August 11, 2011 at 01:00pm
Last night in my small group we discussed the value of sharing the gospel through our actions and friendships. One comment was made that is really important. Friendship evangelism is good, but at some point we need to actually share the gospel with people.
While friendship evangelism is critical as well as authenticity, sincere love and humility, our friends still need to know what the gospel is. Friendship alone isn't enough.
Over breakfast this morning, Rebecca and I talked about how each of us would share the gospel with someone if asked point blank what Christianity and the gospel is.
It is helpful to think your answer to this question through and even to write it out as well as listen to others to see how they would share the gospel. This is what I want us to do here. Why don’t you write out how you would share the essence of the gospel and paste it into the comments. Or if you have a story about sharing the gospel, whether successful or not, write it out and let us hear it. We learn as much from our failures as our successes.
Click on “Comments” to leave a response.
August 11, 2011 at 12:13pm
A year ago I was at a wedding and had a conversation with a man about Christianity. One of his comments was that he thought it ridiculous that Christians could believe that their faith provided the only way of salvation.
This is a common objection to those sharing the gospel. How would you respond to this man if he asked you to sit down and talk with him?
Please submit your responses by clicking on “comments.”
August 9, 2011 at 03:10pm
Here are a few of my favorite books. One note of caution, I do not endorse every opinion in these books. There are plenty of bones to spit out in all of them.
I am not listing them in any particular order.
“What’s So Great About Christianity” by Dinesh D’Souza
“The Historical Jesus: Ancient Evidence for the Life of Christ” by Gary R. Habermas
“Who Owns the Land” by Stanley Ellisen and Charles H. Dyer
“When Helping Hurts” by Brian Fikkert
“Banker to the Poor” by Muhammad Yunus
“Life’s Healing Choices” by John Baker
“The Fourth Turning” by William Strauss and Neil Howe
“Heaven” by Randy Alcorn
“The Language of God” by Francis S. Collins
“The Normal Christian Life” by Watchman Nee
“Release of the Spirit” by Watchman Nee
“What Did You Expect” by Paul Tripp
“Six Months That Changed the World” by Margaret MacMillan
“Fathered by God” John Eldredge
July 13, 2011 at 04:09pm
Sometimes in ministry as well as in life, programs and deadlines clutter our mind and we begin to lose our focus. About my second or third year of youth ministry I began to feel overwhelmed. I had turned my walk with God and my service to God into an obstacle course, or a maze with an abundance of dead ends. I began to pray and God reminded me that we are playing checkers here, not chess. Don’t make it more complicated than it is. I was reminded of these verses from I John Chapter 4:37-40
(NLT) Jesus replied, "'You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments."
By boiling it down, it helped me regroup and refocus. Occasionally I find myself back amongst the high walls, dead ends, and mud pits. God takes me back to I John and peace and purpose are restored.
