Such Christian inspiration is important to cling to as believers are bombarded by a hostile world that seeks to ridicule and marginalize those who share their faith. It used to be that America was a Christian nation. Read our founding fathers. There's no mistaking that the vast majority of them felt that the Bible and Christian values were essential to the success of this country.



Things, of course, have changed. Today, Christians are sneered at. Made fun of. Labeled as "intolerant." Movies and mainstream media invariably portrat Christians as kooks and extremists.

But across the country, lots of believers are quietely following the New Testament command in Jude 1:3 to "contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints."

How? By experssing their faith with Christian T-Shirts, Christian clothing and Christian jewelry.

Hip, stylish and quality T-Shirts that have Bible verses or religious symbols are showing up on the backs of Christians everywhere. Many believers, in effect, are walking billboards for Jesus. T-Shirt industry estimates say that as the typical t-shirt is "read" by as many as 3,000 persons before it wears out and is fit for the car-washing rag bag.

It's a way to use one's lifestyle and to evangelize in the places and to the people we are daily taken to.

Christian evangelism is the job of all believers. It is commissioned and commanded directly by the Lord in Matthew 28. That means, as the great apostle Paul later wrote to the Corinthian church, that we are to consider ourselves "Christ's ambassadors... as if God was making his appeal through us."

An ambassador always behaves in such a way to reflect positively on his position, to represent his commission well. So should believers, who are being watched by an increasingly dark and disbelieving world. It's often been said tat the Christian may be the only Bible some people read. That Christian t-shirt or article of Christian clothing sometimes opens up meaningful conversations with non-believers that otherwise would never have happened.

The fact of the matter is sharing Christ involves a lot more than just talking. It means using our lives to be lights, doing not just saying the right things and always pointing to Jesus - the reason we have hope.

Staying in the Word, reading it, meditating about it, memorizing it and then obeying it is necessary if we are to inspire others to the cause of Christ.

Being a Christian is a great privilege. And a great responsibility. How have you kept your light bright today? You might start by wearing a Christian t-Shirt.