week 6 witness report 2

LIBERTY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF DIVINITY

Witnessing Report 2

Submitted to Dr. Breidenbaugh,

in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of

EVAN 525-D05

Contemporary Evangelism

by

Joseph Whitt

May 2, 2018

Contents

Witness Report 1

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Witness Report

Witnessing can be difficult for me at times because of the area that I live in, you never know who you are going to offend. However, I do believe I am starting to find ways to share my faith with others even in a tough Military town. On Friday April 27th 2018, my family and I were hosting a game night at our house with a few families from our church. We had the grill going and music playing in the back yard and 12 kids running around like crazy playing throughout the yard. My direct neighbor whom I have lived next to now for almost 3 years I invited over as well both her and her domestic partner (Stephani and Kristen). This was a very interesting situation, not awkward at all. For the very first time they actually said yes that our family game night looked like a lot of fun. So as we are all sitting around eating and drinking sweet tea and yes I do mean just sweet tea, no alcohol at all is ever involved at my house when we are having family game nights. It is all about true fun and being funny without the effects of being under the influence of something else. Stephani asked us over dinner how it was possible to have all this fun and laugh and carry on without alcohol. This was the chance I had been waiting for now for over three years to reach out to her. I told her that I did not want to offend her or Kristen but that it was because of Christ and the freedom that we have within Him that allows us to have fun and enjoy life without alcohol and crazy parties.

Stephani just kind of shook her head and was like ok. As the night went on both Stephani and Kristen approached my wife and I, (again, not awkward at all) and asked if they could speak to us about marriage. Me being shell shocked as I have never given advice to a domestic couple, was surprised when my wife grabbed my hand and was like yes we would love to talk with you. I grabbed my Bible and the four of us headed to my back patio while everyone else was inside. The first thing I did was ask them not to be offend by what I was going to do and I began to pray, I prayed that God would give me the wisdom to have the right words and that Stephani and Kristen would be receptive to what God had to say through me. The first thing I asked them was, what seems to be the problem? What questions do you have? Stephani answered quickly and said that they were getting a divorce. Shocked yet again, I had to ask why? This time Kristen spoke up and said that they have been watching my family for a few years on and off, they both have seen how we are with one another and with our children and the happiness that we seem to share. Kristen said that they both want this type of happiness and they feel that they had made the wrong decision when they got married and became partners (they also said they only got married because they were both being rebellious against their families).

I opened my Bible and went directly to Genesis 2:22 and shared with them that God created man and woman and that woman was created as a helper to man because it was not good for man to be alone. I then shared with the both of them Genesis 2:24 “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh”. I simply explained that Gods design for marriage was between a man and a woman and that anything else was going against Gods design. The last two verses I left them with to think about was Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” And Psalm 73:26 “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever”. They both looked at me and said thanks, however, I thought they were being sarcastic about it.

Later that night Stephani came up to me and gave me a hug and told me that her and Kristen have decided to go through with the divorce, that they see now what they did and have done is wrong within Gods eyes and would like to regain their lives back properly. (Now I do not condone divorce at all) but I was a happy that God was working in the both of them and that they could see the destruction they had caused with their families. Kristen decided to move back home with her parents and Stephani is staying in the house next door. Stephani sense then has committed to coming to church and attempting to give her life over to Christ.

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