Because, people are comfortable at home. You are on their turf.

They feel in control and seldom feel threatened. Most of the time they’re willing to answer a question or two, just to see what you want.

I don’t try to be clever, I come straight to the point soon as the door opens. “Hi, good morning (or whichever), if you died today would you go to Heaven?”

That’s the way I greet every open door. You know immediately who you’re talking to (Usually). A believer, unbeliever, a “I think so” believer, someone that is absolutely not interested, an inquisitive individual or as has often times happened “No I wouldn’t go to heaven, but sure would like to.”

And yes it is that simple. I don’t go out to win arguments or convert someone through mental assent. I believe the Lord has ordered my steps, prepared the hearts that are ready for harvest and I go to the field to do just that.

Now that’s not to say conversations don’t materialize or questions don’t ensue, because they do. I answer honestly, without exaggeration and enjoy the person who is sharing their time with me.

By the love of God, meet any need that presents itself, within your ability and move to the next door.

Now weather I knock on 5 doors or 500 in a day, is not the goal. But meeting the people the Lord has prepared is important.

You will see many miracles when you witness. The Holy Spirit is there and it is an awesome time. One day as I knocked on a door, I could see in the “Look through” that someone was looking at me, so I just stood there smiling. It seemed like two minutes or so this continued. I felt that I should stay put, even though after that length of time I normally would have walked away.

A lady, dressed very formal in an evening type gown, eventually opened the door. I remember asking her the question and she seemed to just kind of nod, as if I was speaking a foreign language. She did speak English by the way and after some brief exchange of conversation, I walked on.

I noticed that she watched me the whole way down the street. I had taken her phone number for someone to follow up with her later and offer prayer.

A few weeks later, the person that followed up and contacted her shared a story with me. They told me that the lady said she heard the knock on the door and as she went to answer it, she first looked through the “Look through.” As she did, all she could see was a bright light. She said she knew it wasn’t artificial because it was as if it was reaching through the “Look through” right to her soul with love. As she opened the door, not knowing exactly what she would find, it was just “little ole me, ha!”

She said she was still so moved that she could hardly converse with me, but then as I walked away she witnessed this ball of light bouncing behind me as I walked down the street.

What did it all mean? Your guess is as good as mine. I just think God was trying to bless her.

Another time after a full day of going “Door to Door” I was about to finish up, a little earlier than usual, when on the way back to the car I saw three shafts of bright light coming out of the sky and right to me.

I heard nothing, I couldn’t make out anything visually, but I just  had this sense that I was not finished for the day. I remember asking the Lord, “What is it Lord, do you want something?”

It was if instantly I knew to turn around and walk down the street, so I did. As I proceeded down the street a couple of blocks, I felt moved to turn right, which I did. After turning right up the street, I walked up about five houses, when I felt compelled to stop there at the house on my right. I walked up to the door and knocked on the screen door where the main entry door was open.

I could see a young man about 20 yrs old on the phone. He came to the screen door while still conversing on the phone. He nodded to me without putting the phone down as if to ask what I wanted, so I blurted out, “If you died today would you go to heaven?”, he pulled the phone away from his mouth and said “No.” So I asked him if he wanted to? He nodded yes, so I asked him to open the screen door, take my hands and pray with me right now to accept Jesus Christ.

He put the phone back to his lips, asked the person to hold on a minute, put the phone down, opened the screen door, took my hands and we prayed. He was filled with the Holy Spirit instantly. I said amen, we released hands, I said “God Bless you”, he said thanks, closed the door and I walked back to my car.

All this within a matter of minutes a soul was added to the kingdom of God. You should know it’s not always this dramatic or distinctive, but every tract read, words shared, prayer given is just as important and powerful as the two experiences I just shared with you. I look forward to the day in eternity of meeting people for the first time, that met the Lord because of a tract, prayer or word that was shared.

Street Witnessing - There is no place to experience freedom in your faith more, then when sharing it with others as you walk the public streets.

Street witnessing is fun, liberating and a grab bag—you never know what you’re going to get!

For several years, every Friday night I would go street witnessing.

Living in Southern California, I had three usual “Hot Spots.”

The streets of Hollywood, cause people there, almost expected you to be there as everything and everyone else was.

My second spot was in Anaheim, on a corner across the street from Disneyland. This was a great place - people from all around the world would pass those corner streets. It was like having a world wide ministry from one corner of the world, literally, ha!

Third was going to the beach, especially on the piers where people were fishing. Many times they were alone, waiting between nibbles and they weren't about to walk away from you leaving their spot to fish, so you had a captive audience.

The Sunset Strip in Hollywood, California was always a grab bag.

God was with us and blessed us time and again as we saw people receive the Lord.

We would walk up and down the street handing out tracts and asking people “If you died today, would you go to heaven?”

Usually we would come across people that were homeless and we would invite them to be our dinner guest. Sometimes they were runaways needing a place to get on their feet and get in contact with their loved ones.  We would take them home or find them the help they needed.

When you go out to the streets of your city to witness, certainly share your faith in Christ and also be willing to release the love of God within you to touch the lives of others. You won’t be able to meet every need in every situation, but give what you have and do what you know in your heart.

It’s not always appreciated or taken in the spirit that it’s meant, so you should be prepared for this.

There was a time that I had very little gas to get to Hollywood and back. I had only twenty dollars, but felt impressed to give it to different ones that I came in contact with that night.

On the last dollar, the person I gave it to, complained “That’s all you’re going to give me, you’re not much of a Christian,” he said. 

I just smiled and offered to pray for him.

Defending yourself or your actions, is never worth dividing with others over. We stand justified in Christ, that’s all we need to know.

The streets can present some dangerous situations also. I had wandered into a back alley in Hollywood, late at night, witnessing.

I did have a friend with me and why we went back there to begin with, only the Lord knows. But we approached a group of young men, obviously they were gang members. I handed a tract to one of them, who crumbled it up and through it back in my face. 

Then, who I assume was the leader said, “Wait a minute, let’s hear what the man has to say.” Here was my chance, I preached for about 3 minutes and gave an invitation to accept Jesus.

The leader and the one that threw the tract at me, both took my hands and prayed to receive Christ. Glory to God!

Street witnessing is rewarding if you believe a soul accepting Jesus is reward enough.

Go with the knowledge of the Gospel, go with the Holy Spirit within you and go with what you have to give, then deliver.

It’s really that simple.

Go where you feel comfortable, if the Lord is leading you somewhere, you will have peace. You will also have His presence with you.

Street witnessing is going from person to person, one at a time. 

Sharing from person to person or door to door, is more personable than preaching.  The needs of the people and where they’re at should be something you stay sensitive to.

There are times that you may find yourself given the opportunity to share with a group or a crowd, go for it. Preaching is a bit different than person to person witnessing in the sense that you are talking to them and not with them.

You can learn more about Preaching to the Public in our section on Preaching to a Crowd.

Preaching to a Crowd - Preaching is a little different than witnessing, in the sense that you are speaking to people instead of with them.

When you are preaching, you have a message. A clear, direct proclamation. You are proclaiming the good news of the gospel.

Hopefully you know what that is—you should be able to define it in 5 words or less. If you need help in this area, go to our Training Sessions.

Preaching can be done anywhere, at anytime. There have been times of walking into a convenient store when the Spirit prompted me and I began to preach.

There is also organized meetings that may become available for you to speak at.

You can preach in parks, street corners, ball games, just about anywhere.

The two main things to remember are What You’re Preaching and Why You’re Preaching.

You are preaching about Jesus Christ dying for the sins of man and being risen from the dead, He stands for righteousness in the presence of God, on behalf of man, justified.

You are preaching at that moment that others may believe and receive Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and accepting Redemption.

As you preach, make your points simple.

Declare what the law of God says, that His law says if they violate one law, even in thought, that they are guilty of it all.

That the penalty for ANY violation is death, both now and eternal.

That Christ came to take the punishment for these violations through His death at the cross.

That Christ was raised from the dead, accepted by God as the acceptable sacrifice for sin and raised from the dead as our righteousness. That all who would put their trust in Him would be saved.

Then give an invitation for all that believe, that they may receive the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ. Ask for those that wish to receive Christ to make a public confession of their belief with you by either raising their hand, stepping forward, etc.

Then lead them into a prayer to receive Jesus.

Have them follow along with you in prayer by repeating after you.

Pray: Jesus, I believe you died for me. That you took the penalty for my sin and are accepted by God for my righteousness. I accept your forgiveness and ask you to come into my life. I welcome your Holy Spirit into my heart and to fill me that I may serve you. Thank you Jesus for your gift of Life. Amen.

Of course, it is not necessary that every word be exact. Pray as the Lord would lead you. The point is to strengthen them in their decision and to start them off on the right foot of communication with the Living God.