Every American knows that polite conversation excludes two subjects: religion and politics. Avoid getting personal, avoid forcing worldviews upon others, and avoid conflict at all costs. However, avoiding two foundational aspects of life can sow more harm than good.
Believers who keep their spiritual lives private are more likely to walk away from their faith, less likely to engage in politics, and less likely to share the Gospel with others.
“Private spirituality” seems reasonable, but under the surface it brews poison for individuals, churches, and culture.
Unfortunately, the majority of Christians have embraced the lie that faith is a private matter, with 56% of Christians viewing their spiritual lives as “entirely private.”
While Christ instructs His followers to pray in secret, He never calls them to live in silence. He commands them to never neglect gathering together, to proclaim the good news, and to be always ready to defend their hope. Personal devotion is private; public witness is not.
“If we don’t become outspoken about our faith in the Lord, the outspokenness of unbelievers will dominate and drown out our collective Christian voice,” said June Hunt, host of “Hope in the Night” radio broadcast.
A survey by the Institute for Faith & Culture found that most Evangelicals want to promote biblical values both in and outside of the church. However, 22% report rarely or never giving a biblical response when speaking with someone who says something that is not biblical and 24% say they have “given up on culture.”
Christian leaders have a responsibility to bridge the gap between desire and practice by encouraging and exampling a public faith.
Sharing one’s faith does not necessarily mean starting a podcast, preaching on street corners, or cold knocking on neighbors’ doors. Public faith means a faith that infiltrates conversation and conduct. It means talking about spiritual beliefs, doubts, and experiences with a friend. It means admitting that political leanings are motivated by biblical convictions. It means having the courage to say, “I am a Christian,” in the presence of people who might not share the same beliefs.
The world is unrelenting in its efforts to silence God’s people. The media demeans and ignores Christians. Americans who misunderstand the separation of church and state shame outspoken believers. Even lighthearted jokes about not mentioning religion or politics at family gatherings prime the population to hide their beliefs.
It is no wonder that most Christians want to keep their spiritual lives private.
However, Jesus assures His followers in John 15 that the world will hate them as it hated Him. American Christians are witnessing this hatred in the reign of cancel culture and political violence.
James Ward, pastor of INSIGHT church, points to the spiritual forces at work — the enemy wants to keep biblical values out of politics and culture. He wants believers to fear. He wants Christians to feel alone. More than that, the enemy wants Christians to be alone.
“When the Word tells us that Satan seeks those whom he can devour, he always seeks individuals,” Ward said, “the drifter, the person who says… ‘I believe in God. … I read my Bible, but I don’t need to be part of organized religion.’ Satan goes after those kinds of people, to devour them.”
Participation in the life of the church and ongoing publicity of faith puts believers in the world’s line of fire, but it ultimately shields them from greater warfare by providing encouragement, discipleship, and accountability.
“A true friend shares truth and helps us see where we have gaps in our thinking,” said Hunt. When guests call into her show, Hunt often asks them if they have a Christian friend. If they do not, she encourages them to pray for a wise friend.
“It’s a phenomenal blessing when someone can help us see ourselves in a way where we could change and be the person God created us to be,” Hunt said.
People become like what they attend to, and they attend to what they love. In an age when much of life is mediated through screens, broadcasts, and social feeds, the faith of local radio hosts, influencers, and business leaders can reshape the habits of entire audiences.
“A lot of times we think it’s the words that we speak that are going to make change,” said Billy Hallowell at the Christian Broadcasting Network. “And sometimes that’s true, but a lot of times it’s people watching our life.”
Ward reflected on the boldness of the early church, which prayed, worshipped, and professed faith in the face of active persecution unto death. The pressure to keep spiritual beliefs private that American Christians face today pales in comparison.
“I think every believer right now, especially pastors like myself — we have to pray for boldness,” Ward said. “This is the time for the preachers of the Gospel, which includes all of us, to be bold and speaking the truth of God’s Word and speaking the truth in love.”
While social persecution and spiritual trials seek to isolate and silence believers, they often, when not avoided, accomplish the opposite, drawing Christians closer to Christ, who Himself endured unjust suffering with obedience.
American Christians especially need to be reminded that following Christ never guaranteed a life of ease or cultural approval. Believers should not expect a world where policy and practice aligns with biblical convictions at every turn. Let history be the proof that political and cultural pressure, though counterintuitive, has often fanned the flames of Christianity.
After Charlie Kirk’s assassination, one in four Americans said that they took spiritual action. When political free speech was put on the hotseat during the 2020 pandemic, Christians took steps to protect and exercise their religious freedoms. Politics and religion are inseparable.
As biblical values gain ground across the nation, believers can carry that movement into their families by living lives that reflect their faith on a day-to-day basis.
When Hunt’s atheist father drew near his to death, he finally asked to hear about Christianity — but only from her. After a lifetime of resisting the hope of the Gospel, he listened as Hunt, who had demonstrated faith since high school, shared the Gospel with him. To Hunt’s astonishment, he wanted to pray for forgiveness.
While words have their place in evangelism, believers should not underemphasize the witness of a life of love.
“I believe that is the heart of Christianity for us to have no fear and for us to give our lives completely for the One that we love,” Ward said. “The world needs those kinds of convictional Christians right now.”
Young people are especially sensitive to testimonies of truth right now. Reality is disillusioning them from the lies of relativism. Today’s youth are not looking for sugar-coated answers or lukewarm professions. They are seeking something substantial, challenging, and real. And they will only find it if Christians are open about their faith.
“The goal is to filter those young people towards the right answer because they’re asking the right question,” Hallowell said.
False and deceitful religions offer public, ready answers to spiritual questions. As frustrated Americans search for answers in a mediascape of smoke and mirrors, Christian lives must testify to the truth, steadiness, and peace of knowing Christ.
“Look around the world and the needs that people have — it is incredibly selfish for us to not share our faith,” said Hallowell. “People who are making that argument that their faith should just be this private entity and institution are actually missing the very mark that the New Testament calls us to as believers.”