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THIS BOOK BELONGS TO:
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CONTENTS 5
A WORD FROM GREG
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WHY SHARE THE GOSPEL?
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WHAT KEEPS US FROM SHARING?
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FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS: ANNE ARUNDEL & TALBOT CO.
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WHAT IS THE GOSPEL?
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THE THREE ESSENTIALS
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SHARING THE GOSPEL
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A. BRINGING JESUS INTO THE CONVERSATION
B. CLEARLY COMMUNICATE THE GOSPEL: MODIFIED BRIDGE
C. FOLLOW UP
WHAT’S NEXT?
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A WORD FROM GREG Welcome to Bay Area’s training on how to share the Gospel!
Jesus invites us into the greatest adventure of all time: being used by God to help advance His kingdom. At Bay Area, we have a saying: “Every one a missionary!” As missionaries, we are called to make disciples of Jesus. This happens when people who do not know Jesus trust Him for their salvation and grow in Christlikeness. As missionaries, it is our privilege and responsibility to share the Gospel. Let me ask you a question: What is the greatest thing that has ever happened to you? When you reflect on that question, the answer is obvious: Placing your faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior. At that moment your sins were forgiven. You were redeemed and reconciled with God. You became a child of God, receiving eternal life. You were placed “in Christ” and blessed with every spiritual blessing. You were indwelt with the Spirit, made eternally secure, adopted into the family of God, and many other things. If this is true, then here is a follow up question: What is the greatest thing that you could ever do for someone else? Upon reflection, the answer is again obvious: To help them come to know Jesus. Yet, most of us struggle to verbally share the Gospel. As a result, we miss out on being fully used by God to help change the world for Christ. This is where our Share the Gospel training comes in. It removes one of the roadblocks to witnessing: namely, the lack of knowledge in how to share. I hope that you will give yourself fully to this training. Thank you for taking time to become better equipped in communicating the Good News of Jesus! God desires to use you to see loved ones, friends, neighbors, co-workers and others come to know the saving grace of Jesus. From here to the nations,
Greg St. Cyr Lead Pastor SHARE T HE G OSPE L 5
WHY SHARE THE GOSPEL? Jesus instructed us to.
You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. Acts 1:8
Repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations. Luke 24:47
As the Father sent me, even so I am sending you. John 20:21
It’s a matter of life and death.
God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. 1 John 5:11-12
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WHAT KEEPS US FROM SHARING? FEAR OF FAILURE What if I don’t say the right thing? What if they don’t accept Christ after I share? These are legitimate fears that can keep us silent. Yet we must trust that our job is simply to share; the rest is up to God.
LACK OF CARE The simple yet harsh reality is that we lack an authentic and deep love for our lost friends and family, as well as for God. Our busy schedules and own desires dictate where and how we spend our time. We often don’t create the time or space to talk about spiritual things with those who need it most.
LACK OF TRAINING OR PREPARATION Sometimes we simply don’t know what to say. What if someone asks a hard question and I don’t know the answer? How can I possibly articulate what Jesus did on the cross? We hide behind our lack of knowledge and allow it to keep us from sharing. Yet we should always be prepared to share the reason for the hope within us (1 Peter 3:15).
RELIANCE ON SELF We put too much pressure on ourselves to do all the heavy lifting. But we are incapable without the power of the Holy Spirit! God gives us this Helper who powers the work of evangelism. We can look to and rely on Him to help us be obedient to sharing.
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IN ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY
DO NOT KNOW JESUS
Of the 540,000 people living in Anne Arundel County, we estimate that just over 100,000 are believers. This means over 81 percent of our community does not know Jesus. More than 440,000 people around us desperately need to hear the Gospel.
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DO NOT KNOW JESUS
IN TALBOT COUNTY
Of the roughly 38,000 residents of Talbot County, from our research approximately 23 percent are believers. The remaining 29,000 people who live in and around Easton need to hear the message of God’s love and forgiveness in Christ.
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God wants to use you to reach the people He has placed within your influence in your neighborhood, workplace, sports team and life. Who do you know that needs to hear about Jesus? List five people below and keep them in mind throughout this training:
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WHAT IS THE GOSPEL? We simply define the gospel as the good news that through faith in Jesus, whose death and resurrection paid our penalty for sin, we have new, eternal life.
Our goal is to help equip you to clearly share the gospel, whether it’s with someone you know or have just met.
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THE
ESSENTIALS TO SHARING
BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. - Acts 1:8 God’s Spirit fills us when we surrender to Him, confess our sin, and step out in faith to obey whatever Jesus tells us to do (Ephesians 5:18). When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, God gives us power, boldness and wisdom to tell others about Jesus (Acts 4:31).
BE FAITHFUL IN PRAYER First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people … God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. - 1 Timothy 2:1,4 The god of this world, Satan, has blinded the minds of unbelievers so they are unable to see the light of the Gospel (2 Corinthians 4:4). Our response is to faithfully pray and ask the Lord to open their eyes to the glory of Christ as we step out in faith to share the Gospel.
BE PREPARED TO SHARE 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. - 1 Peter 3:15 You don’t need a seminary education to tell others about Jesus. Though the Gospel is deeper than we could ever fully grasp, it is simple enough for a child to understand. Just like any other skill, sharing the Gospel requires practice. The more you practice, the better you become in communicating the greatest gift anyone could ever receive. Bill Bright, the founder of Cru, has shared the Gospel with countless people. He defined successful witnessing as…
TAKING THE INITIATIVE IN THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO SHARE CHRIST AND LEAVING THE RESULTS TO GOD. 12 S H ARE T H E GO S P EL
SHARING THE GOSPEL OUR GOAL IN SHARING THE GOSPEL IS TO HELP PEOPLE REALIZE THREE THINGS: We believe we are sinners. We believe Jesus died for our sins so we could be forgiven. We believe He is Lord over our lives. There are a variety of ways to share this message of Jesus. As a church family, we have selected the following way because of its simplicity and clarity.
1. BRING JESUS INTO THE CONVERSATION: Sharing Jesus involves having the courage to say the “J” word. Funny how we find it easy to talk about “God” or “church,” but as soon as we bring up “Jesus” emotions elevate. One of the challenges in sharing the Good News is knowing how to segue into a spiritual conversation. An easy way to transition into the Gospel is by asking these simple questions: “Are you interested in spiritual things?”
If yes, “What is it about spiritual things that interests you?”
If no, “Most people are. Why aren’t you interested in spiritual things?”
“Has anyone ever shared with you the core beliefs of the Christian faith?”
If yes, “What do you think about it?”
If no, “May I share it with you?”
2. CLEARLY COMMUNICATE THE GOSPEL: THE MODIFIED BRIDGE: Our Gospel training has been adapted from the Navigators’ “Bridge to Life” and the “3 Circles” developed by Jimmy Scroggins. There are four parts to this illustration, all centered around one simple yet profoundly theological verse: For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. - Romans 6:23 The conversation begins with something very relatable: BROKENNESS. We live in a world marked by brokenness. Next, the brokenness of the world is contrasted with GOD’S PERFECT DESIGN. When God created the world, everything was perfect and flourishing. Because of sin, humankind experiences separation from God and all of the accompanying brokenness. Thankfully, God’s solution to bridge that separation is found in the Gospel of Jesus, which can be clearly shared using Romans 6:23. SHARE T HE G OSPE L 13
PART
1
BROKENNESS
We start the illustration by drawing a stick figure on the left side of our page with the word “brokenness” over it.
Explain the following simple truths about brokenness:
THE WORLD IS BROKEN. Communicate the current brokenness that you see in the world such as poverty, war, relational pain, addictions, natural calamities, sickness, etc. Give examples of how people try to alleviate brokenness by numbing or escaping from pain.
WE ARE BROKEN. Be authentic and share some of the brokenness in your own life. Then ask this key question: “How have you experienced brokenness in your life?”
NO ONE CAN ESCAPE THE EFFECTS OF BROKENNESS. We all experience the fallout of brokenness, and contribute to the brokenness of the world.
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PART
2
GOD’S PERFECT DESIGN
On the right side of the page, write the word “God” and above it “Perfect Design.”
Explain the concepts of God’s design, His holiness and sin:
GOD’S ORIGINAL DESIGN WAS PERFECT AND GOOD. God’s creation was perfect in every way! Everything was good. The world was characterized by harmony and flourishing. This is because…
GOD IS GOOD AND HOLY. Because God is good, He can do nothing bad or evil. And because God is holy, He is completely separate from sin. Through sin brokenness entered our world.
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GOD’S PERFECT DESIGN
(continued)
Draw a chasm showing the separation between humankind and God and write the word “sin” below the bottom of the chasm.
DEFINE SIN. Sin is any attitude or action that is contrary to the will of God.
Explain that sin results in separation from God and the brokenness we experience. Fortunately, God doesn’t leave us in our brokenness. This is where the Good News of Jesus comes in.
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PART
3
THE GOSPEL
Begin by writing Romans 6:23 above the diagram.
Below the “Brokenness” side of the chasm, write the words wages, sin and death.
EXPLAIN WAGES, SIN AND DEATH. Wages are a payment that is due. What are the “earnings” of a life apart from God? It is called sin.
Sin is any attitude or action that is displeasing to God. Because of sin, we earn death.
Death refers to separation. Both physical and spiritual death are the result of sin.
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THE GOSPEL
(continued)
Below the “God’s Perfect Design” side of the chasm, write the words free gift, God and eternal life.
EXPLAIN THE FREE GIFT OF GOD: ETERNAL LIFE. In contrast to wages due, we are offered a gift that is absolutely free. God is the giver of this free gift. He graciously offers it to us. What is the free gift God offers us? The free gift is the gift of eternal life. Clarify that eternal life refers to a quality of life. It is life in relationship and harmony with our Creator God. Eternal life refers to a full and meaningful life now and for all eternity.
PAUSE All that has been shared so far is leading up to the unique role the Lord Jesus Christ plays in our salvation. At this point you need to be as clear as you can about the Person and Work of Jesus. Ask and answer this key question: “Where is this free gift of eternal life found?” Underline in Romans 6:23 and explain that the free gift of eternal life is found “in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
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PART
4
THE CROSS
Draw a cross that bridges the chasm of sin and write “Jesus” on the cross.
Draw an arrow showing Christ’s Incarnation and another arrow showing his Resurrection and say, “God provides for us to be saved through the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus.”
Explain that God took on flesh and dwelt among us. On the cross, Jesus died for us, paying our sin debt. He was buried and on the third day rose from the dead, showing Himself victorious over sin, death and all of our brokenness.
Now communicate that in order for us to have our sins forgiven and receive the free gift of eternal life, we have to place our faith in Christ Jesus the Lord.
Salvation involves repenting (changing my mind and turning from my sin) and believing (placing my trust and confidence) in Jesus as my Savior and Lord.
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THE CROSS
(continued)
Draw an arrow across the chasm from man to God and write the words “repent & believe.”
Explain that through faith in Jesus, our sins are forgiven and we become God’s children. We are now able to pursue God’s perfect design for our lives. As we grow in our faith, God will use us to help heal the brokenness that others experience because of their separation from Him.
Now comes the moment of decision. There are two key questions to ask: In light of what I’ve shared, who, in your opinion, is Jesus? This question enables you to clarify their understanding of Jesus and the Gospel. If they are clear on the person and work of Jesus, then ask the following question: Would you like to place your faith in Jesus as your Savior and Lord? If the person is ready to trust Jesus, lead them in a simple prayer such as: “Lord Jesus, I need You. I am a sinner who has been controlling my own life. I believe that you are the Son of God who died on the cross and rose again so that I could have my sins forgiven and receive eternal life. Right now I repent of my sins and believe in You as my Savior and Lord. Take control of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be. Amen.”
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FOLLOW UP IF SOMEONE TRUSTS IN JESUS, DO THE FOLLOWING: Enthusiastically welcome them to the family! Share with them that they are now a part of the family of God and are a brother or sister in Christ. Read with them 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 and answer the following: What has taken place? Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. - 2 Corinthians 5:17 How did this come about? He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. - 2 Corinthians 5:21 Who are we now? Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. - 2 Corinthians 5:20 Set up a follow-up meeting: When can we meet again? Where? Who will you share the Good News with and invite to our meeting?
IF SOMEONE IS NOT YET READY TO TRUST JESUS, DO THE FOLLOWING: Don’t get discouraged! Remember the definition of successful witnessing: Taking the initiative in the power of the Holy Spirit to share Christ and leaving the results to God. Ask if they have questions. They might need time to think about what you’ve presented to them. That’s okay! Simply ask if they have any questions about what you’ve shared. Pray continually for them. Ask God to remove any roadblocks standing in the way of the individual’s belief. Pray for future opportunities to answer questions and share the Gospel again. Follow Up If you are already friends, continue to spend time together. Be available to answer any questions that might stem from the spiritual conversation. Introduce them to other believers. If it is someone you just met, extend an invitation to meet and discuss the Gospel again in the future. Try to establish a friendship.
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WHAT’S NEXT? INVEST IN THE LOST Earlier, you identified a few people you know who need to hear the Gospel. In the left column below, rewrite their names. On the right, brainstorm ways you can invest in their lives in order to serve, love and share the Gospel with them. IDENTIFY
INVEST
Begin to pray daily for those on your list. Share your list with your Missional Community, family or friends. Pray together and encourage one another in opportunities to share the Gospel. Practice sharing the Gospel. To develop skill in anything, you need “reps.” Over the next 21 days, practice sharing the Gospel with family, friends and people in your Missional Community. Become a trainer of others. You can help multiply the spread of the Good News by training others in this simple Gospel presentation! Who do you know that you could train?
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EVERY ONE A MISSIONARY! As missionaries, it is our privilege and responsibility to share the saving message of the Gospel. It is the greatest gift we could possibly share! May God use you to see many people come to know the love and forgiveness available through the Lord Jesus Christ.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. - Romans 1:16
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NOTES:
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