An Example Of How I Witness

As I've grown older, one of the best tools I've found to help in sharing the gospel is the ability to listen without making a judgment. It's not easy when error and sin are so blatantly exposed. Timing makes all the difference.

There have been times when I waited for months to share the Lord to clerks at grocery stores. My approach is usually to look at their badge and to speak something regarding their names. If it says "Cathy", I might say, "So, what's that short for, Katherine?"

She might nod or say something about it, maybe tell me it was her grandmother's name. "Gee," I'd reply, "so few parents name their kids those simple names these days."

The next time I stop by, I might say, "Hi Katherine." She'll smile because I remembered her name. Then, I might say, "Maybe one day you'll become another Katherine Hepburn. She was a great actress. Too bad so many of the old actors are now passed on. Do you remember Pat O'Brien? I loved his Father Flanagan role in Boy's Town."

And from there, a door to talk about things spiritual has opened. I might ask if she's Catholic, and we'd go from there.

Witnessing has been a rewarding pasttime for me.
 
Those are some of the same tactics we use in sales, which were incorporated into hostage negotiations, which ultimately is brain washing. :) I'm not saying it's wrong, just noting the irony of it. My witnessing usually comes from people asking me about my faith. I don't have to bring it up much. I don't talk God with them, I talk life. People may or may not believe in God, but they DO believe in life and living it. So, if I set them walking on the path in life God wants us to walk on, serving others, loving others, and show them the rewards to that love, they will find God without me. They don't even have to hear His name/His Son's name, blah blah to find Him. He will find them. The Way's witness was their charitable acts, is what History tells us. I think that's the best example.
 
Those are some of the same tactics we use in sales, which were incorporated into hostage negotiations, which ultimately is brain washing. :) I'm not saying it's wrong, just noting the irony of it. My witnessing usually comes from people asking me about my faith. I don't have to bring it up much. I don't talk God with them, I talk life. People may or may not believe in God, but they DO believe in life and living it. So, if I set them walking on the path in life God wants us to walk on, serving others, loving others, and show them the rewards to that love, they will find God without me. They don't even have to hear His name/His Son's name, blah blah to find Him. He will find them. The Way's witness was their charitable acts, is what History tells us. I think that's the best example.

There is nothing wrong with reclaiming the universal sales techniques that Jesus used, even if the Sale's world also uses them. Connecting with someone, discovering a need and then offering a solution can be done in a genuine, non-manipulative manner even though it can be miss-used and abused like everything else.

Jesus started with a natural conversation about water with the Samaritan woman at the Well and then helped her to see her sin before revealing himself as the Savior. This is one evangelism technique that we see modeled by Jesus Himself. If Jesus had to SPEAK the words and help her admit her own sin instead of WAITING for her to ask him about His faith, then there is even more reason for us to do so. Jesus deeds were always good and charitable - He was the perfect example but still went out provoking discussions, identifying sin and preaching about the Kingdom of God.

I think you will find that as well as the "good and charitable deeds" of the early Church (The WAY), they were also actively out proclaiming the truth in the streets. Faith and deeds must go together.
Bottom-line: keep doing what you are doing #hopeinGod
 
There is nothing wrong with reclaiming the universal sales techniques that Jesus used, even if the Sale's world also uses them. Connecting with someone, discovering a need and then offering a solution can be done in a genuine, non-manipulative manner even though it can be miss-used and abused like everything else.

Yes. As long as we don't fall into the politician/sales person's habit of twisting the truth and/or flat out lying ...
 
What then is my reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may offer the gospel without charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.
For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law;to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law.To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some.I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.
1 Corinthians 9:18-23 :)
 
I will say one thing, but they are not my words.

Luke 10:2
New International Version (NIV)
2 He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.

Now my words.

God is allways racing against the clock to save all he can.
 
; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some.I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.
1 Corinthians 9:18-23 :)

Great quote. "...so that I may be ALL MEANS save some." Now, I can't say that I'm in favor of using secular attractions to bring people into the church, since, as I see it, the church isn't really where we should be focusing our efforts toward evangelism. The church is for the support of believers. We should go out "into all the world" and preach the gospel, not remain stuck within churches.
 
The other day, I got a call from a political telephone solicitor who asked me if I would like to take a test to see if I qualify for attendance at one of the RNC's special gatherings here in Tampa. I qualified, of course, but told her I couldn't make it because I had to work overtime.

I looked for, and the Lord provided, a door to speak of Him.
"Are you going to school?" I asked.
"No, I'm not able right now."
"Too busy, huh?"
"No, I have a child who was born while I was a teenager."
"Things can be hard on a single mother," I told her.
"Yea, they sure can."
"Do you know Jesus?" I asked
"I don't go to church much."
"I didn't ask if you go to church. Have you asked Jesus into your heart and to forgive you of your sins? He's the help you need right now."
A quiet acknowledgement with a slight, "Ah huh."
"Call on Him, okay? I'll pray for you as soon as I hang up the phone."
"Thank you very much," she said.
 
Great quote. "...so that I may be ALL MEANS save some." Now, I can't say that I'm in favor of using secular attractions to bring people into the church, since, as I see it, the church isn't really where we should be focusing our efforts toward evangelism. The church is for the support of believers. We should go out "into all the world" and preach the gospel, not remain stuck within churches.

You know what, though? I've been in 2 churches recently (as a visitor) where the gospel desperately needed to be preached! I don't know what to call it...laziness? the great apostasy? But I think perhaps many of the faithful attenders (second generation, or third in some cases to attend the church) of those churches believe they are saved because they are "good people", and may have never heard the gospel message. :(
My grandparents helped found a church, and my cousin goes there almost every Sunday. I'm trying to reach her (she lives 700 miles away) with the Truth...but she thinks she knows all there is to know about God. But lately, praise Jesus! she's been asking why I seem to have so much peace amid difficulties!

And I really liked what you said about using secular attractions in the church! So sad, the way the world and the things of God get mixed like that.
 
I looked for, and the Lord provided, a door to speak of Him.
"Are you going to school?" I asked.
"No, I'm not able right now."
"Too busy, huh?"
"No, I have a child who was born while I was a teenager."
"Things can be hard on a single mother," I told her.
"Yea, they sure can."
"Do you know Jesus?" I asked
"I don't go to church much."
"I didn't ask if you go to church. Have you asked Jesus into your heart and to forgive you of your sins? He's the help you need right now."
A quiet acknowledgement with a slight, "Ah huh."
"Call on Him, okay? I'll pray for you as soon as I hang up the phone."
"Thank you very much," she said.

Plant those seeds, brother! I'll pray for her, too. ♥
 
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