Secrets of Witnessing for Wimps, part 2

Thank you for returning to part 2 of Witnessing for Wimps, an interview with author and SAHM Marie Adams. Remember to leave a comment for a chance to win a blogiversary prize.

Jen: Are you naturally outgoing, or is it sometimes uncomfortable to share the Lord with others? Are you ever afraid they’ll reject you or argue with you?

Marie: I am outgoing when I'm with my friends and family, but I haven't always been that way; I was very shy as a teenager and had to make myself come out of my shell in college. I am uncomfortable sometimes and afraid of rejection or arguments, but I don't want to stop sharing the Gospel just because of that, because people's souls are at stake.

Many Christians forget that just as Heaven is real, Hell is also real and they both last *forever*. One of my teachers at Rhema Bible Training Center said about evangelism, "If you're worried about offending people by witnessing to them, I guarantee you that as soon as they get into Hell, they will be offended!" We don't want to regret not talking to them when we had a chance to lead them to Christ.

I really haven't run into much rejection, but I try to think of a positive, loving response ahead of time in case they are hostile, so I'm not caught off guard. For instance, if someone said all Christians are hypocrites, I could answer with, "Yes, that's sad that we're not always doing our job, but God isn't like that, and He loves you so much. I hope you'll consider getting to know Him."

Jen: What are some practical ways SAHM’s can witness to people; ie, how can you share Jesus by your life?

Marie: My mother told me recently that taking care of your children is a way to serve God. I know it doesn't often feel like it, but our first ministry is to our husbands and children, and we can dedicate the work we do for them as unto God. We want to train our children, not only in things like obedience and housework, but in knowing God. We can't do that if we're never there for them. Whether they receive salvation may largely depend on us and the spiritual environment in our homes.

If you want to find other ways to witness to people, good for you! People everywhere desperately need to hear the Gospel, even though we have mountains of laundry to fold and piles of Cheerios to dig out of the air vents. It's very important to have a godly lifestyle, both in and out of the house, so you don't damage your witness if you get a chance to share your faith. We don't want anyone thinking of us as hypocrites, including our kids.

You can always pray for unsaved people, and pray for "openings" to witness when you're out of the house (for people to express an interest in God and salvation; this way, you're not dealing so much with a fear of rejection when you witness to them.) If you don't get an opening, you can make one yourself: work God or spiritual things into the conversation and see if they'll talk about it with you. (i.e. mention something God has done for you lately, or a great church service you attended recently.) Ask them if they have a church they attend; if not, or if they need a new one, invite them to yours.

It's important to let God guide you in where to attend church, and that you go to one that truly loves God, loves people, has a passion for winning souls, and that you enjoy attending. It's hard to invite someone to church if you're not excited about going there yourself!

Ask people if there's anything you can pray for them about; I have found this is usually well-received because it's not as confrontational as "direct" witnessing (i.e. "Have you accepted Jesus as your Savior?") If they say yes, be sure to remember to pray for their needs. You can keep a "prayer notebook" in your purse to write down their requests so you'll remember them. You also might want to keep business cards in your purse with your church name and address printed on them, to give to people when you invite them to church.

When you make a new friend, cultivate the friendship with the intent of finding out if she's a Christian and witnessing to her if needed. Finally, you can accept defeat gracefully; if someone makes it clear that they don't want to hear about God, you can politely drop the subject. If you push the issue, it will probably give them a more negative view of Christians than they already have. You can always pray later that God gives them a hunger for Him, and that He brings other people into their lives to witness to them again.I hope this information has been helpful to you and given you some ideas for sharing your faith. I pray that God blesses you as you reach others for Him!

Jen: Marie, thank you for the precious time you took to answer these questions. May the Lord direct your life in Him, and give you much fruit from your sharing Him with others.

P.S. Marie is my DD. Is it any wonder I'm proud of her?