Do's And Don't Of Witnessing

The Do's and Don'ts of Witnessing

"Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned, as it were, with salt, so that you may know how you should respond to each person" (Colossians 4:5-6). Like most things in life, witnessing has guidelines.
Following is a list of 20 Do's and 12 Don'ts. They should aid you while witnessing and help prevent serious errors. If, however, you choose to ignore them, witnessing will be difficult and awkward.

Do's
1. Do Pray.
2. Do speak to please God.
3. Do read your Bible.
4. Do start with a positive witness for Christ.
5. Do keep things simple.
6. Do share your salvation experience with them.
7. Do know what you believe.
8. Do have a genuine love.
9. Do be simple and define your terms.
10. Do memorize appropriate Scriptures if possible.
11. Do be ready to learn from the people you witness to.
12. Do be patient and gentle.
13. Do listen attentively.
14. Do answer their questions.
15. Do ask questions.
16. Do let him save face.
17. Do bring him, if possible, to a decision about Jesus.
18. Do encourage him to study the Bible by itself.
19. Do use Scripture in context.
20. Do remember that greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4).

Don'ts
1. Don't attack directly or make fun of someone.
2. Don't jump from one subject to another.
3. Don't expect too much from him.
4. Don't have a spiritual chip on your shoulder.
5. Don't lose patience.
6. Don't come on too strong.
7. Don't debate peripheral issues or doctrines.
8. Don't get sidetracked defending your denomination.
9. Don't be uptight.
10. Don't assume.
11. Don't argue.
12. Don't speak too fast or unclearly.

I hope these do's and don't's have brought to your attention areas that would
improve your witnessing. If some of them have struck you as being particularly applicable then I would suggest you think them over and in prayer ask God to work on your heart and teach you the right way to witness. He will bless you. All you need is to trust Him and go witness.

Something that sometimes gets missed, because it's so obvious you wouldn't think anyone would need to be told:

13. Don't lie to try to make your case stronger.

__________________
Save me / And when you see me strut / Remind me of what left this outlaw torn
I follow Christ; therefore I am
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
. I affirm the Nicene Creed.
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. -- Romans 8:38-39

Thanks, those were helpful, I often find it really hard to witness, so I'll try and put those guidelines into use. I'll pray, and just try and let God talk through me.

__________________

Have you thought of getting training with Street University?
they will teach you most all you need and give you a certificate after you master the lessons.

Fr Corey†

I'd never heard of people training to witness before, I thought you only got training if you wanted to go into full time ministry or something. That's something I'll look into, could you give me a link or something to somewhere I can find more info? Thanks

__________________

sure, here is the Mercy Street Ministries, Street University home page, http://www.hobbsnet.com/university/index.html

and to tell people about God you don't have to be ordained or anything.

Fr Corey†

[quote=frcorey]
and to tell people about God you don't have to be ordained or anything./QUOTE]

Thanks for the link, I'll check that out, I know you don't have to be ordained, but I guess I always thought that in order to do a course in telling people about God you had to be training for full time ministry. I think I always thought the rest of us just had to get on with it.

__________________

Also, look at thewayofthemaster.com Mercy Street Ministries is also a very good site! Mark Cahill is another one. There are several very good sites! Don't be afraid to witness! Every Christian should be witnessing! There are lots of people here, and on other sites to pray for you & offer support. Another board is concernedchristian.com

Bless You!
denise

me too. i am going to start ministering to people my age and i need those tips.