How to be a witness

This month we are thinking about how we witness in the various places God has put us e.g. at work, with our friends and in the home. 

I wonder if as we think about witnessing we often feel weighed down by the burden to witness or evangelise.  Do we find ourselves asking  how can I fit it in?  How do I open up opportunities to share?  We wonder whether we have the time to have gospel intentional conversations or do we have space in our schedules to invite people to “events” at church?  Tim Chester in his book ‘Everyday Church’ suggests that instead of focusing on evangelistic events, we need to think of the whole of our lives as the evangelistic event.  We need to be affirming and celebrating ordinary Christians living life in Christ’s name.  We should be engaged in everyday mission and witnessing. 

But what does that look like?  Here is an exercise to help identify opportunities for everyday mission.  Think of all the activities, however mundane, that make up your normal (1) daily routine (like travelling to work, eating meals, chores, walking the dog, playing with the children); (2) weekly routine (like grocery shopping, watching your favourite television programmes, getting exercise); and (3) monthly routine (like gardening, getting a haircut, going to the cinema).  You should have a long list.  For each one ask whether you could add: (1) a missional component by involving an unbeliever; and (2) a gospel component by identifying opportunities to talk about Jesus. 

Clearly not everything you do can be done with someone else.  But this exercise reveals just how many opportunities we do have.  You might knock on a friend’s door as you walk the dog to see if they want to walk with you.  You might offer an elderly neighbour a ride when you drive to the supermarket.  Instead of reading a book in the canteen, you might take the opportunity to get to know your colleagues.  None of this is adding anything to your schedule for these are all activities in which you are already engaged.  We need to be looking at what we do and doing it with gospel intentionality. 

Jonathan Dobson from Austen City Life in Texas suggests eight easy ways to open up opportunities to witness and be missional.  He suggests, ‘Missional is not an event we tack onto our already busy lives.  It is our life.  Mission should be the way we live, not something we add onto life…We can be missional in everyday ways with out even overloading our schedules.”

Here are his suggestions (of course some will be more appropriate to your specific context than others):

1. Eat with non-Christians – We all eat three meals a day.  Why not make a habit of sharing of those meals with a non-Christian or with a family of non-Christians?  It could be a co-worker.  Invite the neighbours over. 
2. Walk, don’t drive – If you live in a walkable area, make a practice of getting out and walking around your neighbour hood.  Be deliberate in your walk.  Say hello to people you don’t know.  Strike up conversation.  Pray as you go.
3. Be a regular – Instead of hopping all over the place for petrol, groceries, haircuts, eating out and coffee, go to the same places.  Get to know the staff.  Smile.  Ask questions.  Build relationships.
4. Hobby with non-Christians – Pick a hobby that you can share.  Get out and do something you enjoy with others.
5. Talk to your co-workers – Take your breaks with intentionality.  Show interest in your co-workers.  Pray for them.
6. Volunteer – Find a charity and volunteer with them.  Spend time serving your city.
7. Participate in city events – Go to fundraisers, festivals, shows and concerts.  Participate missionally.  Strike up conversations.  Pray for the city.
8. Serve your neighbours

It is also important we remember witnessing does not begin with a technique or a programme.  Enthusiasm for evangelism doesn’t begin with evangelism at all.  It begins with a love, passion and enthusiasm for Jesus.  You will never attract people to Jesus if you are not excited about Jesus yourself.  Be passionate about him.  Meditate on him until he captures your heart.

If the first element in evangelism is being passionate about Jesus, then the second is being passionate about people: not just seeing them as evangelistic fodder or targets for the gospel, but as people to love.  Love will care for all their needs – physical, social and emotional.  But gospel love also recognises our greatest need which is to know God through Christ.  True love will also want to introduce people to our greatest friend, Jesus.

Thirdly, we need to be people who love life.  Our job is to have fun to the glory of God.  We know the world is marred by sin, but we also see in it many good things from God.  We should be enthusiastic about the world as this attitude of enthusiasm reflects a robust doctrine of creation.  But is it also a good way on connecting with people. 

So as you think about how to witness in the places God has put you, ask him to fill you with a love for Jesus, a love for people and a love for life.  Then pray for opportunities to share your love with others.  

Extracts from 'Everyday Church - mission by being good neighbours' by Tim Chester and Steve Timmis

Brunches

This year the Women's Ministry team is holding 5 Saturday morning brunches over the course of the year.  These brunches are an opportunity for women of all ages to meet together for food, fellowship and discipleship.  So often on a Sunday we don't get a chance to meet ladies outwith our normal circle of friendship which is why meeting together will be so beneficial.   

The morning will open with short devotional.  This year we will be studying a section from 1 Peter about living distinctively as God's people.  After that there will be food and time to chat.  We will then have a thematic teaching session followed by time for discussion at our tables.  Hopefully this time together will equip us to celebrate and live out our identity as women designed by God.

The first brunch this year is on the 20th April.  We will meeting in the lounge from 10-12pm.   There will a small charge of £3 to cover the cost of food.

Discipleship across the generations

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.  By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13 v 34-35.

Have you read any of the recent research about loneliness in the elderly?
Seventy five percent of over 75's feel lonely all or most of the time.  For many elderly people in our society the television is the main provider of company.  I have often visited older people in their homes as part of my job and many times been horrified at the isolation of their lives.  Whilst this is obviously not true for all older people it seems to be becoming more of an issue due to the mobility of people perhaps due to job requirements as well as family breakdown.  Recently I had to visit an elderly person who required social care to be put in place urgently.  This was not going to be available for a few days and I was very concerned as to how this person would manage.  Then the offer came that there were friends from a local church who were willing to help out with twice daily meals until social care could start.  As I left the house I reflected on Gods grace and goodness to this elderly person and what a fantastic witness this was to non believers.  Jesus' command to us came to mind.  As a church we want to be conspicuous and distinctive for Christ.  The way we love one another can demonstrate that.  We are to love one another as Christ loved us; sacrificially, in humility, putting others needs first.  When it comes to demonstrating His love to the older saints amongst us we can all make a difference.  Many of us could deliver a meal, whether we cook it ourselves or buy it, we can send a card, and perhaps most helpful of all, we can spend time with someone.  Part of alleviating loneliness is alleviating aloneness.  By our presence we can demonstrate our love and care.  Many older people would enjoy a visit from a young mum, even when the baby cries!

However, the reality is that by visiting older ladies we are not just serving them, we personally also have much to gain.

Older women likewise are to be reverent in behaviour, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self- controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. Tit 2 v 3-5.

My grandmother was housebound for the last few years of her life and she was often visited by much younger women.  These women brought her real joy as she shared cups of tea, a good chat and words from scripture with them.  However after speaking to many of them at her funeral I realised that they felt that they themselves were the primary beneficiaries of those visits.  A life steeped in scripture and based on a fervent love for Jesus was able to offer insight and wisdom into the lives and problems of women decades younger.  The promise to pray was an encouragement and followed up by concerned and caring questioning at the next visit.

These friendships between the older and younger members of our church body help build up and encourage each other in our faith as well as demonstrating to the world that we are disciples of Christ.

If you would like to discuss this further, have any questions about who to visit or would like to volunteer to help out at the monthly seniors lunch club, speak to Catherine Burrows or Rachel Sloan via the church office.