I’ve seen it over and over again in young believers, old believers, new believers, and long-term believers; so many people don’t feel qualified to declare the gospel.
Some think that they don’t know enough, and they are waiting for the day when they’ve finally acquired sufficient knowledge to share their faith. Others are convinced that they have a boring personal testimony that no one wants to hear.
Still others believe that they are bad with words and are afraid to botch the Word of God.
Truth—Every Christ-Follower is Qualified
Jesus didn’t require his disciples to be expert theologians, but in fact chose completely normal people to be his followers. Simon Peter and Andrew were fishermen, and Matthew was a tax collector; you don’t have to be a religious studies major to share your faith.
Some believers came to Christ after years of drug addiction and violent crime, while others grew up watching Veggie Tales and playing with Noah’s Ark stuffed animals. Both types of people have equally valid testimonies, and both sides need to be heard.
Your testimony shows God’s unique way of bringing you to him, and each work of God is worthy of being proclaimed, as seen when Jesus tells the man he healed, “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you” (Luke 8:39).
To those who think that they are bad with words, I say stick with the Word that is perfect and holy, which is the Word of God. It is our weapon against evil, “the sword of the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:17) with which we are to fight all of our battles. Memorize Scripture, commit it to your heart; we must make studying the Word a priority in our lives.
As humans we don’t always have the right answer, and it’s okay to admit this flaw to non-believers. If someone asks you a question to which you don’t have an answer, just say so, and be diligent to continue the conversation after finding the right answer in Scripture.
His Grace is Enough
Above all, be obedient to God’s command for you to proclaim the gospel while understanding that he is the one who changes the hearts of men. He has chosen you to be a tool in the work of his Kingdom, and his grace is what makes you qualified to carry out this role.
If you know God, you know Jesus, and you have faith in the grace of Jesus obtained through his death and resurrection, you already have all the tools that you need to proclaim your faith to others.
Jesus tells us to “go and make disciples of all nations,” but He also promises that we won’t do it alone, because He will be with us “always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).