Maybe you’ve wondered about this. What if I share my testimony with someone and don’t lead them to Christ on the spot? Is it even worth it? What if I never see them again? These questions often put pressure on us to press strangers we are sharing with for an immediate decision.
Kevin Sutter, YWAM Frontier Missions International leader and a member of the Disciple Makers Increase leadership team, shares some of his experiences with this in two short videos. Take a few minutes to watch them. You’ll be encouraged and inspired!
(Below is the transcript of the video above)
Today I’m out taking a walk with Jesus. I’m writing in my journal, getting into God’s word, enjoying nature and some solitude. de. But every so often. I have an opportunity come across as a person and I just did like 5 minutes ago.
There was somebody sitting on a fence and I walked over to him and I struck up a conversation. He told me he was reading a book and it was a book about dealing with problems in your life and I said, oh, he’s talking about some problems in your life.
It told me a little bit about where they were at. After hearing his story (and I was really blessed that he opened up to me), I told him my story, I told him I’m out walking and I’ve got my journal I’m talking to Jesus, and listening to Jesus.
I write down with my thoughts and what I feel like Jesus is saying.
I said, but it wasn’t always like this. When I was growing up and a teenager, I started having lots of problems also and I didn’t know what to do. And as I was into my 20s, I was really struggling and in the midst of that, I called out to Jesus and He came and changed my life, began to change my life. and I told him more about how, although I didn’t grow up Christian, I started reading the book of Luke and then he’s said wow, I’m happy that happened for you. I’m on my own journey, but I want to learn. I’m open. So. I said, well, you could read the book of Luke. Actually, you can get it in a free Bible app.
So I told him about the app. He wrote it down and he wrote down the book of Luke and I knew he wanted to be by himself. Here’s my e-mail address. Here’s a way you can get in touch with me.
I like to lead discovery groups where we were with people who want to learn more about God. So if you’re interested, let me know. So I said goodbye. His name is Blaine.
Every so often, don’t you wonder when you meet a stranger or somebody for the first time and you might not ever see them again. Do you wonder is that really gonna help? Is that seed ever possibly going to grow and produce food? Well, I have a story to tell you later that.
It gives a really good and encouraging answer to that question, but this is what I want to tell you about right now, thanks.
Pause for a moment and think about this question. Do you ever feel hesitant about sharing the gospel with strangers? Why? Then, watch the next video below.
Kevin answers this question with an amazing story!
(The transcript of the video is below)
As disciple-makers, our hope is that we’ll be able to share our story and God’s story with people and that will help them come to know Jesus. And it’ll give us an opportunity to help disciple them so they can grow in their relationship with Jesus, their obedience to Jesus, and become disciple-makers themselves.
But every so often we meet somebody who we will probably never meet again, and we wonder, is it really worth the effort to plant those seeds.
Will it really make a difference in their lives?
Well, I wonder this sometimes, but I’ve had experiences that really convinced me. Yes, it is worth it. Many years ago I was going through a discipleship program.
In the mornings, I’d be in classes and learning and and getting input from godly people. In the evenings I worked, I worked at a pizza parlor, making pizzas to try to earn money for my new family. Well, one evening at the pizza parlor, I was told that I would need to go to one of the other restaurants. That was owned by the company, one I hadn’t been do before, ’cause they needed extra help, so I went there and I met worked with people I never met before and might not ever see again.
Yeah, so there was a guy I was working with and I told him about my relationship with Jesus and how much Jesus means to me and he said, Oh yeah, I used to have a relationship with Jesus myself. And I said you used to? You don’t have a relationship with HIm anymore?
Well, I’m sure if you just turned to him and talk to Him and ask him to forgive you, the relationship will be restored right away.
And he said, Yeah, maybe. Well, we worked together long into the evening.
I didn’t see him again, but many years later I am going to guess maybe 15 years later.
My wife and I, we were traveling and we knew that the discipleship program that we used to be involved with had moved to another city and we were approaching that city.
So we decided we would stop by. We walked in and it was right while they were having their worship time.
in the morning, and we were standing in the back, and this man comes up to me.
And he says, “Hi! Remember me?” He did not look familiar to me, so “I said I’m not sure.”
“Maybe you can help remind me.”
He said, “Well one night we met working together and making pizzas, and it was this guy and he said, “I took what you said to heart.”
“I gave my life back to Jesus.”
And I found out about that discipleship school that you went to, and I got involved myself. And now I’m one of the leaders of it. That was amazing. So, he reconnected with Jesus. got discipled and he became a disciple-maker.
So sometimes it really works.
So I’m going to keep it up. I’m going to talk to people about Jesus, whether I ever see them again or not.
What about you?
Want to learn more about how to share your own story like Kevin did? Check out this article and super easy way to do that!
Be bold and share your story with someone today; a friend, a relative, a neighbor, or even a stranger. The seeds you sow will one day bear fruit!