Chapter Eleven

People and Places

Finding someone to share Christ with is not a problem as there are lost people everywhere. I can witness anywhere in America and it is the same. The Holy Spirit will convict and people will come to Christ. Pray and see where you should witness. I would recommend that you try many different types of environments or settings. Parks, sidewalks, homes, malls, and fast food restaurants are all excellent places to witness. You will be surprised that many of the people you encounter will come to know Christ.

An excellent way for you to become comfortable with areas that you are witnessing in is to visit these areas several times before you witness. Pray in these areas as you visit them. I spend much time driving and walking through areas of poverty until I become comfortable in these areas. I changed my driving routes in town and drive through all areas to become familiar with different surroundings. The Lord seemed to be leading me to do this and it was so interesting to see how it has helped me. As you drive and visit these areas, you will see so many needs. Pray for those that may not know how to pray for themselves. Become familiar with unfamiliar surroundings.

Door To Door Evangelism

I take most people that I train door to door in the communities where their church is located. Door to door evangelism is one of the most difficult types of witnessing. However, it will produce decisions for Christ while making the community aware that your church cares. Be sure not to have too many people go to one door. Divide into groups as you go out and agree on a time and a place to meet back. Some doors will not open when you knock on them and others may slam as people are frustrated with you disturbing their privacy at their home. It is a little more difficult to witness to people in their own homes. However, I would highly recommend that you learn and experience door to door evangelism. You will see souls saved, whole families come to Christ, and many Christians currently not attending church find their way to your local church. Be sure and remind a new convert to be water baptized and this oftentimes leads them to attend your church.

You will speak to many Christians as you knock on doors. Be sure to not try to influence someone established in another church to attend your church. Our efforts should be that of evangelism and not to recruit people from other churches. I simply want to see people in a Christian church of their choice. It is more important that people attend any Christian church than a specific church. This type of unity with other churches will produce results and be received by the religious community as you evangelize areas. Too often, I have seen criticism of those who go door to door by other churches if witnessing teams try to direct other congregations to their church. Let's look for the lost and those who do not attend church and focus on them. Be sure and keep record of the homes that you have visited and the results learned from the visitation. You may use your records in the future to revisit the doors of the lost.

One afternoon we were going door to door in a city and saw a Laotian man standing in his yard watering his lawn. Several of us approached him and we began to make friends with him. We were so thankful that he could understand English. He had been heavily influenced by eastern religions and knew nothing about what we spoke. I saw an old dog walking across the street. I said, "Do you see that dog? Should a car run over him, his life is gone forever. However, should you get run over that is not the end of your life. We were made to live forever." The man leaped with joy and said, "I knew I was more than that dog. I knew! I knew! I knew!"

I went on to explain that God had written a book called the Bible and he took it from my hand and began to read. He sat down in the middle of his yard and read the scriptures that I had shown him. For once in his life he had found what he was looking for. He had found hope. That day in the middle of his yard we led him to Christ. I was so excited to see his expression to know that he would live forever in a place called heaven.

We went on down the street door to door and met many other people along that street. We witnessed for several hours and came back by this man's home as we walked to the church. He was still sitting in the middle of his yard reading his new Bible. Oftentimes you will see that God does such a deep work in the life of an individual. Our witness that day was not dynamic or special. We simply shared the basic truths of the Word and the whole time it seemed that God was speaking to his heart and knew what he needed to hear. He found hope and an opportunity to read the Words of his Creator to know what life in Christ is.

Fast Food Restaurants

Witnessing in fast food restaurants is so exciting and can be explosive. As we witness in a restaurant, we often see two or more people come to Christ at the same time. You need to be kind, avoid any debates and don't be pushy. If you are pushy or disturb people, you will be asked to leave by the manager or challenged by the person you are speaking to. I often will purchase a soda or food before I witness. As a patron of the restaurant, I have a right to be there. We are often so welcomed that people come to us for stickers and WWJD bracelets. Many times people will ask us for Christian materials and not even know Christ. It is in this kind of atmosphere that many will come to Christ. The atmosphere seems to be spiritually charged with the witness of Christ. As you witness you will see God move sovereignly as He wishes. We have seen many lost people find Christ in seconds as we witness in restaurants. I hope you enjoy the next example where a class we trained in California experienced witnessing in a restaurant.

I went to a beautiful church at Nipoma, California to teach a group from two different churches on how to witness in the streets. As I approached the platform to speak, I looked up at the pulpit and it just did not seem comfortable to me. I stepped down from the platform and told the group that the step would be my curb and the carpet would be my street. You see, I am more comfortable in the streets than in churches. I have spent so much time in the streets that it has become my church. Once again, I shared my heart with the people. I was so excited to see the tears from many that listened. It is the tears that are released from the heart. Certainly God was sharing His love for the lost of their community.

I was shocked to see so many hands go up when I asked how many wanted to go to the streets with me to witness. We prayed for the city and departed for a McDonald's located near the church. As I was leaving toward the restaurant I was reminded how difficult my ministry would seem. I am always a spectator and must wait to see what God is going to do in the lives of those we encounter. All those who had just listened to what God does in the streets were now ready to see lives changed. I remembered when I was on the plane on the way there praying, "God, you must move! The people of California are expecting you to begin a work in the streets." It seems that God spoke to my heart and said, "That is my responsibility and yours is to go." My ministry is totally dependent on the Holy Spirit to protect our lives and to convict and save souls.

At McDonald's, we stepped out of our vehicle, walked less than ten feet, and spoke to a lady by the pay phones. The young lady's name was Genese. The witness was so moving and yet was so typical. In response to questions about her relationship with Christ she said, "I pray. I pray everyday." Oh, I hear this so often! I asked her if she knew Christ and if He was in her heart. She said, "I believe in Him." I pursued the witness a little further and asked her if she was living for Christ. She was lost and without Christ. The witness and the Holy Spirit had brought her to a point of conviction. She only knew of Christ. We shared the scriptures from Romans 10:9-10 and she quickly came back to Christ. Within less than a minute someone had already found Christ. God is so good!

We went into McDonald's and before I could sit down, a customer called me to their table. I knew God was about to do something again. He was moving so quickly. I call these events explosions in the spirit when God is moving. I have seen this happen so many times in the streets. Sometimes it happens quicker than we can imagine. So I pulled up a chair and seated myself at the end of their table. I said to the family seated, "What's up?" They were curious about the orange sticker on my shirt. I told them it was a Jesus sticker and gave them one. I gave the children WWJD bracelets and simply tried to be friends with this family that showed an interest in my sticker. I have had gang members before ask what was in the bag I was carrying. It was so neat when I showed them it was Bibles and often they would come to Christ when I witness to them. Certainly God can stir someone's curiosity. Surely God looked down and arranged it for me to be at this table. I looked over my shoulder and the group from the church were seated around me at the nearby tables. They expected God to move and He did.

As all looked and watched I asked a young girl at the table about her relationship with Christ and she had fallen away from Him. God had already started working on her life and she quickly came back to Christ. Her name was Alyssa. I had new friends in California and another person came to Christ. Since the time we drove into the parking lot, less than ten minutes had passed and two people were now saved. Praise God! He was moving in the midst of all of those that watched.

Next, I told the pastor that the Holy Sprit was leading me to two people and I would like for him to assist me. I showed the pastor the lady that he was leading me to. I thought that we would miss her before we could reach her. She was at the register paying for her gas at the station adjoining McDonald's. We stood outside and waited. She then went to the payphone and we waited. Finally, she walked by us and we had an opportunity to speak to her. It seems her credit card was rejected and she now had time to wait and speak to us. She was waiting on a relative to pay for her gas.

We asked her several questions about her relationship with Christ. She was raised in a denomination that did not know Christ and had recently chose not to follow this doctrine. She seemed to be ready for a personal relationship with Christ. We showed her the scriptures and she came to know Christ. Her name was Regnal. Praise the Lord for that day she had chosen Christ. She then asked for the name of a church that she could attend. Now I introduced her to the pastor standing next to me. The pastor began to share with Regnal and immediately shared with her more about Christ. It seemed that Regnal enjoyed meeting with the pastor and accepted an invitation to visit his church. What a joy to have many from the church and the pastors in the streets as we witness!

We had one more person to speak to now. It was the cashier. We spoke to her and she was lost. She knew she needed to come to Christ. It seemed that before we could finish a sentence, another customer came to the register. We presented our witness a sentence at a time. In the midst of all of this, God still moved. We did not have an opportunity to pray, but I introduced her to the pastor. We agreed that he would come back at another time when things were not so busy and pray with her to lead her to Christ. Yes, this was most unusual but God moved.

It was now the end of our witness and we were excited about what God had done. I was glad that all had an opportunity to see the moving of the Holy Spirit in the lives of people in a restaurant setting.

Sidewalks and Streets

Witnessing on sidewalks and in the streets is my favorite type of witnessing. When you encounter someone on the sidewalk, they are out of their surroundings and more likely to respond.

Never allow fear to have a place in your witness. While you may be in a new area, remember you are there for the most important reason on this earth. You are there to share Christ and should not be afraid or ashamed.

Romans 1
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

One night I was witnessing along the sidewalks and areas of a park when someone told me a story that I will never forget. The young men we were talking to were identified with gang. Whether they were gang members or not, no one knows. They were glad to see that we were bold about our witness to be in the park and alleys at night. They told us the story about a white van that occasionally drives into the park and throws tracts at them from the van window. The gang kid said, "I guess they feel better now." Could it be the kids in the van throwing tracts out at people felt they were fulfilling the great commission to share the Gospel. Your witness will never be effective if it is not personal and mixed with love for all people.

On another night in the same park a man was riding a bicycle along a road in the park. I said something to the man and he stopped. As I extended my hand to his I noticed how white his hand was. It seemed to have powder on it. I then saw his face as I was reaching for his hands. His eyes were so tired and his nose had powder going down from it all the way to his shirt. I then knew he had been shoving cocaine into his nose before I met him. I knew that moment how filthy that hand was since it was covered with drugs and fluids from his nose. However, I would not let that stop me from taking his hand and greeting him. I shook his hand and told him that God loves him and I care about people and wanted to share a message with him. His name was Charles.

He was ready to receive the message of Christ and prayed with me that night. I will always remember the man with the cocaine hand. I saw him from time to time in our city and he carried his small new testament everywhere he went. Late one night I was at a gas station witnessing and he came up to me and said, "Do you remember me?" I said, "Charles, is that you?" He was so happy and changed so dramatically that I almost didn't even recognize him. He looked like a different person now. He was so thrilled that I remembered his name. I learned that sometime later Charles died and I knew that God had arranged for me to meet Charles that night. What if I had not taken that filthy hand in the park that night? Would Charles have found Christ? I believe that God loved Charles so much that He sent His Son to die on a cross for his sins—just as He did for you. Never look at the conditions of lives as you minister. Let God use you to minister to all people.

Almost a year after Charles's death I was witnessing and led a lady to the Lord. That night I thought it was a typical witness but when I handed her a new testament she looked at it and me and said, "My dad carried one of these for years and read it every day. It had a sticker on it just like this one." I asked her the name of her dad and she said, "Charles." She cried when she found out that the same person who led her dad to Christ had just led her to Christ. She told me that her dad carried the new testament that I gave him everywhere he went. She said that he had hoped to be able to witness with me in the streets and that he was preparing for that by reading the new testament. I knew that night as I walked away God had arranged this special night for Charles's daughter and me. I knew without a doubt that God was in charge of all that happened.

Bars and Night Clubs

We do not recommend anyone to witness in a bar who would be tempted by such an environment. I have heard stories of someone who comes out of this life style and goes back in to witness and become entangled in sin once again. Therefore, if you intend to go into bars then ensure you are called to this type of ministry and that you are not recently out of this kind of environment. This is a totally different kind of witness and can be very peaceful and sometimes very explosive. While witnessing in a bar it is very important that you never say a word to judge anyone. Your words can often be misinterpreted in a bar and will lead to an argument.

When I go into a bar to witness, I usually pick out someone when I first enter the door and move slowly and witness to one person at a time. If you try to quickly cover the bar and move too fast you will be asked to leave. I never order anything in a bar and do not pretend to be a patron there. If you hand out too many tracts in the bar you will asked to leave. Never discuss the persons drinking or why they are in a bar. I only speak to the heart and not their habits or problems.

Respect Authority and Private Property

Occasionally when witnessing in public places you will encounter law enforcement personnel that may ask you to leave. Although you have a right to witness in a public place, it is imperative that you cooperate with law enforcement. Never have an encounter with a law enforcement officer. Policemen are there to keep peace and to ensure your safety. If you have a reoccurring problem with law enforcement asking you to leave an area you should report this to your pastor and let him work with the police department to resolve any misunderstandings.

To be a witness means that we must obey authority and live peacefully. I remember the Roman soldier that understood the message of Christ and the authority of his government.

Matthew 8
8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.
9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

We must cooperate at all times with store owners who ask us to leave and with those in authority. Sometimes the presence of too many people witnessing in an area can create a problem for law enforcement. They are concerned anytime large amounts of people congregate in an area at night.

In my witnessing experience, I have been asked to leave very few private businesses and public places. Without exception I have always cooperated. I have been asked to leave many bars and clubs that we were witnessing in. If too many enter a bar it will cause a disruption or if you are too pushy you will be asked to leave. Bars are privately owned and you will have to cooperate. In bars that are in very bad areas, I will ask the owner or tell them what I am doing there and often times they will let me hand out the stickers and witness to a few people, especially when I place a time limit of how long I will be there.

I have been in the worst bar in our community that is shut down nearly every night for fights and drugs. However, the night we decided to go in we had about fifteen people we were training in the parking lot and only a few of us went to the door. I went to the door and the bouncer would not let me in. I told him that I must go in to talk to the people that God had led me there and asked to speak to the manager. He invited me in and the manager agreed that we could come in and he went out and invited the rest of my group in. I could not believe that he let all fifteen of us in this bar. We were given fifteen minutes to share our message and then to leave. I thank God for the experiences that we have seen as He has given us favor with all people. This was the third bar that I had ever been in and it was quite an experience. Every substance you could imagine was being smoked and drank inside. It was so sad to see the addictions. All of us wanted to reach all of the people for Christ that night. It took a move of God to get us in and we pray that even today lives would remain changed from our visit to that bar. Expect God to move and you will experience great joy when you see the results of His hand moving even upon the life of an unsaved bar owner to prepare the way to win others to Christ.

Witnessing in the Rain

There have been few times that rain has fallen in the streets while we were witnessing. We don't let the weather stop us when we go out. We simply witness where we can and go where the people are. You can take your teams to a laundromat, bus stations, airports, malls, covered sidewalks, recreation areas, and convenience stores. Each one of these areas presents its own challenges and excitement. We find that a greater harvest is found in areas of poverty. Most impoverished people are without hope and find it rare for people to care for them. Bus stations and laundromats are often areas where we find poverty and need. We find in the ministry of Christ that He was always moved by need and so is He today.

Matthew 9
35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;

Street University Lesson Eleven

Group Discussion
Discuss the different places in your daily life to present Christ. Knowing these opportunities then discuss how you could present Christ in these locations.

Bible Study
Study the scriptures and find the many places where Christ shared with people.
At the well John 4:6-14 ; At the tombs Matthew 8:28-34; Along the seaside Matthew 13:1-9; Along the roadsides Acts 9:1-5; In the synagogue Luke 4:16-21

Optional Assignment
1. Witness on the sidewalks of your hometown.