gregstier.org

Twitter Updates

23 Comments for '10 ways NOT to share your faith'

1. On April 30, 2010 @ 9:24 am Kyle J. Howard said:

   • Greg,

     Simply awesome. Can’t wait for the “10 MORE ways not to share your faith.”

     Reply to this comment

   • Permalink to Kyle J. Howard's comment

2. On April 30, 2010 @ 9:27 am Jason said:

   • My side hurts from laughing so loud for so long!!! That’s awesome!

     Reply to this comment

   • Permalink to Jason's comment

3. On April 30, 2010 @ 9:36 am natalie hunt said:

   • wow… well i’m homeschooled and honestly… all my friends are ‘Christians’… how do i witness to a ‘Christian’ and how do i witness to someone i don’t know?

     Reply to this comment

     

     greg stier Reply:
     April 30th, 2010 at 9:46 am

     Great question Natalie. Make friends is the simple answer. You can do that with neighborhood teenagers, online friends or, like I did growing up, hanging out at the mall and engaging other teenagers. Maybe you can study at a local coffee shop (like I’m at right now) and engage those around you with the gospel as opportunities arise (and they will!)

     Reply to this comment

     

     Rick Drost Reply:
     April 30th, 2010 at 10:17 am

     Natalie, Get involved in some other clubs… maybe in your city’s parks and recreation sports leagues or craft groups or theater groups. Whatever you are into is an easy way to meet people with the same interests who can easily become friends. But don’t be friends just to share the gospel or they will feel you are using them to get a notch in your belt. Truly be a friend even if they dismiss your loving message of the gospel. Continue to love them, pray for them, enjoy their friendship and God will open doors for you to love them to life in Christ.

     Reply to this comment

     

     Katelyn Reply:
     April 30th, 2010 at 10:19 am

     Natalie: What exactly do you mean by ‘Christian’ ?
     Uhm, I’d say when it comes to talking to someone you don’t know, just go up to them and start talking. You could compliment them on something their wearing that you like, and then you could ask them how they’re doing… like really really ask it. Because not alot of people ask anyone how they’re really doing. Be interested in what they have to say… be loving. Be relational. be relentless. and be clear.

     “Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”

     Hm, I guess that means I should go scrape that “Jesus is the answer” bumper sticker off of my moms car..haha. she’s not too bad of a driver… until she decides to pull out her phone while she’s driving. I may only be the teenager, but messing with your phone while driving is just stupid. (Nearly 6,000 people die a year from america’s worst habit.) I’ve made her car a “no phone zone” while she’s driving. It’s one thing I don’t allow. I don’t appreciate someone putting my life or their life at risk like that. I could go on, but I digress (:

     Reply to this comment

     

     Kyle J. Howard Reply:
     April 30th, 2010 at 10:51 am

     I can relate to that, Natalie. I was home schooled for eight years of my life and had a lot of “Christian” friends. For me personally, once I got into my faith I started acting more like I felt Christ would want me to. Then I would invite my “Christian” friends to do church activities, rescue missions, and other ministry outings that would get them to see real Christians in action as well as would get them to flex their “spiritual muscles.” Once some of them got an idea of how Christians should act, like a spreading flame, they started owning their faith and wanting to do things on their own. In a nut shell, I showed them how a Christian should act, I got them involved in ministry activities that surrounded them with other example-Christians, and showed them it can really be worth while doing things for Christ.

     For unbelievers, not trying to sound like a sales man – haha, this Dare2Share book is fantastic.

     http://www.d2sshoppingcart.org/productdetails.php?CategoryID=37&ProductID=268

     Though like Greg said, in his blog, “Talk to people! Love them, listen to them, engage them and share the gospel with them. It’s only taken me about 30 years of sharing my faith to figure this out. I guess I’m a slow learner. It’s a good thing I love the book of Colossians. I finally got the message after reading this passage in chapter four, verses four through six,

     ‘Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.’”

     When people live their lives for Christ it’s almost like something about them glows. Some will begin to ask, “What does he/she have that I don’t?” St. Francis of Assisi said, “Preach the gospel always; if necessary use words.” What he meant first was live by example, witness through your actions, “preach what you practice.” Second, Hebrews 4:12 says, “The word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” The message of the Gospel is a very powerful one. I can’t tell you how many times the gospel acrostic has helped me stay on track and bring most every question back to the cross. You’ll be surprised how many people have never heard the clear Gospel message.

     G od created us to be with him. Gen. 1-2
     O ur sin separated us from God. Gen. 3
     S in cannot be removed by good deeds. Gen. 4 – Mal. 4
     P aying the price for sin, Jesus died and rose again. Matt. – John
     E veryone who trusts in Him alone has eternal life. Acts – Jude
     L ife that’s eternal starts now and lasts forever. Revelation

     Use these as talking points and you’ll do just fine. =] I hope I was able to help!

     Live THE Cause!

     Kyle J. Howard

     Reply to this comment

   • Permalink to natalie hunt's comment

4. On April 30, 2010 @ 10:07 am Brian said:

   • OH-MY-GOODNESS! That is great!

     Reply to this comment

   • Permalink to Brian's comment

5. On May 2, 2010 @ 5:05 am Jase Lucad said:

   • I love these! You did really good Greg. But I don’t think a Christian bumper sticker could hurt…unless someone does something stupid like flips off the guy who cuts them off. But anyway…great job!

     Reply to this comment

     

     Dana Schmoyer Reply:
     May 3rd, 2010 at 3:12 pm

     Coming back from a weekend missions trip in Minneapolis we stopped at the gas station and right when I pulled up to a pump a lady came speeding around trying to get to the one I just parked at. She was super ticked off and made sure we knew it. Then another student from another car noticed all of her Christian bumper stickers, and when she got out she was wearing a Christian shirt too. Too bad her actions told a different story.

     Reply to this comment

     

     Amanda Reply:
     May 4th, 2010 at 3:44 pm

     That is why my dad wont get one. He will have to drive slowly and stuff. While he might not flip someone off, he would have to drive differenty. But I think it is not bad if you drive like a Christian would. I <3 D2S!!!!!!!!!!

     Reply to this comment

     

     Amanda (again) Reply:
     May 8th, 2010 at 1:39 pm

     ORRRRRRRRR. Put it on the front of your car that way, the person you just let in thinks, “Wow, that nice Christian let me in!!!”

   • Permalink to Jase Lucad's comment

6. On May 2, 2010 @ 9:30 pm Brad Kelly said:

   • Greg,
     So was God wrong in having Jeremiah publicly proclaim repentance?

     Jeremiah 1:7 “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak.”ESV

     Remember, it doesn’t matter what “works” or doesn’t work. What we need to ask is if it biblical and if we are preaching the gospel accurately. Repentance toward God and faith in Christ must be proclaimed one on one and publicly.

     Any thoughts on George Whitfield?

     Check out this new DVD coming out. http://www.gostandspeak.com/

     Reply to this comment

     

     greg stier Reply:
     May 3rd, 2010 at 2:24 pm

     Hey Brad, I love Jeremiah and I love George Whitefield. Jeremiah was doing what God called him to do. He just didn’t get any converts that way…all of Israel, as you know, turned their back on him. George Whitefield didn’t just stand on the corner and scream repent. he presented the gospel of grace in a powerful and compelling way. Check out “The Life and Times of George Whitefield” by Arnold Dallimore…in these 1,100 pages you will find a sweet soul who preached the truth in love.

     And I agree it’s not about what works or doesn’t. But it is about doing what’s Biblical. Check out 2 Timothy 2:23-26…it strikes the balance of speaking the truth…in love.

     Reply to this comment

     

     Brad Kelly Reply:
     May 4th, 2010 at 8:09 pm

     Greg,
     I’m confused. Are you for or against open air preaching? I love this quote by George Whitefield:

     “I was honored today with having a few stones, dirt, rotten eggs, and pieces of dead cat thrown at me”

     He was obviously compelling enough for people to do that to him. At the time it probably looked like his method didn’t “work” either.

     Reply to this comment

     

     Eddie Reply:
     May 5th, 2010 at 12:25 pm

     Having alot of crap thrown at us doesn’t justify whether we are doing “God’s Will” or not. Sometimes, it just means we were nothing more than a moron yelling at people.

     The message will ALWAYS be the point. Are we sharing it? Or are we hiding it? BUT, the message isn’t just verbal… but also HOW we share it. Sometimes people need to be screamed at, other times they don’t. In Jeremiah’s day, that was how EVERYONE taught and got the word out. They proclaimed loudly in a place where people gathered. They weren’t seen as idiots for doing so as it was basically their local WiFi center. Years later there was the town crier… Nowadays, we don’t have to yell really. We’ve got many more ways to do it. So the guy standing on the corner shouting at the passing crowd has lost the effectivness that the original corner screamer had in reaching people. Now those guys are just nuts and ignored. They used to be crowded around and listened to and judged on their message then and there. Now… not so much.

   • Permalink to Brad Kelly's comment

7. On May 3, 2010 @ 12:22 am Varghese said:

   • This is simply amazing. thanks greg!

     I will share this with others

     Reply to this comment

   • Permalink to Varghese's comment

8. On May 4, 2010 @ 7:59 am jon forrest said:

   • How about these beauties…..Tie tracts to balloons and let them go. Just trust the holy spirit to guide them. (I’m an idiot, we did this, in my defense, we did say this was not the way Jesus told us to)

     write a note that has the gospel on the inside but fold it like a love note (with the little “pull” tag hanging out) with hearts and “private” written on the outside, and leave it lying around school. (i already told you i’m an idiot)

     relational and relentless. You’re the man.

     Reply to this comment

     

     greg stier Reply:
     May 4th, 2010 at 7:22 pm

     You just made the top 10!

     Reply to this comment

     

     Brad Kelly Reply:
     May 4th, 2010 at 8:36 pm

     Jon,
     Be careful before you say something is stupid.
     Voice of the Martyrs has been launching “Scripture Balloons” into North Korea since 1968.

     Reply to this comment

     

     greg stier Reply:
     May 5th, 2010 at 6:12 am

     True…but maybe it’s the context. VOM rocks it. In America it may not be nearly as effective. But I guess, if I met someone who trusted in Jesus in the US from a balloon tract I would change my mind. Good point Brad! Maybe someone trusted in Jesus from my maneguinn tracts at some point too. Better a lame method and a clear gospel than no method at all!

     Reply to this comment

   • Permalink to jon forrest's comment

9. On May 9, 2010 @ 10:29 am Shane Dickinson said:

   • Great Stuff Greg, looking forward too reading more things on this blog…

     Pray for THE Cause in Chi-Town

     Reply to this comment

   • Permalink to Shane Dickinson's comment

10. On September 3, 2010 @ 1:13 pm Brian said:

    • Greg,

      Late in the game on this, but found your blog today.

      I’m TOTALLY STEALING this for my sermon on evangelism this Sunday, especially that last paragraph.

      Bookmarking your site for regular trips back.

      Reply to this comment

    • Permalink to Brian's comment