Questions and Answers
Do you have a question about evangelism and soul winning? "What about the follow up?" or "What are some of the basics for witnessing?" or "What are the guidelines for evangelism?" And how about this... "Should I take money with me out on the streets?" and "What if someone asks me for money?"
I would like to open this up to you. Send me your questions, and I will try to answer them to the best of my ability. If I don't know the answer to a specific question, I will try to find out for you. I will post the questions and answers on the following pages and will add more as they come in.
What are some of the basics for witnessing?
- Pray before you go, and bind up the devil
- Do not condemn anyone for their lifestyle or beliefs
- We present the gospel as something good--that they can know for sure that they are going to heaven
- As God representative, show them Jesus in you...love, compassion, mercy, and but tell them the truth (the Word of God)
- Do not argue with people or get into discussions about their own particular religious doctrine
- Stay as a group...there is strength in numbers, and you can pray for one another and guard the anointing
- Listen to the Holy Ghost...we don't talk to every one. Be led by the Holy Spirit.
- Do not give people money, unless absolutely led by the Holy Spirit. If you give them money so that they can continue to feed their habit--cigarettes, alcohol, or drugs--this is not a good use of God's money.
What if someone does want to argue with me?
Sometimes people come into your path that do like to argue and "discuss" things. Most of the time, this will bear no fruit. I will cut it off as quickly and as painlessly as possible. I tell them that I only have a short amount of time out on the streets, and I have got to go. They can call my Pastor, if they need further discussion (which they will not do), but I tell them that Jesus loves them, and I hope that they have a wonderful day. Most of the time if you continue to talk to them, they will take up all of your time, when you could have been praying with fifteen or twenty other people that are receptive and will pray with you. I have not seen one of these people that have ever prayed for salvation. No, they just want to argue and waste your time.
What about the Follow Up?
"You just pray a prayer with someone, and then go on your way. The devil is eating their lunch." This is one on the things that people always tell us. Usually the people that say these things about "follow up" and make comments like that, never actually witness to anyone themselves, and never win anyone to the Lord. When they make these comments to our pastor, and ask him what he is doing about the "follow up", he asks them what they are doing about witnessing. He also tells them that if the devil is eating their lunch, at least they know that they are going to heaven. Before they were saved, the devil was eating their breakfast, lunch and dinner. Now he is only eating their lunch.
Also, when you ask a room full of Christians how many people had any "follow up" after they got saved, almost no one will respond in the affirmative. Of the ones that can say that they had any "follow up" after they got saved, 99% of the time it was because they were raised in a Christian home.
How do all of these people end up in the church without any "follow up"? Answer: The Holy Ghost follows up on them, and draws them into the right place. He is our teacher, our counselor, our guide.
We just pray with the people that God directs us to, and God saves them. He heals them, and delivers them out of the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of His dear Son, the Lord Jesus. The apostle Paul said "I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase." (1Cor. 3:6)
So we see that what one person starts by praying with a new believer for salvation, then another person will come along and water the seed that was planted in their heart, and God causes it to grow and mature and bear fruit.
Techniques from the Visitors to this Site
From: Candace
Subject: witnessing technique
Date: Fri, 13 July 2001
I work with the homeless, and this is what has worked for me. I approach, ask how are they doing. Listen to their response, which is usually a pat answer. Then I ask "What can I do for you?" This usually will take people by surprise, they usually say oh nothing, and then proceed to tell me what their problems are. When this happens I ask if I can pray for them, if given permission I pray right then and their. This takes them a little off guard (a lot of people say they will pray and then walk away). My desire to pray for them, to reach out and hold their hand, to ask their name and use it in prayer, touches something deep in their heart, and opens them up to the gospel of Jesus Christ and His love for them, His desire to give them life eternal and to be with them here and now.
Well that is my little way. Just two questions seem to open up doors for me. "How are you?" and "What can I do for you?"
Thank you, Candace for your submission. Do you have a question or a suggestion that you would like to share? Send me an email.
Newsletter
I have a newsletter that will keep you informed of new changes to this web site, and give special reports on new missions and evangelism outreaches. You can subscribe through the link below.
all rights reserved