EVANGELISM

Today is our final day studying the book of Mark. It has truly been a wonderful experience and I am certain we have all learned much more about the depths of Mark’s Gospel. Looking forward, we now prepare to move into our six week study of evangelism. This will be an exciting study that will challenge the way each of us thinks about evangelism and will give practical tools and tips concerning your personal outreach.

If you think about it, evangelism is a lot like a worship service. Just like there are appropriate things to do and not to do in worship service, there are appropriate and inappropriate things to do in evangelism. When you are intentionally seeking out a person in order to share the Gospel, this must be kept in mind. I want to share with you a few practical tips to remember concerning evangelism:

1) There is a time and a place for that. One must constantly remember that there is a time and place to discuss ones opinions about something that could potentially look negative. Sharing the gospel is not the time to vent frustration or pursue any certain “agenda.” Most of us struggle with this sometimes.

2) Perception is reality. Whether it is true or not, how your friend sees you is their reality. How they perceive you as a follower of Christ becomes their reality. We must watch our tones, body language, etc. when sharing the Gospel (Col. 4:5).

3) Each person is not a project. Too often people we witness to feel as though we are using them as a “project.” Whether they accept the gospel or not, prepare to invest in this person for the long haul.

4) Be a friend first! In today’s culture, nobody cares about your convictions until they see a genuine care for their current situation. Make sure you aren’t just starting a project, but that you are beginning a long term friendship.

5) Ask questions. The worst thing you can do is preach at somebody for 45 minutes or so. Try asking questions! Questions are magical...they can lead somebody to a conviction and give you insight into their world.

6) Don’t chase every rabbit. Not everything that comes up has to be looked into at the moment. You will run into a lot of scenarios and interesting questions/comments. Keep the focus of the conversation in mind and don’t preach about every issue that comes up. It’s okay to say “let me get back to you on that.”

7) Don’t leave without setting a time and a place for the next “get together.” Before you close with a prayer, discuss a time and place to meet together again and exchange contact information.

8) Have some fun! Get together sometimes just to hang out or watch a ball game! Show that you are interested in them and not just their response! Nobody likes to feel used.

9) Ask them to pray. If you are comfortable with this, try asking them to start the prayer after a few meetings...let them know that it’s okay if they wish not too. If they do, be patient...it may be their first time. If they do pray, listen carefully...prayers often reveal a lot about an individual.

—Josh
“Try great things for God and expect great things from Him!”