What the Camino Taught Me About Sharing Faith

In one paragraph

Nick Stern shared what he learned about evangelism while hiking the Camino de Santiago, a 500-plus-mile pilgrimage route across Spain and Portugal. He walked through five themes that kept coming up in conversations with fellow hikers, and tied each one back to scripture. The through-line was simple: Christians in Jackson Hole have every reason and opportunity to share their faith, and very little...

Read together

1. Psalm 150 opening call to worship, 'let everything that has breath praise the Lord'
2. Matthew 7 Jesus speaking about the wise man who builds his house on solid rock
3. Galatians 6 boasting in nothing except the cross of Christ
4. Psalm 95 call to sing to the Lord and come with thanksgiving
5. Romans 10:14 how will they believe in one they have never heard, how will they hear without someone preaching
6. 1 Samuel 15:22 obedience is better than sacrifice, submission better than offerings
7. John 14:6 I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me
8. 1 John 4 God is love, discussed in context of Gnostics and sin
9. 1 John 5:3-5 love for God means keeping His commandments, faith overcomes the world
10. 1 Peter 5:6-8 humble yourselves, cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you
11. Matthew 28:19 the great commission, go and make disciples of all nations

Talk about it

1. Nick talked about fear being one of the biggest things that keeps Christians from sharing their faith, and he pointed to Romans 10:14 about how people can't hear without someone preaching. What fears have you personally felt when it comes to talking to someone about Jesus, and where do you think those fears come from?
2. Nick said the quote often credited to Francis of Assisi, 'Preach the gospel at all times and when necessary use words,' misses something important. Do you agree that words are necessary, and how have you seen that play out in your own experience with faith conversations?
3. Nick described a couple in Cleveland who simply showed up consistently to an improv troupe, celebrated birthdays, prayed for people, and built real relationships there. What does 'as you are going' look like in the places you already spend your time?
4. Nick walked through what he heard most from people on the trail: obedience, going all in, 'God is love,' who Jesus said He was, and laying down burdens. Which of those five topics do you find hardest to talk about with someone who doesn't know Jesus, and why?
5. Nick shared that he and his brother practiced telling the gospel out loud, even in the shower, so it would feel more natural when the moment came. How often do you actually put the gospel into words out loud, and what might it look like for you to practice it more regularly?