Witnessing for Wimps

By C. Tinsley

Flash, a beloved member of Bikers For Christ Inland Empire, has an

unconventional strategy for witnessing: he simply witnesses to everyone he meets. He
has a tract organizer divided by section for whatever occasion arises: for kids, sports fans,
people stuck in cults, whatever. He even has unique tracts that look like million-dollar
bills! Flash doesn’t depend on tracts, however.
More than just an occasional evangelist, Flash takes the Great Commission to
heart. I have personally seen him approach workers at Starbucks as they cleaned tables.
He has gone up to couples having lunch together at restaurants. He comforted a lost,
lonely girl who was sitting on curb at a gas station. I once saw him ministering to a
lesbian couple. Rumor has it he even chased down a bus with his motorcycle to hand
tracts to the passengers. Flash is unique because he isn’t afraid to talk to anyone about
Jesus. Unfortunately, most of us are not that bold in our faith. Many of us, including
myself, are downright wimps.
Our weaknesses are understandable and human. We fear rejection. We believe that
people have already heard about Jesus and are hostile. We don’t want to be rude. We
don’t want to offend someone. We are afraid of what people will say about us when we
walk away. We may even think that someone will think we’re some lame Jesus freak and
not want to ride with us. Well, brothers and sisters, we need to get over it! It is called the
Great Commission, because that is what Jesus instructed us to do. In Matthew 28, Jesus
said, “…go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…” If we care about keeping
the Lord’s commandments, if we care for our fellow bikers, and if we care about other
human beings’ eternal salvation, we must try our best to get the word out about Jesus
Christ.
Many of us are shy and feel intimidated going up to someone. If you feel a tug in
your heart, it is probably God pushing you to talk to that person. When I pray, I pray for
boldness. I ask the Lord to give me the words to say. I ask Him to give me courage to
approach someone. I ask Him to help me. I have a long way to go. Personally, I am a big
chicken. Many times I have quietly ignored that tug by pretending it is something else
like sympathy for someone, denied it completely by not even attempting to approach the
person, and logically justified why I should not listen to it. If you don’t follow His call,
He will just find someone else. You, on the other hand, will be left feeling miserable and
wondering how you can do better next time. Trust me on this one…
There are some things I have done to try to improve in my witnessing. One thing
is to learn by watching others. Flash is a good example of someone whose technique is
worth imitating. I try to remember how he approached someone. I keep in mind the kind
of caring and concern he shows as he sidles up next to some lost soul and asks them
about their problems. I listen to stories of brothers and sisters witnessing and take notes
on how they did it. I have gone places where people minister to others, like biker rallies
and hospitals, and observed how they do it.
I have researched different approaches to witnessing to familiarize myself with
the different options – and even tried some of them. A common question I’ve heard
people use is: “If you died tonight, would you be sure you would go to heaven?” I
haven’t had the courage to use that one yet, but it seems like it could be effective. I have
been able to use less direct ways of witnessing, because that is all I have been
comfortable with so far. I have been able to ask neighbors about where they go to church.
I was able to invite a coworker to church with me. I once offered a woman a Bible I had
in my car for that occasion. I actually gave a Bible to someone at work. Personally,
because I am such a wimp, I am a big fan of the anonymous tract. I leave them in
restrooms, on ATMs, on shelves in stores, etc. I have not been able to hand the tract to a
person yet. I was inspired, though, when a few weeks ago someone handed me a tract at
the gas station. The guy just came up to my car, asked me about the make and model, and
if it gets good gas mileage, and then he gave me a homemade – handwritten and
photocopied – tract! He made it seem easy – just talking to someone naturally about
something normal. My husband is good at this type of conversation. He casually invites
people to the Harvest Crusade or tells them about local Bible-based churches he is
familiar with. People appreciate the information.
Another way to improve my witnessing is to try to remember the key points I will
need to say. Since I haven’t had the blessing of leading someone to Christ yet, I am
terrified of helping them with the Sinner’s Prayer. I become more confident when I
remember the ABC approach: Accept that you are a sinner, Believe that Jesus died on the
cross for your salvation, and Ask him to Come into your heart. I like listening to others
tell about how they lead people in the prayer. I listen to Christian radio and have heard
the pastors lead people to Christ on the radio. These are helpful for me.
I also remember that I need “to always be ready to give a defense to everyone
who asks for the reason of our hope in Christ Jesus” (1 Peter 3:15) and have spent much
time thinking about, writing, reflecting, and revising my testimony. My husband and I
were approached by our former pastor who said that God put it on his heart to ask us to
present our testimonies at a Thanksgiving Service. It probably sounds backwards, but I
did it and wasn’t afraid to do that. I don’t mind speaking in public because all I see is a
crowd. Speaking to someone one-on-one, however, makes my knees weak because it’s all
improvisation – no note cards to peek down at if I lose my place. Even if I don’t have the
opportunity to formally present my testimony again, because I have practiced it I feel
confident about it and can always use whatever portion of it applies.
Finally, the best reassurance about witnessing for me is to remember that it is the
Holy Spirit that convicts people and leads them to the Lord. A rejection of our message is
just that and nothing to be taken personally. I am still trying to overcome my shyness and
it helps me to realize that although a person may not be born again in that moment, I may
have planted a seed that will grow later. I have heard that it will take hearing a message at
least seven times before someone will pay attention. All we can do is try to tell people
about Jesus, share the Bible with them, speak with them about our testimony, and pray for
them. Oh yeah, and to hang out with people like Flash who can inspire and encourage us!