Presenting the Gospel

[steaver]

It annoys me when I hear a Christian give their testimony of how they came to Christ and in the process they condemn those who witness Jesus Christ in a manner in which they personally find offensive, as if God is good with some approaches but is against other ones.

Do you believe there is a right and wrong when it comes to witnessing?

I was listening to a woman give her testimony of how she was an atheist and how she came to Christ through a man who she kinda figured out was a Christian, but he never brought up Jesus or God directly towards her, and after about two years or so she began to ask him questions and a dialogue was born which eventually led her to becoming a believer. Sounds great and praise the Lord! However, she adds, in a derogatory way, this man did not "push" God on me, or hand me a track, or try to tell me I needed saved, etc. As if this kind of witnessing would never have worked or her.

So I ask, would it have worked on her??

He never gave her the Word of God until she asked for it.


Does faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God, or does faith cometh by man's ability to present the gospel in the correct manner or method??

 

[Archie the Preacher]

Varied Approach

Do you believe there is a right and wrong when it comes to witnessing?

Yes, I do. I believe every unbelieving person has a particular way to be approached.

Some folks need emotion, some can't stand emotion. Some need a direct and blunt entry, some will erect shields with such an approach. Different folks need different strokes - in the words of the past.

Most folks need to know you are honest and have an interest in them and aren't just trying to fill a quota or win a toaster. When one is witnessing for Christ and attempting to evangelize, one is of course not trying to fill quotas or win prizes; therefore, one should NOT give that impression.

In my experience, 'one size' does NOT fit all.

(I'm glad the Lord prompted me to proof read this; I left out the NOT in the third paragraph... you'd have probably figured it out...)

 

[steaver]

Yes, I do. I believe every unbelieving person has a particular way to be approached.

Some folks need emotion, some can't stand emotion. Some need a direct and blunt entry, some will erect shields with such an approach. Different folks need different strokes - in the words of the past.

Most folks need to know you are honest and have an interest in them and aren't just trying to fill a quota or win a toaster. When one is witnessing for Christ and attempting to evangelize, one is of course not trying to fill quotas or win prizes; therefore, one should NOT give that impression.

In my experience, 'one size' does NOT fit all.

(I'm glad the Lord prompted me to proof read this; I left out the NOT in the third paragraph... you'd have probably figured it out...)

Would you say then it is not so much the Holy Spirit conviction upon hearing the word of God, but more so of our personal efforts to discern how we ought to approach so that they might accept what we say, or how we say it, and be saved?

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

What is the Word of God anyway?

 

[steaver]

What is the Word of God anyway?

I believe that would be any message we have from God recorded in our Christian bible which were written down by men inspired by the Holy Spirit.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

I believe that would be any message we have from God recorded in our Christian bible which were written down by men inspired by the Holy Spirit.

OK...now what's the Word?

 

[Revmitchell]

Would you say then it is not so much the Holy Spirit conviction upon hearing the word of God, but more so of our personal efforts to discern how we ought to approach so that they might accept what we say, or how we say it, and be saved?

Or maybe it is the HG who is providing the discernment on how to approach them.

 

[prophet]

Or maybe it is the HG who is providing the discernment on how to approach them.

This^^^ .

Jn 16:7-11
7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away:for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;
10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

Wasn't He, The Holy Ghost already present on Earth?

Gen 1:2
2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

Yes.

So Jesus wasn't sending Him into the World, but into all believers.

Joe 2:28
28 And it shall come to pass afterward,
that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh;
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams,
your young men shall see visions:

Act 2:16
16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;

The HG does the 3 things mentioned in John 16:8, from within the believer, and through the Word.

1. The World is reproved of sin, because it can observe the lives of those in whom God's Spirit dwells, the believers.

2.Of Righteousness, because we, who no longer have our physical head, still do His works, and greater.
Even Gamaliel observed that if Christianity was real, this would happen.

3. The World can observe the Satanic kingdom losing ground to the believer.
Principalities, Powers, Rulers of darkness, etc., are all removed to make way for the Gospel, and to provide for the needs of the Believers.

So our Witness, and our witness, and our Word, and our word are all part of the interactive package.

Oh, and the HG will not leave the World during the Trib, either, He is Omnipresent, remember?

 

[steaver]

OK...now what's the Word?

Same as Word of God. Are used interchangeably in speech.

 

[steaver]

Or maybe it is the HG who is providing the discernment on how to approach them.

Now you have it! :thumbs: Amen!

As I said in the OP, it is annoying when a Christian puts down another Christian's presentation. If the message is accurate, then let the man or woman preach however they believe the Spirit is leading them. If it be wrong in the Lord's eyes then the Lord will deal with it.

 

[Yeshua1]

It annoys me when I hear a Christian give their testimony of how they came to Christ and in the process they condemn those who witness Jesus Christ in a manner in which they personally find offensive, as if God is good with some approaches but is against other ones.

Do you believe there is a right and wrong when it comes to witnessing?

I was listening to a woman give her testimony of how she was an atheist and how she came to Christ through a man who she kinda figured out was a Christian, but he never brought up Jesus or God directly towards her, and after about two years or so she began to ask him questions and a dialogue was born which eventually led her to becoming a believer. Sounds great and praise the Lord! However, she adds, in a derogatory way, this man did not "push" God on me, or hand me a track, or try to tell me I needed saved, etc. As if this kind of witnessing would never have worked or her.

So I ask, would it have worked on her??

He never gave her the Word of God until she asked for it.


Does faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God, or does faith cometh by man's ability to present the gospel in the correct manner or method??

think that the Holy spriti actually is the One that really testifies, so just give out the message!

 

[Yeshua1]

Now you have it! :thumbs: Amen!

As I said in the OP, it is annoying when a Christian puts down another Christian's presentation. If the message is accurate, then let the man or woman preach however they believe the Spirit is leading them. If it be wrong in the Lord's eyes then the Lord will deal with it.

Its of the lord himself, as paul Himself mentioned not a great looker or speaker, but spoke the Gospel of the Lord in the power of the Spirit!

 

[JamesL]

I think there has to be a distinction between the ground being cultivated and the seed being planted.

Some ground is soft, and the seed only needs to be thrown down.
Other ground is hard, and a tiller must be used first.
Some ground had strange crops growing before, and needs to be burnt before new seed can be planted

What the Holy Spirit does in a person's heart to condition them to receive the gospel, is strictly God's business. He cultivates the ground. If not for the Holy Spirit cultivating it, we might all be found to be the rocky path

When the seed is actually sown, the seed is all the same. The seed is the gospel - the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes it.


So I would be inclined to say that the presentation of the gospel is going to be pretty straight forward and somewhat uniform from one Christian to another.

But not everyone will come to the point of listening in quite the same fashion.

 

[Berean]

It annoys me when I hear a Christian give their testimony of how they came to Christ and in the process they condemn those who witness Jesus Christ in a manner in which they personally find offensive, as if God is good with some approaches but is against other ones.

Do you believe there is a right and wrong when it comes to witnessing?

I was listening to a woman give her testimony of how she was an atheist and how she came to Christ through a man who she kinda figured out was a Christian, but he never brought up Jesus or God directly towards her, and after about two years or so she began to ask him questions and a dialogue was born which eventually led her to becoming a believer. Sounds great and praise the Lord! However, she adds, in a derogatory way, this man did not "push" God on me, or hand me a track, or try to tell me I needed saved, etc. As if this kind of witnessing would never have worked or her.

So I ask, would it have worked on her??

He never gave her the Word of God until she asked for it.


Does faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God, or does faith cometh by man's ability to present the gospel in the correct manner or method??

I believe when the HOLY SPIRIT calls and convicts what or how is irreverent.

 

[Yeshua1]

I believe when the HOLY SPIRIT calls and convicts what or how is irreverent.

Amen!

reminds me of a story heard concernign Spugeon, that he went out on a really snowy mid week night in London looking to hear about Jesus, and went from church to church, untill came to one that had only a handful there meeting, was not nearly as largr and glamouous as other church buildings was in earlier, and a "ploughboy" preached in Osaiah, and only message was to "look unto chrsit and be saved" Spurgeon said that he got gripped by God by taht, and looked and got saved!