Reva NG Jan 2012

TRAINING SERIES
CELLS-CHURCH CONSULTANTS INTERNATIONAL
RELATIONAL EVANGELISM
Relational Evangelism is an adaptation of Friendship Evangelism,
a training resource originally developed by Church Army Australia PO Box 12 Hazelbrook, NSW, 2779 AUSTRALIA www.churcharmy.com.au This adaptation was completed in December, 2011, with permission from Church Army Australia by Bill Joukhadar Founding Director Cells-church Consultants International 25 Runaway Bay Avenue, Runaway Bay, QLD, 4216 AUSTRALIA joukhadar.cci@gmail.com
www.cells-church.com
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CELLS-CHURCH CONSULTANTS INTERNATIONAL
RELATIONAL EVANGELISM
Table of Contents
EXPLAINING RELATIONAL EVANGELISM ........................................................................... 4 WHY SHOULD WE EVANGELISE? ................................................................................................ 4 WHY DID THEY EVANGELISE? .................................................................................................... 4 WHY DONT WE GO?.................................................................................................................. 6 DOING EVANGELISM .................................................................................................................. 8 BECOMING USEFUL .................................................................................................................... 8 ITS A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY..................................................................................................... 9 MOST OF THE PEOPLE DROWN ................................................................................................. 10 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS ........................................................................................................... 11 RELATIONAL EVANGELISM RESPONDS APPROPRIATELY ................................................. 12
PRESENCE, PROCLAMATION AND PERSUASION .............................................................................. 12 GUIDELINES FOR SHARING GODS LOVE ....................................................................................... 12 COMMUNICATING IN AND THROUGH RELATIONSHIPS..................................................................... 16 BUILDING BRIDGES OF FRIENDSHIP ............................................................................................. 16 BEING GOOD NEWS ............................................................................................................... 18 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS ........................................................................................................... 19
SHARING THE GOSPEL THROUGH DIALOGUE.................................................................. 20

DEFINING EVANGELISM ............................................................................................................ 21 FOLLOWING THE LORDS EXAMPLE ............................................................................................. 22 INCARNATIONAL EVANGELISM ................................................................................................... 22 UNDERSTANDING THE GOSPEL ................................................................................................... 22 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS ........................................................................................................... 26
GETTING THE MESSAGE RIGHT ...................................................................................... 28

HIS MESSAGE IN OUR WORDS .................................................................................................... 28 MANS DILEMMA AND GODS ACTION ......................................................................................... 29 WONDERFUL IMPLICATIONS ...................................................................................................... 33 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS ........................................................................................................... 35
HELPING A FRIEND RESPOND TO GOD ........................................................................... 36

CARING FOR THOSE WHO SAY YES TO GOD ................................................................................. 37 PROGRESSIVE GOALS FOR DISCIPLING .......................................................................................... 40 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS ........................................................................................................... 41
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Session
Explaining Relational Evangelism
The aim of this book is to help you become more active and effective in helping your unchurched friends know, accept and follow Jesus Christ with their lives. In other words, help you to become an effective evangelist ... a fisher of men (Matthew 4:19).
How important is it for Christians to become effective evangelists? The following will help you to explore this question about both the importance and urgency of evangelism.
Why Should We Evangelise?

List five brief statements that would answer the question: Why should we evangelise (share the Good News about Jesus)? 1) _______________________________________________________________________ 2) _______________________________________________________________________ 3) _______________________________________________________________________ 4) _______________________________________________________________________ 5) _______________________________________________________________________
Why Did They Evangelise?
The enthusiasm to evangelise which marked the early Christians is one of the most remarkable things in the history of religions. Here were men and women of every rank and station in life, of every country in the known world, so convinced that they had discovered the riddle of the universe, so sure of the one true God whom they had come to know, that nothing must stand in the way of their passing on this good news to others... They did it by preaching and personal conversation, by formal discourse and informal testimony, by arguing in the synagogue and by chattering in the laundry. (Evangelism In The Early Church - Hodder, 1970.) What was the secret of such zeal? What motivated them to such tireless and unselfish evangelism? Its possible to glimpse something of their inner motivation and passion when you consider the following reasons:
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The average Christian feels little urgency about bringing other people to know, accept and follow Jesus Christ with their lives. In the early Christian church people would risk their lives to do so. Michael Green describes their attitude:
Gratitude and Privilege

Paul said: And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to Himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to Him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. And He gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ's ambassadors; God is making His appeal through us. (2 Corinthians 5:18-20a). This high sense of privilege was expressed not only in Paul's letters, but equally in the priority that he and his colleagues gave to evangelism. And every day, in the Temple and from house to house, they continued to teach and preach this message: Jesus is the Messiah (Acts 5:42).
Expression of Love
It is also obvious that evangelistic ministry was a very real expression of the love for other people that had filled their hearts since they had received the Holy Spirit: We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God's Good News but our own lives, too (1 Thessalonians 2:8).
A Terrible Alternative
Those first Christians simply thought that the Good News was too good to keep to themselves. This concern was touched with a definite sense of urgency, for they well knew that even in the message of hope that they proclaimed there was also expressed the danger of neglecting so great a salvation. For God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God's Son does not have life. (1 John 5:11-12). This fear for the souls of those who did not believe in Christ was not merely a product of their own imagination, but had been placed in their hearts by the Lord Himself when He said: Go into the entire world and preach the Good News to everyone, everywhere. Anyone who believes and is baptised will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned (Mark 16:15-16).
How Else Shall They Know?

Unlike so many believers today, those early Christians did not believe that people could just guess the Gospel if they were just merely kind to them. So Peter would plead with his congregation: Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if you are asked about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it (1 Peter 3:15).
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While Paul, also blunt and direct, would say: Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. But how can they call on Him to save them unless they believe in Him? And how can they believe in Him if they have never heard about Him? And how can they hear about Him unless someone tells them? (Romans 10:13-14).
Privilege Carries Responsibility

All privilege carries with it responsibility, one that we are answerable for. Those early Christians, who like Isaiah, had said, Here am I Lord, send me, would also know the Word of God through the prophet Ezekiel: Son of man, I have appointed you as a watchman for Israel. Whenever you receive a message from me, warn people immediately. If I warn the wicked, saying, 'You are under the penalty of death, but you fail to deliver the warning, they will die in their sins. And I will hold you responsible for their deaths. If you warn them and they refuse to repent and keep on sinning, they will die in their sins. But you will have saved yourself because you obeyed me Ezekiel 3:17-19). While Paul said: Yet preaching the Good News is not something I can boast about. I am compelled by God to do it. How terrible for me if I didn't preach the Good News! If I were doing this on my own initiative, I would deserve payment. But I have no choice, for God has given me this sacred trust (1 Corinthians 9:16-17). Jesus says to us: Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone, everywhere (Luke 16:15).
Why Dont We Go?

If the New Testament places so much emphasis on the need for personal evangelism, why then are so many Christians indifferent to this great demand? Consider the following explanations for this lack of zeal:
Personal Experience of God

Perhaps its because of a lack of a deep personal experience of God. Some attend church regularly, participate in all its functions, yet they lack a personal relationship with God and His Son, Jesus Christ. They travel along on the strength of last Sunday's sermon but lack a close relationship with the Lord through prayer, Bible study and obedience. Having no personal relationship with God, they have nothing to give away.
I dont know enough

A second reason why people fail to witness for Christ is because they feel they do not have enough Bible knowledge. If we wait to share Christ until we have a degree in theology or we have spent time researching answers to every conceivable question then we will probably go through life without ever once testifying to our faith. Beverley Shea, the well-known Christian singer, was asked by a friend, How much do you know about God? Not very much, replied Beverley, but what I do know has changed my life. This does not mean that we should be content with our ignorance. The fact that God can use us with a minimum of knowledge does not mean that we can ignore the Scriptural command to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18). Four disciplines are suggested for knowing more:
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Daily devotion Belonging to a small group Exercising your gift/s in the life of your church Discipling others who are younger than you in their faith
Im not the type

Another reason why people fail to share their faith is because they say they do not have the right temperament for talking to people. Jeremiah, when the call of God came to him, pleaded, I can't speak for you! I'm too young! (Jeremiah 1:6). But he offered that trembling hesitation to God and when he did speak how mighty was his word. When God called Moses, he too pleaded that he was slow in speech. But God met him at his weakest place, loosed him from his affliction and, when he got started, he made a speech that covered the whole book of Deuteronomy. He became strongest at his weakest place!
Im not good enough

A further reason why some Christians fail to witness is because of the weight of their own personal problems. I have so many problems of my own, they say, I would feel a hypocrite telling others that Christ can solve all their problems. Jon White, a Christian psychiatrist in the USA writes, Has it never dawned upon you that the essence of witnessing is just plain honesty? God has done a work in your life. Dont try to shine. Let that light God has put there shine out. Letting your light shine demands no more than honesty before unbelievers. Coming to Christ does not mean that our problems disappear. It does mean, however, that we have someone to steer us through our problems and turn them into possibilities.
Ill be rejected
One of the biggest reasons why people fail to share their faith is the fear of being rejected. And lets face it rejection by others can be a very real possibility whenever we begin to witness for Christ. Whenever we share our faith we should expect a certain amount of rejection. This will not serve to put us off but it will help deepen our commitment. Of course, whenever we face opposition or rejection as a result of our witness, we will feel a degree of fear. The question we must then ask ourselves is this: Who or what is going to rule my life fear or Jesus Christ?
No Obvious Results
Weve been looking at some of the reasons why Christians fail to share their faith. We now come to the last of these which is discouragement due to no obvious results. Such a person says, I have tried to witness but it doesnt seem to accomplish anything. So what's the use? This attitude stems from the fact that one feels inwardly compelled to come up with results. Evangelism is not defined by a positive response on the part of those to whom we witness. God has called us to do two things: 1) Proclaim the Good News; and 2) Disciple (spiritually nurture) those who respond to Christ. The actual producing of results is always in Gods hands. The following text spells this out quite clearly, It's not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What's important is that God makes the seed grow (1 Corinthians 3:7). If our efforts do not yield results, it may be right, of course, to ask ourselves whether or not our approach is right or whether our evangelism is biblical. If we are sure that we are doing everything God expects of us then we should leave the matter with Him, and carry on
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witnessing whether we see results or not. Remember, too, that your witness may be just one of many important links in Gods chain.
Doing Evangelism
There is an old saying that goes different horses for different courses. This is obviously true in relation to the way in which each method of communicating the Gospel has helped different people more than others. For this reason it is important that we do not stereotype evangelism and see any one specific activity as the way to do evangelism. Regardless of which form of evangelism is employed it must be concerned with making disciples. This, as Leighton Ford describes, can happen in many different ways: We make disciples by telling the story of Jesus Christ. We make disciples by discovering and using the unique gifts God has given each of us. We make disciples by loving, by demonstrating the reality of what we talk about, by the way we relate to other Christians. We make disciples by living His Word, modelling in our lifestyle the reality of the Kingdom of God. By our words, our gifts, our love, our actions, we proclaim the Good News and invite men and women to respond to Jesus Christ, to accept Him as Saviour, to follow Him as Lord, to identify with His Body, the Church, to do all things He has commanded (Good News is for Sharing, Cook Publishing Co. 1977). Relational evangelism places the emphasis on natural sharing through relationships, in everyday situations. Rebecca Manley Pippert points out how easily people come to regard evangelism as a set program rather than a natural response to God-given opportunities in our daily life: I once asked a girl if she felt comfortable about evangelism, Oh yes! she responded, I do it twice a week. Somehow it sounded like taking multiple vitamins. Evangelism (to her) was just something you do out there and then get back to normal living. Evangelism involves taking people seriously, getting across to their island of concerns and needs, and then sharing Christ as Lord in the context of our natural living situations. (Out of the Salt Shaker - Evangelism as a Way of Life. IVP, 1979.) Effective evangelism requires: Preparation of the person involved An understanding of what we are called to communicate An awareness of how to communicate it, and, above all The development of a sensitivity to people and situations that will make our communication of the Gospel appropriate and effective.
Becoming Useful
If we are going to be of use to God in this work we have to become useful. This means developing attitudes, knowledge and skills in the things that need to happen if people we know are going to hear the Gospel in such a way that they can make an effective response. What then makes fruitful relational evangelism a reality? Ray Smith suggests the following things that have to be considered if we are to get anywhere: Associate with those who need Christ Befriend those who need Christ Create an interest with them in Christ
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Declare the Good News Encourage a response to Christ Follow-up the response
Any person wanting to succeed in evangelism needs to develop effectiveness in each of these areas. For this to happen there needs to be an awareness of the attitudes, knowledge and basic skills that can enable us to do each of these things well.
Its a Shared Responsibility

You will be relieved to know that we dont have to tackle evangelism on our own we do it in partnership with the Lord. In approaching the task of sharing Gods love with others, we need first to understand what our responsibility is, and what Gods responsibility is: a) It is our responsibility to believe that, in Jesus Christ, we have the answer all men should seek. We cannot bear witness to what we ourselves do not believe. b) It is Gods responsibility to prepare the hearts of those with whom we would share Jesus Christ. God may only want us to sow seeds within the person seeds that He will later use as part of the total process of preparing that person to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. It may take the loving concern of twenty Christians to reach an individual, and we may be number twelve on the list. c) It is our responsibility to take the risk to be vulnerable, to be willing to fail in trying to share Gods love. We may be ridiculed or even rejected for our faith in Christ. We are not guaranteed immunity from that. In fact, we are promised quite the opposite. d) It is Gods responsibility to redeem our honest mistakes. He asks not for ability, but for our avail-ability, and He uses our willingness to proclaim Christ, no matter how inadequate or imperfect that proclamation may seem to us. e) It is our responsibility to prepare to share Gods love with the different types of people we will meet. Jesus said the Holy Spirit would guide us in what to say as we proclaim Him, but that does not mean we simply open our mouths and God speaks. Evangelism is a cooperative venture; God certainly does His share, but He rightfully expects us to do ours. Note what 1 Peter 3:15 instructs us to do: Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if you are asked about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. f) It is Gods responsibility to lead the person to Jesus. Although we may be the instrument through which the person wants to accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour, God has prepared his/her heart and He will, by His Holy Spirit, bring about the acceptance of Christ on the part of the individual.
g) Finally, it is our responsibility to be guided by the Holy Spirit as we share Gods love with others. We should not program ourselves to say and do certain things in certain situations. Rather, we should continually seek Gods guidance about what to say and when to say it. Lets forget techniques and arguments that is not Gods way. If we are truly willing to share Christ with others and have prepared ourselves to do so, then God will guide us, gently but clearly, in what to do, how to do it, and when to do it.
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It would seem, then, that God has only three responsibilities, while we have four; yet consider the heavier weight of responsibility that He carries compared to what we shoulder. Note: Evangelistic ministry is successful if the person or persons concerned have really got the message that counts, if they really have had a genuine opportunity to say Yes or No to Jesus as Lord and they really do know how vitally important that decision is. Regardless of whether it is Yes or No or Not yet! we will have done our job and will be greeted by the Fathers approval well done, good and faithful servant.
Most of the People Drown

Consider this scenario: On a dangerous sea coast where shipwrecks often occur, there was once a crude little lifesaving station. The building was just a hut, and there was only one boat but the few devoted members kept a constant watch over the sea and, with no thought for themselves, went out day and night tirelessly searching for the lost. Some of those who were saved, and various others in the surrounding area, wanted to become associated with the station and give of their time and money and effort for the support of its work. New boats were bought and new crews trained. The little lifesaving station grew. Some of the members of the lifesaving station were unhappy that the building was so crude and poorly equipped. They felt that a more comfortable place should be provided as the first refuge of those saved from the sea. They replaced the emergency stretchers with beds and put better furniture in the enlarged building. Now the lifesaving station became a popular gathering place for its members and they decorated it beautifully and furnished it exquisitely, because they used it as a sort of club. Fewer members were now interested in going to sea on lifesaving missions, so they hired lifeboat crews to do this work. The lifesaving motif still prevailed in the clubs decorations, and there was a liturgical lifeboat in the room where the club initiations were held. About this time a large ship was wrecked off the coast, and the hired crews brought in boat-loads of cold, wet and half-drowned people. They were dirty and sick and some of them had black skin and some had yellow skin. The beautiful new club was in chaos. So the property committee immediately had a shower house built outside the club where victims of shipwreck could be cleaned up before coming inside. At their next meeting, there was a split in the club membership. Most of the members wanted to stop the clubs lifesaving activities as being unpleasant and a hindrance to the normal social life of the club. Some members insisted upon lifesaving as their primary purpose and pointed out that they were still called a lifesaving station. But they were finally voted down and told that if they wanted to save lives of all the various kinds of people who were shipwrecked in those waters, they could begin their own lifesaving station down the coast. They did. As the years went by, the new station experienced the same changes that had occurred in the old. It evolved into a club, and yet another lifesaving station was founded. History continued to repeat itself, and if you visit that sea coast today, you will find a number of exclusive clubs along that shore. Shipwrecks are frequent in those waters, but most of the people drown!
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Discussion in your small group
Session 1: Explaining Relational Evangelism

Q1: What caught your attention in this session? ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________
Q2: Is there anything you dont understand? If you could ask the author or the Lord questions about this session, what would they be? ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________
Q3: What is a personal application for your life (be specific)? ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________
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Session
Relational Evangelism Responds Appropriately
his session looks at different ways in which people, in different life situations, need to be helped to discover the truth about Jesus and have a valid chance to say yes or no to Him.
Presence, Proclamation and Persuasion

Church growth expert Peter Wagner sees effective evangelism normally requiring three interrelated components - presence, proclamation and persuasion. He likens the evangelistic task to a three storey building. Persuasion, he says, is the goal, but this rests on proclamation. There can be no persuasion without proclamation. But proclamation cannot be accomplished in a vacuum. This in turn rests on presence. Presence gives relevance and credibility to proclamation. Pull out the first storey and the whole structure topples. Effective personal evangelism depends greatly on those who are involved being particularly sensitive to the situation in which they are ministering. The ministry offered must be appropriate to the situation.
Questions we must ask ourselves

1) Is it a situation where a Christian presence has created an environment that will provide a responsive attitude when one is involved in proclamation (telling about Jesus)? 2) Is it a situation where persuasion (helping the person concerned to make an actual commitment to God) is the appropriate action?
3) Is it a situation in which neither proclamation nor persuasion would be relevant or fruitful? Is it a situation in which the Gospel needs to be lived and demonstrated before it can be effectively verbalised (presence)? The Gospel travels best between people via well established, sincere relationships. For this reason the long, hard (but worthwhile) job of building relationships is an integral part of effective evangelistic ministry. It is an aspect too often neglected.
Guidelines for Sharing Gods Love

In her book Sharing Gods Love, Rosalind Rinker suggests that there are ten types of people to whom we might be called upon to witness. Her book provides detailed advice on how to minister to such people in different situations. The following notes provide a summary of what she has found effective in her own ministry to such groups of people:
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Person One: The one who invites an invitation

This is the person who is ready to accept Christ as his Lord and Saviour. He has discovered Christ through reading a book or during worship services on Sunday mornings. He simply wants to know what he needs to do to become a Christian. a) We should be able to talk with this person about Christ in our lives (our testimony) b) We should be able to tell this person who Christ is, what He did for us, and why we should believe in Him (our witness) c) We should be able to lead this person, through prayer, to surrender their life to Christ as his personal Lord and Saviour.
Person Two: The one who shows an interest

This is a person who has shown an interest in our lives as Christians, in Christ Himself, or in the church. We want to help her to come to a decision about Christ, but we must deal with her in a slightly different manner from Person One. We should have in mind all of the background items listed under Person One. Further, we should consider the following: a) If the persons interest is in the church or in our lives, we should lead her towards the opportunity to bring Jesus into the conversation in a meaningful way. b) We should be sure she understands what we are saying by asking non-threatening questions and learning her viewpoints as we talk and as we listen. c) We should always leave the door open if we cannot lead the individual through it to surrendering of their life to Christ.
Person Three: Our uninterested friend or relative

With this person, we should first consider why sharing Christ with them can be difficult. a) He knows us too well. (He sees us at our worst and he knows all the things we have done wrong.) b) Being over-zealous with our faith. c) The very closeness of the relationship between us makes any change in our lives threatening to them. d) Such discussions are also threatening to us because we fear offending our friend or relative.
Person Four: Our uninterested neighbour

There are similarities between sharing Gods love with this person and with Person Three. a) We may invite this person into our lives through non-threatening social activities, such as inviting her to coffee, dinner, sporting event, or other recreational activity. b) We should look for what is lovable in our neighbour and focus upon that, reaffirming her. c) We should do something for her and let her do something for us so that we create a feeling of mutual reliance and interdependence. d) We should be open to hearing her challenges. e) We should continually get the message of God loves you across to her. f) In any neighbourhood controversies that develop, we should be willing to go the extra mile with our neighbour (surrendering our rights where necessary).
Person Five: The one with whom we come into contact

This is a person with whom we come into contact daily (and yet who is neither friend nor relative) in our work or as we go about the day, or he may be the person God brings into contact with us (perhaps on a one-time basis) as we sit together with him at lunch, on a plane, or elsewhere.
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a) We should consider the significance of external signs and symbols that might help us to connect with them in a friendly way. b) By showing a warm, personal interest in this person, we may be able to develop a conversation that will lead to a discussion about Christ. c) We may, of course, pray to be led to the prepared heart, in which case God will direct us to those people whom His Holy Spirit has already prepared to hear our message about Christ. d) We have an excellent opportunity to just listen to this person. e) We may love people all day long through our eyes, our smiles, and our spirits if we have prepared ourselves, through prayer, for Christs love to flow through us.
Person Six: The one who opposes what we believe

We should realise that there is more potential in leading this person to Christ than the person who is apathetic. This individual knows she has a need, but she is not presently accepting Christ as the answer to that need because of some prior problem with Christianity or the church. There are some special ways in which we can show Gods love to her. a) We should avoid arguments. b) We need to listen, and then ask how she reached that view point. c) We should allow her freedom to talk, rather than being busy trying to think of answers to what she is saying. d) We should expect her to disagree with us. e) We must not take this persons attitude personally. f) We should not defend God. (He can take care of Himself!) g) We should not avoid encounters with this person. h) We should sow God loves you seeds as we have an opportunity to do so. i) We should remember that we have the answer (Christ), but we do not have all the answers. j) If the opportunity presents itself, we might ask the question, Have you ever read the New Testament (or Gospels) in a modern translation? k) As we have an opportunity, we should express our belief in Christ so that she knows she has not talked us out of our position. Leave the door open for further discussions.
Person Seven: The nominal Christian

This individual is already technically a Christian he has been baptised and confirmed and perhaps attends church occasionally. However, he is strictly nominal in his affiliation with the church. We must deal with this person in a diplomatic manner, because he may believe he is just as good a Christian as you are. a) We should realise that this person has probably accepted Christ with his mind but not his heart. b) We should be sure that our life reflects Christ. c) We can often do our homework in preparation for contacts with this person. As we reveal this knowledge in talking with him, he will know we really care about him. We should be sensitive, following the leading of the Spirit. We should know or discover what may be troubling Person Seven about the church and be sensitive to it. d) We should avoid being judgmental and self-righteous. e) Never use spiritual jargon. f) Avoid telling this person what he needs to do.
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Person Eight: Our children

Here we are dealing with our children while they are still a part of the family unit and while we have certain obligations to them as Christian parents. Some matters to consider are: a) It is most important that our life-styles are changing constantly and consistently as we grow in Christ. Our children will be influenced by what we are and do much more than by what we say. b) Recognise our obligations for continuing Christian nurture of our family. c) We should develop faithful habits of prayer, church attendance, belonging to a small group, personal devotion time with the Lord and obedience. d) We must be genuine. e) We should let our children see us in our weaknesses admitting our mistakes to them. f) We should pray with them and encourage them on a regular basis. g) We should pray for their healing with the laying on of hands when they are sick. h) Every child is a unique individual - minister to them accordingly. i) We should be ready to release our children to the Lord, rather than hold on to them for ourselves.
Person Nine: Our non-Christian spouse

The situation can arise where either the husband or the wife has accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour and the other has not. Some things to consider are: a) We (the Christian) should be willing to surrender our rights and expectations so that God can deal freely with the situation. b) We must not make false assumptions about lack of faith on the part of our spouse. c) We must respect the position of our mate as a husband or wife, regardless of his differing religious beliefs. d) We should find ways to communicate with our spouse about personal ideas, needs, challenges, fears, etc. e) We need to keep our priorities in order (especially family priorities). f) We must be aware of becoming too involved in church work to the neglect of relationships within the family. g) We should not expect our unsaved mate to come to the church we attend, pray or read the Bible.
Person Ten: A person with an obvious need

This is the individual who has an obvious need for physical, emotional or other help. We should recognise that this may be an opening to share Christ with this person to let Christ meet his needs. Some principles to consider are: a) We should empathise with him. b) We should avoid counselling unless we are specifically asked to do so, and then we should limit our counselling to the area where we have been asked to give help. In dealing with any bitterness that may be connected with the need, we should be careful not to offend the person. We should be patient with him, love him, and, to the extent possible, identify with him. c) We should help the person accept himself. d) We should not avoid the issue that the individual must do his part by way of seeking forgiveness, restitution, etc., which may arise out of the need with which he is confronted. e) We must remember that God is big enough to handle the situation.
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f)
As appropriate, we should ask the person, May I pray for you. Then we should do it immediately, in his presence, using simple words. g) As we pray with this person, we should be sure to admit our own needs so that he may identify with us. h) We can take the opportunity to pray with him over the telephone, if that is appropriate.
Communicating In and Through Relationships

The Gospel message travels best through well established personal relationships. The care we take in building these relationships will determine the degree of success we experience in our efforts to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Aspects of witnessing
Witnessing to others about Jesus Christ should be a natural expression of our love for them. There are three settings or categories for effective witnessing: The first is witnessing in passing. Most of us pass by many people each day. Usually we have the opportunity only to speak or nod to those we pass. Sometimes we can do more. In these situations, our lifestyle (the way we relate to others, and the way we affirm the worth of each person) will count more than anything we say. A bad encounter with others, even though brief or anonymous, can prevent the later possibility of helping them. It can even spoil the chances others have to communicate with them. The second could be called witnessing in person. Usually such an opportunity comes about because someone asks us to share our witness. Such opportunities depend entirely on the existence of an already established relationship. A person may say: How do you keep going in the midst of ...? How do you remain so cheerful when ...? or What can I do to ...?
We must look for the opportunity to share our faith, and we must be prepared to share simply, clearly, and to the point. When asked to share your faith, do your best to keep your responses brief leaving them ample room to ask more questions. The third setting in which we witness can be called witnessing in process (of conversion). It is a high privilege to walk with a person through an act of commitment to Jesus Christ and to help guide that person to assurance of forgiveness and on to a new life in Christ. This is not hard to do but most of us need help to learn how to do it.
Building Bridges of Friendship

Danny Morris, writing in The Intensive Care Unit, comments on these three aspects of witnessing (passing, person, process): The only one in which a personal relationship is not required is the first, witnessing in passing. For the other two, it is virtually impossible to be an effective witness for Jesus Christ, unless we walk across the Bridge of Friendship. A personal relationship is essential for the deeper dimensions of effective witnessing. Unless we specialise in building bridges of friendship or use the bridges already built, we are left with only chance opportunities to witness in passing.
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We presently have deep relationships which link us with other people. We can walk across those bridges and share in their needs or witness our faith and expect to be heard. There are people all around us who are longing for a caring relationship. How better can we spend our time than in intentionally building a bridge of friendship with one or more of them? Let us contact that person deliberately and get to know that person for his or her own sake. Let us establish a relationship. Remember, many people live on little islands of loneliness because there are too few bridges of friendship over which to walk.
Leighton Ford has this to say about bridge building: Jesus is often described as the great High Priest who opened the way to God. The Latin word for priest is pontifex which means bridge-maker. By dying, Jesus, the bridge builder, opened the way for us to come into Gods presence (1 Peter 3:18). Now, Jesus has sent us to be bridge builders as He was. Bridge builders have a genuine concern for people. Sometimes my biggest problem in witnessing is being so involved in my own affairs that I dont have time to think of others. Jesus was other-person centred, the man for others, and we are called to be so. If we see witnessing as going around looking for someone on whom we can dump spiritual truth, we will turn most people off. But if our concern for people is so genuine that sometimes we are not even aware of the transition to verbal witness, people will be drawn like a magnet. Jesus was a friend of sinners. He was criticised more often for not being separate than for anything else. He was constantly inviting others to share His daily life. When two of John the Baptists disciples asked, Rabbi, where are you staying?, He knew that what they really wanted to know was who He was, not where He spent the night. So He answered, Come and you will see. They spent the day with Him, and as they got a close view of how He lived, they became convinced that He really was the Messiah (John 1:37-41). He also constantly accepted invitations to share others lives. Think of His frequent visits to the home of Mary and Martha, and Lazarus, how often He accepted invitations to eat with Pharisees as well as publicans. Jesus didnt care if He was host or guest as long as He could build bridges. Does that concern for people, as they are, fill your life? This genuine, open love is the key to sharing.
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Being Good News

In his book, Lifestyle Evangelism, Joseph C. Aldrich says: Evangelism is expressing what I possess in Christ and explaining how I came to possess it. In the truest sense, evangelism is displaying the universals of Gods character His love, His righteousness, His justice, and His faithfulness through the particulars of my everyday life. Therefore evangelism is not a special activity to be undertaken at a prescribed time. It is a constant and spontaneous outflow of our individual and corporate experience of Christ. Even more specifically, evangelism is what Christ does through the activity of His children as they are involved in proclamation, fellowship and service. Aldrich goes on to point out that evangelistic activities are weakened by what he calls, The imbalance between the verbalisation and the incarnation of the Gospel. What does he mean by this? He says, Christians are to be Good News before they share the Good News. The words of the Gospel are to be incarnated (en-fleshed) before they are verbalised. Let me put it another way. The music of the Gospel must precede the words of the Gospel and prepare the context in which there will be a hunger for those words What is the music of the Gospel? The music of the Gospel is the beauty of the indwelling Christ as lived out in the everyday relationships of life. The Gospel is the Good News that Jesus Christ has solved the problems of mans sin and offers him the potential of an exchanged life, a life in which the resources of God Himself are available for his transformation. And as the Gospel is translated into music it makes redemptive relationships possible the best argument for Christianity is Christians: their joy, their certainty, their completeness. But the strongest argument against Christianity is also Christians when they are sombre and joyless, when they are self righteous and smug in complacent consecration, when they are narrow and repressive then Christianity dies a thousand deaths.
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Session 2: Friendship Evangelism Responds Appropriately

Q1: What caught your attention in this weeks session? ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________
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Session
Sharing the Gospel through Dialogue
he aim of this session is to explore ways in which dialogue evangelism, done properly, can provide a means of communicating the gospel in such a way that people will really get the message, and be able to make a free response to its offer and challenges.
Defining Evangelism
The Lausanne Conference defined evangelism in these terms: To evangelise is to spread the Good News that Jesus Christ died for our sins and was raised from the dead according to the Scriptures, and that as the reigning Lord He now offers the forgiveness of sins and the liberating gift of the Spirit to all who repent and believe. Our Christian presence in the world is indispensable to evangelism, and so is that kind of dialogue whose purpose it is to listen sensitively in order to understand. But evangelism itself is the proclamation of the historical, biblical Christ as Saviour and Lord, with a view to persuading people to come to Him personally and so be reconciled to God. In issuing the Gospel invitation we have no liberty to conceal the cost of discipleship. Jesus still calls all who follow Him to deny themselves, take up their crosses, and identify themselves with His new community. The results of evangelism include obedience to Christ, incorporation into His church and responsible service in the world.
However, it is possible to do these right things in a wrong way. Our Christian presence can become an unfair imposition on people. Our proclamation can become indoctrination instead of sharing and our persuasion can easily become sinful coercion. When this happens, what we do and the way we do it, will speak louder than what we say about the Gospel. Then it will be our fault, not theirs, if they reject it. How apt are Leighton Fords words in Good News is for sharing:
In communicating our faith, the challenge is to combine a sense of the absolute truth and the urgency of this Good News with a sense of dignity and the significance of other people. If this Gospel is true, we have an obligation to share it. We have no right to hold it to ourselves. But neither do we have any right to force anyone else to respond. Not everything that goes under the name of evangelism can get our stamp of approval. Some presentations of the Good News are anything but. The way we share our faith has to be judged by what the Bible teaches concerning the nature of the Gospel. If I try to get people into the Kingdom of God by arm twisting and
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brain washing, then I am repudiating the love of God. His love is relentless but never coercing. I am also denying what the Bible tells me about the nature of man. Man is made with responsible freedom allowed by God even to deny Him.
Following the Lords Example

Witnessing involves all that we are and therefore what we do. It goes far beyond what we say at certain inspired moments. So the question is not will we witness (speak), but how do we witness? When we trust Jesus Christ as Lord, as well as Saviour, He enables us to live and speak as faithful witnesses. From the Lords interview with the Samaritan woman we discover some practical, basic principles to follow as we try to represent Him in a realistic and natural way:
Principle 1: Contact others socially (John 4:1-7)

So often, Christians tend to speak to other Christians and at unchurched people. Jesus likened evangelism to fishing and any angler knows that you dont catch fish without going where the fish are. When we choose to socialise mainly with fellow Christians we choose to lessen the possibility of winning people to Christ.
Principle 2: Establish a common interest (John 4:7-8)

Jesus started a conversion with a Samaritan woman with something she was thinking about, namely water. He laid a simple foundation upon which to build the conversation. How easy it is to shoot from the hip with religious jargon that is meaningful to us but has no significance to the unchurched because they have a completely different frame of reference to us. Remember, we are the ones who want to communicate. Therefore, it is our responsibility, not theirs, to find a common ground where communication is possible.
Principle 3: Arouse interest (John 4:9-15)

Jesus did this in two ways. Firstly, He came to where she was. Secondly, He showed an interest in her concerns. Jesus, a male Jew and a Rabbi, related to a woman who was a Samaritan (bitterly hated by Jews) and a person rejected by her neighbours (having to draw water at midday rather than with the other women). By talking with her and asking for her help, He communicated acceptance of her and she was startled. That was His starting point. We need to align our message with our actions, and learn to love and accept people as they are. Nothing startles people more than unconditional acceptance. This was Jesus way of arousing interest.
Principle 4: Dont rush things (John 4:10-15)

Despite her obvious interest and curiosity, Jesus didnt give the Samaritan woman the whole story at once. Gradually, as she was ready for more, He revealed more about Himself. Then, when her curiosity had reached fever pitch (v26), He identified Himself as the Christ. How often Christians rush in and rattle off the whole Gospel the moment they sense a glimmer of interest. Then, when the fragile relationship shatters, we shift the blame to the person concerned and believe that they have rejected Christ, when they didnt really get any chance to take it all in.
Principle 5: Dont condemn (John 4:16-19)

Note how Jesus leads the woman to see her real need without condemning. To condemn is to express a person's worth as being determined by their performance/job. The opposite of
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condemnation is love, which is to accept a person on the basis of their worth (which is declared by God, not us) and not their behaviour or advantage to us. By not condemning the woman, Jesus denied the message fed to her by satan that she had to prove herself to get accepted. Once she realised that God would treat her like Jesus did, she responded to Gods offer of eternal life.
Principle 6: Dont get sidetracked (John 4:20-26)

Jesus did not allow secondary issues to sidetrack Him for one moment. How easy it is to talk about where to worship, how to worship, but never get around to whom to worship. Jesus kept coming back to two things, the womans need and Himself as the answer.
Principle 7: Bring them to a direct confrontation of Christ

It would be easy to start with a confrontation and end up with an argument. But the need is that they should, step by step, come to see Jesus as He really is. It is not so much that we should confront people, but that He will confront them if only they get a chance to really see and appreciate Him for who He is, and for what He has done.
Incarnational Evangelism
Joseph Aldrich contrasts confrontational-intrusional evangelism with the more biblical incarnational-relational approach to ministry. He describes the pattern that our Lord gives us in the following way: The Word became flesh. Jesus Christ became the visible expression of the invisible God. This was His strategy. He told His disciples, Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father (John 14:9). He was, as it were, a visual aid to reveal the nature of His Father. He didnt just talk about love; He loved and the sinners considered Him their friend. He didnt just preach on forgiveness; He forgave. And sinful, guilt-ridden people fell at His feet, forgiven and cleansed. He didnt just proclaim the necessity of justice and righteousness; He attacked the unrighteous institutions of His day. He didnt start a Bible institute and establish a chair of theology in His Fathers name; He invited m en to live with Him twenty-four hours a day. His strategy was to become flesh and live among them (Life-style Evangelism). Our evangelistic ministry must move beyond merely broadcasting a message to actively sharing in life. It must involve participation in the problems and pressures, and the fears and frustrations of humanity. An incarnational evangelism does not approach people with ready-made answers to lifes problems; rather it listens to the questions which people raise. We who would evangelise as our Lord did must experience a self emptying of anything that would separate us from the people with whom we would share the Gospel. Any expression of superiority, by which we condescend in relating to people, is a denial of the incarnational principle.
Understanding the Gospel

The early church saw itself preaching the same basic Gospel message with the same basic elements of proclamation. However, this did not mean that they all did the same thing, the same way. A study of ministry in the New Testament shows the early church translating the unchanging message into different forms of presentations that suited each particular situation. How do we translate these basic elements into communicable terms suitable for today? The presentation of the Gospel that follows is a simple example of one way in which this
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has been successfully done (in the Anzea tract How to Know God). Note that points 1 to 3 really constitute pre-evangelism. They are essential foundations that need to be laid before the Gospel itself can be effectively proclaimed. To quote the author of the tract: "The first three sections are a summary of basic concepts needed to be understood before anyone can effectively proclaim the Gospel. If you experience problems with any one of these points, then stop and talk it out. Until that issue is resolved, it is unlikely the person will come to a true faith in Jesus Christ.
1. This is God's world

a) This is Gods world because He made it. We belong to God because we are a part of His creation. b) God made man to enjoy His friendship forever, to experience His care and provision, to work the earth and to live in community. c) God gave man first place in His creation. God has given man authority over the animal kingdom, the birds and fish, and all earths natural resources. d) But man himself is under authority. We are not free agents, independent of God. We are responsible to God for our lives and all that we do with them.
2. What is God like?

a) God is supreme: He is still in control of this world and the destiny of mankind. b) God is real: He exists, whether we choose to believe in Him or not! He has always been there and always will be. c) God is personal: He is not just a force in the Universe, but a Person to be known. We see God's invisible qualities (His power and greatness) in His creation. But we see God's character as a loving God by looking at Jesus Christ. d) God is just: Despite many seeming injustices, all His acts are fair and right. Although God allows evil to exist in the world at the moment, in the end complete justice will be done.
3. What is mankind like?

a) Mankind is rebellious: Man has rejected Gods authority over him and the world, even though man rightly belongs to God. b) Mankind is self-centred: Man is mainly concerned with his own comfort and security, and puts his own selfish ambitions first. He cares little if his actions hurt others. c) Mankind remains unconcerned: Not only has man turned his back on God; he also could not care less about God. He doesn't bother God and hopes that God will not bother him! But passive disinterest is as much a crime against God as active rebellion. Why? Because man was meant to have a living relationship with God. d) Mankind is still accountable: Man cannot simply opt out of his responsibility to God. God, to be God, has to deal with his rebellion by punishing him. The penalty is spiritual death absolute separation from God (Romans 6:23). This sentence of death rests on all men and women. e) Mankind is deceived: Having rejected Gods authority and friendship, man looks for something to replace Him. Instead of honouring the true God, man worships false gods, such as: SEX CULTURE POWER LEISURE SPORT RELATIONSHIPS DRUGS KNOWLEDGE
MATERIALISM
MONEY THE OCCULT

NATURE
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f)
None of these counterfeit gods do not satisfy, or replace knowing God for oneself and serving Him. Mankind is proud: Many people are so proud of their own achievements that they think God doesn't matter. Others think that to be a Christian we must live a good life. But God cannot accept a person who is rebelling against Him or ignoring Him, however good that person thinks he/she is! To receive Gods forgiveness, man must change his attitude to God and God's right to rule him.
4. What God has done

a) God has not waited for man to turn back to God. He has taken the initiative. b) God has intervened in human history by sending His Son to live among us. Jesus Christ came into the world: To show us what God is really like loving and just. To reveal His authority as the Lord and Master of the Universe. To rescue man from the terrible penalty facing him for his disobedience to Gods law.
"No one has ever seen God. But His only Son, who is Himself God, is near to the Fathers heart; He has told us about Him (John 1:18).
5. What Jesus has done

a) He has answered mans dilemma: Gods justice demands that man's rebellion, self-centredness and unconcern be punished. Man deserves this punishment. Man cannot meet Gods requirements a life of perfect obedience to Gods law. Because Jesus fulfilled Gods law perfectly, He alone is qualified to represent us before God and stand in our place. b) Jesus died on our behalf, the innocent One for the guilty: Jesus Himself was innocent, but God allowed Him to take our punishment (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus did not wait for us to improve (an impossible task), but did this for us while we still disobeyed God's law (Romans 5:8). His death did what we cannot do restored our broken friendship with God, changing us from enemies to friends (Romans 5:9-10). c) Jesus did not stay dead; He walked out of the tomb alive! His coming-to-life again demonstrated that: Jesus is God: As the Son of God, Jesus was not merely an exceptional man but had God's very nature. Because He is the Son of God, Jesus was raised from death (Romans 1:4). It was impossible for death to hold Him prisoner. Death isn't the end: Jesus totally defeated not only spiritual death (absolute separation from God), but physical death as well (Romans 6:9). We never need to be afraid of death again! Man has a future: Those who believe in Jesus will also be raised. The resurrection of Jesus is a guarantee of our own physical resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:20). We can look forward to life with God forever.
6. What must we do?

a) Its not enough just to agree with these truths. We must apply them personally. b) Gods gift demands a response. We must do something about it. There are three essential steps to receive Gods gift: We must turn away from our past rebellion against God, and have a complete change of heart and mind towards Him. Also we need to be
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genuinely sorry for all our wrong actions toward others, asking God to forgive us. This radical change of attitude is called repentance. We must trust in Jesus Christ and in what He has done for us. We must make this real in our own lives by saying, Jesus died for me; Jesus rose again from the dead to bring me new life. This is what is meant by believing in Jesus (John 3:16). We must acknowledge a new Master, Jesus Christ. We must surrender to Him as Lord of our lives, and be responsible to Him. Instead of letting our wills rule our lives (being self-centred), we must let Christ rule our lives (be Christ-centred). This is what is meant by obeying Jesus (Matthew 28:20).
c) Are you ready to take these three steps (above)? If not, keep thinking about these things. In the meantime, heres a promise to encourage you God says in Jeremiah 29:13 "If you look for Me in earnest, you will find Me when you seek Me. I will be found by you. If, however, you are ready to take these three steps, why not pray to God right now? You may like to pray the following prayer: Dear God, I know I am not worthy to be called a child of God. I don't deserve Your gift of eternal life. I am guilty of rebelling against You and ignoring You. I need Your forgiveness. I want to turn from living my life according to my will. I believe that Jesus died for me and rose again to give me new life. I now acknowledge Jesus Christ as the Lord and Master of my life. Make me a member of Your family. Please help me to love and serve You always. Amen.
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Session 3: Sharing the Gospel through Dialogue

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Session
Getting the Message Right
he aim of this session is to further consider the truths that form the basis of the Gospel so that you can understand them yourself and be aware of ways to communicate them effectively to unchurched friends.
His Message in Our Words

Behind all adequate presentations of the Gospel are certain basic facts that must be in the message and must be consistent with Scripture. In the exercise that follows, select Bible statements are given that progressively state the main tenets of the Good News. Consider each verse, and then rewrite it in your own words as a meaningful statement that would be understood by your unchurched friends if they were to ask you about the Christian message. Romans 3:12, 23 - All have turned away and become worthless. There is not one who does good, not even one ... All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ Romans 6:23 - The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ Romans 5:8 -God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
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___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ John 3:36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains in him. ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ Romans 8:1 - "Therefore there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ Ephesians 2:8-9 - "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God - not because of works, lest any man should boast. ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________
Mans Dilemma and Gods Action

In evangelism, God ministers through us to get the message to men and women. Effective evangelism requires that we understand and appreciate why the Gospel is Good News. It is easy to use a Gospel outline or to quote relevant Scripture passages, but it is our responsibility to make sure that we really do understand what these things mean. There are ideas to be grasped, concepts (like propitiation, justification, and atonement) to be understood. To be able to understand, appreciate and share the Gospel, we particularly need to grasp three things: 1) Mans dilemma (the barrier that his rebellion has erected between himself and God) 2) Gods action (what God did to remove that barrier) 3) Wonderful implications for those who come to Jesus
Mans Dilemma
Man has erected a barrier that effectively separates him from God, from eternal life, and from the power to live effectively now either with himself or with others. This wall is so impenetrable that all the religions, philosophies, idealism, good works and ingenuity of men cannot pull it down. Man fails, ironically, because of the barrier.
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Barrier one: A debt of sin

The first barrier is the unpaid debt of sin. Man has chosen not to give God what he owes Him. Man had declared I will rule this is my world. Sin and rebellion are synonymous. Man's rebellion has placed him in debt a debt which he must pay or perish. The penalty for this debt is death, a debt which has to be paid by man or, if possible, by someone qualified to take his place. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). For the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).
Debt of sin
G O D
Barrier two: Slavery to satan

The second barrier is "slavery to satan". Man was created to live in a special relationship with the Creator, that of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Within that family relationship man could draw on the life of the Father and live spiritually. Once man rebelled he lost the ability to live spiritually and with this loss came the spoliation of every aspect of his capabilities, emotionally, volitionally, relationally and spiritually. Not only did he become captive to these limitations, but he also lost his ability to withstand the pressures of evil and is therefore open to satan's lies and influence. By default, satan, grasping what is not his by right, has taken control of man's life and holds him in bondage.
Debt of sin
Slavery to satan
G O D
Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin (John 8:34). .... the world is under the control of the evil one (1 John 5:19). You are slaves to the one you obey (Romans 6:16). The God of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, so that they might not see the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ" (2 Corinthians 4:4). He that does what is sinful is of the devil (1 John 3:8).
Barrier three: Spiritual death

The third barrier is the fact of man's spiritual death. The most important part of man, his spiritual faculty, is dead. It just does not function. Man, unlike the animals, was created with not only physical life but also with spiritual life. This is God's life or breath in man. So man, through his "physical life" relates to the physical world - but without true "spiritual life" he cannot relate to God. Unable to relate to God, he cannot find new life, he cannot live as "true man", and only true man can respond in an adequate way to deal with the mess mankind is in.
Debt of sin
Slavery to satan
G O D
Spiritual death
Sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned (Romans 5:12). ... the soul who sins is the one who will die (Ezekiel l8:4). ... the wages of sin is death (Romans 3:23).
Gods Action
Man, cut off from God, spoilt by sin, helpless under the influence of a force hostile to God, spiritually dead, and unable to do anything about his plight, is in a hopeless mess. What can God do about it? He cannot ignore it because His nature is love. By nature, the Creator longs for fellowship with the creatures He made for a special relationship with Himself. Yet He is also by nature holy, just and righteous. He cannot "pretend" things are all
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right. He can only offer mankind a "new start" on a just basis. His justice must be satisfied by an act that makes it right and just for mankind to once more relate to Him. The debt owing by mankind has to be paid, and the spiritual slaves redeemed or bought back. Only then can God relate again to man and, by that relationship, restore his spiritual life, lifting him up again from the level of his lower nature (the flesh) to an existence on the spiritual level with eternal life. The Gospel tells us the amazing way God does this. God became man. He lived life as a man a new Adam but this time an Adam who did not rebel, and did not lose His spiritual life and who did not fall short of the glory of God. Now humanity can offer the offering of perfect obedience, in Christ. Humanity can now pay the debt, in Christ. Humanity can break the hold of sin and satan, in Christ. Humanity can die and live again, in Christ. As in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive (1 Corinthians 15:22). Jesus was without sin and made a point of staying that way. He was therefore our second start. His whole life was pleasing to God. In that perfect human life and that suffering death on the cross He offered a full, perfect and sufficient sacrifice, for the sins of the whole world. The Bible uses four descriptive words to picture the way Christ's death breaks down the wall of separation between God and man (propitiation, redemption, substitutionary death, and reconciliation).
Propitiation
God offers propitiation (appeasement). God's wrath against man's sin is real, but so too is His solution His Son's propitiatory death on the cross.
Debt of sin
Propitiation
Slavery to satan
G O D
Spiritual death
This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice (propitiation) for us (1 John 4:10).
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Redemption
God brings about redemption. The price is paid! The debt is cancelled and satan is publicly shown to have no just hold over man.
Propitiation
Redemption Spiritual death
G O D
When the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full right of sons (Galatians 4: 4,5). For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all men (1 Timothy 2: 5, 6).
Substitutionary death
God provides a substitute for man. Man in Christ dies as he must die. But man in Christ rises again. Death is no longer permanent.
Propitiation Redemption Substitutionary death
G O D
He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds we are healed (1 Peter 2: 24).
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Reconciliation
God brings about reconciliation between man and God. Those who have died with Him will live with Him and reign with Him. In union with the Son, we share in His perfect union with the Father. We are home again and all the benefits of that intended relationship are open to us as we choose to take them up. Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behaviour. But now He has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation (Colossians 1: 21, 22).
Wonderful Implications
These are the wonderful implications of Christs propitiation on our behalf, His act of redemption, His substitutionary death, and reconciliation, of man and God in Christ:
Justification
Man, in the person of Christ, has pleased God (offered a full, perfect and sufficient sacrifice). Therefore all who are in union with Christ share equally in His achievement. While our performance falls short, His perfect performance is credited to us and God declares us righteous. To put it another way, when God looks at the person in Christ He sees us as if we are His Son. He sees us as if we had done what Christ has done and relates to us accordingly from the moment we, by faith, accept that grace. We have peace with God through our justification (Romans 5:1). Therefore there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). He was delivered over to death for our sins and raised to life for our justification (Romans 4:25). so that having been justified by grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life (Titus 3:7).
Forgiveness and Freedom

Real forgiveness involves not only accepting apologies but, more importantly, it means treating the other person as if they had not hurt you. This is what God can and will do because Jesus has made it possible for His Father to act justly in forgiving us. Notice the two aspects of freedom which the redemptive work of Christ has made available: Firstly: We have been set free from the penalty of sin by the death of Christ for us (1 Corinthians 15:3), and Secondly: His death also provides believers with the daily deliverance from the power of sin, as the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin, makes us want to live right, and enables us to do so. If the Son shall set you free you shall be free indeed (John 8:36). Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more (Jeremiah 31:34).
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Regeneration to Eternal Life

What does it mean to be born again (regenerated)? It means that instead of lacking spiritual life we have His life in us. With this new life comes a new relationship. We live truly as the children of God, in His care and open forever to all that He would do for Christ. I assure you, those who listen to My message and believe in God who sent Me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life (John 5:24). God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the Name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life (1 John 5:11-13).
A New Position
Christs self-offering (propitiation) provides our justification; His work of redemption provides forgiveness and sets us free free to grow into His likeness; His substitutionary death opens for us the opportunity of a new birth to life eternal; the reconciliation He brings about between God and ourselves places us in an incredible New Position here and now. Many people who have accepted Christ as their Saviour lack any real assurance of salvation and a real sense of being accepted as they are by a loving Heavenly Father. Many have never grasped the Good News that we have peace through our justification. Gods attitude to us is not based on our performance. It is based on Christs performance which was adequate for all time, for all of us. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come (2 Corinthians 2:17). So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir (Galatians 4:7).
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Session 4: Getting the Message Right

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Session
Helping a Friend Respond to God
he aim of this session is to share and discuss our attempts to relate the Gospel to normal life situations and to learn how to evaluate the effectiveness of this type of ministry.
Turning to God
What happens in a person's life when he or she responds to the Good News? A study of each New Testament instance of both individuals and groups responding to the Gospel shows three distinct facts: 1. They were men and women who had changed their minds about their old way of life and were willing to turn their backs on an inadequate past. They called this change of mind repentance. 2. They were men and women who (because of their change of mind), had changed their direction to a new one of trust and loyalty to Christ, who had begun to reign in their lives as King. They called this radical change of direction Conversion and the trust and loyalty, faith. 3. They were men and women who realised that such a changed position in life gave them a greater responsibility and a better sense of values to live by. And with God's help, through the gift of the Holy Spirit, they endeavoured to live up to that higher standard so that they might more effectively be His agents and instruments in the world. They called this active obedience and vulnerable availability discipleship.
Baptism
It is very noticeable in the New Testament that in every example of such a change of heart, leading to a new direction and a new trust and loyalty in Christ, there was always the seeking and receiving of the sacrament of Baptism. They believed that in this act God affirmed the new relationship they so much desired and brought them into a new covenant relationship with Himself. That act of commitment with the covenant sign of baptism declared their participation in the essential blessings of the Gospel: cleansing from sin, union with Christ, dying to the old life, rising to the new life, the gift of the Holy Spirit, and incorporation into the Body of Christ (the universal Church).
Sudden or Gradual?
While it is right to teach that turning to God should be a very definite act, it is wrong to confuse definiteness with suddenness. For an experience to be definite it does not need to be sudden or emotional. It can be sudden (and for some it is emotional), but more likely it
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will be the gradual work of God leading a person to see His great love as seen in Jesus Christ and, as a result, progressively surrender to His Lordship. But at some point in his turning about, a person must become aware that he is facing in a new direction and, because of that new direction, is able to go forward in a new direction.
Caring For Those Who Say Yes to God

Jesus did not merely send the church out to make converts. The Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) is quite clear that the goal of the effective evangelist is to make disciples. Even the Christian seeking to witness in everyday situations must also accept the responsibility of ensuring, as much as is possible, that the new infant in Christ is both nurtured at the beginning and provided with the means to grow towards a maturity which eventually results in the acceptance of her own responsibilities as an active disciple. Paul clearly indicates the goals of his ministry: Him we proclaim, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man mature in Christ. For this I toil, striving with all the energy which He mightily inspires within me (Colossians 1:28-29). Luke, in Acts 14:21, 22, describes the pattern of Pauls evangelistic campaign: When they had preached the gospel to that city, and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the Kingdom of God.
Who Cares?
John Mallison, in Caring for People, clearly affirms the responsibility of the evangelist to see that effective follow-up is provided. However, he also stresses that this should not happen in isolation from the community life of the Church. Mallison says The new birth is the first step to a new life. As Paul puts it: If any man be in Christ, he is a new creation (I Corinthians 5:17), and if any person is brought into a new and mystical relationship with Jesus Christ, life begins again, life takes a new direction. Conversion should result in a changed life. The nurture of this new life is the solemn responsibility of the Christian carer. It is important to note that, consistent with the overall emphasis of the New Testament, Paul sees the growth of new life taking place within the framework of the Community of Faith. Christian growth, while having an individual dimension, needs the corporate support, protection, care and facilitation of the Body of Christ. The babe in Christ is born into the Christian family. The new Christian does not have to go it alone. Unfortunately, the Church has not always faithfully undertaken its nurturing of new disciples. Much evangelism has been criticised because those who have responded have slipped away. The critics have not seen that more often than not the fault lay not so much with the message and methods of the evangelist or the witnesses, but in the lack of adequate, if any, follow-up by the local church. Human babies, unlike most animals, need a family to survive. The same is true in the spiritual realm. The care of new spiritual life requires great sensitivity, patience and skill. The Church needs to spend more time in training people for spiritual obstetric ministries equipping people for spiritual baby health care only then will there be less spiritual infant mortality.
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Establish a Right Relationship

The person who accepts the responsibility of nurturing and/or discipling a new convert must first establish and maintain a good relationship with those whom he or she is following up. Consider the following suggestions made by L.I.F.E. Ministries: 1. Trust the Holy Spirit to use you and the many opportunities available to follow-up and disciple many people. 2. Do not feel that you must push those who are slow to develop. Pray for them to mature, and, in the meantime, keep on evangelising and following up those who are responsive. 3. To develop good rapport with the person you are following-up, consider these suggestions: a) b) c) d) e) f) Be faithful in prayer for him (Philippians 1:7, 8). Be a friend to her (Proverbs 18:34). Share your life as well as your message (I Thessalonians 2:6, 7). Set a pattern of conduct worthy for him to follow (Philippians 4:9). Accept the individual on the basis of love and trust, rather than performance. Let her see that you are interested in her and are not just looking at her as a number. She needs to know that she is important to you and that you are always available. Sympathise with personal problems and relate them to Christ. Such problems as family, making friends, goal in life, job or studies, etc. Never chide him or laugh at his questions. Never be negative about her or any other person, group or organisation. Do things together. Communicate to him that you are anxious to help him grow in his faith, but that you are not going to pressure him. Encourage him to express to you any questions or misunderstandings that he may have. Encourage her to share with others what God has done.
g) h) i) j) k)
l)
Caring For Ourselves

All of our learning about evangelism is useless unless at the same time we develop an effective and disciplined spiritual life that undergirds our ministry and protects us from becoming drawn away from Christ by the environment in which we are called to work. John Stott, in Motives and Methods in Evangelism, helps us to see this need when he writes: We must be in living contact both with people and with God. Every Christian is caught up in this tension. The temptation is either to make contact with the world that we lose contact with God; or to develop our contact with God that we lose touch with the world. We must constantly remind ourselves that our Christian calling is both to abide in Christ and to live in the world. To abide in Christ without living in the world is to abandon the world to its own ruin; to live in the world without abiding in Christ is to bring ruin upon ourselves. Unless we abide in Christ, we have no testimony to bear; unless we live in the world, we have no-one to whom to bear it. We must, therefore, learn to live according to Scripture in the two dwelling places which God purposes for His people, namely the world and Jesus Christ. Not in one without the other; but in both. Only then can the
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Scripture be fulfilled which says: He who believes in Me out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water (John 7:38). In the passage that follows, Jesus emphasises the relationship between abiding in Him and bearing much fruit "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vine dresser. Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, He takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already made clean by the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. If a man does not abide in Me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Fathers commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full (John 15:1-11).
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Progressive Goals for Discipling

In helping a new disciple to grow into maturity there are needs to be met, definite goals to be accepted, and a progressive order to be followed as shown below:
1. Help the new believer receive assurance of salvation and acceptance with God. 2. Help the new believer develop a disciplined and consistent devotional life. 3. Help the new believer to find stability in and through an understanding of basic biblical principles. 4. Help the new believer become integrated into the life of the local church, by both giving and receiving ministry, drawing on grace through Word and Sacrament, belonging to a small group, and participating in corporate worship. 5. Help the new believer develop Christ-likeness in their daily walk. 6. Help the new believer to discern his own ministry gifts and begin to serve in the church, and in particular, to learn to share his faith with others. 7. Help this person to become independent of the person responsible for discipling them and in-turn making themselves available to assist in the discipling of other new believers. 8. Prayerfully support the newly discipled person as they accept responsibilities, both in their small group and the wider church and by active discipleship in the world.
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Session 5: Helping a Friend Respond to God

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Reva NG Jan 2012

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TRAINING SERIES

CELLS-CHURCH CONSULTANTS INTERNATIONAL

CELLS-CHURCH CONSULTANTS INTERNATIONAL

SHARING THE GOSPEL THROUGH DIALOGUE.................................................................. 20

GETTING THE MESSAGE RIGHT ...................................................................................... 28

HELPING A FRIEND RESPOND TO GOD ........................................................................... 36

Explaining Relational Evangelism

Why Should We Evangelise?

Why Did They Evangelise?

Gratitude and Privilege

How Else Shall They Know?

Privilege Carries Responsibility

Why Dont We Go?

Personal Experience of God

I dont know enough

Im not the type

Im not good enough

Its a Shared Responsibility

Most of the People Drown

Discussion in your small group

Session 1: Explaining Relational Evangelism

Relational Evangelism Responds Appropriately

Presence, Proclamation and Persuasion

Questions we must ask ourselves

Guidelines for Sharing Gods Love

Person One: The one who invites an invitation

Person Two: The one who shows an interest

Person Three: Our uninterested friend or relative

Person Four: Our uninterested neighbour

Person Five: The one with whom we come into contact

Person Six: The one who opposes what we believe

Person Seven: The nominal Christian

Person Eight: Our children

Person Nine: Our non-Christian spouse

Person Ten: A person with an obvious need

Communicating In and Through Relationships

Building Bridges of Friendship

Being Good News

Discussion in your small group

Session 2: Friendship Evangelism Responds Appropriately

Sharing the Gospel through Dialogue

Following the Lords Example

Principle 1: Contact others socially (John 4:1-7)

Principle 2: Establish a common interest (John 4:7-8)

Principle 3: Arouse interest (John 4:9-15)

Principle 4: Dont rush things (John 4:10-15)

Principle 5: Dont condemn (John 4:16-19)

Principle 6: Dont get sidetracked (John 4:20-26)

Principle 7: Bring them to a direct confrontation of Christ

Understanding the Gospel

1. This is God's world

2. What is God like?

3. What is mankind like?

MONEY THE OCCULT

4. What God has done

5. What Jesus has done

6. What must we do?

Discussion in your small group

Session 3: Sharing the Gospel through Dialogue

Getting the Message Right

His Message in Our Words

Mans Dilemma and Gods Action

Barrier one: A debt of sin