"LIFE IS SHORT...DEATH IS SURE
SIN IS THE CAUSE...CHRIST IS THE CURE"
-Sumner Wenp www.sumnerwemp.com
Hi Know&Tell Prayer Partners,
Thanks, Michael, for a terrific Kick-Off meeting this evening!!
Effective Evangelism-that's what my heart's cry is! I share the above quote with you I used to "get my foot in the door" to the families in the villages of the country of Nigeria in 2003.
I still use it here-it is a great conversation piece for some witnessing opportunities. Frank Banfill actually knows Sumner Wemp. Sumner is now in his mid 80's and resides in North Dallas with his wife. I have read his books on effective soul-winning and he has been a mentor to me, along with our dear Sr. Pastor Scott. Just in Friday's daily devo from Sumner's site, he says:
"DAILY pray for souls to be ready so you can lead then to Christ. What a joy!"
Pray for souls! Seriously, pray God will send to YOUR door, people who are open to the gospel. Hundreds of people have asked me, "How do you find those who are ready?" Simple,
I PRAY EVERY DAY for God to send my way, people who are ready to hear the gospel and keep away those who want to argue.
What about friendship evangelism? Jesus did not spend time making friends with the woman at the well. He went straight to the point of seeing her get saved.
What about Phillip and the Ethiopian Eunuch? He did NOT make friends with him first.
We should be as friendly as we can with everyone to win them to Christ. The closer you are to someone, often the SLOWER you must go. BUT, Giving them a tract and knocking at the door of their heart will let you know if they are ready to begin with. Do not be pushy. If the gospel is an offense that is alright, but if I am offensive that is wrong. While some are spending weeks and months to get someone's friendship, most could lead a dozen of two to Christ just walking in the Spirit and giving the gospel to EVERY person they possibly can. Make sense? At your door or in a store where they are not busy, I hand a person "Your Ticket to Heaven" (the tract he is most fanous for) and with a smile on my face and the joy of the Lord in my voice and say,
"May I give you something good to read? You will like this! It just tells you how to go to heaven." The response is astounding. Often people grab the tract and say, "I need that." I immediately reply, "We all do." Here is a very important clue to soul winning...
Know what you are going to say before you offer them a tract. Don't wait until the last minute, push a panic button and blurt something out. Practice with a friend and do it over and over until you are confidant and sure of what you are going to say.
We don't need a few people to win a lot but a lot of people-(every Believer- to win a few and we could change the world. -Sumner
Okay K&T team, here is a quick testimony I failed to share tonight with the time restraints and wanting to hear OTHERS' life stories...
I began working for Health Dialog this past Feb 2008 in nursing. It is a huge company in Richardson and I prayed GOD would reveal Himself to me in making this a mission field like none other. AND HE DID! One of the girls I went through training with, was always teamed up with, and then was placed in the cubicle directly across from me after training (no accident, God orchestrated-you will see)! I had great empathy for her as she came across quite confused over her testimony. Her name is Caren. With the Holy Spirit's guiding my every word, I invited Caren to Meadows. She had told me she traveled with Tom Dooley's Radio station KVTT's group to Israel in 1999 "when she was searching for the One True God in her life and had no church home" and decided to make this trip. She then was baptized in the Jordan River. When she came home, her husband left her, the got divorced, she gained 100 lbs and she began a journey of self misery and BLAMING GOD, the very ONE who saved her!
So she had no church home and said she would come visit Meadows-she even resides in East Plano. I felt the Lord burdening me to minister to her at the point of her needs. This was right around the time Pastor Scott had asked us to creat a "Top 5 List" and Caren made it to the top #1 on the list. She refused to fill out any paperwork when she came on March 23rd. After visiting Meadows, she told me NOT to invite her again-and not to "bug her about it," as she was still mad at God She then began treating me in a mean spirit and it was more than obvious that she had a demon spirit in her. I believe the Holy Spirit gives us insight to this also. She yelled at me at times, as if she wanted me to run to the immediate supervisor about her outspoken words to me and rudeness to others-but I would not stoop to that.
I asked for her forgiveness if I had caused any offense towards her and expressed my desire to befriend her in the workplace, (I mean, I sat no more than an arm length's away from her) and right there she yelled out, LEAVE ME ALONE!
Here she was a woman of 50 "yelling like a jr. high student"-she was almost in a rage! I turned my head away and knew all I could do was pray for this person. I went home and Tom comforted me that night and the following day I was to attend some conferences for a week on another floor-4th floor, where our Conference rooms are located. I stayed totally away from my desk and that area knowing one of us would have to be moved, if the work environment was to get any better. I cried out to the Lord as I sought HIS face on what to do.
The conference/seminar I was attending was lasting 1 week. I resolved when I got back downstairs on the 3rd floor, I would ask for a cubicle move (which is a big deal when you have 103 nurses and computers and phone already set up for them and the states they are licensed in telephonic nursing to your particular phoneset.! Yikes!)That meant the supervisor would be involved, my CL -Community Lead Person-and the Tech/phone/help desk support team...in other words, a lot of people asking why!
When I returned to my work area that following Monday, Caren was gone. SHE had requested the move to the other end of the building. What she told anyone I never asked and never knew.
ALL I KNEW IS THAT GOD REMOVED THIS OBSTACLE so that I could perform and press on.
PRAY for Caren. NOW when I see her we speak and we are cordial, but I know I am committed to keep praying for her. I planted the seed and I believe and anticipate someone else 'watering' this seed, and I will continue to WAIT PATIENTLY for her testimony of being set free through my prayers and my attempts to share JESUS with her. Please keep praying and keep on being an effective witness-WITH A SENSE OF URGENCY!
I attended a Women's Conference all day this past Saturday, called,
DESPERATE FOR JESUS- TRUSTING HIS HEART! In EVERY situation in our lives.
Psalm 33:21
Agape,
Mrs. Barbara J.