Kingdom Proclaimers Report

Informal Witnessing Bears Fruitage

JESUS opened a conversation that led to an informal but very effective witness when he said to a Samaritan woman at a well: “Give me a drink.” (John 4:7) We today can similarly be very effective if we are alert to all opportunities for informal witnessing. One brother in Australia sparked an informal conversation by reading the daily text on a park bench. A curious man noticed the publication and said he was also interested in the Scriptures. He was a nonpracticing Catholic who had been taught evolution in Catholic school and now did not know what to believe. The brother arranged to obtain the book Life​—How Did It Get Here? By Evolution or by Creation? for him.a Two days later he took the book to the man’s workplace, only to learn that he was out. His secretary virtually grabbed the book, saying: “We have been waiting for this book.”

Two hours later the brother received a phone call from the man requesting two more copies of the Creation book and asking the Witness to visit him in his office. When the brother went to that office, he found the man and two others present. A Bible study was started with them, including the secretary, and it was arranged that the brother call twice a week. In the weeks ahead, the man’s girlfriend, a ‘born-again Christian,’ kept sending notes asking Bible questions. Finally, she joined the study, as did the man’s business partner and his friend, who was an evolutionist.

They continued their Bible studies regularly for five months, with the second study each week being conducted in the park. Then the secretary’s boyfriend joined the study group. Soon after, the first man’s partner and his friend moved to Idaho in the United States, where they continued studying. A few weeks later, the first man was approached by a complete stranger, who asked what had happened to the Bible discussions in the park. Seemingly, he had been listening in on their studies. Arrangements were made for him to study also.

What was the result of all of this? Eighteen months from the original contact in the park, the first man and his girlfriend, the former ‘born-again Christian,’ had married and were baptized. The secretary and her boyfriend also married and were baptized. The business partner and his friend who went to the United States were baptized, and one of them now serves regularly as an auxiliary pioneer. The one who listened in on the Bible discussions in the park continued his studies. He then moved to Ireland, and he was looking forward to being baptized!

All of this happened because a brother took advantage of his lunch break to do informal witnessing, and Jehovah blessed his efforts. May we similarly take advantage of every opportunity to spread the good news to those hungering for Jehovah’s Kingdom message!

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