Do You Belong?

Many believers or nominal believers attend or go to churches and think that is all there is.  God wants you to belong, not just attend, and there is more than a subtle difference!  Members, not just attendees (people committed to the body and having taken the leap of faith publicly).  You must realize first that the church is a family and must have committed members who need and rely on each other as a family who is there for each other.  Actually, our church family should be closer than our physical family, if they don't believe it.  I, myself, never felt that I belonged (though I did feel I belonged to my former church as the church greeter) until I was inducted into my church and went through the initiation process (accepting the authority of the leadership, even giving my personal testimony to the body. (I think of Paul telling Timothy that he gave a good testimony in the presence of  many witnesses).   I was given the "right hand of fellowship" and felt an acceptance that I couldn't express in those words before.

Many people go to a mega-church which is more of a "crowd" than a church--you can be invisible (not what is meant by the "invisible church")  in that kind of church and nobody knows you are there or not  (how can you make an impact like this?) if you don't make some extra effort to make friends, that is. It is more difficult, if not impossible to have the sort of "family orientation" or feelings that should represent the body of Christ.

Many mega-churches are that way because of the reputation of a preacher (ironic since Christ was more interested in quality than quantity)  and the church can be, but isn't always mind you, a personality cult, that will fade away after the preacher passes on.   The church I go is not dependent on the preacher to hold it together--it is the fourth or fifth oldest church in Minnesota and has withstood six church splits and has survived, even as a Baptist church, which has a lot of negative connotations to us Minnesotans--those legalists and backsliders!

You must ask yourself, "Do you just attend?" or "Do you belong?" because there is a difference.  The church is an organism, not an organization and that means it should be alive and interactive, and not just people following the leader or taking orders like in a corporation or military outfit.  The church is not a dictatorship but a union of believers who need each other and work together as a body with Christ as the head, not any one person (Christ is in all believers!).  Try to think of the progression as follows: believe, belong, become!  If you want to become what Christ wants you to be, you must first be a believer, then you must belong.

To sum it up in a sentence:  Only in a family can you have what the church aims to do:  Have accountability, intimacy, unity, common goals, growth, and bonding or fellowship.  Soli Deo Gloria!

Tough Act to Follow?

I know what it is like to have to speak after a great performance or Spirit-led testimony:  The question I ask myself is whether I can equal or even surpass his achievement; then I realize that we are on the same side and that God is in control--we both possess the same Spirit, but different gifts. The key is not to be competitive but be yourself and let them accept you.   Different manifestations of the Spirit for the common good, Paul elaborates in 1 Corinthians.  My pastor says that the body of Christ has many parts that are very diverse and we should celebrate our differences--viva la difference! Welcome diversity because a healthy body has it.  The lesson again is:  BE YOURSELF!  God accepts you, so accept yourself and have faith that others will too!

The eye cannot say to the ear that it has no use of it, for instance.   Paul warns us against commending ourselves with each other or comparing ourselves to one another--we are all unique in Christ and God has a different purpose for each one of us.  We should find our spiritual niche, as it were, and fervently and zealously serve God therein.  I cannot read like my pastor and never will be able to or be able to tell a story like he does, but I have a knack for writing (I did not judge this but have been told this) and I sense God with me doing that.

By way of example:  Some people are better with words than others, and some people are better at speaking to the average Joe on the street; note that the common people heard Christ gladly--He was not pompous or flamboyant in his words, but, nevertheless, articulate, fluent, eloquent, and glib I'm sure--saying what He means, and meaning what He says!  We all need each other and the happiest people in the body are those who realize their place and each other's importance, respecting authority, if need be.

My testimony is completely different from my brother's and God has other people I can reach that perhaps he can't with his.  "...But they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise"  (2 Cor. 10:12).  Let's not play the game "Let's compare!"  That's why I believe we should bloom where we are planted and that God doesn't plant us somewhere by accident--but has a purpose!  We all have our own sphere of influence, circle of friends and acquaintances, and the little world to call our own that we can greatly influence faithfully in God's service.  Soli Deo Gloria!

My Spiritual Journey

This is a first-hand account of my religious and/or spiritual pilgrimage, pitfalls and all, without glorifying the past--and sparing the details.   It's an example of a  believer who got his own way and ultimately learned to submit to God's will the hard way of "been there and done that."

I was baptized in California as an infant in a Lutheran church and the pastor was my sponsor--we were corresponding for years.   I was also confirmed in childhood.  I can remember as a youth making a scrapbook of Jesus' life and my pastor showing it to the church, teaching vacation Bible school, and inquiring of my pastor whether I should go into the ministry.  I even went to Bible camp and believed I  knew the Lord mainly because I was fascinated with the book of Revelation (reading Billy Graham's book World Aflame), and then shared insights with my mom.

I recall no particular moment of surrender or spiritual awakening, but my faith was very important to me and I loved the Bible (I recall beginning the habit of underlining favorite verses).  I was a person of the Book as far as I can recall, even buying a children's Bible on my own.  My grandmother became very close to me and told me Bible stories.

I  made the big decision to dedicate my life to Christ in a Billy Graham crusade I heard on TV around my 15th birthday, and then got involved in a Seventh-Day Adventist Church Bible study.  Counseling with my pastor,  he told me to read  Martin Luther's Commentary on Galatians.   I then proceeded to write a paper debunking the sect and defending the Lutheran faith.  I also found out I am not Sabbatarian.   I don't believe in "forsaking the assembly together of ourselves, as is the manner of some." But to affirm that  there are no "hard-and-fast rules" for the Sabbath Day."

I went to Augsburg College (a so-called Lutheran Christian college), and was exposed to "higher criticism"  and liberal theology, finding out I didn't know all the answers. With no more motive to study and being confused in my beliefs, I dropped out to do some soul searching and to find myself--wondering if my experience was to no avail.

Joining the Army and looking for love in all the wrong places, I heard a Billy Graham crusade again, only this time it was from South Korea; it was translated into Korean, so he had to go very slow and not being a good listener, it sunk in that I needed to repent, the missing link in my walk ("Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, and times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord," Acts 3:19; "And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem, Luke 24:47").   I was under grave conviction of my sin and rededicated my life to Christ.   I called my mom and told her she will like the new me; she said she liked the old me!   It seemed like I had made this decision before, but this time it stuck. I had to get to the end of my rope before admitting my need.

Going back I hooked up with the Navigators and was mentored.  Once you've experienced it,  you want to pass it on; so I got the bug to witness.  Witnessing to a  friend, he got saved; we became bosom buddies and hung around together the rest of my stint--I could not have made it through without his companionship and fellowship.   I credit the Navigators for teaching me devotions, witnessing, Bible study, and the discipline of committing Scripture to memory.  Then I taught Sunday School while in Okinawa and made many Christian friends.

I matured in my doctrinal viewpoints and the first doctrine I became interested in was eternal security--I even wrote Billy Graham to ask him his stand.   I perceived that repentance is a continual attitude and not just a one-time event and that God grants it by grace.  I frown upon "cheap grace," which justifies the sin, and not the sinner, as it were; giving a license to sin.  I had thought you could sin as much as you want as long as you confess it!  Repentance is an about-face, in military terms, and "If we regard iniquity in our heart, the LORD will not hear us."  We must get a new attitude, change our mind about our sin.  We can be very bad sinners, but never too bad to be saved ("Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD, though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow....").  

I became convinced of believer baptism and was officially dunked in the church--Dr. Johnson knew me and didn't give me a hard time.   I then shared my faith for the first time publically in the church, and had a personal revival and couldn't restrain myself--I had the "can't-help-it's" ( and I couldn't stop reading the Bible).  I was accused of living "under the influence.    And it was so strange that my mom committed me to the mental ward of the hospital for observation (they couldn't find anything wrong with me and released me).  I was accused of going overboard on my religion.   But I was scarred as a result and never got over it.  Afterward, I wandered the state of Texas flat broke, and went down to Mexico, and then committed myself to the VA.

Finally, I decided to move to Minnesota to live with my grandmother.  I gave my spiritual ambitions a rest and took up electronics and got a job at Honeywell troubleshooting torpedoes--I  wanted to pursue this as a career path.

Then I joined the Army again, but had issues with depression and wanted out,  and was given a medical discharge.  Later, I had many personal problems and found a girl who listened to me and fell in love--we were married for ten years.   During those years I was in and out of the mental hospital, being committed by my best friend, and then by my wife several times.  Once I spent 18 months in treatment, but, praise God,  have not had a relapse in over 20 years--but I do take medications,  and am under psychiatric observation, to be safe, considering my track record. 

I thought my hope had perished from the Lord, and  I was destined for mediocrity.   I found a church  where I  could continue to grow  (I learned that one must keep the main thing the main thing and that the purpose of the universal, as well as the local church, is to evangelize and fulfill the Great Commission), and this church had a place for me to serve; however, I wasn't that dogmatic anymore.

Later, after a lot of studies, I started to be concerned about my beliefs  (I became cognizant of the deity of Christ in a real way, and realized the Proverb "without a vision, the people perish"). I knew I had to exercise grace toward those I disagree with, and not be judgmental;   putting Augustine's dictum into practice:   "In essentials unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity."

Since then I've had a meaningful relationship and friendship with my mom, who is not ignorant of doctrine, either--neither of us believes ignorance is bliss, and know our way around the block, theologically speaking.  We talk every day and usually have mutually edifying and lengthy fellowship; we are on the same page so we can bounce ideas off each other.

I am not a success in the world's eyes and haven't achieved the American dream:  But I believe what Mother Teresa of Calcutta says, "The Lord calls us to faithfulness, not success."  God isn't interested in our achievements; He's interested in us and our obedience--Isaiah says, "All that we have done [God] has accomplished for us," and Paul says, "I venture not to speak, but of what Christ has accomplished through me"  (Rom. 15:18).

Doctrinally speaking, I am a Calvinist who believes in the gifts of the Spirit--an oddity.  Sometimes we must agree to disagree, and not be disagreeable, contentious, divisive, or argumentative.   Even Paul and Barnabas disagreed and had to go their separate ways:  There are more important things than being right all the time--relationships--our faith is a relationship with a person, not a creed.  We must accept one another in love because we are "accepted in the Beloved" (cf. Eph. 1:6) and always "speak the truth in love."

As far as doctrine goes, a good frame of reference for soteriology, the doctrine of salvation,  is important for witnessing and assurance of salvation.  Like they say,  "God said it in His Word, I believe it in my heart, that settles it in my mind."  I'm not what I ought to be, but thank God I'm not what I used to be! I now live an abundant life with a capital L and am seeking God's Kingdom first.

In summation, I am what I am by the grace of God, and am blooming where God has planted me.  My mission is to the vets, my ministry is my Bible study, and my avocation is blogging to the glory of God--I thank God for my church home!    

My favorite Bible verses are as follows:

"Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep thy word" (Psa. 119: 67).
"He brought me out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps"   (Psa. 40: 2).  "Therefore, the LORD longs to have mercy on you, and He waits on high to have compassion on you" (Isa. 30:18).   "I know the plans that I have for you, says the LORD, plans to prosper you, and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" (Jer. 29:11).  "If thy Word had not been my delight, I would have perished in the way"  (Psa. 119:92).
"The LORD has chastened me severely, but He has not given me over to death"  (Psa. 118:18).

Most importantly:  "The LORD knows the way that I take, when He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold" (Job 23:10).   Soli Deo Gloria!

Jesus Freaks, Holy Rollers, Both, Or Neither?

It is an honor to suffer shame for the name of Christ-like it says in Hos. 9:7 when the inspired man is called demented, (not to be an offensive Christian though) and to be his ambassador proclaiming the good news; but holy rollers think they are "holier than thou" and refrain from so-called secular activity or worldly things, such as going to the movies or theater, watching TV, going to sports events or even concerts. The Amish tend to have this type of religiosity and think they are better by virtue of their separatist-type living and peculiar way of life-an insult to progress and technology.

My pastor seems to be proud to advertise himself as a Jesus freak, but he is an avid hockey fan and is not a holy roller also. These are not mutually exclusive terms and one can be both. Isaiah chapter 65 condemns those who think they are "holier than thou." 1 Pet. 1:16 says that because God is holy, we are holy ("You shall be holy, for I am holy," 1 Pet. 1:16) Because we are in Christ and have imputed or transferred holiness, which means consecration or being set apart for a use--otherness or "apartness." The only holiness we have is Christ's--not our own.

For instance, some believe in shotgun evangelism, in that you should tell literally everyone about Jesus, (which I call promiscuous and indiscriminate witnessing or canvassing) regardless of whether you have earned the right and have a testimony, and whether God has opened the door or not. The person who engages in this type of spreading the Word hasn't learned how God opens doors and even closes them. This apparently does more harm than good and puts a bad name of Christianity, because Jesus was not a freak or oddball, but a well-balanced and adjusted personality to be worshiped and adored. If these unbelievers actually met Christ they could find no fault in him just like Pilate didn't. I think this does more harm than good and is a waste of time--we are just being a stumbling block to the unsaved and not being productive.

You earn the right to speak up for Christ and don't ever be ashamed of your witness and testimony on Christ's behalf. Talk to God about the person before talking to the person about God! I believe the Great Commission was given to the church and not to individual believers who are to be witnesses (and we are, either good ones or bad ones). We should be in a church that is fulfilling the Great Commission and not just making converts but making disciples, teaching them to observe all that Jesus taught. But note well that follow-up is absolutely imperative!   Soli Deo Gloria!

Should Ministers Diet?

You may have heard that Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church in Orange County, California led his church on a mass diet and loss an unbelievable amount of weight. My pastor isn't doing that, but he is focusing on the main thing which is preaching Jesus Christ and exalting him. God accepts us the way we are physically and we do not have to lose weight to be spiritual.

We all know quite well that the Bible says that physical exercise is of some value, but spiritual exercise is of eternal value. It is paramount that we pray, witness, meditate, fellowship, study, worship, and read Scripture; but God has given us a body and we are to accept it. It is true that we were born with a body that had nothing wrong with it and what we have now is only a sign of our stewardship of this precious gift. Some of us do indeed take care of the gift better!

But we are not to exalt the body (i.e., extreme physical training for vanity sake, nor negligence due to our own fault when we know better. There is a happy medium; Jesus did not work out and I doubt he was overweight, but had a body not-to-be-ashamed-of, also. Remember that Adam was embarrassed that he was naked and feared God. The Bible talks about those who have forgotten how to blush and are a past shame; some of us should not be too proud of our physiques or figures. My pastor says that he is not ashamed of the body that God has given him.

However, the body we now have is really the body we gave ourselves by a lifetime of neglect or care. We should neither exalt nor show contempt for or mistreat the body. Ministers are examples to the flock and shouldn't draw too much attention to the issue. My pastor is very much overweight and it doesn't affect his ministries effectiveness--he says he's just had a lot of donuts and fellowship! Not everyone has the opportunity to get regular exercise, I might add. There is a reason why the Scriptures say that "your sin will find you out." Paul says the Cretans were "lazy gluttons" but that doesn't entail being fat, because it was known that people would eat and then vomit to eat more just for the pleasure of it.

My pastor says that he used to be skinny and as he aged his metabolism slowed down; I have noticed the same effect. There is no condemnation of fat people in the Bible I have noticed. Some people's sins are all too readily evident and others' are not as apparent--though they are still there. We are not to judge our brethren by their body types and be graceful in our attitudes. I would rather have a weakness for ice cream than for pornography which might be a secret sin that only God knows about.   

We all want to feel accepted and must realize that there are more serious sins to worry about than the so-called deadly sin of gluttony (per Roman Catholic dogma, that is). There are many body types and one should not be biased than the one that is in fashion is the only acceptable one--a lot has to do with vanity and not health; in fact, being a little over your ideal weight adds years to your life, according to one scientific study I read. One can be thin and also guilty of gluttony and likewise obese and not a glutton, so it is wrong to judge by appearance.

Righteous people eat to their heart's content according to the Bible and as far as I know the New Testament doesn't command fasting or dieting for believers in this age, but as long as we are thankful we can eat away. We should never develop a guilt complex or let someone put a guilt trip on us. Personally, I don't believe in dieting (because most fail), but in making reforms to my eating habits step by step. Christians should say that they will stop trying and start trusting.  Soli Deo Gloria!

Pardon My French!

Nota bene: "out of the abundance the heart, the mouth speaks" according to our Lord. You can't be too safe or conservative and it is best to err on the side of decency than take chances.

I know that we can let our guard down and get carried away amongst friends, but we should strive to maintain dignity and poise as it behooves us. When someone addresses me abusively I feel they don't respect me or are treating me like they don't think I have feelings. When we are intimate we are to be sensitive also and know our boundaries respecting others.

Is there a time and place for vulgar lingo? I, personally, evade dubious expressions and words to be on the safe side, because I believe in maintaining dignity, respect, and testimony. Our manner of speech should be beyond reproach and blame if we desire to be an elder or a deacon. There is such an animal as appropriateness and just between guys on a fishing trip, for example, the language might become less restrained and more informal. But we never stoop to the level of the lowest common denominator if we are in bad company. I still take umbrage at certain four-letter words even though I've been in the military and don't expect to hear this from Christians, even though I have heard it from the horse's mouth. Are we trying for shock value sometimes or to make a point? Is it an aberration or customary usage?

Our verbiage should be clean and uncorrupted, but that is open to interpretation and other factors. Sometimes it just doesn't become one to stoop to such a level when he should know better, and better is expected of him or her. Certain words should be a no-no and clearly verboten, so to speak; I will not delineate which ones. Our tongue gives our mind away and is a telltale sign of what we are thinking. Indiscriminate usage is out of line and also the free and easy overuse of expletives to drive home a point. Educated people should have refined language; it is expected of them.

There are four verses to consider: Eph. 4:29; Col. 4:6; and Psa. 19:14. The latter says: "Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, Oh LORD." What exactly is corrupt communication is open to debate and one must judge for himself? Note well that our liberty is curtailed and limited by our brother's conscience--we can't be reckless or careless by any means. If ever I use a word to make a point I make it clear that I do not approve of its usage and be apologetic; however, there are words that are a no-no at any time, under any circumstance if one claims to be a follower of Christ.   Soli Deo Gloria!

Under The Auspices Of God

You may feel that I was just lucky or that Providence was in my favor, but I don't attribute my sense of being lead by God as fortuitous or just good fortune--God was with me to teach me a lesson or two. One day I got sick and tired of my room in disarray and felt compelled to make my bed, carry out the trash, dust and vacuum to make it livable--I didn't think at the time that it was necessarily being led by the Spirit, but it was: "As many as are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God."

It just so happened that that afternoon I was visited by a survey team and I was sure glad I didn't have to be embarrassed--in fact, I was a little proud. Now we have never had a surprise inspection before, but that day we did have one and I gave God the glory that He had "saved" me and kept me out of trouble: "He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake." I have a testimony to guard and God does too!

It was important for me to see God at work on my behalf and I do not take it for granted that He is obliged to always rescue me (I could have gotten in deep trouble--most of the guys only clean their rooms for inspection and I was getting lax myself). I am now all the more conscientious to keep things as tidy as possible and not to procrastinate and to continue trusting in God who I can call upon in the day of trouble and He will deliver me (Ps. 55:22).

There is a balance between responsibility and faith and not "testing" God--in a certain vein this was my wake-up call, and I passed the test. Indeed, it was not auspicious, (some like the term fortuitous) but providential, as God led me in cooperation.   Soli Deo Gloria!

A Doctrinal Testimony

A testimony is to attest to a first-hand account and account for it--it is hard to argue, like a man saying, "I was blind, but now I see." In a testimony, we give the synopsis of our life before conversion, how we got converted, and life after the leap, so to speak. Before the conversion, there is unrest and perplexity, then there is a turning point or climax, then there is peace, fulfillment and rest in Christ according to Billy Graham. They all tell of the person's personal pilgrimage and usually don't spare the details, as some like to glorify the past. I will spare you the details; believe me, I was a bad boy and a prodigal son and went through the school of hard knocks and had to come to the end of myself before I would cry out to the Lord in saving faith. I was surely depraved and knew it; I had been there and done that!

Conversion is the act of repentance, faith, and regeneration all occurring together by an act of God ("Salvation is of the Lord.") We do the repenting and believing and God does the regenerating which is passive. Faith is a gift of God and repentance is just the flip side that occurs simultaneously; it is either believing repentance or penitent faith that saves.

 My first step was to admit my need; like they say the preacher has to get the lost before he can save them. I was at my wit's end and at the end of my rope! Confirmation in the Lutheran church had been to no avail and I had lost what faith I had in college. It was in the Army that I came to know the Lord. I was not a very good soldier and didn't think I was going to make it as the loner I was. I wasn't getting out of life what I wanted and was existential in my philosophy thinking there was no purpose in life but to party. But I don't want to give "too much info!"

Before I was saved my life was dominated by sin and pleasing myself; I had no peace of mind and was looking ours for Number One! There seemed to be pleasure in sin for a season as I went to the bar scenes and learned to drink. I was also looking for love in all the wrong places if you know what I mean. I was separated from God and there was a cleavage or chasm between us. My life was empty, void and seemed boring in a vacuum. I yearned to have a relationship with God, not just know that He exists,  and didn't know what I was searching for; however, I wanted to know the truth. As Pascal said, "There is a God-shaped vacuum in us that only God can fill." And Augustine said, "Our hearts are restless till they find their rest in Thee."

  We are made to know God and have a relationship with Him.     I like Psalm 107:2 which says, "Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story ("Let the redeemed of the Lord say so"); if you have been redeemed speak up, in other words! Now how I got saved listening to Billy Graham. I was listening to the sermon being translated into Korean and it was going so slow I got every point he made!   He was talking of repentance and that seemed the missing link in my life that I had never done; I had to renounce sin for good. First I realized my need: "Indeed it is the straightedge of the law that shows us how crooked we really are" (Rom. 3:20). Then I recognized that Christ was indeed God in the flesh who died on my behalf personally. I received Christ with saving faith, which is either called believing repentance or penitent faith as my personal Lord and Savior. Note that I realized that repentance was imperative or mandatory according to Acts 17:30, "Now He commands all men everywhere to repent." Acts 3:19 says, "Repent and turn to God that your sins may be blotted out and times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord."

I made a clear commitment that was a response to the wooing or tug of the Holy Spirit and I literally gave up, surrendered, and committed to following Christ. I went from the "gutter most to the uttermost."    The result is not that I am everything I ought to be, but thank God I'm not what I used to be!  I have peace with God, others, and myself ("Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God..."; "My peace I give unto you..."; "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace....")

I have an assurance that I am going to heaven because I am not ignorant of God's Word and take Him at His Word. "He that comes to me I will in no wise cast out" (John 6:37). This is my spiritual birth certificate you could say! As they say:  "God said it in His Word, I believe it in my heart, that settles it in my mind."    Most important I have an abundant and fulfilling life according to  His promise of abundant life with a capital L (in short purpose in living).  I am now learning to overcome sin, know His will and seek His kingdom. But faith is manifest only in obedience; it has legs and must be followed by action or it is dead (no fruit, no faith);we must turn our beliefs into deeds, for we are saved unto good works though not by them,  and we are His masterpiece (says Paul in Eph. 2:10).    Soli Deo Gloria!

Principles Of Witnessing

Jesus was the witness par excellence and we can learn from Him, the prototype evangelist, who never made a mistake. As obedience to the Great Commission of Matthew 28:19-20 we are all ambassadors for Christ bearing the "ministry of reconciliation." They said: "We implore you, on behalf of Christ be reconciled to God" (cf. 2 Cor. 5:20); "Always be prepared to give an answer..." (1 Pet. 3:15); "...Do the work of an evangelist" (2 Tim. 4:5). This isn't just a job for the cleric, but for all the body of Christ, the layman too, to work together--the whole church. If you have no desire to win others to Christ seriously doubt your relationship with Christ because that is what we are here for. Pray earnestly for a burden--like John Knox, who said, "Give me Scotland or I die." We should all pray, "Give me converts or I die." In conclusion, we must first seek from God a burden for souls--he that wins souls must first weep for souls, someone has said. That's a good attitude.

He didn't always get the catch when he "fished." There was different bait to catch different fish; e.g., the intellectual Nicodemus, the Samaritan woman at the well, the rich young ruler, the Greeks, etc., were all dealt with in different manners; Christ "tailored" or designed his message individually. I don't believe in machine-gun evangelism that uses the same bait with everyone, like telling everyone to repent or else! The point is that you will always "win" when you witness, regardless of whether the person receives Christ or not; we don't witness to put feathers in our cap but out of obedience. One plants, another waters, and another reaps, but God gives the increase (cf. 1 Cor. 3:7). Only God can convert someone, so don't try to do the Holy Spirit's job of convicting someone of their sin, if you know what I mean. Jesus looked for quality, not quantity and did everything He could to discourage insincere followers.

One must develop a witness or testimony; wait for God to open the door and then make a beeline for the gospel. Bring the conversation to a head and challenge them. The person should be asked, if he has been presented the gospel, is, "Is there any reason you cannot receive Christ right now?" "...Now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation" (2 Cor. 6:2). This will force him to a decision and give the Holy Spirit something to work on.

Also, one must not rely upon one's wits or cleverness, but on the Word of God--it is the Word that is the "seed" and what God promises to use (cf. Isa. 55:10-11--"My Word will not come back void"). Our faith does not rest on the "wisdom of men," but on the Word of God, "which effectually works" in us who believe (cf. 1 Thess. 2:13). Indeed, "...the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing" (1 Cor. 1:18).

Yes, we are in a win-win situation, and the only way we can lose is if we keep our testimony--that which cannot be refuted--to ourselves. "They overcame him by the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony..." (Rev. 12:11). God only requires us to witness or testify to what we know and have experienced and been faithful in that. Remember, the blind man said, "One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!" (no one could argue, John 9:25). We don't have to know all the answers to witness either--we can get back to them and tell them we can get the answer. One doesn't need all the answers to become a Christian either, but just recognizing that the preponderance of the evidence points in that direction and to take a leap of faith in the right direction.

The right attitude is expressed in Acts 4:20: "For we cannot help speaking of what we have seen and heard." Amen! The power of testimony--our very own story. As the psalmist says, "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so!" We should all pray as David did in Psalm 51:15, "O Lord open my lips and my mouth will declare your praise." Soli Deo Gloria!