Christian Message Boards: What about witnessing?

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Posted by bygrace (Member # 4556) on :

My question is,

What do you make of a Christian that NEVER tries to witness or ever talks about Christ?

bygrace

Posted by TEXASGRANDMA (Member # 847) on :

Yes, I think it is possible to be a Christian and not talk about it. I have know extremely shy that lived the Christian walk but were not able to talk about it or anything much. They are the ones that drive the Church bus, fix stopped up toliets at Church, and get out of bed at 3 in the morning to see why the Church alarm went off. I think it is good to wittness and share the gospel. But God also loves the shy people who barely say a word.
betty

Posted by bygrace (Member # 4556) on :

Thanks for your reply Texas,
I suppose that is true, many do behind the scenes things. I just thought ( or have been taught) that we will "want" to share the gospel message. Maybe that comes at different times for different people, taking in consideration the amount of knowledge they have about witnessing etc.
Just wanted to get an idea of different peoples perspective on this subject...some expect people of the church to go door to door, or even pray aloud in church when they are not equipped for it.
I guess there is no one answer for this question.
bygrace

Posted by helpforhomeschoolers (Member # 15) on :

Thank you Betty. I tend to think like by grace, how could you keep silent, but yes indeed some are shy.

And what if one were unable to speak? Certainly the way we live our lives is a witness of Christ.

There is a woman in our church that witnesses to me in a huge way because she is one who loves to help; this is her ministry. She is always full of grace and joy so much that she beams and if there is something to be done, even the things that others do not want to do, like cleaning the bathroom or washing the dishes after a pot blessing dinner, she is there to help joyfully and that speaks much more loudly than the words that most of us, myself included, ever will speak. If you ask her why she is always beaming, she will tell you about Jesus, but most of the time she just beams. When I think of what the Proverbs 31 woman looks like, I have a picture of her in my brain. She is a picture of God's grace without ever opening her mouth.

Posted by HisGrace (Member # 3438) on :

My late back-slidden father always used to maintain that people should not witness, but be a witness. I believe we should make people aware that we are a believer and leave ourselves open to having them come to us if they have any questions.

Also, we have to live our lives showing good fruit and helping others as much as possible. Most people on this Board seem to respect Ray Comfort's words. He says not to preach to our fellow employees at work. but maybe just give them a little gift at an appropriate time.

He said that Wesley said that we should do good works with all the means we can, by all the ways we can to all the people we can and in the all the places we can.

Col 1:10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.

Posted by Aaron (Member # 3761) on :

As I've matured in Christ I find that I speak of Him less, not more. But, I think my life reflects His presence more so than it did. As I look back I think I often said too much in my own strength, and thus unknowingly caused confusion or division.

My family (extended) knows where I stand on Christ probably because they asked me a question that required me to talk about Him (I love questions [Big Grin]

). Those who are my Christian brothers and sisters have asked me more questions about Christ...those who aren't my spiritual family tend to avoid the topic all together, yet, it's likely they've asked me to "say blessing" before the meal at our large family gatherings. [Smile]

To those who can tolerate Christ's presence I may ask, "What is the Lord doing in your life lately?" To those who cannot tolerate His presence my question will likely be about the weather or sports. I do this out of respect for both believers and non-believers.

At times, I have been prompted to speak plainly about Christ to the non-believers...not "pulling my punches" at all. But these times are few and far between. Even so, I wait upon the prompting of the Spirit to begin such a conversation, lest I speak in my soul-strength and bring no glory to God as I do so.

Bless you,
Aaron

Posted by redkermit (Member # 4059) on :

quote:
Originally posted by HisGrace:
I believe we should make people aware that we are a believer and leave ourselves open to having them come to us if they have any questions.

While I don't necessarily disagree with this, I do have a hard time with it in a sense. I have a good friend that I grew up with. We've known each other since we were in 2nd grade. I always "lived the Christian life", but never really witnessed to him directly, verbally. He came to Bible school off and on, and other church-related services & activities. A few years ago, we got into a very deep discussion about life after death, which of course led to talking about my faith in Jesus Christ. While I appreciated this opportunity, he did say something along the lines of, "Well, if this is how you feel, why didn't you ever talk to me about it?"

Posted by Rampart (Member # 4688) on :

quote:
... "Well, if this is how you feel, why didn't you ever talk to me about it?"

Exactly! Good Point! Ray Comfort (I think) has used "A Letter from an Atheist" to make this same point. One key part of the letter was.. if you really believed hell is real then you would be warning everyone about it.

Posted by David (Member # 1) on :

I must agree. Before I truely became born again. I though I was a Christian, but I sure did not talk about it.

But after I came to actually know Jesus was real and started studing the Bible and praying and spending time with Him I could not help but talk of the one that gave His life for me. I am a stickler that there are many lost in Church.

We will talk about what is most important to us, being our children, our job, our hobby, etc....

It was not until I got to really know Jesus and became close to Him that I started talking about Him. Now I talk about Him all the time as He is real. I don't mean I go out and knock on doors, or just start talking about him to everyone, but when I am talking it just seems to come out because He is the main thing I think on.

So I am saying, what is most important to us, that will we talk about, not by forcing ourself, but because it is our life and we believe in it.

When you draw close to Jesus, He will do so many things in your life that you just can not help but tell people about Him. Even if you are shy and don't talk much. I am shy and don't talk much to people, but I find that now, I still don't talk much to people about other things, but I do talk when I can talk about the Bible or just what Jesus has done.

Acts 22:15 (KJV)
For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.

I guess if you don't know him well or it seems you don't have anything to say about Him. It would be a good idea to spend a lot of time with Him and see if you don't start telling people what He is doing. Makes life exciting. Ask Him to give you something to tell, but be careful. It may shock you want He does.....

Posted by helpforhomeschoolers (Member # 15) on :

quote:
So I am saying, what is most important to us, that will we talk about, not by forcing ourself, but because it is our life and we believe in it.

I agree with this; in fact there are people in my life who get annoyed with me because HE is all I want to talk about; everything is somehow related to Jesus in my mind and I cannot change this. Nor would I want to; I am thankful for it. But it does make one somewhat of an enigma in the world.

For years I lived with heartbreak that i did not witness to my father about Jesus. I do not think that we can bear the idea of anyone going to hell because we were silent. How could we and be born again, no longer living but HIM living in us? He preached and if we are being transformed we will preach, but we do not all preach with our mouths. I have a friend who has a grown child that is a quad - she does not have the ability to preach with her mouth, or even her hands and feet, but she preaches much with her Joy and her life and her loving spirit and she is able to communicate that without much speech.

And those of us who do preach with our mouths, must also preach with our lives. To whom much is given, much is required.

Posted by Aaron (Member # 3761) on :

Did any one else notice how this discussion turned toward "we should.." as if there is necessarily a certain way we are to witness? Someone even mentioned that our witness is ultimately our life and yet the topic still veered into dogma.

Why does this happen? Are we not the Body of Christ, fit into Him for His specific purpose? Should we all prophesy or use our words for the Kingdom? Are we all teachers?

I'll tell you, the day my foot starts talking I might just take an Ax to it! (sorry for the visual) [Eek!]

Assemble,
Aaron

Posted by helpforhomeschoolers (Member # 15) on :

Assemble indeed! That sounds to me like an excellent topic starter; I know that it one that I need to better understand. Maybe you could present it as a question? [Big Grin]

Posted by Ryan (Member # 4598) on :

Here is a great illustration that I have written down in my organizer:
If we don't help crippled children-the Shriners will.
If we don't help the hungry-the United Way will.
If we don't help the blind with glasses so that they can see-the Lion's Club will.
If we don't reach out to the lost-NO ONE WILL!!!
Witnessesing at the very minimum only requires enough boldness to leave a gospel tract where someone can find it. (by the sink in a public restroom, in someone's mailbox, on the breakroom table at work, etc...- you get the idea.) The way I see it-if you are too ashamed of Christ to at least secretly leave a gospel tract laying around for someone to find, what will He think of you on judgement day?
-Ryan

Posted by bygrace (Member # 4556) on :

Thanks Ryan!
What a great illustration. I'll be writing that on edown!
bygrace

Posted by TEXASGRANDMA (Member # 847) on :

Would you consider a person who drives a bus of 30 plus children to Church every Sunday for Jesus, a form of wittnessing?
betty