave the results up to God.
  4. Do it anyway. How angry will they be if you never share with them and they end up in Hell? Read the Bible... This is reality.
  5. The WOTM Intermediate Course has a session on sharing with family. They have good application helps. My favorite is to pair up with another person and you talk to their family and they talk to yours. Then they can just write it off as a "crazy friend" instead. But, then again, Jesus did say...

For I have come to turn

" 'a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law - a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.' " Matthew 10:35,36

And on that note...

Sarah B.

(written in July)