Evangelism Notes

Not sure if anyone will be intersted, but here's the notes we'll be using for Sunday School today on Evangelism. Drawn a lot of this from Will Metzger's Tell the Truth: The Whole Gospel to the Whole Person by Whole People, probably the best book on evangelism written in the last century or so.

Principles of Evangelism

Humble Boldness
The Christian is to be bold in his witness, in his evangelism, in his living before God and man; because we proclaim the word of the Almighty God. Yet, we are to be humble—for it is only through the grace of God that we are Christians—it is despite who we are, not because of who we are. Colossians 4:5-6: Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

While 'speaking the truth in love' (Eph. 4:15) must be our objective, this entails commitment. There is more to truth than articulation. Truth demands living and obeying, commitment to Christ and God’s absolute truth. Such a commitment must penetrate and inspire all of our activities, including sometimes asking serious questions, as has been suggested above. The divine model of communication and dialogue is redemptive in nature. The incarnation and death of the Lord Jesus Christ is the outworking of God’s purpose to reconcile men to himself by dealing with their personal sin, which involves the removal of their objective guilt. – Bassam M. Chedid

Principles of Evangelism

The crucial thing to remember in evangelism is the distinction between our responsibility and God’s. Our task is to faithfully present the gospel message by our lives and our lips. Any definition of our task that includes results is confusing our responsibility with God’s prerogative, which is regeneration. Picture a fragile, thin-stemmed wine glass. Now think of a rock the size of a basketball. Imagine lifting that rock and dropping it onto that delicately constructed glass. Shattered. We too will be broken if we try to carry something that only God can carry. We plat and water; God gives the increase (1 Cor. 3:5-9). We may reap—but only when God has brought the grain to maturity. – Will Metzger

Will Metzger draws 5 principles for evangelism from the teaching of Martyn Lloyd-Jones:

1. The supreme object of the work of evangelism is to glorify God, not to save souls.
2. The only power that can do this work is the Holy Spirit, not our own strength.
3. The one and only medium through which the Spirit works is the Scriptures; therefore, we "reason out of the Scriptures" like Paul did.
4. These preceding principles give us the true motivation for evangelisms—a zeal for God and a love for others.
5. There is a constant danger of heresy through a false zeal and employment of unscriptural methods.

The Kind of Person God Uses in Evangelism:
Based on studying 2 Corinthians 4-5, Metzger lists the following characteristics of Paul and his ministry:

• Christian service and witness is based on our calling, not just our gifts. We are a new person of character (4:1).
• As Christians, we don’t lose heart in spite of the spiritual blindness of those we care about or temptations from failure in our personal lives. We don’t resort to deception, pragmatism or water down God’s word (4:2).
• We put the truth (Christ is Lord) up front and speak to the conscience, hoping to be both a mirror for others to see themselves and a window through which they can see Christ (4:3-4).
• Our sight comes from the light that has changes us internally, a knowledge revealed, not figured out by us because we’re smarter or better than others (4:5-6)
• God uses us because we are weak; that therefore any “strength” that others see must come from outside us—from Christ. We have given up a self-centered life to pass on life to others (4:7-12)
• Our newfound belief compels us to express it. Witness is not optional (4:13-15).
• We have a different perspective and look at the present in light of the future (transient vs. permanent). Paradoxically, this makes us ore, not less involved in this world. Also, we now see a reason for suffering (4:16-18).
• We now have confidence and energy because of the resurrection of our body, which lies ahead. We don’t put down roots in this world, for even our body is a tent. We’re aliens and God has made us long for eternity. So we live by faith with our one goal of pleasing God. We love him and fear him. But this fear is the affectionate reverence by which children accommodate themselves to the Father’s will (5:1-15).
• We look at people differently—not with the worlds standards but as Jesus saw them. We are driven to love because we have been loved by Christ. We’ve been re-created and given a mission. We are ambassadors representing our King and speaking what he tells us: “be reconciled to God” (5:16-20).
• Christians not only know the gospel message, they implore people to respond (5:21).

Watch Your Language
As we’ve mentioned before, we want to be careful and not use “Christian-ese”—while this is true of evangelizing in general, it is particularly true with cultists and others who share Biblical terminology. Metzger suggests we have prepared a list of definitions to use in these kinds of conversations. We should use synonyms or a short phrase (not using any of the other words in this list). Start with this list: lost; saved; born again; repent; justified; atonement; righteousness; spiritual; holy; sin; salvation; saving faith; redemption; believe; God; gospel; the finished work of Christ on the cross; receiving Christ.

Other Scriptures to Remember:

• 1 Peter 3:15-16 but in your hearts regard 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, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.
• 2 Timothy 2:23-25 Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth,
• James 3:13-17 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.