Can I Get A Witness?

December 27, 2007

This is a issue for me lately "witnessing" I dont find myself sharing my love and passion for christ with other people. My Father also made it apparent to me that Christianity means fellowship. So I will be working on this. Thank you for the thread. Its great. and Im very thankful to the Lord Jesus for bringing us all together in his word and name.
Heatherxx

Amen Heather!

December 27, 2007

I try to live my life in a way that the unsaved will see a difference in me and ask what that difference is. I also like to play Christian music whenever it is appropriate. Usually, I am asked about something I listen to or something I do or say that starts the conversation. I take it from there. Most of all, I allow the Holy Spirit to guide me.

OneLight

My pastor said something to us one time. "They are not going to come to you, most of the time you have to go to them."

Has anyone had someone come to them and ask, "What makes you so different?"

My mother did, one of the girls on her bus [she drove a school bus for 20+ years] asked her what was so different about her and her family. We had the oppertunity of witnessing to this girl, bringing her to church and watching her come to the LORD.

Since my mother worked for the school system she could not talk about Jesus Christ to people but it was her lifestyle that drew this girl to her.

DjZed · January 2, 2008

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 use the methods of circumstance. God will always provide the opportunities for us to spread the gospel. It's not really a work you can master. You may have all knowledge, know every tactic and argument of all false teachings and other worldly arguments. You will never get someone to believe by any given method. I learned to practice something i learned with a business partner. The gospel to the unbeliever and the scripture to the believer. It didnt matter what i said there was always an argument against god from him. After months of spending all day with him i realized that the most benificial thing i could preach was that he was just like all the people he hated. Pointing to him his sinfulness. then the death and ressurection of christ for salvation and hope. If a man does not see this, he will not recieve christ. So all that talking and trying to persuade came to a conclusion of always preaching the forgiveness of sin. This particular man is still against god. but sometimes men recieve easily. I believe we partake in the preaching of the gospel as privlage. god does not need us, he uses us. In the end it is the spririt of god who opens a man to see his wretchedness and recieve christ. This is gods work, to save men.

January 2, 2008

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?

When you use the 10 Commandments, it does indeed convict their conscience. It helps them to realize their need for the Saviour. That what they do in "The Way of the Master". You don't covict them of their sins, their conscience does. And once they admit that they are a sinner and headed to hell, you can present the Gospel to them. As far as results go, it depends on the individual just like it would with any other method.
I also use servant evangelism. (That's when you serve someone then present the Gospel afterwards.)

Preaching the 10 Commandments to people and letting their conscience convict them is evangelism based on Freud's theory of the "super-ego" which acts as the conscience, maintaining the sense of moraility and the prohibition of taboos. Basically the teaching that there is "good in everyone". [Which is ironic since Freud didn't like people at all.]

The Bible clearly states there is not. People are wicked, from birth. Unless and until they see themselves as such, they will see no need for a Saviour.

have you ever lied? have you ever stolen (anything regardless over monetary value)? have you always put God first in your life? have you always honored your parents? have you ever committed adultery (this includes lust toward other people)?
don't answer that. those are only 5 of the 10 Commandments being broken & most (non-Christians) can't get through 3 of them w/o realizing their need for the Saviour. So what were you saying?

My friend, of course I have committed those sins for I am a human. BUT I have the Holy Spirit to convict me of those wrongs, since I have Jesus Christ in my life. Without the Holy Spirit there is no conviction.

Do you not agree that people are wicked from birth and that there is none righteous, not one! Or do you follow Freud's teaching that there is good in everyone?

There is nothing wrong with Preaching the 10 Commandments to people, after all Paul told us in Romans 3:20...and 7:7

20Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.

7What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "Do not covet."

January 2, 2008

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?

When you use the 10 Commandments, it does indeed convict their conscience. It helps them to realize their need for the Saviour. That what they do in "The Way of the Master". You don't covict them of their sins, their conscience does. And once they admit that they are a sinner and headed to hell, you can present the Gospel to them. As far as results go, it depends on the individual just like it would with any other method.
I also use servant evangelism. (That's when you serve someone then present the Gospel afterwards.)

Preaching the 10 Commandments to people and letting their conscience convict them is evangelism based on Freud's theory of the "super-ego" which acts as the conscience, maintaining the sense of moraility and the prohibition of taboos. Basically the teaching that there is "good in everyone". [Which is ironic since Freud didn't like people at all.]

The Bible clearly states there is not. People are wicked, from birth. Unless and until they see themselves as such, they will see no need for a Saviour.

have you ever lied? have you ever stolen (anything regardless over monetary value)? have you always put God first in your life? have you always honored your parents? have you ever committed adultery (this includes lust toward other people)?
don't answer that. those are only 5 of the 10 Commandments being broken & most (non-Christians) can't get through 3 of them w/o realizing their need for the Saviour. So what were you saying?

My friend, of course I have committed those sins for I am a human. BUT I have the Holy Spirit to convict me of those wrongs, since I have Jesus Christ in my life. Without the Holy Spirit there is no conviction.

Do you not agree that people are wicked from birth and that there is none righteous, not one! Or do you follow Freud's teaching that there is good in everyone?

There is nothing wrong with Preaching the 10 Commandments to people, after all Paul told us in Romans 3:20...and 7:7

20Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.

7What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "Do not covet."

Paul knew the law, probably better than any of us, before he became a believer, it did not make him come to a saving knowledge of Christ. What I am saying is that we can not preach to people assuming that there is "good in everyone", and that they just need to be shown their wrong doings to turn their lives to the LORD.

Romans 3

"There is no one righteous, not even one;

11there is no one who understands,

no one who seeks God.

12All have turned away,

they have together become worthless;

there is no one who does good,

not even one."

13"Their throats are open graves;

their tongues practice deceit."

"The poison of vipers is on their lips."

14"Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness."

15"Their feet are swift to shed blood;

16ruin and misery mark their ways,

17and the way of peace they do not know."

18"There is no fear of God before their eyes."

kari21 · January 2, 2008

You know that commercial, all you need is a couch and a box of kleenex. It's true! People just want someone to listen and hear that there is HOPE.

Amen! That proves itself true time after time.

January 2, 2008

okay. here's the deal. I may be a Psch major, but I never once said that I go along with Frued's teachings. .... everyone at some point in time has broken every last one of the Commandments. you break one, you break them all. so how can anyone be "good"?

for some reason, I see this conversation going around in a circle, so I'm done. so you guys can carry on without me.

Sweetie, if you are a psych major you must have learned Freud's teachings, among the many other's [even my nephew in a Christian college studying God's teachings about counseling and pastoring has learned Freud's methods, unbelieveable ] ...did you not see the flaw in what he said?

You are right none of us are good, nor can we be, on our own. That's what I said.

Conversations always go in a circle because they always [should] come back to one thing, The LORD Jesus Christ! It starts with Him and it ends with Him.

January 2, 2008

In studying Evangelism during our CD classes on Sunday Mornings, I've learned a great deal many things. I'd like to share them with you...

Witnessing Styles

Direct Approach

This approach is rather straightforward, the tough love approach. It approaches Catholicism as a false religion (which it is) and shows solid biblical support for this position. Those proponents of this style insist in Catholics leaving their church immediately. It is an approach that is valid but not necessarily the most effective. It is more mind-to-mind based then anything else. Those who advocate this style are blunt about telling Catholics they are headed to hell in their present state.

John the Baptist used an approach similar to this very effectively. It has a place. It is Biblical.

Indirect Approach

This second very popular approach is the seeker friendly approach. Here unsaved people are not confronted with their sin. The Gospel is dumbed-down so as to meet with felt-needs. This approach is sometimes called easy-believeism. The bad news of sin is downplayed for the Good News of God's love.

Although very popular today I think it's dangerous because it may give the wrong message and produce folks who may think they are saved but may well not be.

In-between Approach

This I call the "loving truth" approach "which is somewhere in between the in-your-face direct approach and the casual indirect approach. It is a presentation that speaks the truth of the Gospel in love with gentleness and kindness. This is the approach we in Catholic Conversations prefer, hence our mission statement, "Speaking the truth in love" in the right way at the right time. It clearly is aimed at "getting the Gospel right" without dumbing down sin or reminding Catholics of their false religion or their impending damnation to hell.

It is an approach that delays the proclamation of the Gospel until we have moved through the three levels of conversation and have earned the right to explain the bad news followed by the Good News. It is going to mind-to-mind with a caring hand and heart. It is not overloading with your knowledge of the Bible. It is showing how much you care before you show how much you know.

People don't care how much you know, till they know how much you care.

Jacshan · January 3, 2008

Thanks for the thread Biblicist

I agree with Vickilynn. The most imprtant ingredient would be love. Ye shall be known to be Christians by your love the Bible says.

As a person who rebelled out from church I was brought back into proper perspectives by the love I saw in some Christians more than wrods. We must I believe constantly ask God to make us lovers of people and minmize our overheads so that we will be less self engrossed when we meet people. When we approach people because we love them as precious creations of God and not as a duty it shows. It makes a big opening. This is not to deny that other tacticts can help.

Jacshan

Edited January 3, 2008 by Jacshan

January 12, 2008

Three - Microwave Styles

Traditional Style

Folks who go out usually two by two knocking on doors in the neighborhood to proclaim the gospel, sometimes called home visitations, exemplify this style.

They will use formats such as Evangelism Explosion, the Roman Road, the Bridge or any number of available tracts. These formats are good in themselves but often become ineffective not because of content but more so because of how and when they are used. It is suspect as to whether these approaches result in genuine conversions or not. You will see how formats like this may be only somewheat effective.

This style does not work for most of us. It takes an extroverted person to do this. It usually is accompanied by pressure. Usually you are trained to get a commitment for Christ on the spot like a vacuum cleaner salesman trying to close the deal the first time he meets you. [i went through EE classes, this is exactly the way they train you]

It is said that maybe only about 10% of Christians are equipped to proclaim the Gospel in this manner or are gifted this way.

Confrontational Style

This is done by some who are rather aggressive in their approach. They come on strong, kind of like John the Baptist. Repent or perish! Peter used this style in Acts after the Pentecost experience. Very gifted and anointed people usually do this.

Lets look at this style in Acts 2.

Acts 2:14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them, "Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words.

Acts 2:37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"

Acts 2:38 And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, andyou will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself."

Acts 2:40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying "Save yourselves from this crooked generation."

Acts 2:41 So those who received his word were baptized, and they were added that day about three thousand in all.

Modern confrontation Evangelist are men like Billy Graham and Bill Glass. The problem with this style is that some hearers may make an emotional response and not demonstrate the fruit of repentance as they go forward.

This is somewhat the in your face style that we talked about earlier.

Intellectual Style

This approach is for someone who likes to debate and is qualified as an apologist (a person who offers an argument in defence of doctrine). Few of us qualified to do this. People like Josh McDowell, R.C. Sproul, Ravi Zaharias, Lee Stroble or John Macarthur fit this style.

This is what Paul did at Mars Hill. This time we will look at Acts 17

Acts 17:16 Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens; his spirit was provoked within him as he saw the city was full of idols.

Acts 17:17 So he ressoned in the synagogue with the Jews and devout persons, and the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there.

Acts 17:22 So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: "Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are religious.

Acts 17:23 For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship; I found also an alter with this inscription, 'To the unknown god.' What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.

Paul took them from the unknown god to the resurrected Christ!

It is said that maybe 3% of Christians are gifted this way. Having in depth knowledge of scripture, theology and philosophy and especially logic. They are usually trained in forensics, and classical artumentation styles.

Next I will share with you the "Crock-Pot Styles of Evangelism". These are styles of witnessing that all of us, to one degree or another, are qualified, gifted and able to do.