Excerpts from the bookBECOMING A CONTAGIOUS CHRISTIAN

By Bill Hybels and Mark Mittelberg

SESSION 1RELATIONAL EVANGELISM

1. Authentic/genuine/real- Effective evangelism flows out of a genuine, living relationship with Christ where His love for

lost people passes through us to others. Christianity’s truthfulness is demonstrated by a life that has been noticeably marked by God’s love and leadership. Jesus said that as we “abide in Him” we will “bear much fruit” (Jn 15:5). Joe Adrich said in his book, Lifestyle Evangelism, that “Christians are to be good news before they share the good news.”

2. Natural - Instead of trying to be something we are not, Relational Evangelism reflects our own

personality and design. If it fits who we are! This puts others at ease and gives them the assurance that what we have is real and worth looking into.

3. Personal- When it comes to reaching people who need Christ, there are two possible approaches:

personal or impersonal. People today seem to be growing immune to many of the less personal methods of communication such as tracts, religious radio and television, billboards, bumper stickers. People are, however open to talking with personal friend.

- Think of what we do when we need advice on an important decision or need help with the problem we are going through. Where do we turn? Generally, we talk to someone we know and trust. If it is true of us, it is certainly true to non believing people we know. They don’t want to talk about personal matters, especially spiritual issues, with just anyone; they want to confide in a faithful friend.

4. Verbal- We are talking about Relational Evangelism, which involves more than just building

friendships and hoping that others notice the difference in our lives and figure it out for themselves.

- Paul said in Romans 10:14; And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?

- For people to really get the message, someone has to go and explain it to them. Just as words without actions are empty, so are actions without words. Live and explain the Gospel.

5. Process-Oriented - To be effective we must not inappropriately rush or push a person. It takes time to understand

the message, believe it, and act on it. Seldom do people hear the message for the first time and commit their lives to Christ. We must patiently bring people along, step by step.

6. Team-Oriented

- God rarely uses just one person to bring someone through the entire process of coming to faith in Him. More often He orchestrates a number of people, places, and events to lovingly move a person toward Christ. There are two implications to this.

First, we do not have to feel that we individually carry the full burden of leading family and friends all the way to the point of trusting Christ. Cliff Knechtle, an effective open-air evangelist, put it this way:

“A person’s coming to Christ is like a chain with many links. There is the first, middle links and a last link. There are many influences and conversations that precede a person’s decision to convert to Christ. I know the joy of being the first link at times, a middle link usually, and occasionally the last link. God has not called me to only be the last link. He has called me to be faithful and love all people.

It is encouraging to know we can be a link or two in a link that God himself is forging. And it is exciting that all the “links” from first to last can celebrate together along with the angels in heaven (Luke 15:7, 10) when a person finally crosses the line of faith.

The second implication is that it is strategic to intentionally partner with other Christians to “link up” our strengths and abilities in order to lead people to Christ.

7. “Putting Others First”- If we want to win people’s trust and gain opportunity to express our beliefs, we need to put

that person first.- This means deferring to their interests, hobbies, schedules, and openness. It means listening

to their opinions before giving ours and taking an interest in their backgrounds, stories, questions, doubts, and frustrations.

- It means asking them about themselves, what they like or dislike, believe or disbelieve, value or do not value, and then listening to them and being interested in what makes them who they are.

- Putting them first earns us the right to talk about our own interests, which eventually would include our spiritual interests.

- People are hungry to be in a relationship with someone who really cares about them. Using the principle of “Putting Others First” is critical in building those types of relationships.

SESSION 2PEOPLE MATTER TO GOD

1. The parable of the Lost Sheep – Luke 15:1-72. The parable of the Lost Coin – Luke 15: 8-103. The parable of the Lost Son – Luke 15:11-314. The salvation story of the criminal – Luke 23:39-43

Impact List

1. Carefully consider the person in your life to whom you could give concentrated effort in the attempt to bring them to the next step in the evangelism process.

2. List the names of these people in the space below.

a. _________________________________________________

b. ___________________________________________

c. ___________________________________________

d. ___________________________________________

Pray for the People on Your Impact List

Begin to pray for the people on your IMPACT LIST. Ask God to work in their lives and to give you wisdom on hoe to effectively work in their lives and give you wisdom on how to effectively reach out to them. In praying for them, keep in mind the following three areas:

THEMAsk God to:

Pull them toward Himself Open their eyes to the emptiness of life without Him Help them see their need for forgiveness Remove the confusion they have about Him and the life HE offers Help them grasp the meaning and importance of the cross of Christ Open the person’s heart to God’s love and truth

YOU Ask God to:

Help you live a consistent and attractive Christian life Make you authentic and honest as you deal with life’s ups and downs Give you wisdom in knowing how to approach the relationship Expand your knowledge so you will be ready to define and defend the Gospel

message Grant you appropriate boldness and courage Use to help lead this person into a relationship with Christ

US Ask God to:

Cause depth and trust to grow in the relationship Open doors for spiritual conversations Guide those conversations in pace, frequency and content

SESSION 3PERSONAL BENEFITS OF A CONTAGIOUS CHRISTIAN

1. Adventure God loves to stretch us beyond our comfort zone and challenge us to take risks on

the front lines of His kingdom advancement.

“The Christian life is one of faith, where we find ourselves routinely overdriving our headlights but knowing it’s okay because God is in control and has a purpose behind it.”

Matt 10:16- I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

2. Purpose begin to see the hands of God even behind difficult events and circumstances Realize that what we do each day has a meaning in the big picture of God’s plan.

3. Fulfillment There’s nothing more satisfying than effectively furthering God’s redemptive

purpose for humanity. 2 Pet 3:9 - The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness,

but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

John 4:34- Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.

4. Spiritual Growth You’ll be encourage to learn more about God Become prayerful The desire to worship God grows It helps you maintain a high standard of conduct You’ll realize the importance of the task of the church

5. Spiritual Confidence The desire to increase in knowledge The desire to reach out even to those seemingly unreachable.

6. Enduring investments “How often could you expend your time and energy than investing it in people,

many of whom will thank for the eternity in heaven? Matt 6:19-20: "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and

where thieves break in and steal; “but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

2 Pet 3:10-11: But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,

8. The honor of being God’s Agent Acts 1:8: "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be

witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.'' God has bestowed on you the honor of being His spokesperson.

SESSION 4THE COST OF CONTAGIOUS CHRISTIANITY

1. Time and Energy

- in building relationships- in showing Christian care and compassion- praying consistently

2. Reading and study

- be sure you know what you’re talking about- taka some bible study- read related books

3. Money

- Matt 6:20-21: "but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

- Invest on souls

4. Risk of Embarrassment, Rejection, or Persecution

- Matt 5:11-12: "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. "Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

- Gal 6:9: And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

5. It Complicates your life

- it entangles us in the concerns and activities of their lives- added load to a complicated life

SESSION 5A FORMULA FOR IMPACTING YOUR WORLDHP + CP + CC = MI Where: HP = High potency CP= Close proximity CC = clear communication MI = maximum impact

1. A Divine Plan Maximum Impact is to have the greatest spiritual influence possible on those

around us. Acts 1:8: "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be

witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.'' 2 Cor 5:19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their

trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

Matt 28:19-20: "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.'' Amen.

2. A New View of Salt Matt 5:13. "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.

Salt spices things up Salt preserves, it holds back decay It stimulates thirst Salt requires both potency and proximity to do its thing “…unless salt gets poured out of the shaker, it remains a mere table influence.”

3. A Lesson from Light Matt 5:14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.

It makes things visible and helps us see them for what they really are. 2 Cor 4:5-6 5. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your

servants for Jesus' sake. For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

It Illuminate: explaining the message of forgiveness and grace with precession and accuracy.

SESSION 6HIGH POTENCYMatt 5: 15. Don't hide your light! Let it shine for all; let your good deeds glow for all to see, so that they will praise your heavenly Father.

High Potency- a strong enough concentration of Christ’s influence in our lives that His power and presence will be undeniable to others.

Perception of people re: Christians

sort of uptight and narrow rigid types sort of isolated I don’t know them well because they’re in their own world I feel like I’m being condemned every time I walked with them Just too self-righteous. Bunch of hypocrites

It should be:

people of integrity and moral courage filled with compassion they tell the truth you can count on them to shoot straight with you.

A letter written by a relatively new Christian to person whose life had influenced hers so greatly.

“You know, when we met, I began to discover a new vulnerability, warmth and a lack of pretense that impressed me. I aw in you a thriving spirit-no signs of internal stagnation anywhere. I could tell you were a growing person and I liked that. I saw you had strong self-esteem, not based on the fluff of self-help books, but on something a whole lot deeper. I saw that you lived by convictions and priorities and not just convenience, selfish pleasure, and financial gain. And I had never met anyone like that before.

I felt a depth of live and concern as you listened to me and didn’t judge me. You tried to understand me, you sympathized and you celebrated with me, you demonstrated kindness and generosity - not just to me, but to other people, as well.

And you stood for something. You were willing to go against the grain of society and follow what you believed to be true, no matter what people said, and no matter how much it cost you. And for those reasons and a whole host of others, I found myself really wanting what you had. Now the I’ve become a Christian, I wanted to write to tell you I’m grateful beyond words of how you lived out your Christian life in front of me.”

The PREREQUISITES OF HIGH POTENCY

SESSION 7THA ATTRACTIVENESS OF BEING YOU

Just being you: Authentic Identity Psalm 139:14. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.

There can be great diversity in the body of Christ.

He wants to use you in a fashion consistent with the design HE gave you.

Don’t repress the God given uniqueness in you.

Being Real on the Inside: Authentic Emotional Life John 11:35

Don’t manipulate your emotions

People need to watch you work out your faith without discounting the everyday emotional realities of your life.

Don’t sanitize your struggles and emotions.

Being Forthright About Failure: Authentic Confession Dedicated Christians deal with their foul-ups and failures. Authentic confession is a powerful witness to the transforming power of Christ in your life. “People who are investigating Christianity don’t expect perfection from Christians. They’re

too street-smart for that! What they do hope to find is someone with the courage to confess their blunders and make things right.”

Living like we mean it: Living by genuine conviction Seekers respect and admire Christians who are not afraid to take a stand.

Defend Christianity intelligently and or live your faith openly and authentically.

Power, attractiveness, and potential of Authentic Christian life.- Be real with people- Manifest the genuine identity- Be true to your emotions- Lets humble admit errors- Stand up for what we believe

SESSION 8THE PULL OF COMPASSION Luke 10: 30-37

The call to Compassion: John 13:34-35 There’s tremendous pulling power in the expression of even a single act of kindness. And God

wants that power to draw people toward the reality of His Son As we express compassion to each other, people will recognize it as an earmark of authentic

Christianity. It helps them better understand what God is like, who His children are, and why they should personally trust Him too.

Some compassion busters Where you live – compassion breeds compassion; love produces love. Merciful environs

foster merciful attitudes. How you live – trying to maintain an unhealthy pace of life. Most people are or have at least

at heart, kind and compassionate. But things changed when they plunge into their careers, then they start raising their families, deal with ever-increasing financial demands and life keeps getting faster and faster. They feel they can’t expend precious emotional energy to dole out warmth and kindness to people who are down on their luck.

How you give – There are Christians who were so overwhelmed by God’s grace that they wanted to be conduits of His love to every troubled person they could find that they gave so excessively they were ready to give out. Caring for others should be balanced with caring for yourself.

What you received – people who regularly enjoy fresh touches of love from the hand of God are then going to turn around and extend a similar line of grace and kindness to other people.

SESSION 9THE STRENGTH OF SACRIFICE Phil 2:15

Three Sacrificial Gifts- specific areas that have the highest impact on people.1. Maximizing your Moment: Sacrifice of time ( Luke 19:1-10)

- Time, as they say, is money, and it’s becoming about as rare of a commodity.- In a world where time is precious, you make a huge statement to others when you joyfully

offer them the gift of time. - People are looking for someone who will take the time and effort required to help them come

to some solid conclusions about spiritual truth.- The sacrifice of time combined with clear communication of the truth results to another sinner

finding the Savior.

2. Reinvesting your resources: Sacrifice of resources (I Jn. 3:18)- You’ll see how overwhelmed and appreciative people feel when a generous Christian joyfully

and eagerly helps to meet their needs.- Put your faith into action on behalf of others - action that require some investments – and

watch the return He’ll bring in the form of changed lives.

3. Modeling over the long haul: Sacrifice of a consistent, godly lifestyle (Rom 12:1-2)- There are people who need to watch a Christian live out his faith over a substantial period of

time before they’ll be convinced the whole thing was true. Others watched and they keep score of our moral and spiritual consistency, often without even realizing they’re doing so.

- We have to keep on living a life that manifests the working of Christ inside.- The need to have integrity in every area of our lives.

SESSION 10POTENTIAL OF CLOSE PROXIMITY BUILDING RELATIONSHIIPS Luke 5:29

People Groups1. People we already know

- family- neighbors- friends- work associates- others

Include them in the activities we are already doing like sharing a meal, watching the game, etc.

Organize a social event strategically designed to mix our unchurched friends with some of our Christian friends to facilitate their interaction and do some relationship building.

Spend time interacting with them socially. As we do this, we begin to build trust and communicate on a more personal level-which increases the opportunity we will have to talk about spiritual matters.

2. People we used to know- schoolmates- former work associates- previous neighbors- friends with whom we’ve lost touch- others

Call them out of curiosity. Call them for fun. But in the process, prayerfully watch for opportunities to inject into the conversation some of the changes God has affected in your life. They’ll probably be more interested than you’d expect.

3. People we would like to know- civic groups- grocery stores- restaurants- clothing shops- community organization- gas stations- others

Approach the people working in these places not as objects to serve us but as people who matter to God who are worthy of our love and concern.

Frequent visit to these places with the right attitude of a contagious Christian can build a closer relationship.

Over time, we’ll begin to earn their trust and stimulate their curiosity about what it is that makes us different from so many other customers who don’t seem to care about them at all.

SESSION 11POINTS TO REMEMBER

1. Pray - As you make contact with people, ask God who He wants you to develop friendship with. Ask

the Holy Spirit to lead you to those people He has prepared for you to come alongside of, and to help you assess where they are spiritually- what they are ready for, and what they are not ready for.

- One note of caution. Many of us unknowingly jump to the conclusion that God would only bring people into our lives that would be difficult to relate to. He obviously ask us to love others that we do not necessarily have affinity with, but he also gives us permission…and may even want us… to develop relationship with people we like! Keep this in mind when you are praying for God’s leading.

2. Listen- Most of us have heard this but we often fail to practice it. We cannot build authentic

relationships without being great listeners.- This means taking a genuine interest in them, their life and their concerns…and showing them

respect. It also means being transparent or vulnerable with them. Most people have very few friends who care enough to listen to them, take the time to really understand, and who will share personal matters with them. This is our chance to get on that short list by showing that we care.

3. Build on Areas of Common Ground

- This is similar to interests or activities you are both involved with. It could be that your friends are of the same group, that you are in the same line of work, or that you both have similar tastes in music. It could be similar struggles or problems you both have or used to have. Whatever area is that you have in common, discover and develop it. Plan activities or get into deeper conversations based on those areas of common ground.

4. Mention Spiritual Matters Early - For example, if you are asked what activities you are involved with, you might mention a Bible study you are part of or a Christian book you are reading. This is so that later on, when you bring up spiritual matters in-depth, it will not be a surprise. It also plants seeds for those future spiritual conversations.

SESSION 12THE POWER OF CLEAR COMMUNICATION

Starting Spiritual ConversationRomans 10:17 - So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Motivation in starting Spiritual Conversation1. Heart-felt assurance that not only is your life better now than it was before you knew God, but the

lives l of others will be better too.2. The desire to spread His message.

Method on starting Spiritual Conversation1. The DIRECT METHOD

- It doesn’t wait for opportunities; it creates them.- Raise straightforwardly spiritual topics and see if the person is interested in talking about it.

“If you want to know the difference of religion and Christianity, let me know and I’ll be happy to talk to you about it.”

“I’m curious, do you ever think about spiritual matter?” “Who, in you opinion, was Jesus Christ?” “What’s your spiritual background?” “What do you think a real Christian is?” ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________

2. The INDIRECT METHODTake some element of the discussion topic and utilizes it to turn the conversation towards matter of God, the church, or faith

- Business

“How’s your year going?”…”well financially, okay; family-wise, pretty well; spiritually, things are great. Which one do you want to talk about?”

- Hobbies and spare time.

- Nature- Music- Sports- Shared struggles- Holidays

3. The INVITATIONAL METHOD- Be very careful to select events (whether concerts, plays, movies, church services) that you’re

confident will be done with excellence and with sensitivity toward outsiders.- Give them details about the event.- Offer them a ride.

Overriding Principles1. Pray Hard

- There is no substitute for consistent prayer.- Ask God not only to give you wisdom and to guide your words, but also to help others be

open and interested. 2. Talk to people Individually

- It’s easier to talk to people one-on-one so that they won’t be embarrassed or concerned about the opinions of anyone who’s listening.

3. Attract Curiosity- Don’t feel like you always have to bring up your faith is a direct fashion.- Drop hints and create curiosity the way Jesus did when he mentioned living water to the

woman at the well. 4. Seize split second opportunity

- be prepared to use every provided opportunity to raise topics of faith and be able to discuss it. 5. Don’t underestimate their degree of interest - share what we have to those who so desperately in need.

COMMUNICATION TIPS1. Don’t give a Speech

- People want to talk with you, not be talked at by you. Sometimes when we get an opportunity to talk about our faith, we get a little excited and blurt out a monologue of what we think they need to hear. But now that you’re aware of the danger, do whatever you can to prevent it.

- The best way to avoid shifting into speech-is to ask questions first and then listen attentively to the answers. Then when it’s your turn to talk, watch the other person to see if they’re following you.

- If they look confused, stop and ask them whether what you’re saying makes sense to them. Get their perspective on the matter.

- Show respect for the other person, learn more about what they believe, and earn the right to express more of your thoughts.

2. Give it in Doses- Giving too much information at once is another problem we might encounter. - When someone shows interest in your faith, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they want all the

details.- We must give them just enough to satisfy their thirst.

3. Be bold

- Learn on the strength and wisdom that the Holy Spirit provides. With love in your heart, take a deed breath, look them in the eye, say it to them straight, and see where God takes it.

- People will respect you for not beating around the bush. They’re looking at something that makes sense, and they want to hear it from someone who really believes what they’re saying.

SESSION 13MAKING THE MESSAGE CLEARFour Points to Ponder

1. GOD - He is loving – 1 John 4:16b

Out of His compassion He made us and desires to have a relationship with us. Even though we’re sinners who have rebelled against Him, He continues to

patiently extend His love to us.- He is holy – I Pet. 1:15-16

This means that He is absolutely pure; and He is separate from everything that is impure.

Under normal lighting, our lives tend to look pretty good, with no serious moral flaws or blemishes. But then God comes and shines the brilliant light of His Holiness on our actions, thoughts, and intentions and exposes what’s not acceptable to Him.

- He is just. 2 Thess. 1:6 He is like a good judge who can’t wink at a broken law. He must punish rebellion, sin, and imperfection because a good judge does not let

lawbreaker go without paying for their misdeeds. He is a perfect judge who will dispense justice to everyone fairly.

2. Us

- We were created good but became SINFUL ( Rom 3:23) The human race was originally created good, but became sinful as a result of Adam

and Eve’s rebellion against God’s law. All of us continue to rebel against God and break His laws.

- We deserve DEATH, both physical and spiritual.( Rom 6:23) God’s holiness exposes us for what we are and His justice deals fairly with the sins

we’ve committed. Unfortunately, the seriousness of our sin requires God to pronounce upon us the

death penalty. This means both physical death and spiritual death, which is separation from God in a place called hell.

- We are spiritually .(Isaiah 64:6) We are spiritually HELPLESS to initiate any action that can change our situation.

3. Christ- Jesus Christ is God, who also became man. ( John 1:1,14)

Jesus was uniquely able to solve our dilemma because He was both God and man. He is not only the Creator of the universe, but He also became a human being. God

actually became one of us and lived among us.

- Christ died as our SUBSTITUTE ( 1 Pet. 2:24; :3:18) Christ died in our place, as our substitute. He suffered the death penalty debt for us.

He expressed the love of God, upheld the holiness of God, and satisfied the justice of God.

He did all of that so that He could turn around and offer us His forgiveness, friendship and leadership as a gift.. The only way we can receive it is humbly bow before Him, admit our waywardness, and say yes to His incredible offer.

When we do that, our sin-debt is paid in full, and we receive the promise eternal life in heaven. We also gain the ongoing companionship of the gift-giver Himself, who will be there to lead us, guide us, and lovingly bring us correction when we need it.

- Christ offers His forgiveness as a GIFT (Eph. 2:8-9) In spite of the enormity of out debt and the high cost Jesus paid to buy us

forgiveness and new life, the whole package is offered to us freely. It is literally a gift waiting to be opened.

4. You

- You and I must RESPOND (John 1:12) The gift has been offered, but each of us must respond by receiving it. Many people are left with the impression that if they go to church, or are born into a

Christian family, or try to be moral and religious, then they are automatically made right with God.

- You and I must ASK Christ to be our FORGIVER and LEADER (1 John 1:9) This is how we need to respond. As “forgiver”, Christ takes away our death

sentence and gives us eternal life with Him. As our “LEADER”, Christ has control of our life. It is important for people to

understand that they are coming to Him not only for forgiveness of past sins, but also for the strength and guidance they will need to make a fresh start and begin living the way God wants them to live.

- Spiritual TRASFORMATION by the Holy Spirit. (2 Cor 5:17) When we respond by receiving Christ as forgiver and leader, a spiritual

transformation takes place in us. The Holy Spirit comes into our lives and changes us from the inside out so that we

begin to desire to follow Christ.

NOTE: Discuss with the group how to present the Gospel message through materials you’re going to use.

SESSION 14BREAKING THE BARRIERS TO BELIEFMark 9:24BARRIERS TO BELIEF

Misconceptions The idea that following Christ will cost you loosing everything you have: Freedom, individuality, sense of adventure any hope of fulfillment. That Christianity is anti-intellectual.

1. Poor Examples -

Some seekers usually respond with sarcasm when they meet some naïve, narrow-minded and pessimistic people who-in the name of God, the Bible or the church- condemn anything they don’t happen to like.

Tell your friends that you understand their hesitations. Tell them about the ill-founded worries you once had about following God. Although your words can go along way toward softening their prejudices, it’s what you do that will ultimately reshape their perceptions.

They need to be convinced that Christian favor love over law-keeping, truth over trivialities, and faith over frenetic religious activity. Live your life as a model and give them a new view of Christianity

2. Bad Teaching – “Misguided mental images effectively blunt people’s motivation to move toward God.” They have been taught wrong ideas. They picture God as a helpless old man, harsh and impersonal God.

Try to identify with your friend’s concern. Reflect on your own former misconceptions. Teach the Bible and encourage them to study it for themselves Encourage them to read books that faithfully portray His character.

3. Natural Fears – it blurs the picture The feeling every time you make a life –changing choice; buying a house, car, getting married etc. The idea of loosing more than gaining

Show them the benefits of being a Christian. Help them understand the goodness of being a child of God

Intellectual Roadblocks1. The accuracy of the Bible2. The Logic of Faith3. The problem of Evil4. Christianity vs. Science5. Etc.

Moral Misgivings-The issue of unwillingness to give up moral issues. Asking a lot of questions to cover other issues in life

Some seekers Try to uncover his real issue. Help him to evaluate the benefits of Christianity

“ The process may be short or it may be long, but we’ve got to stick with it, helping our friends clear away whatever barriers are standing between them and Christ”

SESSION 15EVANGELISM STYLES

A. Confrontational Style Biblical Example: Peter in Acts 2 Theme Verse : 2 Tim 4:2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.

Traits- Confident- Assertive- Direct- Skip small talks, likes to get right to the point- Has strong opinions and convictions

Cautions- Be sure to seek God’s wisdom so you will be appropriately sensitive and tactful.- Allow the Holy Spirit to restrain your desire to come on strong in every situation.- Avoid judging or laying guilt trips on others who approach evangelism with the different style.

Suggestions for using and developing this style - Ask friends for feedback on whether or not you have the right balance of boldness and

gentleness.- Prepare for the situations where you will stand alone.- Practice the principle of Putting Others First. It is critical that you listen and value what others

say before telling them what you think they need to hear- Team up with friends who have other styles that may match the personality of the person you

hope to reach.

B. Intellectual Style Biblical Example: Paul in Acts 17 Theme Verse : 2 Cor 10:5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

Traits- Analytical- Logical- Inquisitive- Likes to debate- More concerned with what people think than what they feel

Cautions- Avoid getting stuck on academic points, arguments, and evidence. They are mainly to clear

the way back to the central gospel message.- Remember that attitude is as important as information.- Avoid becoming argumentative.

Suggestions for using and developing this style- Set time aside to study and prepare ( I Pet 3:15)

- Avoid doing all your preparation on academic vacuum. Get out and talk to others. Try out your arguments and answers on real people, and make refinements as needed.

- Develop relational side.- Team up with friends who have other styles that may match the personality of the person you

hope to reach.

C. Testimonial Style Biblical Example: The Blind man in Jn 9 Theme Verse : I John 1:3a : that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us;

Traits- Clear communicator- Good listener- Vulnerable about personal life- Overwhelmed by the account of how God reached them- Sees links between their own experience and that of other people’s.

Cautions- Be sure to relate your experience to the life of your listener.- Do not stop with merely telling your story. Challenge them to consider how what you learned

might apply to their life.- Avoid downplaying the value of your story because it seems too ordinary. The ordinary story is

the kind that relates best to ordinary people.

Suggestions for using and developing this style- Practice so you will be able to tell your story without hesitation- Keep Christ and the Gospel message as the center of your story. This is an account of how

He changed your life.- Keep your story fresh by adding new and current illustrations from your daily walk with Christ.- Team up with friends who have other styles that may match the personality of the person you

hope to reach.

D. Interpersonal Style Biblical Example: Matt in Luke 5 Theme Verse : I Cor 9:22 : to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

Traits- Conversational- Compassionate- Sensitive- Friendship-Oriented- Focuses on people and their needs.

Cautions- Beware of valuing friendship over truth. Telling them they are sinners in need of savior will test

the relationship- Do not get so involved in the process of building friendships that forget the ultimate goal:

bringing people to know Christ as forgiver and leader

- Do not get overwhelmed with the amount of needs your friends might have- do what you can and leave the rest to God.

Suggestions for using and developing this style- Be patient. This style tends to work more gradually than others. Look and pray for

opportunities to turn conversations toward spiritual matters.- Continually create and plan opportunities to interact with new people through social events,

sports, etc. This will put you in a position where your style can flourish- Practice telling the gospel message so you will be prepared when opportunity arises.- Team up with friends who have other styles that may match the personality of the person you

hope to reach.

E. Invitational Style Biblical Example: The woman at the well in John 4 Theme Verse: Luke 14:23 “Then the master said to the servant, `Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.

Traits- Hospitable- Persuasive- Enjoys meeting new people- Committed ( believes in things in which he or she is involved)- Sees outreach events as unique opportunities

Cautions- Do not let others do all the talking for you. Your acquaintances need to hear how Christ has

influenced your own life. In addition, your friends have questions you could answer concerning implications of the Gospel in their own lives.

- Carefully and prayerfully consider which events or church services you take people to. Look for ones that are truly sensitive to spiritual seekers that will help them in their journey toward Christ.

- Do not get discouraged if people refuse your invitation. Their refusal could be an opportunity for a spiritual conversation.

Suggestions for using and developing this style- When inviting people, try to get written details about the event into their hands.- At events, put yourself in the place of the other person. Ask yourself whether the event would

relate to the people concerns and mindset. Reinforce those things to the person you invited.- Team up with friends who have other styles that may match the personality of the person you

hope to reach.

F. Serving Style Biblical Example: Dorcas in Acts 9 Theme Verse : Matt 5:16: "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Traits- Patient- Others-Centered- Sees needs and finds joy in meeting them

- Shows love through action more than words- Attaches value to even menial tasks

Cautions- Remember that although “words are no substitute for actions, “ “actions are no substitute for

words”- Do not underestimate the value of your service. It is your style that will reach those persons

who are the most negative and hardened toward God. Acts of loving service are hard to resist and difficult to argue with.

- Be discerning as to how much you can do realistically, without depriving yourself or your family of needed care and attention.

Suggestions for using and developing this style- Find creative, non-imposing ways to communicate the spiritual motivation behind the physical

acts of service you offer to others.- Seek God daily for opportunities to serve others for eternal purposes. He will open your eyes

to areas you would have missed. Be ready to follow His leadings, even if they seem a bit out of the ordinary.

- Be careful not to impose your service on others. Pray for wisdom so you will know where to invest your efforts in ways that will be strategic for the Kingdom of God.

- Team up with friends who have other styles that may match the personality of the person you hope to reach.

SESSION 16MAXIMUM IMPACT

CROSSING THE LINE OF FAITH

Approaching the Line of Faith

1. Assessing Interest- are they defensive or disinterested?- If so then continue conversation with caution- Tell them to ponder on the words you shared

2. Assessing Understanding- evaluate their how they responded to your questions- their interactions will tell you their level of spiritual understanding

3. Assessing their Readiness- your words and actions need to communicate to them that knowing and serving God is what

we were all created to do.- If your friend is not open to receiving Christ, then its natural for you to ask why, in the hope

that you can help them work through whatever the problem is.- Offer to pray for them and their spiritual progress right then and there, assuring them that

you’ll do the talking and they can just listen.

Crossing the Line1. Relax- God will help you lead the person to faith2. Forget about word formulas

- All the person needs is an attitude of repentance which means the desire to turn away from his sins, and a little help from you make a heartfelt request to god for His salvation.

3. Pray together – help them start the prayer- Pray aloud- to hear the content of actual prayer- lead off the prayer- Turn it over to them After your prayer tell them and go ahead and talk to God in their own words. Encourage them to focus on their need for God’s forgiveness, which Christ paid on the cross

and for His leadership. If there’s a particular area of sin that they confided to you as being troublesome in their life,

you may want to suggest they talk to God about it specifically asking Him to forgive it and to help them overcome it.

- Close the prayer

Getting Beyond the Line

1. Celebrate- talk about the significance of their decision;- Luke 15:10- “Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God

over one sinner who repents.''2. Affirm their Commitment - Explain to them that they made the biggest decision of their life.3. Paint a realistic picture- explain the reality of the ups and downs of a Christian life4. Explain steps for spiritual Growth-

- prayer- bible reading- relationship with other Christians- relationship with non-Christians

5. Provoke Long term spiritual nurturing