Street Witnessing

Please read this entire blog entry. Someone else's eternity depends on it.

This is Vernon writing (I usually don't write much on this blog, but I felt this was something you should read). I apologize for no photos this time around. :)

If you're like I was most of my life, and how most Christians out there currently are, you don't feel like you're equipped to witness to people. You don't know how to walk up to a complete stranger and start a conversation with them where you share the Gospel, or you feel like you need to be able to quote every verse of the bible before doing so, or you fear being rejected by people you approach. That's how I felt for so many years. I knew I was supposed to be doing something more than sitting on the pew Sunday morning. In fact, God commands us to get off our seats and preach the gospel, but only 2% of Christians are actually doing so. Why? Because they don't know how to! They know what God's Word says, but they don't know how to approach the lost, and it's really, seriously, overwhelmingly disturbing.

A few weeks ago, my brother-in-law told me about a 3 hour "Way of the Master" crash course (www.wayofthemaster.com material by Kirk Cameron and Ray Comfort) that was being held at his church (Oak Cliff Baptist) in Ft. Smith. It was being taught by Tim Glass (www.deliveringevangelism.blogspot.com). I had been watching some of the street witnessing videos on www.wayofthemaster.com, and was thinkging, "WOW, that actually works! I could actually do this!!". After the crash course that Tim led, I was getting fairly confident that I could do this with a little effort. After all, it's a biblical method used by Jesus Christ, so it has to work! I then listened to Todd Friel's "Terrified" MP3 files, which contains over 20 audio recordings of Todd using the "Way of the Master" method to witness to every imaginable type of person. I also watched Ray Comfort's "Open Air preaching" DVD. "Why am I just now discovering this?!", I've said to myself so many times now.

At this point, I was so convinced that I could do this, that I went out with a friend (Allen Evans - friend of Tim Glass), and we hit Dickson Street this past Friday night around 9-11pm. I approached several strangers (all of whom were not saved), using the Way of the Master method, and I was able to share the Gospel with several people who listened intently. It was amazing!!!! MAN DID IT WORK! Here are the people I had a conversation with (not just a one liner shouted to them as they walked by):

-girl who believed in reincarnation, and based her beliefs on "feelings"
-guy who believed in evolution and wanted proof that God exists
-guy, his girlfriend, and her friend
-guy who said he was a Christian, but admitted at the end of our conversation that he was not
-guy who said he was too young to have to think about that "kind of stuff", and that he'd think about it later
-two young guys who listened, and who felt so convicted during our conversation

I talked to some of these people for over 20 minutes! If God had not put me on Dickson Street Friday night, these people may have never heard what God's Word says.

Previous to Friday night, I had pretty much NEVER shared my faith with anyone outside of church, especially a stranger on the sidewalk! I'm anxious to do this again, and possibly try out open air preaching. If I get rejected or persecuted, then it means I'm doing something right. :)

If you're reading this, I'm begging you to PLEASE, AT LEAST check out the street witnessing videos on www.wayofthemaster.com. The reactions of the people I spoke to Friday night were so similar to the reactions I've seen on the numerous videos and audio clips I've watched and listened to.

Churches need to urge people to use this method to reach lost people!! I've been in various churches for the entire 35 years of my life, and I have never felt confident enough to walk up to a stranger and have a meaningful conversation with them about their eternity. My friend and I were the ONLY people on Dickson street talking to people about their salvation. Where was the rest of the NWA Christian community? 99% of the people you see on the streets are headed for hell, and it's a Christian's responsibility to warn them of the coming day of judgement. If a blind man were walking toward a cliff, wouldn't you want to warn him, and tell him how he can be saved?

I would love to help train anyone interested in learning how to witness in a very effective way, and maybe a group of us could hit the streets. Even if you want to just go with me for an hour to see what you think. It's never too late to start doing what God commands us to do (Matthew 28:19). I know without a doubt that the people I talked with Friday night will at least consider that conversation the next day.

For the first time ever, I feel like I've truly done something that God has commanded, and it truly feels awesome.

Thanks for reading!