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Have you told others about Christ in the past? If so, what role did listening and dialogue play in the interaction? In the future, how might you use these techniques even more effectively?
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Listening and dialoguing allowed me to get a better understanding of the person and where they were. It also allowed me to hear from God the need He desired to meet for them. I was then able to share more intently who God is in regards to what they needed in their lives.
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Yes, I have been involved in sharing Christ from my college days and listening plays a vital role. Dialogue does generate the curiosity which with proper and regular interactions as needed by the listener helps to bring them closer to the Lord Jesus Christ. Ultimately accepting Christ is their own decision.
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Have you told others about Christ in the past? If so, what role did listening and dialogue play in the interaction? In the future, how might you use these techniques even more effectively?
I have spoken about Christ many times in the past, but I think that I wasn’t the most effective witness. I wanted to share the excitement I felt for Christ, but I lacked a lot of the personal understanding of what faith in Christ meant.
Over the last couple of years, my focus has been in establishing a foundation for myself; I’ve been working on turning over my life to the Lord to be better informed on what I believe, to apply what I learn in my life, and in doing that, being a stronger witness through my actions, words, interests, and how I dedicate my time. Not only has this approach lead to me learning a lot more, but it has also deepened my love for the Lord.
I feel that listening and dialogue are so important. In the past, I felt that sharing Christ was just presenting a strong logical argument that couldn’t be refuted (kind of like C.S. Lewis does in the beginning of Mere Christianity); However, I’ve really come to learn that we are all driven by our emotions – Even further, people don’t dedicate their lives to the savior from logical acquiescence, but from a personal/emotional connection.
With that said, I feel that a real relationship must be established; This is done through actually listening to people and finding where they are at in their lives (and not just identifying flaws in their worldview or beliefs). I think through the creation of relationships, strong witnessing of our love for Christ through our actions and words, an openness to share what we believe, and a readiness to explain why we believe what believe, is an effective tool for sharing Christ with others. This is all done through listening well and being intentional with our relationships and words.
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While I don’t typically engage in soul-winning methods by knocking on people’s doors, a practice that some denominational churches encourage, I’ve found it to be uncomfortable and ineffective. Therefore, when I enrolled in an Evangelism course at seminary, I was certain that my approach aligned with my beliefs. I prefer to connect with friends, make new ones, and even host gatherings at my home, inviting non-Christian friends over. I see myself as a living testimony for God, sharing my story of how He healed my addiction, mended my troubled marriage and family relationships, and saved me from a near-death experience. This major transformation is a testament to God’s love for me.
I don’t endorse the door-to-door soul-winning method because it often lacks follow-up. It’s as if we share the gospel, they believe in Jesus, and then we leave them to find a church and participate in discipleship courses on their own. This approach seems unfair and lacks the investment in building friendships.
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It really depends on the situation and the personality of the listener. The Gospel can be shared in many different ways (As long as the content remains true to the Word of God), and I’ve had conversations where people have asked questions in the middle of sharing, at the end, or they just want to listen. It’s so important to cater sharing the Gospel in a way that would best stick with that person. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you on how to approach that.