Chapter 2: Witnessing Barriers

IN THIS CHAPTER, you will discover:

· Ways to witness to unbelievers.

· Barriers that can prevent witnessing.

· How your life serves as an example to others.

· Prayer as an integral part of evangelism.


AS A RESULT, you will be able to:

· Utilize effective methods of witnessing.

· Overcome the barriers of fear.

· Live a life worthy of modeling.

· Prepare yourself with prayer before witnessing.

Reading: Living on the Devil?s Doorstep, pp. 42-51; Bringin? ?Em Back Alive, pp. 80-85.

Key Scripture: ?Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I will show you? (Acts 26:16).

Both Christians and non-Christians share the same basic physical needs ? food, water, clothing, and shelter. Everyone likewise has the same emotional needs ? acceptance, love, and respect. God has chosen to meet these needs by adopting us into His family through acceptance of His Son, Jesus Christ, as Savior. As in any family, there is a diversity of personalities, talents, and ages in the body of Christ. So there are many methods or ways of learning to witness. By discussing some of them, we can discover the ones we are most comfortable with and work on others that make us uncomfortable. These methods are simply tools available to be used as the Spirit leads. The more familiar we become with them the more likely we are to use them correctly and effectively. We can then concentrate on what the Spirit is saying and doing rather than on what we are saying and doing.

In this lesson, Ross Tooley describes how he discovered that one way to witness was by listening attentively. He was pleasantly surprised that both his attitude and the unbeliever?s changed in proportion to the intensity of his listening. He realized that his spiritual ears could tune out the static of circumstances and zero in on the needs of others. He tells the following story:

Realizing that it was the day before a three-day holiday in Sri Lanka, I jumped on a bus to get to the bank before it closed. It was my responsibility to cash the checks for the Youth With A Mission (YWAM) team, and they would be very inconvenienced if I didn?t follow through. As the bus pulled up to the bank, I jumped out. But the iron gate to its entrance was closed. When I asked to go in, the guard refused ? until I asked to see the manager. Thinking that I knew this important man personally, the young man opened the gate.

Inside I explained to the manager what I needed, and he sent an officer to cash the checks. Meanwhile, he attempted small talk by asking what we were doing in Sri Lanka. ?A group of us are here telling people about the Lord Jesus Christ,? I replied. When he inquired concerning our financial support, I said that we were all responsible for our own expenses, and some of us looked to God for our resources. Sensing that the timing was right, I asked, ?Are you interested in spiritual matters?? But the obviously well-educated man did not seem interested. We talked back and forth for a while. Finally I asked, ?Would you say that you are a friend of God??

I was quite unprepared for his response. Raising both his arms above his head, this otherwise unperturbed banker exclaimed, ?I would give anything in the world to be God?s friend and have peace of mind!? That was the entrance to his heart. This man needed freedom from resentment for the people who had cheated him. But his real need was to get to know God as his Father.

Melville, the bank manager, did not accept the Lord then, but he did invite my wife and me to dinner. Because he and his wife were nominal Christians, we were able to share scriptures with them. Furthermore, we invited them to some special meetings at a church in town. Melville came one night when I was speaking and gave his life to the Lord. He later shared that our time together with them in their home had been what attracted him to the Lord.
(adapted from We Cannot But Tell, pp. 25-27)

The Way to Witness

Ross Tooley witnessed differently in the two instances mentioned here. First, he obeyed the inner prompting and spoke what was in his heart. Second, he shared his family and his time as an expression of the value he placed on Melville and his wife. Ross proved that our words and our lives must support and confirm one another. Because he had prepared beforehand, he could let the love of the Savior be revealed through him. There are simple, practical attitudes that we can cultivate through the help of the Holy Spirit that will act as a foundation for all our witnessing:

Witness with Enthusiasm. Enthusiasm is contagious! Most people (Christians and non-Christians alike) would much rather be around enthusiastic people than uninspired people. And we certainly have something, and someone, to be enthusiastic about!

Use Simple Terms. Every group has its own language or jargon, and Christians are no different. Some popular phrases in Christian jargon (Christianese) are ?personal Savior,? ?sanctified,? ?born again,? ?justified,? and ?saved.? Believers who sprinkle their conversations with Christianese make unbelievers feel uncomfortable and isolated. Listen to your language as you talk with your friends, family, and coworkers. Practice using terms that clearly express your meaning. Your own beliefs will become clearer if you no longer rely on general terms and worn-out phrases.

Be Friendly. People often look at us to see God, for we are His representatives in the world. Many unbelievers have rejected God because Christians have led them to believe that He is unfriendly ? and angry with them. We can inspire unbelievers to trust His character by demonstrating friendliness. As we love them for their own sakes and enjoy their company, trust slowly develops. Once they feel unconditional love, unbelievers will entrust us with their most private thoughts.

Be a Good Listener. Allow unbelievers to say whatever they like ? within reason. Interruptions make them feel unimportant, but listening says: ?I respect you.? Self-esteem is important for everyone. Christians and non-Christians alike strive for understanding and acceptance. Be careful to respond in a non-threatening way. You can accomplish nothing through arguing, but you may gain ground through compassionate listening.

Witness with Boldness. We have been commanded by God to proclaim Jesus boldly. Moreover, He has sent the Holy Spirit to empower us. Boldness is the ability to speak the message of Christ with quiet authority while looking in another person?s eyes. The more love we have for them, the bolder we can be. Love is never threatening (adapted from We Cannot But Tell, pp. 41-51).

All the guidelines for effective witnessing can be summed up in one word ? LOVE. Love God ? love your neighbor ? love yourself (Rom. 13:8-10)!

Key Concepts:

1. In evangelism our must be the foundation for our actions. [BBA, 81]

2. True or False. Sometimes we say the right thing but with the wrong attitude. [BBA, 81]

3. As we walk in God?s grace and we overcome the hypocrisy in our lives. [BBA, 82]

4. (Pride, Sarcasm) is at the root of a critical spirit. [BBA, 82]

5. True or False. When using us to bring people to Himself, God will never ask us to do something we find personally disagreeable. [BBA, 83]

6. A love for the is the foundation upon which evangelism is built. [BBA, 84]

7. A naturally (aggressive, talented) person may easily develop self-sufficiency and pride. [BBA, 84]

8. True or False. God wants to deliver us from apathetic indifference but not from unrestrained zeal. [BBA, 85]

Further Study: Read ?V. The Gospel in Action,? IBC, pp. 1338-43.

Mission in Action: Sally and Floyd challenged the young people at the Olfat to watch their lives, live among them, and then make their own decisions about the claims of Jesus (LDD, p. 45). Do you have the confidence in your walk with Christ to challenge others to watch your life and learn of Him?

Reading: Living on the Devil?s Doorstep, pp. 52-58; Bringin? ?Em Back Alive, pp. 75-80.

Key Scripture: ?There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love? (1 John 4:18).

Benjamin Franklin once said, ?Love your neighbor, but don?t tear down your fence.? All of us realize the value of barriers and fences. They are important for keeping things in ? or out, depending on our perspective. Tangible barriers can either protect or isolate. Often the intangible barriers that we construct in our lives serve the same purposes. Emotional, psychological, and spiritual barriers can be even more effective than their tangible counterparts. How sad that many Christians adopt Franklin?s homily as a philosophy of life. Invisible fences should have no place in the life of a Spirit-filled Christian. Christ came to break down the barriers that separate us from Himself and from others. ?For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility? (Eph. 2:14).

The Fear of Man

Until these fences are toppled in our lives, they continue to isolate us from others and from God. Perhaps the greatest barrier to witnessing is the fear of man (Prov. 29:25). This fear disguises itself in several ways. At different times it may appear as:

· The fear of rejection (1 Peter 2:4, 7).

· The fear of physical harm (3:13-15).

· The fear of failure (3:15).

· The fear of loss of reputation (3:16-17).

The only way to overcome the fear of man is by driving it out with the fear of God. This submissive and awesome fear is given by God Himself (Ps. 33:8). Some of its characteristics are:

· Friendship and intimacy with God (Ps. 25:14).

· Wisdom and understanding (Ps. 111:10).

· Security and steadfastness (Ps. 112:7-8).

· A hatred of sin (Prov. 8:13).

The Fear of the Lord

We do not encounter the fear of the Lord by accident; rather we choose to seek it. The writer of Proverbs exhorted: ?My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God? (2:1-5).

Whenever Christians try to convince others about the truth of the gospel, they run the risk of failure, rejection, and the loss of reputation. Some may even suffer physically at the hands of others. But when fear arises, we must acknowledge it and ask the Lord for encouragement (1 John 1:9). He alone can deliver us from every fear. People who reject us because we express beliefs about God have a problem, not us. Our main concern should be what God thinks of us, not what others think.

The barriers that have hindered our spiritual growth have to go! The first step is to recognize that there is a barrier. Next we must determine to overcome the fear of people by developing a reverent fear of God. The Holy Spirit will then empower us to speak sensitively but fearlessly to unbelievers. Only then can we see the toppled barriers as stepping stones to greater witnessing.

Key Concepts:

1. The fear of (God, man) brings a snare. [BBA, 75]

2. True or False. Fear casts out perfect love. [BBA, 75]

3. Every ambassador for Christ is essentially a/an (rejected, acceptable) person. [BBA, 76]

4. To handle rejection, make sure you are getting acceptance from the (world, Father). [BBA, 76]

5. True or False. The only way to deal with the fear of losing your reputation is to give it up. [BBA, 77]

6. True or False. Many rational, level-headed persons are afraid to witness because people may see them as religious fanatics. [BBA, 77]

7. Satan uses fear ? physical, mental, , and spiritual ? as weapons to discourage us from witnessing. [BBA, 78]

8. As we grow daily in our knowledge of God, we will (finally, never) have all the answers to unbelievers? questions. [BBA, 79]

Further Study: Read ?iv. Paul?s Defence Before Agrippa and Festus,? IBC, pp. 1309-10.

Mission in Action: Floyd McClung states, ?There is a dimension of life that is spiritual in nature, and its power supersedes that of the temporal reality we observe with our senses? (LDD, p. 54). How is this discovery and its implementation vital on the mission field? In your own life?

Reading: Bringin? ?Em Back Alive, pp. 11-29.

Key Scripture: ?The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made? (Ps. 145:8-9).

?People don?t care how much you know until they know how much you care.? Floyd McClung believes that wholeheartedly. To demonstrate its simple truth, he wrote the following story:

Several years ago some workers from Youth With A Mission went to establish a ministry among Vietnamese refugees who were being held in a camp in Hong Kong. When they first asked for permission to enter the camp it was denied, but they persisted and were eventually allowed to enter. The camp supervisor, however, suspecting them to be just another group of ?do-gooders? who would not last, forbade them to do anything ?evangelistic.? Instead, they were assigned to work at restoring a blocked and overflowing toilet system. For days the team labored knee-deep in squalid waste. They scrubbed, cleaned and mended broken and blocked pipes until the toilet system was once again fully operational.

When they reported to the supervisor for their next task, he confided that he?d never expected them to complete the first one. He was so impressed with their attitude and willingness to work that he opened the camp to them to run evangelistic programs. The team soon found that the Vietnamese people, who had watched closely as they restored the broken toilet system, had been touched by what they saw. They were ready and eager to listen to the gospel message.
(Wholehearted, p. 162)

The Firsthand Gospel

What is this gospel that we have been commissioned to proclaim boldly? Is it really good news? What makes it so important that millions of people would jeopardize their homes, careers, and even their lives to embrace it? Perhaps we should take a closer look at the history of the gospel and the people who proclaim it.

The early Christians? gospel preaching (kerygma) was essentially the same, no matter who the preacher was. Paul wrote his letters to people already familiar with the kerygma. In them he related that he had ?received? the good news from others before ?passing it on? to his readers. Paul insisted that his gospel was the same as that preached by the other apostles (1 Cor. 15:3ff.). Peter also attested to the foundation of the kerygma: the death and resurrection of the Messiah (1 Peter 1:3), His exaltation to God?s right hand (3:22), and His glory yet to be revealed (5:1).

The gospel announced that Jesus, as David?s descendant, was the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. Jesus began His public life during the ministry of John the Baptist. This mission was divinely attested to by His works of mercy and power. Near the end of His life on earth, Jesus was betrayed to His enemies and handed over to the Romans by the Jewish rulers. Consequently He was crucified and buried, but God raised Him on the third day. Because of the controversy concerning the resurrection of Jesus, the apostles constantly emphasized their firsthand, eyewitness accounts.

This same pattern of redemptive events is the premise underlying the other New Testament letters, most notably Hebrews and 1 John. As representatives of Christ to unbelievers, we ourselves must be fully convinced. Following is a concise history of the gospel. All Scripture agrees that Christ as the Messiah:

? Was sent by God to redeem His people (Gal. 4:5).

? Was the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy (Luke 24:25-27).

? Died for our sins (1 John 2:2).

? Was buried and was raised in three days (John 19:38ff.).

? Appeared to numerous eyewitnesses (1 Cor. 15:5-7).

? Commissioned the disciples to spread the gospel (Matt. 28:19-20).

? Promised the Holy Spirit would come in power (Acts 1:8).

? Ascended into heaven while the disciples watched (Luke 24:51).

? Sits at the right hand of God the Father (Mark 16:19).

? Will return to earth at the appointed time (1 Thess. 4:16).

? Will reward the righteous with heaven (John 14:3).

? Will sentence the unsaved to hell (Rev. 20:15).

The Patient Gospel

Knowing these scriptures will help us share the gospel with confidence, though our experience will also carry considerable weight. As we consistently and patiently bear witness to the grace of God in our lives, unbelievers will be faced with the same choice as those who encountered Jesus: they will either acknowledge that He is the Son of God, or they will deny Him and turn away. We must be patient and allow Jesus to build His foundation in each person, one brick at a time. We know that in due season His promised harvest will be completed.

Key Concepts:

1. Though we are not all called to be cross-cultural evangelists, we are all called to be ___________. [BBA, 12]

2. Paul did all things for the sake of the . [BBA, 13]

3. True or False. The main thrust of Paul?s teaching was that only some Christians are specifically called to be functioning parts of the body. [BBA, 13]

4. Some distinct people groups have been identified in the world. [BBA, 18]

5. Thomas Cranmer and were Christian radicals who were burned at the stake for their beliefs. [BBA, 22]

6. True or False. All evangelicals are evangelistic. [BBA, 23]

7. Most Christians want to be effective in evangelism; they simply lack of how to do it. [BBA, 24]

8. True or False. We will never be effective for God by witnessing only to our immediate personal contacts. [BBA, 26]

9. Paul knew the importance of living a (flexible, rigid) lifestyle in order to witness. [BBA, 27]

10. According to Michael Green, Christianity was primarily a lay movement, spread by (informal, trained) missionaries. [BBA, 28]

Further Study: Read ?VII. Antioch, A New Centre of Missionary Activity,? IBC, pp. 1287-88.

Mission in Action: Identifying with people is very important. Sometimes it may require dressing a certain way or eating particular foods. Sally realized that merely wearing hippie style clothes to identify with the young people would have been hypocritical. She discovered that her identity came from within, not from her appearance (LDD, p. 50). Have you tried to identify with someone in appearance only, or could you identify with their needs ? or pain?

Reading: Living on the Devil?s Doorstep, pp. 59-64.

Key Scripture: ?Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart? (Jer. 29:12-13).

God does not need us, but He has chosen to bring about His kingdom through His people. One of the vehicles He has chosen is prayer. As followers of Jesus, we are to pray without ceasing. That does not suggest walking around with a pious look, lifting our eyes to heaven, and mumbling prayers to ourselves. Instead, unceasing prayer is constantly being in an attitude of prayer. To help us develop this attitude and actually see prayers answered, we must do the following:

Approach God in faith (Heb. 11:6). We must believe that He wants to touch our lives and the lives of others. Every prayer said in faith brings us closer to victorious living.

Humble ourselves, submitting to God?s will (1 Peter 5:6). We need to allow God to use us, our time, and our talents. Merely knowing His will is not sufficient, for He requires obedience to it.

Listen to God?s voice (1 Sam. 3:10). We should give Him ample time to speak to our heart, remembering that good conversation is always a dialogue.

Ask for things that we need ? or desire (Matt. 7:11). As a loving Father, God enjoys giving to His children. Furthermore, asking Him to provide our needs is praying in His will.

Agree with other believers in prayer (Matt. 18:19-20). Unity is a kingdom principle that works. There is strength in agreement.

Persist in prayer (Matt. 7:7). When we feel that our prayers are unanswered, the first thing we should consider is timing. Perhaps God?s answer is neither ?yes? nor ?no?; it is simply ?wait.?

Believe that God is working behind the scenes (Gen. 45:4-8). God brings about situations and influences that we are totally unaware of. Since God is a Spirit, His work is not confined to our finite comprehension.

Fight the enemy in the spiritual realm (Eph. 6:12). God has given us protective armor and the powerful weapons of prayer and His Word.

Pointless Petitions?

If we seriously doubt that God has answered our prayers, we should investigate both the prayer and the pray-er. Sometimes prayers are not answered because of the following:

· Unconfessed sin (Prov. 28:13). Perhaps jealousy, lust, or bitterness is lurking in our hearts. God hears our hearts, not our words.

· Ritual prayers (Matt. 6:5). Prayer has become a routine when we simply mouth words.

· Concern for the insignificant (Luke 10:46). We become wrapped up in things that do not concern the heart of God.

· Prayers of unbelief (Matt. 17:19-21). Often we become more impressed with needs, circumstances, or sin than with God.

· Detrimental witness (Luke 6:41). If we become critical, self-righteous, and legalistic, others will be influenced negatively.

Too often it is easier to believe that our prayers have not been answered than to persevere, so we go on to the next thing. This may be prompted by the fear that perhaps we have missed God. As a result of our impatience, we rob God of precious time that He may need to bring circumstances and people to the specific point where He can deal with them. Remember that God sees our situation and prayers from an eternal viewpoint. Once we realize that He lovingly cooperates with us through prayer, our own perspective changes. The privilege of prayer becomes a joy!

Out of the ?Ozone?

Once we decide to pray, when to pray is the next decision to be made. Jesus prayed early in the morning (Mark 1:35) and through the evening and into the night (6:45). But for many Christians, praying anytime seems next to impossible. As soon as we begin to pray, suddenly we drift off into the ?ozone.? Our minds wander and sometimes drowsiness creeps in. As an antidote to drifting off, Danny Lehmann has suggested using Psalm 100 as a guideline for our quiet times. Its important insights will enable us to say, ?Good morning, Lord,? rather than ?Good Lord, it?s morning!?

Sing and be joyful (vv. 1-2). Singing sets the tone for our time with the Lord. It says, ?I?m here; I?m happy and joyful about being here; let?s have fellowship.?

Realize whom you are with (v. 3). Meditating on God moves the focus from us to Him. This also helps us to exercise our faith ? the essential element of prayer.

Begin the time with thanksgiving (v. 4). Remembering God?s past deeds on our behalf gives us hope for the future. A few moments spent each day recounting our blessings helps us anticipate our intimate time with the Lord.

Praise Him (v. 4). A time of praise is spontaneous and intimate. Hundreds of worship songs have been written using the psalms and other scripture passages. Reading hymns aloud is an excellent way to praise. Singing spiritual songs that well up from our heart is a sweet fragrance to the Lord.

Experience His love and faithfulness (v. 5). By following these simple directions, our prayer time will become vibrant and joyous ? a time of sweet fellowship with the Lord (adapted from Before You Hit the Wall, pp. 39-43).

Paul?s Prayers

Perhaps the most prolific pray-er recorded in the New Testament is the apostle Paul. Each of his letters is a repository of the prayers of this great man. The subjects, of course, depended on his audience and the situation in their lives. These themes address the needs of modern Christians as well. A few of Paul?s prayer concerns appear below:

· Prayer for right living. Paul prayed that his hearers might strive for holiness ? living sincere and blameless lives ? to please our Lord Jesus (Col. 1:9-12).

· Prayer for greater knowledge of the Lord. Paul understood that the Spirit of wisdom and revelation enables us to know Christ better (Eph. 1:15-23).

· Prayer seeking God?s will. Paul prayed for his hearers to have discernment and insight ? essentials to knowing God?s will (Phil. 1:9-11).

· Prayer for strengthening. Real strength comes from the Holy Spirit. Paul prayed for the strengthening of the Christians? hearts in deed and word (2 Thess. 2:16-17).

· Prayer for ministry success. Bearing fruit is the goal of every Christian?s life and ministry. Paul prayed for his Christian friends that they might fulfill the purposes for which they were called (2 Thess. 1:11-12).

· Prayer for unity. Paul prayed that his audience might be in one accord, glorifying God with one voice (Rom. 15:5-6).

· Prayer for Christ?s indwelling. Paul realized that Christ can dwell in our hearts only through faith and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit in the inner man (Eph. 3:14-17a).

· Prayer for God?s fullness. Paul sought to illustrate the vastness of God?s love. Furthermore, he prayed that his hearers would be filled up with it (Eph. 3:17b-19).

· Prayer for peace. Peace, Paul recognized, does not depend on circumstances. Rather, it comes directly from the Prince of Peace (2 Thess. 3:16).

It is impossible to list the kinds and numbers of prayers uttered by Paul. But Scripture makes it clear that Paul?s success was largely due to his prayer life. Christians who desire a successful prayer life can imitate this spiritual giant ? the apostle Paul.

Key Concepts: [All answers above]

1. To pray without ceasing suggests an (action, attitude).

2. True or False. God expects us to do all the talking when we pray.

3. Agreeing with other Christians in prayer is applying the kingdom principle of .

4. God has given us the powerful weapons of the Bible and for defeating the enemy.

5. Our prayers may go unanswered because of sin.

6. True or False. It is impossible to pray in unbelief.

7. We sometimes rob God of (time, details) that He needs to answer our prayers.

8. Paul realized that real strength comes from the .

9. True or False. Our peace does not depend on circumstances.

10. Much of Paul?s success was due to his (rabbinic training, prayer life).

Further Study: Read ?vi. The Great Prayer of Jesus,? IBC, pp. 1257-59.

Mission in Action: God taught the missionaries at Kabul that He could provide for their practical needs, even in the middle of a desolate and remote place like Afghanistan (LDD, p. 60). Perhaps your ?Afghanistan? is a medical crisis or a financial crunch. Be encouraged. God wants to answer your prayers and provide for you in your desperate and desolate places.