INTRODUCTION
There are many people who desire to hear the gospel and be changed. Many of them are tired of their lives and want something meaningful, something real, something they can live for and die for. They just do not know how to identify their real need. There are people in high places who want to hear the gospel.
• The proconsul in Acts 13:6-12 is one of them. .
• The Ethiopian Eunuch. Acts 8.26-40
• King Agrippa. Acts 25:22. “Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he said, “you shall hear him.”
But there is resistance.
Some of the resistance is from within, others from without. They include:
• Poor soul consciousness keeps us from witnessing effectively for the Lord.
• Fear of going, fear of rejection, lack of preparedness,
• Weak character traits, love for the things of the world,
All these keep us from witnessing effectively. Besides, satan does not want you to witness, and wicked people will intimidate you and keep you from witnessing, like Elymas.
MASTER YOUR STORY
The Christian who does not have a story cannot be an effective witness. You must have a story. Your encounter with Jesus Christ is your unique story. Master that story well. Paul kept narrating his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus, and he did it everywhere he went.
That is not all, your story must reflect in your life and living. For example, you cannot say you are a Christian and continue to be living as an unbeliever. You must be the witness, and your life is the loudest message you can ever preach. Without a great lifestyle, you do not have a message to share.
MASTER YOUR CULTURE
The Christian culture is unique. Ask any unbeliever, and they will tell you what they think Christian culture should be. When the Christian is confused about who they are, the world finds it difficult to accept their message. Many unbelievers will flock to the church when it promises an easy life. But the Christian culture is balanced.
Learn to be nice to people. Learn to greet and be courteous, and learn to smile. Practice in the mirror. Learn to bathe and brush your teeth.
Learn to stop quarreling. Learn to stop stealing. They will be observing you.
Don’t go and fall in love there. Wait and come back.
MASTER THE TERRAIN
Who are they? What do they do? What do they consider as important? Master these to understand the people and the environment. Every environment is unique with unique characteristics. Winning here is what makes your message relevant.
Study them well to help you know what to share. Your message must be based on who the people are. You also need to know something about their occupation, culture, what is acceptable and what is not. Having someone from the area to guide is of a great advantage.
MOBILIZE YOUR PEOPLE AND GATHER YOUR TEAM
You must mobilize the People: You need as many of the people as possible involved in the process to ensure success. Bring them together. Convince them to be part of the witnessing. Teach them about the need for witnessing and how to do it. Teach them how to engage the people, what to say, how to say it and how to carry themselves around. Their conduct is your loudest gospel.
They are already tired of their own lives and the moral decay in the world. If you and your team also lack moral uprightness, you diminish the impact of your message. You are the message.
This is a strategy to master - how to mobilize the people.
MOBILIZE THE RESOURCES - THE NON-HUMAN RESOURCES
To succeed in witnessing, you need a lot of resources, though that should not limit you. Not all witnessing activities require a lot of money. But you may have to rent or transport public Address (PA) systems, pay for transportation to the venue, and sometimes, the pay for a means of conveying the people there.
Pull the human resources together. Take stock and ensure you have what you need to get the work done.
MASTER THE MESSAGE
Have a simple message handy and ready at all times. At the same time, each environment needs a unique message that is most suitable for the location and the people.
Learn to move from a normal conversation to a spiritual conversation. Learn to switch.
Learn how to keep to your subject. Otherwise, they can distract you and waste your time. Learn to answer some questions quickly and move away from the subject
What did Peter preach? What did Paul preach? What did Philip preach? Master one or two of them
Master appropriate doctrine- Titus 2:15 says "speak these things, exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you". Doctrine is what makes a difference between you and the JW or Mormon.
DEAL WITH THE OBSTACLES - EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL
Observe and study the environment to know the obvious obstacles that are there. Paul would study the environment where he finds himself and observe what he can see - Acts 17:22-23. You will not be able to notice the obvious obstacles if you are not observant. The Israelites went to spy the land before entering it.
• Strategically deal with any obstacles you find that can limit your effectiveness in the area.
• Spiritually. - pray much and study a lot of the Bible. Engage the powers of darkness and stand against them in prayer.
• Emotionally - be prepared. Arm yourself with a lot of energy from the Holy Spirit, to be able to cope with the challenges of witnessing.
• Deal with your own fears. Deal with the fears within and fears without. No matter how long we have been going out to witness, there is a certain level of fear.
Deal with divisions within the team, your group, the outreach team. Be sure you are going as a united front.
WIN THE SOULS
Be soul conscious. Seek out the lost. Allow your heart to beat after those who are not born again. Learn and master the strategies and throw the net for a catch!
