Can I Get A Witness?

[Guest Biblicist]

I want to know, how do you witness, what methods do you use?

I also would like know how successful it is.

And I want to know what it was that someone did or showed you that brought you to a Saving knowledge of the LORD.

I do not believe that any human does the "saving" that is of the LORD. I do believe that it is our commission to spread the Good News and what we do or do not do changes our witness for the LORD.

I will start...

My father was born and raised as a Catholic. He was a mix of a)traditionalist Catholic, and b)ethnic catholic.

Meaning...

A) he was diametrically opposed to the "changes" within the church

he would defend [to the death] the "old time" catholicism.

B) His parents migrated to the US as Catholics.

He had a deep sence of belonging to his family and his religion [the two are connected]

He was catholic in name only, going to church to be "hatched, matched and dispatched"

Catholic more by habit than conviction.

My mother, God bless her, did not know these things about him. She did not understand that talking against the Catholic church was talking against his family. She did not know that it was part of his culture, not just his religion. She never reached him. One does not reach Catholics for the LORD if you insult them...

HOWEVER, a new Pastor came into our church. Praise the LORD.

He and my father shared their name, Jack...For some reason there was an instant connection. I remember my father saying, "He's unlike any other pastor I've ever known. He takes his shoes off when he comes in to visit." This was true, no other pastor, even my uncle, would take of their shoes [in essence relax] when talking to my Daddy. It made them seem unfriendly. Pastor was not afraid to be Face to Face with my daddy.

Daddy and Pastor became fast friends. They spent a great deal of time together, going out to lunch, working on Pastor's house...My dad would even take our tiller over there to prepare the ground for their new yard. It was these "meetings" that paved the way into Daddy's heart, with friendship, to reach him for Jesus Christ. I KNOW that Pastor did not shy away from sharing the gospel with Daddy. But the relationship laid the groundwork for Daddy's heart to be softened. Pastor was not afraid to be heart to heart with daddy.

I lived in Germany at the time, and felt compelled to write a letter to my father, explaining my love for him, and wish that he come to know Christ personally so he could be in Heaven with us. I was very young it was rather rudimentary.

Because of his relationship with Pastor, Daddy took the letter to him. Pastor had earned the right to be mind to mind with Daddy. They discussed it, and because of their respectful friendship it opened the door for Pastor to really explain the gospel to Daddy. One day, it happened. Daddy and Pastor were at Olive Garden, their favorite lunch spot,and Daddy prayed the prayer of acceptance and opened his heart to Jesus Christ.

When he opened his eyes he said to Pastor, "Why did I wait so long?"

After that Daddy could not get enough of God's word, Pastor continued to counsel him, and their friendship stayed strong till Daddy's death just a few years later.

My father was not won by witnessing, he was won by friendship. He was won by evidence, being shown the Love of the Lord through the Pastor of our church. Not by being told how wrong he was, or by having Bible verses spewed at him. It was a relationship. An emotional attachment.

It was a process, face to face [spending time together], heart to heart [caring about Daddy's needs], and mind to mind [sharing the gospel when the time is right, when God opens the door].

Today, Daddy and Pastor are sharing in the worship and praise of our Father, in Glory. Pastor just went home to be with the Lord this summer. I know their reunion was sweet.

[kari21]

For me, I witness using the Law (The 10 Commandments) to convict sinners of their guilt before the Lord and the need for repentance and salvation.

My family witnessed to me using the gospel and by Christian living, but did not pressure me in any way. They allowed me to make up my own mind in time.

[Guest Biblicist]

For me, I witness using the Law (The 10 Commandments) to convict sinners of their guilt before the Lord and the need for repentance and salvation.

My family witnessed to me using the gospel and by Christian living, but did not pressure me in any way. They allowed me to make up my own mind in time.

Why do you use a different approach to witnessing than your folks did?

[kari21]

For me, I witness using the Law (The 10 Commandments) to convict sinners of their guilt before the Lord and the need for repentance and salvation.

My family witnessed to me using the gospel and by Christian living, but did not pressure me in any way. They allowed me to make up my own mind in time.

Why do you use a different approach to witnessing than your folks did?

Because it took years for me to come around. I don't think those I witness to have that kind of time!

[Guest Biblicist]

For me, I witness using the Law (The 10 Commandments) to convict sinners of their guilt before the Lord and the need for repentance and salvation.

My family witnessed to me using the gospel and by Christian living, but did not pressure me in any way. They allowed me to make up my own mind in time.

Why do you use a different approach to witnessing than your folks did?

Because it took years for me to come around. I don't think those I witness to have that kind of time!

Sugar, don't you know that it's all in GOD's time. Do you know how old my father was before he accepted Christ? Do you know how long we prayed for him?

[kari21]

For me, I witness using the Law (The 10 Commandments) to convict sinners of their guilt before the Lord and the need for repentance and salvation.

My family witnessed to me using the gospel and by Christian living, but did not pressure me in any way. They allowed me to make up my own mind in time.

Why do you use a different approach to witnessing than your folks did?

Because it took years for me to come around. I don't think those I witness to have that kind of time!

Sugar, don't you know that it's all in GOD's time. Do you know how old my father was before he accepted Christ? Do you know how long we prayed for him?

Indeed, it's all in God's time, but what way worked for one may not work for another. Using the Law seems to work best in my own experience. Esp. for those that I do not see often, or just strangers I meet.

[damo1]

damo1

high biblicist

well speaking for my self and i hope i do not get corrected this is what happend with me i was on my last month serving for the second time in jail i had read the bible twice i was serving my time on a prison farm this time instead in our main jails around Australia yet prison farms can be just as harsh and tuff as the main Jails in Australia

this verse cought my attention and it has never left me Mark 2 New Spirit Filled life Bible

17 When Jesus heard it he said to them

those who are sick do not need a physician but those who are sick i did not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance

i also began to hear this inner small voice saying jesus loves you find a church this realy freaked me out as i had plans and i did not expect to find my self in a penticostal charasmatic unitting church in canberra

i was to head back to kings cross as i wanted my first shot of herroin and i could not handle being away from the strip clubs and the women i knew and the guys who ran the strip clubs as i was also to meet up with a female

and the rest is another story its self

because i am an x street kid and some one who has had it hard i find it easy to relate to people i also have no shame when it comes to sharing this gospel as in the church i was in it was a good church the pastor belived in disciple ship and also home fellowship groups as this is were you would grow as in our main sunday services we had over 2500 people so it could not be were you could be discipled just by being in church on sunday

this church had a strong evangelical drive also as evangelizing was were you would learn to use your gifts i use to go out on out reach with my pastor and sevral other people every saturday and sunday nights my pastor would encourage people to share what god was doing in their lives and also if they had something to say to the church he would open the floor as this is how a person would learn

this church belived in using the gifts that 1 corinthians 14 talks about that means it was open to the leading of the holy spirit and the holy spirit had full reign it was not a luke warm church were god and the holy spirit were placed in a box

my pastor was an old army chaplin and the people in the church were from diffrent cultured groups we had criminals alcaholics and addicts home less people and single mothers

the church also had two houses a mens house and a womens house i was invovled in the mens house as these houses were used as an out reach tool

what i do when i lead some one to god i tell them to read the gospel of john and then work around the bible i also tell the new christian to have a note pad and also i tell them to bring the note pad with a pen to church as well and i tell them to alow the holy spirit to lead them threw gods word

i belive in spiritual mentoring what that means you take a young christian under your wings and you encourage them you pray with them and help them fit in and make sure their needs are being met also as a spiritual mentor you encourage the new christian to use their gifts

as we also place new christians with mature christians who are grounded and strong in their own walk

you can also meet up in the mall have coffee and do diffrent activities with a new christian as they are only young and you need to be aware that they are an easy target and can still walk back to their old life style

if i am talking to a non beliver i be friend them first i do not belive in preaching on doom and gloom and telling the un beliver that they are going to go to hell this turns the un beliver off and you will loose them

as i have seen that their are a few people hear on this forum who love to preach on doom and gloom and on hell

i do not go door knocking i alow the holy spirit to lead me to those he wants me to talk to and when ever i do this it just amazes me

if i am talking with an un beliver i will let them do all the talking i always look the person in the eye and i show intrest in what they have to say as i quietly pray and i ask the holy spirit is their some thing you want me to say help me as it is you that can only convict a person i am an open vessel and i need you

see when gods holy spirit convicted me it was not the gaurd or the prisoner next to me i new it was gods holy spirit i can not explaine it but you will know what i am saying as i said i heard this inner smal voice saying jesus loves you find a church and that verse i gave you in mark 2 verse 17 effected me as i could not stop thinking about what i had read i could remember the verse when i was in the kitchen getting the lunches ready for the prisoners and when i oppend my bible i would always find the verse

but what works for me will be diffrent for some one else so i am only sharing how i do things

i also belive in follow up this is very important and it does not hurt to pick the ph up and say hay how are you or if the person is not in church for 2 sundays you pick the ph up and you see what is up

so i hope this helps you see how we do this in Australia and how i was taught

oh most important my testimoney and because i have tattoos this also opens up doors for me to share

god bless from your brother in the lord damien stipic

[Guest Biblicist]

Thank you for that brother damien. Amen and AMEN!

The pastor who is teaching our Christian Development time, about witnessing to Catholics, told us how he goes about speaking to people in public about Christ.

First he asks about their religious affiliation. Most say, Catholic. As I said, it's very prevelant here.

Second he asks if they have ever been hurt by someone claiming Christ. Almost always, the answer is YES.

Then he apologizes for that and tells them he wants to pray a blessing over them.

That's it! Then [sometimes] they ask him about Christ.

He believes it is important to mend hearts before they will be open to the Gospel. A person who has been hurt by one who claims the name of Christ will not be willing to listen to Christ. We represent Christ, what we do reflects on Him.

I want to try this, but I am scared.

[Vickilynn]

I want to know, how do you witness, what methods do you use?

I also would like know how successful it is.

And I want to know what it was that someone did or showed you that brought you to a Saving knowledge of the LORD.

I do not believe that any human does the "saving" that is of the LORD. I do believe that it is our commission to spread the Good News and what we do or do not do changes our witness for the LORD.

I will start...

My father was born and raised as a Catholic. He was a mix of a)traditionalist Catholic, and b)ethnic catholic.

Meaning...

A) he was diametrically opposed to the "changes" within the church

he would defend [to the death] the "old time" catholicism.

B) His parents migrated to the US as Catholics.

He had a deep sence of belonging to his family and his religion [the two are coornnected]

He was catholic in name only, going to church to be "hatched, matched and dispatched"

Catholic more by habit than conviction.

My mother, God bless her, did not know these things about him. She did not understand that talking against the Catholic church was talking against his family. She did not know that it was part of his culture, not just his religion. She never reached him. One does not reach Catholics for the LORD if you insult them...

HOWEVER, a new Pastor came into our church. Praise the LORD.

He and my father shared their name, Jack...For some reason there was an instant connection. I remember my father saying, "He's unlike any other pastor I've ever known. He takes his shoes off when he comes in to visit." This was true, no other pastor, even my uncle, would take of their shoes [in essence relax] when talking to my Daddy. It made them seem unfriendly. Pastor was not afraid to be Face to Face with my daddy.

Daddy and Pastor became fast friends. They spent a great deal of time together, going out to lunch, working on Pastor's house...My dad would even take our tiller over there to prepare the ground for their new yard. It was these "meetings" that paved the way into Daddy's heart, with friendship, to reach him for Jesus Christ. I KNOW that Pastor did not shy away from sharing the gospel with Daddy. But the relationship laid the groundwork for Daddy's heart to be softened. Pastor was not afraid to be heart to heart with daddy.

I lived in Germany at the time, and felt compelled to write a letter to my father, explaining my love for him, and wish that he come to know Christ personally so he could be in Heaven with us. I was very young it was rather rudimentary.

Because of his relationship with Pastor, Daddy took the letter to him. Pastor had earned the right to be mind to mind with Daddy. They discussed it, and because of their respectful friendship it opened the door for Pastor to really explain the gospel to Daddy. One day, it happened. Daddy and Pastor were at Olive Garden, their favorite lunch spot,and Daddy prayed the prayer of acceptance and opened his heart to Jesus Christ.

When he opened his eyes he said to Pastor, "Why did I wait so long?"

After that Daddy could not get enough of God's word, Pastor continued to counsel him, and their friendship stayed strong till Daddy's death just a few years later.

My father was not won by witnessing, he was won by friendship. He was won by evidence, being shown the Love of the Lord through the Pastor of our church. Not by being told how wrong he was, or by having Bible verses spewed at him. It was a relationship. An emotional attachment.

It was a process, face to face [spending time together], heart to heart [caring about Daddy's needs], and mind to mind [sharing the gospel when the time is right, when God opens the door].

Today, Daddy and Pastor are sharing in the worship and praise of our Father, in Glory. Pastor just went home to be with the Lord this summer. I know their reunion was sweet.

Shalom Bib,

Oh my, what a PRECIOUS, moving, testimony! Thank you, thank you for sharing this with us. You've written it in a way that I could almost feel the emotion of your dad. And I pray the L-rd to comfort you when you miss your sweet father and his dear brother in the L-rd, your pastor, both of whom you loved. May G-d's peace and comfort surround you.

I thank G-d for your pastor who shared himself with your father and allowed himself to be the conduit of the Holy Spirit unto salvation for your dad.

G-d bless you!

[Vickilynn]

Shalom Bib,

For me, there is no pre-set way that I witness to people. You see, I ask the Holy Spirit to lead me and what He wants one person to hear, for another He may choose a different route.

There are times that I simply love people and tell them it's because Jesus loves me. I do this when I go to help feed the street people. They have heard the preachers, they know all the rhetoric, they just need to see Jesus' LOVE in action. That will touch their hearts, not words. I do let them know I am there because of Jesus and He loves them, but then I serve them food. THAT to them speaks louder than any words.

When I go into places to witness, such as jails or shelters, we are the "program" and they know we are coming and that we are there to tell them about Jesus. We sing and share our testimonies, but we don't point fingers at them, only tell how we were before Jesus and then how He saved us and how we are different.

When I witness to Jews, it's a whole different story. It's all about G-d and how He loves them and there is NO condemnation or criticism, but sharing G-d's love and through the OT, how He sent a Messiah that DID come, not one they are still waiting for.

For my Jewish family, it's walking out love. Being bold in my love for Jesus not hiding it or watering it down, but not pointing out their sins. They KNOW their sins. They think I judge them because I am a Christian, and I surprise them when they say or do something they know is contrary to my beliefs as a Christian, yet I don't judge them, or criticize them, but love them.

To the person on the street, there is no time to make a friend. I ask the Holy Spirit what this person needs to hear and then I share it. Again, not criticizing, but sharing Scripture.

I believe we need to love and show Jesus' love and be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit in how best to share that with people, for they are not all the same.

As for me, well, I'm an odd Jewish bird. G-d worked on me for many years and my testimony is long, but the FIRST time this Jew ever heard that Jesus was the Son of G-d and that He died for the sins of the world came from a Rick Opera that Christians were boycotting and calling blasphemous. It is "Jesus Christ:Superstar" and G-d used it to open my heart to Jesus.