Scientists conducted a social experiment with two groups of commuters at a train station. They asked one group to start conversations with their seatmates. They instructed the other group to remain silent. The commuters who talked while traveling said they had a “more positive experience” than those who did not. Initially, commuters believed starting a conversation would be hard, but they found that most people were happily willing to talk.
We may worry that other people won’t want to talk about matters of faith with us. The threat of rejection, conflict, or even persecution can be enough to seal our lips and extinguish the prodding of God’s Spirit.
Jonah didn’t follow God’s prompting to tell the citizens of Nineveh about Him. The city’s reputation seemed to sour his desire—it was known as a “city of murder and lies” (Nahum 3:1). After an underwater attitude adjustment (Jonah 1:15-17), however, Jonah finally set aside his reluctance and journeyed to the malignant metropolis. There he addressed the crowds: “Forty days from now Nineveh will be destroyed!” (Jonah 3:4). When the people heard Jonah, they “believed God’s message . . . declared a fast and put on burlap to show their sorrow” (Jonah 3:5). And God graciously chose not to destroy the city (2 Peter 3:9).
Scripture tells us that Nineveh had more than 120,000 residents. I’m encouraged when I think about how God used a reluctant prophet to save so many people from destruction. I pray that He’ll help me to overcome my own hesitancy as I learn to surrender each situation to Him. And I pray that sharing my faith will become easier with practice—a natural expression of my love for God and His love for all people.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: 2 Kings 5:1-27
More:
Read Matthew12:40-41 to see how the events in Jonah’s life foreshadowed events to come. Look up Jeremiah 18:7-10 to learn about God’s dealings with the nations of the world.
Next:
The apostle Paul asked people to pray that he’d have boldness to share the gospel. What’s your top prayer request related to evangelism? How can you become more confident in sharing your faith?
Gary Shultz on April 25, 2016 at 4:22 am
Hi Jennifer. There was a thread the other day about witnessing and several things were shared. I would say I am somewhat guilty of not asking for opportunities to share a witness. I don’t often get the opportunity and I don’t put that on the front of the pile. One thing I do notice about accounts of people that were God’s messengers is that He usually gave them instructions. Being open to the voice of the Spirit is very important, I think. Being available and equipped to respond to an opportunity is also very important. Believe it or not, replying to these articles has sharpened my iron in several situations. I “practice” handling thoughts and responses from the point of witness “what God has done in my life”. Thanks for working with us Jennifer.
gagirllive on April 25, 2016 at 7:57 am
Jennifer, here we are once again speaking about the “commission” we all have as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ—the one thing that most of us get tripped up on more than anything else. I’m no expert at it, for sure and for certain. However, something shifted in me a few years ago that awakened me to step more boldly into this arena of speaking about my faith with others. So, oftentimes, with my knees knocking, I go there. Charles Stanley, a favorite TV pastor from down here in the south, always says, “Obey God and leave the results to Him.” I try to hang on to that in those moments of fear and inadequacy when witnessing. It takes the pressure off and helps me to relax more with people. The results of the social experiment you mentioned in your article have been my personal experience as well. People are open and the conversation is pleasant when the approach is natural and caring. And, I find that people don’t mind talking about themselves. There is a little formula that I’ve used for years when talking with “strangers”. It’s called F.O.R.M. It works well as a natural progression into conversation that leads to spiritual things. F—ask them about their family. O—ask them about their occupation. R—ask them about their religious background. And finally, M—tell them the message of the gospel. I don’t always get to “close the deal”, so to speak, but God has used it as a gateway into sharing my faith with people that I meet “on the way”. That’s what Jesus and the disciples did—they met needy souls as they were going. So, whether on a train commute, city bus ride, or waiting at a doctor’s office we don’t have to hesitate to share our faith. We can pray for courage and discernment in the situation, then open up conversation with people and watch God work. I can testify that He takes the lead when we obey. Thanks for challenging us on this subject once again, Jennifer. Grace and peace to all my friends here today.
sandy229 on April 25, 2016 at 10:09 am
I really like that! F.O.R.M. that is really a good idea! Thanks for sharing that. I know all we can do is share the gospel as the Spirit leads us to do, and we can’t transform them into Christians over night because that’s the work of the Holy Spirit, but we can be available as God leads us to be and share as God leads us to share. That is a good way to break the ice though. I really like that. I pray that I will be able to do that.
samgaskill on April 25, 2016 at 9:34 am
As always such great pondering points. I remain grateful for every fresh perspective. As Gary said, witnessing from the perspective of what God has done in our lives; that is indeed where we can go to show others what it looks like to walk out our faith in trust and hope. Our personal experiences are not so personal, they are for the benefit and edification of others, usually one at a time like on a train, or a bus or in the line at the grocery store. And gagirl, Charles Stanley has encouraged me so much! My younger brother found the Lord while attending the church he pastors. I am forever grateful for the truth and the support and the hope my brother now has. I’ve come to realize that when our hearts are soft and open to the lost, the compassion we feel leads us to share what we know, what we have been given. As Gary said the Holy Spirit guides us and with His kindness and genuine interest in the soul of a stranger amazing things will flow from our mouths, and our ears and eyes will be sensitive. I suspect when genuine sorrow and empathy for the lost is present, God will Himself pour out from us. We are used as His hands and feet when our eyes and ears are tuned into His presence. Witnessing out of love and mercy and not compulsion. I’m pretty sure most Christians can say there have been some times when words flowed from them, their hearts were oddly stirred or they cannot understand what made them stop and listen or stop and help. That is the most amazing thing I have personally ever experienced and I long for that continually. Nothing feels more right, more satisfying. Too infrequent are those times! Alas…..hear my plea oh Lord, for I cannot have this without having You fully and completely in my heart and in my thoughts throughout the day. Bless us all Lord that we may be used by You in fresh ways, more often. Soften our hearts for what softens Yours and ready us with voices to encourage, bless and offer the hope and trust and love we have found in You. Amen.
gagirllive on April 25, 2016 at 10:24 am
Amen, samgaskill. As you and Gary have said, our reliance on the Holy Spirit cannot be understated. We can’t do it without Him, but we are commanded to “go”. I used to always “pray for” and “wait on” God to open doors of opportunity to witness, and honestly, not a lot was happening. One day I heard in my spirit God say, “I’m working all around you. Stop waiting for something that I’ve already commanded you to do.” What I have come to learn is that when I simply step out in obedience and share the gospel, leaving the results to God, I get to see the power of the gospel at work. The aforementioned “formula” that I have used is not some rote presentation but simply a template to guide me in conversation. It NEVER goes the same way because each encounter is as unique as the individual involved. I’m listening carefully (and praying frantically :)) as the conversation unfolds. When I get to the “M”, it becomes very personal as I share my own story of redemption, but I ALWAYS give them the gospel. Yes, sensitivity and complete reliance on the Spirit is paramount, but I think we need to simply obey what God has already told us to do. There are open doors all around us. Love opens the door— the love of Christ within our own hearts for lost people. Obeying is our part. Results are God’s.
sandy229 on April 25, 2016 at 10:38 am
But that formula is still a good way to break the ice and meet new people to share with. I think the Holy Spirit is there with you when you are being led to share with others.
gagirllive on April 25, 2016 at 10:40 am
Absolutely!!!!
sandy229 on April 25, 2016 at 10:42 am
Amen… Obeying is our part. Results are God’s.
samgaskill on April 25, 2016 at 11:48 am
God bless you my sister as you walk humbly before Him seeking to share the hope and joy He has given to you at every opportunity!! I agree that love does open the door! Blessed are we to be used that God is glorified when His word goes out and does not return void! May your joy be great as you obey His voice to you!! Appreciate all your comments and seeing your desire to be obedient before Him. For He alone is worthy of this humble submission to seek His will in all things. Btw. Are you a Georgia girl? Gagirl that just occurred to me! A very beautiful place!
gagirllive on April 25, 2016 at 11:54 am
Yep. I am indeed a Georgia girl!
jim spillane on April 25, 2016 at 2:56 pm
gagirllive – you are one of my favorite commenters and I always seem to get something out of your comments. Today, I enjoyed your instructive comment regarding the template you use to witness to others. May I borrow that? (I know sandy229 likes it also). But I do have a question. When you talk about “the gospel” what, exactly, are you referring to? I was listening to a pastor recently who said that “the gospel” is not just the facts that Jesus died on the cross and rose again on from the dead. He stated that most people in this country already know the facts, but what we have to do is make it personal. By this he meant that we need to get across to them that Jesus died for them and he rose from the dead for them. And we are also to give them a taste of what God has so lovingly done for us in our lives. After much thought, I think that he is on to something here, and I’m thinking of changing my formula. What do you think? Thanx for sharing.
gagirllive on April 25, 2016 at 3:51 pm
Hi there, Jim. Good to hear from you today. Thanks for your comments. I shared what I shared as an example of what and how God works in my life in terms of witnessing. I don’t use it for everybody or in every situation, obviously, because it’s not a one-size-fits-all kind of thing. It’s useful when you are in a situation where God has given you time and space to engage with a person. You’d be surprised at how often God provides a set up like that. Anyway, I digress…:) To answer your question, what I mean by “sharing the gospel” is simply that. The gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. (1 Cor. 15:1–4) At some point we have to get around to that because that is the MAIN thing. However, BEFORE I share that Good News, I share with them the bad news—that they are separated from God because of their sins—that they are spiritually dead. This is where it becomes personal..at least from my end. I talk about my own lack of purpose and disconnect BC (before Christ)–how hopelessly lost I was and had no way of being right with God. If God is already working in their heart, I find that most can identify with this sense of “something is wrong in my life”. It’s rare that I find anyone hostile to what I’m saying. I spend a little time here talking about how we all come into the world broken and sin-sick… and that there’s nothing we can do to fix our condition. So, after the bad news I tell them the Good News. Now this is where I will have to differ from your pastor. I do get what he’s saying, but I believe that it is the Spirit’s job to make the gospel “personal” to an individual, not mine. He bridges the gap between the bad news and the Good News. That is the miraculous power of the gospel!!! It is the power of God unto salvation! (Romans 1:16, 17) God’s righteousness is revealed in it and people are changed by it’s power. So yeah, on the one hand we personalize it from OUR end, but on the other hand, it’s the Holy Spirit who personalizes it in the heart of the person you’re sharing with. Does that make sense?
gagirllive on April 25, 2016 at 4:04 pm
Also, Jim….I’m not just stating facts when I share the gospel. I’m explaining “why” Jesus died, was buried, and resurrected.
sandy229 on April 25, 2016 at 10:02 am
Thank you Jennifer for this timely reminder today we need to reach our neighbors. The one who lives across the street from me told me his sister is in town staying with him and wanted me to come by and say hi before she leaves. She is leaving sometime this week so I was planning on going over there, and now I can see that it would be a good chance to share with her. Last year while they were all visiting, I mentioned something about how God works in peoples lives so I don’t know if they remember that or not but they do know I am a Christian so this would be a good time to share with them. I still have copies of a booklet I obtained through the discovery series. I gave one to the girl who works there as his care giver but I don’t think she shared it with him. She may have mentioned it but I’m thinking I should have given him one also like I did some of the other neighbors when I brought them some tomato plants around Easter. I tried to give him a tomato plant but his care giver told me she wasn’t going to bother with it so I might as well forget it. I told him I would take care of it for him at my house and bring him the tomato’s and he was so thrilled about it. I think I am going to go over there today and give him and his sister a booklet and share with them. As soon as I read the devotion today, I immediately thought of them, so I feel like God is telling me to share with them today.
sandy229 on April 25, 2016 at 10:18 am
Blessings to all in the forum today, and may God guide and lead us as we share the gospel with others.
gagirllive on April 25, 2016 at 10:28 am
I’ll be praying for your witness today, Sandy. Take courage.
sandy229 on April 25, 2016 at 10:36 am
Thank you. I know I can only do what the Holy Spirit leads me to do, and I appreciate your prayer for this.
samgaskill on April 25, 2016 at 11:39 am
Lord bless you Sandy as you share what God has placed in your heart for such a time as this. Perfect opportunity and your heart has been made ready! Trusting God to use you as His voice of hope!! Bless you!!!
Andy Rogers on April 25, 2016 at 3:07 pm
Thanks for the excellent article today, Jennifer. The story of Jonah is a favorite of mine, and Jesus’ reference to it is fascinating. 🙂
-Andy
godlove on April 25, 2016 at 4:32 pm
What strikes me the most in the story of Jonah is how our Loving God readily forgave the people of Nineveh and “changed His mind” (imagine that!) about destroying the city (which upset the prophet sent to warn them – isn’t that so very “human”?). This speaks volumes about the Love of God and His desire that EVERYONE be saved. Knowing that this is His wish makes it a duty for us to take up the task, just as Jesus commissioned His disciples, of making Him known to the ends of the world, starting from the corner of earth where He has placed us. Jennifer, thanks for bringing another perspective on sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ and sharing our faith with the world. I am not very good at “cold calling”, so I usually opt instead for the “preach by example” technique. I pray everyday for the Lord to help me live out the love of Christ in my daily life as my way to witness His Good News to those around me. Actions, like they say, speaking louder than words. Blessings to all.
gagirllive on April 25, 2016 at 5:17 pm
So, forgive me dear godlove and all of my fellow sojourners here, but I just have to say a little more on this subject. As you can tell, I’m pretty passionate about this. I understand that we are all in different places on our journeys, and we all have lots to learn and practice concerning this. With that said, know that I am not passing judgement on anyone. By God’s grace we are learning to be light-bearers of His truth. However, I think we need to think more carefully about what Christ has COMMANDED us to do. The saying, “Preach the gospel, and if necessary use words”, has been attributed to Francis of Assisi. It’s questionable that he actually said that, but in the event that he did, he could not have been more wrong. It’s statements like that and other “lifestyle evangelism” jargon that have gotten us in the state we are in today…a culture where the church of Jesus Christ does not have the influence that it should be having. That statement, among others, is very postmodern and absolutely unbiblical. God has given us the command to literally share the gospel. No where in scripture are we told to witness about our faith SOLELY on a lifestyle level. Yes, that is certainly to be expected, but it is not the message that the early apostles used to spread the gospel to the world. Can you imagine what it would be like if they had?They OPENED UP THEIR MOUTHS and shared God’s truth. Yes, the lifestyle backed up their witness, but they obeyed the command, “Go” and the implied “Tell”. For years I was a nice good Christian in front of my neighbor, but she did not know the transforming power of God until I SPOKE to her about her condition and the grace of God’s gospel. We have to stop hiding behind the lie that being silent but good Christians is enough to bring people to Christ. Surely, there are times when God has used that, but that ALONE is not the mandate that we are called to. Please tell me you understand this, friends.
gagirllive on April 25, 2016 at 5:23 pm
Godlove, I want to be especially sensitive to you as you have stated that you live in another part of the world. You may live in a country that is hostile to the gospel in such a way that your very life may be threatened. Certainly, in that case I can understand your hesitancy, fear, etc. Your lifestyle and conduct would speak volumes in such a place. My comments were mainly toward what I have observed here in America. We have been silent too long, and now it is costing us greatly.
godlove on April 25, 2016 at 6:39 pm
Hi gagirl, you are certainly passionate about this, aren’t you? 🙂 Well, I understand what you mean perfectly even if I don’t agree entirely. First of all I’m a Sub-Saharan African (still trying to “hide”) and there are a good fair number of Christians where I live, so they are not particularly hostile to the Gospel here and I won’t be risking my life at all by talking. It’s more a matter of personal preference and understanding of what sharing the Gospel means. This is an interesting discussion we can have but I’m not sure I can respond to each of your points in this space. Of course, the apostles could not have spread the Gospel just by lifestyle alone, but I think that’s more a matter of different time, different context (almost like the little debate about speaking in tongues you had with other commenters here sometime back). Next, I think it’s debatable that the state of the world today is linked to Christians not speaking enough about Christ, on the contrary I would argue that it’s rather because believers don’t really live out the Gospel of Christ enough to impact the world; if we all did to the fullest of our capability (with the help of the Holy Spirit of course) the world would be a better place. In my humble opinion, too many believers have consciously or not tried to hard to fit in with the world’s standards, dropping along some of Christ’s teachings in the process. Finally, I did not mean that you can convert non-believers solely by lifestyle but rather that the method I use to capture non-believers’ attention is doing my best to live out His Love everyday. I don’t know how your situation with your neighbour was but in your place I would have “shared” Christ’s Love WITH her fully (not just IN FRONT of her) and as you both get closer, the opportunity to talk about Christ’s saving Grace would definitely come up. Like I said, it’s just about me not being great at cold calling, so I this is how I go about it. From real life examples around me, I can guarantee you that actions do speak louder than words when it comes to preaching the Gospel to non-believers (at least it’s the case where I live). Maybe we will just have to agree to disagree. 🙂 (Sorry if I was long, I was trying to explain my point as clearly as I can.) Be blessed.
gagirllive on April 25, 2016 at 7:22 pm
Thank you for responding, godlove. I truly respect your views as I do all the commentators on this journey. I learn so much from all of you. As far as todays topic, I think we agree on more than we disagree on. 🙂 I guess for me the bottom line is that personal preferences don’t have precedence over God’s implicit command to share the gospel. It definitely needs to be done in conjunction with a lifestyle that reflects what we say we believe….and LOVE is definitely and always the motive behind it. I do agree that our lack of influence in culture is due more to blending in with the world than not sharing the gospel. When we live as compromisers, the gospel is not heard. As for my neighbor, my love and genuine care for her opened the door of her heart and gave me a place to SPEAK the truth of the gospel to her….but I did have to actually TELL her the story of Jesus. 🙂 Be blessed, my friend. So glad you are in a safe place. Prayers for you across the way.
gagirllive on April 25, 2016 at 8:54 pm
In reference to my comment above, I meant to type “God’s explicit command to share the gospel”, not implicit. 🙂
godlove on April 25, 2016 at 11:10 pm
Thanks for your prayers and kind wishes, gagirl. Looks like we truly agree a lot more than I thought. In fact, we both think roughly the same thing but apply it in different ways. We both agree about “sharing” the Good News and, definitely, words MUST be spoken at some point to a non-believer to tell them about Jesus and what He has done for us all. My personal preference is simply about preparing the ground by living out the faith FIRST, then going further to talk about Jesus NEXT. I’m not sure how much I can achieve by talking alone, so I “share” less by talking and more by acting. I think it is easier for me, when the opportunity comes up, to talk about the meaning of Salvation in Christ after the listener has seen real life demonstration of the power of His Love at work.
samgaskill on April 25, 2016 at 11:45 pm
Thank you godlove for all your comments today. I’ve thought about them and enjoy the insight you provide from your own experience of sharing God’s Word and His love. Like your last line about the power of His Love at work! God Bless you!!
gagirllive on April 26, 2016 at 6:00 am
I agree, godlove…especially in the context of building a relationship with a person. Of course, our witness is not just limited to those individuals. You might be given an opportunity to share on a “cold call”, as you say. As always, genuine love must be evident, but since there is no time to build a relationship, laying the groundwork is minimal. I guess that’s what the F.O.R.M. method does in a quicker way. All that aside, I think we need to remember that the power is from God, not us or our methods. He is the one who opens the spiritual eyes…raises the spiritually dead. It’s not about our delivery or our effort to “prepare” the field. Jesus said the fields are already ripe for harvest—not saying that we should not take care in our approach, but His Spirit goes before us laying the groundwork. Well, I truly enjoyed our discussion on this subject, my young friend from Sub-Saharan Africa. 🙂 May the Lord bless you as you faithfully live out His call upon your life in your little spot of the world.
godlove on April 26, 2016 at 11:01 am
Thank you gagirl, I have learnt from our discussion, as I do almost everyday on this forum. I really consider the opportunity of this forum a blessing and I thank God for this in my prayers. Maybe I’m refusing to admit it but I’m just being a “Jonah” in my (strong) HESITATION to approach people who may not know Him yet and talk to them about Him, making up all sorts of reasons and (flimsy) excuses to delay talking to them as much as possible. (FEAR!) May the Lord bless us all and help us in the task of spreading the Gospel.
samgaskill on April 25, 2016 at 11:39 pm
Was just thinking in light of our passions expressed here today that perhaps we do AGREE more than disagree on the main thing: Our need for a Savior for the forgiveness of personal sin, our believe that God is creator of all, and that we share a common bond of thankfulness for the truth of the gospel that has set us free from the burden of sin, and filled us with the fruit of His Spirit. It is always essential to present the WHOLE truth (eternal death without our redeemer) without fear of mans disapproval of us while also tending to the lost sheep with kindness, gentleness, patience etc. We are given the commandments to “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Loving the Lord with all our hearts will compel us to share our stories of God’s forgiveness and love but also what may be lost forever without Jesus as Redeemer. We are acting out of compassion when we engage the lost, but also acting with compassion when telling them the whole truth. I think we often fear the disapproval of men more than the disapproval of God when we speak only what tingles the ears and do not let the full truth of God’s Word pierce a heart that needs His forgiveness. This verse came to me also from 1 John 3:16-18 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. So it appears we may be saying similar things in different ways based on our unique personalities, gifts and talents. Hoping this sums up well what’s in my heart for all of us. Speaking the whole truth (not omitting the hard to hear parts) in love. I am wanting to embrace all our uniqueness, our different experiences, insights, strengths, and weaknesses that we may edify one another and honor God in everything that flows out from us. I will be praying and looking for God to show me where I may not have shared clearly His full message of love AND the need for repentance. God please bless us, grow and lead us into maturity, and make more ready our hearts, our thoughts, our speech to bring You honor and glory. May we be found ready and willing to share Your Word with all you bring into our lives for this purpose. Amen.
godlove on April 26, 2016 at 11:12 am
Amen and amen, samgaskill. Thank you very much, you have hit the nail squarely on the head and pressed where it hurts: “we often fear the disapproval of men more than the disapproval of God”. I think this is my stumbling block on the issue of sharing His Word by talking to people. I join you in your prayer. Blessings to you.
gagirllive on April 26, 2016 at 11:40 am
I totally understand, dear brother. I will pray that your love for Christ and others will become greater than your fear. The fear of man is indeed a snare to all of us. I have discovered that as long as you give God a willing heart, He will work in you to accomplish His will. Bless you, my friend!
godlove on April 26, 2016 at 1:55 pm
Thanks for your support, gagirl. I was thinking about your F.O.R.M. and realised that even before getting there, I first of all feel very uncomfortable starting a conversation with a stranger. Although “noisy” with loved ones, I am a bit of an introvert and a little bit timid with strangers too (I know my excuses must resemble those made by Moses when he was sent by God to Pharaoh). That is probably the reason why I have not been able to talk about Jesus’ love with someone I have just met, and instead prefer to “act out” His love. Well, I pray God will use me as an instrument at His service and as He feels is best to carry out His will.
gagirllive on April 26, 2016 at 2:14 pm
Godlove, I know what you mean. Believe it or not, I’m an introvert, too! I think because I am getting to be an “older” woman now, the shackles of the fear of man have lost the grip on me that they use to have. I know that most of my life is behind me; therefore, I feel an urgency to make the most of what’s left for the kingdom of God. BUT, believe me, it still takes me out of my comfort zone to share with people I don’t know. Being an introvert doesn’t mean being unfriendly, so I intentionally try to engage with people….eye contact, smiles, etc. It really opens the door to conversation. All that being said, God made us all with different personalities and temperaments, and He fully intends to use each of us uniquely. I hope I haven’t said anything to make you feel badly because you don’t witness in the same fashion that I do. I only meant to make the point that the gospel is still a “message” to be shared. God will work with you to reach people He has placed in your realm of influence. Be encouraged!
godlove on April 26, 2016 at 4:37 pm
No, not at all, I understand you perfectly and I really should know it. I’m just hiding behind my irrational fears, I am still a long way off from where you are now and I pray that I will get there too someday. Thank you for all your encouragements, my dear sister, may you richly be blessed!