Which type of ambassador for Christ are you?

When I wear a shirt with my business name above the chest pocket, I represent my evangelism training business.

I notice people glance at my shirt when I introduce myself or sit next to them on a plane or in a food court. That glance often leads to a “what do you do?” conversation. I get to share how I help churches and people grow their church through evangelism skills and hospitality systems.

When I wear a shirt that says Vida Joven Panamá or Young Life Nicaragua, I become an unofficial representative of those organizations. People ask what I do for Young Life, and I get to explain how I serve as a teacher and trainer for their ministry leaders across Latin America.

When I wear Christian shirts, I am quickly associated with Christ and His church. Sometimes people directly ask about my faith, but more often they ask about my shirt first.

The shirt connects me to the organization. I become an ambassador for whatever name is on my chest.

Those moments remind me that I am always an ambassador for Christ.

What Scripture Says About Being an Ambassador for Christ

This is what it means to be an ambassador for Christ in daily life.

2 Corinthians 5:20
NIV: “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.”
NLT: “So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, ‘Come back to God!’”
KJV: “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.”
NRSV: “So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”

Paul’s image of an ambassador is simple. An ambassador represents someone else and carries another person’s message. In our case, we represent Christ to the world. God makes His appeal through us by our kindness, our tone, our patience, and our words.

This verse has shaped my prayer life and even my training for church greeters. When I teach greeters about praying for their work, I include an ask, “Lord, help me to be a good ambassador for Christ today. Let my words and welcome reflect Your grace.”

Every greeting, smile, or word we speak can become part of God’s invitation to reconciliation. You can see this applied to church life in Definition of Church Hospitality, where I explain how your greeters and volunteers serve as Christ’s ambassadors to every guest who walks in the door.

Read More: Can you tell a non-believer how Christ changed your life?

Some recent travel experiences have prompted me to evaluate my own life as an ambassador for Christ.  Allow these devotional thoughts to stir your own reflection about how you represent Christ to the world.

1. The “I’m Too Important to Be Bothered” Ambassador

I once met the U.S. ambassador during a community project in Latin America. The event was meant to show goodwill: embassy staff and volunteers painting a classroom in an impoverished neighborhood.

My family was part of the community work project. I found it interesting that the local people who used the school were not allowed to participate in the project. Only US Citizens, family and friends. A massive logo of the embassy was painted onto the wall to remind everyone forever who painted this room.

The ambassador arrived for a quick photo opportunity, surrounded by local children who would use the classroom. Cameras flashed. The ambassador made a few polite photo-op paint strokes on the wall, spoke cheerful words about blessing the host nation’s schools, and then left. Five-minute photo-op and the moment was over.

While I am sure that the ambassador was kind and capable (no shade on them as a person), and extremely professional in their role in representing the United States in the political sphere, the brief encounter in community service left me disappointed.

This felt more about publicity than people, more about optics than opportunity to serve out of love.

And I found myself wondering if I ever represent Christ that way.

• When I am too busy to really serve those around me
• When I offer lip service to serving others in the community
• When I am too busy with church work to be in the presence of non-Christians
• When I am surrounded only by Christians that I will not let a non-Christian be close to me?

That day challenged me to think about how I represent Christ when I am “too busy to be bothered.”

2. The “Unaware of the Embarrassment I’m Causing” Ambassador

On another trip, I was in line for an international flight to the United States. A group of American college students arrived, tired, loud, and proud to be wearing their school logos.

When told they could not use the priority check-in line, they argued with staff, shouted, and complained. They griped about having to wait in line.  They griped about not having the check-in privileges (of their professor) honored. The professor wasn’t much of an adult either.  Cussing, swearing, allowing line cutting. He didn’t represent his school well either.

While waiting at the check-in line, the conversations of this group turned to how drunk they had been the night before. They talked about their hangovers. They used unnecessary levels of foul language. I noticed people turned their heads.

I felt embarrassed for them, for their school, and even for my country.

Then I asked myself if I ever represent Christ that way.

• When I complain about people in a critical tone
• When I react harshly to an inconvenience
• When I let my frustration speak louder than my faith
• When my public behavior does not match the message I claim to carry

They were unaware of the embarrassment they caused. Sometimes, so am I.

I Want to be a Positive Ambassador of Christ

I want to be a positive ambassador for Christ who attracts curiosity and conversation.

Many of my friends, including the ones who are asking about my faith, have objections to Christians who are one way in church and another way in public.

Over time, I have earned the right to be heard. I have been an effective ambassador for Christ, and that has attracted their curiosity questions about my faith, about what God is doing in my life, and why I became a follower of Christ.

My life matches my words.  I do as much as I can to bring glory to Christ in my behavior and actions.  I am an ambassador for Christ.

If you are a follower of Jesus, you are an ambassador for Christ.   Live like it in public and private.

Read More: The Power of Questions in Conversational Evangelism

A Coaching Reflection

These moments caused me to pause and look at my own witness. I want my words and lifestyle to reflect the transformation that Christ is working in me. I want to make the gospel believable by how I live in public.

• Where do you want to grow as Christ’s ambassador right now?
• When do your words or attitudes fail to match your message?
• How might the Holy Spirit be nudging you toward more grace in public or online?

Your daily behavior might be the first sermon someone ever sees.

Read more: Is Relational Evangelism Biblical?

Keep Learning

Start here: Personal Evangelism 101

See more stories like this in the Lifestyle Evangelism collection

Next Step: Grow Your Witness

Do you want help in Personal Evangelism?

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• How church invitations are part of evangelism
• How to discover and share your own journey to faith
• What you can say about the gospel message.
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It’s a 70-minute audio file that takes just a few minutes to download, but it may help you answer the question:

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Editor’s Note

This devotional was first published in 2013 and has been updated in 2025 with new reflections, links, and resources to help readers grow in their personal evangelism journey.