Is anyone else having trouble converting people?

[sabre7]

I became a Christian very recently, and what God has done to and for me is nothing short of a miracle. As a result, I really MUST try to share this with my friends.

I have been listening to audio about preaching the Lord's message, and it says that what better way to preach than the way that God Himself preached, through Jesus Christ: with God's Law.

Not teaching that Jesus will save you because he loves you, but instead that we are ALL sinners, and on the Day of Judgment will be judged as such...unless we find Christ, admit our sins and repent.

Never the best debater or most elloquant linguist, I find that I can not preach like Jesus, but I am trying. And I am hoping and praying that I can make them see what I now see through seeds of doubt. Making them constantly question whether or not they really are the good people that they think they are, as I did for so long. I took me forever to finally realise that I wasn't and that there was only one way to salvation...Jesus Christ.

I do not expect this to be a quick and easy process, looking at my own salvation, but how could I ever turn away and NOT try to make them see?

Therefore, my question is this; Is anyone else in a similar situation? Is anyone trying to reach their friends, but remain unsuccessful as of yet, or at least, on the surface appear unsuccessful?

If there is I would love to hear from you and pray to the Lord that we may both be successful in our endevours for the Lord.

 

[jiggyfly]

sabre7, many use hell's fire the judgement day to persuade people, but when reached this way, isn't the motive , to save themselves.

Francis of Assisi said " preach the gospel everyday, and if necessary use words".

Jesus is the one who saves and changes lives and we are just the witnesses.
If we will do as Jesus has asked, deny ourselves and take up our crosses daily and follow after Him then the world will see the reality of Christ that the church as a whole has been lacking.

 

[Word of Life]

Keep up what you doing sabre7, as I think that's great. You are doing exactly what God wants you do. Its will be hard and tough going sometimes and many a time you will feel like giving up. But God will be your guide and helper and will speak for you, so keep His words too your heart and speak those words to those people.

At present my husband and I are reaching out to people who just have religion, they are really missing out on the holy spirit and all of Gods spiritual blessings. This week alone my husband witnessed to a colleague at work, this guy has been going to church for many years and hadn't a clue about receiving the holy spirit, in certain churches, they don't even baptize. mg:

 

[stephen]

sabre7, many use hell's fire the judgement day to persuade people, but when reached this way, isn't the motive , to save themselves.

Francis of Assisi said " preach the gospel everyday, and if necessary use words".

Jesus is the one who saves and changes lives and we are just the witnesses.
If we will do as Jesus has asked, deny ourselves and take up our crosses daily and follow after Him then the world will see the reality of Christ that the church as a whole has been lacking.

Amen jiggy......I thought of your quote as I read the initial post.

Francis of Assisi said " preach the gospel everyday, and if necessary use words".

Bless you dear brother......yes lets live it out....everyday......for Jesus

 

[SpiritLedEd]

Re: Does anyone have trouble converting people?

I became a Christian very recently, and what God has done to and for me is nothing short of a miracle. As a result, I really MUST try to share this with my friends.

I have been listening to audio about preaching the Lord's message, and it says that what better way to preach than the way that God Himself preached, through Jesus Christ: with God's Law.

Not teaching that Jesus will save you because he loves you, but instead that we are ALL sinners, and on the Day of Judgment will be judged as such...unless we find Christ, admit our sins and repent.

Never the best debater or most elloquant linguist, I find that I can not preach like Jesus, but I am trying. And I am hoping and praying that I can make them see what I now see through seeds of doubt. Making them constantly question whether or not they really are the good people that they think they are, as I did for so long. I took me forever to finally realise that I wasn't and that there was only one way to salvation...Jesus Christ.

I do not expect this to be a quick and easy process, looking at my own salvation, but how could I ever turn away and NOT try to make them see?

Therefore, my question is this; Is anyone else in a similar situation? Is anyone trying to reach their friends, but remain unsuccessful as of yet, or at least, on the surface appear unsuccessful?

If there is I would love to hear from you and pray to the Lord that we may both be successful in our endevours for the Lord.

Too many people approach evangelism thinking they have to "sell" Christianity like you would sell in the retail marketplace, with the assumption that, since you gave the person your best sales pitch, they're sure to buy. That is called "high pressure salesmanship", trying to talk the other person into buying, and it rarely works.

I once heard a preacher say, " Its true that you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink, BUT YOU SURE CAN MAKE HIM THIRSTY!" That's the secret to effective evangelism. You make them thirsty by leading a truly Christian life; by clothing and feeding the poor, by showing compassion to others, by good works done in the name of Jesus and purely out of love.

There are only a few Billy Grahams and Luis Pulaus in the world, but there are millions of ordinary work-a-day Christians doing extraordinary things under the power of the Holy Spirit that draw people into the Kingdom in simple ways.Let God's love shine on others through you and you will draw people to Jesus without even knowing it.

SLE

 

[Chad]

- live a godly life, it will show the "fruit" of the Spirit in you - this is a witness to others
- pray for the lost souls you encounter
- preach in words!

I suggest using tracts as well.

The Tract League of West Michigan - Christian Tracts
Good News Tracts
Local Church Resources

 

[jculver]

I became a Christian very recently, and what God has done to and for me is nothing short of a miracle. As a result, I really MUST try to share this with my friends.

I have been listening to audio about preaching the Lord's message, and it says that what better way to preach than the way that God Himself preached, through Jesus Christ: with God's Law.

Not teaching that Jesus will save you because he loves you, but instead that we are ALL sinners, and on the Day of Judgment will be judged as such...unless we find Christ, admit our sins and repent.

Never the best debater or most elloquant linguist, I find that I can not preach like Jesus, but I am trying. And I am hoping and praying that I can make them see what I now see through seeds of doubt. Making them constantly question whether or not they really are the good people that they think they are, as I did for so long. I took me forever to finally realise that I wasn't and that there was only one way to salvation...Jesus Christ.

I do not expect this to be a quick and easy process, looking at my own salvation, but how could I ever turn away and NOT try to make them see?

Therefore, my question is this; Is anyone else in a similar situation? Is anyone trying to reach their friends, but remain unsuccessful as of yet, or at least, on the surface appear unsuccessful?

If there is I would love to hear from you and pray to the Lord that we may both be successful in our endevours for the Lord.

Personally I agree with this method 100%. If people don't realize their condition, how will they seek a cure? It's not your job to convert, that is God's job. Your job is to tell people about him. If you do that you are obeying God, and that is what counts. I also agree that actions speak louder than words and that your life needs to reflect a transformation, and that will draw interest.

Just keep up what you are doing. Study appologetics if you think it will help. Also you can always post whatever questions they pose to you here, and we can help answer them

 

[mounty]

i have been trying also but i have decided to allow them to witness the change within me. I belive when others start to realise the amazing changes i have made in my life are also available to them, they will start to want them also.
Also i pray everyday for my family and friends i know they will come when they are ready.
My sister and her husband spent ten years praying for me before i seen the light.
I am thankfull they did

God Bless xxxxxxxxxx

 

[On the Path]

Remember that saying: "actions speak louder than words"?

Well, sometimes you just need to live your Christian life, knowing that there is always someone looking to you for an example of how a Christian lives, and that someone may one day ask you a question, and there is your opportunity to tell that person what the Lord has done for you.

Walk the walk, and the Lord will make the opportunities for you to talk the talk, as he sees fit.

Be ready
Be ready

 

[billyeah]

I do agree with the Walk the Walk idea. But what happens if, while you are walking your walk, trying to be a godly example, they die in there sins and go to hell? And what about all the people around you that don't really know you? How are they going to know if you don't tell them? I agree that a Godly life is important but I think it is much more important to Talk the Walk. This is a letter I read a while back, and it really hit me hard. This is a letter written by an athiest.

You are really convinced that you've got all the answers. You've really got yourself tricked into believing that you're 100% right. Well, let me tell you just one thing. Do you consider yourself to be compassionate of other humans? If you're right, as you say you are, and believe that, then how can you sleep at night? When you speak with me you are speaking with someone who you believe is walking directly into eternal damnation into an endless onslaught of horrendous pain which your 'loving' god created, yet you stand by and do nothing.

If you believe one bit that thousands every day were falling into an eternal and unreacheable fate, you should be running the streets mad with rage at their blindness. That's equivalent to standing on a street corner and watching every person that passes you walk blindly directly into the path of a bus and die, yet you stand idly by and do nothing. You're just twiddling your thumbs, happy in the knowledge that one day that 'walk' signal will shine your way across the road.

Think about it. Imagine the horrors Hell must have in store if the bible is true. You're just going to allow that to happen and not care about saving anyone but yourself? If you're right then you're an uncaring, unemotional and purely selfish (expletive) that has no right to talk about subjects such as love and caring.

 

[Word of Life]

Well said billyeah and I agree with you totally. I have just spent 2 hours talking to my husband about this subject and most Christians are weak and they are not doing there job in reaching out to the unsaved. It's heartbreaking and sad.

God gave us the spirit to reach out and save people, not to stand by and do nothing. This is a true fact, I worked with Christians for 8 years and not one witnessed to me and I am ashamed of them. This is the also the truth, the person who witnessed to me, was someone across the other side of the world on the internet in a different country, he was a true Christian and did his job, even my own mother who has been a Christian for 16 years or so, never witnessed to me. This is where we are going wrong. Also I never attended Church to receive the spirit, God blessed me with the spirit, because I prayed to Him to take me and accept me and it's been a hard slog ever since, but it's been worth every pain I have been through.

My job is to reach out to others and do the job He has assigned and planned for me. And I don't want to let Him down.

 

[DunkedinFire]

Its done by Fire

Deleted - accidentally duplicaated in next post

 

[DunkedinFire]

By the Power of The Holy Spirit - Fire!

QUOTE "Is anyone else having trouble converting people?" UNQUOTE

John answered them all by saying, I baptize you with water; but He Who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of Whose sandals I am not fit to unfasten. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire (Luke 3:16)

1 Thessalonians. 5:19 Paul tells the believers there “do not put out the Spirit’s fire.”

Wesley said, “I set myself on fire and people come to watch me burn.!”

Samuel Chadwick said, “The sign of Christianity is not the cross but a tongue of fire.” (See Acts 2)

Yet so often the way we present Christ in our speech is at complete odds with the truths we are seeking to express. We tell people that without Christ they are being robbed of life on earth and certain to suffer eternally in hell. And yet we do not feel it. There are no tears in our eyes and no passion in our praying. There is no fire in our hearts.
We tell them that Christ loves them and that he died for sinners. But our love for them is not reflected in how we tell them. There is little concern for who they are, how they are feeling, what their needs are. There is no warming fire.

Spurgeon said, “It is extraordinary power from God, not talent, that wins the day. It is extraordinary spiritual unction not extraordinary mental power, that we need. Mental power may fill a chapel but spiritual power fills the church with soul anguish. Mental power may gather a large congregation. but only spiritual power will save souls. What we need is spiritual power."

William Booth said, “"The Christian Mission has met in Congress to make War. It has organized a Salvation Army to carry the blood of Christ and the fire of the Holy Ghost into every corner of the world."

Booth also wrote:
To make our weak hearts strong and brave,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
To live a dying world to save,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
O see us on Thy altar lay
Our lives, our all, this very day;
To crown the offering now we pray,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!

A poem I like:

Christians heed to what I say,
the Will of God is not in play.
We tend our flocks and nourish needs,
but don't go out where Jesus leads.

Our Churches big, despite the cost,
they comfort us, but not the lost.
It seems we've lost our given goal,
that everyone through Christ be whole.

Jesus said, "Go forth and teach,
to every nation you can reach."
"To Baptize them in Gods own name,
the Holy Ghost and Son the same."

He said, "Teach to them what I have taught,
the One they seek may now be sought."
Jesus said, "Go forth and teach",
but not just those He's called to preach.

There's people dying in their sin,
‘cause Christians now hold God within.
Revival comes from inside our heart,
I pray dear Lord, please help us start.

Fill us full of your Holy Ghost,
and place us where you need us most.
Please send us Lord into the lands,
to heal the sick, with your precious hands.

Lord give us faith and give us power (a),
to save the world this final hour.
Praise your name-THE KING ON HIGH,
if we don't do it, the stones will cry.

I pray OH LORD,
one humble plea,
don't send a stone Lord,
Please SEND ME.


(a) I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord (2 Timothy 1:6-8)

Samual Chadwiick wrote his book, The Way to Pentecost, which was being printed when he died in 1932. In it we read:

"I owe everything to the gift of Pentecost. For fifty days the facts of the Gospel were complete, but no conversions were recorded. Pentecost registered three thousand souls. It is by fire that a holy passion is kindled in the soul whereby we live the life of God. The soul's safety is in its heat. Truth without enthusiasm, morality without emotion, ritual without soul, make for a Church without power.

"Destitute of the Fire of God, nothing else counts; possessing Fire, nothing else matters."

 

[jculver]

Well said billyeah and I agree with you totally. I have just spent 2 hours talking to my husband about this subject and most Christians are weak and they are not doing there job in reaching out to the unsaved. It's heartbreaking and sad.

God gave us the spirit to reach out and save people, not to stand by and do nothing. This is a true fact, I worked with Christians for 8 years and not one witnessed to me and I am ashamed of them. This is the also the truth, the person who witnessed to me, was someone across the other side of the world on the internet in a different country, he was a true Christian and did his job, even my own mother who has been a Christian for 16 years or so, never witnessed to me. This is where we are going wrong. Also I never attended Church to receive the spirit, God blessed me with the spirit, because I prayed to Him to take me and accept me and it's been a hard slog ever since, but it's been worth every pain I have been through.

My job is to reach out to others and do the job He has assigned and planned for me. And I don't want to let Him down.

This post really strikes me. Not long ago BillYeah and I had a conversation in PMs about reaching the lost on the net, and trying to minister to them that way. We were going to try to maybe include the talk Jesus community we just wern't sure how (The idea was pretty grey at the time because we were not sure it would be effective). We share a common idea and plan on how the Gospel should be preached to people, and we talked about using the net to perpetuate the idea.

The fact that you (Word of Life) are so obviously saved and are producing fruit from someones ministry to you on the net continues to assure me that this could be effective. Lately I am so weak in my faith that I have put this off, but I certainly intend to do what BillYeah and I discussed earlier this year. Anyone else have thoughts on the issue?

 

[Buddy2]

A thought... of everyone that we've outright spoken with about Jesus and God's saving Grace or that even just knew that we were Christian (and hopefully living a good witness), we don't know who or when they became Christian themselves. Our job is to plant seeds in some cases, come alongside new believers in others and to let God do the "converting".

Do our Best and let God do the rest!