Resources What Do You Think? April 2003

What Do You Think?

April 2003

"...to increase the power of our witness to Christ..."
      -- Holy Redeemer Mission Statement

What are your instinctive reactions or first thoughts when you hear the words evangelism, outreach, and witness? Do you smile and feel inner warmth as you recall sharing your faith with others? Or do you break into a cold sweat while thinking "Oh, I just can't do that."

Over the course of the last several months, I have been surprised to find a number of people who fall into the latter category. I’m not sure why I am surprised, as I feel compelled to count myself amongst that same group. Perhaps I feared I was the only one. But I also find a good number of people at Holy Redeemer who are among the first group. And I find that most encouraging.

For those that fear witness

There are several common causes for our fear of witnessing. Often we are unsure of what to say or afraid we will say the wrong thing. We may have a sense of inadequacy to do the job; that we aren't convincing enough. We may be unsure if it's the right time. Or, quite commonly, we equate witnessing with going door-to-door to talk with strangers or preaching at a street corner. (While some people are called to do just those types of things, it is important to remember that there are many and various ways to witness.)

In order to overcome any fear, we must first determine the source of that fear. Once we have determined the source, we can begin to conquer it. If the source of our fear is not knowing what to say, we can read and study the Bible. God provides us with all the information we need. If our fear stems from feeling inadequate, we can first pray. Then, we must remind ourselves that the job of conversion is not ours, but the Holy Spirit's. We just need to share what we know.

What about the right time to begin? Well, that's easy. Start today. Start small, but start. Start with education. Study the Bible, pray, seek out others who have conquered their fears. Talk openly about your fears in a "safe" environment – among your friends at Holy Redeemer. Work through the fears together.

For those that enjoy witness

A wonderful opportunity is being presented to you. If you are already comfortable with your ability to witness, you can live out the Holy Redeemer mission statement by simply helping others in our congregation. If you help just one other member overcome their fears, the power of your personal witness has doubled. This power increases dramatically when those that we help begin to help others.

Those who began network marketing organizations know all about the power of involving more people. (If you tell five people, and each of those five tells five people, and each of those tells five people, you have grown to a network of 156 people in just three layers.) If you prefer a more soothing analogy, consider the circular ripples on a pond when you toss in a small stone. Those ripples continually expand outward until they reach the very edges of the pond. Did that small stone really have the power to displace all that water by itself?

What can you do? Help those that express a need for that help. Offer to lead an Adult Forum on how you overcame fear or on the joy you get from witnessing. Help, encourage, and pray for your fellow members.

So many ways to witness

I believe that there are many ways to witness in our daily lives. We simply need to be aware of them. We need to live the life God expects of us: help a neighbor in need, spend quality time talking with someone who is lonely or needs a friend, do the extra things that others seem unwilling to do. "...let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:16) Once people begin to see the actions of the Christian you are, they will naturally begin to ask questions about how you do it. How do you remain so calm? Why are you always so happy? How do you keep your positive attitude? Seize these opportunities to tell them exactly why. Tell them that you do these things to give back to God, whose grace gives you reason to celebrate every day.

I'm interested in hearing your fears, ways to conquer them, and ways to witness in daily life.

What do you think?
Jeff Hand (jhand@isualum.com)

Author's note: As I was formulating this article in my mind, we had not yet reached the time of President Bush's 48-hour ultimatum. As I worked on the outline, we were in the midst of that 48-hour period and war seemed inevitable. By the time I was prepared to write, war had begun in earnest. A part of me considered starting an entirely different article. But as I prayed about what message to send, I was struck by the notion that many people wish to go on with life "as usual." While I would suggest war is not, nor should it ever be, considered usual, as Christians we can go about many things "as usual." We should continue to worship and praise God, to pray, and to reach out to one another with the message of God's love. So I write the article, "as usual," but I add to my Christian responsibilities for prayer and outreach. I trust you'll do the same.