Difficult witnessing...

I hold a prayer service on Wednesday nights. Very few attend, and on this past Wednesday I had a gentleman come in for service. There was only one other person there that night, so I sat in the back and talked with this gentleman.

He is 40 years old, and spent his life as the partying playboy. He told me he wanted a change, a family, and a better life. He told me he has been praying and watching Joel Osteen on Sunday nights. He continued to share his life with me and continued saying, "I don't know what to do".

My old witness would have sounded like this:
"Come to Jesus and he'll give you..."
"Come to Jesus and he'll heal you of..."
"You need Jesus because..."

This is because of the church I attend.
This was my first witness since changing my stance on a lot of things. The more he talked about life, the more I talked about how it was one day going to pass away. The more he talked about what he was going through right now, the more I witnessed of those things which are eternal. (It was very different from what I hear every Sunday, at times difficult even)

We talked for approx. 2 hours and once we finished, he said, "You mean I can just surrender my life and accept Jesus?" "I thought you had to take me up to the front of the church or something." "I never knew I could give my life to Christ."
I know there are those whom haven't heard the good news, I wasn't shocked by that, however, this is a person who watches Christian Television.

When I came to Christ 9 years ago, It wasn't for a better life, I knew I needed a savior. I have encountered so many that come to the church because of life's struggles and all of the things they hear talked about on TV.

As a witness, how do "you" balance the two?

hmmm... I don't understand what you mean by "balance the two". Teaching people to come to Jesus to escape the rather to come is good evagelism. I've been thinking even today about warning people of the wrath to come mainly because I was studying John 3 - John the baptist ends chapter three with a stern warning. He who believes in the Son has life everlasting. He who believes not in the Son will not see life and will endure the wrath of God. It is very sobering to remember that God's WRATH IS TO COME to him who knows not Christ.

I understand what you mean however, on your stance changing and therefore your witnessing methods have changed. I think-based on what you wrote- that you did a good job. The man got a clear presentation of the gospel and it was evident because of his response.

As for balance..... Preach the cross! Bump Blessing and prosperity. Preach the cross and the great grace of God. Let the new convert get well rooted in good doctrinal soil. I don't even get into "Jesus wants to bless you with______" witnessing any more. What in the world was I thinking?

To God be the Glory

Also... Christian Television gets two thumbs down.

You can look at TBN ALLLL DAAAY LOOONG and hear NOT ONE clear presentation on why should a sinner repent.

These topics are not liked on TBN

Repentance
The Cross
Man's Sin
The Wrath of God
God's Holy Standard
*CONTENTMENT
Suffering
Joy in the midst of lack
Discipline
Loving Jesus- (just plain ole LOVING GOD!)

These are subjects that they like and that you will hear OFTEN

Get your breakthrough
Get your annointing
Get your shout/praise/dance on*
Your Season
Giving into your destiny
Tell the Devil give me my stuff
A new Level
A new Anointing
A new Dimension in GAWD!

As you can see I am not a fan of TBN- I rather listen to a sermon online

I suppose balance wasn't the best word.

What I mean is, when a person is seeking "more" then there every day life, but not necessarily the cross, how do you respond concerning those things. (Like many people, I don't believe this man was seeking Christ, I even said this at one point in our conversation. He came to the church for answers to natural problems. I even gave him the story about the women at the well. I told him he came looking for one thing, but found what he really needed.)

I said balance because there are those that are going to say, "what about my right now". (The balance is between the two I guess, natural and spiritual)

I find it is much easier to witness to a person who has never heard the "good news", rather then to a person with the "wrong news".

How do you witness to a person who is seeking Christ as "the giver of gifts"?

I SLAP THEM!

No but for real.... I get the person to recognize their deep need for a Savior not a Santa Claus...

His immediate need is his sins Forgiven... Now will God provide our needs... absolutely.. Matthew 6 assures us of this but Matthew 6 tells us of the thing that is of utmost importance is not to worry about our provisions but it is to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added.

I guess the best thing to do to get him sober would be to show him in the scriptures where God says that He alone must be his chief treasure, jewel, joy, and desire and that Christ is his only hope to escape the wrath of God. Wrath that we all deserve.

Show him his sin and...

Let the Word do its thang!

To God be the Glory

I think that the passage about the rich young ruler is especially relevant when dealing with this type of situation. When he came to Christ (I don't think he was really seeking salvation, but to bolster his own self-righteousness), Jesus told him that he had to sell all of his possessions. This is the opposite of "Come to Jesus and receive material comforts." Jesus basically said that the young man had to be willing to leave all of his creaturely comforts behind, forsaking them, and clinging to Christ alone. Unfortunately, the young man did not desire that.