Being an Influencer for Christ
美佳之窗 His Window 114（ Apr - Jun 2026 ）主流话题
Text by Rev. Matthew
In our times today, there is a new job title called, “Social media influencer.” They are also known as “key opinion leaders” or KOL in short. Their job? To influence the masses through innovative and creative social media postings to purchase or subscribe to certain products or services.
KOLs have been highly successful in promoting brands and getting the word out quicker than standard billboard or media advertisements. As such, we see conventional and unconventional brands pivoting to the talents of KOLs for marketing.
If we study the Bible, we too are called to be “influencers” for Christ. The great commission in Matthew 28:18-20 calls on all disciples to get the word out about the good news of salvation. But, the next question is always — how?
1. Love God
Influencing others to Christ begins with you.
Are you in love with God?
And when I speak of love for God, it means having a relationship and experience with and of God. Many times, we fail in influencing others to Christ because we simply have not had that genuine experience with God. Or maybe, our understanding of Christianity is limited to just a religion.
To effectively influence others to Christ requires someone who has experienced the goodness of God in his or her life. An effective influencer is one who has a genuine relationship with God. An effective influencer is one who has a testimony of transformation.
When you love God and has experienced Him, you will naturally want to tell others and convince them of the reality of God.
The Samaritan woman in John 4 is a good example of a woman who encountered Jesus at the well. After a life-changing conversation with Jesus, she went back into town, told all her townsfolk about Jesus and as a result, “Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him (Jn. 4:39).”
Was she the greatest orator or preacher of Christ? No.
Was she a well-educated woman? No.
But, what made her so successful in influencing her townsfolk to Christ? Her experience with Jesus at the well made the difference.
If we want to be influencers for Christ, it requires a genuine faith, relationship, and experience with God. Evangelism is not a task or job description. Evangelism is influencing, and effective influencing stems from genuine faith. Start with faith, ask God for an experience of His grace, mercy, and power. Then, go out and start telling others about what God has done for your life.
2. Love People
Effective influencing also involves a genuine love for people. Who is the gospel for?
The gospel is for all people. If we look at the life of Jesus, we see Him dining and conversing with sinners.
The Pharisees hated the sinners, but Jesus loved the sinners. The Pharisees took offence at Jesus’ action of spending time with “sinners.” But, at the end of the day, Jesus brought more sinners into a relationship with God, compared to the Pharisees.
If we do not have love for people, it will be difficult for us to effectively influence others to Christ. So, how can we have love for people?
a. Be Christ-like
Unless we put on Christ-likeness, we will never know how to love like Christ.
In Colossians 3:1-17, Paul writes about putting on Christ-likeness. The passage gives us an understanding that when you put on Christ-likeness, you leave it on permanently.
To put on Christ-likeness is to think like Christ, feel like Christ, and do like Christ. Having the mind of Christ, will allow us to think in the way God wants us to. Having the mind of Christ, will make us live responsibly, and seek out God’s will and purpose for our lives. Having the heart of Christ, will help us feel what Christ feels. When we have the heart of Christ, our heart will break for what breaks Christ’s heart. And when we think and feel like Christ, we will do what Christ does.
He goes to the broken hearted and heals them, He forgives all people, He loves all people. Being Christ-like, is the willingness to put aside our differences and ego, and to do as Christ has commanded us to do.
b. Understand Mercy
To be effective in influencing others is to understand the mercy of Jesus. Evangelism is a ministry of mercy, because our faith in Christ starts with mercy. We influence people to the mercy of Jesus Christ.
How can we effectively influence others to Christ, if we have not known Christ’s mercy for us? Hence, we must understand Christ’s mercy. Christ’s mercy is such that while we were yet still sinners, Jesus loved us. Christ’s mercy is such that while we were still in sin, Jesus calls us his friend. Christ’s mercy is such that though we sin against God continuously, His love never stops pursuing us.
When we understand mercy, we will show mercy. We will be compassionate to the sinner, we will welcome all people. When we know mercy, we will know that none of us are perfect and worthy, we are all just sinners saved by the grace of Jesus Christ.
c. Love as an Action
Finally, to be effective influencers for Christ, it requires action. Love is not only a word or a noun. Love is a verb, an action. Christ called his disciples to “go.” The command to “go” was given to the task of evangelism and love. The Great Commission calls us to go out and make disciples. John 13:1-7 calls us to go out and love as Christ loved.
If we only know about Christ, understand His love, and make plans for evangelism, nothing will happen. No lives will be saved, no one will experience grace. But, when we start to move out and do as Christ commands us, we will start to reap a harvest of souls.
