Successful Evangelism

[HankD]

I know that sometimes the following is used as an excuse to not witness, but it may not be in every case.

And that is this - "My life will be a witness". One day at work I delivered a package to a fellow worker (I worked for IBM at the time) and he said to me "what is it with you? You seem so free!" I then had an opportunity to witness (Ya, company time - but I was salaried and they took advantage of my status ).

And at that time in my life I was going door to door and doing street preaching, passing out tracts, etc..

As for failures, you never know, NEVER, in fact there are no failures when you speak as an ambassador for Christ... One plants, another waters and God gives the increase.

One fellow who the pastor and I visited (His kids came to Pioneers) and witnessed to got angry and chased us out of his house with a meat clever (He was chopping up chickens) only to be saved later and eventually become an officer in the church after many more visits (carefully of course ).

Don't give up, always look for opportunity, always be ready to give an answer, pray to that end then watch and wait.

HankD

 

[evangelist6589]

Okay, I've requested evangelist6589 three times to tell me what the fruit in John 15:8 is, and all I've gotten is "I'll get back to you on that." Really, folks, it's not that hard. Either you know it or you don't. If he had an answer--that is if he had studied and meditated on the passage at all--he would have had an answer right then.

Here's the verse again: "Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples." The word "fruit" occurs four other times in the chapter with the same meaning, vv. 2, 4, 5, 15.

Don't make it hard. It's simply a metaphor, not even a parable (which is an extended metaphor). A metaphor has a single meaning, so the fruit of the believer has a single meaning. Here's how I explain it: What is the fruit of an apple tree? Apples. What is the fruit of a pear tree? Pears. So what is the fruit of a Christian who is a tree? Christians.

For confirmation of this simple interpretation, look at this key phrase in v. 16: "and that your fruit should remain." The fruit has to be something permanent. When you win a soul to Christ (producing another Christian) through the power of God, that is a permanent result--fruit that remains.

So, if you are abiding in Christ, and thus receiving His power through the Holy Spirit, you will see people saved through your witness and personal evangelism. It's as simple as that. If you are not seeing God save people through you in the power of the Holy Spirit, you need to learn how to abide in Christ.

Patience patience.. I will get back with you by the weekend. Working allot of hours and also am occupying myself with the Chicago Cubs in the World Series.

 

[John of Japan]

Patience patience.. I will get back with you by the weekend. Working allot of hours and also am occupying myself with the Chicago Cubs in the World Series.

Whenever....

 

[annsni]

It's not that hard to write what a verse means to you. It's not like you need to look at commentaries and stuff. Just answer the question. 2-3 sentences and you're done.

 

[TCassidy]

It's not that hard to write what a verse means to you. It's not like you need to look at commentaries and stuff. Just answer the question. 2-3 sentences and you're done.

I can't help but think he is dodging the question.

 

[Revmitchell]

It's not that hard to write what a verse means to you. It's not like you need to look at commentaries and stuff. Just answer the question. 2-3 sentences and you're done.

Maybe he needs to read two or three books before he can answer it. Give him some time. Book learnin takes time.

 

[evangelist6589]

Oh for the love of the rabbit I work 2 jobs for petes sake! I am swamped! Give me time.

 

[annsni]

Oh for the love of the rabbit I work 2 jobs for petes sake! I am swamped! Give me time.

You could have answered right there!

 

[HankD]

Oh for the love of the rabbit I work 2 jobs for petes sake! I am swamped! Give me time.

When we had a farm we raised rabbits, they are delicious deep fried with breading.

HankD

 

[John of Japan]

Oh for the love of the rabbit I work 2 jobs for petes sake! I am swamped! Give me time.

I hope this Pete guy you work for is a good boss. Maybe he can help you with the question.

 

[Revmitchell]

Oh for the love of the rabbit I work 2 jobs for petes sake! I am swamped! Give me time.

Uh you have time to show up and say stupid things like "oh for the love of the rabbit" but you do not have time to answer questions with anything substantial. Quite contradictory.

 

[John of Japan]

Here is Unomatsu, who was a machine gunner for the Japanese in WW2. He was saved at age 92. What glorifies God more, this salvation or 8 years of no one saved?

 

[John of Japan]

Here I am baptizing Usuki, a yakuza gangster and drug pusher. Two of his gang also got saved. And this was in a Gospel resistant country with only 0.5% born again. This miracle glorifies God! But when we are content with no miracles, how does that glorify Him?

 

[evangelist6589]

I've asked evangelist 6589 this question twice, but he has so far ignored it. So I'll throw it open. What is the fruit of John 15:8? Anyone?

"Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples."

Check out v. 16 also: "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you."

Fruit is the fruits of the spirit and the testimony of our lives. Fruit has nothing to do with how many respond and get saved because that is up to God. God will draw the elect at his own timing and we have no control over this. We grow in the faith and bear fruit and this pleases God.

 

[evangelist6589]

Here is Unomatsu, who was a machine gunner for the Japanese in WW2. He was saved at age 92. What glorifies God more, this salvation or 8 years of no one saved?

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Big difference between a full time missionary and a street evangelist! I am a laymen and who hits the street once a month these days. You are also in an area open to the gospel while Denver Colorado is not. Do you know how many progressive churches are in this area?

 

[evangelist6589]

Check out the DVD Go stand and Speak. It's a documentary on open air preaching. It's really not about "results" but obedience and this is what God blesses.

 

[John of Japan]

Fruit is the fruits of the spirit and the testimony of our lives. Fruit has nothing to do with how many respond and get saved because that is up to God. God will draw the elect at his own timing and we have no control over this. We grow in the faith and bear fruit and this pleases God.

This is not exegesis. The passage does not say "fruit of the spirit" (should be upper case if you mean the Holy Spirit). The fruit in John 15 is the fruit of the disciples, not the Spirit. You have not rebutted my position in the slightest.

So I get from your post is that all God wants of us is to be a good person. God doesn't care at all if we are a channel of blessing, if people get saved, if miracles happen. That is completely opposite to the whole book of Acts and many other Scriptures such as John 14:12, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father." Where are these "greater works" in your life?

Concerning the fruit of the Spirit, that is in Gal. 5, not here. If one wants to know what the Holy Spirit is like, simply read Gal. 5:22-23. The Holy Spirit produces His fruit (not ours) in us as we walk in the Spirit. In other words, He reproduces Himself. Our fruit is not that of the Holy Spirit, but of a disciple--which means another disciple.

 

[John of Japan]

Check out the DVD Go stand and Speak. It's a documentary on open air preaching. It's really not about "results" but obedience and this is what God blesses.

You are simply giving excuses for your lack of victory in Christ. I said at the beginning of this thread that if one has not seen God at work he should not answer this thread, but only ask questions. Have you ever truly seen God at work in the lives of others? If not, be quiet here, get on your knees, and pray for victory.

And once again, I am not talking about human results here, I am talking about God at work through us. Stop insisting on making this about human efforts and results. This thread is about the mighty power of God, not human pragmatism, which I loathe.

 

[John of Japan]

Big difference between a full time missionary and a street evangelist! I am a laymen and who hits the street once a month these days. You are also in an area open to the gospel while Denver Colorado is not. Do you know how many progressive churches are in this area?

These are simply excuses. I know laymen who have seen God work in a greater way than I. If you have never seen God do a miracle in the life of a sinner and save him from Hell, stop giving excuses. Stop saying what God cannot do through you and has not done through you. That is defeatism and opposition to the power of God.

 

[HankD]

Here I am baptizing Usuki, a yakuza gangster and drug pusher. Two of his gang also got saved. And this was in a Gospel resistant country with only 0.5% born again. This miracle glorifies God! But when we are content with no miracles, how does that glorify Him?
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And look at the mother and her babes witnessing the baptism preparing them for their day of faith!

HankD