Question of the day ??
How many people have you shared Christ with lately?
posted by Greg Hazelrig @ 11:19 PM
12 comments
BroGreg.com
Thoughts on GOD and TRUTH (found somewhere in the middle of ultra-conservatism and flaming liberalism)
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
About Me
- Name: Greg Hazelrig
- Location: Hernando, Mississippi, United States
I have been a pastor in the United Methodist Church since 1999 when I accepted the call to preach. Today I pastor Bakers Chapel UMC in Hernando, MS.
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12 Comments:
no where near enough.
No one can top those answers :)
Has anyone actually witnessed to anyone then?????
No I haven't. I have been home most of the day, except for a dentist appointment.
I have. But I will admit that I feel complete inept at doing it. I quite often feel that I am doing the Kingdom more of a disservice at my feeble attempts. Most the opportunities have been presented to me in a situation where someone would say something to me like, "I like the way you reacted in that situation" or "you showed patience and perseverance in with that angry customer, I'm not sure I would have handled it that way."
I would try to use that as an inroad to explain to the person that my reactions or my reasoning was governed by my Christian faith. But, I will admit that I feel unprepared for many of these discussions.
I try to look at the example of the sower. Maybe it isn't my job to plant the entire 40 acre field. I am just there to throw a seed. But, I also feel that I should also throw fertilizer with that seed.
I unfortunately hate to say this, but I sincerely believe that our own UMC does a poor job of training us as lay "evangelists".
I was thinking about this last night before I saw your question this morning. I am moving and I have a guy in the neighborhood coming over later this weekend or early next week to move a hive of honeybees to his house, since I don't want to try an move them from Atlanta to Alabama. He is a great guy, alway very friendly to me, but he is a Muslim. I sincerely believe he and his family are lost. How do I breach that wall? How can I attempt to plant that seed in a soil that seems to be flooded with Satanic pre-emergent herbicide?
Keith,
Thanks first of all for your honesty. Just the fact that people are saying those kinds of things to you means that you are at least in some ways promoting the Kingdom with your actions and being given an avenue to go further. You are right that you may be sowing seeds. And it takes many seeds from many planters for some crops to grow. Just keep on doing your best.
As for your friend, I don't want to try to advise because I don't know the situation. I do believe that we should show love to everyone and who knows...that may be your seed in him.
By the way, I hope your move goes well. I can relate to boxing stuff up and moving. I will be out of here on June 26th.
Danny,
Keep up the good work brother.
One of the ironies of seminary/candidacy life is that I no longer have regular contact with non-Christians.
Thank you Brother Greg for checking out my blog (amongthehills.blogspot.com). I appreciate your reply and hope that you will return regularly. Best wishes in your ministry in Mississippi.
To anyone else that visits, I would recommend clicking on Christopher's name and going to his blog.
Check out the Memorial Day Theology post. Good one.
I've shared Christ with two people in the last two weeks. Neither was traditional witnessing.
The first was at a wedding I was doing for a childhood friend of mine. My highschool Spanish teacher was there and asked how I ended up in the ministry. I got to tell her how I got mixed up on drugs and how Christ hosed me off and the truth of the cross of Christ set me free.
This Sunday, I saw a guy I went to highschool with. A few years ago I felt like God was calling me to pray by name every night for some of the kids I grew up with, asking him to draw them to him for salvation. So, i saw this guy I hadn't seen in like 8 years. I got to tell him that I pray for him by name every night. he knew me as a druggy. so just by seeing me as a pastor with a lovely wife and two beautiful kids, it was a way for him to see what Christ had done in my life.
Like I said, neither of those was going up to someone on the street and saying, "Do you have a minute? I'd like to tell you about the Man who changed my life." I've found that I'm no good at that style. But I pray for opportunities to share my testimony.
I don't know if that counts or not!
Thank you Jason. That is the best answer yet. Was it traditional? I don't have a clue. Was it Spirit led? Oh I believe it was. And that, friends, is witnessing.
I hope I get the same opportunities that you've had. And btw, I don't feel comfortable going up to strangers on the street either. And I doubt that they would feel very comfortable or very open either.
yesterday a funny thing happened. i was at kfc with my wife, kids, mom, and granddad. there were six young guys in black pants, short-sleeved white shirts and ties. they all had elder in front of their name.
i've never seen that many mormon missionaries at a time before. they didn't say anything to us. but as they left, a young family got out of their car. all of the mormons had gotten into their car but one. he struck up a conversation with the family. the other five got out and surrounded the family. i watched them shaking hands and doing their thing.
i felt really uncomfortable watching these 6 young men descend on this guy, lady, and their 4 kids. it was scary.
then the 6 young missionaries walked into the wal-mart parking lot... i guess to witness, maybe to shop.
i thought, "wow, i wonder if most people feel the same about evangelical Christians as i felt toward those mormons." i really hope not.
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