For many Christians, the question is not whether we should be visible about our faith, but how. How do we stand for what we believe in a culture where Christian truths and opinions can sometimes be viewed as confrontational or antagonistic? How do we shine our light without constantly feeling that we are looking for an argument?

This is not about pointing out collective Christian shortcomings or suggesting that, as a Christian culture, we are not doing enough to positively influence society. That is not my heart. Instead, I want to take a practical look at some of the simple ways we can make our faith visible without denying Christ or shying away from the Great Commission.

Because there is a Great Commission. Mark 16:15 puts it plainly: “He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.’”

Plain and clear, right?

For some people, particularly those who are naturally bold or gifted in evangelism, living this out can seem easy peasy. For others, it is not quite so straightforward. So I want to dig into this a little and look at what we can practically do to make a difference and, yes, take a stand in a secular world.

WEAR WHO YOU ARE

I own a shop in Cornwall, so I meet hundreds of people, and there is something striking that I notice over and again. You can read a lot about people by what they choose to present to the world.

People wear their interests, opinions, approach to life and even what is important to them through their appearance. Whether it is tattoos, a slogan tee, jewellery, including pentagrams and skulls, badges, piercings, signature rings or a particular hat style, people often literally ‘show’ you something about who they are.

Well, we can do the same.

Wearing a cross, a Jesus tattoo, a dove symbol or a positive faith-based slogan can be a simple way of showing who we are. I’m not suggesting that Christians should have a particular ‘look’, in the same way that goths or bikers might, for example. But there is nothing wrong with allowing what we wear to say something about what matters to us.

It doesn’t actively preach, but imagine if Christians did this one small thing daily and mindfully. Our faith would become a little more visible, and perhaps we would feel a little less fringe and marginalised. Bring it on, I say!

SOCIAL MEDIA POST

Are you, like me, sometimes overwhelmed and fatigued by contentious social media posts? There is plenty of Christian clickbait out there designed to stir heated debate.

I’m not saying that this is necessarily wrong, but there are other ways to present our faith, God’s love and the gospel message without every conversation becoming an argument.

Our own experiences and testimonies are a great place to start. Our personal profiles can carry messages of light, faith, hope, love and encouragement. That in itself is a way of standing up and being counted in a secular society.

If you’re a little nervous, start with small declarations of faith and work towards something more meaningful. But don’t keep putting it off. Start somewhere.

CONTENT

Yes, in ‘buzzword bingo’, we have arrived at one of the biggest words of our time: ‘content’.

For many of us creatives, content sits high on the agenda because that is increasingly how society communicates and how influence is created.

So, if you are a Christian but none of the content you create reflects your beliefs or God’s truth, perhaps there is a question worth asking: what are you trying to influence?

Choosing to create something that shines the light of the gospel is one very obvious way of making a difference and taking a stand, while still being creative, relevant and true to who you are. Maybe you simply need to ask God how radical you should be.

Taking a stand does not always begin with a microphone, a platform or a public debate. Sometimes it starts with the simple decision not to hide who we are.

And that is only part of it. In Part Two, I want to go further into how our gifts, everyday actions and conversations can become some of the most powerful ways we make Christ visible in a secular world.

TO BE CONTINUED…