Step by Step Guide to Witnessing

hiumble1

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12Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned—for before the law was given (ergo I did not know sin but by the law: just because the law was not given does not mean there was no sin), sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law. 14Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, (why? because all have sinned.. because the laws had not been given) even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come.

Do you know someone who is without SIN?... (keeping in mind thought word and deed, The bible makes it very clear there is no one without sin except one [Jesus Christ, who knew no sin became sin and took our punishment so we may live])
 
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Abashag

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I first saw this method used in an internet video by an actor named Kirk Cameron (he played Buck Williams in the Left Behind movies that got made). He was using it on gang members in Miami. It was amazing how well it worked! These were tough looking guys. I was afraid he'd get beat up. But it worked excellently.

While it is important to try to present the Gospel in a way other people can accept, that should never be your first priority. Before long, you'll be so obsessed with pleasing people that you'll forget about pleasing God. People know deep in their hearts, even if their brains aren't aware yet, that there is a God, and that they have sinned against Him. However, no matter how pretty you package it, it'll remind them of that transgression against Him, and they'll feel guilty, and mask the guilt by getting irritated with you. This is generally how it'll probably work out in the wealthy countries, but regardless, you should never stop trying it.

Even if you don't seem to make any impact on them at the moment, even if they chase you away hurling objects at you, God can come to them at any time. Your job is not to convert them. It's to give the Holy Spirit a chance to start talking to them to try to win them back to the Lord. It'll be hard if someone takes offense at you, and you'll feel reluctant to do it again, but you have to keep trying. Often, when they react so combatively, it's because they've started to feel the Holy Spirit convicting them of their sin, and are desperate to run away from this unpleasantness.

So, no matter what things appear to be on the surface, you must NEVER stop trying to win people back to Christ. This method is an excellent way to go about that :)
 
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peacefulfire

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I'm not a huge of fan of this kind of message method. It has a very weak foundation. I guess it can cause people to question, but I doubt it works for long. Its based on making people feel guilty, nothing more. Worship God or you'll go to Hell. period. I'm sorry, but if a Buddhist came up to me and said. "Do you eat meat?" Yes. "Well, that makes you a murderer and vial in the eyes of the universe. If you don't wish to return to the earth as a bug, you must become a vegetarian and follow the words of Buddha for the rest of your life." I might be scared into not eating meat for a few days and maybe skimming a sacred book or two, but then my fear "wears off" and I'm eating meat again.
I doubt this method has a great success rate. I think our job is to convert, not just scare people and let God do the rest.
 
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Abashag

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lol, I never said our job was to scare people. In fact, I plainly said that we should be gentle in our presentation.

But we are incapable of converting. Only the Holy Spirit can do that. Why then, would it be our job? Our job is to sow the seed, not make it bloom.
 
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tforfreedom

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I was reading this guide and feel that this needs to be addressed:

"You need to repent, basically you turn from your sin. [...]"

No! Repentence is turning to the Lord Jesus Christ.


http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/False%20Doctrines/Lordship%20Salvation/repentance_heresy.htm
http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/False Doctrines/Lordship Salvation/proof.htm
"LORDSHIP SALVATION is the false doctrine that a sinner MUST forsake their actually sins to be saved. In sharp contrast, the Bible, God's Word, teaches that a sinner's faith in Christ alone is sufficient for salvation. [...]"

Here is an article on the teachings of Ray Comfort. He is sincere, but wrong.
http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/Wolves/ray_comfort.htm
 
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Willo

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I was reading this guide and feel that this needs to be addressed:

"You need to repent, basically you turn from your sin. [...]"

No! Repentence is turning to the Lord Jesus Christ.


http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/False Doctrines/Lordship Salvation/repentance_heresy.htm
http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/False Doctrines/Lordship Salvation/proof.htm
"LORDSHIP SALVATION is the false doctrine that a sinner MUST forsake their actually sins to be saved. In sharp contrast, the Bible, God's Word, teaches that a sinner's faith in Christ alone is sufficient for salvation. [...]"

Here is an article on the teachings of Ray Comfort. He is sincere, but wrong.
http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/Wolves/ray_comfort.htm

I would reconmend the book "The Gospel According to Jesus" by John MacArthur on the topic of Lordship salvation.
 
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tforfreedom

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Matthew 22:

36"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'[b] 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'[c] 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
None of your quotes are from the Bible. The Bible teaches us to love- it is a fundamental attribute of Christianity. May I humbly suggest that the technique suggested by Way of the Master is confrontational and not in keeping with how Jesus would want us to bring others to a knowledge of Him.

Where did Jesus ever use the confrontational street tactics that Way of the Master suggests?
 
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hiumble1

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you say it is confrontational... and it is.. unless someone is confronted how will they know... Jesus always confronted people... he warned many a city unless they repented they would perish...

We say as christians we believe and we love... yet we do not say anything... we let our 'actions' speak for us... For all I know you could be part of Extreme Makeover Home Edition.... and we say we love... yet we are content with allowing a lost soul perish...

We as a "Believing" Body have a problem... we say we believe and we love but we say nothing while a lost generation continues on its merry way to hell.... so, either we do not know how to speak to someone, we do not believe, or we do not love... ask yourself before we 'condem' others for speaking the truth (they believe and they love, whether 'confrontational' or 'offensive' the world will not love us because of Jesus).
 
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All of us who profess to be Christians need to speak the truth about what we believe, and what the Bible says will happen to those who do not believe. And we need to be willing and able to present that message whenever we can.

But how we present that message is key here: we can be confrontational, or we can follow the advice in the Bible:

1 Corinthians 4:20
20For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. 21What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a whip, or in love and with a gentle spirit?

1 Peter 3:
15But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

There are people who have used the confrontational methods suggested by Way of the Master- but is there actually any follow-up to see how effective this method is? How many people that they confront actually go on to attend Church regularly and become Bible-believing, baptized Christians?
 
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Alive4Evermore

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What did Jesus do when He spoke to the Pharisees? How did He confront the self-righteous and the proud? Did He leave out words like sin, repentance, judgment, hell, or God's wrath? He was not a "seeker friendly" Savior. He gave Law to the proud and grace to the humble. He used the Law of God to bring the knowledge of sin (1 John 3:4). That is the purpose of the Law. The Law of God shows us the standard of righteousness that God requires of us. It also eliminates our delusion that our good works commend us to God. The Bible says that the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord (Proverbs 21:27). It leaves us with nothing but the hope of God's mercy and it brings us to the cross of Christ, as a "schoolmaster."

"I have found by long experience that the severest threatenings of the law of God have a prominent place in leading them to Christ: they must see themselves lost before they will cry for mercy; they'll not escape danger until they see it." A.B. Earl

"Evermore the law must prepare the way for the gospel. To overlook this in instructing souls is almost certain to result in false hope; the instruction of a false standard of Christian experience and to fill the church with false converts." Charles Finney

"It is the ordinary method of the Spirit of God to convict sinners by the Law. It is this which, being set home in the conscience, generally breaketh the rocks in pieces. It is more especially this part of the word of God which is quick and powerful, full of life and energy and sharper than any two-edged sword." John Wesley

"Lower the law and you dim the light by which man perceives his guilt. This is a very serious loss to the sinner rather than a gain, for it lessens the likelihood of his conviction and conversion...I say you have deprived the gospel of its ablest auxiliary (most powerful weapon) when you have taken away the schoolmaster that is to bring men to Christ.. They will never accept grace until they tremble before a just and holy law. Therefore the law serves most necessary and blessed purpose and must not be moved from its place." Charles Spurgeon

"Ho, Ho, Sir Surgeon. You are too delicate to tell the man that he is ill. You hope to heal the sick without their knowing it. You therefore flatter them. And what happens? They laugh at you. They dance upon their own graves and at last they die. Your delicacy is cruelty, your flatteries are poisons you are a murderer. Shall we keep men in a fool's paradise? Shall we lull them into soft slumber from which they will awake in hell? Are we to become helpers of their damnation by our smooth speeches? In the name of God we will not." Charles Spurgeon
 
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I repeat: LOVE is the central message of Christ- not confrontation.

1 Corinthians 4:20
20For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. 21What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a whip, or in love and with a gentle spirit?

1 Peter 3:
15But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

There are people who have used the confrontational methods suggested by Way of the Master- but is there actually any follow-up to see how effective this method is? How many people that they confront actually go on to attend Church regularly and become Bible-believing, baptized Christians?

Please answer the question- as Christians, we need to ensure that we are as effective as possible.
 
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TwistTim

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I repeat: LOVE is the central message of Christ- not confrontation.

1 Corinthians 4:20


1 Peter 3:


There are people who have used the confrontational methods suggested by Way of the Master- but is there actually any follow-up to see how effective this method is? How many people that they confront actually go on to attend Church regularly and become Bible-believing, baptized Christians?

Please answer the question- as Christians, we need to ensure that we are as effective as possible.

Please Know, this isn't meant to ridicule or attack you personally, but to show the error of the way of those who follow modern methodologies and attempt to justify based on number of decisions.....

What Verse says we are to Drag People into Church and make them converts using a false Gospel message designed to make them feel good about themselves? hmmm I know.....

MATTHEW 23:15 15Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single(Z) proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a(AA) child of(AB) hell[e] as yourselves. (ESV)

wow... heavy stuff there Doc....

And what Verse says that Evangelical Methodologies must produce great Numbers to be Biblical Methods? I can't think of one....

We are to Preach the Truth, the WHOLE TRUTH, and nothing but....

If we let up in any area or change the message to get more to join us, we are as guilty as the Pharisees who strain out the gnat but swallow the Camel.... (Matt 23:24)


In Fact the Single Greatest Evangelical Preacher who served as a Spiritual Adviser to 6 Presidents and lead the great number of Revivals and Preached the Gospel to the most people ever lead me into a false conversion... I wasn't truly saved until I was 17, but at 8 because of his Ministry I had a false sense of Salvation, and would have ended up sincerely in hell... convinced that all I had to do was make Jesus Lord and Savior....

but did I? NO!!!!

He was already Lord and Savior before He found me.... and if He had Rejected Me, He was still Lord and Savior.....

I needed to humble myself and beseech His Mercies for my great sinful state of which I was heretofore unrepentant of....

And that was only Possible because He had First Called Me.... He Chose me, and Unregenerate Unworthy Mess before the beginning of Creation He Knew Me, and He Chose me.... and I am still wrought with Sin, and He Chose me....

The Only Numbers that matter in the Bible are always of the Tribes of Israel and unless you follow Replacement Theology we aren't Israel..... (I could claim I partly am, as I'm 1/25th Jewish... that point aside, I will go with the Gentile side of me which greatly outnumbers that).... We are His under His Mercies and His Choosing, we are the Branches Grafted into the Tree... Not another Tree that has Supplanted the first.... Anyways... There are Numbers Applied to the any of the Places the Apostle Paul went....

and He Taught Repentance and Faith... and he was stoned, beaten, left for dead, had to flee at night over the wall, finally he was killed after serving years in House Arrest.... by the Numbers of Converts standard, he was a failure, because 2 people departed his company during House Arrest and 2 others he had once held fellowship with became False Teachers....

and then there's Jesus.... He lost 70 on one day, He lost all 12 in a single Night(Judas betrayed him, the other 11 Fled), and He was Crucified....and then he Was Resurrected, afterword He gained the 11 back, and many more, but he still must have totally lost some of the 70.....

so Jesus and Paul failed the test.... the same can be said for Peter, James, and the 10 other Apostles and Matthias the Replacement for Judas....

Or we fail because we base Spiritually on Numbers like it's another Business Model to follow and we will have success.....

I am still amazed after all this... GOD REACHED DOWN TO EARTH AND HE CHOSE me!!!!!!
 
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