going door to door

[Marathoner]

It's been interesting reading the replies thus far. This is something I've never done nor participated in. No surprise on account of how I came to the Lord to be sure, though I did have some experience being on the receiving end of such a thing. 

I was polite but firm in my refusals. I didn't want any tracts and if one or more was left behind, I'd toss them out. That was different from being confronted by members of a particular church on Fort Lewis in Washington state; they were fond of haunting public venues like the Base Exchange (equivalent of a department store) and thrusting themselves upon you out of the blue. 

These were military personnel stationed on base.

Polite refusals didn't work with them. Threatening to summon the military police worked because they were not authorized to solicit on the installation. I didn't know the Lord back then. If I did know Him, I would have counseled the members of that church to adopt a less aggressive stance because of the risk involved.

[RdJ]

On 11/4/2023 at 10:38 PM, Ghostdog said:

do you go door to door in your neighbourhood? when i was looking into jws one of the people told me that this is the only church they ever seen going door to door and i have to agree. when i was younger our church went door to door maybe once but it was more about trying to get people to come to our church instead of sharing the gospel

In the 80s and 90s we went door to door and to the mall. I once went door to door giving tracts for the church and a woman said: You're not a JW. You're not dressed up enough. Where are you from?

2 years ago I ordered tracts and put em in the mail boxes from the flat I live in, but that stuff is expensive. Lol in the end to save money I printed it and it looked ugly, but hey practical and lovely cheap.

Edited November 5, 2023 by Renskedejonge

[farouk]

16 hours ago, Renskedejonge said:

In the 80s and 90s we went door to door and to the mall. I once went door to door giving tracts for the church and a woman said: You're not a JW. You're not dressed up enough. Where are you from?

2 years ago I ordered tracts and put em in the mail boxes from the flat I live in, but that stuff is expensive. Lol in the end to save money I printed it and it looked ugly, but hey practical and lovely cheap.

@Renskedejonge We need to keep sowing the seed................ (Isaiah 55.11).

[TheBlade]

On 11/4/2023 at 3:38 PM, Ghostdog said:

do you go door to door in your neighbourhood? when i was looking into jws one of the people told me that this is the only church they ever seen going door to door and i have to agree. when i was younger our church went door to door maybe once but it was more about trying to get people to come to our church instead of sharing the gospel

Truth.. no I don't. When I was in my late 20's always following the lord but not going to Church a preacher came do our door said our name crossed his desk. So I knew as long as I don't go my wife wont so we did for 7 years.  So like you asked but when's the last time the preacher came to your door? It has happened twice in my life. My mom lived in Denver and for the 1st time asked for help so we moved there didn't want to raise my kids in LA. So one night just talking to the lord just talking not asking really I said "remember that time that preacher came to our door?" I smiled said "be nice if that happened again since we don't know where to go". About a week or so later one night we get this knock on the door this older man asked if so and so was there I said "sorry you got the wrong house". As he slowly walked away he stops I heard him say "no the lord would never have me go to the wrong house" comes back hands me this card he was a preacher and what he believed was what we did as in gifts and the sweet sweet holy Spirit. 

What I love is "the lord would not have me go to the wrong house". He knew every step he took GOD leads him. He just didn't think "well I got the wrong house". Like the story of the girl waning to go to a different store but had to go to one she didn't like. As she was checking out she smiles as the cashier. That cashier thought ooh she must be a Christian to be that happy. So that weekend because of that Christian that had to go to a store she didn't want to smiles and that cashier got saved that weekend because of that one smile. We just don't  know how He uses us.. 

[other one]

When I was still working I was in hundreds of offices a year working on Xerox office stuff.   I used a very sharp picture of this as a test pattern for about 25 years when I was testing machines.

It was on the bulletin board of just about every office in half of Oklahoma for ten years.

It started many many conversations and let me plant many seeds;

 

[Mei Kor]

On 11/5/2023 at 4:49 AM, Sower said:

I used to 'knock on doors'  for decades on our church Monday evening visitation ministry and cold calls are not very much appreciated. People like their privacy and strangers knocking on their door is irritating/bothersome to them. Not always but almost. When someone visits our church though they can sign a visitors card and request a visit, and that is when we go now. With my wife and my businesses we have strangers, delivery  drivers, come every day, so the mission field has moved to our home, praise God.

Within my neighborhood out in the country the homes are somewhat far apart, yet I try to offer friendship and get to know most and then eventually come around to the gospel, and knowing we live close and I will have more opportunities in the future. It is amazing to me that most of these strangers appreciate discussing God and how they also pray to him though not knowing him personally.

We used to have JW's come to our place regularly leaving their tract/paper, false doctrine,  called the "Watchtower" on our gate if we weren't home. When they came and witnessed,  I would talk to them as if ignorant of scripture. They always came by twos. One was generally older, knowledgeable, the teacher, and a younger one an apprentice, learning the ropes. Finally, after several visits and zeroing in on the young unlearned apprentice, I ask him about Jesus being God the son. He quoted Jesus was only a god according to his bible. I then pulled out my bible and showed him that his bible was false, that Jesus was GOD, as it said in mine, in John 1, Jesus was God, and not (a) God. The older JW stepped up and said they had to leave.     They never came back. Hope the young man considered to investigate another true biblical bible.

Overall, same experience as you. House visitation was, Yes, irritating for some. Got a very good idea that those who come the first time to church will give them sign a visiting card for further connection and fellowship, would be the best. I also had encounter with JW years before. 

[Vine Abider]

Didn't do it much, but similar experience as many have stated.  Back in the 80s there was a push in our group nationwide to go door to door.  A system was developed around doing this. I was in my 30s and it all felt pretty awkward.  I really didn't feel led of the Lord to do it, but the group was promoting it, so . . .  bottom-line is I didn't do it very much.

There is one brother in our local assembly now who really has a gift.  He has gone to India a number of times, to preach (at the request of groups there), and back home he always has a story about how the Lord had wondrously positioned him with someone who then came to know the Lord through their conversation.  It's always interesting to listen as he testifies of how the Spirit leads these occurrences.  And actually there is another brother in our group who has similar experiences.  It is clear these ones truly have that gift, and a number of people are saved through them each year.

And there are others among us who have that gift to a lesser degree.  Often these ones will encourage others to do evangelize - strike up conversations with strangers on the elevator (so to speak) and lead others to Christ.  I used to get a little condemned, because I didn't seem to have that same gifting or experience, and trying to do it was like stroking a cat backwards.  But in fellowship with others about this, it became apparent that some have the gift of evangelism and others don't so much.  That doesn't mean we can't witness as the occasions arise, be open and also pray . . . and the Lord, who is indwelling in us, is certainly able if we let Him operate through us!

Final note - cold calling and door to door is the lowest form of sales in the business world.  A much more fruitful approach is when there is a referral or relationship of some sort with the person.  Then the likelihood of someone listening goes way up.  For me, at least, this idea translates to the spiritual realm as well, and most of my effective witnessing is when I have some relationship with the person.

[Sower]

On 11/5/2023 at 4:14 PM, Marathoner said:

Polite refusals didn't work with them. Threatening to summon the military police worked because they were not authorized to solicit on the installation. I didn't know the Lord back then. If I did know Him, I would have counseled the members of that church to adopt a less aggressive stance because of the risk involved.

Perhaps they were more concerned for your eternal destination than being carefully polite.
You have to give them credit for being obedient to share the gospel, and taking the time to do so.
I have made mistakes myself talking with strangers about the Lord. I try to learn from them.
I can usually tell right away those who have no desire to listen, sometimes hostile.
 

Sharing the Gospel in a Hostile Society    (Answers in Genesis quote;)

Christians are commanded to take the message of the gospel everywhere and to everyone. This means at least some Christians will be called to share the gospel in contexts that can become very hostile or even dangerous. This is even more the case in a society where words one disagrees with are equated with physical violence (and thus a physically violent reaction can be justified in the mind of the offended person). In these situations, we have to take extra care to exercise discernment.

First, people should prayerfully consider with trusted counsel whether to engage in evangelism in hostile environments at all. Jesus said, “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you” (Matthew 7:6).

There are so many avenues for evangelism—for every street preacher that shares the gospel in front of an abortion mill, there’s a need for someone to minister in a nursing home.

Find Common Ground

No matter how different someone may seem from you, they are a fellow image-bearer, and you have something in common with them! If someone feels like you can identify with them and their struggles, they are more likely to listen to what you’re saying.

We can find common ground even with people who are entrenched in sins that they use to identify themselves, because we are sinners who have been forgiven, and we are extending the message of that same forgiveness to them.

In today’s identity-driven world, a personal story can be particularly powerful. So if you have a story of how God has delivered you, sharing that can be a good tool to get someone comfortable with the idea of needing deliverance so you can address their need for salvation.

People Still Need the Gospel!

It can be tempting to say that it is not worth the challenge of sharing the gospel with people who will probably ridicule us and may even attack us. But the gospel answers some of the fundamental struggles in today’s society regarding identity, meaning, and truth. There is nothing more amazing than seeing people go from hostility to trusting Jesus as the Holy Spirit works in their hearts.

And of course, we must obey the Great Commission: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19–20).

Thanks, Marathoner.

[Neighbor]

Please let me share of a friend's process for being an effective witness:

He starts each day with a prayer- Paraphrasing -Lord let me meet someone today that  has a need to know you. May I be effective in sharing of you with that person. Then as he travels and meets people, on a commercial aircraft flight as example, he  introduces himself and states- I prayed this morning  to be enabled to meet someone that I might share of the grace  and mercy of Jesus. I do wonder if that person might be you. Do you have a personal relationship  with  Jesus as your Lord? Is there anything we might pray about  that is important in your life at this time?

The actual statements and questions fit his outgoing  welcoming personality. I do think the most important part of his process is that he starts each day with that prayer - to be enabled to meet someone with whom to share of the gospel of Yeshua.