I challenge you to try an experiment. Find a place, turn off all sound, sit, and listen. You will hear something you rarely hear—silence. Consider that silence can be good. There is something about silence that centers the soul and purifies the mind.

Also consider that, at other times, silence is not so good. Frankly, silence would be the appropriate word to describe the vast majority of believers today. Silent when it comes to sharing their faith and telling their story of the mighty acts of God from salvation to the present in their lives.

Strange, don’t you think? We, who have experienced the life-changing and eternity-changing love, grace, and power of God in our lives, are silent. Something must be wrong. The impact is beyond description. We see fewer and fewer people come to Christ, and baptismal waters are still and silent in our churches.

Strange, yes. Telling, ever more so. Consider that Jesus said, “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.” Pardon my simplicity, but does it not make sense that if we are not fishers of men, we have gone off the path of following Jesus? If you follow the story of Jesus in the Gospel, it leads to multiple encounters with sinners in need of a Savior. I don’t think He has changed. To follow Jesus will mean we are led to encounters with people who do not know Him. He will make us alert to them and give us the ability to share our testimony and the Gospel.

Perhaps the beginning place is to start each day with a surrender to His will and way. Our commitment should be to offer ourselves to walk in the footsteps of Jesus throughout the day and have eyes to see the people we encounter as Jesus sees them. Sensitivity to people on a deeper level than business or chitchat will spawn remarkable opportunities to tell of the Savior.

Remember the last words of Jesus to His disciples, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses.” Again, it would seem the simple explanation for our lack of witness is the absence of Holy Spirit power in our lives. If you read the book of Acts, it is clear that every time there was a fresh filling, there was fresh power to boldly witness. Given this truth, I would suggest the silence in witness among Christians may well be due to a lack of Holy Spirit power in our lives. Jesus said when the Holy Spirit comes upon the believers, the Holy Spirit will witness of Jesus. The Holy Spirit gives you your voice of witness!

I would suggest Christians need to drink deeply at the artisan well of the Holy Spirit. The day should begin with a surrender to the Holy Spirit each morning to receive a fresh wind and power on your life. If you do receive this fresh wind and power, I assure you the Holy Spirit will lead you to be a witness for Jesus throughout the day. Walking in the Spirit produces witnessing.

Where you find Spirit-filled Christians, you find Spirit-filled churches. Where you find Spirit-filled Christians, you find daily witness of the love and grace of Jesus. Where you find Spirit-filled Christians, you find churches full of joy rejoicing over the lost sheep who have been found.

Silence in regard to our witness of Jesus to those around us is not a good thing. This silence is a symbol of powerless believers. Strong words, yes, but words that are true to Scripture. I do not write them to make you feel guilty; guilt makes you feel bad and leads to depression and no action. I write these words desiring the Holy Spirit to bring conviction on the silent majority in the church. Conviction brings change and will bring us to repentance and right action.

I am praying for God to send a powerful spiritual awakening in the church. By that, I mean a fresh and powerful move of the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit falls fresh upon us, be assured the silence will end. We will become fishers of men and witnesses of the mighty acts of God.