Presence Based Witness

Sharing the good news of Jesus with others requires presence in a place. What Jesus described as an invitation to life in all its fullness (John 10:10b) cannot be reduced to giving someone information about Jesus. It cannot ever be a technique open to coercion. It cannot use fear (of hell or anything else) in a manipulative way. The work of a person entering into the kingdom must be fully the gracious and gentle work of the Holy Spirit. Such an entry requires words of guidance to the new believer at the right time, never out of coercion, upon seeing Jesus already at work. For all these reasons, sharing the good news with others requires being present to persons in a place where Jesus is already working, moving people toward Himself. This short booklet provides a map for a presence based witness. It offers six steps along a pathway of presence and proclamation. Rather than evangelism, we prefer to call this presence based witness. Previous techniques of evangelism presumed people we engaged already believed in the Bible, had a common language with us about God, and experienced the same issues of pain. In our post-Christian world, this is no longer the case. We need a new map for how to invite others into the kingdom. Fitch and Curcuruto offer a different way forward, free of coercion and assumptions. A way to open space for God in the real relationships.