"How Do I Get Started?" Preparation and Intentionality in Evangelism
Evangelism • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Teaching young men to start with a goal, then work backwards.
“If you aim at nothing you’ll hit it every time.”
If the goal of this class is more faithful evangelism, we need a plan to get there!
Being prepared for evangelism is not a church-growth idea or a evangelical idea, it’s a biblical idea!
1 Peter 3:13-17—Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.
Five Questions to Help Us be Prepare for Evangelism:
1. Am I Motivated?
I believe motivation is the most important human factor in evangelism.
· Not how much we know.
· Not how many lost people we know.
· Not our personality (introverted or extroverted)
· Not how much free time we have.
· Ultimately the most important human factor is having the right motivation for evangelism.
If I don’t want to, I won’t do it even if I know what to say and how to do it.
· Are there any biblical examples of this?
o Jonah! He knew what to say, where to go, and God Himself told him!
· Why do we sometimes not WANT to evangelize?
As important as motivation is, that’s not enough. We need to have the right motivation.
· What are some wrong motives for evangelism?
· Let’s consider a few of the RIGHT motives for evangelism…
o Obedience
§ Luke 6:46—“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?”
§ Matthew 28:18-20—And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
o Kindness
§ Penn Gillette is a famous magician & comedian, and also an atheist, and he says this about Christians who don’t share Christ: “If you believe that there’s a heaven & hell & people could be going to hell—or not getting eternal life or whatever—& you think that, well, it’s not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward. . . . How much do you have to hate somebody to not proselytize? How much do you have to hate somebody to believe that everlasting life is possible and not tell them that?”
§ Romans 10:1—Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.
o God’s glory
§ 1 Corinthians 10:31—So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
§ John Piper—“All of history is moving toward one great goal, the white-hot worship of God & His Son among all the peoples of the earth. Missions [and we could add, evangelism] is not that goal. It is the means.”
o What other right motivations for sharing the gospel can you think of?
2. Am I EQUIPPED?
Ephesians 4:11-12—And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ
· What knowledge and skills do you need to faithfully evangelize?
o The Gospel
o How to have a conversation with people
· Know the Gospel backwards and forwards!
o The 3AM test
o Creator > Curse > Cross > Call
· Being in this class is a step in that direction!
· How did you learn evangelism? Who were the people or what were the tools that helped you?
3. Am I AVAILABLE?
· Are you ever around non-Christians? Are you so busy that you never have time to talk to them?
· If the answer to either of those questions is yes, than you need to make some changes in your life if you’re going to obey Jesus’ command to evangelize.
· Parents/grandparents: don’t overlook your unbelieving children and family members.
· What are some ways we can engage with unbelievers more frequently?
o The Art of Neighboring street map
· What are some things we should cut out of our lives to make time to engage with unbelievers?
4. Am I TRYING?
1 Corinthians 3:6—I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.
Two simple things to try:
· Quickly and regularly mention your Christian faith.
o Not necessarily rehashing the gospel—although that’s good!
§ A comment about your Bible reading
§ A comment about your church
§ A comment about your Bible study
§ Ask someone how you can pray for them
o This will help grow your atrophied muscles to talk about spiritual things.
o And it may help create additional opportunities to say more.
· Consistently observe others and ask good questions.
o “I noticed your cross, where did you get that? What does it mean to you?”
o You can do the same things with t-shirts or tattoos.
o People wear things or get tattoos because they mean something to them, so ask.
o Be interested in other people!
5. Am I PRAYING?
Colossians 4:2-4—Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.
· Notice, Paul prays for opportunities and for clarity.
· We can and should pray for the same thing!
· Make a list of people you know who are lost and pray for them regularly
6. Am I TRUSTING?
· Are you trusting that God is the one who saves?
· Are you trusting that He uses the ordinary human means of evangelism?