Witnesses aren’t prosecutors or judges. They simply tell what they know. For the Christian, it means sharing about our Savior and His way of salvation: agreeing with God about the problem—our personal sin—and agreeing about the answer—Christ’s death for us.
Here’s Jesus’ most neglected command: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15) This is His witness projection program—projecting God’s saving love story to all! Why don’t Christians witness? Here are the top reasons:
I didn’t know I’m supposed to. Some think only evangelists do this. But in the early church, all “those who were scattered abroad went everywhere” evangelizing. (Acts 8:4) How can we NOT tell about the world’s greatest Friend and the world’s greatest offer?
I don’t know how. This may be true, but the best way to learn evangelism is to do it. Memorize some good gospel verses. Keep it simple, real, and Bible-based. Pray for opportunities. Then go with confidence—the Lord is with you (Matthew 28:20).
Everybody already knows. Not true. Child Evangelism Fellowship estimates that 70% of the children under 15 in the U.S. have never heard the gospel once. And while many may be familiar with the facts, they’ve never been told Christ died for them personally, and how they can be sure of heaven.
No one’s interested. Again, not true. Millions today will receive earth-shattering news—inoperable cancer, a spouse leaving, job loss, or a child in trouble. Jesus said He came for the broken-hearted, and there are more of those every day.
They may respond, “I’m not interested,” but are assuming I’m recruiting them to join my church. Our message is about lasting peace, certain hope beyond death, unchanging love, and true happiness. Everyone is interested in these.
I’ll do it later. If, after a long delay, we tell someone of their danger, they might ask, “Why have you never told me before?” This demands a good dose of honesty. Say, “I should have told you, but I was afraid of losing your friendship. Please forgive me. May I tell you now?” Paul wrote, “if our gospel is hidden, it is hidden to those who are perishing.” (2 Corinthians 4:3)
I’m too busy. A divided heart is a dangerous heart. If you’re too busy to care about lost souls, you’re too busy. It’s a good thing Jesus wasn’t too busy to die for us!
I’ll look stupid if I don’t have the answers. It’s good to look for helpful answers that thinking people ask. But it’s amazing to see how the Holy Spirit helps in providing answers just when we need them.
We should practice saying, “I don’t know the answer to that. Can I get back to you?” The man born blind, when asked things he didn’t know, replied, “One thing I know: that thought I was blind, now I see.” (John 9:25) If you wait until you have all the answers, no one in heaven will need your witness.
I don’t want to be rejected. Here’s the Number 1 reason. But we wouldn’t worry what people thought of us if we realized how little they did! What people think of you won’t matter a snap of the fingers, but what they think of Christ will determine their eternal destiny. “He who wins souls is wise.” (Proverbs 11:30)
Article by Jabe Nicholson first published in the Commercial Dispatch, Saturday, June 15, 2024.