Do’s and Don’ts of Witnessing

Do:

• Make sure you have your own devotional time with the Lord before you minister.
• Have a genuine love.
• Listen attentively.
• Pray for wisdom and discernment
• Believe that God will lead you to the right person.
• Have basic scriptures with their references readily available.
• Read your Bible.
• If you can, get a Bible program that you can cut and paste scriptures at appropriate times.
• Know what you believe.
• Give your own testimony when you can.
• Memorize appropriate Scriptures if possible.
• Remember that God’s Word will never return to you void.
• Avoid answering the telephone and other similar distractions at this time.
• Keep a list of email names with as much information as you have on them so you can remember to follow up with little inspirational notes from time to time.
• Speak to please God.
• Start with a positive witness for Christ.
• Enter a conversation with an open heart, asking God to lead you.
• Keep things simple.
• Try to understand others beliefs before you begin to try to share your own.
• Define your terms.
• Be ready to learn from the people you witness to.
• Be patient and gentle.
• Give them a chance to talk as well and ask questions.
• Answer their questions.
• Ask questions.
• Bring them, if possible, to a decision about Jesus.
• Encourage them to study the Bible.
• Use Scripture in context.
• Remember that greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4).
• Be prepared in advance with resources to point them to if needed.
• Take your time
• Offer to get back to them if you don’t know an answer
• Continue to pray for God to work in them after you share.
• Praise God that He used you to plant seeds.
• Pray that He would put others in their path to water those seeds.

Do Not:

• Pass up an opportunity to pray with someone.
• Talk about denominational differences; focus on the Cross.
• When you have a strong sense inside that it’s time to move on, don’t let your mind take over and end up wasting time. Let God work on their hearts.
• Get drawn in by someone who asks controversial questions constantly.
• Give out any more information on yourself than what is appropriate.
• Use theological words; be simple.
• Give in to the voice that tells you that you are not making a difference.
• Rush them.
• Argue
• Share your opinions; stick to the Gospel.
• Pretend to know all the answers; people will appreciate you for that.
• Compromise on the Gospel.
• Attack directly or make fun of someone.
• Jump from one subject to another.
• Expect too much from him.
• Lose patience.
• Come on too strong.
• Debate peripheral issues or doctrines.
• Get sidetracked defending your denomination.
• Be uptight.
• Assume.
• Speak unclearly.
• Force your views on others.
• Go into witnessing without first praying.
• Overwhelm them with post after post.
• Be disappointed if they don’t pray to receive Christ as their Savior immediately.

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