Contemporary Evangelism

 

The Theology of Evangelism

I.              What is evangelism?

Many misconceptions of evangelism exist. The World Council of Churches even decided not to define it for fear of splitting the council over any definition.

A.    Evangelism is not:

1.    Mere presence (evangelism of identification, evangelism of presence)

Time magazine had an article on "new evangelism:" not so much interested in "selling" Christianity (making converts). The real term is soul-winning. It is disguised as "beach ministries," "coffee house ministries," etc.; it is more interested in helping people by addressing their needs, in "being there for them."

 

It's like being a lifeguard who sees someone drowning and swims out to the drowner only to say, "Friend, I just wanted you to know I'm here with you," then swim back to shore and let the victim drown. We are called to rescue! Evangelism is more than presence or identification.

 

2.    Sharing a redemption that is already possessed by all people everywhere

Some consider it a heresy to ask anyone to accept Christ; this is a "saved world." Jitsuo Morikawa (lives in Hawaii, graduate of Southern Seminary); director of evangelism of the Home Mission Department of the American Baptist Convention. He asks, "Is the Gospel gloriously unconditional, or restrictively conditional?" He says one way to frame it is this: if you will respond, then God in Christ will love you (though God will love you whether you respond or not--Morikawa should know better) and He will accept you, forgive you and redeem you. If you don't respond, He will reject and damn you. Or put another way, God in Christ loves you, has already redeemed, accepted and forgiven you; therefore, respond to Him in an act of faith.

 

     D.T. Niles (missionary to Sri Lanka) said that our evangelism seeks not to put Jesus into people, but to help them see He is already there.

 

     This opinion is not an obscure, hidden concept of evangelism. It completely rejects what the Bible says about salvation; rejects the Bible's position that there are two roads to follow. "He that has the Son has life; he that has not the Son of God has not life." "He that believes not is condemned already." "He that has not the Son is condemned already, because he has not believedÉ" So there must be two categories of people, but this concept seeks to do away with the concept that there are some who are lost.

 

     Not only does it paint an incorrect picture of the present condition of lostness, it also paints an incorrect picture of the eternal destiny of the lost.

 

     Universalism--everyone is already saved or will be saved

     Origin is the founder of universalism; he believed that God will ultimately redeem all His created beings, even Satan. (All will be redeemed at the end of time.)

 

     Until recently, this was condemned as heresy. Now, the "new" universalism proposes that we are already possess redemption, whether you want it or not. That is, God doesn't dignify you to have a choice.

 

     Jesus knew more about the love of God than any other Bible preacher, but he also spoke more about hell than any other Bible preacher; in fact, He spoke more on hell than on heaven. Modern theologians wonder: How could a God of love allow a place like an eternally populated hell? John Newport says 70% of writing theologians are universalists; they can't deal with hell's eternality, so they throw it away.

 

     Some people insist on universalism based on emotionalism; some just don't want to not believe in it, they can't handle the reality of a punishment that knows no end.

 

     Universalists must think that mission efforts are simply for social betterment. This accounts for reduced missionary efforts in the WCC by 50%--why go if everyone's really already saved? And if universalism is right, why observe any social or moral value?

 

     Related is annihilationism, a "conditioned immortality" that supposes that people who are not saved will be annihilated at judgment; those who are saved will have gained eternal life. If there is no penalty after judment, the nerve of evangelism is cut.

3.    Evangelism is everything the church does.

a.    George Swazey taught evangelism at Princeton. His book says that if everything the church is doing evangelism, it's probably not doing evangelism at all.

b.    Evangelism is treated as an umbrella word for "all the things the church does," but the correct word is "ministry." Within the umbrella of evangelism is the sub-ministry of evangelism. It isn't necessarily easy to say where evangelism starts and other ministries end, but they are not all the same.

4.    Evangelism is simply living a godly life.

a.    Three almost-similars--evangelism, witnessing and soul-winning--are involved here. The word in question here is witnessing.

b.    When it is said that people are evangelizing by "witness by my life," it is the height of presumption that by this that men can come to Christ. Not that our lives should not be of high evangelistic quality, but this alone is not adequate for evangelism. Had the apostles merely borne witness with their lives but never verbalized truth about Jesus, we would never have gotten the gospel--it would have died in one generation. We must tell people the exciting news that Jesus is alive.

c.     Some people seek to reduce witnessing to lifestyle because they are afraid of rejection or confrontation. One can never share the gospel without there being confrontation. We're asking people to repent (to make a radical adjustment in their lifestyle). We must, however, be sensitive when confronting; most people will give us a hearing and we can communicate without offense.

5.    Evangelism is social reconstruction/social redemption.

a.    Notes:

i.               Especially popular in the 70s and persistent to today, this idea of reconstructing the social order is believed by mainline denominations (Methodists, American Baptists, most Lutherans, some Presbyterians, etc.). However, not everyone in these mainline denominations believes what position

ii.             Jitsuo Morikawa (remember him? He's with the American Baptist Convention) has ridiculed the ideas of "regeneration" and "becoming a new creation." He says, "The redemption of the world is not dependant upon the souls we win for ChristÉContemporary is moving from winning souls one by one and to the evangelization of the structures of society." That is, evangelism is "making the world a better place to live." Economic, basic, political issues--these are the things that are sough to be "redeemed." This reconstructism believes that moral society will breed moral people, so we must change the society first. Since most people like the idea of evangelism, the word has been appropriated for this idea.

iii.            E. Edmund Perry of Northwestern University said, "I abhor the idea of winning the individual to ChristÉ[it] is not even Christian." He prefers the redemption of the society.

b.    This concept of evangelism rejects, or repudiates, the biblical objective of evangelism, which is to win individuals to Christ.

c.     There is a rejection of the New Testament message of evangelism (that God showed His love for the world by sending His Son for our redemption)

d.    There is a kind of naïvite regarding the "sinfulness" of sin and what it does to people. That is why they think a "perfect society" will cause perfect people. There's already been one of those: Adam and Even in the garden of Eden, with sinless natures; and they couldn't even do it right.

 

You can make better people by working from on individuals to create a better society. A better society only comes about by creating new kinds of people.

 

Mary Margaret Slatter wrote a book on Christian social ministries, tells the story of a healed lame child who grew up to be a criminal, in which she said "medical science could teach him how to walk, but only God could teach him where."

e.    Questionable means were used to obtain the objectives. For instance, political activism, even physical violence, was attempted to be justified on the basis of "evangelism."

B.    What Evangelism is

1.    Definition of euangellion: "Eu" (good) + "angellion" (message)

a.    This word was pre-Christian; it was used by the Roman emperor to announce victories, emperor's holidays, etc.; the church appropriated the word and used it for divine meanings (to announce what Christ did in redemptive deeds on our behalf)

b.    It was never before used as a noun; before, it was only ever used as a verb (euangelidzo, "to tell the good message"; diminutive noun form, euangelistŽs, "the teller of the good message"--the evangelist)

2.    The Compassionate Sharing--we care about the people with whom we share the good news, in the same sense as "to get down to work with them"

3.    The Message of the Evangelism--the good news of Jesus and His redeeming deeds

4.    The Power for Evangelism--provided by the Holy Spirit; no such thing as effective evangelism apart from Him, Who is the ultimate evangel

5.    The Recipients--the lost person, lost in their sins and separated from God

6.    The Objective, or Purpose--to lead them to Christ as Savior and Lord

7.    The Perpetuation of Evangelism--the evangelized become the evangelists

8.    This definition ought to include something about involving our evangelism in the context of a local church

II.           The Biblical Bases for Evangelism

A.    The Ministry of Jesus--what Jesus did when He was here

 

If His body has ascended to heaven, the church has become the new body of Christ; we are therefore responsible to do what He did

B.    The Post-Resurrection Teachings of Jesus--what was taught after to His resurrection and what was taught before His ascension. It was during this time that Jesus commissioned His church (the 40 days used to teach the disciples the Great Commission). He, however, gave five commissions:

á       The Commission in the Gospel of John (John 20:21): "As the Father sent me, I am sending you." He breathed on them then to receive the Holy Spirit

á       The Commission in the Gospel of Luke (Luke 24:45): to preach repentance in His name, beginning in Jerusalem

á       The Commission in the Gospel of Matthew (Matt. 28:19): to make disciples with verbal declaration about Jesus

á       The Commission in the Gospel of Mark (Mark 16:15)--to preach in all the world to all creation

á       The Commission in the Book of Acts (Acts 1:8)--the proclamation of His disciples as His witnesses, to represent Him first locally, then abroad

1.    The Authority for Evangelism (Matthew 28:18)--only Jesus, Lord and God, could say this; He, the Supreme Authority of the church, has commanded evangelism

2.    The Objective of Evangelism--to make disciples. Matthew 28:18--"Go ye, therefore, and make disciples of all nations." The only imperative verb form is "make disciples." It is used in four ways:

a.    Used in reference to the Twelve

b.    Used to describe an apprenticeship of one person to another

c.     Used to define "disciples indeed"--an "upper echelon" of disciples who are willing to pay a higher price

d.    Used to describe every believer in Christ

e.    Matthew uses the word as it is in Acts: win people to Christ, to lead them to attach themselves to Jesus as Savior and Lord; then mature them ("teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you")

f.     Characteristics of a Disciple

i.               One who has been forgiven

ii.             One who is saved

iii.            One who identifies with Christ in baptism

iv.            One who is taught

g.    Making disciples involves teaching them to make disciples themselves. It is Christ's genius of world evangelism: people who have been made disciples teach others to make disciples, and so on. Few Baptist churches have taken this seriously.

3.    The Method of Evangelism

a.    It is through verbal proclamation of truth about Jesus that people are saved

b.    The New Testament uses the word "witness" not only as to visibly experience something, but also the reporting of what one has experienced. It is never used to describe lifestyle; only verbalizing. Another word for this phenomenon is preach (Mark 16:15)

4.    The Message of Evangelism--what are we telling people about? Jesus!

 

For instance, the first words of Peter's first sermon (at Pentecost) was "Jesus of NazarethÉ"; Philip, went brought to the Ethiopian eunuch, preached to him Jesus (based on the Isaiah passage the eunuch was reading). But there are specific facts about Jesus to tell

 

 

Luke delineates the Gospel this way:

a.    Gospel verification: Jesus would say "Thus it is writtenÉ," verifying what He was about to say with the extant Scriptures

b.    Gospel deeds/events: He needed to die on a cross and rise again the third day

c.     Gospel requirements: repentance and faith must be preached in His name (Mark uses the word "believe"); the terms are almost (and often are) interchangeable

d.    Gospel benefits: forgiveness (Mark uses the word "saved")

5.    The Message of Evangelism--Jesus Himself ("You shall be witnesses unto me"--Acts 1:8 specifically refers to the witnesses, those upon whom the Holy Spirit comes [at the point of conversion]--this is every believer)

 

Last year (2001) it took 40 Southern Baptists to lead one person to Christ

 

á       The Personnel in Evangelism

á       The Power of Evangelism--the Person of the Holy Spirit (again, Acts 1:8)

 

Jesus told the disciples to "tarry" until the Holy Spirit arrived (some 50 days later at Pentecost); He does this immediately for us today.

a.    Power for Illumination--we do not understand or appreciate evangelism apart from the illumination of the Holy Spirit

i.               The disciples did not initially understand the objective of evangelism (they thought it might be to restore the kingdom age [a reconstructed society] at that time)

ii.             They did not understand the method of evangelism

iii.            They did not understand the scope of evangelism (they thought Israel was the sole recipient of the blessings of God, in spite of the fact that He had said they would go into the world, making disciples of all men; still, it took the conversion of Saul of Tarsus to get them out of the city, and Peter's discussion with Cornelius [after his dream of being able to eat "unclean animals" for dinner] to get them to go to the Gentiles; but, then, they had not yet received the illumination of the Holy Spirit)

b.    Power for Transformation--the ability to confront the world (the disciples had to wait for this ability before they could face the Roman world; this happened finally at Pentecost)

i.               Must be winsome and tactful

ii.             Must not be forceful

c.     Power for Communication--The Holy spirit, Who alone brings the ability to "combat" with people at the point of logic (the ultimate Communicator)

6.    The Duration of Evangelism--It should last until Jesus returns ("until the consummation of the age")

C.   The Ministry of the Apostolic Church--see the book of Acts, which is filled with evangelism

III.         Evangelism and Theology

A.    The Relationship Between Evangelism and Theology--they are inseparable for these reasons: Biblical, historical, and . The New Testament was written by men who were completely involved in evangelism; the message, however, was never divorced from theology (the truth)

1.    They were never separated in the Bible--the mission and the message of the church were vitally linked

2.    They were never separated in the history of the church

a.    Paul (the greatest evangelist and theologian)

b.    Augustine

c.     Luther (converted while studying Romans and Galatians from a doctrinal standpoint)

d.    Charles Wesley

e.    Charles Finney (Revival Lectures)

f.     Jonathan Edwards

3.    They are not separated in the contemporary scene--any resurgence in evangelism will be rooted in vital theology

a.    Not until Gordon Fee did the Pentecostal movement have a good theologian, thought they had a supposedly great evangelism

b.    "Give your life to Jesus"-type mentality suggests that we must do something to be saved; Jesus did all the work, all we have to do is receive its benefits

B.    The Evangelistic Implications of Theology

1.    The Theology of God--theology at its narrowest

Some theologians talk in terms of the doctrine of God the Creator and the doctrine of God the Redeemer, as if the doctrine of God as Creator was an unusable sermon topic for evangelism.

a.    The doctrine of God the Creator/the doctrine of God the Redeemer--Paul's sermon to the Athenians on "the unknown God" in Acts 17 started with God as Creator, asserting that men "were made so that they might seek Him"--as Redeemer. God created man because He wants us to seek and find Him.

b.    The attribute of God--holy love

i.      What holiness demandedÉ

-        God's holiness makes Him completely separate from us; His eyes cannot behold sin in any ways

ii.             ÉLove provided

-        Because of His loving sacrifice of His Son, God can now receive sinful men

2.    The Theology of Jesus

a.    The Person of Christ

i.               Virgin Birth--if Joseph were Jesus' father, Jesus could not have been our Savior (he would have been of Adam's seed as well as Eve; it was Adam's sin, however, that condemns mankind and births the sin nature in all mankind)

ii.             Incarnation--the word used to describe God's appropriation on Himself of human form--He came to us in "meat and bones". This has a great deal to do with evangelism (see Hebrews: Jesus had to take on humanity to be our Savior, to redeem what He would become)

iii.            Sinlessness--Jesus was not crucified for anything He did; He was crucified for what He said. If He had sinned, He could not be our Savior--He would need one Himself

iv.            The Work of Christ--His Ascension

(1) Had Jesus not gone back, the Holy Spirit could never have come

(2) Jesus' Ascension was like a conquering hero coming home; He was given gifts, which He turned around and gave them to people, which He subsequently gave to the church

Þ    Pastor/Teachers

Þ    Evangelists

3.    The Theology of The Holy Spirit (the proxy for Jesus' spirit as we are the proxy for His body)

a.    He alone can bear witness of Christ

b.    He alone can make people new on the inside (regenerate)

c.     He is the power for evangelism

4.    The Theology of Soterology

a.    Some believed that salvation (their soterology) of those who wanted to redeem the social order: socially, materially and temporally

b.    We believe that salvation is personal, spiritual and eternal. Jesus wants the others done, but these are merely evidences. The conditions to salvation are still repentance and faith.

5.    The Theology of Man (Anthropology)--man is sinful, so man needs a Savior

a.    We insist on the last man to come and hear; but they don't

b.    Unless people don't hear the gospel to draw them, satisfy them, they won't come

6.    The Theology of the Church-- what does the Church have to do with Evangelism?

a.    It regenerates the convert

b.    It disseminates the gospel (sending the people out)

7.    Demonology--the Devil is against God; he has set himself to war against the achievement of God's message, so the devil hates evangelism

8.    Eschatology--the study of end times; usually encompasses death, judgment, Second Coming, the Kingdom, heaven and hell (perhaps also the resurrection of the dead). Tied to evangelism in these two ways:

a.    Jesus said the End (of the age) would come when the gospel was preached to every nation in the world (Matt. 24:14)

b.    Nothing magnifies the worth of evangelism like eschatology--imagine where someone would have been had they not been witnessed to

Principles of Personal Evangelism

I.              Foundations for Biblical Evangelism

A.    The Biblical Meaning of Lostness (Hybels, 39--50)

1.    Meanings of "lost"--the present condition of anyone who has not rightly responded to God; it is an eternal destiny

a.    apollumi--destruction, perdition; suggests:

i.               waste

ii.             destruction, often eternal, or perdition

b.    anathema--accursed

c.     krisis--under judgment

d.    thanatos--death; not cessation or termination, but separation--the "second death;" Jesus uses this word in three parables:

i.               The woman separated from her coin

ii.             The shepherd separated from a sheep

iii.            The son separated from a father

2.    Why personal evangelism is important and urgent to God (in terms of motivation)? JOY--it's important to Jesus, important to others, important to you

a.    God's plan--one to one

One-to-one evangelism is His favorite for getting His message out; mass evangelism will not reach the masses--only personal evangelism will. Jesus was, in fact, more effective this way than with great multitudes of people (look out how the disciples found each other). It is also His only plan--and ours.

b.    God's yearning--God's heart yearns for lost people to be saved

As in the parable of the prodigal son--the only time God gets in a hurry--love yearns to communicate itself. And the people in this world will never know how much God loves them unless they hear it from me.

3.    Why personal evangelism is important and urgent from the standpoint of others (Hybels, 11--24)

a.    The worth of other--people are very valuable to God; one of only two things that will abide forever: His Word and His people. We are worth too much to be wasted and lost

i.               as person in the world of time--people exist in the realm of time and space

(1) No one who lives a life is ever able to please God, though He deserves it

(2) God will take a man at 11:59 in life, but that life was wasted and has little left to offer for God to use

ii.             as persons who will be in the world of eternity--their real worth is here

(1) Everyone has an eternal existence without any choice

(2) Seeing people in proper perspective means seeing them in the world of eternity

(3) Understanding this adds a dimension to our ministry we can't do without--allowing us to be a "change agent" in the eternity of others

b.    Personal evangelism is the most effective way of reaching others--very few people are saved by listening to a sermon

i.               D.L. Moody said he didn't know of any who got saved that had not been dealt with one-to-one, no matter how many came forward after his sermons

ii.             Lynn Braughton (sp?) of the Baptist Tabernacle of Atlanta led a 14-year-old boy to Christ who had sat under his preaching for nine years and not found Christ until he was dealt with individually

c.     Time for reaching others is running out--ministry is exciting, but it is not in fact fun and games; if you're going lead anyone to Christ, you have less time than you have ever had to do it. If we're ever going to do it, it is here on earth, in the world of time.

i.               Man's time is running out--the lost person is never closer to hell than he is right now

ii.             God's time is running out--the return of Christ is imminent; He could come today, and when that happens the time for reaping is over

4.    Why personal evangelism should be important and urgent to us (Hybels, 25--38

a.    Our responsibility--we want the benefits, but are prone to shun the responsibilities

i.               To God--our responsibility is one of obedience in love; it is impossible to be obedient to Him without knowing that we are under orders to witness (it is part of what He has commanded to do). You cannot be obedient to God by being a silent witness.

ii.             To others (Rom. 1:14, 15)--you cannot have salvation and not have the urge to tell it, or the responsibility to tell it (Acts 20:25, 26)

b.    Our spiritual maturity--evangelism is a vital factor in spiritual growth (perhaps faster than any other spiritual act--Bible study, prayer, etc.).

i.               Likeness to Jesus is the ultimate in spiritual maturity (Eph. 4:13), and we can't be like Jesus if we're not sharing His love with other people.

ii.             If I don't allow myself to be used in witnessing, I frustrate the reason He saved me in the first place.

iii.            I am a channel through which He causes His love to flow through; bearing fruit means God's love flows through me to others (John 7:37--39)

c.     Our rewards--part of my eternal rewards will be determined with whether I was faithful to evangelize

i.               there will not be equal distribution of rewards, as there will not be equal-quality work

ii.             God uses the metaphor of crowns when he talks about rewards (five are listed in the NT; see I Thessalonians 2)--my crown of rejoicing will be the people to whom I witnessed (part of my eternal reward)

5.    Because of our Message: its magnitude--the sheer grandeur of our gospel ought to motivate us to tell it to others. Why not share the message? It should be that we can't help but shout it from the rooftops.

II.           Qualifications of an Effective Personal Witness (Hybels, 53--68)--qualifications is a bad word, because it suggests that since I don't measure up anyway, it lets me off the hook. The best way to prepare is to start--nothing will qualify you more. A better title would be "Desired Traits of Witnessing"

A.    Conversion Experience--Evangelism has at its desired end the introduction of Jesus to someone else, but you can't introduce Someone you don't know.

B.    Assurance of Salvation--Your witness is greatly enhanced by personal certainty in your own experience; a rededication is:

1.    a confession of faith

2.    a commitment to Christ's lordship

3.    an acceptance of factors that will make an impact in my life (Bible reading, prayer, etc.)

4.    I John 5:13--"These things I have written unto you that you may know that you have eternal life"-- salvation has nothing to do with feelings; it is anchored in this promise, plus nothing

C.   Conviction as to Biblical Authority--a belief in the authority of Scripture

1.    Whenever a church gets away from scriptural authority, it cuts the nerve of evangelism in that church

2.    It is crucial to have a Bible that you can trust without reservation

3.    Coming to grips with the Bible's authority

a.    Find the authority in the Bible itself (II Timothy 3:16--theopneustos, or "God-breathed")

b.    Evangelism will be the first never cut by failure to recognize the Bible's authority--liberal theology will suck the life out of evangelism

c.     Jesus Himself said the Bible was trustworthy

i.               If He was wrong about the Bible of His day, then He can't be trusted

ii.             If you can't trust the New Testament as authoritative, how can you trust the Jesus it presents?

d.    God did not call us to put question marks in people's heads, but exclamation points!

4.    Some ancient texts are used in modern versions from the standpoint of putting the text into more understandable, contemporary terms, metaphors and dynamic equivalence

D.   Christlike Character--there ought to be a difference between one and the rest of the world.

1.    Paul called us "shining lights in a darkened world"

a.    We should be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:1, 2)

b.    Corinthians says we have the mind of Christ

c.     Philippians 2 says we are to think and act as Christ did; develop our minds

2.    Think like God thinks

3.    Wisdom is seeing things like God sees them and responding accordingly

4.    Renewing our mind is like studying (cramming) for a test

5.    We should see people through the eyes of God

6.    We should be transformed to the mind of God

E.    Person of Compassion--we will witness with more compassion when we have a broken heart

F.    Knowledge of People--You will win more people if you have a knowledge of felt needs--"Isn't there more to life than this?" The meaning of life comes only in Jesus Christ; Pascal said there is a God-shaped blank in everyone's life

1.    Surveys:

a.    Billy Graham says that wherever he preaches in the world, he makes assumptions of the people:

i.               Loneliness down within

ii.             Feelings of guilt

iii.            Purposelessness--people get the impression that there is more to life than they are finding

iv.            Apprehension about death

b.    Texas Baptists had someone walk the streets of five major cities in Texas, asking "What are your basic concerns in life?"

i.               Hopelessness

ii.             Purposelessness

iii.            Fear of death

iv.            Guilt

c.     Paul Tillich's trilogy of basic human concerns (anxieties):

i.               Purposelessness (meaninglessness)

ii.             Fear of death

iii.            guilt

2.    There is, infused in the human psyche, a sense of need for forgiveness (there has never been a culture or society that did not think there were no such things as right and wrong)

a.    This is the moral argument for the existence of God

b.    All cultures think that the only way to satisfy guilt is to sacrifice something pure or exemplary

3.    Apprehension, or fear of death--most people in this country think more about death than sex, 3 to 2. Washington University in St. Louis had the psych department study young people and found that kids think of death once every five minutes.

a.    Reincarnation doesn't satisfy

b.    Annihilation doesn't satisfy

c.     Only new life in Christ will satisfy the panic about death (removing its stinger, so to speak)

4.    To witness to those who seem to have no need--tell them that there is a dimension of life they simply never knew existed (like being a bachelor for so many years and then getting married, finding how much more to life there is)

G.   Use of the Right Materials--53% of what sticks best is read--the gospel read is as powerful as the gospel heard

1.    A marked New Testament--underline the verse to which you're going to call a person's attention so they won't be looking all over the page; Use your finger to indicate to them to read with you, unless they are practically illiterate; make sure they can read it right off the bat

2.    Other literature

a.    Christian novels

b.    Mere Christianity (C.S. Lewis)

c.     For someone with difficulty on faith, give a book on apologetics (Evidence that Demands a Verdict by Josh MacDowell)

d.    Pamphlets or tracts--you will never engage in a more inexpensive type of evangelism than sharing with a tract

III.         The Personal Testimony--not to be confused with the content of the gospel, though it may appear in our testimony; and should focus on Jesus more than on you. Basically, it ought to be about the Jesus of your experience than your experience with Jesus.

-        Paul, for instance, only gave a "testimony" about his conversion experience when he was on trial for his life. If he had given his tremendous testimony liberally, people would have thought that they need not convert until they have a "Damascus" experience.

-        The people ripest for salvation are those coming out of a pagan background; they respond more to testimony, to something they can't argue with (though they may try to relegate it to a psychological/emotional experience in spite of the fact of an empty tomb).

A.    Characteristics of the Personal Testimony

1.    Free of "church" language--it doesn't communicate to lost people, however beautiful it may be. Use "normal-sounding" synonyms for the "code words"

2.    Must be brief--it should be able to be given in 1¹/₂ minutes

3.    Should be exciting

4.    Must exalt Christ

5.    Should be well-outlined

6.    Must be given courteously

B.    The Use of the Testimony in Witnessing

1.    Start your testimony with a description of life before Christ

2.    Tell about how you heard about him

3.    Tell how you put your trust in Christ

4.    Tell what Jesus has done in your life since then

5.    Ask for permission before giving a formal presentation of the gospel.

6.    Baptism is more a testimony than walking down an aisle

IV.          The Use of Tracts in Personal Evangelism

A.    The Effectiveness of Tract Ministry--you will never engage in a more inexpensive type of evangelism than sharing with a tract

B.    Things to Keep in Mind in Tract Ministry

1.    Know the content of the tract--never give one you haven't read

2.    Brevity is desirable--as a rule, a pamphlet ought to be readable in a period of five minutes

3.    Be enthusiastic about the contents--"What's in this pamphlet has changed my life"--say something that makes them want to read it

4.    Use attractive tracts--these days there's no excuse for using ugly, smudged materials or one that isn't up-to-date

5.    Be sure the facts of the gospel are set forth--Christ's death, burial and resurrection

6.    Be sure the tract clearly explains the facts about and conditions necessary to become a Christian

V.             Personal Evangelism: Sowing and Reaping (Hybels, 95--104)

A.    We need to realize that personal evangelism is not merely "harvesting" or spiritual "obstetrics" in seeing new spiritual births, but also in sewing, weeding and harvesting in addition to reaping; limiting evangelism to just reaping is not taught in the New Testament.

B.    Paul mentions that one plants, another waters, but God gives the increase; still, God only gives the increase after one has planted and one has watered.

C.   The seed is the Word and the sower must sow before the harvest comes. John 4:35-39: 35"Do you not say, ÔThere are still four months and then comes the harvest?' Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! 36And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. 37For in this the saying is true: ÔOne sows and another reaps.' 38I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors. 39And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, ÔHe told me all that I ever did.'"

D.   It is ridiculous to think that God has not used the witness of the available believer just because there is not conversion on the spot. The conversion fails only when the next believer in the chain refuses to be used.

E.    People will be saved if enough people love them and if enough people are available.

VI.          Presentation of the Gospel

A.    The Parts of the Witnessing Experience--Introduction (Approach), Presentation, Invitation (or Appeal), Leading to assurance (Follow-up)

1.    Introduction, or Approach (Hybels, 105--132; 135--148)

a.    Reasons for an approach

i.               Can appeal to a person's curiosity

ii.             Can make the difference in success or failure in our witness

iii.            There's nothing worse than no approach (don't worry about driving people away--they're already away)

iv.            Most people live and think in the world of the secular; we want them to think for a minute in the world of the spiritual. So how do we get a person to move in though & conversation from the secular to the spiritual without turning them off, keeping the conversation intact?

(1) We are approaching people from a telescopic aspect--there are no two people alike

(2) We focus them on a microscopic subject--their need for Christ

b.    Methods of Reaching People

i.               If you're going to try to "broad jump" the gulf between spiritual and secular, the best way is with a tract

ii.             Most of us will try to "build a bridge" and move a person from the secular to the spiritual

c.     Model Presentation Outline: an acrostic and a word: FIRM +

i.               F--ask about family

ii.             I--ask about interests (occupation, hobbies, education)

iii.            R--religious background (where is the life as far as the Lord is concerned? Here's where you'll use a "neutral word." Be casual--play it cool); make use of diagnostic questions:

(1) Assurance--do you know for sure, if you died tonight, where you would spend eternity? If he says "heavenÉ"

(2) "If you were to die and stand before God right now, why would He let you into heaven?" (What are you trusting in for eternal life?)

Þ    If he chooses works, he's lost (probably 7 out of 10 would think this way)

Þ    Tell them, "When we started talking, I thought I had good news. Now I know I have the greatest news you've ever heard."

(3) Ask this diagnostic question: "Have you ever made the wonderful discovery of knowing Jesus in a personal way yourself, or would you say you're still in the process?"--here's where we've crossed the bridge from the secular to the spiritual

Þ    It talks in terms of knowing Jesus as a wonderful discovery

Þ    A person doesn't have to give a "yes" or "no" answer--at this point, the fewer negatives the better

(4) Don't use words like "saved" or questions like "are you a Christian"--they tend to throw up red flags

(5) There is no such thing as an infallible diagnostic question

iv.            M--MessageÉ

2.    Gospel presentation, or Explanation (Hybels, 149--164)--must be delivered in a pre-conceived, thought-out delivery; if it is adequate

a.    Our need*--people need to understand their spiritual needs (beyond felt needs, which Jesus can of course meet). People who say there's no such thing as spiritual need for those who aren't aware of their spiritual need underestimate the power of the gospel. Everyone needs:

i.               Forgiveness

ii.             Restoration of fellowship with God (Rom. 6:23)

b.    God's provision*--Christ on the cross (John 3:16, I PeterÉ) bore our sins in His own body

c.     Our response*--repentance and faith are the legacy key words; these days we like "receiving as Savior and Lord"

i.               Lordship=repentance; the decision to go God's way

ii.             Receiving=faith

d.    A "stock" or "canned" presentation (you know ahead of time how you're going to share the gospel)

i.               Reasons to use a canned presentation:

(1) A canned presentation is used by almost all who are known for being great evangelists

(2) 85% of effective, successful salesmen use the textbook approach and uses a visual; when they get away from it or fail to be able to show the customer the product, they fail

ii.             Presentation to use: the UPFV (UnPublished Fish Version) of the "four spiritual laws;" needs a sheet of paper for you to write it down on. Tell the subject that our relationship to this world is governed by natural laws; our relationship to the spiritual world is governed by spiritual laws:

(1) God loves you and offers to you abundant (John 10:10) and eternal life (John 3:16).

(2) But people are sinful and are separated from God and from the life God offers. (Rom. 3:23, 6:23)

Þ    Point to the text of scripture they're reading with you as you present it to them

Þ    I John 3:4 -- "Sin is the transgression [breaking] of the law"

(3) Jesus Christ is God's only provision for our sin; through Him you can come to God and have the life God offers.

Þ    John 14:6--"I am the Way, the Truth and the Life"

Þ    I Peter 3:18--describes Jesus as the provision for the only way to God

Þ    Things to point out

¬      Christ died sinless, the just One

¬      It was done for us, the unjust

¬      He did it voluntarily, not by force

Þ    However, Jesus will not drag someone from death into life. You have to go to the doctor, he won't come to you. Same with Jesus.

(4) We must receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord through personal invitation (John 1:12).

Þ    Acknowledge the offer (Rev. 3:20, Rom. 10:9)

Þ    Extend the invitation to live in the heart (Eph. 3)

Þ    Affirm the promise of Christ to come in

e.    God's purpose (optional)

3.    Call to commitment, or Appeal (Hybels, 181--195)--involves a transition phase that is gradual--move gradually from point to point

a.    Clarification of the Gospel

i.               Ask if the information makes sense to them

ii.             Ask if they have any questions about what has been shared

iii.            Ask which of the two planes of existence they are on; then ask which plane they would like to be on

iv.            Ask, "Is there any good reason why you cannot receive Christ right now?" If no (there is no good reason), we help them pray at this point

(1) Pray a brief prayer then and there for the person

(2) Choose one of three options for encouraging them to pray for themselves

Þ    Option 1: ask them to pray for themselves: "Just tell God what you want to do." They will pray for everything except that, or they will not pray at all. This is a last choice.

Þ    Option 2: have them pray verbatim, repeating exactly what you say: "Repeat after me, but make sure you mean it."

Þ    Option 3: tell them what to pray, then let them express it in their own words (best choice)

v.             Sometimes "no" means "yes"--make sure they are clear and sure; be ready to reaffirm the message and their response

b.    Prayer of commitment--Leading a person to Assurance (not a built-in commodity to every conversion experience; some people know something's happened but not sure what, some don't know anything's happened at all)--See Acts 16

i.               If the person has come out of a depraved life, not too much needs to be done to bring this one to assurance--the Philippian jailer

ii.             Many, however, come up to a line and almost imperceptibly cross it to trust Jesus--Lydia

iii.            It is possible to be saved and not specifically remember the exact time; such people need to be led to assurance. This is up to you!

iv.            How to do this:

(1) Don't ask, "How do you feel?" It's our first reaction when they've prayed a prayer of commitment, but it is unbiblical--feelings are not the basis of assurance

(2) Depend on the promises of the written word of God; specifically with verses that deal with salvation and assurance (use the same verses used for the invitation to Christ--John 1:12 and Rev. 3:20--to identify Christ's reliability and faithfulness

(3) I John 5:13--"These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God."

Þ    Written to those who believe on the name of the Son of God (trust)

Þ    Written to assure the believer of eternal life because God said so (depend on God's promise, not their feelings)

(4) Don't ever tell someone having doubts, "You don't need to worry about that." Instead:

Þ    Pop a diagnostic question (see VI.A.1.c.iii.(2))

Þ    Ask them to recount everything they can remember about their conversion experience, listening for an account of plea to Christ; "I came down an aisle" or "I did it because my friends did" won't cut it. ThenÉ

Þ    Ask them if they remember a time when they trusted Jesus Christ to be Savior; if no, you can't lead them to assurance (you can only lead to assurance someone who has honestly trusted Jesus).

Þ    Go to I John 5:13

Þ    Never forget: it is far more dangerous to assume that a lost person is saved than it is to assume a saved person is lost; it is far safer to assume that a saved person is lost than it is to assume that a lost person is saved. You can't "assume" anyone into heaven, but you can "assume" them into hell.

4.    Immediate Follow-up

a.    Spiritual birth-- babies are by definition helpless, and new believers are babies in Christ. We must ask, "What do they need?"

b.    Church membership--new believers need to be encouraged to finding a loving fellowship of believers. For Baptists, this requires:

i.               An open confession of faith (Matt. 10:32, 33) to Jesus Himself

ii.             A baptism (as an open confession of faith; baptism and confession are two sides of the same coin, according to Scripture. It was, in the New Testament, the logical action after conversion)

c.     Bible study--spiritual babies need food; God's formula for spiritual infants is the milk of the Word.

i.               They need to be taught to read their Bibles

(1) Some don't know there are even books in a Bible

(2) Show them the index

ii.             A great start is the book of John (after all, it is written to new believers; that is, those who might believe)

d.    Prayer--spiritual babies need to breathe properly; prayer is the breath of Christian life

i.               Prayer is a privilege

ii.             Prayer is conversation with God

iii.            They should not be afraid to pray over a list

e.    Sharing the Faith--babies need exercise; the new believer needs to share the faith with other people

i.               It is best to encourage them to share with someone who will affirm them in their decision--someone who will be glad about what they have just done

B.    The Holy Spirit and Evangelism (Hybels, 197--221)--if the Holy Spirit is not doing His work, our evangelistic efforts are a waste of time

1.    Who is the Holy Spirit?-- the Superintendent, the Commander in Chief; he uses the Word of God to convict people

a.    The Holy Spirit is a person--not an "it"; He is a "He" (pneuma--"spirit"--is a neuter noun, but in the Upper Room discourse, Jesus used this neuter noun with a masculine preposition when He referred to the Holy Spirit as a person)

b.    The Holy Spirit is God--just as much as God the Father and God the Son; this relationship must be believed rather than understood

2.    How is the Holy Spirit related to the believer in Christ?

a.    Indwells every believer--I Corinthians 6:19: "Don't you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit?"

i.               This represents the significance of the Pentecost event

ii.             The life of God has come to live in you

iii.            In the O.T. He made a temple for His people; in the N.T. He makes His people to be a temple

b.    Longs to infill every believer--being filled with the Spirit is not the same as the indwelling. Luke used this phrase 13 times in Acts; Paul used it once, in Ephesians 5:18

3.    Why should a person be filled with the Holy Spirit?

a.    God commands it--Ephesians 5:18 commands to always be "being filled"

i.               Negative prohibition--"Don't be drunk with wine"

ii.             Positive injunction--"be filled with the Spirit"

iii.            In the eyes of God, not being filled with the Spirit is as wrong as being drunk with wine

b.    God freely provides it--our fullness, that is; Peter said, after preaching at Pentecost: "This promise is unto you, and to your fathers and to those afar off, and to as many as the Lord our God shall call"

4.    What hinders believers from being filled with the Holy Spirit? It is free and available to all. But if God has sent it, why hasn't it arrived?

a.    Lack of knowledge of God's provision

i.               We simply don't know about the Holy Spirit; we do not know that we already possess Him

ii.             In many churches we are like believers who are not really believers

iii.            It is rare that there are even sermons about the Holy Spirit

b.    Unwillingness to belong completely to Christ

i.               The Holy Spirit does not come in bits and pieces, so it is not a matter of getting more "Holy Spirit;" it is a matter of the Holy Spirit getting more of you.

ii.             If we keep hall closets in your life hidden from Him, we are unable to belong completely to Christ

iii.            If we refuse to let the Holy Spirit control completely, it is because we are afraid of turning over control, afraid of what we'll be called to

5.    How can a believer be filled with the Holy Spirit? Exhale, lie back and relax, and breathe in.

a.    Exhale

i.               Just as we must exhale to eliminate waste from our physical systems, there are things in our spiritual systems that must be eliminated

ii.             It is the willingness to deal with anything in your life displeasing to Christ-- just be honest with God about it (Rom. 12:1)

b.    Lie back and relax

i.               Just as we trust a bed to hold us when we lie down on it, we must be willing to trust the Holy Spirit to hold our lives when we surrender to Him.

ii.             We will not receive the overflowing blessings of God until we've trusted our paltry lives to Him first

c.     Breathe in--consecration without appropriation can lead to frustration

i.               God wants us to take all that He offers of Himself for us--and Ephesians 3 says He offers us "the fullness of the Godhead" itself in our lives. Have you taken it?

ii.             How is this appropriated? We breathe in--a faith impulse. We don't see air or feel air, but the brain sends signals to the lungs on the assumption that there is something out there to breathe in

iii.            If your life is one that is basically clean and yielded to Jesus as Lord, you are now one in a position to be filled with the Spirit BY FAITH

iv.            The desire to breathe in by feeling is a distraction--being filled by faith and the Holy Spirit will not necessarily change your feelings

d.    Scriptures about how to be filled

i.               John 7:37-39--The only way to overflow is to be full first; it is possible to be both.

ii.             John 6:35--We will never thirst as long as we trust Christ; He is our eternal indwelling fountain of the water of life

iii.            John 14:12--"The person who goes on trusting me, the works that I do, he or she will do; and greater works than these because I go to my Father" (the signal for the Holy Spirit to come and indwell the believers)

6.    What are the results of being filled with the Spirit? What happens when a believer is filled with the Holy Spirit? In a sense, it is like conversion

a.    Christlikeness in life--Gal. 5:22, 23 (the fruit of the Spirit)

i.               Paul is painting a perfect portrait of Jesus

ii.             If my life is not yielded to the Holy Spirit's control, I limit His ability to bear His fruit in me

iii.            In this post-modern era, it will take more living testimony than written

b.    Power for witnessing--Acts 1:8

i.               It will be done convincingly (this does not mean that everyone we witness to will respond positively)

(1) The rich young ruler didn't respond to Jesus

(2) The apostles were often thrown into jail by those who heard their message

ii.             People cannot ignore you or remain neutral when you present Christ--wouldn't it be better to be rejected than ignored?

c.     Boldness in witnessing

i.               Boldness and filling of the Spirit are inextricably related in the book of Acts

ii.             Battle lines are being drawn over Jesus' uniqueness and God's supremacy above other gods

iii.            For all our inability, cowardice and fear, God supplies His Spirit to embolden our witness (courage is not the absence of fear; it is the going on in despite the fear)

iv.            Boldness in witness is not without sensitivity

7.    How may a Christian walk in the Spirit? Twice we hear in the New Testament the concept of "[walking] in the Spirit." How do you do this? The same way you walk with your feet--a step a time. Hour by hour, day by day, step by step (not by broad-jump).

a.    By not grieving the Spirit--Eph. 4:30--32

i.               "Grieve" is a "love" word--the Holy Spirit is a sensitive lover who can be grieved

ii.             On either side of this verse Paul gives a catalog of sins that will grieve the Spirit; every sin has this in common: sins against another person

iii.            You are not right with God if you're not right with people; you're not right with God if you're not right with the Holy Spirit in interpersonal relationships

b.    By not quenching the Spirit--I Thessalonians 5:19--"quench not the Spirit"

i.               Quenching has to do with sins of omission; it is just as wrong not to do what you ought as it is to do what you ought not to do (grieving)

ii.             Sometimes translates as "don't put out the fire of the Holy Spirit"

iii.            The metaphors used to describe the Holy Spirit as an active person, busy in the world ("fire," "wind," "rivers of water flowing")

iv.            The Spirit's primary business in our world is redemptive activity; if your life is not being used redemptively, you are quenching the Holy spirit

c.     By immediate confession of sin--as soon as you are aware of the fact that you've grieved or quenched the Spirit, confess

i.               Immediate confession (agreement on my sin) must be followed by immediate acceptance of God's immediate forgiveness (I John 1:9)

ii.             Just confess it once; if we're honest in our immediate confession, any subsequent confession is a sinful confession

(1) Continuous confession is saying you don't believe in I John 1:9, and tantamount to calling God a liar

(2) God's response to a sin already confessed: "What sin?"

(3) Any guilt felt after confession is probably satanic accusation

C.   Prayer and Evangelism (Hybels, 81--92)--"you have not because you ask not;" we should pray for people as well as help them to a knowledge of the truth (Romans 10:1, I Timothy 2:4)

1.    The basis of acceptable prayer, the high priestly work of Jesus

a.    God hears us because of Jesus' work (Hebrews 2 & 4 both address this)

b.    No one should ever wonder whether God hears our prayer

i.               God hears an unbelieving Jew in that He is aware of the praying, but he will not respond as He would to one of His children

ii.             "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me" does not mean that He will not actually be aware of our prayer, it means He will not answer it

iii.            Ephesians 2:18--"For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father."

iv.            We never do not have an audience with Him

2.    What one ought to pray for as related to evangelism

a.    For those who preach the gospel

i.               R.A. Torrey said he went overseas with 100,000 cards of pledges of prayer as he went to Europe to evangelism; he said he'd rather have two people praying for him--the Holy Spirit and God the Father

ii.             Paul was often asking people to pray for him; at the end of Ephesians he said "pray for me"

(1) After discussing the armor of God

(2) "Éthat I may speak boldly"

(3) If Paul had to appeal for prayer, we certainly should also

b.    For boldness--Acts 4:29

i.               The early Christians had been commanded by the Roman government not to witness; rather than protesting, they prayed for boldness to do that which they had been told not to do

ii.             If you're bold enough to ask God for boldness, you're liable to get it

c.     For wisdom--God gives direction for evangelism while people pray

i.               Peter on the housetop--"Rise, kill and eat," God said to him about unclean animals; out of that, Peter was led to go to the household of Cornelius (the first recorded visit in the Bible of carrying the gospel to a Gentile)

ii.             Acts 2:32--Paul and Barnabas were separated out by God while the men were in prayer (God does tell us to go while we are in prayer)

d.    For people to be saved--Pray by name (even though many names are not used in the New Testament); it is not a matter of "God, save the lost." God answers, "Yes, I want to save the lost, but whom do you want Me to save?"

e.    For more witnesses--for more workers in the harvest field

3.    Understanding the necessity of prayer in evangelism--doesn't God want to save lost people? Yes, of course He does. Then why pray? To twist His arm? To make Him love them, as if He didn't already? (Jesus loved the rich young ruler.)

a.    Understand why they are lost

i.               2 Corinthians 4:3, 4--"3But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them."

ii.             2 Timothy 2:25, 26--"25Éif God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, 26and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will."

iii.            Matthew 12:29--"Or how can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.

b.    How do you defeat the strong man?

i.               Recognize that he is already defeated

ii.             Coming in the authority of Jesus and the power of the shed blood of Christ and plead with God for the release of the captive

iii.            You are coming against the strong man and ordering him to release those taken captive by him, according to will of God

(1) May involve stopping your prayer to God so you can talk to the devil and ordering him to release the blindfold over the blinded

(2) Will not force a person to be saved--it frees a person to be saved

(3) This is not a toy--we are doing spiritual battle on the frontlines

D.   Dealing with Excuses (Hybels, 165--178)--often when sharing the gospel, people with whom you share it offer lots of "buts." If you can get through a presentation and you ask if there's any good reason not to accept Christ and they offer excuses, don't fish too hard. Every time you share the gospel always expect for someone to be saved; but don't be so naïve as to think that every time you share the gospel someone will be saved

1.    Suggestions for the Witness

a.    Don't argue--this is not to say not to try to confront an excuse with an answer, but don't win the argument only to lose the soul

i.               Be sure you understand what is meant by the excuse. Ask, "What do you mean by that?" Sometimes they'll talk themselves out of their excuse

b.    Remember, an excuse frequently hides the real problem

i.               Seldom does a person tell you exactly why they're not coming to Christ (it's always a moral problem--they want to be on the throne in their hearts)

ii.             An excuse is a reason in the skin of a lie

c.     Be a good listener--let them talk

d.    Try to get your message across before dealing with excuses--i.e., if you're sharing the gospel and your subject keeps asking thinks like "What about evolution," ask to finish first--the gospel itself will demolish most questions. Be sure, though, that after you share the gospel you address their questions

2.    Excuses most often encountered

a.    Human logic (reason)--you can appeal to people by common sense. We don't refuse medical service just because there are quacks out there; we don't refuse police protection just because there are some phonies out there

b.    Divine revelation (the Bible)--you can appeal by scriptural authority. Romans 14:12--everyone of us must give an account of himself before God.

c.     25 Excuses Answered by Nagle (Zondervan)

Principles of Church Growth

I.              Introduction--There is an epidemic in Southern Baptist churches of no involvement

-        Over 5 million Southern Baptists have not moved memberships to where they currently lived

-        Of resident church members, over 25% are indifferent to the point of inactivity (on top of the 25% who care but are lazy)

-        Definition of "follow-up": The activity of a church which is designed to lead a believer in Christ to a place of well-rounded spiritual maturity

-        Waylon B. Moore defines follow-up as "the process of training and bringing spiritual children to the place of mature fellowship and service in the church."

A.    The Imperative of Follow-up (Warren, 309--398)

1.    The Purpose of Follow-up (I Peter 5:2, Heb. 12:5, I Cor. 3)

a.    The Purpose of seeing converts as spiritual babies

i.               Spiritual infants have specific needs

(1) Nourishment (I Peter 2)--the Word of God

(2) Protection--from heresy (someone will be looking to make new heretics out of new believers; we must responsible to teach them sound doctrine)

(3) Training--spiritual children must be trained

ii.             Spiritual infants demand concern on the part of mature Christians (I Thess. 2:7-8, 11-12)

iii.            Spiritual infants involve work

2.    The Purpose as seen in God's yearning for each of His Children--to be like Christ

a.    Whomever you are leading, teach them that they must grow--don't just rest on yesterday's commitment

3.    The Primer of Follow-up--what to focus on with a new believer

a.    Assurance of Salvation--Again, don't ask, "How do you feel?" The Word of God provides assurance (specifically, I John 5:13)

i.               We are told we have eternal life

ii.             Because the Bible says so

iii.            Because of what we

b.    Doctrinal Stability (Eph. 4:11-16)--orthodoxy was formed to counter heresy

c.     Personal Righteousness--we must learn to enjoy victory over sin by emphasizing accountability

d.    Reproduction--winning people to Jesus Christ

e.    Multiplication--discipling the new believer to teach others to evangelize

4.    The Procedure of Follow-up, according to Rick Warren at Saddleback, teaches commitment

a.    Personal Presence--Nothing will replace this in discipling new converts

i.               The ministry of Jesus

(1) He walked with His disciples

(2) He taught them as He went (see Robert Coleman)

ii.             The ministry of Paul

(1) I Thessalonians 3:10,11

(2) Acts 15:36

b.    Personal Prayer--Nothing else communicates more care for the new convert

i.               The praying of Jesus

ii.             The praying of Paul

c.     Personal Delegation

i.               Designating a specific person to go and minister to another

ii.             Getting people excited about reaching the lost (I Thessalonians 3:1,2)

iii.            Philippians 2:19, 10, 22 & 23

d.    Personal Pen--Letter-writing is a great way to encourage; Paul used this often

i.               The Romans were written before Paul could get there himself

ii.             Paul wrote more to the Corinthians than any other recipient

iii.            Galatians & Colossians were informed more in the way of doctrine

iv.            Must be chased with personal presence

5.    The Printed Materials of Follow-up

a.    The canon of scripture itself (specifically, the New Testament)--stress to new converts the importance of what the Bible says, not what I say

b.    A question/answer-type Bible study

i.               Campus Crusade

ii.             Navigators

B.    Ways in Which a Church Can Grow (Warren, 25--71)

1.    Internal Growth--Biological growth; raising up new converts within families

2.    Expansion Growth--Transfer growth (church members merely moving membership from smaller to larger churches). They should understand why they are leaving the first church; very often they bring spiritual baggage with them

3.    Extension Growth--Conversion growth; actually seeking those who don't already know Christ--read High Expectation by Charles Rainer (a Southern Baptist growth missionary)

4.    Bridging Growth--???

C.   Basic Principles of Church Growth (Warren, 47--71)

1.    It is God's desire that churches grow--the problem of church growth is not with God, it's with people--God wants the church to grow; if it isn't growing, it's because the people of the church don't go

2.    As a rule, the pastor is the primary catalyst in growing churches

a.    Often, as the pastor goes, so will the church (Warren says a pastor should stay at a church for extended periods of time--longevity is better)

b.    The church, however, ought not to be built on the pastor--if he leaves and the church falls apart, there's something wrong

3.    If a church is not growing, the first question it should ask is, "Why not?"--Church health is indicated by church growth

4.    Growing churches should care about more than the numbers who attend--you don't measure by seating capacity, but by sending capacity

5.    Churches should not grow at the expense of other churches--it ought not be our purpose to grow and make other churches shrink

6.    Churches must grow both quantitatively and qualitatively--what's the maturity of the people? What's the quality of discipleship? In trying to be culturally relevant, it is easy to rub off the rough edges of the biblical requirements of Christian living and growth

7.    The message and mission of the church must not be compromised in church growth

8.    It takes more than dedication to grow a Church--also takes knowledge and skill

9.    God expects more than faithfulness from His people--He also wants fruitfulness

10.         Jesus is the ultimate builder of churches (Matthew 16)--but he does not do it independently

a.    He does it through instrumentality

b.    He loves to build churches/the body both numerically and spiritually

II.           Factors in Growing a Church

Introduction-- There are two things we ought to know well regarding church growth: knowing your church and knowing the community where the church is located

A.    Analyze the Church (Warran, 75--151)

1.    Thoroughly investigate the Church

a.    Buildings mean so much, we regard them very highly; need of space for numeric growth

b.    Look at your church: is there a need for a second Sunday School or second worship service?

2.    Synthesize the facts and build accordingly

3.    Understand the church's philosophy of ministry/mission statement

4.    Discover the spiritual gifts of the people

a.    Involve leadership that is gifted and trained (I Cor. 12-14, Rom. 12, Eph. 4, and 1 Peter 4 all deal with spiritual gifts

b.    Outside=evangelism; inside=edification

B.    Analyze the Community

1.    Sources (Warren, 155--203)

a.    Chamber of Commerce

b.    County Planning Commission

c.     Internet

d.    Lifeway Statistics Department

e.    NAMB Statistics Department

f.     State Department

g.    Census Bureau

2.    Dicover the Needs of the Cummunity

a.    Phone Questionnaires

b.    Community Surveys

c.     Special Needs

C.   Vision and Church Growth (Warren, 75--109)

1.    Getting God's vision for your church

a.    God's vision usually comes through prayer and study of the New Testament

b.    God's vision comes through a study of your church field

c.     Vision leads to an understanding of the purposes of your church

d.    A church should write out an effective vision statement

i.               Biblical

ii.             Specific--simple and clear

iii.            Transferable

iv.            Measureable

2.    The Principle of communication of the vision (Warren, 111-119)

a.    Write the vision out on printed materials used by your church

b.    State the vision at least once a month from the pulpit

c.     Teach the vision in you preaching

d.    Use slogans to emphasize the vision

e.    Use illustrations involving people who are helping your church achieve its purpose

f.     Personalize the vision

3.    The Principle of balance in implementation of the vision (Warren, 121--135)

a.    Exalting the Savior--public worship

i.               The importance of worship

ii.             Are there any ways we could improve public worship?

(1) Scripture says to worship with spirit, mind & body

(2) Southern Baptists could learn from charismatic worship--they are not afraid to use the body to express worship (though this should be done with passion)

(3) How can we meet god in a more real way?

b.    Evangelize the lost

i.               Analyze our present methods--are we doing our best to increase our ability?

ii.             Identify the people we can best reach

(1) God wants us to evangelize our part of the world

(2) We should begin with the most reachable people

c.     Equipping the Saints: Eph. 4:11, I Peter

i.               Everyone should be equipped as a witness--we should do something to equip every member as witnesses

ii.             People should be led to discover their spiritual gifts

d.    Edifying, or "building up the saved"

i.               To be like Christ--Gal. 5:22, 23

ii.             To minister like Christ--spiritual gifts

e.    Extending the ministry

i.               Every member must become a minister

ii.             The pastor must see the advantage of sharing the ministry of the church--they must be willing

4.    The principle of prioritizing the vision--the church must be willing to give priority to things which help achieve its objectives

a.    Prioritizing will necessitate change

i.               Try to get the leadership of the church to want to change--if they aren't with you, you're not leading; you're taking a walk

ii.             Don't try to change too rapidly--get your leadership behind you and make your changes slowly. It is particularly critical to be aware of the trouble with change among the seniors--change affects security, and this is an important issue to them

iii.            Be sensitive to those who disagree with change--don't run a bulldozer over people who are still members but are not in favor of change

b.    Possible areas of change

i.               Multiple services

ii.             Worship services which are more contemporary

(1) Usually most opposed by "builder" types (especially seniors)

(2) It is more important to create and atmosphere of worshiping than to appease incomers

iii.            Meeting away from the church building--move services into other available spaces, even off-campus

iv.            Meeting some day other than Sunday­ for activities that are traditionally done only on Sundays

(1) There are a lot of people who cannot attend Sunday morning services

(2) Often there is inadequate space for too many Sunday morning services

v.             Adding other staff members

5.    Vision and the spirit of expectancy--"Whatever you ask in prayer, believing, in my name, I will do it, and according to your faith, be it unto you"

a.    Expectancy and goal setting

i.               The importance of goal setting--some people mistakenly think of "goal setting" as carnal; this is erroneous. It is a reflection of faith and confidence in God.

(1) Goal setting gives direction to a church--goals help define objectives that would not otherwise be defined

(2) Goal setting makes a church oriented toward the future rather than bound to the past--it is easy for a church to glory in the accomplishments of the past; goal-setting points to the future

ii.             How to set goals effectively

(1) Goals must be relevant--related to things dealing with our objectives (pertaining to church growth, witnessing, etc.)

(2) Goals must be challenging--don't strive for something that has already been done

(3) Goals must be realistic--don't strive for something that will defeat your people before you even begin

(4) Goals must be measurable--you should be able to explain results

b.    Expectancy affects achievement

i.               Carey said "if you expect great things from God and do great things for God, you will get great things from God"

ii.             "I am here to work in God's ministry for Him to use for His glory," not "God is here to work in my ministry for my glory"

iii.            It would be better to expect God to do something and it not be done than to not have expected it at all

6.    Vision and creativity (Warren, 251--277, 279--292)

a.    Creativity and theology

i.               God is fantastically creative--no two people (6.5 billion) or snowflakes are alike)

ii.             Creativity must not compromise biblical truth--if we're going to be new and creative, we cannot compromise doctrine, morals or ethics

iii.            Creativity must be culturally relevant

(1) It must be aimed at the first decade of the 21^st century

(2) Culture in this country changes over every 18 months

(3) We need to have ministries that are speaking to hurting people

b.    Creativity and resistance--there are still a lot of people who want to do it the way it's always been done. Ralph Nabor wrote a book--The Seven Last Words of the Church--"We've never done it that way before."

c.     Creativity illustrated

i.               Drama in worship--ought to try to make the same point as that of the sermon (take a look at "Why/Wham Dramas")

ii.             Preaching to meet felt needs--not every service needs to be aimed in this direction, but for some this would be creative

iii.            Special event services--use the opportunity to make contacts you would not otherwise reach (Christmas, 4^th of July, Easter)

iv.            Change of times of worship services

v.             Seeker-sensitive worship services

Evangelism: Special Groups and Special Methods

I.              Biblical Basis for Targeting Special Groups in Evangelism

A.    Jesus did this (Galileans, specifically; he told them first not to go to the Gentiles, even Samaritans, but "to the lost sheep of the house of Israel")

B.    Paul, whenever he went into a new city, went first to the synagogues; also visited strategic cities (e.g., Philippi)

II.           Suggested Groups for Targeting

A.    Age Groups--the Evangelism of Children--over 50% of Southern Baptist baptisms are children age 12 and under

1.    Doctrinal considerations to keep in mind

a.    What is accountability?

b.    When does a child become accountable? There is no such quotation of "the age of accountability", except for Paul's line in Romans 14:12 (where we will all give an account)

i.               "Safe"--most of us believe that up to a certain point a child is not responsible to God for sin; the Bible is not clear about when this is (though obviously not a specific chronological age)

ii.             There is an awareness of responsibility at some point for everyone

iii.            There is no explicit statement in the Bible (except for David's first son by Bathsheba, whom some believe proves it since David said "he will not come to me, but I shall go to him")

iv.            The overall context of the Bible, it is difficult to come to the conclusion that children are not "safe"

c.     Believer's baptism

i.               Only believers are to be baptized

ii.             Baptists have always believed that anyone being baptized must have the capacity to choose to believe and receive repentance through faith

iii.            The idea of believer's baptism (as opposed to infant baptism) was raised up again by the Anabaptized ("re-baptized"); only believers can be baptized, so this is not really "re-baptism"--believer's baptism is initial baptism

iv.            Alien immersion--pertaining to people coming into a Baptist church with a personal history of some baptism other than by immersion

(1) By confession of faith

(2) Mode of baptism

(3) Purpose--not for the remission of sins, but as a symbol only

d.    Regenerate church membership--Those who partake of communion and who are voting members must be saved, converted people

i.               Many people who are responsible for discord in the church are unsaved leaders in the local church--in fact, this is probably the primary reason for church splits

ii.             We have a bad "back-door" problem because we have such a weak "front-door" policy in requiring certain qualifications of new members

2.    Evidence for the validity of child conversion

a.    Biblical evidence

i.               In the O.T., there is no evidence of the conversion of children (that is, nothing is said) except possibly the experience of Samuel

ii.             In O.T. era, it became accepted tradition that a child became part of the responsible worshiping congregation at age 12

iii.            In the N.T., Jesus said of children that "of such are the kingdom of God," but you're stretching things a bit if you try to apply conversion

iv.            Matthew 18:1-14 (especially verse 6) speak to this issue

(1) Little ones can believe and trust in Jesus, and He warns us not to try to keep them from Him

(2) Jesus not only endorses the evangelism of children, He encourages it

b.    Post-biblical historical evidence--

i.               Many people (even psychologists and seminary professors--like Sam Southard) think that children are incapable of being converted before the age of 11 ("Conversion requires a responsible repentant attitude for which pre-adolescents is impossible")

ii.             Polycarp

(1) Bishop of the church at Smyrna (one of the seven churches of Asia Minor mentioned in Revelation, and only one of two of those that didn't need to be reprimanded)

(2) A disciple of the apostle John, and discipler of Arameus, bishop of Lyon (France)

(3) At 95 (during the reign of Antoninas Pious) was burned at the stake

Þ    He was told that if he recanted, he would go free

Þ    He claimed to have been a follower of Christ for 86 years, making him 9 at conversion

c.     Matthew Henry was saved at 6

d.    Isaac Watts was saved at 8

e.    Zinzendorf was saved at 5

f.     Corrie Ten Boom was saved at 5

g.    Baker Coffin was saved at 6, and said he's never had doubt

h.    W.A. Vaught was saved at 5 and called to preach at 5

i.      W.A. Criswell was saved at 10

3.    Principles to keep in mind in sharing the good news with children

a.    A distinction should be made between the internal experience of conversion and the external expression of experience; children are prone to confuse the symbol of the external experience with the internal experience. Such "confusable" acts include:

i.               Walking down the aisle

ii.             Baptism

b.    Planned fear tactics should be avoided--don't try to frighten children into making a commitment to Jesus. This is not to say that fear will not be a factor--this may be a twisted motive, but that's okay; Jesus will fix it

c.     Every child should be dealt with individually--this is basically true of people at all ages. More churches are treating invitations like this; it reduces the need in the child to respond in peer pressure

d.    The religious background of a child must be taken into consideration

i.               Children don't need to be forced to make a decision the first time they hear about Jesus. Write down a prayer and tell them to pray it (and mean it) when they are ready

ii.             Children won't always be ready to make a decision the first time they hear about Jesus--don't try to get people saved before they're even lost (?)

e.    The gospel must be explained in terms understandable to a child

i.               Don't try to impress them with your vast theological terminology; they'll understand these concepts if you explain it correctly

ii.             Use concepts related to conversion and Christian living in everyday living

f.     Never discount an expression of interest on the part of the child

i.               Affirm them! Tell them how glad you are that they are interested

ii.             If you downplay their expression, you will create a credibility gap between them and adults

iii.            If you are a part in the conversion of a child whose parents are not believers, don't tell the child to "be sure and tell mommy and daddy." Go in and tell them yourself.

g.    Children need only to accept the gospel, not explain it

i.               J.M. Bradford was saved at 8; his pastor, when Bradford came forward, announced to the congregation when he came forward that he could be baptized if he could explain the plan of salvation; his dad rescued him by observing that the Bible doesn't require anyone to explain salvation to get it, just to accept it.

h.    Questions which require more than a "yes" or "no" should be employed

i.               Any imbecile can know which how to move their head in the right ways under this kind of interrogation

ii.             Ask questions of substance when the children are inquisitive about the aspects of worship or faith

i.      Children should be led to see the responsibilities as well as the benefits of the Christian life

i.               They need to see that Jesus is Savior, but he is also Lord

ii.             Any child old enough to trust is old enough to obey

4.    A simple presentation of the gospel to children--it'll also work with groups and adults: "How to Get Rid of Heart Trouble"

a.    Explain how the Bible uses the word "heart"--it's not a physical blood-pumping organ, but the "total you" (don't use these words)

i.               Draw a heart and say, "Imagine that this is your heart. It used to be clean and pure like is on this piece of paper."

ii.             "But then you got heart trouble; the Bible calls this heart trouble Ôsin.' Everybody got it." Go to Romans 3:23

iii.            "But what have I done?" the child may ask; show them that sin is the breaking the law (transgression)--God's law by which we must live     

(1) God said to never tell a lie. "How many," if you're talking to a large group, "have never lied?" Not too many will claim this. Revelation ?:20 says that God keeps a record of this

(2) "How many disobey their parents?"

(3) "How many of you have stolen?" Cheating=stealing

b.    "Your heart is now dirty with sin, and you became lost."

c.     Draw a city: "God has made a beautiful city made of pure gold--heaven!" (show that it shines)

i.               "God made heaven because he loves you and someday wants you to be in heaven with him."

ii.             "But God won't let sin into heaven." So how can a sinful person get into heaven?

iii.            Use the diagram from the Four Spiritual Laws to explain how we get our sin taken away so we can go to heaven.

d.    "God knew we couldn't take our own sins away."

i.               Explain how Jesus didn't sin one time

ii.             People made Jesus die on a cross

iii.            Why? For OUR SINS. And for YOUR SINS.

iv.            "Now Jesus came back to life. Now he stands at the door and knocks." He's on the outside; how do you get him inside?

e.    Jesus waits for us to invite him in

i.               When we do, he erases all the dirt of our sins and makes heaven our home because he now lives in our hearts.

ii.             Jesus takes away the old sinful heart and replaces it with a new heart which becomes his home.

B.    Affinity Groups

1.    Divorcees

2.    Internationals

3.    Cult Members

4.    Ethnic Groups

5.    Physically Impaired

6.    Support Groups

III.         Education Evangelism

A.    Definition and the Organizations Included

B.    Importance of Educational Evangelism

C.   Purposes of Educational Evangelism

1.    To teach the gospel

2.    To develop and mature believers

3.    To train Christians for service

D.   Sunday School and Evangelism--80-85% of conversions happened in Southern Baptist Churches through Sunday School; of people not in Sunday School, we reached 1 of 240; of those in Sunday School, we reached 1 of 3 (Dr. Othal Feather; that means 80 times more effective)

1.    The prominence of Sunday School evangelism--some think that Sunday School enrollment net increase is the most important percentage; baptisms follow this graph almost uncannily, and they make great indicators

a.    In 1965, for the first time there was a net decrease in Sunday School enrollment; this continued into the mid 70s, but baptisms continued to increase. Reasons for this:

i.               Southern Baptist began to employ bus ministries; we didn't do it in the 50s because the Independent Baptists did (Bill Powell became Director of Bus Evangelism)

ii.             There was a denomination-wide program of witness training (in 1970 the Home Mission Board [now NAMB] and the Sunday School Board [now LifeWay] developed WIN [Witness Involvement Now] Schools)

iii.            Primarily, this nation was in a mild spiritual awakening--we were experiencing something of a revival (the Jesus Revolution--a time of revival in the U.S.; lasted about four years in the early 70s)

b.    Some referred to Sunday School as "bread and butter" evangelism-- everything else is just dessert; now it is more a "side door" into the church than a "front door"

2.    Definite plans for using the Sunday School in evangelism--there are still good numbers of people enrolled who are not saved

a.    Weekly visitation of lost Sunday School members--start with the ones who will be most likely to respond

b.    Periodic visitation in Sunday School departments--just go into and tell people the plan of salvation about once every six months

c.     Sunday School witnessing analysis meetings--an effort to get your class to engage in relational evangelism

i.               Develop a list of prospects in class

ii.             Find the best person to reach each prospect (works with the prospect, goes to school with the prospect, exercises with the prospect, etc.)

iii.            Gives a great opportunity to visit by appointment

d.    Special Sunday School services in conjunction with revival meetings

E.    Discipleship Training and Evangelism

F.    Graded Choir Programs and Evangelism

IV.          Mobilization/Neighborhood Evangelism and Prospect Discovery

A.    Ministry-based Evangelism

B.    Servanthood Evangelism

C.   Family to Family (NAMB)

V.             Event Evangelism

A.    Revivals/Crusades

1.    Practical or organizational preparation

a.    The preparation of prospects

i.               Have an up-to-date prospect list

ii.             Have as many prospects as possible cultivated

iii.            Visit by appointment

b.    Preparation of promotion or publicity

c.     Prepare to meet the three primary obstacles

i.               Poor attendance--attendance promotion

ii.             Lost people not attending services

iii.            Spiritual coldness--prayer preparation

2.    Spiritual preparation

a.    Preparation of preaching

b.    Preparation of prayer

3.    Performance in revival (Warren, 293--306)

a.    Preaching in revivals

i.               Kinds of preaching

(1) Textual

(2) Expository

ii.             Positive in content

iii.            Searching

iv.            Simple

v.             Scriptural

vi.            Meet needs of people

b.    Singing

i.               Purpose

(1) Worship

(2) Prepare the hearts of the people for God to speak to them

(3) Make use of choirs

c.     Prayer during the preparation

i.               Evangelist and pastor praying together

ii.             Call for special prayer meetings periodically

B.    Special Evangelism Events

1.    Block parties

2.    Sports evangelism

3.    Jesus Video Project

4.    Seasonal events

Worship and Evangelism

 

I.              Music, Worship and Evangelism (Warren, 229--39)

A.    Definition of Worship

B.    Evangelistic Purposes of Worship (Warren, 239--249)

1.    For believers

2.    For non-Christians

C.   Music and Evangelism (Warren, 251--291)

1.    Music style and its relationship to various age groups

2.    Music style and its relationship to evangelism

D.   How to Implement Change in the Style of Worhsip

II.           The Public Invitation and Evangelism (Warren, 293--306)

A.    Why Give the Invitation?

1.    Gospel message incomplete without an invitation

2.    Given to secure a decision

3.    Danger of lack of direction and frustration for persons desiring to make a commitment

4.    Given to prepare individuals for later decision

5.    Scriptural

6.    Part of our evangelical-historical heritage

7.    Well-done invitations psychologically beneficial

B.    How to Give an Invitation

1.    Give it with a spiritually prepared mind

2.    Plan it

3.    Give it with confidence

4.    Give it clearly

5.    Give it courteously

6.    Give it urgently

7.    Give it in dependence on the Holy Spirit

8.    Hold it for a proper length of time

9.    Magnify the decisions made

10.         Counsel every person carefully

C.   Use of Spiritual Advisors in the Invitation

1.    Reasons for their use

2.    Training of the advisors

D.   Assimilation of Members