Witnessing

[AreYouReady?]

Dictionary:
witness |ˈwitnis| noun
1 a person who sees an event, typically a crime or accident, take place:
2 evidence; proof:
3 a member of the Jehovah's Witnesses.
verb

Thesaurus
witness noun
1 observer, onlooker, eyewitness, spectator, viewer, watcher; bystander, passerby.
2 deponent, testifier.
verb
1 see, observe, watch, view, notice, spot; be present at, attend; behold; get a look at.
2 undergo, experience, go through, see; enjoy; suffer.
3 countersign, sign, endorse, validate; notarize.

Wiki says about witness:
A witness is someone who has, who claims to have, or is thought by someone with authority to compel testimony to have, knowledge relevant to an event or other matter of interest. In law a witness is someone who, either voluntarily or under compulsion, provides testimonial evidence, either oral or written, of what he or she knows or claims to know about the matter before some official authorized to take such testimony.


When we say that we "witness" to people about Christ, what exactly do you witness about or of?

Do we witness about our own experience?

Do we witness what we know to be written in the Bible? Ours or somebody else's interpretation?

Do we witness about how other people should believe because we believe it to be that way?

What are we witnessing?

[Bro. Robbins]

Dictionary:
witness |ˈwitnis| noun
1 a person who sees an event, typically a crime or accident, take place:
2 evidence; proof:
3 a member of the Jehovah's Witnesses.
verb

Thesaurus
witness noun
1 observer, onlooker, eyewitness, spectator, viewer, watcher; bystander, passerby.
2 deponent, testifier.
verb
1 see, observe, watch, view, notice, spot; be present at, attend; behold; get a look at.
2 undergo, experience, go through, see; enjoy; suffer.
3 countersign, sign, endorse, validate; notarize.

Wiki says about witness:
A witness is someone who has, who claims to have, or is thought by someone with authority to compel testimony to have, knowledge relevant to an event or other matter of interest. In law a witness is someone who, either voluntarily or under compulsion, provides testimonial evidence, either oral or written, of what he or she knows or claims to know about the matter before some official authorized to take such testimony.


When we say that we "witness" to people about Christ, what exactly do you witness about or of?

Do we witness about our own experience?

Do we witness what we know to be written in the Bible? Ours or somebody else's interpretation?

Do we witness about how other people should believe because we believe it to be that way?

What are we witnessing?

Good question.. to me, in the since of Evangelism/Discipleship, to witness is to be a testifier. The Word says we overcome by the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of our testimony.

So, to what do we testify? All the above. Yes we should provide a witness, or testimony to others of what our experience has been with Christ. However, for sake of discernment, all of our experiences that we deem spiritual, should line up with God's Word, and will never conflict or contradict it.

We should testify of how the Word has spoken to us, of it's authority in our lives. Not someone else's, but in ours. We should witness to them not only for the sake of sharing what God has done, but from the perspective that we want them to also have that same experience.

[Sam]

witness is what we are, not what we do.

The early church received the Holy Ghost Baptism so they could be witnesses of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. They were witnesses that Jesus Christ was risen from the dead by their words (discourses), their works (deeds) and by their ways (disposition).

I have some notes as a rough draft for a sermon on that somewhere on my desk at home. It's probably covered up but near another rough draft of a message on "The Fifth Gospel" (Isaiah's witness to the story of Jesus Christ).

[RandyWayne]

witness is what we are, not what we do.

The early church received the Holy Ghost Baptism so they could be witnesses of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. They were witnesses that Jesus Christ was risen from the dead by their words (discourses), their works (deeds) and by their ways (disposition).

I have some notes as a rough draft for a sermon on that somewhere on my desk at home. It's probably covered up but near another rough draft of a message on "The Fifth Gospel" (Isaiah's witness to the story of Jesus Christ).

You beat me to it. It is more accurate to say "we provide a witness" or "we do something for the other person TOO witness".

[Michael The Disciple]

It all depends on how much time I have with the person. If the time is very short for instance at work where its not legal to speak about Jesus I will testify of something God has done in my life and see if a door opens. Or maybe give a scripture to the person. From there its up to them and the Lord. I will say more if they are wanting to hear more.

When I witness on the street I preach the word as much of it as I can. I also carry a sign that reads:

"Sin kills"
"Jesus saves"

There is as much scripture in my short presentation as some Pastors deliver in their whole sermon. I am most comfortable with this approach and feel it is Biblical.

I DO include my testimony if I have a chance with people but like Peter in Acts chapter 2 sometimes it can be all scripture.

The key is WITNESS!

[Bro. Robbins]

witness is what we are, not what we do.
The early church received the Holy Ghost Baptism so they could be witnesses of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. They were witnesses that Jesus Christ was risen from the dead by their words (discourses), their works (deeds) and by their ways (disposition).

I have some notes as a rough draft for a sermon on that somewhere on my desk at home. It's probably covered up but near another rough draft of a message on "The Fifth Gospel" (Isaiah's witness to the story of Jesus Christ).


With all due respect, I think your stumbling over semantics here. Frankly, you are the sum of what you do. If you lie all the time, you are a liar. If you sing all the time, then you are a singer. And if you are one that every aspect of your life is witnessing (whether directly or indirectly) the goodness of Christ, then you are a witness.

[Michael The Disciple]

True we ARE a witness for one thing or the other. Many times in our lives we may be given a chance {or assignment} to speak to someone about Christ. It can be people who we have never met or will never see again.

In such cases we cant depend on them seeing our lifestyle and being interested or drawn by it. We will have to just start cold and speak as we are led.

[Jay]

You could also consider this in a legal sense. We are called to witness in defense of Christ, His resurrection, His power to change the lives of men. We are called to witness against the sins of man and call them into conviction. Lastly, we witness against Satan, his angels, and all those who would not hear the Gospel and come to Christ for salvation. This is why we are called to take our witness everywhere. This world is the courtroom, and the final scene will be played out before the judgment seat.

[Sam]

With all due respect, I think your stumbling over semantics here. Frankly, you are the sum of what you do. If you lie all the time, you are a liar. If you sing all the time, then you are a singer. And if you are one that every aspect of your life is witnessing (whether directly or indirectly) the goodness of Christ, then you are a witness.

Bro. Robbins, I do not disagree. The verbal witnessing is just one phase.
What does a witness do? he/she witnesses

so we are a witness (noun) and we do witness (verb)

[Sam]

You are writing a Gospel, a chapter a day
by deeds that you do and words that you say,
Men read what you write,whether faithless or true.
So what is the Gospel according to you?

[Coady]

And then there is the ultimate witness.

"The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgement

with this generation, and shall condemn it:

because they repented at the preaching of Jonas."

This would be like in a courtroom after the dust

has settled.

[Dordrecht]

And then there is the ultimate witness.

Correct!