I appreciate the John 3 approach because it allows what they call “cold contact” witnessing. Warm contacts are people that you are already acquainted with. In witnessing there needs to be a trust factor established that makes the person or persons trust that you know what you are talking about. The whole drawback of a cold contact is building a beginning foundation of who you are and establishing confidence that you know what you are talking about. People wonder, “Why should I listen to your opinion when I have my own concepts or belief?” “My religious training is as valid as yours.” Or, “There are many opinions out there, why should I be interested in yours?”
With the John 3 method, I just have to arouse curiosity as to what it was that Jesus said in the matter. He has the credentials that will allow people to believe what is being said. I do not have to build the confidence that I know how to get to heaven. Rather, I perk someone’s curiosity as to what Jesus said about it. It also allows me to deal with established religious people. It isn’t what I am saying, but rather what Jesus is saying. He commands more confidence than I do. It allows me to be in a third party position with the situation being between the person and the Holy Spirit. I am simply connecting the two and observing the results. Comparisons with what people have been taught do not demand that they make a choice between what they have been taught and what I am saying, but rather what Jesus says. How beautiful it is to see the light of understanding go on as the verses flow together and explain what the original problem is and what needs to be done. The conscience is stirred and the Holy Spirit will continue working on their spirit to consider the claims of Christ. Even if one is not able to follow through with them to a conclusion, the Holy Spirit will.
Some people are resistant to the concept of skipping around from one text to another to present a theory. Many religious persuasions build a case picking verses randomly to present a concept that they want to prove. They start first with what they believe and search to find proof to support their chosen theories. With John 3, one is simply explaining what is written in the Scriptures, letting it flow and explain itself. I personally have the desire to understand what the Scriptures teach and what the author had in mind when it was written- rather what someone could make it to say. I find people are more comfortable when there isn’t a lot of turning pages back and forth.
When I first began witnessing, I used the Romans road which is an excellent method. But for me personally, John 3 fits better. The Way of the Master approach presents the Ten Commandments and challenges one to consider where they stand and that they are guilty.
If they are judged guilty, they deserve the punishment of sin. The good news is someone volunteered to pay the penalty for that sin. This again is an excellent method. The John 3 approach, however, goes back earlier than the Ten Commandments and explains the
origin of sin and how we got into the position that we are in to start. I explain that we all have sinned, including me, and our need of the blood payment of Jesus Christ to meet the obligation of a Holy God.
I have yet to find anyone who thought they were without sin and good enough on their own: one who didn’t need the sacrificial payment Christ made. I also like the idea of presenting the opportunity for people to “right now” make that decision before God. If they are not ready, then I like to make sure that they know how to when they are ready. Ask their permission to pray for them, requesting that God will bring them to the point of trusting Christ. Finally, I like to ask if they will let me know after they do so that I can rejoice with them.
I try to avoid pressuring people to do something they are not ready yet to do. It could be a false confession. It is said that the majority of Christians we believe to be backsliding are in fact, not actually a Christian yet at all. How tragic it would be to think that one had made a decision that was not completed.
This method makes it easy to transition from a normal conversation into a spiritual topic. One can say, “I ran across something that is really exciting! A conversation recorded in the Bible, between Jesus and a man named Nicodemus. He asked Jesus how one gets to Heaven. Jesus answered him and the answer is recorded in the Bible for us to study. That is a topic I personally am interested in. I certainly do not want to go to the other place. Everything I’ve heard about it makes me not want to go there.” Can I share with you what Jesus said?” My enthusiasm and their curiosity often open the door, and I pull a Bible out of my purse, open it to the passage and away we go!
When we get to the part of being a sinner, I explain, “I am a sinner, we all are.” Rather than saying, “You are a sinner.” This helps people identify themselves without causing them to become defensive. People know that they fall short. The difference between born again believers and lost people is that Christians are sinners saved by grace, while unbelievers are sinners without Christ.
After explaining the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, one should conclude by inviting the individual(s) to pray. If they are unwilling, ask if you can pray. In that prayer, include a simple and short synopsis of the plan of salvation. Pausing in the prayer, ask them again if they would like to pray. If they would, then have them. One can tell people generally what to pray, “Just tell God what you want Him to do, to apply Christ’s shed blood to your account right now,” can be helpful. Try not to lead them word by word through a prayer. They should be able to put it in their own words if they understand and actually trust Christ.
After an individual has received Christ as Savior, they should be shown Scripture verses that give assurance of salvation such as, “And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:11-13).
In addition, young Christians should be encouraged to share publicly their new relationship in the Lord. Sometimes, if there is someone else close by, you can ask them if they would be willing to share with that person what they just did.
Also important is encouraging new believers to become members of a Bible-believing church as instructed, “Not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near [Rapture]” (Hebrews 10:25). The local church is God’s design for raising new Christians to maturity, providing backing and fellowship. Satan works hard to divide and separate. There is strength in Christian fellowship and instruction from other Christians! Of all the Christians I have met, those who were willing to follow the Lord in baptism and joined a fellowship of believers are the ones who have grown and became successful in their Christian lives.
To see a complete presentation of the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus you can refer back to Chapter two of this book. You can also click “Jesus’ Explanation”
