For those of you who have witnessed to your peers

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villaneweva

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How do you do it? Finding God is the best thing that has happened to my life, and I want my peers and loved ones to do the same.
 
“Preach the gospel and when necessary, use words” St. Francis of Assisi

To be in love with Christ and His Church is sometimes overwhelming! We want to tell everyone about our love and yet there are some that do not want to hear. How then do we overcome this? Simply by following the advice of St. Francis of Assisi. When people see how happy you are, how joyful you are and how you lead a good and holy life, they will want to have what you have. Invite them to Mass and encourage them to ask you questions.

God Bless you as you share your love!
 
Right on chimakuni 👍

When you truly love God it shows. God’s grace will give you the strength and courage to speak out when necessary. When someone opens the door for you to witness, step in and graciously give them God’s message of divine mercy and love. Let them know how God’s grace has changed your life.
 
Good for you Villanueva! I’ll third what others here have already said. Your strength, personality, and attitude towards life will all be powerful witnesses in and of themselves! The opportunity will present itself more often than you can imagine to witness on a more formal basis because people will know who you are and what you stand for. If there is a particular person with whom you want to share your faith I would start out with prayer, then make yourself available for conversation and be prepared to share your faith when the opportunity presents itself (it usually will!).
 
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Pax:
Right on chimakuni 👍

When you truly love God it shows. God’s grace will give you the strength and courage to speak out when necessary. When someone opens the door for you to witness, step in and graciously give them God’s message of divine mercy and love. Let them know how God’s grace has changed your life.
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Yes - tell them that their lives have meaning, God wants them to have peace and fulfillment, and is intensely concerned about them and their lives. Then tell them the way to the savior and why it’s important to live the way God wants us to by telling htem how much of a difference it’s made in your life! 👍
 
chimakumi is absolutely right 👍 , the life you live is the greatest message you can ever send about Christ.

Still, when you feel that it is the time for words, a resource i recommend are evangelism books written by Evangelicals. We may not agree with all of their theology, but they got serious about faith-sharing a long time ago and have garnered some real wisdom about the methods and spirituality behind it.

One title noted for being particularly Catholic-friendly is Out of the Saltshaker & into the World: Evangelism As a Way of Life. It has advice that takes a lot of the stress out of evangelism (a word i wish more Catholics would get comfortable with).🙂 Look around any Christian bookstore (for some reason, nearly every business claiming that title is Evangelical in emphasis) and ask for recommendations, you’ll find no shortage there.

Just so long as you don’t get hung up on techniques or tricks; evangelism isn’t about sales pitches. But with a heart centered on Christ’s love for every person in your life, you can’t go wrong.:dancing:
 
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villaneweva:
How do you do it? Finding God is the best thing that has happened to my life, and I want my peers and loved ones to do the same.
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I remind myself of the fact that what good is my faith if I don’t share it. Our faith is not something to be selfish about. To whom much is given, much is expected. Sometimes preaching the gospel isn’t the best method (see St. Francis quotes above) and so you’ll have to live it and express it by your way of living. I witness also by going to daily mass. I sacrifice half of my lunch hour to give thanks and praise to God. I usually return to work whistling and humming. Put God first, Love God first and your witnessing will be fruitful. Not because of what you do, but because of what God will do through you.

God Bless
 
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villaneweva:
How do you do it? Finding God is the best thing that has happened to my life, and I want my peers and loved ones to do the same.
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The subject of religion come up often enough on it’s own that I don’t have to force it into the conversation. At those times I simply express my love for the Lord and His Church.
Mostly I just try hard to live a truly Christian lifestyle. Everyone who knows me knows that Catholicism is a very important part of my life without me ever having to tell them. People have asked me questions about Catholicism and I am always happy to answer. Every once in a while I will give them a prod like “you ever think of going to church?”
 
I don’t know if I’m gonna get blasted for this or not, but if ANYONE finds problems with what I’m doing at work, please please set me straight.

That being said, I’m a convert. I have been in the army for 20 years, and for the first 16 I was one of the most vile, disgusting, anti-religious soldiers you could find. And during that time I of course came to know a lot of people. Well now, when I met them and the first thing out of their mouth is “Let’s go have a drink,” I have my opportunity to tell them about my change of heart, mind and soul. ALSO, at my work station I have several pictures, a church calendar, a rosary, and a picture of a shrine as a screen saver on my computer. I want there to be no doubt in anyone’s mind who I am. After all, it was because of a Deacon’s crucifix on the wall in his work station that I had the courage to ask him questions about the Church.
Also, when I get telemarkerters call (I had one the other day from People’s magazine) I try nicely to tell them that I’m Catholic and that I don’t feel that magazine has anything in it that I would want to read. Living in the deep south, we have groups out in the malls on the weekend passing out tracks inviting people to their church (I wish we as Catholic did that more often) and I use that opportunity to invite them to mine.
 
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sgt.pat:
I don’t know if I’m gonna get blasted for this or not, but if ANYONE finds problems with what I’m doing at work, please please set me straight.

That being said, I’m a convert. I have been in the army for 20 years, and for the first 16 I was one of the most vile, disgusting, anti-religious soldiers you could find. And during that time I of course came to know a lot of people. Well now, when I met them and the first thing out of their mouth is “Let’s go have a drink,” I have my opportunity to tell them about my change of heart, mind and soul. ALSO, at my work station I have several pictures, a church calendar, a rosary, and a picture of a shrine as a screen saver on my computer. I want there to be no doubt in anyone’s mind who I am. After all, it was because of a Deacon’s crucifix on the wall in his work station that I had the courage to ask him questions about the Church.
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:hmmm: I can’t figure out where you thought there would be a problem. My wallpaper on my computer at work has a picture of Jim Caviezel carrying a cross from the “Passion of The Christ” and I have pictures of Jesus and our Blessed Mother on the baffle of my cubical. I have a Bible on my bookshelf and I have the radio on a Catholic station when it’s not too staticy.
 
Because one of the items is a Rosary. It’s a really nice one that came in a nice box. I have it arranged in the box with the lid open (I have one that I carry with me AT ALL TIMES in my pocket). The pictures and calendar I know are OK, but I wasn’t sure if it was appropriate (disrespectful to Our Mother) to display her rosary as well. My learning curve is still pretty much verticle. Just wanted to make sure.
 
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sgt.pat:
Because one of the items is a Rosary. It’s a really nice one that came in a nice box. I have it arranged in the box with the lid open (I have one that I carry with me AT ALL TIMES in my pocket). The pictures and calendar I know are OK, but I wasn’t sure if it was appropriate (disrespectful to Our Mother) to display her rosary as well. My learning curve is still pretty much verticle. Just wanted to make sure.
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I don’t see the problem from a Catholic standpoint. I don’t have a rosary at my desk :hmmm: might make a good addition…
I be afraid of it getting lost under a pile of papers.
 
A lot of my friends left the Catholic Church years ago and most of them are Fundementalists so we have a grand old time trying to prove to one another who has the truth! They have had a lot of fodder these days w/ all that is going on in the Catholic Church today… I invited them back to help …they are all beautiful people! They just didn’t know enough about the Faith… I know I get mad at some of the things (and maybe have good reason) but that isn’t going to shake my belief in the Catholic Church…Jesus said it would suffer, but He’ll never leave it…Annunciata:)
 
I, like many others here, must second chimakuni’s post. I strongly feel that the example of a quiet Catholic life, lived according to the the principles of the Church, is the best witness of all for those still “on the outside looking in.” Leave the door open for people to inquire about the Faith, and then words may be necessary. But in general, your daily example of Catholic living will have the most powerful effect.
 
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villaneweva:
How do you do it? Finding God is the best thing that has happened to my life, and I want my peers and loved ones to do the same.
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Tell you what you **might ** consider doing… witness to your brother/sister by living what you verbally witness… let them see your God shine through you, educate yourself to answer the questions posed to you and don’t be afraid to say you don’t know.

but first continue to the love the God you found with all your heart, mind, body, and soul… and then remember to Love your Neighbor as you wish to be loved… approach them with kindness and above all, respect! Worry less about the spinter in their eye and pay close attention to the timber in yours… be humble, but be strong, there is a healthy difference… God bless you, …Peace! 👍
 
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sgt.pat:
Well now, when I met them and the first thing out of their mouth is “Let’s go have a drink,” I have my opportunity to tell them about my change of heart, mind and soul. ALSO, at my work station I have several pictures, a church calendar, a rosary, and a picture of a shrine as a screen saver on my computer. I want there to be no doubt in anyone’s mind who I am. After all, it was because of a Deacon’s crucifix on the wall in his work station that I had the courage to ask him questions about the Church.
Also, when I get telemarkerters call (I had one the other day from People’s magazine) I try nicely to tell them that I’m Catholic and that I don’t feel that magazine has anything in it that I would want to read. Living in the deep south, we have groups out in the malls on the weekend passing out tracks inviting people to their church (I wish we as Catholic did that more often) and I use that opportunity to invite them to mine.
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Anything wrong? Wow, i would be thrilled with myself if i was doing that much right! I don’t possess many visible “stuff” that shows my Catholicism, :o and i can’t say i’ve ever had the guts to evangelize telemarketers or [gasp] other evangelists!:bigyikes: Now that i think about it, why not? There’s nothing to lose except an opportunity.

Say, has anyone else here read Search and Rescue by Patrick Madrid? That is the only book on evangelism i know that’s specifically Catholic and i was wondering what y’all think of it.
 
Good Morning Church

Great thread! Lots of good advise here.

I am a great believer in “personal testimony”. Letting others know how God changed your own life.
We have a friend over in Beliefnet Refugees in Meet & Greet who made a website out of his and it is great.
Check it out and see if this is not a good way to evangelize.
Each of us has our own story to share. Making it personal has always worked for me. Don’t forget to pray and ask the Holy Spirit to guide your tongue and actions.

geocities.com/fmrfundysforchrist/

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I agree with chimakuni. I just live my life as good as I can through being Catholic in what I say and what I do daily. The rest just seems to happen. It has gotten to be a joke with some of my friends who say I must have CATHOLIC stamped on my forehead.

The reason they say that I guess, is I that I have had many people over the years, who approach me and say, “Your Catholic Right?” I am talking about complete strangers and some people I barely know. Usually they have a question about the faith. Sometimes they ask for more info, and once in awhile one will say, “How can I become Catholic?” 🙂

It always used to puzzle me how veritable strangers could make that assessment, but I guess I have a Catholic look. :confused: I don’t wear my faith on my sleeve. I don’t wear religious jewelry so that is not it. My medals and scapulars I wear under my cloths as they are my personal reminders to live my faith, so that cannot be the reason either. It is especially amazing as I am certainly not an evangelist nor actively seeking them out… :o

I love the way God directs evangelization while I do nothing but live my life according to my faith. ❤️
 
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