he assumed that I was a man of faith and asked if I did any preaching. Considering I never attempted to "beat someone over the head" with a King Jimmy version Bible it stopped me for a minute.
You have a very unique definition of preaching by a man of faith...
But I think this sums up what you are trying to say without insulting anyone.
James 2:14-21(KJV)
What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works.
Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
We will never be able to work our way to heaven but if we truly are indwelled by the Holy Spirt, if we truly have Christ's offered forgiveness and are a new creature in Him, our lives ought to show that. People should see a difference in the way we speak and act, the way we treat others, the things we do and the friends we keep. A life that is unchanged and fails to show Christ's touch is probably a life untouched by Christ. Even satan and the devils believe in Christ. Belief in Christ will not get you to Heaven any more than giving to the poor or helping your neighbor do something they can't do by themselves. It takes Faith in Christ. But if that Faith fails to produce actions, it's not a true faith.
