First the Friendship, Then the Seed

I’m a firm believer in personal evangelism. I’m not saying I’m trying to convert every person I meet. On the contrary, I’m not out to convert all my friends to being a Seventh-day Adventist. All I want to do is introduce each one to know my Jesus just a little more. But, I don’t think that the first thing I should say is “Hey, are you a Christian?”. Although I know this works very well for some acquaintances of mine who also do personal evangelism, my method is different.
First comes the friendship. How else do you expect someone to listen to you? How else will you get to know the needs of those around you? It’s through meeting the needs of the hungry, starving people in the world that trust is won. It’s through getting to know the kids at school, the adults, and the neighbors that you get to know humanity. To work as Christ worked is the way to reach souls for Him. He was a mingler, He was a helper, He was a servant of mankind. He worked with the people, they trusted Him and then He could share the truth about salvation.
In order for seeds to be sown, the ground must be prepared, and that comes by casting away the stones, taking out the weeds, and plowing the soil. So it is with hearts. First you must  get acquainted, find similarities, accept differences, respect what the other believes, and let them know you genuinely care. Then, spend time helping them, showing them you’re a friend. Pretty soon you’ll get to know this person, call each other friends. It’s friends that share with one another. You can help your friend in his weak areas and you’ll often be surprised to find that he helps you in yours.
The season has to be just right in order to plant. If it’s too early, a frost may freeze your seeds. The soil must be the right temperature. You, as the gardener, must carefully watch and take caution not to sow too soon. If you try to “evangelize” someone not prepared to open up and listen, you could do more harm than good. Although a seed, once planted, has the potential to germinate in the future, it is best to wait until the conditions are just right.
I don’t go door to door on a regular basis canvassing books or passing out tracts. I’ve done a bit of both. Both are tools that God uses. I don’t preach too many evangelistic series; in fact, I’ve only preached one, and that to children. God uses these, too, in mighty ways. I don’t sell my music or make CDs of scripture and religious songs to reach out to the emotions of those listening. It’s not too be doubted that God works through music; He does. I don’t do too much of these forms of evangelism. Instead, I believe in meeting people on their own ground. I would rather be a missionary than a preacher, I’d rather be a friend than a upfront musician. That’s why I feel that God can use me wherever I am. He has blessed me with many friends. Many don’t believe just like I do. I’m not out to convert them to my exact faith. I’m simply trying to be a tool that God can use to prepare for His soon coming harvest. How about you? Anyone can do personal evangelism. If you love Jesus, share Him when He says the time is right to plant the seed.

Friendships are to help each other grow