Dear Prayer Warriors, I have heard a lot lately about Christians who feel their job, lifestyle or ministry “insulates” them from the non-Christian world and, as a result, they do not witness on a regular basis. I thought I would share a little on this subject and, at the same time, give you insights on how we share the gospel when we are in the country.
He Never Forgave Me It was a wakeup call and one of my first exposures to ministers who hide behind the cloak of the “insulated ministry.” I was attending a meeting with a large multi-national para-church organization. I was having breakfast with one of the Vice Presidents of this organization and he was bemoaning the fact that his job so insulated him from witnessing that he had just about given up on this ministry. I replied both eagerly and naively, “I can help you with that!” Then I asked the waitress if I could speak to the manager. He arrived in a nervous state but I immediately put him at ease. I introduced myself and the V.P. and then said, “We both are in the ministry and getting people to work at a high standard of excellence is one of our goals. I could not help but notice the fast, friendly and efficient service of your staff – from the hostess, to the wait staff, to the kitchen. Do you have a philosophy of management that makes this elusive goal a reality?” He beamed, replied in the affirmative and then gave us his four-point management philosophy. I replied, “We, too, have a concept which is best illustrated. It takes about three to five minutes. May I show it to you?” I then shared with him the Bridge Illustration of the gospel. He was greatly pleased to exchange ideas and equally pleased that it took about three minutes to share. He gladly accepted the paper on which I had illustrated. I introduced him to my fellow minister and said, “He works with (giving him the name) and eats here a lot. You can have him in to share with your staff or ask him questions about this illustration whenever you see him.” I then eagerly shared with the V.P. how I frequent the same merchants throughout the year so as to develop a rapport. I have used this method to share Christ with managers and small business owners throughout the city of Houston. Well, you could cut the air with a knife on the way home. He was incensed. As I tried to put my finger on what was the problem (which he could not articulate,) I suddenly realized that I had destroyed the myth of the insulated Christian. He had comfortably freed himself from the arduous task of personal witnessing with this myth. Now it was gone and I was the cause. He never forgave me for this. What had been a close and warm relationship, from that time forward, became distant. He had no intention of being friends with someone who, in the course of conversation might say, “Well, how is witnessing going? With which merchant did you share Christ this week?”
Appointments with Destiny Early in my Christian life I was taught to look for “appointments with destiny.” I was told there were three keys to keeping these appointments. First: Prayer John 15:16 " You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.” God the Son says clearly that, as His disciples, we were chosen to bear fruit and that, in this context, we may confidently pray for the fulfillment of this calling. I was taught to begin every day asking God to bring someone into my life with whom I might share the gospel and then to look expectantly for this person. This is a line item in my prayer notebook.
Second: Belief in the holy, eternal, inerrant, written Word of God Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” This passage was shared with me early in my discipleship training. It was emphasized over and over in my training that there are no chance relationships, only “appointments with destiny.” We can assume that God will bring prepared hearts into our lives for us to do good works. It is also my deep conviction that it is blatantly dishonest to do a good work, prepared beforehand by God, without sharing the gospel. God the Holy Spirit clearly teaches in Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” The very reason the good work is possible is from Jesus. The only reason we want to do the good work is from Jesus. The only reason we are able to minister the good work is from Jesus. To not give Jesus credit is blatantly dishonest, the height of vanity and pride.
Third: Preparedness1 Peter 1:13 “Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” The last key is to be ready. Many opportunities pass us by. It takes mental discipline to be prepared for appointments with destiny. Any Muslim, Mormon, Jew or Jehovah’s Witness can say “Praise God.” Only we, as Christians, have the “words of Eternal Life.” Only we can share the complete gospel. We must be ready to do this. My son’s testimony is this: “After listening to the application you gave me on Galatians 2:20, I began sharing Christ with those to whom I did good works. The men at work all said, ‘Oh, that’s it! We all had decided you were a Mormon.’ “ To how many of those to whom you do good works, yet do not share Christ, has satan whispered in their ear, “Look, another Mormon, you should check it out.” Or how many have said to their Christian spouse, “Quit talking to me about Jesus. There is a man at work who is better than any man I have ever met and he never talks about Jesus."
Creative Thinking Sometimes this takes a little creative thinking. I would like to share with you a few ways I have shared Christ in the past couple of months. On the plane: I was sitting next to an executive with a large multi-national oil service company. He was unwilling to talk about Jesus. I pulled out my laptop and, on the wallpaper is El, standing in the snow, in front of the Church of the Spilt Blood in St. Petersburg, Russia. He asked me about it and I said, “Has anyone ever explained to you the symbolism of the Orthodox cross?” He expressed interest as it is unique. I then used the cross to share the gospel (as it was designed for this, it is easy to do.) Window Cleaner : We recently had our windows professionally cleaned. I was able to share the gospel with the cleaner and used the film from the soap on one of the windows to share the gospel. He was already a Christian and gladly accepted a Bible and copy of Lee Strobles’ Case for Christ. El’s household helpers: We have cleaning ladies come out once or twice a month to help El with the house. They are happy to receive bottled water, a Spanish New Testament and Spanish translations of Case for Christ or Evidence Demands A Verdict by Josh McDowell. “It is a concept best illustrated”: We recently had a board meeting at the Courtyard Inn’s meeting room. The events manager was intrigued by the name, Grace Community International. I replied with, “It is a concept best illustrated. It takes about three to five minutes; may I show it to you?” This has been an effective opener many times for sharing the gospel. Laying the foundation for Christmas: The weeks before Christmas I drop by all the restaurants and businesses we frequent and give them New Testaments, with a Four Spiritual Laws tract inside, wrapped as a Christmas gift. Attached to the bow will be a candy cane with the tradition of the candy cane explained. I include a card with the comment, “I am sure you have a copy of the Holy Scriptures.” Later, after the first of the year, I will revisit them during the January slowdown and ask, “Has anybody ever showed you the illustration of how to understand the New Testament which I gave you for Christmas?” Then on the inside cover (for it will usually still be on their office desk) I share the Bridge Illustration. Destiny Basket: We keep a “destiny basket” by the front door. It has Spanish and English New Testaments, tracts and evangelistic books. Everyone who comes to our door for any reason – sales, service people, delivery, etc., they get a water (or soft drink) and evangelistic literature.
The main thing to remember is that the only thing that “insulates” the Christian from the non-Christian world is the attitude of the Christian. If we begin each day with prayer, if we believe the written Word of God and if we are prepared for action, then each week will be filled with witnessing opportunities.
By His mercy, II Corinthians 4:1 Rev. John S. Mahon Director – Grace Community International
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