Reaching the Lost

1
Reaching the Lost
2
How is it Possible to Reach the Lost Today?

• Many compromise The Truth in order to reach the
  lost yet as a result are not true soul winners
  for Jesus (e.g. social gospel, cater to worldly
  desires, gimmicks).

3
How is it Possible to Reach the Lost Today?

• Others hope has been dashed to pieces due to one
  disappointment after another, believing church
  growth to be almost as a phenomenon from the
  first century.

4
How is it Possible to Reach the Lost Today?

• Reaching the lost today requires a strong belief
  in the Lord and His gospel and an undying vision
  of what could be with Gods help (Mat. 2818-20).

5
Matthew 2818-20 (NASB)

• 18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying,
  "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and
  on earth. 19 "Go therefore and make disciples
  of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of
  the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20
  teaching them to observe all that I commanded
  you and lo, I am with you always, even to the
  end of the age. "

6
Indirect Methods of Evangelism

• Bible correspondence courses
• Newspaper ad (e.g. Religious Notice)
• Public access on TV / Radio program
• Internet Web Site
• New Movers Evangelism Mail program targeting
  new residents
• Large distribution of gospel meeting ads, church
  bulletins, Bible tracts, and audio CDs of
  lessons.

7
Indirect Methods of Evangelism

• These require time, effort, and money to
  maintain.
• Designated members and time allotted for the task
  is essential.
• Have you counted the costs? (cf. Luke
  1425-33).

8
Luke 1428-30 (NASB)

• 28 "For which one of you, when he wants to build
  a tower, does not first sit down and calculate
  the cost, to see if he has enough to complete it?
  
• 29 "Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation,
  and is not able to finish, all who observe it
  begin to ridicule him, 30 saying,' This man
  began to build and was not able to finish.'

9

• Many churches rely solely on these indirect
  methods and grow very little.
• It is unrealistic to believe that by putting such
  methods in place our duty is done
  The real work has yet
  to take place!

10
Direct Methods of Evangelism.

• Examples of more direct methods.
• Door knocking (Difficult without prior personal
  contact).
• New Movers Program
• Sign Evangelism - Stand next to sign (e.g.,
  Discover the Bible) at a busy section (downtown
  mall, campus) and wait for interest.

11
Best direct methods Getting
personal in evangelism!

• Invite those in your circle of influence (e.g.,
  relatives, friends, coworkers, neighbors, etc.)
  It might be
  bigger than you think!

12
John 435 (NASB)

• "Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, and
  then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you,
  lift up your eyes, and look on the fields, that
  they are white for harvest.

13
Best direct methods Getting
personal in evangelism!

• Dont always begin by inviting them to a worship
  assembly (often foreign to them) instead discuss
  spiritual matters and ask for a Bible study
  (Biblical pattern)

14
Best direct methods Getting
personal in evangelism!

• Giving a Bible tract or audio CD of a lesson to
  someone you know may serve as a stepping stone
  to studying the Scriptures with them in person.

15
Best direct methods Getting
personal in evangelism!

• Personal work cards (business cards) that
  serve as a way of inviting people to study the
  Scriptures with you, containing contact
  information and times of services, should be
  carried at all times for those brief and
  unexpected opportunities to gain a prospect!

16
Best direct methods Getting
personal in evangelism!

• Your ability to talk to others will flow from
  your own personal beliefs and convictions in the
  truth of Gods word (2 Cor. 312 413).

17
2 Corinthians 312 (NASB)

• Having therefore such a hope, we use great
  boldness in our speech.

18
2 Corinthians 413 (NASB)

• But having the same spirit of faith, according
  to what is written, " I believed, therefore I
  spoke, "we also believe, therefore also we speak

19
Best direct methods Getting
personal in evangelism!

• Home Bible classes The apostles taught not only
  publicly, but also from house to house (Acts
  542 2020).

20
Acts 542 (NASB)

• And every day, in the temple and from house to
  house, they kept right on teaching and preaching
  Jesus as the Christ.

21
Acts 2020 (NASB)

• How I did not shrink from declaring to you
  anything that was profitable, and teaching you
  publicly and from house to house.

22
Home Bible Classes

• Provides opportunity for more close and personal
  discussions private instruction.
• Especially important in an age when people are
  quick to dismiss the worship assembly organized
  religion.
• Many comfortable in the home and willing to talk
  about issues that concern them.
• Alternate the meeting place for study to
  different members homes to reach different
  neighborhoods in town.

23
Best direct methods Getting
personal in evangelism!

• Teamwork in the church can bring about greater
  opportunities and help to sound forth the word
  of the Lord in every place (1 Thes. 18).

24
1 Thessalonians 18 (NASB)

• For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from
  you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also
  in every place your faith toward God has gone
  forth, so that we have no need to say anything.

25
Teamwork in reaching the lost

• Communication and cooperation is essential
  between members to help reach their neighbors for
  Christ.
• Members work in pairs to support one another
  (Luke 101 Acts 132).
• The elders and others who offer leadership (e.g.,
  evangelists) can help mobilize a congregation to
  work as a team (Eph. 411-12).

26
Ephesians 411-12 (NKJV)

• 11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some
  prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and
  teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints, for
  the work of ministry, for the edifying of the
  body of Christ.

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Generating Opportunities.

• Pray for open doors of opportunity.
• When we appreciate the joy of Thy salvation,
  then we will have a strong desire to convert
  people to the Lord!

28
Psalms 5110-13 (NASB)

• 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew
  a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me
  away from Thy presence, and do not take Thy Holy
  Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of Thy
  salvation, and sustain me with a willing spirit.
  13 Then I will teach transgressors Thy ways, and
  sinners will be converted to Thee.

29

• A desire to reach the lost will cause us to pray
  to God to provide opportunities to share the
  gospel with others.

30
Colossians 43 (NASB)

• Praying at the same time for us as well, that
  God may open up to us a door for the word, so
  that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ,
  for which I have also been imprisoned.

31
Generating Opportunities.

• Pray for open doors of opportunity.
• Build personal bridges and prove yourself
  trustworthy.
• Most people feel uneasy about discussing
  spiritual matters or accepting an invitation to
  study with someone that they do not know.

32
Establish a Personal Bridge

• Some kind of personal connection with each
  person.
• Examples You are his/her coworker, client,
  customer, associate, classmate, or friend. Member
  of the same gym, organization, club, volunteer
  center.
• To establish this personal bridge, spend time
  with the lost, just as Jesus did (Mat. 910-13).

33

• Making such a personal bridge includes proving
  to be good and trustworthy persons to those we
  are trying to reach (Phil. 214-16a).

34
Philippians 214-16a (NASB)

• 14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing
  15 that you may prove yourselves to be blameless
  and innocent, children of God above reproach in
  the midst of a crooked and perverse generation,
  among whom you appear as lights in the world, 16
  holding fast the word of life

35
Generating Opportunities.

• Pray for open doors of opportunity.
• Build personal bridges and prove yourself
  trustworthy.
• Let your light shine!

36
Matthew 514-16 (NASB)

• 14 "You are the light of the world. A city set
  on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 "Nor do men light
  a lamp, and put it under the peck-measure, but on
  the lampstand and it gives light to all who are
  in the house. 16 "Let your light shine before men
  in such a way that they may see your good works,
  and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

37
Proverbs 1824 (NKJV)

• A man who has friends must himself be friendly,
  but there is a friend who sticks closer than a
  brother.

38
Galatians 610 (NASB)

• So then, while we have opportunity, let us do
  good to all men, and especially to those who are
  of the household of the faith.

39
James 127 (NASB)

• This is pure and undefiled religion in the sight
  of our God and Father, to visit orphans and
  widows in their distress, and to keep oneself
  unstained by the world.
  cf. Mark 140-42

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• The power of salvation does not reside in us
  (Rom. 116), we must in due time teach people
  the gospel as opportunities come about.

41
Romans 116 (NKJV)

• For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ,
  for it is the power of God to salvation for
  everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also
  for the Greek.

42

• Let Us Be Committed to Reaching the Lost and Be
  Just Like Our Lord Who Came to Seek and to Save
  that which was Lost (Luke
  1910).