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Persecution in Lebanon

Hi, I’m John Sorensen, President of Evangelism Explosion International, and you’re listening to Share Life Today.
As we conclude this week talking about the church globally and how we’re called to go to the nations, I wanted to share a testimony with you from a challenging part of the world. Made up of the former Soviet Union and most of the Middle East, Central Asia is a region where persecution happens almost every day to Christ-followers. And yet, God is moving mightily in these countries. For instance, in a small village in Lebanon, a family heard the Gospel from a team of Christians who knocked on their door. The husband, the wife, and all the children gave their hearts to Christ that day. And the villagers were not pleased and began persecuting them heavily. However, God used these same Christians who led the family to Christ to share with the villagers also, and their minds were changed. So let's be encouraged today to step out ourselves and to share the Gospel. You can learn more about how you can share your faith at www.sharelife.today. That’s www.sharelife.today.

Rejoice in Persecution

Hi, I’m John Sorensen, President of Evangelism Explosion International, and you’re listening to Share Life Today.
In His famous Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven." You know, persecution can be a difficult topic to talk about; and yet if we are followers of Christ, Jesus Himself said that we will face it. But it will not be in vain. Christ promises that when we share in His sufferings by facing insults and false accusations that there is a reward. When I read this, I am encouraged that firstly, I am not in this alone—Jesus has experienced the very same rejection. And secondly, there is no reason to be scared to share my faith because even if it ends in persecution, my Savior says, “Rejoice.” So let's take heart and share! For more, visit www.sharelife.today.

A Taste of Heaven

Hi, I’m John Sorensen, President of Evangelism Explosion International, and you’re listening to Share Life Today.
The auditorium was packed. As I stopped and looked around, I heard dozens of languages being spoken at the same time. We all settled into our seats as our time together was called to order. This was Evangelism Explosion's third Congress of Nations, and eighty-three different countries were represented. During that morning, we sang "How Great is Our God" (which is a powerful song in and of itself), but this time the worship leader asked for everyone to sing in their own language. Words cannot describe the beauty of that moment—where Arabic was sung alongside Czech and Fijian. And you know, this is exactly what heaven is going to be like—because every tribe, tongue, and nation will be there. And we have the privilege of inviting people to be a part of that group by sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ! So let’s be part of that day by being bold witnesses for God today. For more on how, visit www.sharelife.today.

Join in Prayer

Hi, I’m John Sorensen, President of Evangelism Explosion International, and you’re listening to Share Life Today.
In the book of Ephesians, we read, "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people." So let us not neglect praying for our brothers and sisters all around the world. They’re fighting for their faith on their knees; and often, both their lives and livelihoods are in jeopardy simply for following Christ. So how can we join them in prayer? Well firstly, we should pray for their safety as they worship and share the Gospel in cultures that discriminate against them for their faith. Secondly, we should pray for resources, as many of our brothers and sisters face poverty, hunger, and disease. And thirdly, we should pray for perseverance—that even despite what they face that they continue to grow in their walks with Christ and share it with others who need the same hope. Want specific requests you can pray for? Visit our website and sign up as a prayer partner at www.sharelife.today.

Our First Concern

Hi, I’m John Sorensen, President of Evangelism Explosion International, and you’re listening to Share Life Today.
"Therefore go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit; teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." Have you ever heard this famous Biblical passage before? You know, it's called the Great Commission, and it's Christ's final command to us before He returned to Heaven. Unfortunately, it can be something that Christians ignore for a number of reasons. One of them is that we get involved in all kinds of seemingly good things that keep us all too busy. Jim Collins wrote a widely used book in the business world that opens with this statement, “Good is the enemy of great.” And so many times we get involved in all kinds of good things; and yet, they are not the great thing that we could be doing in seeing men and women come to Jesus. Christ said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” And His last command should be out first concern. For more resources on sharing the Gospel, visit www.sharelife.today

Pile Up The Stones

Hi, I’m John Sorensen, President of Evangelism Explosion International, and you’re listening to Share Life Today.
Psalm 36:5 tells us, “Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.” And it’s so true—God is faithful. And I love telling other people about how faithful He’s been to me. Now, it reminds me of the passage in Joshua 4, where the Israelites cross over the Jordan River. When God parted the waters, Joshua commanded one man from each one of the twelve tribes to pick up a stone from the bottom of the river. And on the other side, they piled up these stones up as a monument to God’s faithfulness in preparing a way for them through the Jordan. As forgetful people, we need to do the same. We need to inscribe on our hearts the acts of faithfulness that God has done in our lives and boldly share them with others. And you know what? God will use them to open conversation. Visit whatsmystory.org for our free online testimony builder. Learn more at sharelife.today.

Make the Contrast

Hi, I’m John Sorensen, President of Evangelism Explosion International, and you’re listening to Share Life Today.
What have you seen God do in your life? Now, the truth is, we all have hundreds of what we like to call “God stories.” These are times you’ve experienced God moving in your life, like a change that He’s brought about, an answered prayer, a restored relationship, or the moment you put your saving faith in Jesus. Now when sharing one of your “God stories” with another person, make the contrast for them. Start with what life was like before the change or before God stepped in. And then, share what God did. End your testimony with something about the confidence that you have concerning Heaven and eternal life. An example would be something like, “The greatest thing of all of this is that I know for sure that if I died today, I’m going to go to Heaven.” This leads very naturally to asking them questions about their own spiritual life and sharing the Gospel with them! Visit whatsmystory.org for our free online testimony builder. Learn more at www.sharelife.today.

Be Genuine

Hi, I’m John Sorensen, President of Evangelism Explosion International, and you’re listening to Share Life Today.
In a culture that combats finding what is true and what’s a lie, people now more than ever are looking for genuine, authentic relationships. They want to hear the truth. When it comes to sharing our testimonies, it’s important to remember to be genuine and vulnerable when telling others our story. God may have you sharing with a Divine Appointment—a person that He has drawn to you to hear your story for a purpose. It could be the very same struggles or hurts that you’ve faced they’re facing now. It could be the very things God has redeemed in your life they’re dealing with in their own life. So make sure to ask the Holy Spirit to guide your conversation about what you should share, and be open and truthful with what God has done in your life. Not sure how to share your testimony? Well, visit whatsmystory.org to use our free online testimony builder. You can learn more at our website www.sharelife.today.

The Power of Your Testimony

Hi, I’m John Sorensen, President of Evangelism Explosion International, and you’re listening to Share Life Today.
I meet a lot of Christians who tell me that their story doesn't matter. Maybe that’s you! Have you ever questioned the significance of your testimony or thought that no one was interested in hearing it? Allow me to share a profound truth from Revelation 12:11 with you: “And they overcame [the enemy] by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony…” Your testimony is not just a story but a powerful tool in the hands of God. When Jesus healed the man filled with demons in the Gadarenes, He said, “Go home to your friends and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you and how he has had compassion on you.” We are called to do the same! Often, when people hear about how Jesus has changed our lives, it leads to an opportunity to share the Gospel. Visit whatsmystory.org to use our free online testimony builder. Learn more at www.sharelife.today.

Make The Connection

Hi, I’m John Sorensen, President of Evangelism Explosion International, and you’re listening to Share Life Today.
How do we make the connection? When it comes to sharing the most important part of our lives, our relationship with Jesus, how do we naturally and lovingly start the conversation? Well, think about what you like to talk about with your friends. You want to hear about their life! And this is true about your coworkers, friends, and family—they want to know about your life, too. You might be surprised at how many of them would love to hear your story about how Jesus has changed your life. This is why our testimonies are so powerful! God has crafted the human heart to connect with others through sharing experiences. Jesus connected with people the same way—through hearing their stories and sharing with them about Who He is—the Savior who has come to redeem them. Need help in knowing how to share your testimony and the Gospel? Visit whatsmystory.org to use our free online testimony builder. Learn more at www.sharelife.today.