Personal Witnessing Strategy - Session 3

PERSONAL WITNESSING STRATEGY

Session 3

MAKING CONTACT

Maybe you’ve seen a big “home-run” hitter step up to the plate at a softball game. This guy knows he can hit a home-run and wants one right now. Here comes the pitch. Here comes the swing. A big step, a big swooping swipe, the crack of the bat – and a high fly ball to end the inning.

The homerun is glorious, but the game winning hitters are the ones who come out every night just to make contact. In fact, that’s the best method for hitting homeruns – just make good solid contact. Eventually, one will find the fence.

In witnessing the same is true. Our great God hasn’t asked us to hit a homerun every time, He just wants us to make contact!

A pastor was giving a talk on witnessing and was asked, “What should I say?” He replied, “Something!” He was right! Effective witnessing can’t be done if we don’t put the Word of God into play. To use the baseball comparison: Where should I hit it? Somewhere! Make contact! Speak of your great God and Savior!

CONTACT AT THE CROSS POINTS

Mark 5:18-20

When the experience of a believer overlaps with the experience of a non-Christian an opportunity is present to speak of what God has done for us and how He has had mercy on us.

Sometimes a cross point zips past like a fastball down the middle of the plate. We miss it because we aren’t paying attention. Part of seeing cross points is being conscious that they may be coming, and listening for them.

Acts 17:22-23

In Athens Paul first paid attention. He listened and looked at what the people were like. What they were interested in. Then he put the Good News of Jesus into play by using what he learned about the people!

LISTEN! LISTEN! LISTEN!

If we want to share Jesus with other people we need to first listen to them. Then we can understand what aspect of the Good News we might start with and how to do that. Each situation is different because each person’s experience in life is different. There isn’t one polished sentence or paragraph that a Christian can just rattle off in every witnessing opportunity. We have to listen before we can speak with specific purpose and direction.

A SILLY CROSS POINT

In his book, Gibson tells a story about a little green dot. He would place a little green dot on his watch to remind himself to be in God’s Word every day. One day a the local grocery store a clerk noticed the dot. She asked him what it was. He told her, “It’s something I use as a reminder. When I see it, I ask myself if I’ve spent time with the Lord today in Bible study and prayer.”

Looking confused, the clerk said, “Oh... Your total is $7.32”.

But the next time he went through her line, she noticed the dot had changed color. It was red now. She asked why. He responded, “If I don’t change the color it loses impact.”

She said, “Did it work today, did you remember?”

“Remember?”

“Your time with, you know, …God.”

“Yeah, I did; I had a great time.”

“Oh. Your total is $3.21.”

It was a silly dot. It was a simple exchange. It was a little conversation, but it was the beginning of a relationship.

“As we have our little talks (remember, I’m in the quick-check line), I try to remember previous conversations so that I can ask questions about her well-being in hopes of providing an opportunity to encourage her, to promise to pray for her, to speak to her about the Lord. I’m not doing anything special, just trying to make contact. And as I listen to her, I begin to get a feel for who she is and how she might respond to parts of my story” (Gibson 44).

JOURNAL YOUR EXPERIENCE

People are valuable. They are precious souls fashioned by God Almighty and bought back from sin by the unimaginable suffering of God’s Son. Take the time to listen to their thoughts, their worries, their story. Take it further. Take a moment to write down some of the things you hear in a journal. Take it even further. Review that journal and actually pray for these people that you may have an opportunity to reach out to.

GETTING ONTO THE FIELD

1. In an earlier session you made a list of unsaved family and friends. Write down the names of 1-3 of those individuals on which to focus your witnessing efforts.

2. List some “cross points” that you have in common with each person. Ponder how God might use these common experiences to provide a contemporary context in which the Good News of Jesus can be shared.

3. Continually pray for the people on your list.

Referenced: “Out of the Bleachers and Onto the Field” by Michael E. Gibson