Great Question! I Know Many Students Struggle With This Issue! If you are part of a normal family, you'll probably find it quite hard to share the gospel with them. What part can you play in reaching out to your non-Christian parents?
They might have been keen for you to go to church earlier on, but now they're not so sure, because you're taking it far too seriously. They hoped that you'd learn some good morals and manners at church - but you've become really serious about Christianity - much too serious for their liking! Or they were against you becoming a Christian from the very beginning. They were horrified when you started going to church, and have put every obstacle in your way ever since.
Opposition from non-Christian parents can come in various forms. They give you a hard time every time you want to go to church or Bible study. They even schedule family events to purposely clash with church events so as to force you to choose between family and God. They may even forbid you to go to fellowship or worship service, and will most certainly point out all your faults as being hypocritical. "Aha", they say with delight, "is that what a good Christians does?"
Sharing the gospel with your parents can be very hard. Here are three things to consider and remember.
1. There is a reason why parents find it hard to hear the gospel from you - and that's because you are their child. You are younger than them - and you always will be. They can remember you drawing on walls and biting the furniture. And now you want to tell them which God is real? You want to tell them that the stuff they have believed in all along is completely wrong? Well of course you want to tell them these things - and it's for their own good. But they will find it impossibly hard to listen, for the simple fact that you are their child and they are not disposed to learn such things from their child. Imagine for a moment that roles are reversed - and your own child is telling you how it is. You would probably also find it hard to believe your child knows better than you!
2. Does this mean that it's completely hopeless? No. While they will be unreceptive to hear the gospel from you, they will hear it much better from someone their own age and life-stage. And this is simply how natural relationships work - they are much more likely to listen to their own peers. But how can you transform yourself from being a child, to being a 40 to 50-year old person? The answer is that you can't. However, chances are that there are others in your church and congregation that are already at the same age and life-stage as your own non-Christian parents.
That's right, the parents and adults in your church are exactly the thing you need to help witness to your non-Christian parents. And what you need to recognize is that you aren't the only one who reaches out to your parents. It’s our church and community as a whole who should be reaching out to your parents. And so what you need to do is to mobilize the other parents and adults in our church / congregation to help reach out to your parents.
How can you do this? If Bobby, your good friend at church has Christian parents, why not drop hints to see if your parents would like to either go over to meet your friend Bobby - and Bobby’s parents or come visit your home. And as they meet Bobby's parents they see that Christian's aren't strange and immature - they are in fact people just like them. And as they build relationships and common interests they can hear the gospel explained to them in time by someone their own age, and their own life-stage.
You could even make a point of finding out about events that the Chinese Cantonese or Mandarin side is running, and tell your parents about them. They can choose which activities they would feel comfortable in joining or attending. You could let the Chinese pastors responsible for caring or potential older people in our church consider helping to reach out, visit and pray for your non-Christian parents.
Thirdly, does that mean that there's nothing for you to do but sit back and watch? No. You play an important part in the process, by witnessing to your parents, showing them what Christians are like in day-to-day life. Bobby’’s parents can explain to them what Christianity's all about, but they can't hang around to live out the Christian life for your parents - only you can do that. And as you strive at being godly at home, as you make gospel-driven decisions, as you repent from your sin, you are witnessing to your parents.
This doesn't mean that you have to be perfect at home - for no Christian will be perfect. And in fact, that's not what a Christian is in the first place! Instead you are showing to them that a Christian is a sinner who has been forgiven, and is growing in godliness. They may still make sarcastic and hurtful comments when they catch you at your worst (and we are all at our worst at home). But if you are turning from your sins, and seeking to walk in righteousness, they will notice.
Above all, remember to pray for your parents and be patient with the work of the Holy Spirit!
Here are 2 links to questions that may help you understand Buddhism and how to help your parents:
- What is Buddhism and what do Buddhists believe? http://www.gotquestions.org/buddhism.html
- I am a Buddhist, why should I consider becoming a Christian? http://www.gotquestions.org/Buddhist-Christian.html
[Answered by Ray Lee, Summer Intern]
