Do gung-ho evangelist types make you feel guilty?
You know who I mean…the folks who walk up to a complete stranger and within minutes have him talking about the Lord.
I used to feel guilty and even tried my hand at confrontational methods of evangelism, but God tends to use me in more subtle ways. There are lots of ways to let our light shine (Matthew 5:16). For example:
1. Choose a specific unsaved person to pray for daily, asking God when/what to share with her/him.
2. Realize you don’t need to share the entire gospel at once to be a faithful witness. You may simply need to share how God is working in your life or ask if you can pray for an unsaved friend. See Name-Droppers.
3. Have a “Sharing Party” for a group of friends or neighbors. Invite them to bring a poem, recipe, craft, or story to share with the group. Make sure your “share” includes something about Christ.
4. Include a devotional book or Christian biography in a gift for an unsaved friend.
Well, 1-Minute doesn’t give me much time for ideas, so I need to hear yours. Please leave them in a comment.
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Bible Love Notes
Gail,
ReplyDeleteHow funny that you would write about this as I was just thinking about this very subject. Thank you so much for sharing these ideas, I am going to give them a try.
I give my old. sunday school book to a friend ...
DeleteThe 1 u get ea. 3 months.
I also have been burdened by this sort of evangelism which I see on YouTube. I thank you for sharing this as it has lifted a weight off my shoulders. I love to share Jesus whenever I get an opportunity but had taken a step backwards of late thinking I am not able to share like these evangelists. I will now continue in what God has planted within me and trust God to do the rest. Thanks again.
DeleteMake a nice meal! Invite a new friend into your home and use your gift of hospitality to show love and care!
ReplyDeletegreat idea!
DeleteHi Gail, I really appreciated your post because I also feel guilty about not being like that. i too prefer to pray and give subtle gifts, etc. blessings, Tracy
ReplyDeleteBy loving them!! Ask if that person is feeling any pain and pray for them for complete healing.. do what Jesus did and greater works! :) Showing them that Jesus can heal them will change their life, theres no denying what just happened to them!
ReplyDeletepraying for someone and showing them love are both great ideas.
DeleteSo good! So agree...not all of us are Billy Sunday! Yet, God calls us all to share the gospel...through prayer, actions, & words. Thanks for these tips & for UNITING today at Richfaithrising! ~ jen
ReplyDeleteWhen I write letters to friends (snail mail) I often include a clipping of an article from a Christian magazine, or a church bulletin with a good article. I try to make sure it is something that is relevant to their lives.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea. We need to be deliberate about these things and good ideas like this are helpful.
DeleteI just started reading The Colors of Hope: Becoming People of Mercy, Justice and Hope by Richard Dahlstrom. In the chapter I just finished, he stressed really being able to SEE people -- to find out what they are going through in life, and to minister to them where they are individually by building relationships. This takes a lot of patience and love. A few years ago, I taught my co-op students about the synergy between the Great Commandment (love one another) and the Great Commission (preach the gospel). They have to be done in tandem; each is incomplete without the other.
ReplyDeleteI also send out an e-mail letter to friends and family every month or two. I always have something inspirational in it, and sometimes share the gospel. It goes to a few hundred people and many of them are not Christian believers.
ReplyDeleteGreat insights, Virginia. Thanks for sharing both comments. Bless you.
DeleteGail, some of the Pureflix films, now on Netflix are AWESOME tools for evangelism. One only needs a tv, netflix, and a large enough place to show them. Any group can watch one and talk about it at the end. Especially the newer ones have better acting and a plot worth talking about! They cover topics such as: loss of a loved one, forgiveness, social justice, showing love and mercy to people, and right priorities, loving God, and marrying the RIGHT person. I recommend watching first and asking God who to invite.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great resource, Helen. Thanks for sharing that info.
DeleteBless you,
Gail
Love these ideas....they are going to be wonderful to share with the youth, also! Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
ReplyDeleteA friend I had always had ladies over, to have tea and a treat. It was a very nice time. I tried to do about the same thing, it flopped. Learned I am not gifted in that area. It was a lesson for me, to find MY ministry.
ReplyDeleteYes, Vikki, I know what you mean. Sometimes we admire how someone does evangelism but that doesn't necessarily mean we can do it the same way. Thanks for sharing.
DeleteGail
When God drops a clear evangelism opportunity in your lap, don’t be a chicken like me and almost miss it - I did finally speak up with awesome results, Praise God
ReplyDeleteI send care packages with devotionals and scripture items. Give bibles and devotionals as parts of wedding and graduation gifts. Put out random acts of kindness with salvation verses on the backs of the cards I designed. Place bibles with highlighted salvation and discipleship texts and tracts in hotel drawers that have removed bibles and I open bibles if they are there and highlight a salvation verse facing up. Leave tracts or verse cards with generous tips at times. Invite people to Christian events. Talk openly about my faith and wear Christian clothing with friends, family and coworkers. Buy and hand out Christian DVD's and books which I pass on to as many as possible including to help more front line missionaries and teachers to become better equipped. Forward quality Christian ministry emails or youtube videos that apply to something currently in their life to family and friends. Send verse inclusive cards for birthdays and holidays. Request donations to quality gospel centered Christian ministries with out reaches including sustainability and housing projects in lieu of gifts as well as openly donate from my business income to inspire more people to actively support those ministries. I have donated several 'care packages/gifts' to life centers, senior homes, trauma centers, homeless initiatives, orphanages etc. including practical and nice items (many handmade as I sew, embroider, bake, crochet etc.) that the recipients can appreciate and use combined with tracts, bible's or verse/salvation cards. I buy my bible's from a ministry with a homeless out reach and many of my Christian items and general use products from Christian small businesses also often with outreach or donation programs which I prefer to support over secular ones. I send gifts to the children in my extended (saved and unsaved) family/friends circle with scripture reinforcing items often inclusive to keep doorways of communication and an open testimony with them towards possible yet future opportunities... so many options that can be incorporated into real life situations, I get kick back every once in awhile, but it's rare and I have had opportunities to more directly share my faith through some of these avenues. Know, love and bless first, share the gospel as opportunities and doors are opened is my approach. It is impossible to tell exactly when and how God will use us, but He said He had good works and ministry prepared for each of us based on our actual lives which He knows from beginning to end long before us and how we connect and impact beyond what the wisest man could ever conceive in this life, so while I am always open to new and creative opportunities, I also rest in the peace of knowing what I do is exactly as God intended in the end ♡ Helps and blessings ministries can impact, I suspect over a lifetime more than we might otherwise consider!
ReplyDeleteI like to center my thoughts around Christ and the word when I engage with friends and family. When I see an opportunity to make a God honoring comment, I let it flow into the conversation. Sometimes it sparks a comment or two and an extended dialogue and sometimes not. In any case I just hold on to what I know is true, He loves me and my identity is found in Him.
ReplyDeleteLiving in reverence and awareness of Christ's presence in us. Believing He will direct our every thought, word and deed we can rest assured in His love. He will do His work in & through those who trust in Him. He will give us the words He wants spoken at the opportune time.
ReplyDelete