One of the best ways to teach others about God and share your faith is through stories. It's Biblical — Jesus often taught by telling parables because he knew that would be the best way to reach his audience and ensure they could remember his message.
You don't have to make up parables and stories to share your faith with others, though. You can tell the stories you remember from the Bible. Tell your grandkids about David and Goliath, for example, or share a less well-known story, such as Elijah and the false prophets on Mount Carmel, with adults in your life.
You can also tell your own stories. Let others know about your faith journey and how your walk with God has impacted your life.
Think about the books that have informed your faith journey or excited you with stories that are relevant to your faith. Loan them out to others or recommend them. That can include devotional materials, Christian nonfiction or inspirational fiction.
If you have children in your life, consider visiting the local library and checking out faith-based picture books you can read to them. Plan to spend plenty of time with this activity so you can encourage questions and discussions about what you read. You might also be able to find these types of books in a church library.
Not everyone enjoys connecting with written stories, so you might also recommend shows and movies that help share your faith. If you know someone who's interested in learning more about the life of Jesus and the disciples, for example, you might point them to the television show The Chosen. Remember to let people know that nothing replaces the actual Biblical account, so they may want to return to the Scripture after they watch a show or movie that helps them understand the overall story.
Consider sharing your heart with others via written cards and letters. These are great ways to let someone know you're thinking of them, you appreciate them or you love them. You can also share fun things about your own life or write about what you see God doing in your life or theirs.
You can choose a designed card that has a Scripture verse on the front or printed inside to share a specific Bible verse with your message. Or you can pick out a verse that reminds you of the person or is otherwise relevant to your message and share it in the letter.
Posting Bible verses on social media is a popular way to share Scripture with others. You can post text versions or pretty images with Bible verses as part of the design. Consider adding to the post, though, with your own thoughts. What makes the verse special to you that day? What did you take from Bible study that might be interesting to others? How has the verse played out in your life recently or in the past? These types of connections can help other people engage more with the Scriptures.
One of the reasons it's important for believers to study the Bible regularly, memorizing verses and stories, is so they can leverage them in their day-to-day life. For example, when you're feeling down or angry and a certain Bible verse pops into your head, it can help you to react to the situation in a more Christlike manner. But knowledge of the Bible can also help you share these stories and Biblical wisdom with others in day-to-day conversation.
Finally, a great way to share the Bible with others is to dig into it with friends and family. Consider how you can study the Bible with other people. If you live in an independent or assisted living community, such as the locations under the Bethesda Senior Living Communities umbrella, you may be able to join an existing Bible study activity or start your own with neighbors. You might also join in a Bible study at a local church or read through the same devotional as a loved one and discuss it over the phone once a week.
By making a commitment to engaging with God's Word yourself, you can better share it with others throughout your life.
