MadJack said:
I just found out that the town I live in is having some kind of pagan/witch/whatever gathering in late September and I keep feeling like I should be doing something about this. They are having it in a public park, have invited the local media and are just flaunting their godlessness in everyone's faces. Of course everyone is invited.
Should I just ignore it and go about my business or should I stand up and protest this "event?" A few friends and I have been talking about going to witness to these people but we have no idea how to talk about God and Jesus to them or even the best way to start. I want to do more than just hold up signs, I want to be more "hands on" with this. It just feels like God is telling me this is the path He wants me to take. Any advice? Has anyone ever seen one of these gatherings and been able to talk to the people there?
By "protest", do you mean picket? I don't think that would be such a hot idea for a couple of reasons.
The first is that that is essentially a political act and this is a spiritual issue, not a political one. It's a good way to tell people what you're against, but telling people what you're against doesn't do any good if they don't know what you're
for.
The second reason is that you may change someone's mind, but what you want to do is put them in a position for God to change their
heart and that isn't something you can do by chanting a slogan. You need to reach the individual.
When Paul went to Mars Hill, he didn't protest or picket. He didn't even try to dissuade them from their religion.
What did he say? He said (and this is pretty loosely paraphrased), "Hey, I see that you guys are into spiritual things. That's great. Let's talk about that." And he used their well meaning (albeit,
misguided) zeal for their religion as an opportunity to share the truth of Christ with them.
You have about one month to prepare. If it were me, the very first thing I would do is to pray about it. Pray that God will open your heart to what He wants you to do and that He would empower you with the Holy Spirit to speak clearly and boldly. Then, I would pray over the event and even go out to the park and pray over the park.
I would study up on pagan/wiccan/new age beliefs and what scripture says about them, so that you'll be able to answer objections, should they arise.
Of course, the best way to answer objections is to know the Bible.
Above all, remember that you're not going there to refute their religion, but to share Christ.
Sharing Christ is easy. All it is is presenting man's sinfulness, his need for a Savior, and finding that Savior in the person of Jesus Christ.
I've been a Christian now for about twenty years and I've shared the Gospel with people in every conceivable way. About a year ago, somebody turned me on to Ray Comfort and Way of the Master.
The way they teach you to share the Gospel is so easy, you'll say, "I can't believe I never thought of that". But the reason I like it is because it's straight to the point. It doesn't give them an opportunity to go down any rabbit trails or to derail the conversation.
It puts their sinfulness right on the table and makes them have to confront it and then gives you an opportunity to tell them about Jesus.
Here is an example I posted on another board ((and, yes, it really did happen this way)):
He was wearing a Beatles' t-shirt and so we started talking. I'll spare you the small talk and pick up where we started talking about the death of George Harrson (my answers in bold):
Me: "...It was tough for me when George died because everytime I lose some icon from my youth, it makes me think about how much older I am now. Whenever you see somebody die like that who you think could never die, you start to think about living and dying and things like that."
Him: "I was a kid when Kurt Cobain died."
Me: "What do you think happens when you die."
Him: "You go to Heaven, I guess."
Me: "Everybody goes to Heaven?"
Him: "Well, good people go to Heaven, bad people go to Hell."
Me: "How about you? Where do you think you're going."
Him: "I hope I'm going to Heaven."
Me: "Why Heaven?"
Him: "Well, I've tried to be a good person. At least I've tried to be a better person than I am a bad person."
Me: "Do you want to try a short test to see if you're a good person?"
Him: "Sure, I guess."
Me: "Shaun, have you ever told a lie?"
Him: "Well, everybody's lied. "
Me: "But have you ever told a lie?"
Him: "Yeah."
Me: "So, what does that make you?"
Him: "Human."
Me: "If I lied to you, what would you say that I am?"
Him: "A liar."
Me: "OK. So, we've established that you've lied and that makes you a liar.
Have you ever stolen anything?"
Him: "When I was a kid. Does downloading music count?"
Me: "Yeah, I'm afraid it does."
Him: "OK, then, Yeah, I've stolen."
Me: "So, what does that make you?"
Him: "I guess a thief"
Me: "OK, so then now we've established that you're a liar and a thief.
Sean, have you ever looked lustfully at a woman?"
Him: "(laughs nervously)"
[by this time a couple of his friends have joined us]
Me: "(laughs) Can we take that as a yes?"
Him: "Sure. Look around you, man. I've done that."
Me: "Sean, it seems like we guys are hard-wired to notice a pretty girl doesn't it? But do you know what the Bible calls it when you look at a woman lustfully, in a sexual way?"
Him: "No."
Me: "Jesus told us in Matthew 5:28 that if a man looks on a woman lustfully, then he has already committed adultery in his heart. That makes you an adulterer."
Him: "I think I want a lawyer (laughs)."
Me: "Well, I don't know of a lawyer who can help you, but I can put you in touch with a great Advocate."
Him: "(puzzled)"
Me: "Have you ever hated anybody, Sean?"
Him: "I don't think so".
Me: "OK. Let's tally the score so far. So far, we've established that you're a lying, thieving, adulterer at heart.
We've only been through four of the Ten Commandments and you've failed three of them.
Sean, the Bible tells us that liars, thieves and adulterers have no part in the Kingdom of Heaven.
If you were to stand before God today, as they read off those charges against you, do you think God will judge you as guilty or innocent?"
Him: "That sounds pretty guilty."
Me: "It is. Now, I didn't say these things to put you on the spot or embarrass you because the truth is, we're all guilty before God. Even people who seem good on the outside, when the lights are out and they're alone with their conscience, they know that they've done these things, too.
Now you know I'm not just beating you over the head with this stuff, right? I mean, you know sooner or later there's got to be some good news, right?"
Him: "I hope so!"
Me: "Well, Sean, the good news is that God has made a way for us to be made righteous so that when we stand before Him, He can judge us as being innocent and as His children, instead of enemies of His. Do you know how He did this?"
Him: "Well, He forgives us."
Me: "That's right, He does forgive us, but He doesn't just sweep our sins under the rug. Sean, if you're arrested and you go to court, and you say, 'judge, I'm really sorry. I won't do it again.' What do you think he'd say?"
Him: "Well, you still have to go to jail or pay a fine or something."
Me: "So then a payment has to be made, right?"
Him: "Right."
Me: "But what if the fine was too much for you to pay?"
Him: "I guess I'd have to go to jail."
Me: "Why?"
Him: "To be punished."
Me: "Exactly. Now, let's say that somebody stood up and said, 'Your honor, I'm a friend of Sean's and I want to pay his fine.' What would you say?"
Him: "I'd be grateful to them for paying my fine because I know that I'd probably go to jail for a long time."
Me: "Sean, did you know that God has arranged for Jesus Christ to pay your fine? Just like in the courtroom, when we stand before God as sinners, there is a penalty for our sins that we can't pay for. But the Bible says that 2,000 years ago, God the Son stepped out of Heaven, took on a human nature, lived a perfect, sinless life and died for our sins precisely because He knew that if we couldn't pay that fine, we'd end up in prison, only in this case the prison is called 'Hell'."
And it really is just that easy.
If you have a few minutes, take a look at these video clips. I really think they'll help you. "Seal Beach Kid" and the one with the punk girl are my two favorites.
You might also want to check out wayofthemasterradio.com and They go out on the street every day to share the Gospel and listening to them has been a big encouragement to me.
Also, go to
http://www.adventuresinchristianity.com/ It has audio of real life witnessing encounters that are just fantastic.
Above all, when witnessing, be sure to remember two things: (1) It isn't personal. Don't get upset or discouraged if they reject it. (2) Don't be discouraged if you don't see great results. Your job is not to save anybody. Your job is only to present man's sinfulness and need for a savior, and that savior in the person of Jesus Christ. Remember, even if it seems like you're not making any progress, you may be planting countless seeds for someone else to harvest.
http://www.wayofthemaster.com/watchwitnessing.shtml
first off not only does that not work but if your goal is to share the gospel that's probably the worst thing you can do. Secondly doing something like that just solidifies in their mind that they are onto something. What sort of gathering is it? Like some sort of festival with booths or just a quick gathering and some chanting? If you really feel strong you could get some sort of booth of your own to pass out tracts and offer to pray for people. Not one of those "help these poor heathens get it together!!" But find out what they really need and pray for that. You would be suprised how much of a witness a kindness found in unexpected places can touch people. 
great answer! 
