50 words or less - Part B

[~candice~]

Scenario: you have two minutes before your bus arrives and the opportunity has arisen to share the gospel and/or your testimony with the person next to you.

What do you say?

Well, I'm trying to get people to summarise their testimony in 50 words or less.

That's not what you asked originally.

I don't know why this feels like pulling teeth? I thought it would be a fun exercise.

[ayin jade]

I don't know why this feels like pulling teeth? I thought it would be a fun exercise.

Im with Dakilang Pag-asa, there is no stock answer. I cant tell you what I would specifically say because each instance is different with His leading (not that I ever use the bus lol).

[~candice~]

I think it's both.

He does give us the words as we need them, but we are also told...

1Pe 3:15 but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready always to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason of the hope in you, with meekness and fear;

1Pe 3:16 having a good conscience, that while they speak against you as evildoers they may be shamed, those falsely accusing your good behavior in Christ.

I don't think there is a harm in practicing explaining your testimony / the gospel / the hope within.

[ayin jade]

Nah I feel like Im being pressured to give a one size fits all answer, and thats not how I can do it.

As for always being ready to give an answer, that means knowing why, and being able to speak why when the time is right. It does not mean have a stock answer prepared ahead of time.

[ayin jade]

Kinda funny in a way. I can never give an answer when someone "tests" me on how to witness, but when the situation calls for it I can do it. The difference is when He gives me the words, and when Im on my own lol.

[~candice~]

I am not forcing you to be involved in this thread at all, nor is this a "test", there is no right or wrong answer.

I'm not asking for you to give a stock answer and it won't be graded.

This exercise was done in my previous church, and it was a safe way for people who had never witnessed before, to take that first step into verbalising what was within them. They seemed to get a lot out of it, the Lord used it to stir a few people up.

If you don't think it benefits you, fine, don't participate. But I feel like this conversation is killing or has killed my thread .

[Dak]

Im with Dakilang Pag-asa, there is no stock answer. I cant tell you what I would specifically say because each instance is different with His leading (not that I ever use the bus lol).

Nah I feel like Im being pressured to give a one size fits all answer, and thats not how I can do it.

As for always being ready to give an answer, that means knowing why, and being able to speak why when the time is right. It does not mean have a stock answer prepared ahead of time.

Kinda funny in a way. I can never give an answer when someone "tests" me on how to witness, but when the situation calls for it I can do it. The difference is when He gives me the words, and when Im on my own lol.

When I was in college... when my faith in God was already destroyed by reckless evangelists... when I was filled with questions and pains... I once went to the library and sat outside. I was alone.

Then a fellow student came to me, carrying a Bible, asking for my permission to share her faith with me. I said no, told her I was doing something. She insisted, and I insisted back. She was persistent, but I was truly not in the mood for more evangelists.... So she went away, embarrassed.

And what did I do after she left? I opened my bag and got my own Bible, and started to read and to pray....

I shared this story to let you all know that there is danger involved in forcing ourselves to do God's work, in this instance, witnessing to other people. Like in my case, we could be doing more harm than good. We could be leading people away from Jesus, instead of leading them to him.

[OneLight]

I would say whatever the Holy Spirit gave me to say. If it is over 50 words, that it up with God!

[Dak]

I am not forcing you to be involved in this thread at all, nor is this a "test", there is no right or wrong answer.

I'm not asking for you to give a stock answer and it won't be graded.

This exercise was done in my previous church, and it was a safe way for people who had never witnessed before, to take that first step into verbalising what was within them. They seemed to get a lot out of it, the Lord used it to stir a few people up.

If you don't think it benefits you, fine, don't participate. But I feel like this conversation is killing or has killed my thread .

I appreciate the thought behind this thread, Sister.

[~candice~]

I shared this story to let you all know that there is danger involved in forcing ourselves to do God's work, in this instance, witnessing to other people. Like in my case, we could be doing more harm than good. We could be leading people away from Jesus, instead of leading them to him.

I don't know why all these references to force are being thrown around. No one is forcing anything . This is a practice exercise.

I appreciate the thought behind this thread, Sister.

Well it's going somewhere that really wasn't intended

I get frustrated when the intent is lost amongst debates.

I'm pretty sure God gives my pastor the words when he is preaching. But I am equally sure that my pastor didn't get up there unprepared, he studied well before hand. In in the same way, I'm pretty sure that He gives evangelists the words to use when they are evangelising, but I don't think they go out there unprepared. Him giving us the words doesn't mean that we cannot participate in getting prepared.

If people don't think this is what they want or need to do, or feel led against this activity, then fine don't participate. We are all at different places in our spiritual walks. But I've seen the Lord work through it, especially for those who feel a great deal of apprehension about witnessing.