BEING a Witness for JESUS does not Necessarily involve Preaching or Tracts

In order to be a witness you have to be able to effectively and with grace do the things people will respond to thru the love of Jesus.

I keep saying, don't witness to people (overtly go to them and tell them all about Jesus), be a witness, do the work of the ministry.  It MIGHT involve telling someone about Jesus.  It MIGHT involve sharing some bible verses and it could even involve leading someone  to Jesus where they give their heart to him.

That is possible, but it is a minor way it happens.  It certainly isn't how the church was formed.  Not the one I read about in the book of Acts.

Here is the "STUFF" we are called to do and that which builds the Kingdom:

• Laying hands on the sick, they recover and give glory to GOD.
• Speaking a word of encouragement to one who is discouraged.
• Being a friend to the friendless.
• Speaking truth to a person who is lost or confused.
• Casting the demons out of a person's life.
• Showing God's knowledge of a person's life by supernatural revelation.
• Speaking faith rather than fear in hard situations.
• Expressing Joy in the midst of the Struggle.
• Loving someone who doesn't feel loveable.
• Making others feel important.
• Providing wisdom when confusion is in charge
• Instructing those who will hear in the order of God.
• Gathering and loving one another such that people are attracted to the community... the is hard.
• Taking care of those IN the community when crisis hits.
• Being present as people are dying and offering them hope.
• Believing in someone when others will not.
• Not giving up when someone stumbles - write no one off
• Looking past the externals and into the heart of the matter when there is conflict.
• Finding peace and rest for yourself and others when times are scary
• Being victorious in spite of defeats
• Standing strong as an overcomer when it all hits the fan

In other words, becoming a mature christian is the best witness of all.  The final christian witness is facing death with courage and fearlessness.  It is a witness that will bring people into the kingdom.

People WANT to believe that Jesus is the way, truth and the life, they really do, but we try to ply them with words when what the want is a demonstration of his effect in our lives.  To put it another way, when we DON'T live like this, we are seen for what we are.. fake.  No one wants to be pulled into another fake philosophy.

I am reminded of Rodney Howard-Browne's admonition long ago to me.. "you can LIVE like this"..and when you do.. others will find life... the life you demonstrate.