7 Ways to BE a Good Witness for Jesus Christ
Summary: All committed Christians are in favor of “witnessing” for Jesus — that is, verbally sharing our faith in the Lord with others. But what is often overlooked is that there are multiple ways (some spoken, some not) to BE a good Christian witness for our wonderful Lord Jesus Christ. Let’s look at seven of those ways of sharing the Gospel biblically and effectively.
Are you shy about “witnessing”? That’s true for many Christians and keeps them from sharing their faith. And that’s why it’s important to understand the variety of ways that Jesus called us to “
In the NIV New Testament, in the context of sharing our faith in Christ with others, the word “witness” as a verb occurs only one time! (Acts 28:23 - "[Paul] witnessed to them…about Jesus.") That’s good, for sure. But as a noun related to expressing our faith to others in many different ways, the words witness and witnesses occur in numerous Scriptures, all in fulfillment of Jesus’ commission that we “BE [His] witnesses.” In other words, we are called not just “to witness” but to “BE His witnesses.”
Let’s look to God’s Word the Bible for 7 simple ways to BE good witnesses for our Lord Jesus Christ. You can do some or most of these.
1) Be ready to give an answer for your hopefulness
I was in the checkout line at a grocery store in southern Oregon. The clerk was a gracious and smiling young lady, perhaps in her teens, waiting on the man in front of me in line. He said to her something like, “My, you’re cheerful today.” She very kindly replied, “Would you like to know why?” He said ‘yes,’ so she answered with words like this: “I used to be a very depressed person. Then I got Jesus Christ in my life, and everything changed.” That was all she had time for, with others in her line, so she gave him a small wooden cross and he moved on, undoubtedly impressed by that short encounter.
What happened there? She was simply BEING an impressive young person with Jesus in her life. It showed on her face and in her courtesy to him. And that drew an inquiry from him and, as the Scripture (above) says, she took the opportunity “to give an answer” about Jesus’ blessings in her life. As you too walk with the Lord and live out your faith publicly before others, there will come times when those others may ask you why you seem to have confidence in these tumultuous times we live in. And like that young lady, you can give a gracious answer about the Lord’s life-changing presence in your life.
2) Let your light shine as lights in the world
Live a godly lifestyle visibly before others. Jesus said, “Let your light shine before others.” The apostle Paul urged us to live a godly life so that we “shine as lights in the world.” That can cause them to see something decent and honorable in you that turns their attention to God.
In my young adult years I worked in the aviation field. In a nonassertive way, but always open to conversations, I tried to live my life in a godly way while also being careful to perform my job well. Respect built up over the years, discussions about the faith would arise, and three of my coworkers went on to come to Jesus for salvation. It’s likely that there were other people in those men’s lives who similarly moved them toward the Lord. But I was blessed to participate by being a witness for Jesus at work and helping those three men find the road to eternal life in Christ.
3) Drop the Lord’s Word casually into conversations
The words that Jesus spoke — and words that the Holy Spirit has spoken in inspiring the holy Scriptures — “are spirit and life,” said Jesus. There is great power in speaking the words from God that are in the Bible.
Drop the Lord’s word graciously into everyday conversations. To be candid, I had never felt that I was a particularly good witness for Jesus until a visiting Christian prophet spoke to me words that greatly encouraged me. He said that I had a way of just dropping the Lord and His Word into conversations, without forcing them, but simply taking advantage of opportunities in the conversations to share a word about the Lord or a Scripture relevant to the discussion. And I realized that, yes!, that’s how the Lord had always used me. Not as a bold, street corner witness, but simply watching for God-given openings in talking with others to drop a word in for the Lord. And remember, the words of the Lord from the Bible are “spirit and life.” They do have an impact upon others if they’re not forced on them.
4) You can teach God’s Word and see sinners be converted
A fellow Bible teacher and I were in the small town of Palmer, Alaska, I think it was the winter of 1974-75. We were guest teachers doing a weekly Bible study at the invitation of a local pastor. God prospered that pastor’s labors, and large crowds began to attend our Bible study on Monday nights. We simply taught the Bible, God’s holy Word. And to the best of my recollection, we never once closed with an altar call for people to get saved. But oh my, some did get saved, according to the host pastor.
What happened there in that little Alaskan town? Simply, as the above Scripture says, the Lord’s Word and His ways were taught, and “sinners were converted” to the Lord. The Word did it, God’s Word, taught by us, taught by their pastor, perhaps also taught to them long ago by their parents. Teach it, preach it, share it personally. The Word of God has irresistible power to touch people.
Another example — our daughter lives in a small town 30 minutes west of us. For 26 years she has taught the Good News Clubs to the students at the small rural elementary school. She teaches the Word of God to them from the good materials provided by the Good News Clubs. To what effect? I can safely say that literally hundreds of those country kids have come to the Lord for salvation over the past 26 years simply from our daughter providing a wholesome, fun environment in which she teaches them God’s Word, and many have been converted to Christ as a result. That has been her very effective way of being a witness for Jesus — teaching God’s Word!
5) Listen for the Lord’s promptings toward hungry souls
This one is very simple, but easy to overlook — listen to the Lord for “leads.” They were fishermen, but despite laboring all night, they caught nothing. Jesus called out from the shore and told them where to fish: “Throw your net on the right side of the boat.” They did, and they caught a haul of fish.
Jesus knows where the hungry fish (think: hungry souls) are. Look to Him, and listen to the Holy Spirit’s promptings for cues as to where those thirsty souls are. A great Bible example of this is Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:26-40. First the Lord had an angel direct Philip to the Jerusalem-Gaza Road. Once he got there, Philip heard the Holy Spirit direct him to a specific chariot in a passing caravan. There Philip was able to minister to a eunuch from Ethiopia who was a high-ranking official of the queen. Philip led him to Jesus and baptized him, all as a result of following promptings sent from heaven above. We too, like Philip, and like Peter and the fishermen, can hear the Lord’s promptings toward hungry souls who want to know Jesus.
6) Talk to family and friends about your own testimony of Jesus
It has been proven over the centuries that the best personal soulwinning is done among family and friends. I do not at all mean to rule out sharing your faith with strangers. But it’s a proven fact that family, friends, and coworkers are the most likely to listen to you sharing your faith. Personally, I’ve had the best success in ministering the Lord and His Word to family and coworkers.
I’ve written an article on this Network Evangelism strategy that might give you some further insights into soulwinning by simply obeying Jesus’ command (above): “Go home to your own people and tell them” about the Lord and His wonderful grace and salvation.
7) Ask God to use you in spiritual gifts to point people to the Lord
Jesus is the Baptizer with the Holy Spirit (John 1:33-34). In the verse just above, Jesus promised us believers: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will BE my witnesses…to the ends of the earth.” He promised in the baptism with the Holy Spirit to enable us to be witnesses effectively for Him with power!
In my 50+ years since receiving Jesus as my Lord and Savior, I’ve seen hundreds of demonstrations of Holy Spirit power granted by the Lord to enable us to be His witnesses to this lost world. Let me single out just one of many such Holy Spirit power aids for witnessing that I’ve seen.
In a Sunday service in our Alaska church, during the worship time a brother from the choir came forward with a biblical “word of knowledge.” He said, “There’s someone here who needs to get saved. And you know who you are, because before coming to church today you drank two beers.” Well, a man seated near the front was astonished and raised his hand to identify himself. He willingly went out with some counselors, who prayed with him to receive salvation in Jesus Christ. The demonstration of God’s power by such gifts of the Spirit can strongly influence the unsaved to turn to the Lord.
Summary: 7 Ways to BE a Good Witness for Jesus Christ
1) Be ready to give an answer to those asking about your hope.
2) Let your light shine. Live openly a godly lifestyle. Others are influenced.
3) Drop the Lord’s Word casually, graciously into conversations.
4) Teach someone(s) what God’s Word says. That can reach sinners for God.
5) Listen to Jesus and the Holy Spirit for leads.
6) Talk to family and friends about the Lord and your testimony.
7) As God enables, manifest a supernatural gift of the Spirit, like the “two-beer revelation” (above), to point others to the Lord.
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You might also enjoy our related sermon: BE My Witnesses, Jesus Said, Don't Only Do 'Witnessing'
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