Mother's Day and Other Days in St. Thomas, Ontario

Mother's Day is just around the corner. Are you planning to reach out to mothers and families that day with something special? Many are finding ways to share the Gospel with the community by using such events as a springboard. Other submissions will be posted over the next day or two but here is one from St. Thomas, Ontario submitted by Joan McCandless. She would be happy to respond by email to any questions you may have.

Mother's Day

In St. Thomas for many years we have honored Moms on Mother's Day. We invite them to come for refreshments, beginning a few minutes before the regular S.S. time. We have special speaker and then give each Mom with a small gift presented by one of her children.

The refreshments are usually cheese balls and crackers etc., fresh strawberries, cake and ice cream, as well as hot and cold beverages.

The gifts have ranged from small plants, stationary items, to soaps& lotions. Dollar stores are great for ideas.

Father's Day and Annual Sunday School Treat

Our S.S. treat is in June. This allows us to follow the school year and provides a good opportunity to break from classes for the summer and start the summer open class program. We have incorporated Father's Day in the activity of the day, in the past year or so. Dads have received a jar of homemade jam. It is the awards day for the children as well. We do this event at about 4:30 p.m. so it actually replaces our gospel mtg. for the day.

This again is preceded by a chicken dinner and the trimmings.

Easter

We also do an Easter Dinner, which follows a special speaker. This year we had 16 parents sitting listening.

Dinner is usually ham, scalloped potatoes, salads, corn, rolls and butter with cake and ice cream for dessert.

Christmas

At Christmas we again have a dinner following a special speaker. Each family receives a small poinsettia plant and has a family picture taken in the foyer of the hall.

This is a traditional turkey dinner with homemade desserts. Candy-canes at the door when leaving are a special treat.

Using the Foyer

The foyer of the hall has a very large bulletin board. Each month it is the responsibility of a different sister to design a new board, according to season or Bible related topic. Always there are verses and/ or Biblical themes. Any pictures of S.S. events from the previous month, birthdays for the present month and the class pictures are on there as well. The kids love to check and see the new items.

Willing to Share

One other item of note are S.S. treat themes. Through the years we have tried to have a theme, songs to accompany the theme,(even to learning many new ones) and a backdrop to accompany it. We have lots of stories and logged many hours in putting some of these together but it has always been a rewarding experience. In fact we have wondered how we could have a resource centre to share these ideas and even the backdrops themselves.

Hope some of this has been helpful. It seems we make the best inroads with children and parents and if the confidence is there by the parents, they are visitors at these events, many for as long as they have children attending. How we can reach them further is a question.

Contact: Joan McCandless

More on Mother's Day to follow.

London, UK - May 01, 2010

In 2009, when atheist Richard Dawkins was launching his UK bus advertising campaign with the slogan on London buses: "God probably doesn't exist..." assembly believers coordinated a tract distribution in the city of London. A similar event is being held this year on Saturday, May 01st.

You may not be able to read the details in the promotional material below but it's great to know there are believers who are countering the philosophies of this godless age by distributing, to the masses, the Word of God in tract form.

This story was submitted by Melody Wallis. If you would like to contact one of the organizers you can email Michael Surry .

 

Soul Winner's Heart

A hand-written note from 1991 was found inside a book. The elderly Christian gentleman was obviously flying from the Maritimes in Canada to Philadelphia. The note said this:

Traveling to Philadelphia, November 29, 1991
Sat beside a young woman from Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. (French-speaking Acadian). Spoke to her about her need. There seemed to be an ear. I felt toward her as the Lord Jesus felt towards the rich young ruler in the Gospel of Mark: "Jesus looking on him loved him." How I longed to be able to lead her to Christ. "Oh, God help her to read the tracts and may the Spirit of God work in her soul."

When you meet someone, and it seems like a chance encounter, do you have a burning desire in your heart to see the person won to Christ? Do you ever make a little note to yourself expressing such a desire? Have you ever written down a little prayer that you breathed out to the Lord on behalf of someone you just met?

It's called a soul winner's heart.

Personal Witnessing - Confronting the Person Directly (Part 8)

This is the final post in this series on Personal Witnessing. We have been learning some lessons from the approach Jesus used with the woman at the well in John Chapter 4. The Lord Jesus turned a seemingly small conversation into an eternally significant encounter. 

There is no cookie-cutter approach to personal witnessing. So much depends on the relationship, the personalities involved, the circumstances related to the encounter(s), etc. Godly discernment and a Spirit-led conversation is the objective. Make personal witnessing a matter of daily prayer.

Staying on track and making sure you are not derailed or side-tracked is so important. That was the subject of the last posting. Once again the quotes are taken directly from Paul Little's classic: How to Give Away Your Faith. If you don't have a copy of this classic, you really should click on the title and place your order.

Confront the Person Directly

Finally, in declaring to the Samaritan woman that he was the Messiah, Jesus reached the crucial point of His message to her: "I who speak to you am He." Likewise, whether we spend one or many sessions with friends building bridges of friendship, we must eventually cross this bridge and bring the non-Christians into a direct confrontation with the Lord Jesus so that they realize their personal responsibility to decide for or against Him.

Many are comfortable building all the bridges and connections to the people, taking time to establish trust and building relationships but they are totally afraid to go the next step. We have a personal responsibility to take them further. The conversation needs to come to a head. Some questions need to be asked by you. What they do with Christ is their responsibility but you need to ask the question.

Paul Little says:

For a period of time I used to say to people: "Are you a Christian?" but I discovered that wasn't the best way to go about it for several reasons. In the first place, a great many people would say 'yes', thinking they knew what being a Christian was all about. Soon I was quite sure in the light of the New Testament that they weren't Christians. But once you get a yes answer to that question you have a problem. You can't say, "I'm sorry, friend. You're all wrong for the following reasons..." Somehow they don't appreciate that kind of thing. ...

Here are some questions you could more safely ask and they will be more revealing:

"Have you ever personally trusted Jesus Christ or are you still on the way?"

Immediately, this question defines clearly what a Christian is and beyond that, it lets the person know that you're prepared for a negative response without being shocked. It is very common to have a person respond with, "You know, that's exactly how you can describe me. I'm still on the way."

With a response like that you can say:

"That's interesting. How far along the way are you?"

This second question follows up the first one and draws people out more fully. It's absolutely amazing how often I have had people explain to me, without the slightest hesitation or embarrassment, how far down the road of their spiritual pilgrimage they are. And that's tremendously valuable information to have. Once we hear them tell us where they are, we can fill in any gaps they may need.

If their door is still open int he conversation then you need to go further. Ask them:

"Would you like to become a real Christian and be sure of it?"

What a wonderful opportunity it is to present Christ to a thirsty person. To explain the work of Christ at the Cross. What a thrilling experience is to point someone to the Lord. 

Remember this - even if you never have the joy of seeing them saved or knowing of their salvation, you have fulfilled your responsibility before the Lord and to them. The rest you must leave to them and the work of the Spirit of God. Your conscience is clear. You shared the best news one could ever hear. You didn't hide it from them. You were open with your faith.

Personal Witnessing - Stick With the Main Issue (Part 7)

The famous encounter of Christ at the Well has many lessons for us. The Samaritan woman had no idea when she started her day that she would have such an encounter during such a mundane and labor-intensive part of her day. She went to this well every day and nothing out-of-the-ordinary happened. Just another day. You will meet someone today and for them, they were just expecting another ordinary day - filled with routines. But what a difference one encounter can make in a person's life. That day turned into the absolute best day of her life. It still happens in 2010.

This is the 7th posting on Personal Witnessing in this series. We are quoting extensively from Paul Little's classic book on personal evangelism entitled: How to Give Away Your Faith. If you don't already have your copy, click on the title to order your own book. We are just quoting from Chapter 3 of the book.

More on Sin: Our Role is Not to Condemn 

The issue of sin has come up at this point in the dialogue between Jesus and the Samaritan woman He dealt with it directly but so tactfully. We can't avoid the issue of sin in such a discussion but we can sure learn from the tact and gentleness and diplomacy of Christ when it's our turn to bring it up.

He didn't bypass the question of her husbands, but he did not finger-pointing or head-wagging in judgment....Most of us...would have been quick to condemn. It's probably because we have the mistaken idea that if we do not condemn a certain attitude or deed, we will be condoning it. But this was not our Lord's way.

Christians cannot be unmoved in the presence of sin that clearly separates from God and is self-destructive. This sin is what brought Jesus Christ here to earth to give life! We must express pain and sorrow.... The rub comes when we feel personally revolted by the filth of sin but want to love the person. Pain and warmth can be expressed at the same time. Sternness and warmth cannot.....

Although we may never have been caught in obvious sins as these women were (John 4 and John 8:11) our own need for forgiveness must never be forgotten....We can never discuss another's sin without putting ourselves in the same position of needing help and forgiveness. What's more, we can never let our own less flagrant sins cease to revolt us while we openly are horrified with someone else's more obvious evil.

A good rule to follow in all of our relationships is the simple quip: "You will catch more flies with honey than vinegar." Not only must we avoid condemning people, we need to learn the art of legitimate compliment. Many people are deeply touched by a genuine compliment. Criticism can be far more natural to our lips than praise, but praise can make others more open to the Gospel.

When you are on the topic of sin - be sure to use the 'we' word to include yourself. Be sure to talk about the sadness of sin in our lives and the better life available where there is no thirst for sin because they've experienced a drink of the Living Water. Be sure to hold out hope to them at all points in the conversation.

Stick with the Main Issue
As the interview between our Lord and the Samaritan woman draws to a close, we note two final principles that apply to our witnessing conversations:

Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship." Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." The woman said to him, "I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things." Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am he." (John 4:20-26)

Our Lord did not allow any secondary questions to sidetrack Him from the main issue. The woman asked where she should worship, on Mount Gerizim or in Jerusalem, but Jesus steered the discussion back to Himself by shifting the emphasis from 'where' to 'how' one worships.

Though the woman's question was probably valid, our Lord refused to go off on a tangent. Her attitude was similar to the current honest question that many people have, "Which church should I join?" Or, we might be asked about hypocrites in the church, errors in the Bible, why are there so many denominations and a multitude of other questions. Any legitimate question can be a tangent if it sidetracks us from the main issue. Jesus left no doubt about the main issue: Himself.

The central message of reconciliation must never be left out of our witness.

Return to this blog in the next few days for the final posting in this current series.

Viewpoints Lectures for the Unfamiliar in Ottawa

The post below was submitted by Ken Kember and Vince Kember in Canada's capital, Ottawa, Ontario.

The Viewpoints Lectures were designed as a tool to present the gospel to an audience unfamiliar with its message and with the Christian worldview that underlies it. 

We had already been working with the Chinese community in Ottawa for a few years through a language/Bible study group called the English Bible Circle. Viewpoints 09 was an opportunity to bring newer students up to date with a solid base in Christian concepts, and also a chance to introduce to secular Canadians – friends from school or work – the truth presented in the Bible. 

This work involved a series of 4 lectures over 4 evenings held at a community centre next to the University of Ottawa. Shortly before the event, we held a booth at the University where we invited students to attend the lectures while also distributing tracts, Seed Sowers, Bibles....and the ever-popular cookies. We distributed invitations for our students to take home and share with their friends and created a website to introduce ourselves, give time/place details, and provide the outlines for each night.

The lectures were held in an informal fashion outside of the assembly meeting context, much in the style of a classroom lecture. The outlines were distributed on paper, and each lecture was accompanied by a PowerPoint presentation that went through the material more completely. This helped to structure the material and allowed for the incorporation of helpful images and diagrams.

These presentations, along with an audio recording of the lecture, were posted on the website after each session in case some could not attend each night. Each of the four lectures were written and presented by a different brother from our assembly. We worked together in designing the overall structure of the content, but were at liberty to take our subject in the direction we felt would be most helpful.

The series revolved around the idea of “viewpoints” or “worldviews” – the set of beliefs and assumptions that we all have and that defines our attitudes and our choices. We wanted to present the idea that everyone has a worldview, whether they are aware of it or not. We then sought to introduce, as clearly as possible, the Christian worldview. The focus of this series was not so much the defence of Christianity (apologetics) as a clear presentation of its truths.

The title for the first night was “Man's Views”. We defined worldviews and asked the audience to define and assess their own. We talked about the questions a worldview must address, and the tests to which it can be subjected. We asked the audience to consider how any given worldview would answer questions about authority, worship, meaning, morality, and life after death. 

In the second night we moved specifically into the Christian worldview with a message entitled “God's View”. This was an introduction to God as he is described in the Bible, as well as His assessment of fallen mankind. 

The third night, “View on Christ” focused on the person of Christ, his purpose for coming into the world, and the impact of his resurrection. 

The last night of the series, “Future Views”, spoke of the Bible's relevance to the individual. We discussed death and the afterlife – Heaven and Hell – and explained the need of personal salvation.We concluded the lectures with Christ's invitation to all.

If you would like to receive more information or make further inquiries about the above approach you can email Vince Kember or Ken Kember, both in fellowship at the River Road Assembly in Ottawa, Canada. 

Personal Witnessing - Don't Go Too Far (Part 6)

If you are just joining us on this posting, you may want to read the other postings in this series leading up to this particular one. We are looking at a few tips (using John 4 as our base) on how to share your faith with someone you meet. It's not as hard as you may think. And even if it is hard, it's still your personal and moral responsibility to witness for Christ to those you meet. You have what they desperately need in this life and must have for eternity. We are following some tips outlined in Paul Little's classic book - How To Give Away Your Faith with the indented paragraphs being direct quotes.

Today the question is: how far do you go if the conversation has turned into a spiritual one? Let's eavesdrop on the conversation at the well. Did Jesus tell her everything He knew? In the segment of verses below, did He tell her everything He knew about her or even everything she needed to know?

"Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water." Jesus said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come here." The woman answered him, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You are right in saying, 'I have no husband'; for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true." The woman said to him, "Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet."

(John 4:13-19)

Jesus didn't actually tell her what she ultimately needed to know until Verse 26. 

Despite the woman's obvious interest and curiosity, Jesus didn't give her the whole story at once. Gradually, as she was ready for more, He revealed more about Himself. Then, when her curiosity had reached fever pitch (v.26) He identified Himself as the long awaited Messiah.

The moment we detect a faint glimmer of interest in non-Christians, many of us want to rush right in and rattle off the whole Gospel without coming up for air or waiting for any audience response. (After all, we might not get another chance, we think!) But by relying on the power and presence of the Holy Spirit, we can gain poise. Non-Christians need gentle coaxing when they're just beginning to show interest: it's usually fragile at first. Otherwise, like birds scared from their perches by a sudden movement toward them, they will withdraw. On the other hand, if we are casual in our attitude and relaxed in our manner, the inquirers might even press us to share with them.

Even if you don't get beyond a discussion about the reality of God and our ultimate accountability to God - don't think you have wasted your time. Let that truth sink in deeply. After your voice is silent, the Spirit of God can flood them with thoughts about their readiness to meet God which will in turn, create a thirst to hear more.

Don't Condemn

Consider the verses above. Sometimes we rush to deal with the issue of sin. Sometimes we try to do the work of the Spirit of God in convicting people of their sin. We probe, we rub, we pry - trying to confront someone with their sin. But take close notice how tactfully Jesus brought up the issue of sin. A reference to her husband. After the woman responded to the 'husband' comment, Jesus went a little further but He did it so graciously and obliquely. He didn't rub sin in her face. Even though she may have felt like dirt, He sure did not call her a piece of dirt. He credited her for being truthful. She also knew that He was inviting her to come back to Him, despite her sin.

Don't go too far. Don't tell everything you know in one breath. Know one wants to listen to a know-it-all. As Paul Little said: "Go slow and let the Spirit lead."

Practising Personal Witnessing - by Dr. Douglas Yade

Dr. Doug Yade, an elder in the fellowship of believers in Kirkland Lake, ON works with young people in various venues, including Seed Sowers in promoting personal witnessing. You will find his posting below very helpful. If you would like to contact Doug Yade, click on his name.

Maybe a shy young teen is wishing they could initiate a conversation with an unbeliever but feel their lack of experience. Here is a powerful tip.

Practised Starting Line

It is very helpful to have a Practised Starting Line handy for such times. A simple question is this: do you have an interest in spiritual things? I like the question because it is somewhat softer than 'Are you born again?' or 'Are you saved?'

If the person replies, "No I don't," the conversation can continue along other lines to a more opportune time and they have not likely been scared off.

If the person says, "Yes I do, then you can respond a number of ways such as,

1. Can you tell me about it?
2. Have you found what you’re looking for or are you still on the way?
3. To you, who is Jesus Christ?

Memorize

You must first of all memorize these three questions. It won't be difficult. Then keep then handy, near the tip of your tongue.

Practice

The Chief point is this: you MUST practise the lines. Look at yourself in the mirror and ask, Do you have an interest in spiritual things? Practise on your Christian peers. (Come to Seed Sowers where we’’ll practise it.) After you have asked a few strangers the question, you will be impressed with how people react.

A Personal Experience

In real life it may sound like this, an experience I had at the Crystal Lake beach when a young man came down to watch the sunset and stood near the table where my wife and I sat. We would likely never meet again. I wanted to give him something to think about.

Hi, nice evening.

     Yeah, sure is.

Nice view from here . . . great park . . .

     Just great . . .

(More small talk, establishing a little rapport, being friendly,)

Say, do you have an interest in spiritual things?

     Um, I guess, maybe . . . I believe there has to be something out there.

Now that the ice is somewhat broken, the conversation can go many ways. I was ready to ask the above three questions but went with this line since he seemed to have little to say.

I said then:

Can I ask you a question about something Jesus said?

     Well, OK, sure.

With permission granted (so how could he complain) I simply asked,

What did Jesus mean when He said we must be born again if we plan to be in heaven?

     Well, I don’’t really know. I never thought of that before, I don’’t know much about that . . .

. . . and away we go explaining it while trying to engage him with questions.

What happened in the end? He went back to his tent. Maybe you’ll bump into him tomorrow. Try THE question.

Submitted by: Dr. Doug Yade, Kirkland Lake, On

Personal Witnessing - Getting the Ball Rolling (Part 5b)

If you are just joining us now, you are in the middle of a series of postings on some practical tips about personal witnessing. Scroll down the page to find the other postings or click on the 'personal witnessing' label in the right margin and it will bring up all the previous postings. I am quoting extensively from Chapter 3 of Paul Little's classic book entitled: How to Give Away Your Faith. If you do not already have this paperback classic in your collection, click on the title to order it online.

Getting the Ball Rolling

You have an obvious opportunity to have a spiritual discussion with a person the Lord has caused to cross your path. Did you pray today that you would have such an encounter and that the Spirit of God would guide you and give you suitable words to speak and when to not speak and when to stop? You have found a springboard in a casual and secular and friendly chat to launch you into a spiritually focused chat. Its called a bridge or a segue. From a couple of things the person has said about their life and their struggles, you feel there is an openness to take the conversation further. We gave you a couple of examples of this in the last posting.

But let's say, the person has a totally different background that you have and a set of life circumstances to which you can not relate. Your background is so different. Could you, with any credibility, engage this person in a conversation?

When someone wants to share their story with you and you are lost for words about how you might relate to them you could say:

"You know, I would feel that way except for an experience that changed my outlook on life. Would you like me to tell you about it?

Those of us who have grown up in Christian homes and churches often develop an inferiority complex because we can't point to a dramatic change in our lives when we became Christians. We can't say, "Once I was a dope addict, but see what Christ has done for me!" If we came to new life in Christ as a child, we probably did not notice much change in our lifestyles.

We need not feel inferior or apologetic about this, as though somehow our experience were not as genuine as the more spectacular. Paul's conversion was wonderfully dramatic but we must always remember that Timothy's was just as real..... The great question for us is whether Jesus Christ really is a dynamic Lord to us today.

Life Circumstances as Door Openers

There are passages in people's lives that draw their attention to religion and give us wide-open opportunities to get the ball rolling. For students, academic failure, disappointment in love, or concern over career choices may open the door. For young couples, the birth of a first child may turn their thoughts to religious training. As families grow, teenage problems can cause parents to despair. Physical problems, emotional turmoil and financial reverses bring special fears. Divorces are particularly traumatic. We can use any one of these situations to bring up the need for God. When my neighbor phoned and said her husband had had a heart attack, I prayed with her on the phone. My wife brought the family supper. Since then I have given her a book to read.

A question I'm often asked when I'm travelling is, "What kind of work do you do?" I used to reply matter-of-factly, "I'm a staff member for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship." That answer took the conversation nowhere. Now, I explain my work instead: "I talk to students about how Jesus Christ relates to everyday life." This is more likely to bring the response, "That sounds interesting." "It is," I say. "Just the other night I was talking to a student who said...." and I briefly give the gist of an actual conversation. Then I ask, "By the way, are you interested in spiritual things? And the conversation is off and running.

In a discussion about today's headlines, the latest world crisis or some other current event, the query, "What do you think is wrong with the world?" may be appropriate. After listening while various external causes are blamed for mankind's problems, we can say, "I've gotten help from what Jesus Christ said about this." At times like this, if a person is still interested, I try to refer to Jesus' diagnosis of human nature (alienated from God) in Mark 7:21-23.

More later.

Distributing Thousands of Bibles in Connecticut

Paul Tornaquindici, in the Newington, CT assembly, kindly responded to our request for a report on the distribution of Outreach New Testaments at his superstores in Hartford, Connecticut. You will find his brief report interesting. If it can be done in Hartford, CT why couldn’t it be done in your city or town?

In December 2008 I decided to place a small wire spinner rack that holds about 150 New Testament Outreach Bibles at the exits of two of our superstores. Given it was the holiday season, I thought perhaps someone might be interested in a FREE NT Bible. A simple sign was mounted on top of the rack which said: FREE TAKE ONE.

We emptied the rack in a few hours! (I hate to even whisper it - but I was amazed) We started ordering Bibles by the hundreds and then the thousands.

The customer response at the stores was terrific. We had people stopping by to say how much they appreciated a store giving Bibles away in this day and age and how much they appreciated getting the Bible. We don't limit them to one and some people have taken quite a few to give to others; but this is a good thing.

Those wire spinner racks that started off in December 2008 at the exits of just two stores has now expanded. Racks containing the free New Testaments are now in seven stores in the Hartford, Connecticut area with nine more stores coming on next month.

Spanish
Last year we added a SPANISH New Testament Outreach Bible to racks in stores that have a Hispanic population and they are hard to keep in stock.

Shelters and Soup Kitchens
But why stop with just stores? In conjunction with our staff, we decided to visit all the food pantries and shelters and soup kitchens in our area. We offered them FREE Bibles to pass out with the bags of food and meals they were serving. One pantry sends out 800 bags of food every Monday. With each bag a New Testament Bible is placed inside.

Website and Universities
In a few months we will go live with our Web site A BIBLE FOR YOU. This site will offer a FREE NT Outreach Bible to anyone in the USA. I am praying this will be a blessing and that God will be pleased to bless this effort. Also next semester I am going to try and place the racks in several Universities in our area. I think this should be a great way to spread the Word. Pray that this will become a reality.

Since the first rack we have given away over 100,000 Bibles. I must mention that it would not be possible without the gracious help of Jim and Lois Thompson. Their helping with the orders, shipping and work has been a blessing.

If you would like to contact Paul Tornaquindici by email click on his name. If you would like to inquire about purchasing these ESV Outreach Bibles you can obtain more information by emailing Jim and Lois Thompson in Sidney, Maine or by calling them at 207 512-2636.

Here is some basic information:

USA Free shipping if you order 3 cases. If you order through New England Bible Sales, the paperback ESV Outreach green New Testaments seen in the picture above (978-1-58134-835-4) can be purchased for: 100 per case for $48. Or Good News Outreach white New Testament (978-1-4335-1946-8) 50 per case for $23.76.

Joyful Christians are Busy With the Gospel

"Christians sometimes really are wasting their lives and there is no joy in that. But Christians who invest time, effort, ingenuity, initiative, and prayer in spreading the Gospel and helping build the faith of others do not feel this self doubt. They have no reason to do so.

In a dying world, surrounded by fascinating fellow mortals who because of their sins face a lost eternity, nothing is so well worth doing as sharing the good news about Jesus and the salvation He gives. No form of love to our neighbor is so appropriate and, indeed, so urgent as evangelism. Christians who see this and are consciously, wholeheartedly committed to this good work, as Paul was before them, find joy in it, just as he did."

p.123, God's Plans for You, J.I. Packer

Personal Witnessing - Getting the Ball Rolling (Part 5a)

There's no question about it this time. If ever you've had an opportunity -this is it! An opportunity to share Christ with another person and you are scared you are going to blow it. You have found the natural spring-board in your comfortable conversation to launch you into the next phase of sharing your faith. The segue. The common ground. The connector between a completely secular conversation and a potentially spiritual one. You have said something now that has the person curious, wanting to hear a little more. You have aroused some interest.

For this series on Personal Witnessing we are following Chapter 3, out of Paul Little's classic book entitled: How to Give Away Your Faith. We are quoting entire paragraphs from this chapter, mingled with other thoughts and personal reflections.

How do you get the Ball Rolling?

In John 4, Jesus did it by making a cryptic statement that precipitated a question from the Samaritan woman. His statement related to her primary needs and at the same time suggested His ability and willingness to meet those needs.

Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water." The woman said to him, "Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock."
(John 4:10-12)

We can begin witnessing by either making a statement or by asking a leading question. Jesus started by mentioning 'the gift of God.' He also anticipated the woman's reactions. Her questions did not catch Him off guard even once.To take full advantage of each opportunity, we also need to consider beforehand the likely responses. As we think about possible situations, let's think through how to get the ball rolling and how to handle these responses.

Be personally burdened each day about 'finding' opportunities to witness. If you have that mindset and burden you will be looking for doors that are opened - even a crack. 

Example 1

A comment is made about something in the news connected to religion. Your opportunity: "By the way, do you think about religion from time to time? Are you interested in spiritual things?" The person may say 'No, not really. What about you.?" 

You can swing into hi-gear and give them the full-meal-deal (which is not recommended) or you can take it in measured steps: "I guess I'd have to say that I am quite interested in things of a spiritual nature. I have been for the last six years." The person might say: "That's interesting. Why just the past six years?" You can take it from there.

Example 2

The person says: "I am so sickened by all the stuff that's in the news lately about sexual abuse and the church's cover-up and all the other scams and scandals done under the name of religion on television and everywhere else. I'm so turned off."

You could say: "It is extremely bad and disillusioning. Even though I am not a skeptic I can see how these awful things are turning people off. What helps me is to understand that all this wickedness comes from inside the human heart. I remember the first time I read the words of Jesus in the Bible. I don't know what you think of Him, but He described it all so accurately in Mark 7:21-23."

Example 3

If the person is skeptical and denouncing Christianity, religion and all that's spiritual, you could ask: "I hear what you are saying and I understand where you're coming from. But let's suppose, for a minute, there was such a thing as a genuine, authentic Christian, what would you expect to see in them that you haven't seen up until now? What, from your perspective, would make a real Christian?"

Sharing Spiritual Experiences

Another means of getting the ball rolling is to be alert for opportunities to share about our spiritual experiences. As we get close to people as friends, they will begin to confide in us about their burdens, longings, aspirations, frustrations and emptiness. As they tell us these things, we can say quietly (if our experience is similar), "You know, I used to fell like that until I had an experience that completely changed my outlook on life. Would you like me to tell you about it?"

By making a cryptic statement and offering rather than forcing our experience on them, we prevent others from feeling that we're just unloading unsolicited goods at their doorstep. If they ask to hear about our experience, we should be ready to speak briefly, emphasizing the reality of Christ to us today and eliminating boring and probably irrelevant details. We should simply say what Christ means to us now.

More the next time.

Personal Witnessing - Arousing Interest (Part 4)

There is no cookie-cutter approach to Personal Witnessing. Sometimes what has worked for others fails to work for you. The approach you are comfortable with will reflect your own personality. In this current series we are closely following Paul E. Little's classic book How To Give Away Your Faith. (click on title) If you don't have it in your collection of books you should add it to your library. Is everything he recommended the be all and end all? Definitely not but it has been a huge help to thousands.

You have someone you would like to share Christ with. Like Jesus and the woman at the well in John Chapter 4, you are alone with the person. You have established the 'small chat' and you have found some common ground. You have found a way to make a smooth transition from 'give me a drink of water' to the next level of discussion. That's where we start in this post.

What He Didn't Say to Her

If there is such a thing as a cookie-cutter approach to personal witnessing, where could we find a better lesson than how Christ witnessed to the woman at the well? He didn't immediately condemn her for her sin. He didn't get her to look into the deep well and then tell her if she didn't repent of her sins she would go down far deeper than the bottom of the well. His approach is beautiful and He unfolds it so tactfully.

Arousing Interest

How did He get the woman's interest at the well? So often our conversations are one way and come to an abrupt end when the other person tunes us out. How did He get her interest?

After asking for a drink, she then asked Him why He would even talk to her - seeing He was Jew. Read the next few verses in John 4:

From the Bible

Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water." The woman said to him, "Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock." Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
(John 4:10-14)

Talk about making a person curious!  "Did I just hear this man mention a GIFT from God? Who wouldn't want to hear more about a GIFT! I would love to have a gift!"   ummmm....and then He said something about.....if I only knew who HE was... I wonder who He is. He does seem to be uniquely different. And what is this about 'living water'? I am so curious!"

It is fascinating to see this woman's curiosity kindled and begin to burn as Jesus drew her along. His treatment of her certainly contributed to the very positive response she had to Him and His message of truth.

In following our Lord's example, we can turn small events in our relationships to a conversation about spiritual things. A neighbor said to my nephew and his wife: "I've been watching your family and your three young girls, and I like what I see coming out of your house." They took this opportunity to talk about some guidelines the Bible gives for family living. Seemingly small things can open doors for a verbal witness.

When You have an Open Door do You Barge in?

If your neighbor had made a similar comment to you, how would you have responded? Would you have said: "Thanks very much. We are Christians. We have a moment in our lives when as lost sinners bound for Hell, we turned to Christ for salvation. Do you have such a moment in your life or are you still on the broad road that leads to destruction?" Well, that's one approach but your neighbor may say: "Wow! That's the last thing I will ever say to him along that line!"

The Lord Jesus seemed to just say enough to lead the woman to ask a further question. When she heard about the living water she actually asked for it - even though she didn't understand what He was talking about at that point.

It is possible to learn how to be assertive , tasteful speakers for the Lord without being obnoxious.....Once the non-Christian takes the first step in showing some response to us, it takes the pressure off us. Then we can pick up the conversation later with simple phrases like, "I was thinking about the conversation we had yesterday...." or "Something I read reminded me about what you said yesterday...." or "What were you thinking when you said....yesterday?" There would be no pressure or embarrassment in raising the subject again. On the other hand, if we are forcing the person against increasing resistance, we tend to do more harm than good. Remember how Jesus gently led the conversation.

We cannot create spiritual interest in others' lives, even though we might like to. Only the Holy Spirit can do this. However, we can be instruments in His hand to uncover the interest that He has put there....Relieved of the tension of forced conversation with an unwilling listener, we can bring up the subject later. Confident of the Lord's guidance, we will be natural as we introduce spiritual things. In our witnessing we ought to be as relaxed in our tone of voice and demeanor as we are when we're discussing a physics assignment, a ball game, or our next vacation.

All the people I know who have been used of God in personal evangelism have expected to discover interested people. In any group of people or in a conversation with any particular individual, they ask themselves: "Lord, is this one in whom You are working?" Then as the Spirit gives opportunity, they proceed to test the waters.

Coming next: Get the ball rolling - the deeper conversation.

Personal Witnessing - Finding Common Ground (Part 3)

Tomorrow you will be traveling. You have asked the Lord to give you the courage to share your faith with someone you will meet in your travels. Your big worry is how you will get a spiritual conversation started.

Remember:

1. You have a responsibility to share the Gospel and you have absolutely no reason to be embarrassed of your faith in Christ. (Romans 1:16) Nothing to be ashamed of.

2. There is a requirement for Christians to be 'among people' - to be sociable. If we are going to meet people who are thirsting for Christ we have to get out of our little comfort zone - out of our bubble.

3. As the Holy Spirit guides you, you must become skilled in finding common ground with people who cross your path. You must find a bridge to smoothly take you from the topic at hand to a spiritual conversation.

That's the focus of this posting. For this series of posting we are quoting extensively from Paul E. Little's classic book How to Give Your Faith Away. If you click on the title, you will be able to purchase the book online.

Finding Common Ground

To be an effective witness you must take the time to establish common ground. Radio personalities and broadcasters are very skilled at making segues. "Speaking of the tornado that tore through the county in 1890, it looks like we have some not-so-nice weather heading our way the end of the week."

We Christians tend to pooh-hooh anything that calls for much time and preliminary preparation. We like to skip the 'non-essentials' and get right to the point. Preludes are a waste of time, or so we think. Let's give them the message, we insist impatiently. However, most people resent being trapped in a one-way conversation by those who move in and expound their favorite theme without even bothering to find out if the listeners are interested. We would resent it too. High pressure makes us question whether people care about us as individuals or whether we are just a project to them.

Before you open your mouth to witness for Christ, ask yourself if the approach you are about to use would be the way you would like to be approached if you were in their shoes.

Jesus was a master at relating to others. Were He here today he would certainly decry the oddballism we have seen in some power-hungry, money-grabbing Christian celebrities. Flamboyant behaviour may attract curiosity momentarily, but it both gives a caricature of true Christianity and discourages serious consideration of its message. Jesus did not call us to be oddballs.

If, for some reason, you should find yourself in the middle of a conversation criticizing such tacky Christian behaviour - use that as your bridge to not only distance yourself from such tactics but to share the attractiveness of Christ from your perspective.

John 4:7-8 Common Ground is a Desire for Water

When the Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?" (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)

If I had been Jesus Christ, Lord of the universe, I probably would have blurted out to the woman at the very beginning, "Lady, do you know who I am?" But Jesus didn't approach her that way. He began by making a request. Would she draw him some water?

Notice the woman's reaction:

"You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (For the Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) vs. 9

This request for a drink doesn't seem very dramatic until we see the whole picture. The mere fact that Jesus spoke to this woman at all was highly unusual. By this simple act he demolished social, religious and racial-political barriers. As a man He spoke to her, a woman. As a rabbi He spoke to her, an immoral woman. As a Jew He spoke to her, a Samaritan. Thus he startled her. While she couldn't quite grasp the significance of His words, she could sense a deeper dimension in His life. He refused to discriminate against her. He accepted her. This is lifestyle evangelism personified.

For this woman, Jesus' mere request was a treasured compliment. It put them on common ground. In the same way, bridge-building with our acquaintances must have a mutuality about it.

Sometimes your friendship may start when YOU ask your neighbor's help or advice. One close friend chides me with: "I don't always want to be a helpee; let me help you." Any friendship must be a two way street of mutual give and take. It may mean actively seeking opportunities to show love by running errands, helping with a yard project, baby-sitting - and allowing the other person to do the same for you.

Our society overvalues self-sufficiency. By allowing others to do for you, you are telling them you are willing to let down your defenses, to be vulnerable with them. This will give them the option of doing the same with you, perhaps about spiritual matters.

Can't you see Jesus with His water-gourd in hand, directing the conversation first to this known interest, the water in the well, and then to a spiritual reality about which the woman knew nothing?

Before you gently lead into a Spirit-led conversation ask yourself: what is the common ground here? How does what we have just been talking about link with the point I am now going to try to make spiritually?

Find areas of common interest. Build the relationship.

You can only do this by asking questions. Does your neighbor know more about cars than you do or more about gardening? Go to them with a question. Do they know more about money matters than you? Can you ask for some advice? This is one way to start building a relationship that will open to the door for future conversations about spiritual issues.

Personal Witnessing - Contact Others Socially (Part 2)

Where You Find Lost Sheep - Location

If you are looking for the perfect model for personal witnessing - you have it in John 4. Jesus had an eternally significant encounter with a woman at Sychar's well in Samaria. For a Jew to stop at a well in Samaria was out of the ordinary. Many Jews would not even travel through the country of Samaria even though it was a shorter route. Because of religious conflict and mutual disdain, they avoided each other as much as possible. So what was Jesus doing sitting on their well?

Seasoned real estate agents will tell you there are three very important factors in ensuring the sale of your property: 1. Location. 2. Location. 3. Location.

Social Contact - A Must!
If you are going to find lost sheep you will have to go to the right location. Jesus went to the community water well because He knew it was a place where He would find people and in particular, a place where He could find one thirsty soul. If you are going to find them and win them for Christ you must have social contact with them.

Our Lord sat down at the well in the town of Sychar in Samaria, a place where He would have face-to-face contact with non-Christians. He was not enclosed in a bubble, surrounded by bodyguards. He was in the middle of the traffic, so to speak.

With the woman at the well and with other people, we see Jesus taking clear-cut initiative to get close to someone. He 'noticed' a tax gatherer sitting at his desk, headed straight for him and said, "Follow me" (Luke 5:27-28). When some of the self righteous Pharisees saw this they were really incensed. Jesus actually went out of his way to associate with sinful people. In effect they said, "Just look at the kind of people he's talking to - even eating with them! Why he's a friend of tax collectors and sinners!" But He answered them (catch the irony in His voice!), "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance." (Luke 5:31-32)

Dr. Raymond Bakke (urbanologist) and his wife moved from the suburbs where they had been studying to the Chicago inner city to live and raise their family there. For twenty years they have worked and loved the people they live close to. I have no doubt that this is the only way the message of faith and hope in Jesus could penetrate Chicago's dense inner city.

 To contact others socially we may need to go out of our usual path, altering our own plans as Jesus did with the Samaritans. What's more, it may take this to break down the barriers. But what better way to express the love of Jesus Christ and demonstrate how much we value others?

Excerpts for this series taken from the classic book linked here:

How to Give Away Your Faith, Paul E. Little

Not only did Jesus meet with the woman at the well, He spent two days in their town talking to many of the men who knew the woman. Where do you think he slept that night? In one of their homes? or did He go to a hotel? He broke through the barriers of culture, class and religion. 

Inviting people IN to your Gospel service is a basic responsibility but if we merely do a mail-drop announcing our Gospel meeting times the results will be minimal. It has to be done but if that's all we do - it's not enough. The Lord intended us to be rubbing shoulders with people in the market places and in the community. We're not to live in communes or colonies. We are to be lights - witnesses right in the midst of the community. In the coffee shop. In the grocery store. At the school. On the bus. At the bank. In the waiting room. In our backyard over the fence or hedge.

We are to be sociable not isolationists. But in your desire to seek lost sheep, never jeopardize your Christian character or testimony or lower your standards or do anything that would weaken your resistance to temptation.

Next posting - Finding Common Ground.