Witnessing Ideas
Of course effective witnessing is not really about having smart ideas, although these may help. It’s about praying, showing love and building relationships - all within the power of The Holy Spirit. I see opportunities that arise as simply sowing a seed. If a word or verse, picture or video sparks a thought then it is worthwhile. We are often not the closer in someone’s rebirth but merely make a contribution that may culminate years ahead. The main ingredient though is seeking first His kingdom and unceasing prayer.
Healing
http://www.healingonthestreets.com/ A large amount of Jesus’ ministry on Earth was healing and we are all empowered to do this. All it needs is prayer, faith and a folding chair . . . .
Car
Bumper or window stickers. I have a holder which has cards from my church and invites people to “Please take one”. A rear window sticker says “Try Praying” and “Are you following Jesus?” which has “This Closely” underneath in smaller letters. Always have the radio tuned to Christian music (not too loud!), either for the benefit of the passenger or others when you roll down the window.
Tracts
www.chick.com has cartoon tracts that are fun to read, like a comic. They have huge numbers of subjects, are available in many languages, can be downloaded (INSERT HTML CODE HERE) for insertion into websites and also come as an app for your phone. This works well when you want to invite people to church and also where people do not wish to read a large message in small print. This can be used in conjuncion with tracts to give people a point of contact. Sometimes simply a small easily readable card is better (both sides shown):
Voicemail
I recorded a message on my cell phone and landline that ended with, “and may God richly bless you today!”
Internet
This reaches so many that I believe it is important to make the best use of it. Often there are requests to complete surveys and even though it can take a lot of time I try to complete these because I can often write “God Bless you” in the comments section. A similar thing can be done with requests for feedback e.g. on eBay.
App
As we all know, our faith is not simply based on feelings or psychology (as many atheists believe). It is based on rock solid historical proof. This is called apologetics and a very useful app can be found from Frank Turek’s organisation called CrossExamined. It has a Q&A section that can be called up instantly in any situation and is available for Apple and android. What should you answer when someone claims that evolution trumps creation? http://crossexamined.org/
Cell phone
How about using an app to show scrolling text e.g. JESUS IS ALIVE and use a belt clip.
Phone calls
It is hard, but becomes easier, to end every telephone conversation with, “God Bless you” but it is another opportunity and the fact that people do not expect this makes them think. I now feel particularly convicted that I should answer all calls. Telemarketers may only ever have this one chance to hear the Gospel.
Emails
I send a lot of emails. Originally I included a signature (text that appears at the foot of every email) that simply requested the reader to “Click Here”, for Message of the Day. However I began to realise that not many would make the effort. So I began selecting a different verse most days and inserted the verse itself. The results were very surprising. So many recipients not only comment that it helped them but it stimulates them ask me and to find out more. http://www.howto-outlook.com/howto/signatures.htm
Business Cards
Mine have an encouraging bible verse on the back – have them printed with this or print a page of labels to stick on your existing ones.
Skype
My “mood” that appears with my contact details also says “May God richly bless you today”.
Social media
On the doorbell I wrote that if I am not here packages should be left with my neighbour and “May God richly bless you today”.
Door
On the doorbell I wrote that if I am not here packages should be left with my neighbour and “May God richly bless you today”.
People begging
I like to give a reasonable amount such as £2 upwards but also give them a tract too, saying that this is something to read.
Big Issue Sellers
I like to give a reasonable amount such as £2 upwards but also give them a tract too, saying that this is something to read.
Some other ideas: When returning "Love Film" discs insert a tract into the envelope; when a client requests a new laptop or needs a repair I also copy a video onto it for them to watch; tracts sometimes go into some litter bins or recycling.
I have shaved a message into the cats fur – NO, ONLY KIDDING!! But daily I am struck by the waterfall of God’s Love as compared to the dribble of spreading the Word that I give. I really really want to walk down streets handing out cards. I really want to speak to EVERYONE I see but I know that I should not feel guilty when I fail to do it because the main command is to LOVE. Of course, love includes sharing so I pray that my faith and knowing that Christ is by my side will let me do this SOON.
One thing that is on my heart to do is to write a letter – either by email or hand – for my closest non-Christian friends and relatives. For her Chinese grandfather, my wife wrote a letter which she had translated from English to Chinese so that he would understand it better.
Dear
Hopefully the very fact that I am writing this indicates to you that I care passionately about not only what I believe to be true but also to give you evidence so that you can make up your own mind. My main motivation comes out of love for you and introducing you to a new way of life. Why would I risk rejection and ridicule if I did not have this faith?
Belief in God and that he is responsible for all his creation is a perfectly natural concept for me. It does not mean that God and science are somehow at opposite ends of the spectrum. The two complement each other perfectly. Science itself admits that it only has theories for so many things and it has neither explained what was before the “Big Bang”, what caused it nor has it succeeded in creating life and has never found the “missing link” between apes and humans.
The concept of humanity being the result of a random accident seems absolutely crazy to me. So many unlikely things have to come together perfectly that it is, to me, impossible http://www.godandscience.org/apologetics/designss.html
Maybe if you do not believe any of that you will at least consider the empty tomb. There is no doubt that Jesus existed historically. One of the most powerful arguments for His divinity is the empty tomb
http://www.bible.ca/d-resurrection-evidence-Josh-McDowell.htm
This is nothing to do with religion at all. It is simply following the truth. Yes religion or misinterpreted belief and its extreme followers has been responsible for so many atrocities in human history but that is not related to true belief. If you must put a label on followers of Christ and call Christianity a religion I believe that is inaccurate. Religion is where man tries to reach out to God and with ritual or good deeds save himself. Christianity is the only faith where God sacrificed Himself in order to connect with His creation. Good deeds / good people have nothing to do with being saved as we all fall short of God’s perfect standard. Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins. Click here.
Some people do not want to believe because they think that they need to give up whatever is sinful (or possibly pleasurable?!) to follow Christ. NOT TRUE. I did not have to give up murdering, lying, gambling or drinking. Its just that I wanted to after I began a relationship with Christ.
What does God do for me – I am not keen on putting my faith in such selfish terms – but I have never been so at peace, so sure of a wonderful future, so unafraid of death and so unworried about anything. In 2013 / 14 I lost three important contracts that made up 75% of my income, my brother said to me – “Are you not worried?” I was able to truthfully say “NO!” In fact, in one year, because of a legal case and some medical problems we lost almost £50,000 yet God has always provided for us.
The decision is always yours but I will say that I now have true meaning in my life. This certainly is possible for you too. Sometimes it starts where someone simply says “God, if you are real, please show me” and if they do that in all sincerity He will! You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Graeme