Tools Of The Trade

hopeinGod

hopeinGod

I have been witnessing to the lost since I was saved in 1972. The stories I could write I will save for another post. A few of the tools I find helpful in presenting the truth to the unsaved include:
  • A solid familiarity with the Scriptures, especially concerning the heart of man and what proceeds out of it, the penalty of sin, the propitiation for our sins through Christ's shed blood, and grace
  • The ability to listen, which is a learned skill, not something we suddely awaken to. The best training I've found was through Skip Hunt's classes on active listening. His book, called How Can I Help? is well able to equip when studied and practiced.
  • A safe harbor for the destitute. In years past, I would take home the lost from the streets. I risked my safety as well as the loss of my possessions doing that, so I've set aside that approach. Churches ought to be willing to work together to provide a place such as what is offered at the Salvation Army. Unfortunately, organized evangelism isn't on the minds of most congregations these days.
  • A foundation in the histories and errors of religious cults such as Jehovah Witnesses, Mormons, Scientology and Christian Science. Knowing, for instance, that the Trinity can be seen even within the JW's New World Translation Bible, despite their refusal to belief it, may help to make a point.
  • An understanding and acceptance of the challenges ahead for such an effort, and a willingness to be creative. Attempts to evangelize should not be centered in one's church, by thinking the only way to reach unbelievers is to ask them to attend a service. You must be willing to go out to them, wherever that might be.
  • At an advanced stage, churches may choose to invest in a flat bed trailer on which musicians can provide tunes that lift up the name of Jesus. Don't make it a concert. Keep it simple. This avenue is great for the giving of testimonies by Christians on how they met the Lord.
 
hopeinGod said:
I have been witnessing to the lost since I was saved in 1972. The stories I could write I will save for another post. A few of the tools I find helpful in presenting the truth to the unsaved include:
  • A solid familiarity with the Scriptures, especially concerning the heart of man and what proceeds out of it, the penalty of sin, the propitiation for our sins through Christ's shed blood, and grace
  • The ability to listen, which is a learned skill, not something we suddely awaken to. The best training I've found was through Skip Hunt's classes on active listening. His book, called How Can I Help? is well able to equip when studied and practiced.
  • A safe harbor for the destitute. In years past, I would take home the lost from the streets. I risked my safety as well as the loss of my possessions doing that, so I've set aside that approach. Churches ought to be willing to work together to provide a place such as what is offered at the Salvation Army. Unfortunately, organized evangelism isn't on the minds of most congregations these days.
  • A foundation in the histories and errors of religious cults such as Jehovah Witnesses, Mormons, Scientology and Christian Science. Knowing, for instance, that the Trinity can be seen even within the JW's New World Translation Bible, despite their refusal to belief it, may help to make a point.
  • An understanding and acceptance of the challenges ahead for such an effort, and a willingness to be creative. Attempts to evangelize should not be centered in one's church, by thinking the only way to reach unbelievers is to ask them to attend a service. You must be willing to go out to them, wherever that might be.
  • At an advanced stage, churches may choose to invest in a flat bed trailer on which musicians can provide tunes that lift up the name of Jesus. Don't make it a concert. Keep it simple. This avenue is great for the giving of testimonies by Christians on how they met the Lord.
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Do you discuss how the Bible teaches us Protestants are protestants because of fruit of the flesh too? Do you teach the bad history of the "Xian" non cult church?
Can we own the misbehaviors of the Church?
Have you read a book called unChristian? Here take a peek....

You pick at the JW's NWT bible, do you pick at the KJV bible for it's added verses?

I personally can't find any boon, to evangelising in a way that is dependent on striking for superiority. What you are discussing here is how it's been taught for as long as I've been alive, so I don't fault you for any of it. But, perhaps because I'm not afraid of change, nor challenging my beliefs and substantiating them, blah blah blah, I understand how folks get to where they get theologically, I'm not threatened and I don't see / feel the need to try to one up them. What I try to do is engage, play devil's advocate, make them think. If I'm "witnessing" I use the Socratic Method, but the whole conversation is on LOVE, not sin. I usually don't even need to bring the "SIN" word into the conversation. God is not a fascist, and the sin talk, as most present it, presents Him as one. I don't think He's going to be too impressed.
 
hopeinGod said:
I have been witnessing to the lost since I was saved in 1972. The stories I could write I will save for another post. A few of the tools I find helpful in presenting the truth to the unsaved include:
  • A solid familiarity with the Scriptures, especially concerning the heart of man and what proceeds out of it, the penalty of sin, the propitiation for our sins through Christ's shed blood, and grace
  • The ability to listen, which is a learned skill, not something we suddely awaken to. The best training I've found was through Skip Hunt's classes on active listening. His book, called How Can I Help? is well able to equip when studied and practiced.
  • A safe harbor for the destitute. In years past, I would take home the lost from the streets. I risked my safety as well as the loss of my possessions doing that, so I've set aside that approach. Churches ought to be willing to work together to provide a place such as what is offered at the Salvation Army. Unfortunately, organized evangelism isn't on the minds of most congregations these days.
  • A foundation in the histories and errors of religious cults such as Jehovah Witnesses, Mormons, Scientology and Christian Science. Knowing, for instance, that the Trinity can be seen even within the JW's New World Translation Bible, despite their refusal to belief it, may help to make a point.
  • An understanding and acceptance of the challenges ahead for such an effort, and a willingness to be creative. Attempts to evangelize should not be centered in one's church, by thinking the only way to reach unbelievers is to ask them to attend a service. You must be willing to go out to them, wherever that might be.
  • At an advanced stage, churches may choose to invest in a flat bed trailer on which musicians can provide tunes that lift up the name of Jesus. Don't make it a concert. Keep it simple. This avenue is great for the giving of testimonies by Christians on how they met the Lord.
Click to expand...


Awesome stuff - keep it up.
 
Here's an example, gorey.

For a couple of years, I walked into a head shop to speak with the owner. That part of the beach where the store was located was my preaching turf, the boardwalk on Jacksonville Beach, for several years. George and I became good friends, and after a seed was planted here and there, and watered occasionally, one day he asked me, "Do you know what you've been telling me for the last couple of years about how I should change?"

"What do you mean, George?" I asked him.

"You know, about Jesus."

I asked him, "Yea, what about it?"

"I want to do it." And there, next to his cashier stand we knelt and prayed.

In record time, George sold his business, moved to California, entered seminary, and now lives for Jesus. The last I heard, he was doing missionary work in Columbia.
 
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