As a kid growing up in a very Christian family, I didn’t really get to interact with many none Christian people especially since I go to a Christian school, and I go to church, and we never really went or did anything else. So when church and our bible studies would bring up the topic of going out into the world and making disciples, I felt like it didn’t pertain to me.

It wasn’t until about the age of eight or nine was really when I made friends with anyone who didn’t go to church with me. He was a neighbor boy whom had just moved into the house next to mine. At first I didn’t even understand why he didn’t go to church until I asked if he was Christian. He simply said he did not believe in Christ. I was kind of surprised to find this out. I began to invite him to Awana’s and church on Sunday night, as well as bible study on Wednesday night. After a few tries he finally came, he really seemed to love Awana’s, so I kept inviting him back. One week it was bring a friend week, so of course I brought him. That night we learned about the missions of Lottie Moon, and what had happened to her on her missions. On the way home that night he seemed almost troubled. I had asked him what was wrong and he asked why someone would do so much if she couldn’t see God, how she could know that it was God who spoke to her. He came back the next week and we were learning the death of Christ, so everyone was gathered in the large meeting room where a young missionary was going to speak to us. The way he talked about the pain the suffering and all the things Jesus went through to die for us brought tears to our eyes. That night my neighbor gave his life to Christ, and I feel so proud to say that I was a part of that.

The only other real time I ever seriously talked to someone was on a way to a camping trip. While on the bus I was sitting next to a girl, whom is now a friend of mine, I had never met. After an awkward first hour I decided to talk to start up a conversation with her. Once we got passed small chatter we got into a deep conversation about her religion. I had asked her if she was a Christian. She said simply that she was Catholic. Me being a curious person because I had never got to ask a Catholic Questions about their religion, I began asking her questions like, “So is it true that you pray to Mary.” She then began informing me that they actually pray through Mary because they believe that since she was the mother of Jesus that he might be more likely to listen to their prayers. Our conversation eventually dwindled, but it was started up again when she pulled out her bible and began reading a book of the bible I had never heard of before. I asked if Catholics had their own kind of bible. She was glad to inform me that in actuality they have the same bible as ours, but when the leaders of the time of the discovery of the books of the bible began reading through many of the books had decided that some were not fit for the bible and were thrown out, but a small group of the leaders thought differently and chose to include them in their own bible, and that is supposedly how the Catholic religion began. After that we got into a discussion about the Saints and what each one represented and other things like that. It was a very enlightening bus ride. I am very thankful that I had the privilege to sit next to a girl so set in her faith. Even though I disagreed on some parts of her religion it was unique to see the changes between different beliefs. Even though they are probably nowhere near as drastic a difference as maybe Muslim or Buddhism, but it is nice to finally become aware of the fact that not everyone believes the same thing, and it is for that reason that the bible tells us to go out into the world and preach the word. Even if they don’t believe the same thing you can put the question of whether what they believe is right or wrong. That is our goal in life, to preach to the nations.