Adverbial: More than a Gramatical Term

Posted on December 14, 2011 by coachmc

I think the Bible teaches every Christian is supposed to act humanely (adverb) and compassionately (another adverb). If we become more adverbial in our behavior toward our neighbors, we will be showing them the love God commands of us, which is the most important step in evangelism.

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Last Minute Christmas Shopping

Posted on December 11, 2011 by coachmc

The shopping days are rapidly slipping away but there always seems to be one more gift to but.  As you think about what your family or friends would like, remember that the best gift they could ever receive is nothing you can put under their tree, for it’s not a thing, but a person. Jesus is not only the reason for the season, he’s the best Christmas Presence ever!

If you know someone who might be ready to read about the real meaning of Christmas, our special seasonal story is always online at: The Best Christmas Presence Ever, will be online until January 1st.

May the Presence that is yours already, continue to be your most treasured gift, and one God enables you to share more effectively with those you love who need Him.

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Be Open, Be Honest, Be You

Posted on December 7, 2011 by coachmc

Life is hard and ups and downs are expected.  Instead of trying to hide your fear or discouragement, let people see you seek help through prayer or the wisdom of a more mature Christian. Don’t be fake, people may have their hypocrisy radar on!

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How to Be Clear for Christ – Part I

Posted on December 2, 2011 by coachmc

The Apostle Paul, was referring to the gospel message when he asked Christians in Colossae to “Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.” (Colossians 4:2-4)

Be clear! That sounds so easy, but according to David Cho, “Every group, be it a profession, subculture, religion, or social group, has its own collective lexicon of unique jargon, understood and appreciated only by its members.”

The unique jargon used by Christians is often called Christianese, and it can be a road block to understanding for people who don’t share our spiritual heritage. With that in mind, let me propose some ideas which could improve your ability to be clear when presenting the spiritual truth about Christ.

If Paul needed God’s help, it makes sense that we do too. So, first, ask God to help you proclaim it clearly! Then spend some time practicing clarity, by selecting one or more of the ideas below.

  1. Find a Christian’s testimony online that is full of Christianese. Rewrite it, eliminating the Christianese, and give both to a friend. Ask which they think is easier to understand.
  2. Post your personal testimony on a discussion board (or your Blog if you have one), select certain words or phrases that may be difficult to understand, and ask readers to provide a clearer way to express the same thoughts.
  3. Listen to a sermon and write down the words and phrases you think could be difficult for someone who is not a Christian to understand. Take some of them and write correct, but simpler definitions.

Finally, it helps to keep a proper perspective on evangelism. Remember that being convincing is not the goal for the Christian when sharing the gospel, clarity is. When someone understands the message we’re communicating, we’ve fulfilled our role in evangelism.

In a few days, we’ll conclude our short series on How to Be Clear for Christ, by providing a few more ways to practice clarity.   Until then, for more immediate help on this subject, check out how to Stop Using Christianese, a resource article on our website.

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Do What Fuels Good!

Posted on November 30, 2011 by coachmc

For too long, the evangelistic fires that some Christians have attempted to stoke, have utilized the fuel of obligation but neglected to add love. Both are needed or the fire may grow dim and die, like a flame without oxygen.

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God Made Evangelism Easy for Us

Posted on November 23, 2011 by coachmc

How would you like it if God expected your role in evangelism to include the following three things?

  1. Arousing someone’s interest in the gospel
  2. Convicting them of their sin
  3. Dying for them

Of course, that’s not what God expects of you and me at all.

He is responsible for drawing people toward Jesus and the message of salvation; the Spirit is charged with making them aware of the burden of their sin; and Christ is the only one whose death was ever enough to save them.

With as much as God has done, we can be thankful that we’ve not been left out of the picture. Instead, He has blessed us with the privilege of explaining to people how they can receive the forgiveness of a gracious God, and given us the responsibility to do so in love, with gentleness and respect, making sure they understand what we’ve said.

God’s assignments can always be accomplished, with His help!

Posted in Confidence Builders, God the Father, God the Holy Spirit, God the Son, Sharing Christ | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Losing Heart?

Posted on November 23, 2011 by coachmc

If you’ve ever become discouraged because someone you care about seems totally disinterested in God, take heart. Your dear friend or beloved family member may seem like a hopeless case, but there is no one beyond the reach of our Mighty God! And he’s not just powerful, he can be magnificently persuasive!

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God Can be Known

Posted on November 16, 2011 by coachmc

We don’t have to be intimidated by anyone who says you can’t know that God exists. In an early letter to Christians in Rome, one of Christ’s followers claimed God could be known. He stated that “…since the creation of the world, God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made.”

His conclusion was even more startling. Because of this evidence that all humans could see and experience, he said, “men are without excuse” when they claim not to know if God exists. Romans 1:18-23

If that passage has been translated correctly and is true (and we believe it was and is), we don’t really need any more than that to be confident of God’s existence, do we? Rather than be intimidated by the disbelief of a friend, you can rejoice in what you’re convinced is true and the God who gave you the faith to believe.

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What Do People Say About You?

Posted on November 16, 2011 by coachmc

A man, who had little good to say about Christianity, once called me a humane, compassionate Christian. Though nice sounding, the words obviously identified me as an exception to other Christians he knew. He may not have known me well enough to realize that I too can be a poor example of a disciple of Christ, but he knew enough of the Bible to realize that Christians should major in the behavior of their Savior.

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What’s Visible in Your Life?

Posted on November 9, 2011 by coachmc

Just as our friends may sense our excitement about a long awaited vacation, our anticipation of a future in Christ might begin to seep out where they can see it.  And then it’s only natural to share what we’re excited about. What are you looking forward to?

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