Inspiration, Resources, Examples, and Ideas (9)

Originally, I was going to add an appendix of books, movies, websites, and other resources for you to use as tools to give you ideas on how to utilize and integrate the culture of our world into your witness. But as I started stockpiling these books, articles, and websites, I realized I was becoming more and more inspired, more and more excited to start writing Planting Seeds because I was seeing all these wonderful examples of people using their talents and interests to share their love of Jesus. And I was reading all of these great books from people who are really digging deep into the significance and meaning of finding God in popular culture. A simple laundry list appendix wouldn't do justice to the joy of discovery I felt as I collected and read through all this material (which really only scratches the surface of what is out there). And so, I present this next section as kind of a snapshot of my journey in researching some of the content for this book. The collection of material you will read next I hope will inspire you, give you ideas, set you off in a new direction for how to share your faith, and confirm in you the talents and interests you have to use, as well as let you know that you are part of God’s family, that we are all together in Christ, and that you are not alone.

Are you a Planter or a Harvester?
Look around you! Vast fields are ripening all around us and are ready now for the harvest. The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike!
You know the saying, ‘One person plants and someone else harvests.’ And it’s true I sent you to harvest where you didn’t plant; others had already done the work, and you will gather the harvest. John 4:35a-38

You have a purpose, as we all do, to share the message of salvation in Jesus through His ultimate sacrifice on the cross. It’s an exciting message to share and, as I hope you’ve seen already, and will see even more as you read on, there are many ways to share that message. I also hope that the snipets you read here will inspire you to seek out the full article or pick up the book, see the movie, listen to the music, and dig deeper within yourself as God’s will for your life continues to unfold in its many faceted ways.

So skip around, poke here and there, and enjoy, be inspired, and go plant some seeds.

Guerilla Christianity – Seed Planters Among Us
As you read on, you’ll see I’ve created general categories such as Movies, Music, Business, Books, and so on, but it’s no so tightly organized that everything is separated and swept off into their own little corner. Take this chapter as a whole, sure, or skip around, but make sure you sample a little bit of everything. I mean, when you go to the salad bar, you’re not just dumping lettuce and dressing on the plate. No, try a little pasta, some cheese, perhaps a bit of coleslaw, and don’t forget to go back for some fruit. You never know what might catch your eye. Ready? Go fill your plate.

Everybody Has Something To Offer
God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well...Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically. Romans 12: 6a & 11

More on “How do I Get Started Planting Seeds?”

Ask Questions
Sometimes the best response to a question about your faith is not an answer but a question back. Take a cue from Jesus, He was a pro at it. When religious leaders asked Jesus if it was right to pay taxes, Jesus referred to a coin and asked, “Whose portrait is this?” (Matthew 22:17-22) – just one example.

Responding to a question like, “Are all people but Christians going to hell?” with a question such as, “Do you believe in hell?” instead of just giving a flat, “Yes,” will allow for a more open, non-defensive dialog, and open up areas of discussion both of you might not have considered. The style of asking questions to questions makes both sides better listeners, too, rather than having one-sided conversations, or conversations where the other person is not listening but instead is just waiting for their turn to speak again.

To learn more about this style of evangelism, check out the book, “Questioning Evangelism: Engaging People's Hearts the Way Jesus Did,” by Randy Newman.

Responding to Basic Objections
For anyone who has shared their faith with the world, there’s always the objections that come with it – “Christians are narrow-minded,” “Being good is all that matters,” “What about those who have never heard about Jesus?,” etc., etc. These scary questions are probably part of the reason that people either, a) stop trying to be seed planters, or b) don’t even try in the first place for fear of getting a question they can’t answer. Just know this, IT WILL HAPPEN. But you know what? It doesn’t matter if you really think about it. We are all works in progress. We are all continually learning and growing in our faith. And that is just the point. Keep learning. You WANT those questions so that you can go back and learn how to respond. It’s okay to tell your potential witness-ee that you don’t understand everything but at least you’re open to learning about it and maybe together you can both explore what the Bible says on those tough questions. So let ‘em come, that’s part of the growing and learning process. And you know Jesus is always at your side. Even when your tongue gets tied He’ll reach over and unknot that slippery mess for you.

And never fear, there are always additional resources out there to help you (but why not start with your pastor and have him put together a little cheat sheet for you to study). Plenty of books address the issues of how to answer those tough questions. And there’s plenty of free information on the web, too (I always start there, why not, it’s free?). There’s a great little article on the web (Where? “Christianity Today,” of course) called, “10 Objections to Christianity and How to Respond,” and the author (Frank Harber) also lists several books and websites at the end of his article for further exploration.

Follow the link: www.christianitytoday.com/tcw/2000/002/7.62.html. (Source – “Christianity Today International/Today’s Christian Woman” magazine, March/April 2000, Vol. 22, No. 2).

Right In Your Back Yard
Well, maybe not your back yard, but at least your surrounding neighborhood is a great place to start sharing your faith. You don’t want to start off going door-to-door like a salesman selling Jesus and salvation for only $19.95, but you can look for opportunities to strike up a conversation.

The key to doing it is pretty simple.

Yep, I’m going to bring up the Nike ad again: “Just do it.” Nothing will happen unless you try. Being an example to your neighbors is a good start but talking to them is where the witness really beings. Consider throwing a party in your neighborhood. We’re not talking a big blow-out Hawaiian BBQ and kegger party, but maybe a Get Acquainted party, or a Christmas party (you’ll want to make sure, of course, that you do this around Nov.-Dec and not in July. Though, a Christmas-In-July party might be kinda fun.) Whatever the type of party, you might have the opportunity to share a little bit about your faith – something that’s important to you – instead of how the local baseball or football team is doing currently.

Like any type of witnessing, getting over the fears is the first part – “I’m not an evangelist,” “I don’t know how to talk to people I don’t know,” “I’m not outgoing,” etc.

Baloney.

Remember, Seed Planter, find a common interest with your neighbor. Movies, music, sports, whatever, – think of ways to bring up your faith within these conversations. Neighbor, stranger, partner, friend, co-worker, etc. All need to hear the saving words of Christ’s salvation.
Why not start with the person next door?

(Source: Witnessing to Neighbors, by Jim Killiam, in “Christianity Today International/Marriage Partnership” magazine, Summer 2002, Vol. 19, No. 2).

Also check out: “Neighborhood Ideas for Caring,” by Naomi Frizzell and “The Complete Handbook of Everyday Christianity,” edited by Robert Banks and R. Paul Stevens.

Tell Everyone!
But Jesus said, “No, go home to your friends, and tell them what wonderful things the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been.” So the man started off to visit the Ten Towns of that region and began to tell everyone about the great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed at what he told them. Mark 5:19-20

Little Things
Earlier we talked about some of the simple things you can do in fulfilling God’s purpose to spread the Good News. I don’t know about you, but I forget half of what I read about, so before we jump into the examples of others, I just wanted to present a list of “little things” you can do to get started. Whether you are shy, a procrastinator, unsure of how to begin, here are some things anyone can do – immediately.

1) Remember, we talked about using your Time for God first and for others, and lastly yourself. It bears repeating. Whether in your church, with a volunteer group, or simply praying for others, use your most precious commodity – time (which you can never get back), for God. Get into the habit of thinking each morning, How can I serve God today?, before thinking of work, chores, family, bills, entertainment, etc. (It goes without saying the same applies to using your Treasure, not to mention your Talents, for God first.)

2) Leave Behinds. You can pick up Bible tracts from your church or various ministry websites and Christian bookstores. You can also pick up a box of little crosses that have a Bible verse on them or that simply say, “God Loves You.” When you’re out at a restaurant, leave a cross with the tip. When you’re out shopping, leave a tract on a shelf. Sure it may be tossed, but God can also lead a person to come by after you and pick it up casually to see what it is. Who knows? Don’t limit the Holy Spirit. Be His messenger. Start leaving that paper trail.

3) Volunteer. This falls under the “using your time” category, but I want to ask you – do you go to church on Sunday, maybe attend a Bible study (or not), and then go back to your life? Do you volunteer your time in a church activity? You say no one asks you to do anything? My next question to you then is, why are you waiting for someone to ask? Bring something to the table. Tell the church leaders you have a desire to serve the Lord in...whatever. Lead a Bible Study. Be a greeter before the service. Start a prayer circle. Bake some goodies to munch on after the service (we Lutherans love doughnuts, but cakes and cookies are just fine, too). And not just at church. Volunteer in a Christian organization. Or better yet, a non-Christian organization where you can be that light to share God’s word as you get to know people in your group. The bottom line is, don’t wait to be asked to do something. Be proactive and act first. Just do it.

4) Be available. Next time you are on a plane, be friendly and open up a conversation with the person seated next to you. Bring up the latest movie you saw, see where it takes you and how the Holy Spirit will make an opening for you to share your story. Get to know your neighbors (See, “Right In Your Back Yard” above). Do you know them – one or two houses down? Bring over a plate of cookies and just say “Hi.” See where it takes you. How about visiting the sick or elderly? There may be programs or groups that organize visits, but how about just showing up? What about handing out Bibles or giving them as gifts to people you know? Look for ways to just...be available, and pray for direction and strength for God to lead you. He will.

5) Check Please! Here’s another little seed planting idea I thought I’d toss in to get you started. It’s kind of like a “leave-behind” but not quite. Next time you pay a bill with a check or buy something at the local store with a check, use the “Note” section at the bottom left and write in a Bible verse, like John 3:16, or just leave a note that says, “Jesus Loves You.” Most of the time we leave it blank, unless you’re writing in your account numbers, but why not leave a note for the receiver, whoever that is, and let the Holy Spirit work it from there!

6) Public prayer. No way, you say! Yes way, I say. Prayer is powerful. You know that. By simply doing what you do anyway, but in a public forum, the power of the Holy Spirit will spill over into all who witness you speaking to your Holy Father. Am I talking about walking out into the middle of a busy intersection with a bullhorn and letting it rip? No. But what about simply praying a prayer of thanks the next time you are in a restaurant and the food is delivered? Bowing your head, taking the hand of the person you are dining with, and speaking in a normal, regular voice a prayer of thanks. You will send a powerful message to those sitting around you and again, the Holy Spirit is at work. Just give Him the opportunity.

Whatever Is Good, Think About Those Things
(like art, music, literature...)
Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about those things. Philippians 4:8 (NIV)