A Great Story on Christian Witnessing
This story of a typical encounter at the dry cleaners is one of many Christian witnessing stories that beautifully illustrates how to share the Gospel with others.
One day, when I was at the dry cleaners, no one was there at the counter except the owner, Lynette. I asked her, “Lynette, when I think of you, how can I pray for you?”
Right away, she said, “Pray for my heart, and pray for my business.”
I said, “What’s going on with your heart?”
She said, “My family has a history of heart problems. My heart started palpitating very fast, so they raced me to the hospital. By the time they went through all the tests, they concluded that my problem was a result of stress and anxiety from my work.”
I asked Lynette, “Do you pray?”
She said, “Yes,” (which I knew really meant, “No.”)
Then I asked, “Do you read the Bible?”
She said, “Yes…” but then added, “well, my nephew gave me a booklet about the Bible, and I’m reading that. The booklet is written by Jehovah’s Witnesses. My uncle, niece, nephew, and father are all Jehovah Witnesses.”
I asked, “What about your husband?”
She said, “Oh, he’s Muslim.”
I didn’t want to go down either of those paths, but I wanted to help her. So, I told her, “I think you’d be much better off if you read the Gospel of John.”
I asked her, “Do you have a Bible? She said she did and motioned to me how big it was — about three inches thick.
I said, “Well, I’ll get you a copy of the New Testament. I earmarked John for her and told her to read a little bit every day. I told her to tell God that she wants to get to know Him better and that He will respond to that. I gave her a little booklet by Campus Crusades for Christ, which is a little tract (an evangelism tool that shows how to share the Gospel), and I told her there is a prayer at the end she can pray if it all makes sense to her.
Five days later, I came back to the dry cleaners, and Lynette was there. Again, she was the only person at the counter. I asked Lynette if she had a chance to start reading the Gospel of John. She said, “Yes, I did. In fact, I finished it and am halfway through the Gospel of Matthew.”
I said, “That’s outstanding! Good for you. That booklet I gave you — did you get a chance to read that?” “Yes, I did,” she replied.
Then, I asked her if she prayed the prayer at the end of the booklet. She said she did. I asked her, “In that prayer, did you invite Jesus Christ to forgive you and come into your life?”
She replied, “Yes, I did.”
I said “Wow, that is great, Lynette! I’m so proud of you. Now, let me give you some verses to let you know that you have eternal life and to give you assurance of your salvation.” I also gave her a booklet that will help her start growing in her relationship with Christ.
Now, every time I see Lynette, I ask her, “Lynette, who loves you?”
She says, “Jesus.”
Then I ask, “How’s your heart?”
And she always says, “It’s at peace.”
Lynette needed God to help her with her anxiety and stress. When I asked the question, “When I think of you, how can I pray for you?” it gave her the opportunity to share with me what was really going on in her life. In turn, it gave me the opportunity to be an encouragement to her, to know how to pray for her, and to share the Gospel with her.
The next time you sense God prompting you to share your faith, ask the question, “When I think of you, how can I pray for you?” This is one of the main Christian witnessing tips I present when showing others how to share the Gospel because it has been so effective.
Tips for Christian Witnessing
Here are a few key points to remember when when you think of how to share the Gospel:
- People who are struggling with anxiety and fear often sense their need for God and are usually very open to someone who can show them how to get closer to God.
- When people share an area of stress or anxiety in their life, I often say, ‘I’m really sorry to hear that. I will pray for you. Do you pray? God will help you if you pray.” Their answer will give me insight on where they are spiritually.
- When I ask, “When I think of you, how do you want me to pray for you?” it gives the person an opportunity to share the greatest point of stress in their life. It will give you an opportunity to encourage them spiritually, share the Gospel with them, and begin praying for them.
- I often show them the Share Your Faith App because it explains how to get closer to God, which is really what they need at that point.
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