Recently, I had the chance to speak to a group of Furman students on the issue of how do we lovingly and respectfully share the most important thing in our lives to people who really need to hear about Christ? Here are my notes from the things that I shared. Hope it encourages all in our call to be ambassadors as though Christ is making His appeal through you!
1) God is Sovereign / We are responsible
– both and, not either or…
Why? What would it be like if it were 1 or the other? Discuss…
• 1 Cor 2 – I planted / Apollos watered / God caused the growth
• Romans 10:13-17 – How can they believe without a preacher…”
The next two points really expound on God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility. For more study, check out ‘evangelism and the sovereignty of God’ – JI Packer
1A) The Word of God is the change agent, it’s the bullet that brings life – the gospel!
o Not trusting in your rational / argumentative skills
o Hebrews 4:12 The word of God is living and active…
o Heard you guys ask the question – how do i? how can I ? Tools are great. Apologetics are great! Etc… but figure out HOW to get the word of God in them and them in the word of God and watch it transform lives!
1B) Prayerful skill of man is the trigger…
o fishing for men… using skill vs. just fishing all day long…
o we put tons of intellectual energies to figure out how to WIN a girl / to manipulate circumstance / interview for a job / get the right guy or girl in your frat / sorority… / We strategize over tons of things – Why not over how to win people to the word and the word into them?
o winsomeness with SHARING THE GOSPEL – winsomeness for the sake of the gospel not to feed our people idols and have people like us! It is not about US but ABOUT Beautifying God and the Gospel;
• the gospel as a diamond; beautiful in and of itself; we are just trying to put it in a good setting to display how beautiful it is!
o There isn’t a one size fits all program or strategy… YET A METHOD or STRATEGY is necessary to start with… Know that methods and strategies are counter cultural – especially on the college campus, and rightfully so because so many have used methods / strategies as an end and not God’s glory!
2) There really are different doors – open doors, cracked doors, closed doors – all of which the Lord CAN open and all of which are our good works to walk into –
o We often see things as either open or closed – open ones we walk through, everything else we hope and pray will open – well, the Lord uses man to OPEN doors that are shut through prayer and SKILL…
o Ethiopian eunuch – went from an closed door to an open one…
3) What’s your goal or the end in evangelism? – 4 options.
1. Live a good life in front of them. – example of the lightcaps at the beach –
i. Think about this – it’s MORALISM!! Living a good life in front of them
2. Get to share the gospel verbally. Get it out there and check it off the list…
i. Communication is not what is said but what is heard! Rachel at SB!
3. See them come to faith… You’ll fail at the goal more than you will succeed…
4. Bring them to an INFORMED decision about what Christ has done for them.
I contend that the first two are means (if taken together), the 3rd is really not to be a goal since it’s up the Lord (remember God’s sovereignty). And the last is a good GOAL or END to have in mind.
4) Rejection and denial are guaranteed.
• Gal 1:10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
5) Hell is real and we are unbelievers that need faith to believe this TRUTH!!
6) Evangelism is both an event and a process
o So if there was a great opportunity (open door) and we wimped out, or missed it, there is hope! It is not just AN/ One event but also a process; we can say, “I was thinking about what you asked the other day/ said the other day…”
o At the same time, it cannot just be a one-time bomb; requires multiple conversations, follow-ups. Prayer, etc…