Is this a joke? a step by step guide on how to witness to someone? friends, you are not trying to convince people on seeing things how you do. You are supposed to witness when God urges you too, the Holy Spirit will give you the words to say. Dont turn christianity into another religious sect of do's and donts. Lean not on your own understanding. It is not your job to witness to people, it is His in you.
Not to bash their methods, as I saw one of their videos on TV and was pretty moved by it actually. But isn't there a difference between someone famous going around with cameras all around him and a microphone and witnessing, and say, you or me doing the same thing but without any of the publicity and protection around us? Especially going to gangsters and stuff? I'm not dissing you if you are called to go into danger like that for the Lord, but I guess I would ask you if it is a sincere calling, or if you are just trying to prove something to yourself by going into such situations, because that would be vanity.
Alot of christians are wondering 'Man, i wanna witness but i got no idea how!' Well, we're going to share with you a way to share your faith biblically and effectively and it's not some intellectual mumbo jumbo. It's a simple 4 step way to witness your faith. Remember this WDJD principle and you'll never get lost in a witnessing encounter. Alot of this has been based on biblical methods, Jesus' methods and teachings found from www.livingwaters.com. This method works for 1 on 1 with strangers, friends or even enemies . It can work with more than 1 person too but the priciple is the same.
The first step
is to know how to start a conversation. If you haven't been able to start a conversation with someone, just say 'Hi.' it could brighten up their day. Talk about the weather, talk about sports, talk about something that they can relate to.
"Hi there! How's it going?"
"Oh? Pretty good how are you?"
If they don't respond, don't worry too much about it. You'll just feel silly.
If they do respond, find the timing to swing into the spiritual. This is where it gets interesting.
W
"Would you consider yourself to be a good person?"
"Ah yeah pretty much."
"Can i ask you a few questions to see if that's true?"
"Sure! Go ahead."
D
Do you think you've kept the 10 commandments
"Have you ever told a lie?"
"Sure thing."
"If you tell lies what does that make you?"
"A liar?"
"Yep have you ever stolen anything?"
"Nope."
"Comon you just admitted to me you're a liar."
"Oh okay when i was young."
"If you steal things what does that make you?"
"A theif."
"Now Jesus said 'Whoever looks at a woman to lust after HAS already commited adultery in his heart.' ever done that?"
"Yep, plenty of times."
"Woah, what's your name?"
"Jordan."
"Ah Jordan, i'm Dave nice to meet you. Jordan by your own admission you're a lying, theiving adulterer at heart and you'll have to face God on judgement day."
J
Judgement
"If God judges you by the 10 commandments would you be innocent or guilty?"
"Guilty."
D
Destiny
"Would you be going to heaven or hell?"
"Heaven!"
"Why?"
"Because God is good!"
"Yep, you're right, He is good. Therefore He must punish sinners right? If i was a policeman, and my best friend went out and killed someone. Am i not, under the law, to go there and arrest him? But instead i said to myself 'Nah, he's my best friend, i'll let him go.' That will make me corrupt. Therefore if God is perfect and just, how can He just let us go. That would make Him corrupt right?"
"Oh i guess so."
"Again, where will you go? Heaven or hell?"
"Hell..."
THE GOSPEL (2 possible pathways)
1 PROUD HEART
"Now does that concern you?"
"Nope!"
"Are you sure that you're not concerned about it at all? Comon..."
"Nope, not concerned a bit."
"Okay, i'm sorry to hear that, have a nice day."
2 HUMBLE HEART
"Now does that concern you?"
"Yes!"
"Do you know what God did for you so you wouldn't have to go to hell?"
"No."
"He died on the cross. Took the punishment for us. We broke His law, He paid our fine. God offers you forgiveness for all of your sins. Would you like to know how to get it?"
"Yes!"
"You need to repent, basically you turn from your sin. You repent, and believe in Him, not just know Him, but trust in Him and obey what He tells you. Ask Him to forgive you and help you repent. Just pray to Him, call upon His name and He will hear you. That way, when you die, your sins are forgiven, and you can come into heaven with Him. That's His love for you, instead of giving you justice, He desires mercy."
Quite easy to do and remember. Practice with a friend or yourself. Just get a feel for it. If you can remember these points, you'll never get lost in a conversation. Good luck!
PS: any changes that need to be made, mistakes etc, PM me i'll check it out.
EDIT: obviously you should be gentle throughout this conversation. i've changed it so that you don't sound like a maniac shouting at someone. Although with text, you can see things in many different ways.
Alot of christians are wondering 'Man, i wanna witness but i got no idea how!' Well, we're going to share with you a way to share your faith biblically and effectively and it's not some intellectual mumbo jumbo. It's a simple 4 step way to witness your faith. Remember this WDJD principle and you'll never get lost in a witnessing encounter. Alot of this has been based on biblical methods, Jesus' methods and teachings found from www.livingwaters.com. This method works for 1 on 1 with strangers, friends or even enemies . It can work with more than 1 person too but the priciple is the same.
The first step
is to know how to start a conversation. If you haven't been able to start a conversation with someone, just say 'Hi.' it could brighten up their day. Talk about the weather, talk about sports, talk about something that they can relate to.
"Hi there! How's it going?"
"Oh? Pretty good how are you?"
If they don't respond, don't worry too much about it. You'll just feel silly.
If they do respond, find the timing to swing into the spiritual. This is where it gets interesting.
W
"Would you consider yourself to be a good person?"
"Ah yeah pretty much."
"Can i ask you a few questions to see if that's true?"
"Sure! Go ahead."
D
Do you think you've kept the 10 commandments
"Have you ever told a lie?"
"Sure thing."
"If you tell lies what does that make you?"
"A liar?"
"Yep have you ever stolen anything?"
"Nope."
"Comon you just admitted to me you're a liar."
"Oh okay when i was young."
"If you steal things what does that make you?"
"A theif."
"Now Jesus said 'Whoever looks at a woman to lust after HAS already commited adultery in his heart.' ever done that?"
"Yep, plenty of times."
"Woah, what's your name?"
"Jordan."
"Ah Jordan, i'm Dave nice to meet you. Jordan by your own admission you're a lying, theiving adulterer at heart and you'll have to face God on judgement day."
J
Judgement
"If God judges you by the 10 commandments would you be innocent or guilty?"
"Guilty."
D
Destiny
"Would you be going to heaven or hell?"
"Heaven!"
"Why?"
"Because God is good!"
"Yep, you're right, He is good. Therefore He must punish sinners right? If i was a policeman, and my best friend went out and killed someone. Am i not, under the law, to go there and arrest him? But instead i said to myself 'Nah, he's my best friend, i'll let him go.' That will make me corrupt. Therefore if God is perfect and just, how can He just let us go. That would make Him corrupt right?"
"Oh i guess so."
"Again, where will you go? Heaven or hell?"
"Hell..."
THE GOSPEL (2 possible pathways)
1 PROUD HEART
"Now does that concern you?"
"Nope!"
"Are you sure that you're not concerned about it at all? Comon..."
"Nope, not concerned a bit."
"Okay, i'm sorry to hear that, have a nice day."
2 HUMBLE HEART
"Now does that concern you?"
"Yes!"
"Do you know what God did for you so you wouldn't have to go to hell?"
"No."
"He died on the cross. Took the punishment for us. We broke His law, He paid our fine. God offers you forgiveness for all of your sins. Would you like to know how to get it?"
"Yes!"
"You need to repent, basically you turn from your sin. You repent, and believe in Him, not just know Him, but trust in Him and obey what He tells you. Ask Him to forgive you and help you repent. Just pray to Him, call upon His name and He will hear you. That way, when you die, your sins are forgiven, and you can come into heaven with Him. That's His love for you, instead of giving you justice, He desires mercy."
Quite easy to do and remember. Practice with a friend or yourself. Just get a feel for it. If you can remember these points, you'll never get lost in a conversation. Good luck!
PS: any changes that need to be made, mistakes etc, PM me i'll check it out.
EDIT: obviously you should be gentle throughout this conversation. i've changed it so that you don't sound like a maniac shouting at someone. Although with text, you can see things in many different ways.
There is another way to witness using the same priciple that Jesus used but would make people feel more comfortable.
Simply by doing it by your own 'self testimony'. Like what Rocklife said.
"Hey guys. Can i share with you something? I just became a christian like 10 weeks ago. The reason being is this. I've broken God's ten commandments. I've told lies, hated people, looked with lust and used God's name in vain. I'm a lying, murdering, adulterer at heart and i have to be punished by God because of it. How about you? Have you told lies? etc?"
Something like that. It's a better way to do it in front of your family members or friends. It helps greatly reduce the 'in your face' levels and rather points to you for your guilt. that way, they will realise that the situation you are in is the same that they are in.
But on the sujbect of trying to make people feel comfortable. We live in a perverse world where people will sin willfully with no conviction. You cannot witness to them and not want to see some kind of conviction. People get uncomfortable because they get convicted. They get worried and you'll learn this as you go. That getting people worried about their salvation is a powerful way to drive them to Christ which will bring fourth joy in speakable. I'm not talking about condemning them because you can't condemn them, they are already condemned if they don't believe.
I guess in your position, you can use the tactic above 'self testimony'. You'll learn as you get older that you have to be direct. Better them feeling uncomfortable than to perish.