Our Philosophy

Why Is It That Most Of Us Don't Witness?

Remember this: As you take the time to share your life in Jesus with others, remember that no matter what approach you use, you are not responsible for results. If any change takes place in the life of the person you share with, it will be because of the Holy Spirit, and for God's glory. Your role is to share the hope that is in you, not to coerce or manipulate.

The Dilemma: Most of us never take any time to speak a word to a neighbor, relative, stranger, or friend about the hope we claim to have in us...Jesus Christ.

Why is that? I think the most popular reason is that we are scared. FEAR! Sure, some of us donét know how to share Jesus; others think there is no need, just being spiritual is enough. But, when you get right down to it, it's FEAR that silences our witness.

Have you ever thought? I'm afraid of what they might say. I'm just not good at talking to people. I don't have time right now. They don't want to be bothered.

The second most likely reason we don't share our faith is that we feel we don't know how. Over the years we've been taught that witnessing is an event...something you do. Therefore, in our minds we have built in excuses for not participating in it. It is easy to say, We missed the training, or We don't know how.

The Solution: There are many effective strategies for witnessing that are available to us, but we need to be careful not to think witnessing is just something you do. It is really more being. It is allowing God's richness and salvation through Jesus Christ to become so real in our lives (through the Holy Spirit) that we can't help but talk to others about it. We witness out of the overflow! Now, some of us think that we will just try to do our Bible studies, have a quiet time, go to seminars on Christian growth, etc., and never have to speak to anyone about Jesus. We will just try to be as holy as we can and leave the witnessing to others. Well, I sometimes wish that were the case, but it's not. If you desire to be like Christ, the more you become like Him, the more desire you will have to change the world, and to offer hope to the lost. The more you become like Jesus, the less you will desire worldly approval and the bolder your witness becomes. (Look at Stephen, Joshua, the disciples, Paul).

In summary, witnessing out of the overflows means to begin looking at others through the eyes of Christ. As you are conformed to his likeness, you begin to be empowered by His Holy Spirit to reach your world. Your witness will not only include verbal acknowledgement of your faith in Christ, but a renewed desire to serve your fellow man. (Matthew 25; feed, visit, comfort and give, etc.)

Availability: The place to start. God has given you lots of abilities that could help in your witness. Please be careful not to rely on these too much. His foremost desire is for your availability. Becoming available allows you to see the hurting that he sees. It allows God the use of any of the special gifts He has given you in order to minister to His people. When we rely on our abilities, we tend to depend less on God. Therefore, the things we do are done in our own strength and with no lasting results. In contrast, placing our lives in dependence on God allows for direct power from the Holy Spirit. God is glorified, not us, andthe results are lasting.

To close, let me encourage you to daily focus your eyes on Jesus, allowing Him to work through you to minister His love to those you see every day. Look around you and use what is at hand to develop new friendships with people. If it is a flying disc, baseball equipment, hobby equipment, or plate of cookies, etc.. take the time to notice others! Notice them, develop a friendship, then tell them about your Jesus. Earn the right to be heard by sacrificing your wants and desires for those of others. In doing so, you open up many doors for verbal witnessing about hope in Jesus.