Spreading the Good News - Part 1
By Lydia N.
Cross at sunset by marydan15 from Getty Images Created in Canva
NorthStar Academy is a Christian school. But, what exactly does it mean to be a Christian? Some treat Christianity, and perhaps religion in general, as just another aspect of one’s identity. I’m a daughter, a singer, a writer, and a Christian. But, allow me to challenge that prospect.
For example, when introducing myself, I would never say, “I’m a daughter, a singer, a writer, and a human.” While accurate, there would be no need to use that word when describing yourself, as it wouldn’t distinguish you from anyone else unless there were other, non-humans around you. Being human describes the species - the world - you come from.
But what if there were other aliens or other species around you? Say the Vulcans from Star Trek or Jawas from Star Wars were real, and active on Earth. There would certainly be a need to distinguish which world you came from when describing yourself to someone else. Jesus prays in John 17:14-15, “I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one.” Jesus says here that His followers are not of the world. Which world? This world - the world of the “flesh.” (The world of sin!) 1 John 2:16 says, “For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.”
Christians are taken from the world of sin into God’s world. If you believe in Christianity, you should want to tell others of the great news that you now know - that Jesus was sent to earth to be perfect and die in our place! He died so that we could be in His world, rather than this broken, sinful one.
In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus says, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore 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 that I have commanded you.”
Student Spotlight
Meet Sarah and Samara, fellow high school students here at NorthStar. We’ll follow their stories throughout this series to see how they shared the Gospel! Look out for the “Student Spotlight” sections throughout this series to learn more about their stories.
Let’s explore Samara’s story!
Samara: Once, I was in the park, and I made friends with an Arabic girl there. She asked me about my religion, since I look Arabic, but I don't act it. When I told her I was Christian, she talked for a long time about how if I became a Muslim, everything would be nicer, and you just had to pray to Allah and follow the five pillars of Islam. Then, I asked her a question. "Do you know if when you die you are going to heaven?" She answered, " No, that is up to Allah." Then I told her, " That is one reason I cannot become a Muslim. I know I'm going to heaven when I die."
Samara did a great job sharing the Gospel. Why? Because she followed 1 Peter 3:15, which says, “But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.” We can see from these two verses that we are supposed to live out the Good News, and when others notice how we act differently than the world, we should tell others about God and provide a reason for why we have this hope inside of us - just like Samara did!
Apologetics is the name for the art of defending your faith and beliefs! Throughout this series, I’ll be talking about three ways we can share our faith with others, (just like Sarah and Samara) even though it may seem scary at first!
The three things we need to do to share our faith are:
Be familiar with what Scripture teaches.
Be familiar with what others think.
Communicate God’s Words to others with the help of the Holy Spirit.
You can find the other parts of this article here to read more!
Columns: ✝️Spiritual Life
Lydia N. lives in Kansas City with her mom, stepdad, and dog, Pippin. This is her third year at NSA, her second on Student Council, and her second as the Editor-in-Chief for The NorthStar Navigator. She hopes to pursue a career in digital marketing and graphic design in the future, as well as pursue her acting and singing dreams.