HOW TO WITNESS

INTRODUCING CHRIST TO OTHERS- (Matt. 28:18-20)

v18: And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. v19: Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. v20: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Form the above reading; we have been given a task and commandment to fulfill. Every Christian has been commissioned to be a fisher-of-men- which is a long and exciting adventure/ occupation for the Christian. We can be effective fishermen and disciple these converts if we follow the bible’s formula.

We will prepare ourselves for the task in three (3) parts:

Part 1: Preparation Stage

How can we witness in the power of the Holy Spirit?

      Be sure you are a Christian and your lifestyle is in accordance with Christianity. (Jn. 1:12; 1Jn. 5:11-12)

      Have no unconfessed sin in your life (Isa. 59:1-2)

      Be filled with the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22; Acts 1:8)

      Be prepared to share your faith in Christ with others i.e have the burden for sinners

Memory verse: Romans 1:16a- “ For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of                                                             God unto salvation to everyone that believeth;”

                                                                                                                                                            

Part 2: Witnessing Stage

What should be our message and why/ how do we present it to others?

      Who is a witness? 1Jn. 1:1-3; Lk 1:1-3.

      Why Witness? Matt 28:19-20.

      What are the qualities of an effective witness?

The effective witness should be a:  teacher; not tribal; denies his personality; faithful; lives exemplary Christian life before all and at all times.

      What is the sole message in witnessing?

The main message, no matter the form it takes, should tell people about the Hopelessness of man, Christ’s death giving salvation and His resurrection has brought us hope.

      Methods of Evangelism.

You can witness about Christ through i. Personal Testimonies ii. Friendship with the fellow  iii. Revivals/ crusades iv. Audio-visuals v. Christian Literature/ Tracts vi. Dawn broadcasts vii. Home Cells  viii. Sports, etc. However, The Holy Spirit can give you various ways to witness depending on the situation.

      Tools to help share the faith.

One of the most powerful tools to help share the faith are Tracts. Eg. Four spiritual laws, Bridge for Life, New life for you, etc. The benefits of tracts are that they keep the presentation focused, it saves time, you can give to the person to read if there is no time and you can reach a lot of people at a time- at the market, at the mall, at the office, at public meetings, in vehicles, etc.

      Hindrances to effective witnessing.

i. Unconfessed Sin in our lives ii.Fear  iii.procrastination  iv.Lazyness  v.non-commitment to matt.28:19-20

      Please note.

·        Witnessing is a life-long occupation of the Christian. To learn or know how to witness, start now!

·        Make a list of people you target and pray and fast for them (if necessary)

·        Go in love although it is a command. Keep your temper.

·        Talk about Jesus and Him only (Acts 4:12; 1Corin. 2:1-2)

·        Expect Results. Keep the faith.

·        Don’t assume the person is a Christian. Be mindful of Churchianity instead of Christianity.

·        Be sincere, If you don’t have answers to a question.

·        As strategy, take advantage of every situation to witness. At the mall, market, gatherings, etc.

·        If one won’t accept Jesus Christ, don’t impose, let it be willing. But ask why?

·        Keep other conversations secondary.

·        Don’t preach about your church and its doctrines but Christ and Him only.

If your witnessing has made one accept Christ, what should you do to help him grow from the baby struggle? Follow-up (Discipleship)

                                                                                                                                                            

Part 3: Discipleship (through follow-up) stage

The greatest miracle in a man’s life is the conversion of his soul from darkness to light, that is, the fruit of witnessing. Now the child is born, how do we ensure he is fed on the right food at the right time? How can he grow into a full grown man to stand on his feet to be able to help in the birth and upbringing of others in God’s kingdom?

      What is follow-up? Acts 15:36; 1Thess. 3:2.

      Why follow-up on converts? Eph. 4:14-15; 1Thess. 3:5.

      What is involved in follow-up? To strengthen and encourage the “infant” in Christ to grow into maturity.

      When should follow-up begin? In the shortest possible time else Satan will take away the “seed”. Remember always that the convert is fragile at this initial stage of conversion.

      What should be taught at follow-ups?

·        Assurance of salvation to give confidence to the ‘new born’ in Christ that he is a child of God.

·        How to deal with sin

·        The Holy Spirit

·        Spiritual/ Christian warfare

·        How to pray

·        How to study the Bible

·        Fasting

·        How to witness. (All the above topics have been shared with you in the encouragement messages)

During follow-ups, encourage the convert to fellowship with a bible believing church for him to be further strengthened (Heb. 10:25); Challenge your converts to identify their gifts and be confident in the faith; form prayer group/ cell groups and the need for him/ her to take the bible as a final authority in all matters of the Christian faith.

Please note that successful evangelism is not the making of converts but the making of disciples through follow-ups. See col. 1:28.

Testimonies

Jonah: Did not think it wise to go to Nineveh and witness because the people were unrepentant. After he had carried out the task (after the whale encounter), the people repented. If he hadn’t gone, what would have happened to the salvation of the people? You are like Jonah in this world, go and witness in Nineveh.

Ezek 33: We are watchmen who need to sound the trumpet of the impending danger else the people’s blood will be demanded from us. How terrible that will be if you can’t give an answer.

Yours: Tell your testimony on your life before and after receiving Jesus as your personal saviour

Memory verse: Mark 4:1-20- Parable of the sower.  

God bless you as you dedicate yourself to rescue the perishing. Amen!