Finding Your Venue for Witnessing

In an ideal world if we wanted to bring people to Christ, all we would need to do is invite them to church. They would come to faith through what they experience in the service itself. This route is certainly one way God can work, but we also know that we sometimes do have to meet people where they are at before they would even think of setting foot in church. We would remember how Jesus conversed with the woman at the well in Samaria that led to her coming to faith.

This Sunday, I continue in the series on the book of Acts by having us look at the apostle Paul's experience in Corinth and Ephesus. At Corinth Paul connects with Aquila from Rome because he was a tent maker by trade just as Paul was.

Paul naturally went to the synagogue to converse with the Jews there. When he had moved on to Ephesus, he "argued daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus." (Acts 19:9) Paul found this hall to be a venue where he could discuss Jesus. Paul was a learned man and maybe he did carry on some very intellectual conversations in order to convince folks that Jesus is the promised Messiah and Savior of all.

What about us?

Is there any activity that you do with non-Christians - involvement in any club, sport, hobby, or organization where you can establish common ground with those who already know you?

I believe that in our witnessing, we do have to come to grips that many non-believers have a negative image of the church. The church has been relegated to the periphery of our society. Many people see Christians as being judgmental and hypocritical. I believe that we don't have to put up any kind of front before others; rather, we can be transparent before them. As we do so, we can explain the amazing love and grace of God that we experience.

Paul was willing to travel miles to bring the word of God to others and even be in places where it was considered dangerous. How shall we try to live out the Great Commission that Jesus has given us?

Do you know what would be your venue(s) for witnessing? How might you begin to nudge unchurched folks that know you into a spiritual conversation?