I recently perplexed some people with a promise not to proselytize. So what’s behind that attitude? Is it hyper-Calvinism? No. I do share my faith. But I am heartily offended by Christians who behave as though they’re selling Amway. And I use that characterization purposely and with malice aforethought, as a former Amway distributor. Great products… but some Really Obnoxious Salespeople. I once attended a church that had a “witnessing bible study.” What did they study? A script intended to lead people through a conversation where you gave them the “Roman road to salvation” verses. I don’t have a gripe with the Roman road. I have a serious gripe with Christians being sneaky and manipulative, acting as though we have a quota to meet.
I’m not talking to everybody with this post. If this isn’t you, then GOOD.
When I think about witnessing, I think about a witness on the stand in a courtroom. They don’t just sit there and lecture the jury. The attorneys ask them questions about what they’ve witnessed.
but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.
(1 Peter 3:15-16)
There’s nothing wrong with starting a conversation. I talk about my church, about my faith, about things I recently read in the bible and what they meant to me. In conversations, if it’s appropriate I bring up faith. I leave the door open. And if they walk through it, I LISTEN to their response and ask them questions geared toward finding out why they believe that and on what that belief is based. It’s not a chess game where I’m trying to think five moves ahead (which is all I have the capacity for and consequently why I lose at chess.) If they say this, then I can say that, and then I can hit them with Romans 6:23! Is it respectful to manipulate people and try to get them to say what you want them to say? Is it good behavior? I don’t think so.
There’s nothing wrong with street preaching, either, if it’s done right. The apostles did it, and there’s no reason why we shouldn’t too. And it’s honest – I respect that. No manipulation involved, just stating the truth and hoping people listen; that “seeds are planted” and they’ll remember what you said at the time they need it most.
Can you herd people down the Romans road? Maybe so. But I don’t think God honors that kind of behavior. If He wants to pluck someone from the fire, He will. And He will use us, flawed as we are, to accomplish His purpose; that’s one way He blesses us. But there’s no “well done, good and faithful servant, for forcing that guy to admit Romans 6:23!”
The bottom line is that Christians should consider our methods and motives carefully to see whether we honor God. Are we witnessing, or marketing? Are we using the shotgun approach, peppering everyone we encounter with bible verses and hoping something hits the mark? Or are we using a rifle – prayerfully observing where God is already working and joining Him in His work? Because when we do that, we don’t need a script, and we don’t need to manipulate anybody.
If you want to be a witness, be one. You have a story; how is it that God saved you? What has He been doing in your life? Tell your story. Learn your doctrine well enough to teach it to someone else extemporaneously. (Because you should know it that well anyway.) Lose the script and -
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
(Matthew 28:19-20)
I get you!
I think we probably have very similar styles on the norm. I let conversations happen, I don’t try to manipulate my way into them, I listen and strive to have thoughtful conversations when they do happen.
Now … I do the tract thing and stuff … but that is when I am out with a group from our church and that is what we are doing. We have outreaches where we feed people, play music, pray with people, give out tracts and love on people.
We have a Christmas Outreach planned for Monday and it is going to be awesome! The people who come know we are part of a ministry in our church … but we don’t push it down their throats. We are going to give out toys, food, and coats and just love on people. Tracts will probably be given out to those that ask for them or willingly accept them (I never try to make people take one). And, of course, we will be praying for anyone who wants prayer.
And, I love stuff like that. It does plant seed. But, the thoughtful off the cuff conversation about Christ that just happens … I like them best. It feels like you really have a chance to let someone see Christ in you and what He had done for you.
It still sounds like you’re making more of a stylistic argument than a moral one. Of course, style can be important. Most of the people you’re criticizing, I suspect, are just inexperienced at witnessing, hence why they might attend a “witnessing bible study.” It takes experience to calm the nerves enough to do things the way you describe.
If a timid guy decided to start dating, similarly, he might pre-plan some script to help him ask the first girl out. It wouldn’t be the ideal strategy overall, but he would have to start somewhere.
To paraphrase….
“Witness at all times. Use words if you really gotta.”
This is a great topic! I truly understand where you’re coming from on this Laura; I have myself been victim to the whole “selling Jesus” mentality. Our church is very strong about door to door evangelism (no, we’re not mormons or JW’s) and street preaching. We have on many occassions been formulaic about the witness and it helps when you just have exhausted yourself and don’t have an original thought to put together (there are only so many times I can rehearse, with any sort of enthusiasm, the events that took place leading to my salvation without starting to feel a bit weepy and depressed at my old condition for one…and I like to switch up on the 13th or millionth door). I often find that if I let myself go on ‘automatic’ then all I”m doing is basically leading someone into a theological net to be caught instead of listening for God’s leading on a person’s life and using that as a springboard. It is frustrating but I rationalize this (I need the practice…at least the seed is planted, what have you). But deep inside I really believe the spontaneous witness is the best. No matter how many flyers I hand out or doors I knock down, I have never had one true convert or more heartfelt witness than when I just “on a whim” go up to somebody I felt a strange pull towards and witness or if it comes up in conversation and I get to say what God has been doing. A natural, spontaneous witness always works the best because it catches what God is doing right there and now as opposed to time that is set aside to witness (which is more of a discipline thing in my opinion, not that it’s bad!) Either way Christ gets preached though I wonder how faithfully and effective at times.
As a non-Christian and as someone that has been, on three occasions, physically assaulted by publicly witnessing zealots, I have to wonder about the motivations behind the kind of people you’re talking to.
Has standing in the street with a bullhorn, insulting passers by and physically intimidating the very people with whom you’re trying to communicate ever won a single convert? Or, is it just a means to earn cultural credit with other members of your sect for being the most devoted?
I’m really glad you wrote this, Laura, because, while people of my faith are consistently bothered by the misbehavior of a minority of Christians, we are frightened by the rest of that community’s tacit approval of that misbehavior. Thank you for saying otherwise.
Thomas – I’m sorry, really sorry, that you were physically assaulted. That’s shocking and disappointing. I’m a big believer in sharing my faith, but obviously I don’t condone that. I think there are ways to communicate which are respectful, yet still direct and honest. “Cultural credit” – hmmm… interesting concept, I hadn’t thought of it quite like that before. But the people handing out those credits aren’t too high on my list.