New Testing Phase

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Tuesday 30 August 2011

Witness Encounter: Interview

Reported below is my submitted assignment for a class I took on evangelism, called the Romans Road. It was a great course and I enjoyed it. Included in the course was a practical, WITNESS to somebody, then report back. Below is the prescribed report back as submitted verbatim to the teacher. Its written in fairly technical language so sorry if you don’t follow everything I say. I have been remiss in not reporting back on my witness encounters as of late,, so this is a means of getting back into the habit.

 

I interviewed student named Shane, a grade 10 student who attends the computer classes in which I participate in teaching. I believe he was an unbeliever because he had no testimony whatsoever and at his own description, he is not born again. I spoke to him in person, using the prop of “interview for a class” to initiate the conversation.

I began by asking him about his own personal beliefs and understanding of Christian concepts. He says that he was christened at a home church, (in England) and believes in God and the bible but doesn’t know much about either, or does he go to church. When I pressed the point about the bible, he claims that he believes it to be true, accurate and literal, but he had obviously not taken the step of actually reading it. I asked several other questions, probing his worldview

I hinged the conversation into the Roman’s Road part, by asking him on his understanding of Easter, a tactic I often use, with great affect. He described an accurate picture of Christ’s death and resurrection, but could not begin to explain why any of this was necessary.

In answer to my questions he admitted to lying, blasphemy, adultery and murder of the heart, and in light of this quickly understood that he was not a good person (something he had asserted earlier, but instead was a sinner (Rom 3:23) and that he was going to die and after that hell (Rom 6:23). At this time I quoted Romans 6:23. He seemed to have understood step 1 fairly easily so I brought the conversation back to Easter and explain and related Christ’s death and resurrection in terms of his and my law-breaking. I also emphasized the personal nature of the good news, that he, a fallen sinner, can have his sins forgiven while Jesus bore those sins on Himself on the cross, then on the third day, was resurrected.

I then asked if he knew how to receive that forgiveness of sins. To my surprise he described repentance fairly well, without using the word. I “closed the deal” by explaining how God commands “all men everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30) and to trust Jesus alone for the forgiveness of sins (Rom 5:1 et al) I also illustrated those commands with analogies which I think, on reflection, were probably not necessary with Shane, he seemed to grasp the ideas well.

Most of the emphasis was on step two. He seemed to grasp both the bad news and the “response” fairly easily but needed a little help connecting all the dots as to why Christ actually had to die. To that end, my Easter approach worked exceedingly well in this case, as it often does in my experience.

On several occasions I pressed him to ask me questions, anything he didn’t understand, but once he had grasped step two, there was nothing further he asked during the conversation. This leads me to conclude that his attitude was one of polite interest, because of the idea of an interview, but otherwise apathy, and for this reason, I concluded the interview with a personal challenge on sin and hell, to try and break him out of it, with little or no outward sign of change in attitude, although he answered my challenge orally in the way I had hoped. I trust that the Holy Spirit will convict him of his sin and lead him to repentance.

The outcome of the presentation was a success. The three aspects of the Romans Road were clearly presented and he now was a full understanding of the Gospel, its promises and implications. For me, it is profitable in that it encourages me to not be lazy in evangelism but rather to be bold. To conclude, I plan to pray for this young man much in the next few weeks. I will also have the chance to have further conversations in and around class, although I will not push the point.

To conclude, I thank God for allowing me the opportunity to witness to Shane, it was an unusual interview in that he had more knowledge than the average unbeliever I have spoken to. I trust and pray God will bring him to repentance and faith, adoption into the family of Christ.

Soli Deo gloria

Monday 29 August 2011

180 Movie

This is a new video from Living Waters. It is coming out on September 26. I beg you, watch the promo, you will be just as exited and intrigued as I am to watch it, when it comes out

The website: 180movie.com

To The Women At My Church

envalope1 

Dear Sisters in Christ, specifically those at HBC, my local church.

I write this letter after much consideration and prayer, to you my sisters in Christ, with the purpose primarily to thank you. Thank you for your care, consideration, grace, faithfulness and gentleness. But most of all, I would like to thank you for your modesty.

1 Timothy 2:9  likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire

I thank God that you have embraced this verse, that it is a part of your thinking, and that you take time and effort to obey it.

You see, we men, are lusters, this is usually our special sin. It is something we, as believers have to make all out war against, in the effort to obey God and be holy. And for many, including me, it is something of a near constant battle, especially when in public. But you, dear sisters, have made our church a sanctuary, a place where the war on lust does not need to be fought, a place of rest. And the reason for this is because of how you dress.

But when I am among you, I do not need to bounce my eyes because a skirt is too short, or look away while desperately humming a hymn because a top is too low cut.

I bless you and thank God for that, it is a real blessing.

Pray for us men, in our war on lust. You probably have no idea of what we have to go through, pray that we would keep strong. And I beg, please keep obeying 1 Tim 2:9. You can know that in doing so you get both the satisfaction in obeying God, and are also helping your brothers.

Sincerely and with much Christian love

your brother Gareth

Sunday 28 August 2011

Oh His deep deep Love

This is one of my favourite hymns ands as providence would have it, our opening hymn at tonight’s service. It reminds me of one of my favourite verses from one of my favourite chapters of the bible Romans 5.

Romans 5:8  but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

While we were still sinners, not once we had reformed ourselves, or had been good or otherwise had somehow earned God’s favour. NO, God demonstrating His great love for us, died for us sinners, taking away our sin and making us Holy, justified in His sight.

Praise God for that, and all that to say, that idea springs out of the song for me also, so please give it a listen.

Saturday 20 August 2011

Even a dog

The picture below is a bit of artwork I did for fun. It is an edit of a painting of the pastor, reformer and theologian John Calvin. It features a quote of his, one of my favourites and one I try to live by. It means, in essence, if even a dog will defend his master by, at the very least, barking, so he, Calvin, would be a coward if he didn’t, at the very least, defend God’s truth when it is attacked.

John Calvin

Wednesday 17 August 2011

Justification

Interesting definition I heard of this word tonight

Justification makes a person “Just as if they have never sinned”

Wednesday 10 August 2011

Views

Though some of you might be interested. Officially 999 people have looked at this blog :) thank you friends

views

Tuesday 9 August 2011

Another Great Grace Gem

"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you" John 15:7

To abide in Christ, means to keep up a habit of constant close communion with Him--to be always . . .
  leaning on Him,
  resting on Him,
  pouring out our hearts to Him, and
  using Him as our Fountain of life and strength--as our chief
  Companion and best Friend!

To have Christ's words abiding in us, is to keep His sayings and precepts continually before our memories and minds, and to make them the guide of our actions and the rule of our daily conduct and behavior.

JC Ryle

Visit gracegems.org to sign up for their free daily email

Friday 5 August 2011

Sin is against God

Sin is always primarily vertical rather than horizontal. The sin is against God primarily, rather than against man

Psalm 51:3 - 4  For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.

Thursday 4 August 2011

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Are You A Good Person

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