How's Your Witness

The Super Highway to Heaven

Isabelle: Hey, whacha doin?

Dave: Hmmm?

Isabelle: I said, Whacha doin?

Dave: Oh, I’m evangelizing.

Isabelle: What do you mean? There’s no one here.

Dave: I know. I’m doing it online.

Isabelle: Wait a minute. You’re evangelizing online?

Dave: Yep. I’ve got to meet my quota and I figured doing it online was the most productive way.

Isabelle: What do you mean you’re quota?

Dave: Well, if we want our church to grow larger then it’s important that I meet a daily quota. Jesus said to go out into the highways and byways and I figured that I should concentrate all my efforts on the information super highway. Jesus would be impressed.

Isabelle: Okay, I’m not going to even touch that one. Let me get this straight – Your building the church through evangelizing on the web?

Dave: Yep. I mean, look here. I was talking with this person I found in this soap opera chatroom and see, I sent her this cool smiley face and a plus sign. Get it, it’s like a cross. That means that they should be happy about Jesus.

Isabelle: And this is your plan?

Dave: Uh, yeah.

Isabelle: Where is the person from?

Dave: Um, I don’t know, hold on. (types and waits) Dubuque Iowa.

Isabelle: And how are they going to come to our church to hear about Christ?

Dave: Uh, well. Hmmmm. Well, okay, you have me there. But what about this?

Isabelle: What, this email?

Dave: Yeah, go ahead and read it. I’m going to spam it out to 50,000 people.

Isabelle: "Got Jesus? No, then come to our church. It rocks. Dave"

Dave: Get it? It’s a play on "Got Milk?"

Isabelle: Dave, I don’t think…

Dave: And look at this! It’s my new website! People are going to be falling all over themselves to get into the church when they see this. See that? It’s an animated image of our church.

Isabelle: What are those?

Dave: Those are angels.

Isabelle: Are those bow ties?

Dave: Yeah, classy huh? What do you think about the snow I’ve got coming down?

Isabelle: Are those happy faces?

Dave: See, now you’re getting it. Now, the next thing I’m going to do is send out those emails and then I’m going to post these to newsgroups and… (Isabelle is saying "Dave" throughout his speech here until finally)…

Isabelle: DAVE!

Dave: What?

Isabelle: Do you have any friends?

Dave: Yeah, of course.

Isabelle: Why don’t you start with them? If they’re your friends, then go tell them.

Dave: (Begins thinking about it as LIGHTS FADE DOWN)

HOW’S YOUR WITNESS?

16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. - Matthew 5:16

8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. - Acts 1:8

What is Witnessing / Evangelism

* Webster’s Definition

wit·ness / Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation

–verb (used with object)

1.

to see, hear, or know by personal presence and perception: to witness an accident.

2.

to be present at (an occurrence) as a formal witness, spectator, bystander, etc.: She witnessed our wedding.

3.

to bear witness to; testify to; give or afford evidence of.

* What are all these “Christian” words about – Evangelism, Witness, Winning the lost, saved, soul winning, etc.

* The church has lost the meaning of Witness and has replaced it with lifestyle (Lifestyle Evangelism)

o I have fallen in that trap

o While it is important to have relationships, it is also important to tell people about Christ.

o If you’re having a heart attack, the doctor will not wait until next week to treat you.

* What does it all mean? How can we become witnesses?

* Who can be a witness

o Everyone

o You are a witness, even if you don’t want to be

o Witnessing is three way communication (Prayer, Bible Study and Telling others)

Three key aspects of your Christian witness

I. Prayer

a. God wants you to pray always

Pray without ceasing. – 1 Thessalonians 5:17

b. Go boldly to the throne – Hebrews 4:16

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. - Hebrews 4:16

i. We are in a time of need like no other

ii. God will give us all power to be His witness

c. Have confidence when you pray – I John 5:21-22

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: - 1 John 5:14