--- title: "“Being a witness”: how sharing the good news is not just about what we do, but who we are" date: 2020-09-30T10:00:00+01:00 author: Vicki Pici canonical_url: "https://www.eauk.org/news-and-views/being-a-witness-how-sharing-the-good-news-is-not-just-about-what-we-do-but-who-we-are" section: Articles --- Share [](https://www.facebook.com/dialog/share?app_id=1769260916495219&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eauk.org%2Fnews-and-views%2Fbeing-a-witness-how-sharing-the-good-news-is-not-just-about-what-we-do-but-who-we-are) [](https://x.com/intent/tweet?text=%E2%80%9CBeing%20a%20witness%E2%80%9D%3A%20how%20sharing%20the%20good%20news%20is%20not%20just%20about%20what%20we%20do%2C%20but%20who%20we%20are&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eauk.org%2Fnews-and-views%2Fbeing-a-witness-how-sharing-the-good-news-is-not-just-about-what-we-do-but-who-we-are) [](https://www.facebook.com/dialog/send?app_id=1769260916495219&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eauk.org%2Fnews-and-views%2Fbeing-a-witness-how-sharing-the-good-news-is-not-just-about-what-we-do-but-who-we-are&link=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eauk.org%2Fnews-and-views%2Fbeing-a-witness-how-sharing-the-good-news-is-not-just-about-what-we-do-but-who-we-are&display=popup) [](mailto:?subject=Shared%20from%20Evangelical%20Alliance&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eauk.org%2Fnews-and-views%2Fbeing-a-witness-how-sharing-the-good-news-is-not-just-about-what-we-do-but-who-we-are) #### “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth”. I’ve been reflecting recently about this verse from Acts 1:8 and how for many years I concentrated on why I was supposed to witness or share the message of salvation with others. Reasons that come to mind might be because of all that Jesus has done for me or because it was command language in the Greek and I have no choice. I also reasoned that I might be the only Christian they knew and if I cared for them, I should share the gospel with them. In addition to these reasons and many others, when I saw the word ​‘witness’ in this verse I immediately saw it as a verb, something that I did that was separate from me. It was an action that I undertook: I witnessed. While this is partially true, I’ve realised that I’m much more than that. In the Bible the word ​‘witness’ is also used as a noun. I am a witness; it’s something that describes the new me. When God the Holy Spirit came to live in us, we became a witness. We were transformed into the euangelion, the Greek word for the good news itself. Whether we’re sleeping or awake, talking or listening, for 24 hours of every day we are a carrier of the greatest news, the answer to the greatest need, and the truth that sets us free, simply by our identity as a witness. Incredible isn’t it? Sponsored[](#) [ ![](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%271%27%20height%3D%271%27%20style%3D%27background%3Atransparent%27%2F%3E) ](https://www.oakhill.ac.uk/admissions/open-days) I need to remember though that my freewill combines with my new identity. As a witness of the good news, I can choose to be mean or kind, wise or foolish, honest or dishonest. Whoever I choose to be, I’m still a witness, whether that be a good or a bad one. The end of Acts 1:8 tells us that we start our lives as witnesses at home and then extend it wherever we go. It’s a little reminder of how important it is to be the good news in our families and with our close friends first. Oswald J Smith shared a thought-provoking truth when he said: ​“The light that shines the farthest, will shine brightest at home.” #### “Bod yn dystiolaeth”: sut bod rhannu’r newyddion da, nid yn unig ynglŷn â’r hyn rydyn ni’n ei wneud ond, pwy ydyn ni Fel Cristnogion, fe’n gelwir, nid yn unig i rannu’r newyddion da ond, i fod yn newyddion da i’r rhai hynny o’n cwmpas. “Ond bydd yr Ysbryd Glân yn disgyn arnoch chi, ac yn rhoi nerth i chi ddweud amdana i wrth bawb – yn Jerwsalem a Jwdea, yn Samaria, a drwy’r byd i gyd”. Fe fues i’n myfyrio’n ddiweddar ar yr adnod hon, sef Actau 1:8 a’r ffaith imi ganolbwyntio am flynyddoedd lawer ar ystyr yr alwad i dystiolaethu a rhannu neges achubiaeth gydag eraill. Ymysg y rhesymau a ddaw i’r meddwl fyddai oherwydd popeth a wnaeth Iesu drosof i neu, o bosib, nad oes dewis imi, o ddarllen ac ystyried y pwyslais gorchmynnol sydd i’r alwad yn y Groeg gwreiddiol. Fe wnes i hefyd ymresymu a sylweddoli mai fi, efallai, fyddai’r unig Gristion y gwyddon nhw amdano ac, oes oedd gen i unrhyw feddwl ohonyn nhw , y dylwn rannu’r efengyl gyda nhw. Yn ychwanegol at y rhesymau hyn a sawl un arall, wrth weld y gair ​‘tystiolaeth(u)’ yn yr adnod, roeddwn yn ei ystyried yn syth fel berf, rhywbeth roeddwn i’n ei wneud a oedd ar wahân i mi. Roedd hi’n weithred yr o’n i’n hymgymryd â hi: rydw i’n tystiolaethu / tystiolaethaf i. Er bod hyn yn rhannol wir, fe ddes i sylweddoli ei fod yn llawer mwy na hynny. Yn y Beibl, mae’r gair ​‘tystiolaeth’ hefyd yn cael ei ddefnyddio fel enw. Tyst ydw i; mae’n rhywbeth sy’n disgrifio’r person newydd ag ydw i. Pan ddaeth Duw’r Ysbryd Glân i fyw o’n mewn, fe ddaethon ni’n dystion. Fe’n trawsnewidiwyd i fod yn *euangelion*, y gair Groeg am y newyddion da ei hun. P’un ai ynghwsg neu ​‘n effro, yn siarad neu’n gwrando, am 24 awr y dydd, ni sy’n cludo’r newyddion mwyaf, i ateb yr angen mwyaf â’r gwirionedd sy’n rhyddhau’r galon gaeth… a hynny, yn syml, trwy gael fy ngwneud yn dyst. Anhygoel on’d ydy? Er hynny, mae gofyn imi gofio fod gen i ewyllys rydd sydd hefyd ynghlwm â’r hunaniaeth newydd hwn. Fel tyst i’r newyddion da, fedra i ddewis bod yn hunanol neu’n glen, yn ddoeth neu’n ffôl, yn onest neu’n anonest. Pwy bynnag rwy’n dewis bod, rydw i dal yn dyst, boed hynny’n un da neu’n un gwael. Mae diwedd Actau 1:8 yn dweud wrthon ni ein bod yn dechrau’n bywyd newydd fel tystion yn ein cartrefi, ac yna’n ymestyn hynny i le bynnag yr awn. Mae’n fodd i’n hatgoffa pa mor bwysig ydy hi i fod yn newyddion da o fewn ein teuluoedd a gyda’n ffrindiau agos yn gyntaf. Rhannodd Oswald J Smith wirionedd i ysgogi’n meddyliau pan ddywedodd: ​“Y golau sy’n disgleirio pellaf ydy’r golau fydd ar ei fwyaf llachar wrth ddisgleirio gartref.” --- ### About Rob Burns ![]()Rob moved to Wales in 2000 after founding and leading several Christian organisations in the USA, where he served for 11years. He currently has several roles: he is founding director of Missional Links Wales (www.missionallinkswales.org.uk), a missional leadership consultant with the Evangelical Alliance Wales and teaches and preaches regularly in churches across Wales. Rob holds a master's degree in theology and two other post graduate degrees in missional leadership and coaching. He has worked for many years in the academic and training arenas. He also held an A licence football qualification and worked as a professional youth coach in the USA for 11 years. He is passionate about leadership training, coaching and mentoring people who are looking for direction, encouragement and purpose. He is married to Jenny and they have three adult lads, each one taller and far more handsome than him! [See more from Rob Burns](/author/rob-burns)