When you hear that Christians are to share their faith with others, what sort of feelings and emotions arise within you? You may feel a rush of nervousness, fear, excitement, anticipation or even guilt. All these things are normal. However, living in the freedom that comes from knowing Christ and sharing this freedom with others can be challenging. It can feel intimidating and tough to know where to start.

As a coach or athlete, you have numerous opportunities to share the love of Jesus with your teammates by how you play, lead, respond to wins and losses, and interact with your team. It's the small things that set you apart and cause people to wonder what makes you different.

So, where do you start?

Know Your Freedom

"You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." -John 8:32

Sometimes we can quickly forget our freedom in knowing Jesus as our Savior. We can get caught up in the grind of the day-to-day and forget to pause and remember what a gift it is to be known and be loved by the Savior of the world. If you know Jesus, you have been set free by His truth. But only some know this truth, and only some know what it means to be truly free.

Without freedom in Christ, the highs and lows of life hit differently. Coaches and athletes who aren't yet competing with a greater purpose may experience burnout from the constant striving and believing that who they are is measured by what they do or accomplish.

There is freedom available to them. But, they may need a friend or teammate to help them experience the only truth that can set them free from striving and help them compete for something more.

Ways to share the freedom you have in Christ:

• Being joyful, despite circumstances.

• Endurance through trials you face.

• Being free from the pressures to succeed.

• Loving and encouraging them with God's truth.

Read the rest of the article to learn how to share your faith with your teammates.

-FCA-