The Witness Someone Is Waiting For

I would not be in the church today if someone had not stepped out in faith to witness to my friend and me. One conversation. One testimony. One person willing to speak—and the course of our lives was changed for eternity.

Who can estimate the value of a personal witness? It makes me wonder how many opportunities I have missed to share my faith because I ignored the quiet prompting of the Holy Spirit to speak a word of encouragement, to offer a tract, or simply to tell someone what Christ has done for me.

“ ‘You are My witnesses,’ says the Lord” (Isa. 43:10). Do we understand what a privilege this is? God has chosen ordinary people like us to serve alongside Him and represent Him to the world. Being a witness for God is not a hard thing that takes extensive training. A witness simply tells others what he or she has personally experienced. So it must come from the heart. It has to be genuine. We first need to actually have an encounter with God and receive His Spirit to be His witnesses.

Acts 1:8 states: “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be witnesses to Me . . . to the end of the earth.” When we open our hearts to Christ and discover His goodness, the Holy Spirit naturally leads us to share what He has done. As Christ’s love fills our hearts, we begin to care for the people He came to save—care so much that we are willing to step out of our comfort zone in an effort to help them.

And notice, Jesus did not merely promise witnessing opportunities. He said, “You shall be witnesses to Me.” Witnessing is not simply something we do here and there—it becomes part of who we are when the Holy Spirit controls our lives.

The key, then, is not trying harder to witness. The key is seeking daily to be filled with the Holy Spirit. As He fills us, He opens our eyes to the needs around us, prompts us to engage with people, and gives us courage to share our faith.

God wants to use every believer as His witness. “Every true disciple is born into the kingdom of God as a missionary.”[1] No theology degree or years of Bible study experience is required. The demoniac and the woman at the well began witnessing for Christ immediately after their encounter with Him. God is ready to work through anyone who is willing.

God is ready to work through anyone who is willing.

Many of us may be faithful witnesses within our families, churches, and circles of friends—which is wonderful! If we never venture beyond our familiar relationships, however, we limit what God wants to do through us in giving the gospel to the world. Jesus certainly did not limit Himself. He mingled with people from every background, showing sympathy, meeting needs, winning confidence, and then inviting them to follow Him.

Too often we are content to remain in our comfort zones. Yet Christ’s method calls us into the community, where people live, struggle, and search for hope. Are we guilty of keeping too much to ourselves? “We are not to wait for souls to come to us; we must seek them out where they are . . . There are multitudes who will never be reached by the gospel unless it is carried to them.”[2] Maybe we’ve been too passive in waiting for souls to come to us? Maybe it’s time we venture out and meet them where they are—in their homes.

Longing for Hope

In recent years door-to-door ministry has become less common in our church. Common objections include “I don’t want to bother people in their homes” and “No one wants us to knock on their door.” While not everyone is interested, many people are longing for hope and simply need someone to reach out.

At the beginning of last year, my wife, our two daughters, and I became convicted that time is short and that we should engage in door-to-door ministry. It has been one of our greatest blessings. The experience has deepened our walks with God, strengthened our faith, helped our daughters grow spiritually and personally, and, by God’s grace, touched the lives of many people.

We have had countless unforgettable experiences meeting people from every walk of life. There is something deeply fulfilling about sharing Christ through literature, engaging in meaningful conversations, praying with people, seeing tears fill their eyes, and enrolling them in Bible studies. Few experiences compare with witnessing God work in someone’s heart.

Few experiences compare with witnessing God work in someone’s heart.

Recently a young man named Omar received a Great Controversy from a Streams of Light outreach event and was invited to study the Bible. He initially declined. Yet during the next few days the invitation continued to impress his heart. Eventually he moved upon his conviction and searched through the book, found the conference office address connected with the outreach, and drove more than an hour hoping to locate the team. Little did Omar know that we were only minutes from his home! That very evening he visited us at the church, shared his testimony, and enrolled in Bible studies. Today he is halfway through the lessons and is so excited about how God is working in his life!

How many more people like Omar are waiting for someone to take the first step?

Perhaps you’re thinking, I’m too shy. Many people feel that way. The good news is that confidence grows with experience. Matching the experienced with the timid works perfectly. I’ve watched hesitant adults become joyful witnesses after only a few hours of outreach. I’ve also watched my own young daughters, who were timid at first, soon eagerly volunteering to speak with people. Their simple faith often opened hearts in remarkable ways. One time while about to walk away from a door after a great conversation, my daughter chimed in suddenly, “We are also offering Bible studies! Would you like to sign up?” Did they sign up? Of course! How could they turn down that offer from a child!

The Holy Spirit is preparing the hearts before we ever meet them. Our responsibility is simply to go. There are countless souls who need encouragement, hope, and an opportunity to know Jesus. Will we be willing to step outside our comfort zone so the Holy Spirit can use us? One conversation can change an eternity. Someone once did that for me. Perhaps God is calling you to do the same for someone else.

[1] Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1898, 1940), p. 195.

[2] Ellen G. White, Christ’s Object Lessons (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Pub. Assn., 1900, 1941), p. 229.