We are each given at least one spiritual gift when we first come to love and trust Jesus Christ as our Lord, God and Savior. We receive His Spirit at the onset and at least one manifestation of His presence in our lives. Mine was evangelism!
From the very beginning of my new life in Christ, I have had a desire to let others know about the miracle of salvation in Christ and how it is theirs for the asking. For most of us there is a window when the excitement of our salvation and new life are so overwhelming, we cannot wait to tell family, friends or any who might listen. For most this window closes after a brief time and the newly saved desires to be with mostly other Christians with whom he can grow and learn. My desire never abated.
Early on, I found courses on evangelism and personal witnessing. I remember courses called Evangelism Explosion, MasterLife and others. Once, with the Billy Graham Crusade, I took a six week course for crusade counselors that was in reality a course in personal witnessing. As time went on, I gained my own knowledge and experience that reflected my personal walk with God and those events became more and more a part of my own testimony. I learned my testimony is exactly that, my testimony. It is what happened to me and no one could argue with it or refute it. All I had to do to be an effective witness for Jesus Christ was to tell my story of what Jesus did for me.
Many don’t have the confidence or boldness to speak out about anything, especially on subjects regarding their spiritual life and the technique is not really taught. I learned to testify in twelve step meetings and giving impromptu tellings as called on in those deep sharing occasions. You just can’t rehearse it as there is no time and sort of difficult to do anyway.
Twelve step meetings are not for everyone, but personal testimony is what each of us are called to do if we are to expand the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. Just learn these basic points of discussion about yourself. 1.) How was it in your prior life? 2.) What happened that made you want to change? 3.) How is your life now as a Christian? These are the basic steps to knowing and practicing personal witnessing and it does not have to be your spiritual gift! The only requirement is that you love and trust the Lord Jesus Christ.
The paragraphs above are an introduction to what any Christian can do to bring others to know Jesus. One of he best manuals for witnessing can be found in the pages of How to be a child of God in the section called How to tell your story.
Find it in ebook form or order from : www.howtobeachildofgod.com.
David Howell
Prison Evangelism, Inc.
510 Bering Drive
Suite 300
Houston, Texas 77057
713-623-0690
www.prisonevangelism.com