Posted on 03/27/2012 2:35:59 PM PDT by destinedforheaven
For most of us that are Christians, sharing our Faith is not easy and doesn't come naturally. It's sad but true. If we're honest with ourselves we probably have to admit we miss opportunities all the time.
My husband recently asked me if I had any advice about how to talk about Jesus and our Faith in him. He thought it'd be a good thing to write out - as so many of us struggle with this very thing. Oh, and it doesn't mean you've got to stand on the side-walk and start preaching, or hitting people over the head with your Bible. We all know people that take the hard-core (and often ineffective) approach.
Here's my real-life approach with no-frills. It doesn't have to be awkward, and I suspect many people haven't thought about this approach. I know my husband hadn't. Here's my approach: http://wp.me/pSNnL-bd
Now, can I ask for you to share your approach to witnessing/sharing your faith in the comments? Of course you can share it right here on FR, but I'd love to compile a list of great ways to witness on my page: http://wp.me/pSNnL-bd.
God Bless, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts. Sarah
Well said, both 19 and 20.
Here is a link showing someone modeling giving the gospel. Soul Winning
He tries to make a false distinction between believe in vs. believe on (they're identical), but the overall strategy is correct.
Jesus Christ, who knew no sin, was made sin for us on the Cross where the sins of every . . . .
liar, cheater, thug, thieve, adulterer, rapist, sodomite, ad infinitum . . . .
were absolutely and completely paid for by the shed blood and death of God's beloved Son.
God poured out His wrath and anger for sin on Jesus Christ for the sins of every man —— every liar, cheater, thug, thieve, adulterer, rapist, sodomite, ad infinitum . . . .
so completely and fully that God looked saw the travail of Christ's soul and WAS SATISFIED, and thus His Righteous Servant (Christ) justifies the many . . . .
who confess before God what they are by their sin nature —— wandering rebels against God, His will, and His Holiness, . . . .
and take Christ and His Finished Redemptive Work as their ONLY remedy for sin and ONLY hope of eternal life.
Christ DIED FOR OUR SINS, was buried, and ROSE AGAIN FOR OUR JUSTIFICATION.
Strange that a post on “How to witness . . . .” and the accompanying content contain so little of the truth of which we are to witness.
Thank You!
It's not so strange. The thread is after all, "How do you Witness..." I don't think there's any question or contest about what is to be witnessed. All of what you say is true...and is all well documented and attested to in Holy Scripture. If that was all there was to it, one would need only hand out Bibles, and then you could feel confident in having shared the Truth with everybody.
Of course that's not all there is to it. The topic of the thread is how you take what is written within and bring others to a common belief in it.
To put it in the terms of our media saturated society, this thread isn't about the "product" (which is perfect), but about the "marketing campaign" which is a human endeavor and therefore, by definition, imperfect. As such, it can always stand to be improved upon and refined.
Since that time I try to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and talk to people or pray with them let them know how much God loves them and how God delivered me from 20 years of drug addiction without any type of withdrawal symptoms it was like poof the addiction was gone. And if God could it it to me He could surly do it for them.
Well, then go hand out Bibles, and your work here will be done. Anything else you could do would distract from the message.
It really depends upon who I am witnessing to. I adjust my approach accordingly. If they are hostile to religion or God, I try to find out why and address those issues.
If the person is a general non-believer who is a ‘seeker’, then the standard “Love them to the Lord approach” is usually what I employ. If short term, I get right to the point, if long term I ask questions, give answers, and teach by example.
Now, most often I deal with counter cult ministries, specifically ministry to Mormons. Having been Mormon, I know it is a two pronged approach. First you must extract them from Mormonism, get them to see Mormonism is false and not Biblical. THEN (and only then) can you begin to share the Christ of the Bible and love them to the Lord.
I have also pinged some other Christians in counter-cult ministry who may have other insights.
I am convinced many Christians would be too shocked, too put off, to do anything but condemn people in this type of scenario, but I believe we must walk right and and be ambassadors of Jesus’s love.
- - - -
Some of the best witnessing conversations I have ever had was when I was a bartender.
Peter Addresses the Crowd
14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 “‘In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
18 Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
19 I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
21 And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.’[c]
22 “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23 This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men,[d] put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. 25 David said about him:
“‘I saw the Lord always before me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
26 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest in hope,
27 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
you will not let your holy one see decay.
28 You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence.’[e]
29 “Fellow Israelites, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. 30 But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. 31 Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay. 32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. 33 Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,
“‘The Lord said to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand
35 until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet.”’[f]
36 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”
37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
The Fellowship of the Believers
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
This is How Peter witnesssed! Also noticed How he declares save yourselves near the end. If others declared it that way we would have a debate from some. NO clear cut formula at times just pray for Holy Boldness and mean it! Jesus will take over.
As long as you get the Gospel right there is no wrong way to witness. That’s because the result of your witnessing is completely in the hands of God. If God intends your witnessing to be successful it will be no matter how elequent or plain of a job you do. And if God has not chosen that person to respond then George Whitefield, Billy Graham or the Pope himself would not be successful. Our job is just to communicate the Gospel in love - God takes over as soon as the words leave our mouth.
That is basically correct.
The problem is, not ALL of the Bible is the Gospel of the Grace of God.
When Philip was with the Ethiopian Eunuch, there was no method but exposing the eunuch to the Scriptures in (what we know since chapter and verse markings to be) Isaiah ch. 53. Philip preached unto him Jesus from that text.
No method, like, "Do this," nor "Do that," nor "Practice this," nor "Practice that," nor "Pray this," nor "Pray that" . . . . simply believe the report (Is. 53:1) with all your heart.
Just be who you are, if you are a Christian your works will be seen by some one, if some one needs help, help them, that is it.
Forget about religion and keep on living by faith.
“Faith comes by hearing...” Not by my actions. The Gospels is good news. Not my life.
Granted my actions MAY get me a hearing, but words have to be used.
That is just one thing he told us, he also told us many other things we should do where others are concerned, mostly concerning helping people when they need help, actions.
God knows what we need but some times we do not know what other people really need.
It is like the guy who was giving the woman driver instructions to help her get her car into a parking spot,
after about 30 minutes of confusion and turmoil he realized she was not trying to park but was trying to get out of the parking spot.
But i do know what you mean and that is that some one may need to hear the word.
In today’s climate there are many hard hearts and militant, angry atheists. Confronting them directly and antagonistically is only going to steel their resolve and validate every negative stereotype they’ve been fed about Christians. It will in effect, drive them further away from God, and IMHO, that is, in and of itself, sinful.
I completely agree GC. If the gospel was about being kind and living a "good" life, yes, an example would be all you need. But the gospel is that we are hopeless sinners but Jesus died on the cross so that we can be forgiven and be with God forever.
Showing people love and compassion can open doors so that you can TELL them about the gospel. With sign language or paper and pencil if necessary Joe.
“Faith cometh by hearing...”
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