Evangelism Series: Taking It Personal!

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Evangelism Series Taking It Personal!

• Lesson 3 Increasing Opportunities To Share The
  Gospel An Approach That Works!
• Date April 3, 2005
• Preacher David Pike
• Text Mark 1615-16 Romans 116-17

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Review Perspectives Attitude
Avoid stinkin thinkin! The wrong perspective
produces negative attitudes and eventual
failures. The right perspective maintains
positive attitudes and eventual success!
Remember

• The providence of God is at work.
• God opens doors for prepared workers.
• Prayer is a catalysts in evangelism.
• The power is in the seed (word).
• The results depend on the type of soil.
• The place of the sower.
• The principle of sowing and reaping.
• Quite often, one sows and another reaps.

Perseverance and Enthusiasm are keys to success
in evangelism. Those who persist in sowing the
seed eventually bear fruit.
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast,
immovable, always abounding in the work of the
Lord, knowing that you labor is not in vain. (I
Co. 1558)
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Introduction
It is important to share the good news of
salvation with other people!
Go into all the world and preach the gospel to
every creature. He who believes and is baptized
will be saved but he who does not believe will
be condemned. (Mk. 1615-16)
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
to the Greek, for in it the righteousness of God
is revealed from faith to faith as it is
written, The just shall live by faith. (Ro.
116-17)
What is is most effective way to reach people
today?
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The Survey Says
What is is most effective way to reach people
today? According to the Institute For American
Church Growth, 10,000 people were asked, What
was responsible for your coming to Christ and
this church?
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Survey Conclusions
What can we learn from the survey?
1. It confirms that gospel meetings as
traditionally held have lost much of their
effectiveness (.5).
2. It justifies the churches concern to select
preachers carefully and to give special regard to
the quality of their Bible classes (11).
3. The greatest potential lies with people who
have contact with members of the local
congregation (79).
BOTTOM LINE If churches are to grow, it will be
through the efforts of individual members!
Preachers, programs, classes may help, but in
most cases they will only maintain the size of
congregation.
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What is Needed?
Concern and knowledge are needed to utilize
contacts made through members of the congregation.
But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved
with compassion for them, because they were weary
and scattered like sheep having no shepherdThe
harvest is truly plentiful, but the laborers are
fewpray the Lord of the harvest to send out
laborers into His harvest. (Mt. 936-38)
that I have great sorrow and continual grief in
my heart. For I could wish that I myself were
accused from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen
according to the flesh (Ro. 91-3)
Brethren, my hearts desire and prayer to God
for Israel is that they may be saved. (Ro. 101)
Assuming concern is present, three simple steps
can increase our opportunities to share the
gospel. These steps have proven to be fruitful
at other places and confirm the survey results.
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Step 1 Create A Loving, Edifying Church
There are three reasons why this important.
To confirm our claim to be disciples - By this
you will know that you are My disciple, if you
have love for one another. (Jh. 1335)
Correct doctrine, organization, worship, etc. are
powerful when accompanied by our love shown for
one another.
Our love makes us useful to the Lord - I have
set before you an open doorfor you have a little
strength, have kept My word, and have not denied
My name. (Re. 37-8)
The Lord knows His church and will make sure it
is used to reach others, assimilate them into the
family and nurture spiritual growth..
Hospitality towards Christians prepares us for
personal work - above all things love one
anotherBe hospitable to one another without
grumbling. (I Pt. 48-9)
Friendship evangelism appeals to relationship and
lifestyle.
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Step 1 Create A Loving, Edifying Church
BOTTOM LINE If we are going to be fruitful in
the long run, we must make sure that we provide
the right kind of loving and caring spiritual
environment in the local church!.
What are some other things we can do to ensure we
create a loving and edifying church?
1. Get to know all the members and regular
visitors by name. Get the church directory and
place names with faces. Try to learn someone new
at each service until you know them all.
2. Practice hospitality toward the members and
regular visitors. Invite people into your home
or out to eat (1 family/month). Visit other
Christians each week (I.e. sick, shut-ins, new
members, absent, etc.).
3. Contribute your time, service and resources
to the church. Offer to help (I.e. teach, give,
serve, etc.). Be at every service. Dont make
others beg for your help.
A loving, caring and edifying church will be used
by the Lord to save others!
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Step 2 Utilize A Prayer List
It is important because successful people in all
walks of life have used a things to do list and
it helps focus our attention on those we are
trying to reach, and not neglect them.
Guidelines for making a prayer list

• Start with those who are close to you and work
  outwardly. For instance, family, friends,
  neighbors, coworkers, relatives of church
  members, regular visitors and casual
  acquaintances.
• Limit the list to five or eight. Too many and
  you may loose focus.
• Give priority to the unchurched. Includes
  those not active in any denomination or religion.
  It is difficult to reach people who are
  satisfied with their human traditions.
• Husbands and wives should probably have one list.
  Joint participation is often required.
• Keep this list where you can see it daily.

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Step 2 Utilize A Prayer List
Pray for those on your list daily! We should
work as though it all depends upon us, and pray
as though it all depends upon God!
I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the
increase. So then neither is he who plants is
anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives
the increase. (I Co. 35-7)
We should pray for opportunities, wisdom and
boldness that those on our list will have the
opportunity to hear the truth and have honest
hearts to be open and receptive to the truth.
Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside,
redeeming the time. Let your speech be with
grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how
you ought to answer each one. (Col. 43-6)
praying always with all prayer and supplication
in the Spiritthat I may open my mouth boldly to
make known the mystery of the gospel for which I
am an ambassador in chains, that I may speak
boldly, as I ought to speak. (Ep. 618-20)
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Step 3 Invite Them To Services

• Why is this important?
• It provides an opportunity to see a loving and
  caring congregation in
• It provides an opportunity to be presented with
  the gospel.
• If they continue to attend regularly then they
  will be likely to continue to attend after
  conversion.

• In inviting people to attend
• First spend time in prayer and ask for wisdom
  and boldness.
• People will be more likely to accept your
  invitations if they are unchurched,
  dissatisfied with where they are attending and if
  you have already demonstrated hospitality.
• Be persistent and invite them time and again.
  Your persistence will likely pay off.

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Step 3 Invite Them To Services

• Why should we be Hospitable to visitors
• Their presence is an expression of interests and
  willingness to learn.
• By your love and acceptance, you are preparing
  the soil for the seed.
• The Lord is opening a door and we should take
  the opportunity.

• How do we show hospitality toward visitors
• Be friendly to all (I.e. invitees, walk-ins,
  etc.)
• Arrive early to services. Visitors are likely
  to arrive early and leave early.
• Give priority to visiting with our guests over
  visiting other brethren.
• Extend hospitality within your ability (I.e.
  greet them, welcome them, invite them to
  dinner/snack, call, write, visit, etc.)

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Step 3 Invite Them To Services
Make sure they are exposed to the gospel. Why?
It is Gods power to save (Ro. 116) and the seed
must be sown.

• How can we present the gospel?
• It should come after we have demonstrated love,
  hospitality, etc.
• If you feel confident, then suggest some sort of
  study (I.e. video tapes, charts, an open Bible,
  etc.). If they want to study on their own, then
  offer a Bible Correspondence course, point them
  to our website, etc.
• If your dont feel confident, then bring them to
  members who are willing to teach and help the
  person get to know the teacher.

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Tools Resources
What are some tools and resources we can use for
teaching others?

• Video Studies (I.e. How to Understand the Bible
  Robert Harkrider, The Visualized Bible Study
  Series Jules Miller)
• Bible Correspondence (I.e. Know Your Bible Gene
  Tope, Jesus, The Way Sewell Hall).
• Tracts (I.e. Facts You Need to Face Haun
  Publishing, The Gospel of The Grace of God
  Leslie Diestelkamp, The Way of Christ Without
  Denominationalism Samuel Dawson
• LCCOC web site (I.e. www.lccoc.net contains
  sermons, lesson series, bible questions, links
  and self study tools).

There are many different ways to communicate the
gospel to others. Different options may need to
be pursued depending on circumstances. Set up
your own evangelism tool and resource kit to use.
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Summary
These suggestions are offered with a firm
conviction that they will be carried out and with
the hope that we will accept the challenge to
implement these suggestions that our
opportunities to share the gospel will be
increase!

• REMEMBER THE THREE SIMPLE STEPS
• Create a loving and edifying church
• Utilize a prayer list
• Invite people to services

This simple approach is not only successful in
saving and keeping souls, it is one of the most
natural and easiest ways to reach the lost for
Christ.
Even if we dont convert a single soul, we would
have fulfilled our obligation to share Christ
with others and we will have become better
Christians, congregation, friends, neighbors and
coworkers!
Are you doing what you can to reach out to the
lost?