Surf & ServeSample

WHAT’S YOUR NAME?

Honor Christ and let him be the Lord of your life. Always be ready to give an answer when someone asks you about your hope.

—1 Peter 3:15 CEV

It’s fine that people call me Joe or Joey, but I often introduce myself as Joseph hoping that people will think of all the great Josephs in the Bible. When I meet someone who also has a biblical name, I use our names as a conversation starter.

Since I want to point people to Jesus, I like having strategies like this as a starting point to a deeper conversation. When I met Anastasia (whose name literally means “one who will be resurrected”) I told her about the resurrection of Christ. Johns have heard me speak of the beloved who wrote about the love of God. I can ask James if he is a brother of Jesus like the one who wrote the book of James.

Now, I’m not saying you should launch into a detailed history lesson or theological deep dive whenever you’re introduced to someone.

But if you pay attention to people when they tell you about themselves—and most people are willing to tell you more than their name!—you’ll be in a good position to step through any door that God may open for you.

This is especially true as you share long early morning sessions or sit in the line-up with the same faces over weeks and months.

You can slowly build true friendships that will give you opportunities to share about the One who made the waves you both love. A friendly comment or joke about someone’s name can be the beginning of an eternal friendship.

Most importantly, look for any opportunity to bring up the name of Jesus, “for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” Acts 4:12b NIV.

By speaking with others about Jesus, you can serve God as you surf. That’s a win/win!

Go Deeper:

• Ask God to open doors for you this week in everyday conversations—so you can encourage others and point them to the One.
• Next time you’re sitting in the line-up, look at the faces around you. Does anyone need a word of encouragement? Ask God to keep you on the lookout for opportunities to share His name.