Rapid Transit Evangelism

You can’t rely on the world to encourage you to share your faith in Christ.  You’ll have to look somewhere else.

Our local bus service has been forced to bypass a scheduled stop on their route due to road work.  That notice, posted on the bus I’m using for today’s commute, could be very helpful for someone trying to get to work on time.  But it will do nothing to point a person toward Christ.

A placard above the side windows encourage mosquito prevention, thereby reducing the spread of West Nile Virus.  It’s worthwhile news; lifesaving perhaps.  Yet it does nothing to mitigate the eternal penalty of someone without Christ.

I’m not criticizing the use of these informational signs.  They are wisely and rightfully posted.  It’s just not the responsibility of the citizens of this world to share the Savior, so reminders don’t need to be posted.  It’s the task, and equally so, privilege, of people with a citizenship reserved for them in heaven, to spread this good news.

Don’t wait for governmental agencies to prompt you to love your neighbor.  Reach out instead with the love God poured out on you at salvation and share the Savior.  Someone you love needs him!

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What Does Love Have to Do with It?

“If we love our neighbor, we shall muster all our initiative and enterprise to find ways and means of doing him good. And one chief way of doing him good is to share with him our knowledge of Christ. Thus, if we love our neighbor, we shall evangelize…” Evangelism & the Sovereighty of God; J.I. Packer

Couldn’t have said it better myself!

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Look Around, What do You See?

You wouldn’t become angry with a blind friend for stumbling over something in an unfamiliar room. Well, sin for the person without Christ, is just as unavoidable. When they trip and fall, we should be the first to help them up.

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Who Says YOU Have to Share?

Believe it or not, there’s no spiritual law against letting someone else do the talking sometime. If you’re timid, not sure of what to say, afraid you’ve already turned them off, or just want to offer a fresh perspective, here are two ways you can introduce a friend to the truth about Jesus, while staying in the background.

Evangelistic Festivals & Celebrations: Find out if the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association will be having a crusade near you and accompany a friend or family member to hear the gospel.

If you don’t know anyone who needs to be exposed to the message of salvation, you could consider volunteering for the crusade as a counselor. You’ll receive excellent training that will prepare you to share Christ with people attending the event.

Your Living Room: Don’t overlook the one place that can be very warm and inviting. Turn your entertainment center into a location where the gospel can be heard and discussed. Who knows… maybe God will grant a neighbor the gift of faith in front of your TV.

Want some ideas about home resources? Visit the Home Based Efforts page of our website.

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Twas long after Christmas…

Our seasonal celebration of Christ’s birth is over for another year, but since we still want our friends and family to receive the best Christmas Presence ever, here’s something to remember.  Wise men don’t seek Jesus anymore; drawn men do! Ask God to draw someone you love toward the Savior.

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Give the Gift of Grace

We don’t get mad at infants when they fall and get hurt while learning to walk.  Well, sin for the person without Christ, is just as unavoidable. When it happens in front of us, we’re called to give grace. It can help if we remember we once were learning to walk too.

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Helping Friends Past Spiritual Roadblocks

What if your friend seems to have come to a roadblock on their spiritual journey? They may tell you they don’t want to continue discussing your faith, or even get angry when you attempt to mention anything about Jesus.

What can you say or do, when they tell you something like, “the Bible doesn’t make sense to me”? Don’t give up, because you might be surprised at some of the options you have.

Some Strategic Options

  • Recognize the power of God – Your friend’s resistance can’t possibly be greater than God’s ability to draw them toward salvation.
  • Respond by listening – Listen with compassion to their concerns and don’t feel obligated to provide an answer; God may reply using someone else.
  • Recommit your friendship – Let them know that regardless of what they choose to believe, it won’t change the bond of friendship you share.
  • Recall similar doubts – We don’t have to present a picture perfect Christianity. If you struggled (or are struggling) with the same roadblock, don’t be afraid to tell them.
  • Rest in God’s ability to save – Could your friend be farther from the real God than this man? If not, then God can certainly save your friend.

A Final Word

Your friend is stubborn in their refusal to accept the message you’re sharing, even after you’ve tried some of our strategic options. Don’t despair!

Remember, it’s not our responsibility to make them accept. God only wants us to live out the characteristics of love in our relationship with them. He is the only One who is able to draw them toward His Son and convict them of their need for the Savior. Sometimes He gives us the privilege of being part of that miracle, and that should be enough encouragement for us!

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Romans 5:6-10

If I correctly understand this passage, and if it’s true, we were alienated from God and an enemy of his before receiving faith in Christ. The same must also be true of our friends who aren’t Christians, but their built-in enmity is not something to lose any sleep over.

Remember Saul on the road to Damascus? He hated Christians, and was personally persecuting Jesus. Yet in a moment, the unlimited power of God changed him into a willing servant, and committed follower of his former enemy.  That same power is available to change the heart of your friend or loved one who is seemingly lost without hope.

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Don’t Try to Be Smart; Be Honest

If something causes a friend to question God, stay away from pat, cliche answers. It’s ok to admit you don’t know the answer to their struggle.

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How to Be Clear for Christ – Part 2

In part one of this two-part series, we outlined three ingredients that can help make us clearer when sharing the gospel.

  1. Prayer – Paul was referring to the gospel when he asked Christians to “Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.” We can do the same…pray and ask others to pray for us.
  2. Perspective – Remember that being convincing is not the primary goal for the Christian when sharing the gospel, clarity is. The Spirit of God does the convincing, and much better than us.
  3. Practice – We gave three ideas you could try to practice sharing with clarity. (review them here)

Now we’re going to focus on a few more practical ideas to help you be a clear communicator of the message of salvation.

  • Revisit a spiritual discussion you had recently with someone and ask them if any of the words or phrases you used were Christian jargon and difficult to understand. If they point out any, try other ways of expressing the same idea until it’s clearer to them.
  • Write your testimony of salvation or a gospel presentation and send it to us for review. We’ll offer any suggestions we think might be helpful as our free gift to you, even if you’re not a subscriber to this newsletter.
  • Write your testimony of salvation or a gospel presentation and ask a friend if they’d give you some help. Give them what you wrote, and have them circle any words that don’t make sense to them and give it back to you. Find a different way of explaining the things they didn’t understand and give it back to them for a second review. Keep doing it until they clearly grasp everything you’re trying to say.

Prayer, Perspective, and Practice…that’s three ingredients for our recipe to help you excel in clarity when it comes to sharing the story of the cross. And here’s one more that will really bring out the best in the other three, Peace of Mind.

No one will fail to be saved because you or I are not clear enough when we communicate the gospel. That would mean we could foil the sovereign will of our great God. He just wants us to be as clear as possible.

As you wrap your mind around that, may God grant you all the peace of mind you’ll need to complete the recipe and create a beautifully clear gospel message for those who will hear about Christ through you.

* * * * *

If you’d like additional ideas about being clear for Christ, check out our article on Christianese.  And let us know if you use another method to practice clarity when sharing your faith…maybe we’ll share it with our readers.

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