Do's and Don't of Witnessing.

[KomissarSteve]

Yeah, but people who are frightened are so much easier to control than people who feel loved. Which I think is why some churches preach fear and hate instead of love and forgiveness.

Indeed, which makes me very sad - because it drives more people away from God than it attracts.

 

[shadowravenfox]

Which I think is why some churches preach fear and hate instead of love and forgiveness.

The problem is that too many churches are watering down the message of the Gospel. They omit God's Law, God's judgment, His wrath and the Day of Judgment. Too many preachers don't confront sin and that's why too many Christians are like the rest of the world. And once again, I include: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7QnQW4tYF0, and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFsEBEeaEzA.

 

[KomissarSteve]

The problem is that too many churches are watering down the message of the Gospel. They omit God's Law, God's judgment, His wrath and the Day of Judgment.

This is completely untrue; the exact opposite is happening, and that's why there is such a virulent reaction against the Christian Right among secular portions of society.

 

[shadowravenfox]

Did I say that Hell was un-Biblical? No. I said that preaching through scare-tactics is un-Biblical.

Romans 2: "But He will pour out His anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and practice evil deeds. There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on sinning - for the Jew first and also for the Gentile."

I would much rather warn sinners about God's anger and wrath then to mislead them into believing that God is only loving and benevolent.

 

[KomissarSteve]

Romans 2: "But He will pour out His anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and practice evil deeds. There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on sinning - for the Jew first and also for the Gentile."

I would much rather warn sinners about God's anger and wrath then to mislead them into believing that God is only loving and benevolent.

Yes, well, thankfully, what I'm suggesting is nothing of the sort. What I am suggesting is establishing God as loving and benevolent, and THEN bringing up our imperfections and how they are keeping us from having a loving relationship with God.

 

[hiumble1]

So basically you are refering to Freindship evangelism.
Question:
What happens if they die tonight (without you mentioning what Sin is and how they have offended God through sin and their need for a savior and repentence, etc.)?
Do you only preach the gospel to those you have made friends with? (what about the wicked man who you may cross paths with everyday; where will he be, and whose blood will God require if you do not warn him he is wicked in the site of God)

The Point is.
we are not garuanteed tomorrow. While you wait to make friends with someone before you share your faith every 24 hours 160,000 people die.
And what you speak of is unbiblical.
God did not say go into all of the world and get to know someone, cut their grass, get them groceries, develop friendships and then spread the good news.
he said GO...
throughout the NT they preached....
They spoke of Gods Law (which the Bible says is a schoolmaster which will lead them to a blood stained cross). They spoke of how we all have broken Gods law and will stand guilty before God on Judgement day... (I did not know sin but by the Law)
And our need for a savior.
Is it not a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Proverbs says that is wise to fear God.
Jesus Said to do not fear man who can kill you and nothing more, but fear him who can kill you and cast your soul into hell.

God doesn't want you to go to hell
That is why he sent Jesus. He paid our fine and we are free to go. We must repent and put our faith and trust in him.

 

[shadowravenfox]

So basically you are refering to Freindship evangelism.
Question:
What happens if they die tonight (without you mentioning what Sin is and how they have offended God through sin and their need for a savior and repentence, etc.)?
Do you only preach the gospel to those you have made friends with? (what about the wicked man who you may cross paths with everyday; where will he be, and whose blood will God require if you do not warn him he is wicked in the site of God)

The Point is.
we are not garuanteed tomorrow. While you wait to make friends with someone before you share your faith every 24 hours 160,000 people die.
And what you speak of is unbiblical.
God did not say go into all of the world and get to know someone, cut their grass, get them groceries, develop friendships and then spread the good news.
he said GO...
throughout the NT they preached....
They spoke of Gods Law (which the Bible says is a schoolmaster which will lead them to a blood stained cross). They spoke of how we all have broken Gods law and will stand guilty before God on Judgement day... (I did not know sin but by the Law)
And our need for a savior.
Is it not a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Proverbs says that is wise to fear God.
Jesus Said to do not fear man who can kill you and nothing more, but fear him who can kill you and cast your soul into hell.

God doesn't want you to go to hell
That is why he sent Jesus. He paid our fine and we are free to go. We must repent and put our faith and trust in him.

Amen and Amen. And another wholehearted Amen.

 

[KomissarSteve]

So basically you are refering to Freindship evangelism.
Question:
What happens if they die tonight (without you mentioning what Sin is and how they have offended God through sin and their need for a savior and repentence, etc.)?

Then I genuinely did my best, and God, who is wiser than you or I in these matters, will judge them accordingly.

Do you only preach the gospel to those you have made friends with? (what about the wicked man who you may cross paths with everyday; where will he be, and whose blood will God require if you do not warn him he is wicked in the site of God)

Well, I'm certainly not going to use language like that if I want to preach to a wicked man - what better way to drive him further into his wickedness than to convince him that God is his adversary?

The Point is.
we are not garuanteed tomorrow. While you wait to make friends with someone before you share your faith every 24 hours 160,000 people die.

Indeed. So why push them further away from God with counterproductive fear tactics when every moment matters?

And what you speak of is unbiblical.
God did not say go into all of the world and get to know someone, cut their grass, get them groceries, develop friendships and then spread the good news.
he said GO...

I don't believe that God was saying "Preach without regard to tact," simply through the word "go."

throughout the NT they preached....
They spoke of Gods Law (which the Bible says is a schoolmaster which will lead them to a blood stained cross). They spoke of how we all have broken Gods law and will stand guilty before God on Judgement day... (I did not know sin but by the Law)
And our need for a savior.

When have I said that we shouldn't do that?

Is it not a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Proverbs says that is wise to fear God.
Jesus Said to do not fear man who can kill you and nothing more, but fear him who can kill you and cast your soul into hell.

You have to believe in God first to fear Him. Your strategy will cause more people to not believe in God than to cause people to fear him.

 

[shadowravenfox]

Well, I'm certainly not going to use language like that if I want to preach to a wicked man - what better way to drive him further into his wickedness than to convince him that God is his adversary?

But God is their adversary. The Bible says that sinners are children of wrath (Eph.2:3); enemies of God.​

Indeed. So why push them further away from God with counterproductive fear tactics when every moment matters?

Every moment does count because maybe in the next moment they will find themselves standing before a holy God, whom they've offended with their sins. They will then find themselves in hell. I think it's best to warn the blind man he's about the walk off the cliff rather than tell him "God loves you" and hope to God he doesn't fall.

You have to believe in God first to fear Him. Your strategy will cause more people to not believe in God than to cause people to fear him.

The Bible says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Prov.1:7). They should be afraid of God, who will cast them into hell if they die in their sins.

 

[KomissarSteve]

But God is their adversary. The Bible says that sinners are children of wrath (Eph.2:3); enemies of God.​

We may be enemies of God, but God is never our enemy.

Every moment does count because maybe in the next moment they will find themselves standing before a holy God, whom they've offended with their sins. They will then find themselves in hell.

You don't know that; they're in danger of winding up in Hell, to be sure, but nowhere in the Bible does it say that this is a certainty.

I think it's best to warn the blind man he's about the walk off the cliff rather than tell him "God loves you" and hope to God he doesn't fall.

This would be an applicable analogy if the blind man didn't already have a preconception of the person warning him about the cliff as an alarmist at best and an opportunist, with his exploitation at heart, at worst.

The Bible says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Prov.1:7).

I somehow don't think that Solomon was referring to scare tactics in that passage.

They should be afraid of God, who will cast them into hell if they die in their sins.

Again, how can they fear God and Hell if your teachings have contributed to their disbelief in God?

 

[shadowravenfox]

We may be enemies of God, but God is never our enemy.

God hates sin and sinners are the object of His wrath.

You don't know that; they're in danger of winding up in Hell, to be sure, but nowhere in the Bible does it say that this is a certainty.

The Bible says that the wages of sin is death; the soul that sins dies; those whose names aren't written in the Book of Life are cast into the lake of fire. Yes, it's the Bible, and yes, I do know that if a person dies in their sins, being without the Savior, they will go to hell. Jesus even said they would go to hell. He sent the faithful to everlasting life and the wicked to everlasting punishment.

Again, how can they fear God and Hell if your teachings have contributed to their disbelief in God?

Howelse are sinners to fear God and hell if they have no reason to? Teaching about God's judgment and punishment is unreasonable unless they are told (only after being convicted by the knowledge of sin) that God has provided them a way out, through Jesus Christ, the Cross. I preach the Law and then the Gospel, and not the other way around.

"I have found by long experience that the severest threatenings of the Law of God have a prominent place in leading men to Christ. They must see themselves lost before they will cry for mercy. They will not escape from danger until they see it." - A. B. Earle

 

[KomissarSteve]

God hates sin and sinners are the object of His wrath.

He hates the imperfections, but He loves the sinners themselves, does He not? Are His punishments visited upon us because He hates us, or because He loves us?

The Bible says that the wages of sin is death; the soul that sins dies; those whose names aren't written in the Book of Life are cast into the lake of fire.

You don't know that God has only included the names of Believers in the Book of Life; the Scriptures never say anything of the sort.

EDIT: Besides, I'm not terribly convinced that the Book of Revelation is necessarily referring to the End Times, anyway.

Jesus even said they would go to hell.

Where? I see Jesus saying that the unforgiven will go to Hell, but I don't see Him specifying that no unbelievers will be forgiven.

Do you not fear the Lord? Are you not in the least concerned about His righteousness, holiness and justice?

Of course I am - but I have the capacity to fear God because I believe in God. Those who do not believe in God, and would rather not deal with the stress of someone telling them that they're going to Hell, are simply going to tune that someone's voice out and be less-receptive to ministry the next time around.

Do you not know that only the pure in heart shall see God. I didn't say that, Jesus did.

And who are you to say who is and who isn't pure in heart? It seems to me that you're putting God in a box by saying that you know how He will judge non-believers.

Howelse are sinners to fear God and hell if they have no reason to?

I don't know; that's why I'm asking you. If they have no reason to believe in God, why should they fear God's wrath?

Teaching about God's judgment and punishment is unreasonable unless they are told (only after being convicted by the knowledge of sin) that God has provided them a way out, through Jesus Christ, the Cross. I preach the Law and then the Gospel, and not the other way around.

If you teach that the Law was not made out of love, then you are teaching neither the Law nor the Gospel.

 

[shadowravenfox]

I can see that we are getting nowhere fast. And I, for the sake of unity and harmony among the brethren, opt out of this discussion of arguing whether or not the Law should be preached first or the Gospel first. I realize that "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another," (Prov. 27:17), but we have both examined this topic from biblical perspectives and have arrived at different conclusions. In spite of our disagreement, we both are striving for the truth. I only want to avoid offense. I think we need to draw the line. Perhaps it would be best for us to agree to disagree on this topic.

 

[KomissarSteve]

I believe you are being prudent; I will opt out of the discussion as well so that other voices can be heard.

I will leave, though with a warning to everyone intent on preaching the Gospel: just as Christ exhorted us to do unto others as we would have them do unto us, always remember to put yourself in the shoes of the unbeliever to whom you are witnessing.

 

[Lemmiwinks]

Ask lots of questions. People will open up when they see that you are really interested in what they have to say.

Don't deliver a monologue.

Don't be like a mailman delivering the mail, crushing and damaging the letter as you shove it through the mail slot.

Be like a tugboat guiding a ship to safe port.

Watch your body language. If you are witnessing to someone who is sitting down, you should sit down also. Don't tower over them in a dominant-aggressive physical posture.

Witness with a partner! Jesus sent the disciples out two by two.

 

[Scutter]

Think I'll stick my nose in this one

Look at what Jesus did, go do it (it's what he tells us to do).
Witnessing is not all about speaking the gospel, but being the gospel. Pray for the sick, feed the poor, be a friend to the lonely and downhearted.

Guide the conversation so that it leads to people to ask questions, most people will drop a few barriers when you show that you are geniunly interested in them and not just trying to bombard them.

Don't get into an argument, if you feel yourself getting into one, don't be too proud to just walk away.

Most people know what's wrong with them, do not highlight these things, if you feel that God is highlighting something in particular, ask God for the answer and give them that.

Be open and truthful with people, we are not trying to get points, we want people to have a revelation of who God is and of how much he loves them.

Remember that we are not trying to convert people to our religion, we are trying to show people who God is, so be gracious, humble, loving, compassionate and merciful.

 

[xxsilverkisses]

Don't pressure (like an old post said, don't be pushy) them.

Don't act like everybody is going to Hell just because they're not ready to convert yet.

 

[WOMSteve]

...and these are the effects of the "Modern Gospel".

Please explain how "teachings" can lead to disbelief.

All these excuses I'm hearing sound like a cop-out to not witness as Jesus did. Did He not say "if you love me you will do the things I have done"? Did Jesus preach only grace? No He did not. Law to the proud and grace to the humble because why??? Because Jesus did only those things which pleased the Father. It's all there in the New Testament.

Amen, shadowraven, hiumble1.

 

[rita727]

Think I'll stick my nose in this one

Look at what Jesus did, go do it (it's what he tells us to do).


Guide the conversation so that it leads to people to ask questions, most people will drop a few barriers when you show that you are geniunly interested in them and not just trying to bombard them.

QFT.
But more often than not, I panic over the reverse: Having someone genuinely listen to the message, and then have their friend ALL OF A SUDDEN start bombarding ME with questions.

Some questions are just distractions to get off topic. Others are legit.

Still, when you get bombarded.... For me, it's hard to talk to the original person WHILE trying to answer the bombard-ee.

(Which is why I don't know HOW open-air preachers do it....)
-RIta

 

[JSGuitarist]

I did it the way that Way of the Master teaches how to do it. I met a woman at work, and she commented how boring the work line was, so I said, "How about we talk about deep stuff?" It was a pretty good lead-in, and I started, "Do you believe in life after death?"

From there we ensued. I only had time to bring her through one commandment (she liked to talk lol), and I explained to her that because we have broken God's law, that God cannot let us into heaven, the same way that a just judge cannot let a criminal go free. She looked at me with a shocked look and said, "That's not good!" She knew right then and there that she was in trouble with God, I could see it in her. I don't remember if I mentioned hell or not, but I do make it a point to talk about it. I then explained the gift of Christ to her, that He stepped in and took that punishment. She had to keep from crying, she was so touched by it.

We talked a bit more after break. She had to leave the line because she started crying. I haven't seen her since, but I saw the Holy Spirit do an incredible work right in front of me. She knew the law, she knew she fell short, that she was in trouble, and she broke down at hearing of God's grace.

It doesn't always happen that fast, but the Holy Spirit had obviously been working on her for a while, and I'm about 90% sure that if she didn't give her life to Christ that day, she soon would, but I haven't seen her since.

The last time I was out, I talked to three homeless people who I can see were well-tainted by drugs and alcohol. They were all sitting under a blanket. The spot smelled like urine, one of the guys couldn't talk straight (his beard was darkened around the lips from the drinking), and the woman with them, just no life in her eyes. I was with my brother in law and started out politely as we knew how. We started talking about sin and breaking the law, I tried the thing with the ten commandments. After explaining them a bit (ie. lust=adultery, hate=murder), the woman kept frequently saying, "Oh sh** I've done that." We talked about hell, we talked about heaven, we talked a bit about the issue of alcohol, and she kept saying, "I love my alcohol." She didn't want to give it up. Part of the difficulty is that homeless people in their condition have the attention span of a goldfish, and we were even told that by a street counselor, so after a half hour I estimate, it was time to move on.

I learned a few things worth mentioning. The biggest thing I learned is that when you mention sin, you will see people for who they really are, and they'll be confronted with their own conscience. The woman at work understood she was a sinner, saw the need to repent, and it was amazing. I was watching the Holy Spirit operating right in front of me. The three homeless people, well, when the cost was laid out, they didn't want it, because people do love their sin. At least the woman in the group. One of the guys was simply skeptical, and the other I'm not sure if he got it, he was too drunk (or affected by drink) and too incoherent.

A final witnessing tip: It's helps you in witnessing when you have a deep love for people, and it's essential. But there's something beyond that, that gives me more strength, and gives me boldness, and having a love, fear and respect of God to where I see the chief end of all things as bringing the most glory to Him as possible. Peopel are going to hell, and it's tragic, though what's also a great(er) tragedy is that God has been denied the glory He rightly deserves. All of a sudden, it's like you've become more concerned about the work of your Father and Master.