Read Mt 4.13-16
…and leaving Nazareth, He came and settled in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali.
(Matthew 4:13)
After being rejected in His home town of Nazareth, Jesus left and made His headquarters in Capernaum. This was not only a fulfillment of a major prophecy but it was a ministry strategy that He practiced. He would later instruct the 12 to do the same as they went into the cities with the gospel message. (Mt 10.11-14) When people received the message, He stayed. When they rejected Him, He pressed on to the next town. His basic strategy could be boiled down to a simple formula: Find those who will listen.
Witnessing tactics vary based on who you talk to but I learned one in 2003 that has increased my fruitfulness in helping people find Jesus. Instead of just zeroing in on one individual and jamming the gospel down their throat, find the hungry. Start by asking very simple questions. “Would you like to come to Bible study?” Would you like to come to church?” “Tell me about your spiritual journey.” Simple questions that can spark very natural conversations and lead you to those who are hungry. Those who are interested in talking about spiritual things will let you know. If they are not interested, press on. I’m not suggesting that we don’t develop evangelistic relationships with a neighbor or co-worker that we naturally spend time with. But I am suggesting that we work a little broader and be open to the hungry strangers that are all around us. Aggressively initiate discussions that will give you a read on the hunger level of a person. When you find someone who is hungry, focus on that person. To me, it’s like picking the low hanging fruit.
For questions or comments drop me a line at charleswood1@gmail.com
