Thread: Simple approaches

I have read about Paul saying he did not come in wisdom of speech but to preach Christ and Him crucified.Quite honestly, many times I am in turmoil in my soul when I am not speaking only of Christ.Which is about 99.9 percent of the time.I come home from work realizing I did not mention Christ to even one person.What makes it worse is I know so many lost that I work with.These are my friends but I cannot gain the courage to witness.How do I present the gospel of Christ to people?

Joe

I try all kinds of things I guess. I try to be more terrified of my friends, family, and co-workers rejecting the Gospel forever. It helps me to share the gospel one-on-one it makes the conversation clear and streamlined (or about as streamlined as it can be!). One of the key things for me is to fight through the fear resigning myself to the potential arguement and awkwardness! Being a Calvinist helps a lot, not because it lets me off the hook, but because regardless of their inevitable hostility to the only means of salvation, God can and does save.

Other things that help me are having scriptures memorized, reading and considering works by good apologists, and of most of all lots of prayer. Our warfare is spiritual not with flesh suits.

Two things that may be helpful:
One is to remember that the workplace (unless you work for a Christian ministry) is not primarily about witnessing to coworkers, but rather to work whole-souled as if doing so unto the Lord (unlike what I'm doing right now at work :bigsmile: )

Your work and your conduct and your attitude/conversation at work IS your witness in many ways. You should not come home feeling guilty each day because you did not witness to a coworker that day. If you were a profitable employee and blessing to your employer, THAT is what God has called you to do and be.

That being said leads me to number two:
I've found that a great way to witness at work is by doing so in small increments. For example, when you have opportunity, try to use key words or topics that other people are already talking about as springboards into a more spiritual conversation, even if you are just sowing a small seed. For example, if someone mentions something about Sunday you can ask, "So what do you do on Sunday, go to church?" From there, you might be able to invite them to church. Or if a topic about religion, or hypocrites, or the Church, or Christians, or sex, or reading, or what you did yesterday, or favorite pastimes, or anything else comes up, you can jump off the topic into a way that leads the conversation in a spiritual direction. Granted, its easier at some workplaces and in some environments than in others; however, with prayer and patience you should be able to find SOME opportunity.

You might also find a way to do something with someone outside of the workplace, that way the environment might be more conducive to spiritual conversation.
All in all, I've found the best way is simply to invite a coworker to church. At one workplace, I invited this girl week after week for about a year. FINALLY she came! Now she attends every week, got married to her boyfriend, got married in a church (after going to the church's premarital counseling), and has become a Christian. When I first asked her, she said that she would NEVER go to church again and thought the idea was utterly silly. You never know....

Originally posted by Average Joey
I have read about Paul saying he did not come in wisdom of speech but to preach Christ and Him crucified.Quite honestly, many times I am in turmoil in my soul when I am not speaking only of Christ.Which is about 99.9 percent of the time.I come home from work realizing I did not mention Christ to even one person.What makes it worse is I know so many lost that I work with.These are my friends but I cannot gain the courage to witness.How do I present the gospel of Christ to people?

Part of the fear comes from not knowing what to say or at least feeling like it. Then there's the fear of having them ask you a question you can't answer or being harshly rejected.

Pray that the Lord give you a clear opportunity and the words to say. Spend some time reading the Gospel of John devotionally...observe our Lord's approach. This should help your methodology.

Then break out your Strong's or your Young's and look for all the descriptions of Hell (outer darkness, weeping and gnashing of teeth, where the worm never dies, etc.). Take those images with you on your knees as you think of your loved ones. This should give you added zeal and boldness.

Originally posted by alwaysreforming One is to remember that the workplace (unless you work for a Christian ministry) is not primarily about witnessing to coworkers, but rather to work whole-souled as if doing so unto the Lord (unlike what I'm doing right now at work :bigsmile: )

Your work and your conduct and your attitude/conversation at work IS your witness in many ways. You should not come home feeling guilty each day because you did not witness to a coworker that day. If you were a profitable employee and blessing to your employer, THAT is what God has called you to do and be.

Excellent point. I've recently started a new job. As I get to know people they ask about my life, what I do, my interests, etc. I tell them. Otherwise, I let the Lord guide a conversation. If I get an opportunity (and mind you, this is during breaks and lunch), I take it. Happened last night.

Other than that, I give my all to the job from the time I clock in to the time I clock out.