I am going to witness to my professor today

JohnB445

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This will be the first person outside my family.

He is a philosophy teacher who teaches comparitive religion and some other classes. it seems in his youth he got himself involved in a cult the LDS Mormons. This was during his college it's my best guess but I won't hold that as a fact. He is much older now seems like he is in his 40's. He said he's been to a protestant church before but the pastor obviously was boasting about being wealthy and wanted people to tithe. So out of his common sense he left.

I have a spare Bible I can give him, I don't know much to say other than to show him the gospel of Christ, and ask if he will consider making a decision.

I promised God I would give it a try. Its been on my mind for a week. Nothing is going to hurt.
 

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I used to debate my philosophy professor all the time, it was awesome.. I believe philosophy professors dearly love debate.

Giving a Bible is a far more personal thing, but I'd just recommend handing it to Him as a gift and not saying anything about "making a decision"..

You might like to say "perhaps there is something in there you didn't realize before - were you to read it again today" instead.. then just walk away with a "Merry Christmas!"

I'll pray for you both..
 
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Ken Rank

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This will be the first person outside my family.

He is a philosophy teacher who teaches comparitive religion and some other classes. it seems in his youth he got himself involved in a cult the LDS Mormons. This was during his college it's my best guess but I won't hold that as a fact. He is much older now seems like he is in his 40's. He said he's been to a protestant church before but the pastor obviously was boasting about being wealthy and wanted people to tithe. So out of his common sense he left.

I have a spare Bible I can give him, I don't know much to say other than to show him the gospel of Christ, and ask if he will consider making a decision.

I promised God I would give it a try. Its been on my mind for a week. Nothing is going to hurt.
Let me just remind you that if he isn't asking, he won't hear what you share (he that seeks will find) so be careful because your zeal, if used incorrectly, could actually push him away.
 
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Let me just remind you that if he isn't asking, he won't hear what you share (he that seeks will find) so be careful because your zeal, if used incorrectly, could actually push him away.
That's not true. Christ told us to go into the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He didn't give conditions of whether they were "seeking" or not. He just said go. If his zeal in preaching the gospel pushes him away, that is between that professor and God. The OP is just being obedient to God's command to preach the gospel. The results are up to God.
 
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This will be the first person outside my family.

He is a philosophy teacher who teaches comparitive religion and some other classes. it seems in his youth he got himself involved in a cult the LDS Mormons. This was during his college it's my best guess but I won't hold that as a fact. He is much older now seems like he is in his 40's. He said he's been to a protestant church before but the pastor obviously was boasting about being wealthy and wanted people to tithe. So out of his common sense he left.

I have a spare Bible I can give him, I don't know much to say other than to show him the gospel of Christ, and ask if he will consider making a decision.

I promised God I would give it a try. Its been on my mind for a week. Nothing is going to hurt.
Prayers for you that it goes well.

If I were in your position, I'd probably invite him for coffee, beer, or whatever it is that socially goes for gathering, and begin exploring Christian history with him through discussion, especially the early period of the Church under state persecution. Expect it to take time ...

Academics tend to enjoy (and also give good mental attention to) long discourses of this nature.
 
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Brian Mcnamee

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This will be the first person outside my family.

He is a philosophy teacher who teaches comparitive religion and some other classes. it seems in his youth he got himself involved in a cult the LDS Mormons. This was during his college it's my best guess but I won't hold that as a fact. He is much older now seems like he is in his 40's. He said he's been to a protestant church before but the pastor obviously was boasting about being wealthy and wanted people to tithe. So out of his common sense he left.

I have a spare Bible I can give him, I don't know much to say other than to show him the gospel of Christ, and ask if he will consider making a decision.

I promised God I would give it a try. Its been on my mind for a week. Nothing is going to hurt.
Hi the best way to engage him is to find out what he believes. You can ask him directly. Galations comes up with a solid warning that if anyone preaches another gospel other than the one being taught already let him be accursed. When the Mormons came to my door a couple of 20 year old guys introduced themselves as elders, then they wanted to know if I had heard another gospel. Study a bit about Mormon doctrine before you engage him. Be in prayer for wisdom and opportunity. Ill be praying for this encounter.
 
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RDKirk

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That's not true. Christ told us to go into the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He didn't give conditions of whether they were "seeking" or not. He just said go. If his zeal in preaching the gospel pushes him away, that is between that professor and God. The OP is just being obedient to God's command to preach the gospel. The results are up to God.

However, God did not set up a bunch of uncoordinated folk wandering around willy-nilly saying whatever came into their heads who whoever happened to be standing near them.

The Body of Christ has specialized members with specialized abilities and specialized purposes. God does not back up what someone does on his own initiative, God clears the path of those whose steps He directs.

The Father has enabled some people to receive Jesus, and He knows who those people are. He knows what specific thing the Holy Spirit is convicting them of.

We aren't supposed to be running around doing whatever we decide is right and expecting God to back us up, even if we're claiming it's in His name ("Didn't I cast out demons in your name?").

That's why a lot of people try doing this "evangelism thing" and get burned--they hadn't waited in the Lord and prayed specifically for who to approach and what to say to that person and how to say it. But they relied on their own initiative.

I have had the Lord give me specific names of people I would give witness to. Sometimes I haven't even known the people--I first met them the next day after God had told me I would.

God knows who He has enabled, and if we're willing to clear our calendar's for Him, He will not waste our time...because our time is His time, and He doesn't waste His time.
 
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8484838

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However, God did not set up a bunch of uncoordinated folk wandering around willy-nilly saying whatever came into their heads who whoever happened to be standing near them.

The Body of Christ has specialized members with specialized abilities and specialized purposes. God does not back up what someone does on his own initiative, God clears the path of those whose steps He directs.

The Father has enabled some people to receive Jesus, and He knows who those people are. He knows what specific thing the Holy Spirit is convicting them of.

We aren't supposed to be running around doing whatever we decide is right and expecting God to back us up, even if we're claiming it's in His name ("Didn't I cast out demons in your name?").

That's why a lot of people try doing this "evangelism thing" and get burned--they hadn't waited in the Lord and prayed specifically for who to approach and what to say to that person and how to say it. But they relied on their own initiative.

I have had the Lord give me specific names of people I would give witness to. Sometimes I haven't even known the people--I first met them the next day after God had told me I would.

God knows who He has enabled, and if we're willing to clear our calendar's for Him, He will not waste our time...because our time is His time, and He doesn't waste His time.
If we are preaching the gospel faithfully, we aren’t just “doing what we think is right,” or relying on our own initiative, we’re being obedient to the great commission.

My entire point was not to be weary about “pushing people away” when preaching the gospel. If we are faithful to the opportunities, then God will use our witness how he sees fit. It’s not for us to decide who we should and shouldn’t witness to; we should try to witness to everyone, ideally. Easier said than done, but we should.
 
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Ken Rank

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That's not true. Christ told us to go into the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He didn't give conditions of whether they were "seeking" or not. He just said go. If his zeal in preaching the gospel pushes him away, that is between that professor and God. The OP is just being obedient to God's command to preach the gospel. The results are up to God.
Well, you do whatever you want, but I will say this. The "Go!" is only "Go!" in English, in the Greek it is a participle and passive, go look it up. It should be translated as, "As you are going, teach." Second, Christ also said a person only finds when they seek... so, if you are pushing information on somebody who is not seeking, they won't hear you no matter how hard you knock. And, if you try to force feed them, they will repel from you and thus God. Jesus didn't have to force people to follow him nor does he want to... he wants those who WANT to follow. Our best witness is our life... when others see him in us, they will want to know what we have and THEN they are seeking and THEN we can fulfill the command you mentioned.

By the way... John 6:44 says God draws a man unto Himself.... you don't do that for Him!
 
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8484838

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Well, you do whatever you want, but I will say this. The "Go!" is only "Go!" in English, in the Greek it is a participle and passive, go look it up. It should be translated as, "As you are going, teach." Second, Christ also said a person only finds when they seek... so, if you are pushing information on somebody who is not seeking, they won't hear you no matter how hard you knock. And, if you try to force feed them, they will repel from you and thus God. Jesus didn't have to force people to follow him nor does he want to... he wants those who WANT to follow. Our best witness is our life... when others see him in us, they will want to know what we have and THEN they are seeking and THEN we can fulfill the command you mentioned.

By the way... John 6:44 says God draws a man unto Himself.... you don't do that for Him!
Indeed, God draws a man unto himself, but he does that through the word of God, and the preaching of it.

Romans 10:13-17 "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."

Christians who preach the gospel force-feed no one; they simply offer the bread of life to all who are hungry. After all, when Jesus preached to the woman at the well, he told her of the water of life being offered her - she had no idea who Jesus was, or what she was searching for, but when Jesus told her what to search for, she THEN sought for the water (everlasting life) that Christ offered.

It is only through the preaching of the word, and the proclamation of the gospel, is a soul lightened to be able to receive Christ. How can they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? The scripture does not say, "How can they believe in him of whom they have not sought?" They must first hear of him.

Like I said previously, it is between them and God whether or not they receive Christ. If we preach faithfully, being obedient to God's command to preach and teach, then the results are up to God.

Remember that the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he that winneth souls is wise (Proverbs 11:30).
 
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RDKirk

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If we are preaching the gospel faithfully, we aren’t just “doing what we think is right,” or relying on our own initiative, we’re being obedient to the great commission.

My entire point was not to be weary about “pushing people away” when preaching the gospel. If we are faithful to the opportunities, then God will use our witness how he sees fit. It’s not for us to decide who we should and shouldn’t witness to; we should try to witness to everyone, ideally. Easier said than done, but we should.

I know people who had been pushed away for years by (I guess) well-meaning-but-dumb Christians who were oh-so-earnest in getting them convicted of their sins and repenting and then coming to Jesus.

What those people tell me consistently is that those well-meaning (I guess) Christians were like the gold miners who were dynamiting a mountain when the gold was flowing down the stream. They never knew what the "convicting sin" was of the people they were hammering, and that will turn people away until someone comes along who has actually been listening to the Holy Spirit and following closely behind the Holy Spirit.

I say "following closely behind" because the Holy Spirit is the one out front doing the convicting. The evangelist needs to know what "convicting sin" the Holy Spirit is working on.

I've spoken of one former prostitute I know who says she'd had many, many street preachers pointing at her and telling her how sinful she was, that she was hellbound and dead in her sin. And she'd accepted that. She figured hell couldn't be any worse than her life already was. She had fully rationalized her prostitution in her own heart as the best she could ever do.

It took a preacher who knew her "convicting sin" to tell her one day, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!"

That had surprised her so much that she actually walked up to him, put her finger in his chest, and demanded, "Is that the truth?"

Sure, we can wander around beating people with the bible, and, sure, even a blind squirrel finds an acorn now and then, or we can actually ask the Lord, "Tell me who, tell me where, and tell me what that person needs to hear."

If we look to the Lord to light every step, not just say "go" but guide us every step of the race, He will do so.

The Lord will spend us, but He won't waste us.
 
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Ken Rank

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Indeed, God draws a man unto himself, but he does that through the word of God, and the preaching of it.

Romans 10:13-17 "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."

Christians who preach the gospel force-feed no one; they simply offer the bread of life to all who are hungry. After all, when Jesus preached to the woman at the well, he told her of the water of life being offered her - she had no idea who Jesus was, or what she was searching for, but when Jesus told her what to search for, she THEN sought for the water (everlasting life) that Christ offered.

It is only through the preaching of the word, and the proclamation of the gospel, is a soul lightened to be able to receive Christ. How can they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? The scripture does not say, "How can they believe in him of whom they have not sought?" They must first hear of him.

Like I said previously, it is between them and God whether or not they receive Christ. If we preach faithfully, being obedient to God's command to preach and teach, then the results are up to God.

Remember that the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he that winneth souls is wise (Proverbs 11:30).
I don't agree with you... what more do you want me to say?
 
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JesusYeshuaisLord

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This will be the first person outside my family.

He is a philosophy teacher who teaches comparitive religion and some other classes. it seems in his youth he got himself involved in a cult the LDS Mormons. This was during his college it's my best guess but I won't hold that as a fact. He is much older now seems like he is in his 40's. He said he's been to a protestant church before but the pastor obviously was boasting about being wealthy and wanted people to tithe. So out of his common sense he left.

I have a spare Bible I can give him, I don't know much to say other than to show him the gospel of Christ, and ask if he will consider making a decision.

I promised God I would give it a try. Its been on my mind for a week. Nothing is going to hurt.

Awesome!!! God bless you in this! May He open the eyes of the blind! If He accepts to take it, it would be so great! Just be honest and gentle, God will give you the words. As long as your professor takes the bible, it'll be a victory :D When he opens it and read it is another separate step. God bless!
 
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