In today’s blog, I am going to give you 5 practical ways to witness to your friends, family, co-workers or just about anyone! Why? (I’m glad you asked!) Because Jesus commanded us to be soulwinners!
Proverbs 11:30 says:
The seeds of good deeds become a tree of life;
a wise person wins friends.
Tip #1: Pray. Pray. Pray.
Before you go witnessing, ask God to anoint you, go before you and prepare the individual’s’ heart to receive the Gospel. If they are not ready, then you may not (in most cases not) get the intended outcome you desire. For example, the Parable of the Farmer Scattering Seed in Matthew 13:3b-9: “Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds. As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died. Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants. Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted! Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”
Tip #2: Be a Friend, First and Foremost.
I am convinced that most of the time the “fire and brimstone” technique (just saying, “You are going to hell and you’ll burn”) does not work. On the contrary, I think it turns people off. Take John 3:16-17 (I added the emphasis): “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.”
Tip #3: Take Them to Dinner.
Cultivating a relationship with the person is crucial. Some people need to be friended before they can receive the Gospel. Even Jesus ate with sinners! Let’s look at Luke 5:27-32: “Later, as Jesus left the town, he saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Levi got up, left everything, and followed him. Later, Levi held a banquet in his home with Jesus as the guest of honor. Many of Levi’s fellow tax collectors and other guests also ate with them.But the Pharisees and their teachers of religious law complained bitterly to Jesus’ disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with such scum?” Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”
Tip #4: Share Your Personal Testimony.
Often times, people can relate to you better if you share your personal testimony. Sharing things that God has brought you out of builds the faith of the individual that you are talking to. Keep in mind what Revelations 12:11 says: “And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die.”
Note: Do not use words like “testimony” or “faith” at this point. They sound too “churchy.”
Tip #5: Do Not Take Too Long.
I have seen people overcomplicate the Gospel countless times. The Gospel is simple and the entire foundation is built upon one thing: Love. God is love, love is God. You can’t have one without the other. We all know Jeremiah 29:11, however, look at it through what I’ve emphasised: “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” If that isn’t simple enough, I do not know what is!
Dear sir you are doing a tremendrous job by giving such spiritual education.I will try my best to adopt the preachings of Jesus christ.
Thanks! Please post testimonies here & let me know what God does!
I agree. We must cultivate relationships with others and be non judgemental. I was so blessed to have people take an interest in me and invest their lives and time to teach me about God. I was so amazed by their love it made me want what they had. I gave my life to Jesus after 4 months. They were patient and prayed for me. I have found that when I share my testimony with others and let them know my weaknesses and struggles that are more apt to listen. Thanks for you word Jeremy.
This is such an awesome testimony of what God can do! Thanks for sharing!