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Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by agedman, Feb 8, 2018.

  1. agedman

    agedman Well-Known Member
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    This thread is to explore the specific steps you take when presenting the gospel to the lost.

    Back in the day, many used the "Romans Road” presentation.

    What do you use?

    Please be very specific about how to lead “Fred” to know Christ.

    Even present it in conversation form if you are inclined.

    The purpose is NOT to be critical, rather it is to enhance the B.B member’s own ability.

    It is a given that situations of presentation may modify an approach, however the more examples given the better the members may find a nugget to enhance the presentation of that Gospel.

    Here is a starter question.

    “Fred, do you know the Lord Jesus as your personal savior and have assurance heaven is your final abode?
     
  2. Martin Marprelate

    Martin Marprelate Well-Known Member
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    I would start by asking Fred if he knows he's a sinner.
     
  3. agedman

    agedman Well-Known Member
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    Sort of like, “Fred, everybody has done wrong, sinning against God’s standard: me, you, your neighbor, the pope, everyone.”
     
  4. Martin Marprelate

    Martin Marprelate Well-Known Member
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    I would sooner do it with questions.
    "Fred, how confident are you that if you died tomorrow you would end up in heaven?"
    "Well, I hope I've done enough."
    "What do you think would be enough?"
    "Well, I try to be kind to people, and I love my mum and......."
    "Fred, nobody has done enough to be right with God. The Bible says..........." And you take it from there.

    Of course this pre-supposes that Fred is quasi-religious. If he's an out-and-out atheist, you have to start further back.
     
  5. agedman

    agedman Well-Known Member
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    I agree.

    Much of what I used to do as I went “door to door” is now casual conversation oriented (tire shop, dr waiting room, oil change place...) where others are waiting also, and I steer the conversation into matters of estate of the believer.

    So, I tend to be a bit less question oriented and make statements in which the folks agree and then as they agree to the first, they will be more agreeable of the second point.

    “Fred, we both have agreed that we certainly have all sinned, haven’t come close to God’s standard. If I didn’t have God’s gift, I’d bust hell wide open when I die.”
     
  6. Baptist Believer

    Baptist Believer Well-Known Member
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    I begin a discussion of the gospel wherever an opportunity presents itself in conversation. Currently, one of the most effective places where people "feel" the need for God is when facing evil - whether perpetuated by a person or a natural disaster. Humankind innately understands that things are not supposed to be this way. This can easily lead to a discussion of the "where is God" question. From there, I explain the Fall and the coming judgment, where God will set everything right, destroy evil and death, and hold those who do evil accountable. Then that leads to the obvious question as to who is evil and perpetuates the evil in the world in both great and small ways. Then I point out our personal responsibility for evil and discuss how one can be changed to be a force for good in the world in Jesus, filling in details of the incarnation, teachings, death, resurrection, ascension, presence today, the work of the Spirit, the coming judgment, and the final state of those who are good and evil.

    Then I invite that person to enter the Kingdom of God -- repent and believe the gospel.

    I reject a "gospel" that is simply a minimum standard of what must happen so that one can go to heaven when one dies. I embrace a gospel that reveals the immediate availability of entering the Kingdom of God and receiving eternal life as a disciple of Jesus.
     
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  7. HankD

    HankD Well-Known Member
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    In my youth when we went door to door or did open air preaching for the most part we witnessed on a one to one basis always depending on the Holy Spirit to convict.

    We did have those on the sidelines with tracts.

    We did try methodology, Roman Road, 4 Spiritual Laws, etc but went back to an ad lib basis.

    This is how Paul did it (or so it seems). He reasoned freely with folks.

    HankD
     
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  8. Baptist Believer

    Baptist Believer Well-Known Member
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    Yes. I generally wait for an obvious opportunity or the nudging of the Spirit to share the gospel. When you do so, you find the words you speak are empowered by the Spirit and are effective.

    I don't condemn that. They are like the sower, indiscriminately sowing seed, but three of the four soils are not prepared. My concern is that many tracts reduce the gospel message down to (what is believed to be) the minimum steps one must take to go to heaven, yet pretty much ignore the teaching of Jesus and set people up to "try religion" instead of enter into an interactive teaching relationship with Christ. It is an inadvertent way to make a religious "son of hell" instead of a faithful follower of Christ who enters into eternal life.

    I think there is value in training, but not much value in a rigid method. Effective evangelism is the natural result of discipleship to Christ. If God's grace is effectively working in you, then evangelism happens quite naturally. We certainly need to be intentional about it, but nothing is forced or canned.

    Absolutely.
     
  9. agedman

    agedman Well-Known Member
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    When a person says they are too timid, don’t know what to do (or say), afraid they will “mess up” and the person not get the full or fit message about Christ, or other such excuses, i ask, “Can you tell me how you came to know the Lord Jesus Christ?

    I am reminded that Paul used his own conversion as a living testimony to the Grace of God.

    Imo, too many are timid because they honestly haven’t begun to share even that which happened to them.

    Is that not a good place to start?
     
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  10. JonC

    JonC Moderator
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    I believe the most effective method of witnessing is conversation. It is something that a brother older and wiser than I taught me on a Sunday School retreat. We decided to hike up to the top of a mountain for the view. As we walked he spoke to almost everyone we passed. He made the comment to me that if you show interest in someone most of the time they will open up to you because we all have a story that we like to tell.

    As we passed a young man sporting a team hat my friend made a comment about the last game. This evolved into a conversation where we learned about the man and his family. We passed a couple and he commented about the young lady’s shoes (which were not suitable for the trail). He commented about another’s t-shirt, etc.

    Throughout each conversation my friend listened to their story, and when it was "his turn" he shared the gospel through his testimony. When you genuinely care about others and seek to know them, and listen to their “story”, then you “earn” the right to tell your story as well. They are open to listening to you because you listened to them.

    What amazed me is how effective such conversations can be. Everyone he stopped took the time to tell about themselves and listen to him. I think it is because we live in a fast-paced and isolated world. We typically care about ourselves, “our world”, and our agenda. Most people do not want to slow down to talk to others who would ask them “when you die where will you go?” But people will slow down to tell their story if you really care to listen and know them.

    When it comes to telling the gospel, that part is simple. You simply tell your story.
     
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  11. HankD

    HankD Well-Known Member
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    OK that's probably true of all of us. Talking to strangers of all possible religious, political, cultural, etc backgrounds is SCARY.

    But once I started and the "first olives were out of the bottle" I looked forward to it and later recounting our experiences but especially rejoicing for souls saved.

    I do however understand the change in our present social dynamic from my day which makes public witnessing a challenge.

    Went out witnessing with my son in San Diego a few years ago - definitely not the same as in the day (my day).
     
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  12. agedman

    agedman Well-Known Member
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    In my youth, I was taught what I would consider "salesmanship techniques" to use in soul winning efforts.

    The emphasis was usually on "sealing the deal." One had to drive the message home with having the witness offer an invitation.

    That is, even if there was no evidence the soul winner would continue to pursue until the person would (imo) out of desperation to get ride of the soul winner react out of anger or merely echo the "soul winning prayer" just to escape the intensity.

    Over some years, as I examined the Scriptures, I didn't find evidence for such techniques were ever used. If someone would kindly show me something I missed that would present the "salesmanship technique(s)" as Scripturally valid, that would be wonderful. However, I just cannot find such being used in the Scriptures.

    Rather, as God determined to appoint, such as came to Christ were already in pursuit and needed guidance. That is just as any good farmer in preparation for planting, the Holy Spirit was already cultivating the ground long before the scattering of seed. Such cultivation would stir the person to already be aware and more often "nutrients" being added to the soil were making the soil more compliant, perhaps even curious and this would be evidence that such had "ears to hear," and were good earth in which the seed would be planted. Such is not just in salvation but also in the estate of the person after conversion, that hunger, that need to be feed just as the good earth needs further nutrients, further light, further water, that the person grow in wisdom and knowledge of God.

    A Scripture for this is perhaps that used by Paul when he said to the Corinthians:
    5What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. 6I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 8He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. 9For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building. (1 Corinthians 3)
    Therefore, as "always ready to give and answer," the believer should be aware of the times and seasons and whether it is the convenient or proper time or inconvenient or "out of season" for the harvest, that believer should allow the Holy Spirit to present them as ambassadors on an appointed mission.

    Perhaps this week, God will have a Devine appointment arranged that the believer will be that willing laborer in the field.
     
  13. Baptist Believer

    Baptist Believer Well-Known Member
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    Interesting thing that happened to me at lunch. I was planning to get a sandwich and eat it at my desk, but I really felt the urge to go get my shoes shined at a place about 10 minutes from my office. So I went to see that shoeshine guy that I've had a friendly relationship with for about a year now, and while he was working on my shoes, he began to pour out the issues going on in his life - quite personal stuff. We talked for nearly an hour about getting out of his terrible situation and moving forward in Christ. I had a change to very naturally pray for him and with him, and will notify some friends of mine who will also pray for him. Then, I returned to the office, got a sandwich, and ate at my desk.

    That was definitely a divine appointment, although looking back, it has been a series of divine appointments going back about a year. He knew that I was a man who actually cared about him and knew God as well. It seemed to me that God gave his grace as we talked and he is ready to move forward.

    While the situation is not that unusual, it did answer a prayer I prayed this morning in the shower. I realized that it had been a couple of weeks since I had had an opportunity to share with someone who was under conviction. That prayer was answered almost immediately. I wonder if we are mindful enough to pray as we ought to be in the right place at the right time to serve someone else?
     
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  14. agedman

    agedman Well-Known Member
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    What a great testimony of a Devine appointment!

    You are absolutely correct as evidenced in my own life - there are far too often missed opportunities. Such missing appointments could be blamed on all manner of distractions, but the fact is that the lack of being sensitive to the prompting of the Holy Spirit is the only reason such blessings were missed.

    Thank you for your encouragement in this matter.
     
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