How To Witness- Thoughts on Honest Evangelism
Do you know how to witness to others effectively? Do you worry about what others will think? Steph Nickel reminds us that if we love others, we should openly tell them about the gift of salvation, rather than being afraid of how to witness. God is powerful and he can use your testimony.
Honest Evangelism
This past weekend I picked up a copy of Rico Tice’s Honest Evangelism. It is by far one of the most challenging and inspiring books I’ve ever read. But what does that have to do with devotionals about love?
Let me begin by rereading Matthew 22:37-39:
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbour as yourself.
I would also like to read 1 Corinthians 9:15-18. Paul says,
But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting. For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship. What then is my reward? That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.
The apostle Paul was chastening the Corinthian believers in Jesus. Like everyone else, those who share the gospel need to eat and drink. Paul’s listeners were not meeting his physical needs. And yet he went on to say in verse 16,
Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
We Must Be Convinced of God’s Sovereignty
What compelled Paul to do so? For one thing, he had caught a glimpse of the Saviour’s glory on the road to Damascus, where God met with this man—at this point a persecutor of Christians named Saul. Tice devotes a portion of Chapter 2 to discussing the glory of Jesus.
After all, if we don’t see the Lord as He is, it is unlikely we will faithfully testify of Him to our family, friends, and co-workers. I encourage you to slowly and prayerfully read the Gospels. There you will meet the Saviour and you, too, will catch a glimpse of His glory.
Tice says if we are convinced of three things, we are far more likely to share the truth about Jesus Christ with those we encounter. We must be convinced of God’s sovereignty. I have heard a lot on this topic in the last few years, but never has anyone pointed out that God placed my neighbours, co-workers, and acquaintances where they are so they would have the opportunity to hear the Good News—from me.
We Must Be Convinced Of God’s Graciousness
Tice also says we must be convinced of God’s graciousness. Our value does not depend on what others think of us. As Christians, our worth has everything to do with how God views us. No matter how others see us, we will never be less in the Lord’s eyes. While it’s natural to care what others think, this is an excellent reminder that the most important thing is how God views us and what He thinks of us.
If You Love Your Neighbour, Witness To Them!
The third thing is obvious, but I’ve found the most life-changing truths often are. Tice stresses that God is powerful. The same God who said,
Let there be light
in Genesis 1:3, is well able to open an unbeliever’s spiritually blind eyes. It is not our job to do so. In fact, we cannot. Tice is convinced—and I agree with him—that effective evangelism is witnessing.
That’s it. I don’t have to say all the right words. I don’t have to have all the right answers. I don’t need to be a skilled orator. But I do need to share my faith and leave the results in the Lord’s hands. That is effective evangelism.
You may still not understand what all this has to do with love. Well, loathe as I am to quote Penn Jilette, a well-known celebrity and outspoken atheist, the quote Tice uses in his book is one of the most compelling reasons I need to take a deep breath and begin to more deliberately share my faith. The following quote may compel you to do the same.
Jilette says,
I always said that I don’t respect people who don’t proselytize … If you believe that there’s a heaven and a hell and people could be going to hell … and you think that it’s not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward … how much do you have to hate someone to not proselytize?
While Tice points out that we can truly love others and fail to share the gospel, he challenges readers with the idea that this is an indication that we have erected idols in our lives. He tells of the time he did not share the gospel with his grandmother, who was dying. His family’s approval mattered more to him than telling her about eternal salvation.
How To Witness To Others
I wish I couldn’t relate, but there have been far too many times I have failed to tell others what I know to be true for any number of reasons.
Oh, they don’t want to hear the gospel. They already know what I believe. What if I stumble over my words? What if they ask a question I can’t answer? What if I say the wrong thing and drive them away from faith instead of pointing them to Jesus?
But as Tice says, “God is powerful.” It is His responsibility to use my testimony, no matter how fragmented and faltering, in whatever way He chooses. Tice tells of a young man who was impressed by Tice’s refusal to turn his back on the Christian faith despite the fact that his fellow students gave him a rough time.
It wasn’t until years later that Tice discovered how his contemporary felt. The man now says, “Although I didn’t realise this at the time, Rico’s conversion and resolute faith sowed the first seed in my mind.”
Will we seek to do the same?
I am approximately halfway through the book and have come to the conclusion that every believer in Jesus Christ ought to read it. We are all called to share the truth of the gospel and this little book can help—big time!
Does love in action come easily to you? We would love to hear from you. Comment below or contact us at HopeStreamRadio.
Steph Nickel
Steph Beth Nickel is eclectically interested and eclectically involved. In all she does, Steph seeks to nurture and inspire.
She is currently working on the first book in a nonfiction series. Nurture and Inspire LOVE is a compilation of the first devotionals she wrote for HopeStreamRadio.
Steph is a prolific freelance writer and editor. She is the coauthor of Paralympian Deb Willows’ award-winning memoir, Living Beyond My Circumstances, published by Castle Quay Books. Deb and Steph are working on a follow-up book.
You can visit her website, stephbethnickel.com, to learn more about her.
Visit Steph’s contributor’s page or at Steph Nickel’s Eclectic Interests.
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