Having a Christ-centered family is ideal. However, in reality there are many families where some members are unbelievers. Still, as a Christian, you can't just give up on your non-Christian family or relatives. You know deep in your heart God's Good News and if you really care about your loved ones, you'd also want them to hear the Good News, right? So, how do you introduce Jesus and evangelize to them?
It Is Your Duty
Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." – Matthew 28:18-20
As Christians, we have the duty to share the gospel with others so that they can be saved. This is a command from Jesus.
Show the Walk
Now that your duty is clear, how do you do it? Hesitation is understandable. You don't want to force it as this can push your non-believer relative further away. Yet, you don't want to create a bigger space between you that you can't fix.
Words can only mean so much. If you keep saying the same things when you try to introduce Jesus to them, it will become repetitive and meaningless. To begin evangelizing, you should show your walk with Jesus. Simply put, show Jesus' goodness through your actions. Show your commitment to Sunday worship services. Always be kind, gentle, and generous to others. Show how you resist temptation and try your best to flee from sin.
Your relatives don't need to hear everything you say. When they see your good works and how Jesus works in you, they'll open their minds and hearts more naturally.
Show the Talk
Jesus always preached about the right things to do. But, do you think His believers simply took His offer based on what He said? Of course, not. His apostles and the people who believed in Him saw that His actions reflected his sermons.
Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." – Colossians 4:6
It is not enough for you to preach or talk about what's right and wrong. You should enforce it in your own house and wherever you go. Commit to your principles. Don't use foul language and lie. Don't gossip. Don't be sarcastic, make rude comments, and hurt others through your words. Rather, always speak to inspire, to empower, to motivate, to show love, to uplift, and to support.
Be A Reflection of God
Actions will always speak louder than words, especially if your non-Christian family has no interest in what you have to say. Remember, it's not what you say, it's how you say it, so you must start with walking the talk.
Nowadays, people hang on to proof rather than promises. Think about this when you're evangelizing. Be a living example of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Never fail to show love, patience, kindness, gentleness, peace, and self-control. They can pick up on this easily.
On the other hand, this doesn't mean that you wouldn't try to use your words to share the gospel. Don't feel ashamed if they keep rejecting you. At first, your goal is to make them hear you and later, that they'll listen to you. It will take time for them to see and observe how to live what you believe, but if you are consistent, this will already plant a seed in their mind.
You can go further by offering support when they're going through tough times. Pray with them and make them see the power of prayer. Share a Bible verse that's timely so they can realize that God is someone who is relatable after all. Invite them to church, show them what a supportive community the church is.
Of course, your efforts can only go so far. So, you must always pray to God to help you in evangelizing to your non-Christian family. God is always waiting for that perfect timing, but since you don't know when that is, you must keep trying. Just remember, God is with you in every step, and you must realize that God is already working on the heart of your loved ones because God love us all.
