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Journey – Not Just a Buzzword

You probably know someone on a weight-loss journey, a career-change journey, or a parenting journey. We use ‘journey’ to describe all sorts of situations that are in progress, and the term can seem a little vague and nondescript. Yet the Bible is full of stories about people’s spiritual journeys, so it’s good to get to grips with the concept of a person’s very real journey toward faith in Jesus. Successful evangelism means joining those who don’t yet know Jesus on a journey of coming to faith, recognising that ‘journey’ isn’t just a buzzword but a biblical principle that informs conversion and discipleship.

A person’s journey to faith is invariably a long one. It often (though not always) includes different stages along the way (like saying a Big Yes, Little Yeses, and some Healthy Maybes). We won’t always know what part we’re playing in someone’s journey; we simply need to be prepared for a long walk (not a sprint).

You’ve probably heard people talk about someone having a ‘Damascus road experience’ – meaning an intense, dramatic, night-turned-day encounter with God. The term comes from Paul’s experience on the road to Damascus. His life was certainly never the same after that day. But interestingly, Paul himself didn’t have a ‘Damascus road experience’ in the sense we’ve come to understand it. Acts 9:1-19, Acts 22:1-21, and Acts 26:1-32 all tell his conversion story, and reveal that God had been drawing Paul to Himself for some time before that encounter on the road.

In Acts 26, Paul is on trial before Festus and King Agrippa. Festus interrupts Paul, telling him he’s out of his mind. Paul responds by assuring Festus that his testimony is both true and reasonable. You’ll probably be accused of being stupid to accept the gospel, so it’s important to learn how to present your faith in a way that’s personal and authentic but also reasonable. When we journey with people over time, they’re less likely to try and trip us up with their questions. We get the chance to show our faith is reasonable.

In Acts 26:28-29, Agrippa says to Paul, ‘Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?’ Paul answers him, ‘Short time or long – I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am…’ Paul understands it may take a long time for Agrippa to be persuaded, but he’s committed to letting that process play out.

To talk about someone’s faith ‘journey’ isn’t a buzzword or a copout. It’s the way countless believers through the ages have come to know God. Ask yourself: How can I get better at being reasonable and true in sharing my faith journey with others? How have I journeyed with people who don’t yet know Jesus? How committed am I to befriending these people for the long haul?