How to share Christ, one method

[ByTheSpirit]

This morning I was reading Acts 2. Something that came to mind while reading was after the Holy Spirit fell the people thought the Apostles were drunk by how they were acting, speaking in tongues and such. Peter latches on to this comment and begins his message from that. This is a great tool for us to use in sharing Jesus with others.

Listening in conversation for opportunities to take the topic and twist it to Christ. Example:

Jesus in John 4 was at Jacob's well when a Samaritan woman approaches. He strikes up a simple conversation about needing a drink, but before she knows it she is having the Messiah revealed to her. He took a normal everyday topic of conversation and turned it to Himself.

Peter used the crowd's reaction to the Spirit falling, and how they thought the group was drunk to say, no we are not drunk, this is what the prophet promised years ago and it came from Jesus, whom you crucified but God raised from the dead.

Paul in Acts 17 as he is walking through Athens notices all the idols and says, "Let me talk to you about this 'Unknown God' that you seek to honor."

When you are in conversation with someone, ask the Holy Spirit to give you wisdom and an opportunity to take that conversation and flip it on it's head to tell that person about Jesus.

If you are talking about books with someone, say "I have a really good book that I like to read, it's the Bible [then tell them why the Bible is so special to you]"

If you are talking about getting a drink, take Jesus' own words and use them, "Sure let's get a drink, but while we are on the topic, have you got to drink from the Living Water?"

If you are talking about food, introduce the "Bread of Life" (John 6:48)

Let the Holy Spirit guide you in conversation, it'll take some courage, but the conversation will be much more natural and in my experience easier.

 

[Pavel Mosko]

I got lots and lots to say on the general topic.

I guess I see this more in terms of phoniness and authenticity. There is a great book called "Finding Common Ground", by Tim Downs talking about Evangelism in the current "post Christian climate".


I also take a lot of inspiration from this Ted Talk when it comes to the stuff I do, and why. I think it is my favorite TED Talk.

And I guess I will quote from a book that I quoted from recently in one of my recent videos

QUOTE (Robert Webber, Ancient Future Faith)
"During my seminary education, I never felt we really addressed the question: “What does it mean to be a member of the church” Later, when I turned to the early Christian tradition and began, for the first time, to understand what it meant to be a member of the body of Christ, it was like removing blinders that had covered my eyes.
I learned from the early Fathers that the church is intrinsically connected with Christ and his victory over the power of evil. The church is therefore to be regarded as a kind of continuation of the presence of Jesus in the world. Jesus is not only seated at the right hand of the Father, but is visibly and tangibly present in and to the world through the church. This is an incarnational understanding of the church. It is a unique community of people in the world, a community like no other community because it is the presence of the divine in and to the world. This concept of the church has specific relevance to the world of postmodernism.
. . . What this means for the church is that Christians must recover the primacy of being a Christian community. . . .
. . . the church is the primary presence of God’s activity in the world. As we pay attention to what it means to be the church we create an alternative community to the society of the world. This new community, the embodied experience of God’s kingdom, will draw people into itself and nurture them in the faith. In this sense the church and its life in the world will become the new apologetic. People come to the faith not because they see the logic of the argument but because they have experienced a welcoming God in a hospitable and loving community. QUOTE
– Ancient-Future Faith, pp. 70-72"

 

[Mr. M]

Let the Holy Spirit guide you in conversation, it'll take some courage, but the conversation will be much more natural and in my experience easier.

This is scripturally sound.
James 1:
19 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;
20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

1 Corinthians 9:
19 For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more;
20 and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law;
21 to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law;
22 to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
23 Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.

 

[ByTheSpirit]

I got lots and lots to say on the general topic.

I guess I see this more in terms of phoniness and authenticity. There is a great book called "Finding Common Ground", by Tim Downs talking about Evangelism in the current "post Christian climate".


I also take a lot of inspiration from this Ted Talk when it comes to the stuff I do, and why. I think it is my favorite TED Talk.

And I guess I will quote from a book that I quoted from recently in one of my recent videos

QUOTE (Robert Webber, Ancient Future Faith)
"During my seminary education, I never felt we really addressed the question: “What does it mean to be a member of the church” Later, when I turned to the early Christian tradition and began, for the first time, to understand what it meant to be a member of the body of Christ, it was like removing blinders that had covered my eyes.
I learned from the early Fathers that the church is intrinsically connected with Christ and his victory over the power of evil. The church is therefore to be regarded as a kind of continuation of the presence of Jesus in the world. Jesus is not only seated at the right hand of the Father, but is visibly and tangibly present in and to the world through the church. This is an incarnational understanding of the church. It is a unique community of people in the world, a community like no other community because it is the presence of the divine in and to the world. This concept of the church has specific relevance to the world of postmodernism.
. . . What this means for the church is that Christians must recover the primacy of being a Christian community. . . .
. . . the church is the primary presence of God’s activity in the world. As we pay attention to what it means to be the church we create an alternative community to the society of the world. This new community, the embodied experience of God’s kingdom, will draw people into itself and nurture them in the faith. In this sense the church and its life in the world will become the new apologetic. People come to the faith not because they see the logic of the argument but because they have experienced a welcoming God in a hospitable and loving community. QUOTE
– Ancient-Future Faith, pp. 70-72"

I can't see the video at the moment, but the quote from "Ancient-Future Faith" seems to suggest how we live is just as important as what we say. Am I getting that correctly?

 

[Pavel Mosko]

I can't see the video at the moment, but the quote from "Ancient-Future Faith" seems to suggest how we live is just as important as what we say. Am I getting that correctly?

Yeah it kind of is like the saint Francis saying "Preach the Gospel always and when necessary use words".

 

[Trusting in Him]

I am quite well known in my small town and lots of people know that I have had a fairly serious stroke and people talk to me and ask how I am managing. I'm just doing my best to keep on going and trusting in God. I don't make a big thing about my faith, lots of people already know that I am a committed Christian although I have not made a big thing about it. However there are times when I get asked questions by people who feel safe to ask me questions about the bible and about God.

My thinking is that someone who is asking one question only needs an answer to that one question, I don't make a big thing about it. A simple, easy to understand short answer will not drive people away. If they want to ask more questions, that will not be put of from asking, because you were not trying to ram the gospel down there throat. I let them take their time and I'm not pushy. It is far too easy to frighten people away. If God is already moving in peoples life's, don't undermine what He is doing!