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NASB | John 1:7 He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | John 1:7 This man came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe [in Christ, the Light] through him. |
Bible Question:
Witnessing- what is your style? As I continue my experience as a Christian and observe myself and other Christians, I have found that there are many "styles" that people use that are very effective in witnessing for Christ! There are a few "styles" that I've found: 1) The "Direct" Approach... This style describes my father to a "T".. It is a "in your face" style, where a person doesn't really need any preparation: they just go for it regardless of the outcome! Lets just say for a moment that I wasn't saved and I said something like: "Boy, that nice red corvette looks great!" And a person with a "direct" approach would say, "Yeah, and you'd sure look great as a follower of Jesus Christ!" or something like that. They have a God-given, 'in your face', blessed way of witnessing.. A Scriptural example of this 'direct' approach would be Peter in Acts 2.. Peter was very direct and told the Jews that they killed this man Jesus, and they are not going to heaven unless they repent! And many people were saved through that "direct" approach that day. I would say that a contemporary preacher that would fit this "style" or approach is D. James Kennedy. Praise the Lord for these people! 2) The "Intellectual" Approach.. These are people who are "thinkers" and who are able to reason with people about the existence and death of Christ! These are the kinds of thinkers that "prove" the foundations of the Christian faith through reasoning it out and explaining that there is no other way.. In Acts 17, Paul reasons with the Athenians about the very existence of God! These are people who have "kept" their intellectual minds after salvation.. :) They put their minds to excellent use by making a case for Christ! A few contemporary examples of this style would be C.S. Lewis and his "Mere Christianity" and Josh McDowell and his "More than a Carpenter" books.. Praise the Lord for these "thinkers"! 3) The "Testimonial" Approach... I have met and know many people who have discovered what a powerful impact that their testimony can have, just by sharing it! Just by giving their testimony and sharing what Jesus has done for them, they have a strong witness for Christ. There is just something about a testimony that makes it authentic, that makes it powerful! And a good example of this kind of witness would be the man born blind in John 9 whose testimony was simply, "One thing I do know: I was blind, but now I see!" These people may not be great orators, but they sure have a powerful story to tell! And more often than not I've seen this method of witness produce results, especially if someone unsaved and directly relate to a particular story.. This is also a powerful witness! Praise the Lord for those who share! 4) The "Social" Approach... Some people find a great opportunity to share Christ through social 'get-togethers'.. These are people who can throw a party or have a church softball league or have a social gathering in which they find the opportunity to share Christ. A good example of a person like this is one who likes to invite people to church. And sometimes, the only thing that an unsaved person needs is an invitation! These people are very social and probably have a lot of friends. Matthew was a tax collector, but the moment that Jesus called him, he threw a party, invited his friends over and asked Jesus to come! (Matthew 9:9-13) I know several people have this "gift" in my church, and I'd have to say that this "style" definitely describes me, Nolan Keck, in a lot of ways! It can be very effective and "far reaching" at the same time. Praise the Lord for people who witness through socialization! I'm not saying that a person can't be "multi-dimensional", that is: being able to witness for Christ by using a different way or combining the ways above, but I'm saying that regardless of whichever way comes naturally for you, they are all equally effective and powerful in winning people to Christ! So we must discover which "way" best describes each one of us and use it to the best of our abilities! So how about you? Is there a particular "style" that best describes you? And have you been able to lead others to Christ by your example? Thank you in advance for your comments! |
Bible Answer: My Evangelism Experience ........................ I agree with my colleagues that this is a great question. As Christians we are called to follow the "Great Commision", but what does that look like? Nolan, has done well at describing several possibilities. I have done some "street witnessing" in college, which was mostly the direct approach. I have also used the social approach at times by inviting people to church activities. However, I relate most closely with options 2 and 3, which are connected for me. My own testimony is of an intellectual nature, as God chose to show me His truth through logic and reason. Therefore, when I am talking to non-Christians about faith, I usually try to lead them through the same approach that I took. I also often am presented with opportunities to share about what God has done in my life. When someone compliments me on something, I often realize that I did not always have that character trait. This makes a great chance to tell that person how I used to be and how that God has changed me for the better. I have found this approach to be effective. |