As ChrisE has stated, that God, by His Spirit, wins souls, i.e. enlightens the lost to their severity of their sins, makes the Gospel which they receive from us their healing balm, & brings about contrition of their sins & appealing to the Lord Jesus Who died for them.
Romans 10:13 -15: "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!"
For the bearing & sharing of this Good, soul-saving News, God has given His children this responsibility. All we have to do is to share with conviction & love for the lost - the Spirit does the rest of the work. But when you ask of the "most effective way", then the matter of contextualizing comes in, i.e. when the Gospel is shared, it is done in terms of who is being reached, his culture, the situation he is in, & his understanding of biblical Truth. My ministry in the past was mainly to Muslims in Pakistan & some in the U.K. I wouldn't use the same approaches or Scriptures I use for them as I would to someone in a Western culture, who is probably not religiously-inclined & has a different world-view or different issues in life. So, we need to know about the people group, or the person (if you're referring to witnessing on a one-on-one basis in your country/neighbourhood).
So, are you thinking of open-air street preaching, a personal one-on-one meeting, or even going over to a foreign land (on God's call)? Depending on your direction, you will need to adapt to the situation & the people. Most Christian workers going to a foreign land usually spend a number of years learning the language & culture & developing a rapport with the people. Only then will hearts begin to open.
Hi Sholay. Street preaching, which would also involve one-on-one sharing, is a ministry that many would shy away from. It's based on "if the unsaved won't come to Church to hear the Gospel, then we will take the Church out to the unsaved". So, it is a lot of seed sowing mixed with many people fuelled with anger as God's Word penetrates Satan's domain. So, it is a special ministry that has to be well considered & prepared for.
Check first that your City allows for preaching on the sidewalk or park - often they won't but would permit tract distribution. Will they allow the use of a megaphone or which areas are you permitted to speak in public? Do you have Church backing or those who are also challenged to do this ministry? What about appropriate tracts to distribute & what form will the meeting take?
We used to have a guitarist & a group of singers. After a couple of songs, one would step forward to share the word while a couple of others would distribute tracts or strike up conversations. If your group is really inventive, a skit could be performed or taking an object that might attract an audience to stay longer. We had a German man visit our Church (from Open Air Campaigners), & whenever he preached in the open air in Australia, he always brought a boomerang with him, using it as a tool to bring out his message. But if you're going out on your own, then you may want to focus more on tract distribution & engaging with interested persons. Yet, in all of these options, the ministry needs to be bathed in prayer & Bible study. When we constantly feed on God's Word, the Holy Spirit will produce the right words from your mouth that will minister to the hearer.
Yet, what the Lord wants from each one of His children, is to live the Christ-centred life, having a strong testimony of a regenerated life, that others might see & know that our hope & joy lies only in our Heavenly Father. Our lives should speak volumes especially to those despairing of life. Every blessing.
GRACE_ambassador {ChrisE} - In Reply - 2 years ago
Precious friend, actually, God Is THE "soul winner," we are simply co-labourers With HIM, and we simply "plant the Seed" of The Gospel Of GRACE, and then, when the recipient 'believes,' "God Simply Gives The Increase" {'winning' the soul}.
Further Growth In GRACE is when we "water the Seed" {by "studying HIS Word of Truth, Rightly Divided" ( 2 Timothy 2:15), and teaching others to do the same}, And, Then "God Also Gives that Increase" of understanding and Full Assurance for Growth In GRACE!" Amen? ( 1 Corinthians 3:6-15; Colossians 2:2)
The "pattern" is our GRACE apostle, Paul ( 1 Timothy 1:16; Philippians 4:9):
"Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and The God Of Peace shall be with you."
Please Be Richly Encouraged, Enlightened, Exhorted, and Edified!
Romans 10:13 -15: "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!"
For the bearing & sharing of this Good, soul-saving News, God has given His children this responsibility. All we have to do is to share with conviction & love for the lost - the Spirit does the rest of the work. But when you ask of the "most effective way", then the matter of contextualizing comes in, i.e. when the Gospel is shared, it is done in terms of who is being reached, his culture, the situation he is in, & his understanding of biblical Truth. My ministry in the past was mainly to Muslims in Pakistan & some in the U.K. I wouldn't use the same approaches or Scriptures I use for them as I would to someone in a Western culture, who is probably not religiously-inclined & has a different world-view or different issues in life. So, we need to know about the people group, or the person (if you're referring to witnessing on a one-on-one basis in your country/neighbourhood).
So, are you thinking of open-air street preaching, a personal one-on-one meeting, or even going over to a foreign land (on God's call)? Depending on your direction, you will need to adapt to the situation & the people. Most Christian workers going to a foreign land usually spend a number of years learning the language & culture & developing a rapport with the people. Only then will hearts begin to open.
Thank you,am grateful.
Check first that your City allows for preaching on the sidewalk or park - often they won't but would permit tract distribution. Will they allow the use of a megaphone or which areas are you permitted to speak in public? Do you have Church backing or those who are also challenged to do this ministry? What about appropriate tracts to distribute & what form will the meeting take?
We used to have a guitarist & a group of singers. After a couple of songs, one would step forward to share the word while a couple of others would distribute tracts or strike up conversations. If your group is really inventive, a skit could be performed or taking an object that might attract an audience to stay longer. We had a German man visit our Church (from Open Air Campaigners), & whenever he preached in the open air in Australia, he always brought a boomerang with him, using it as a tool to bring out his message. But if you're going out on your own, then you may want to focus more on tract distribution & engaging with interested persons. Yet, in all of these options, the ministry needs to be bathed in prayer & Bible study. When we constantly feed on God's Word, the Holy Spirit will produce the right words from your mouth that will minister to the hearer.
Yet, what the Lord wants from each one of His children, is to live the Christ-centred life, having a strong testimony of a regenerated life, that others might see & know that our hope & joy lies only in our Heavenly Father. Our lives should speak volumes especially to those despairing of life. Every blessing.
Further Growth In GRACE is when we "water the Seed" {by "studying HIS Word of Truth, Rightly Divided" ( 2 Timothy 2:15), and teaching others to do the same}, And, Then "God Also Gives that Increase" of understanding and Full Assurance for Growth In GRACE!" Amen? ( 1 Corinthians 3:6-15; Colossians 2:2)
The "pattern" is our GRACE apostle, Paul ( 1 Timothy 1:16; Philippians 4:9):
"Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and The God Of Peace shall be with you."
Please Be Richly Encouraged, Enlightened, Exhorted, and Edified!
( 2 Timothy 2:15; Romans 16:25; Ephesians 1:3-9; Ephesians 3:9 = Grace/Mystery fellowship {found in 'Paul's letters' = Romans - Philemon}, today?)
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Grace And Peace!
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