Being bold for Christ

[psimmond]

One of my favorite teachers, William Lane Craig, says we can "help to maximise the number of people in heaven and minimise the number of people in hell."

I do Bible studies in my home. They start small--with just a few interested people--but after a while, some bring friends. Some only come once, so I try to teach the gospel every time we meet. It used to bother me when only a few would show up, or when I'd see a look of scorn on someone's face as I was telling about God's amazing love, but I've taken the parable of the sower to heart; it's my job, and privilege, to scatter seeds, not to save anyone.

I try to make it a fun and relaxed atmosphere. We drink coffee, sit on the couches, I ask them what they think about different verses and I encourage then to ask questions.

Although I've never shared the gospel with a complete stranger on the street or on an airplane, I've found that sharing the gospel with people in my living room is pretty easy (and rewarding).

I prepare for my studies by reading the chapter and taking notes while listening to Steve's verse-by-verse mp3's.

I try not to criticize other's methods of evangelism. I think God can even use the guy on the street corner who yells that sinners will burn in hell. blazerfan, what would you be comfortable doing? Start there.

[Conde]

Keep up the bible studies. I am very, very grateful for those who have taught me. Steve’s teaching has totally opened my eyes to things I would have missed. After reviewing his teaching I realize some of what I have been taught has been tradition of man and not sound biblical teaching. I taught bible study to friends and family. It is great but only a couple of new people turned to Jesus.

I did notice as I sat in church that there was a lot of talk and some good things like fellowship, giving, etc.. But, what about going out and preaching the gospel, healing the sick, etc. At first I went out with sack lunches to give as I shared about Jesus. I was wide with what I was saying. I would get off track and end up more in a coffee talk, listening to what there thoughts were and getting off track. Only a few ever tuned to accept that Jesus is Lord. And I was going only to homeless at first.

There is a reason that people aren’t comfortable talking to complete strangers on the street. You just aren’t use to it. I wasn’t either.
I will share an example. I teach horsemanship. People that have horses with problems call me. Either they need help with a horse that has never been trained or they may be to a point where they are actually scared of their horse for different reasons. I deal with horseman. They are called horseman because they have a horse. But, most just have pet horses. They have pampered their horse and never expected it to do actual work. They may not expect the horse to work ‘cause they have no work to do. The horse turns into a spoiled pet. Then to top it off the people become angry and can get abusive in their training or they get use to being abused by their horse. By the time they call me for help they are totally not comfortable with the horse. I come in and calmly show them what is possible. They are amazed. They see a horse that couldn’t be controlled with a harsh bit being ridden with no bit, obedient and relaxed. I then work with the person. The person then becomes confident where before they were totally uncomfortable. It takes sometimes small steps at a time. But, it is awesome to see that change. It is their flesh that wasn’t use to a new way of doing things. There are foundational things that make a good horseman. There are also good foundations that make up a believer in Christ.

Actually, are we called to do what is comfortable? Can you imagine what the body of Christ is going to be like when we walk out proclaiming the gospel. They did it in the bible and it is being done now. Jesus came to set the captives free and destroy the works of the devil. The Spirit is willing but the flesh weak. It is not the Spirit stoping people from going out to preach outside of the church it is the flesh and fear and holding on to things of the world. I am dealing with all these things myself. We have help by His Spirit. We have a King and Lord, we have kingdom business. We are ambassadors for Christ. He reminds me not to pick up the old dead man when I go out. He reminds me I am in Him. I pray for boldness. He is faithful. He is with us. He reminds us of Him and what He has done. It starts with Him and ends with Him. He will give you things for bible study that you would not have come up with by yourself. He gives the strength to preach the word when we don't feel like it. It is the same as you go out on the street.

Yesterday a friend of mine and I went out to share the good news. We went to a bus stop by a mall off of I205, Portland Or. area. We talk to others together or individually. Usually individually but in the same area because there are so many people. If they don’t want to hear I move on, Jesus is Lord and it doesn’t have to be pushed or argued. You would be surprised at how many want to hear. Three new believers in Jesus after hearing said they wanted to follow Him as Lord. One girl had previously known Him but she said she had fallen away and wanted to return to following Him. After preaching the gospel, if anyone wants prayer I pray for them. One girl called me over to her and asked me to pray for her because she saw me talking to others. She wanted prayer for continued success from alcohol addiction, she had 11 days clean, but was feeling bad. I prayed in the name of Jesus, she said she felt something good and got on the bus and was gone. Another woman wanted prayer for her son that was in jail. They are turning to God for help through Jesus. It is the goodness of God that brings man to repentance. I talked to another woman. She heard the gospel but refused Jesus as Lord and the only way to the Father. She though liked Jesus. I gave her the book of John and she left on the bus. I talked to others that think being a good person is what saves them. 3 people I talked to were really smiling and glowing when I began to talk to them. They were glad to see the gospel being preached. The born agains glow like that. Some went to church but didn’t want to hear it. The religious do not like to see preaching outside of church I notice.

In the last 5 months going out like this usually for 1.5 hrs at a time 170 some men, women, and children publicly on the streets heard the gospel of Christ, His kingdom, His payment for our sins at the cross, His resurrection of the dead, His Lordship and turned to Him. Many more than that heard the gospel and never turned to Him.
I’ve seen some totally healed of back and leg pain on the spot. One person who was a believer at a bus stop said they were harassed by evil spirits. I just took authority over it in the name of Jesus, spoke healing & life to him in Jesus’ name. He told me all his headaches left. I didn’t know he had headaches. I just figured he was in a church that wasn’t use to the authority & power of Jesus Christ over demonic.

One day as I was ministering two teen boys approached me. They had seen me before. They were part of a youth group in a church. They asked me what the bible said about marijuana. I was able to speak of the call Jesus has on their lives, etc. All this to say that the body of Christ is needed outside the doors of the church. I was part of a church that was big in faith yet they didn’t want to walk out on the streets just an arrow shot away. It is because they aren’t use to it. They will be some day though. They are His body.
I have never seen anyone with signs yelling at sinners actually lead anyone to Jesus as Lord. I wouldn’t call that evangelism at all. Nor is just mans goodness or just saying good things to people proclaiming the gospel.

Being able to preach the gospel outside the church I think is foundational to a disciple of Jesus our Lord. Going out to individuals on the street is one way of doing it. After doing this on the street I can say it is much easier to get to the point that Jesus is Lord, receive forgiveness, and follow Him.
Glad to serve with you all in the Kingdom of our Lord, Conde

[psimmond]

Conde,
Thanks for the work you are doing!

I realize God often calls us to do that which is outside of our comfort zone. I encouraged blazerfan to start with what he is comfortable doing, because my boldness (and knowledge) has really grown from sharing the gospel in my home.

Although I haven't yet shared the gospel one-on-one with a stranger outside of my home, I know it would be much easier for me to do that than it would have 5 years ago before I started doing it in my home.

[Roberto]

In the book of Acts, didn't some devote to the ministry of preaching and others to serving tables? So there is are different ministries, different responsbilities....

[TK]

I agree Roberto--- Oswald Chambers talks a lot about being a "doormat" for Christ-- i.e. in hidden ministry.

But at the same time, it says somewhere (I am too lazy to look it up) that we should be ready to give a defense of our faith when needed.

The question I suppose is whether we should be seeking opportunities for active evangelism if we don't feel called to do that. Like I indicated before, I dont think I am very good at it. Now that could be taken as a cop out, and perhaps it is to some degree (because I am also chicken). But I do think God has gifted me (stronger) in other areas.

TK

[Ralph]

Previous entries contain wonderful material. Here are my personal thoughts at this time in my life:

I want to be like Jesus to the person that I meet. I am a touching kind of person, and it is very natural for me to touch people; but I don‘t always. Sometimes I warmly cover the person’s hand with my own hand, or warmly grasp the person’s hand with both of my hands, or warmly rub the person’s back, or warmly hug the person in a bear hug while praying silently for the person. Often the person then speaks a grateful, “Thank you”. Sometimes tears have come to my eyes after that. I have come to believe that the person recognizes that overwhelming, supernatural love is being conveyed. I am praying that the Lord will wash down upon the person with mercy and healing and light. A conversation that starts with such love will go in the right direction, because I am depending upon the Lord to speak through me. I have just witnessed a miracle before my eyes as the person has melted in gratitude for the love that the Lord has instantly shown. A conversation after that is very natural. My heart is right. I am wanting the very best for the person. The Lord is present.

Grace and peace be to you from Jesus,

Ralph

[Conde]

Looks like the question here was about being bold for Christ and going out to be a witness. If anyone is interested, I can tell you that people are turning to Jesus as Lord right now. I see this happen every time I go out on the streets. Personally, since Nov. 24 I have seen 11 more people turn to Christ. Two of them were acquaintances of mine, the others were strangers I talked to on the streets on two different Saturdays. No more than two hours each Saturday.
If you stay in the pot too long you’ll just get stuck to the side and won’t get served up. You can get so hard set to the inside of the pot that it takes hot water and some scrubbing with steel wool to get you off. You don’t want to get stuck to the bench at a good church. The kingdom of God is actively expanding now. People on the streets are dying to here the truth.
You can go up to complete strangers in a good way and share the truth with them if they give you permission. If they don’t then leave them alone, pray for them later. If they give you permission then speak the truth in love boldly. I speak to 1 to 4 at a time usually.
Most of the time I always take someone with me and teach them how to talk to people and share the gospel. They are always amazed. We need to take time to raise others up for the works of ministry. This is true in evangelism.
I never engage an argument because there are those that only want an argument. This only keeps one from proclaiming the gospel to one who wants to hear. A debate is different, and not something for the street. Now, if there were ones on the street who were actually trying to keep others in hell I may say something but I have not had the experience like a group of pharisees.
This Saturday a friend of mine led a girl to Jesus as a muslim boyfriend was telling her no. She, however, when she heard of Jesus, wanted to follow Him. On another occasion I had been interrupted while talking to two girls at a bus stop. Two guys came and said they wanted to share Satan with them. I proclaimed the gospel to the young men. Asked them if they wanted to follow Jesus as their Lord. They said they had to go get something but would be back. They never came back. The two girls believed the gospel and committed to following Jesus as their Lord. Another time someone tried to interrupt the message to 3 people. That time I just ignored the person and continued to speak the truth. One of the three wanted to accept that Jesus is Lord and commit to following Him. One of the three was a believer. The other didn’t want to accept it. The angry interrupting person left.
After preaching the gospel I ask if they need any prayer. This is where I get the new person I am teaching to start talking. Most people who want to share Jesus are already familiar with praying for others. They are use to it so I start them there. I finish up the prayer if anything else need be said. Notice that in the bible the signs, miracles and wonders follow the preaching of the gospel.
Since June I have seen 189 turn to Jesus personally. Many more with all my other friends who preach the gospel wherever they go. Why have I written all their names down and kept track of the numbers? Because I wanted it right in my face to see if going out and proclaiming the gospel actually has a result. It does.
I am much better at getting to the point. The point is Jesus is Lord. He cares for you. He alone is God’s love to you. We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Jesus has taken all your sins and died with them. He is raised from the dead and reigns on the throne at the right hand of God. Do you want to commit to following Him as your Lord?