Two Verbatim Personal
Witnessing Experiences

Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary / Mill Valley Campus
P 1311-01: BASIC EVANGELISM / Dr. Bill Wagner / Spring 2002

by

Chris A. Foreman / Box 780 / May 1, 2002

Experience One

With Whom: My neighbor, Mary Jane, who lives alone in the house to our left. I had chatted with her at a few neighborhood block parties, but never about spiritual matters. She is a special education public school teacher and retiring at the end of this school year.

When: March 2, 2002, on the Saturday morning. I was working in my garden. She walked off her porch and down her drive way to pick up her newspaper.


Verbatim conversation:

Me: Hello, Mary Jane. How are you doing?

She: OK. It looks like you have already pulled a lot of weeds this morning.

Me: Yeah, I have that whole container to fill up [pointing].

She: When you are done with your weeds, maybe you can pull a few of mine.

Me: [laugh] Say, Mary Jane, do you know that Kim and I will be going back to Africa this summer?

She: I didn't know that. I know that you went last summer, but you never told me how you liked it there. I don't think that I would ever go to a place like that. I hope you didn't get malaria or something like that.

Me: No, we got there and back fine. We went as short term missionaries, you know.

She: I know. What is it that you did?

Me: We both taught some Sunday School classes and I was able to preach three times. It was great. I was able to preach the Gospel to a thousand people at a time. Do you go to church?

She: I was raised Catholic, and I still consider myself Catholic, but I haven't been to church in a long time.

Me: And why don't you go to church?

She: I can't believe all that stuff anymore. Look at all the bad things that the church has done.

Me: Like what?

She: You know, like the crusades and things. Who can believe in a church like that?

Me: Can I share the theme of one the sermons that I gave in Africa? The title was "Keep your eyes on Jesus." If we keep our eyes on the things that Christians do, we will always find fault, but if we look to Jesus, then our faith will remain strong. I'm glad that my faith doesn't depend on the deeds of people who call themselves "Christians". My relationship with Jesus is the most important thing in the world to me.

She: I don't think that I could go back to a Catholic church. Can you follow Jesus and not be a part of a church?

Me: I suppose that's possible, but as Christians we need to fellowship. Without community, it's so easy to slip back into lazy ways.

She: Yeah, I know what you mean. I just like to read the two newspapers on Sunday morning [tapping the newspaper in her hand]. It's my only day of rest.

Me: Do you think that Kim and I could drop by sometime and talk with you about our trip to Africa. We have pictures and even a video. I could show you my Rwandan drum.

She: Sure, let's get together sometime. Well, I gotta go now. Bye


Evaluation:

Mary Jane was in her slippers to get the newspaper and I was up to my elbows in dirt. The conversation couldn't have lasted much longer.

That brief encounter was over two months ago. I talked to my wife about visiting Mary Jane. She likes the idea, but the time has never come. All three of our lives are always so busy. The urgent seems to take precedent over the important. [Writing this out is convicting me that I need to try more to follow through with this witness.]


Prospects:

Mary Jane appears to be a spiritually open person, but she is reluctant to change the comfort of her ways. She likes her life the way it is. She has a nice and rewarding job, lives alone in a big house, and gets regular visits from her two sons. It may take something major to change her. I will plan a visit to talk about our mission to Africa and the purpose of our evangelism. I will then invite her to a non-threatening welcoming event at our church.

Experience Two

With Whom: Steve, who we met at the Mill Valley depot during our classroom "witness to the lost". He was leaving the coffee shop and just approaching his bicycle outside the depot. Rose, Brent, and I went as a team. He seemed to be about 40 years old, a bit "eccentric", maybe a regular at the depot area.

When: Monday, April 23, 2002, at about 11AM.


Verbatim conversation:

Me: We have a survey that we are filling out. Could we ask you a few questions?

He: Sure. What's the survey about?

Me: We are looking to start a church in the Mill Valley area.

He: OK. Go Ahead.

Me: Are you actively attending a church in the area?

He: I wouldn't say "actively". I do some meditation sometime.

Me: Where do you mediate?

He: Mostly by myself, but sometimes I go to the Buddhist center.

Me: Are you a Buddhist then?

He: Not really. I wouldn't say that I am a practicing Buddhist. Meditating helps clear my mind and make me straight.

Me: Did you used to attend a church?

He: Yes, I grew up Catholic, but I don't do that anymore.

Me: A Catholic, huh? My son is studying to be a Catholic priest.

He: [laughing] I hope he has a good lawyer.

Me: We are thinking of starting a Baptist church. Do you think that you might be interested in checking out a Baptist Church?

He: Sure, I'm interested in most everything.

Rose: Would you read this? [She hands him a witnessing tract]

He: I'll read it. [Putting it into his back pocket]

Us: Thanks.

He: No Problem [Riding away]


Evaluation:

It was difficult for me to approach this stranger and witness. I am even reluctant to approach a stranger to ask directions. This was the longest conversation of about four encounters that I had on "Witnessing day". Once in the conversion, it was OK. The man didn't seem shy about talking to me, but he did seem anxious to ride his bike away.


Prospects:

Probably not good. Maybe I lack faith, but I would not expect to see this man in a Baptist church.

Reflections on experience:

On the Monday morning of witnessing day, rain on the roof woke me up at 4 AM. I thought to myself, "maybe we won't have to go witnessing today"! I experienced relief, and immediately guilt at the fact that I had experienced relief. I prayed in bed. "Make me bold, Lord."

The skies were clearing as I went to work in the morning. There was sunshine as the Evangelism class began at 10 AM. Approaching strangers is not easy for me. Meyers-Briggs rates me in the extreme corner as a scientific introvert (INTJ). This may be a reason for my witness-phobia, but it is not an excuse. I was disappointed in myself. I felt that I had let my Lord down. People passed me by and I said nothing. I know what is undeniably in my heart, but it is so hard to speak it to strangers. Why is it that I tremble? I thought that the demons were supposed to tremble.

I can identify with the Apostle John. He ran to the sepulcher first, but he only stooped down and looked in. Peter got there second, but boldly ran in. A few weeks later, John was in the fishing boat and was the first to recognize that Jesus was on the shore. He pointed this fact out to Peter and Simon Peter jumped into the water and swam to shore. John just stayed with the boat.

Why is Africa so different? The African pastors gather a crowd. I speak boldly of Christ and Him crucified. I feel the anointing of the Holy Spirit and lives are changed. In our Evangelism class we drew concentric circles with us in the middle and going out to the world. The innermost circle is the most difficult for me, the outermost is a joy. Above all, pray that I might be bold. This is my prayer.