Why American Christians Sometimes Struggle to Share Their Faith:
The Curious Case of Bob, the Lawnmower, and the Neighbor Next Door
Bryan Galloway
Most American Christians genuinely care about people. They pray for missionaries in countries they can’t locate on a map, support disaster relief efforts for strangers thousands of miles away, and proudly wear T-shirts that say things like, “Jesus Changes Everything.”
Yet somehow, many find it remarkably difficult to talk about Jesus with the person who lives twenty feet away.
Why is that?
Let’s consider the case of Bob.
Bob loves Jesus. His Bible has enough underlines to qualify as modern art. He attends church regularly, volunteers at the annual chili cook-off, and has perfected the sacred art of carrying two cups of coffee and a plate of donuts simultaneously.
Bob also has a neighbor named Dave. Dave lives right next door. He’s been there for seven years. During those seven years, Bob has helped Dave move furniture, loaned him tools, discussed football, weather, taxes, lawn care, and the mysterious disappearance of one of Dave’s garbage cans. But when it comes to spiritual matters, Bob becomes strangely nervous.
One Saturday morning, Bob is mowing his lawn when he notices Dave standing nearby. “This is it,” Bob thinks. “Today, I’m going to share my faith.” He prays silently. “Lord, open a door.” Immediately, Dave walks over. Perfect. Bob shuts off the mower. Dave says, “Beautiful morning.” “Yes,” Bob replies. Then he panics. His mind becomes a theological tumbleweed. He considers quoting Romans. He forgets Romans. He thinks about mentioning church. He forgets the name of his church. After ten uncomfortable seconds, Bob blurts out, “So… uh… fertilizer prices are crazy these days.” Opportunity closed. Mower restarted. Mission postponed. Again.
Fear of Awkwardness
Many Christians are not afraid of rejection nearly as much as they are afraid of awkwardness. Awkwardness is America’s unofficial eleventh plague. We can endure traffic jams, root canals, and airport security lines, but a slightly uncomfortable conversation? That’s another matter entirely. Christians often imagine evangelistic conversations ending in catastrophe. They picture neighbors slamming doors.
Coworkers filing complaints. Friends dramatically announcing, “Well, I never!” In reality, most people are far more willing to discuss spiritual matters than Christians assume. The conversation may not result in immediate conversion, but it is rarely the social disaster playing in our imaginations.
The Myth of the Perfect Presentation
Another challenge is the belief that we must have all the answers before speaking. Many Christians think they need the theological knowledge of a seminary professor, the communication skills of a conference speaker, and the memory of a Bible trivia champion. But sharing faith is not a doctoral dissertation. When blind Bartimaeus was healed, he didn’t present a systematic theology lecture. He essentially said, “I was blind. Jesus helped me.” Hard to argue with that. People may challenge your theology. They may ask difficult questions. But no one can argue with your personal story of what Christ has done in your life.
The “Someone Else Will Do It” Syndrome
American Christians often have access to excellent pastors, gifted teachers, missionaries, podcasts, conferences, and books. That’s a blessing. Unfortunately, it can create a subtle assumption: “Surely someone more qualified will talk to Dave.” The problem is that God intentionally positioned Bob next door to Dave. Not the pastor. Not the missionary. Not the conference speaker. Bob. Sometimes the most qualified witness is simply the person already in the relationship.
The Gospel of Busyness
Modern Americans are busy. Exceptionally busy. We schedule meetings to discuss future meetings. We create reminders to remind us to check our reminders. Many Christians genuinely intend to invest in non-Christian friends and neighbors, but life never seems to slow down enough. Week after week passes. Months pass. Years pass. And the neighbor remains the neighbor rather than becoming a friend. Sharing faith rarely grows out of random encounters. It usually grows out of intentional relationships. And relationships require time.
A Better Ending for Bob
Let’s return to our friend Bob. One evening he decides to stop waiting for the perfect moment. Instead, he simply invites Dave over for burgers. They talk. And talk. And talk some more. Months pass. Their friendship deepens. Eventually Dave asks a question. “Bob, church seems pretty important to you. Why is that?” Bob feels the familiar nervousness.
But this time he doesn’t panic. He doesn’t attempt a thirty-minute sermon. He simply tells his story. How Christ changed his life. How God carried him through difficult seasons. How faith gives him purpose and hope. The conversation is natural. Honest. Personal. Not perfect. And that’s okay. Because God never asked Bob to save Dave. He only asked Bob to love him and tell him the good news.
Final Thoughts
Perhaps American Christians fail to share their faith not because they don’t care, but because they care deeply and worry about saying the wrong thing. The good news is that God has always used ordinary people. People like fishermen. Tax collectors. Former persecutors. And yes, even lawn-mowing neighbors named Bob. The next time God opens a door, don’t panic and talk about fertilizer. Just be yourself. Tell your story. Love your neighbor. And trust God with the results.