Post 1 of 2 - Learning to Share
Read: Matthew 10:16-33
Read: Matthew 10:16-33
My first exposure to door-to-door witnessing came at a young age. Two men, nicely dressed in white button up shirts and ties and bearing backpacks, knocking on our front door. For most, I won't even need to explain. You've probably seen them riding their bikes down a street near you. (Pardon the stereo-type)
I don't claim to know a whole lot about what Jehovah Witnesses believe, though more recently, I can at least claim to have talked to a couple of them for more than a couple hours which was obviously very revealing. But back then I didn't know much at all about what they believed except that they thought they could earn their salvation by telling others to go out and tell others to get saved. Or something like that.
[Edit: Mom says they were Mormons (LDS), I stand corrected. Thats what I get for stero-typing. Hehe. Their beliefs about salvation are similiar I think, but I guess its the Mormons who ride bikes typically. ;-) We've had Jehovah Witnesses come to our door a couple of times too.]
[Edit: Mom says they were Mormons (LDS), I stand corrected. Thats what I get for stero-typing. Hehe. Their beliefs about salvation are similiar I think, but I guess its the Mormons who ride bikes typically. ;-) We've had Jehovah Witnesses come to our door a couple of times too.]
As my mom explained to the ones at our door that day, that we were Christians and that they happened to be knocking on a parsonage door-- I stood behind her, listening and wondering. I couldn't swallow the irony. We were the ones with the Good News. Who should be knocking on whose door?
Fast forward a couple of years, and you will find me just starting out in the working world and striving to find the balance of living in the world but not of it. I often fell under conviction, that though I was confident of the Lord's work in my life, I was not confident to speak of it or give Him glory in places I thought I might be ridiculed, or horror, in places I might be considered to be "weird" if I did. I'm not saying [my taking a bold stand] never happened, but its an embarrassing amount compared to the opportunities I had, that I didn't take.
In the summer of 2008 I took a couple days off work and attended a Voice of the Martyrs Conference. I sat there listening to the testimonies of those Christians who had died for their faith, praying that the Lord would give me grace should there ever be a time I had to endure severe persecution for the name of Christ. By the last session I was in tears, overwhelmed by the clarity of the call I had been smothering. It was, simply, to speak the Gospel. At this point, I knew, that no matter what case others and myself could give, fear of man was the ultimate reason I had not been free to share what was so clearly put on my heart. If I wasn't brave enough to speak His name, how could I be bold enough to die for His name?
I prayed, oh how I prayed, that the fervency I felt wouldn't leave me as I returned to work and the normalcy of daily life. It weakened, but it didn't leave. I remember being more apt to offer to pray for my patients and more than willing to pull out the Gideon Bible from their nightstand and encourage them to read it. Baby steps, but the story isn't over.
I'll post the rest soon. I know this is an uncomfortable topic for some. Feel free to be a silent bystander as I post, and others discuss. But this part of my story and what I came to realize, aren't mere matters of opinion. God says, "Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven." Matthew 10:32&33
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4 Reflections:
Thank you so much for the post, Kaylene. Your testimony is inspiring and convicting for me. Most convicting I think was the statement, "If I wasn't brave enough to speak His name, how could I be bold enough to DIE for His name?" This post is DEFINATELY provoking a lot of thought and prayer by me. I can't wait for your next post!
Christin
Well written, Kaylene. Have you heard of Way of the Master? They have a really good evangelism training program and lots of good tips on how to share the Gospel. I hope you don't mind me giving their link here: http://www.wayofthemaster.com/ I'm looking forward to part 2! ~Blessings, Eden
I'm so glad you're writing about this, Kaylene. It has been a convicting topic for me since meeting and marrying my husband, because he is passionate about evangelism and often shares the gospel, even in 2-minute conversations. He takes advantage of opportunities that I don't even call opportunities. I blame it on my personality, but I am much more timid, much more fearful of what people think, and much less likely to share the gospel, especially when there are other Christians listening (and, I worry, criticizing). I do want and need to grow in this area.
Hi! A friend of mine shared your blog with me and I LOVE it! I happen to write a blog about purity... You should check it out! Great job on your blog though!! :)
JEN
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