WILL GOD USE AN IMPERFECT WITNESS?

We always want to disqualify ourselves. Though you may be under-qualified, you’re not disqualified. You never are. Faith is the belief that God can use imperfect people to do impossible things. You see, God likes to use imperfect people because here’s the secret: everybody’s imperfect. We see it through the scriptures.

We live in a world that has fallen to sin, and as a result, everyone is guilty of something. No one is perfect. Yet one of the great wonders of the Gospel is that God uses imperfect people to spread His glory. Since mankind first took their step outside Eden, God has been calling imperfect people to do great things in His name.

Actually, no one is perfect – apart from Jesus. But God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son to die for us (John 3:16). Therefore, God must love imperfect people. In fact, ‘While we were still sinners, Christ died for us’ (Romans 5:8).

The Bible is full of “imperfect people” doing God’s will. The greatest one is the apostle Paul. Paul began as Saul, who persecuted as many Christians as possible. After his conversion, he became the first Christian missionary and is mentioned more in the New Testament than anyone except Jesus. God also used such “imperfect people” as Abraham, Moses, Daniel, Samuel, Joseph, Joshua, David, Ezra, Nehemiah, Ester and Gideon to “achieve his perfect will.”

Witnessing is not reserved for the “worthy”, nor does God limit himself to the spiritually pious. It can be easy for us to think that God only uses the best and the brightest, the most holy, or the people who have it all together to accomplish His will. When we fail, when we realize our imperfections, we can easily fall into the trap that we are not usable for God’s purpose. And yet the very opposite is true.

Throughout the Bible, whether it’s Noah (who, immediately following the flood planted a vineyard, got drunk, and passed out naked in his tent), Abraham (who, forcing God’s promises, took his wife’s servant Hagar and conceived a child), Moses (who, failing to fully obey God, lost his opportunity to enter the Promised Land), David (who, following the lust in his heart, took another man’s wife and had the man killed), Solomon (whose hundredfold polygamy ended up dividing the kingdom of Israel), Peter (who Christ calls “Satan” at one point, and who denied knowing Christ three times), Paul (who spent the first part of his career persecuting the Church), or any of the dozens of other failures God uses in the Bible, it is clear that God loves to use imperfect people for His purposes.

But why? Paul answers that question for us in:

1 Corinthians 1 (ESV)
“For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, ‘Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.’ “

God chooses to use flawed people for His purposes because nothing makes God look greater than when He uses imperfect people to accomplish something incredible. God is not waiting for you to perfectly figure out life. He is not waiting for you to achieve perfection. God insists on using you, even when you are imperfect – in fact, especially when you are imperfect. Don’t run from Him in these times, take your imperfections to Him and say, “God, this is all I have. It’s not much, but I long to be used for your sake. In spite of my failure, please Lord, use me for your glory.”

BUILDING BIBLICAL CONVICTIONS

Deuteronomy 5:29 (TLB)
“Oh, that they would always have such a heart for me, wanting to obey my commandments.”

What does it take to live a life of purpose? Of uncommon courage? What does it take to stand your ground in the face of criticism and rejection? The answer is conviction, being utterly convinced of the truth of God’s Word.

A conviction is a belief that shapes your behaviour. It’s something you believe so strongly that it determines the way you act. While an opinion is something you’ll discuss or even argue about, a conviction is something you’ll die for.

The people who’ve made the greatest change in this world – for good or bad – were not the smartest or the wealthiest. They were those with the deepest convictions.

Our society says every value is up for grabs. It says you can do whatever you want, with no moral absolutes.

But the truth is that if you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything. Today we need people with conviction who know what they believe.

But is it even possible to know right and wrong in this day and age of relativism? Is it possible to know good from evil?

Of course, it is. Some things are absolutely right. Some things are absolutely wrong.

How do you know right from wrong? Use the Bible, God’s owner’s manual for life.

Hebrews 5:14 says,

“Solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil” (NIV).

People who know truth are the ones who feast on the solid food of God’s Word. The Bible helps them know right from wrong.

You don’t have to know everything that’s false. You just have to know the truth of the Bible. Then, when falsehoods come along, you’ll see that they don’t square up.

As you get to know truth, you’ll develop conviction. You’ll share God’s values.

The Bible says,

“Oh, that they would always have such a heart for me, wanting to obey my commandments” (Deuteronomy 5:29 TLB).

You get a heart for God by developing convictions. And you develop convictions by getting to know God’s Word.

As Christians we should have some godly convictions that define who we are and determine our lifestyle and choices. Our goal as believers must be to become like the apostles who held securely to their faith in Christ and to their responsibility to proclaim salvation in His name, even in the face of imprisonment and threats. 

EQUIPPING FOR CONVERSATIONAL EVANGELISM

We need to come up with fresh ideas to better equip our generation to be more effective witnesses for Jesus Christ. As we become more equipped and allow the Holy Spirit to lead us in our conversation with strangers, friends, and colleagues, we will discover that people are willing to engage in conversations of spiritual nature much more often than we previously thought. In so far as we have been equipped to engage people with the gospel of Christ, we can be assured that not only can we make progress in our witness to people, but we can enjoy doing it.

We need to teach people to win the lost, because the top priority of Jesus was to evangelize.  Every Believer in Christ must be a soul winner. The concept of conversational evangelism must be alive in our daily routines.  We are called to impact the world with the gospel and that includes personal and conversational evangelism. The apostle Paul understood the concept of personal evangelism. ^20 “You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. ²¹ I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus” (Acts 20:20).

Every believer must be equipped to do the work of the ministry. Ephesians 4:11 says “The apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher are given to perfect the saints so they can do the work of the ministry”. These are appointed ministers in the church to train the saints in their Christian journey. They are to support the Holy Spirit’s work in directing their paths and equipping them for the work of the ministry. The church is doing the work of the ministry, not only the man at the front called the apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, or teacher. When any of them teaches and equips the church for works of service and they go and do them, that is true success.

We are being equipped for this job.  “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).  We have been made alive in our spirit to live a new way of life. And greater works will you do because He has gone to the father.  “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father”. (John 14:12)

Jesus recommends Him to us: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you” (John 14:26). He is the Divine enabler who works with believers to do exploits (see Mark 16:20, Acts 10:38). We have all been sent. “As the lord has sent me so do I send you” (see John 20:21, Mark 16: 15-18).

Jesus didn’t declare ‘Acts 1:8 and Mathew 28:18-20’ just to the eleven disciples or to a particular group. He said it to all those who were there. Why? Because God only had and still only has one plan. You can’t limit what Jesus said in ‘Mathew 28:19-20’. He didn’t say that to only the eleven disciples because the work could never be done with few labourers as the harvest is great. He said I’m sending you to make disciples of all nations. And who is a disciple maker? A disciple maker is the person who shares the truth of the gospel, who shares the truth that Jesus has told us and shares the truth that the apostles and other disciples have told us. And we pass that on to others. That’s why He said go and make disciples of all nations. He didn’t simply say; you go and do the job and when you finish it’s all over. It didn’t stop there because it was His desire and plan that those apostles will teach others. We find out in the book of Acts, what followed after Pentecost. The early disciples did exactly as was expected of them and we have to follow their example. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers (Acts 2:42). 

They were doing exactly what the apostle Paul said to Timothy in 2 Tim 2 :2 “And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” We are so used to hearing the gospel that we take so much for granted. We can walk by people and live around them without sharing our faith. They can be our friends and we can talk about a thousand different things and somehow never stop to ask the question: “Have you ever trusted Christ as your personal saviour?”  “Do you know that you are going to heaven when you die?” “Have you ever been forgiven of your sins?”  “Do you know that God has forgiven you?”  “Are you sure of what will happen when you die?” “If you were to die today, what will happen to you?” Why don’t we do that? Are we ashamed? Are we too busy? Why is it that we, who hold such awesome eternal truth do not share with others? It’s the only message that will transform their lives and get them into heaven.

We can make our spiritual dialogue a more enjoyable experience for both our listeners and ourselves. Nevertheless, there will be occasions when people will be hostile when we try to talk with them about Christ. (see Luke 4:16-30; John 15: 18-21; Acts 17). Without love and compassion, you cannot be an effective witness for Christ, because persecution and opposition will come when we go out in the name of Jesus. The Holy Spirit who gives us boldness to declare the gospel of Christ even when we face hostilities and are rejected for His name’s sake also gives us comfort and strength in any situation. Let me give you just two of my numerous experiences of hostilities and rejection while on my usual outreaches evangelizing.

I was doing conversational evangelism at a bus stop some years ago, and I saw a young man waiting for a bus. I approached him and began a conversation with him. I found out he was a Muslim, and I said, “By the way, do you know why Jesus died on the cross?” Suddenly his countenance changed. He said, “Don’t tell me about Jesus! Don’t tell me about shedding of blood!” I said “Oh, young man, you shouldn’t talk that way,” and he said, “I don’t know you anywhere, get out of my face, don’t talk to me”. He then walked away, left the bus stop, and didn’t bother about waiting for the bus anymore because he was so angry. On another occasion, I was talking to somebody at the train station about Jesus and the person said I was talking “bullshit” and that “I should shut up”.

We are not ignoring the scale of the challenges facing those who share their faith but bear in mind that the gospel is the good news of the Lion of Judah and the Lion of Judah will defend Himself. Let’s be courageous and share the gospel truths, for the Lord our God is with us wherever we go (see Mat. 28;18-20). The Bible says that upon all the oppositions to the preaching of the gospel, the word of God grew mightily and prevailed (see Acts 19:20). Shout “hallelujah”! No matter what the opposition may be, the word of God prevails, and souls are being won in their thousands and millions. Christ is the master ‘magnet’- attracting all humanity to Himself. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself (John 12:32).

One of the greatest ingredients that the gospel has is an important one: the righteousness of God. ¹⁶For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. ¹⁷ For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith” (Rom. 1:16-17). The early apostles caught this vision and went about witnessing and preaching the gospel of Christ everywhere. In fact, they were described as those who turned the world upside down. Why? Because they filled everywhere they went with the good news of the gospel which sadly, some unbelievers found controversial.

Every gift in the body of Christ can be used to reach the lost, to love and disciple them. It will take every gift, and those gifts are found only in the body of Christ, the local church. You may say, “I’m not comfortable with starting a conversational evangelism,” but can you start your personal evangelism by doing the practical things? Can you baby-sit for a single mum you want to minister to and give her an hour to herself so she can get out of the house? Can you visit the prison or the hospital? Can you bake a pie or cake? Can you pray with someone who is hurting? Can you send a card, an email, or a text massage? Can you make a phone call? Can you paint a fence?

Build bridges and ask questions.

Our spiritual conversation with friends, family, neighbours, and strangers should be such that they will desire to continue the spiritual dialogue and be ready to listen to what we have to say. The Bible records an example of conversational evangelism by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ when He had an encounter with the Samaritan woman in John chapter 4 (you can read the entire conversation for yourself.) ^7”When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” ⁸ (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) ⁹ The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans” (John 4:7-9)

Jesus started the conversation by asking her to give Him a drink. She turned in astonishment, and asked Jesus why a Jew should ask a Samaritan woman for a drink, which became the pivotal question that opened the door for Jesus to share the Gospel with her. The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?”  This was a request she found very strange because the Bible says, at that time the Jews did not associate with the Samaritans. That means they had no dealings with the Samaritans.

 The Samaritan woman must have found this Jewish stranger to be of a different character:  and she opened her heart and became interested in the conversation, so Jesus was able to use her questions and answers as springboard to share the Gospel with her. Surely, taking the first step to witness can act as a catalyst that presents opportunities to share the gospel story, so, don’t waste any opportunity, make sure you seize every moment to win souls.

Jesus came with a simple message so that anybody, young and old alike should understand that God loves them. What was the message? “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Tell them God loves you; He will forgive you of your sins and He will give you the gift of eternal life. A person is saved by accepting the simplicity of that truth and applying it to their heart and receiving Jesus as their Lord and personal saviour. And the moment they do that, their lives will be transformed, and God seals them as His children.

EVANGELISM STRATEGIES

All of us know that we have been commanded to share our faith.  Do you have any reason for not taking your time to share your faith? Don’t allow Satan to deceive you into thinking that you have no responsibility to personally tell anybody about Christ. Can you accept the fact that you are an obedient child of God and not share your faith with somebody?  It’s impossible to be walking in the Spirit, obedient to God and never share your faith, never tell anybody what Jesus Christ means to you, never confront anybody with the gospel because what the New Testament believer possesses is the greatest healing and lifting power on earth. Christ has given us His life and power and has commanded us to be His witnesses.

We are here with a purpose in mind, and that purpose is to live the life of Jesus Christ and that life is a warm-hearted intimate and personal involvement in the lives of people who are hurting and who desperately need to know the truth, to feel it through you, to hear it through you and to see it in your life that Jesus Christ cares for them.

If I should ask you, do you know at least two or three people who are lost, and if they are not saved between now and the time they die, you know that they are going to hell?  Why have you so reasoned in your mind that you have no obligation to share what Jesus Christ means to you.  You may say I have never been trained, I don’t know which method or strategy to use.

You need to look at some of the incredible performances of God’s servants who used the gospel to bring changes to society. Whether you are preaching the gospel, whether you are going on a mission trip, it doesn’t make any difference where it is, when presenting the gospel, we are not just presenting a theory about God but the factual account of God’s dealings with humanity as revealed through His word, with the ultimate witness being the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ.

Forget the strategies now for a moment and listen to what Paul said in 1 Con 2: 1-5: “And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. ² For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. ³ I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. ⁴ And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, ⁵ that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God”.

This passage is not about preachers. Paul was reminding them of the way he had spoken to them before, addressed them and fellowshipped with them.  There are two requirements about being effective witness for God. There are two fundamentals that all of us need to share our faith in such a way that it will bring forth fruit that is, there will be a change in somebody’s life. Well, before we get to what you have to say, let’s get to the attitude of it all, because this is what Paul is saying, the right attitude is always the first issue.  I have seen people share their faith and heard them share their faith, and I say Lord, there is no way you are going to get truth through this witness.

First, it’s the attitude, and the attitude is humility.  Notice how Paul describes his own attitude at this point. He said “when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God”. That is, you and I, when we share our faith, first of all we are not to depend on ourselves.  The truths of the Gospel, and the power of God that these truths release, can only be imparted through the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Human wisdom, regardless of how eloquent it is, cannot convey the life of God. God doesn’t expect us to go out and share our faith depending on our own eloquence, our own abilities, our own talents, our own gifts or our persuasiveness or any kind of tricks we’ve learned to manipulate people or to persuade them to make a decision in order to brag about how many people we have won to Christ or how many people have been saved.

Paul said I came to you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. This doesn’t sound like Paul when he talked about our boldness and sufficiency in Christ. When you read Colossians chapters 2 and 3 you don’t find Paul in any weakness and trembling, but you hear a man talking about his sufficiency in Christ, boldness and power, the supernatural power of the Spirit of God working in his life. And all of a sudden, he is talking about coming to them in weakness and fear and in much trembling.

What is he talking about? Is he talking about being afraid to share his faith? No, when He talks about sharing his faith in fear and weakness, this is what he’s talking about, Paul is referring to his weakness or his sense of inadequacy.  You may say, are we not to have confidence in sharing our faith? Yes, we are confident not in ourselves but in Christ who is our sufficiency and our life.  And Paul said I came to you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. I didn’t come to you out of my strength but my weaknesses.  And so, Paul is saying here, on one hand I’m very weak, extremely inadequate but I know that Christ is my life, He is my adequacy.

The word of God is the only word that can deliver people from the kingdom of darkness.  It is the word of God hidden in your heart, activated by the power of the Holy Spirit, and spoken in an appropriate situation that will win souls and make people free. And so he says in verse 4: “And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power” (1 Cor. 2:4).

Often times, the preaching of the gospel currently is done in man’s wisdom. It’s impressive to the carnal mind, but it leaves the spirit starving for the touch of God. It doesn’t make any difference what you are doing, you cannot in the spirit of pride present the gospel of Christ effectively.  It just doesn’t work.  It will make the power of the word to be of no effect and so Paul said I came in weakness in fear and in much trembling.  What did he mean?

This was what he meant, and this is why we should do the same thing. All of us sharing our faith ought to do so in fear and trembling. Not fear that we are going to mess up, not fear that we are going to make a mistake and not say the right thing, not fear that we are going to be rejected by the other person, not trembling because we are so nervous and afraid and agree with the people to say the right things else, they wouldn’t understand us.

When you are sharing the gospel with your friends, it’s one thing to have your plans. You may say, “I have got my scriptures, here’s my plan, here’s my approach, this is what I’m supposed to say”. Yes, we all have some kind of approach but what I want you to see is that largely, above everything else is my attitude.  Because if I’m more concerned about you being impressed about how far you find this verse, then I’m not concerned about what you’ve done and whether you are going to hell or not, but about your opinion on me, and that’s pride and God hates it and that makes the message of the gospel of no effect.

Are you feeling inadequate to share your faith?  There are two kinds: There’s an inadequacy because you don’t feel capable, and there’s an inadequacy that I feel because of my pride, I may say the wrong thing and what will people think about me. Then there is a holy inadequacy that God wants each one of us to sense in our spirit.  Lord, unless you do it for your Spirit, unless the Holy Spirit takes the feeble words of mine, unless He drives them home and He convicts them then it’s all over.

It’s amazing the fellow who doesn’t appear to know it all, makes few mistakes and doesn’t seem to use the right drama, who can’t find the verse, it’s amazing how God uses them and transforms somebody’s life than someone who thinks he’s got it all written down and all in his heart, they have book memory,  they are demonstrating that and they think they have all the wisdom, and they see their listeners sitting there dead like cucumber. Do you know that the lost person is even impressed by the spirit of humility?  What’s required of us? To be brilliant, to be orators, to be wise, to be impressive? No, just to have a humble spirit.  What’s Paul saying?

He said, “I was with weakness, fear and in much trembling”.  I didn’t pick my message so that you will be fully persuaded to believe, I came with a spirit of humility, that’s all I wanted. When I have finished, I want you to know that the Holy Spirit has worked. “And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, ⁵ that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God”. 

God only releases His Spirit through the spirit of humility. That’s the only way He releases His power. Paul knew that if the Holy Spirit didn’t persuade them and convict them, it was all over.

And so he said, I came not to demonstrate my wisdom, or my eloquence, my persuasiveness and preaching my logic, reasoning and rationale for the gospel. He said I came to you, totally inadequate myself, but fully adequate in Christ, not to persuade you to believe me but to persuade you to believe the message and the gospel of Christ.

The first element that is essential to effective witness is humble spirit.  Say God, I don’t know it all, God there are a lot of things I don’t know and I’m probably going to make mistakes, but Lord here I’m depending on your spirit. And that’s the spirit of humility. Am I willing to go, knowing that I may be rejected, I may be laughed at, I may be mocked, I may be criticized, but I’m willing to go and no matter what happens, I’m going to share what Jesus Christ means to me. If you can do that, you conquer the problem of pride.

But if you don’t go, and if you don’t share, and if you keep it to yourself, and you are quiet in your office because you are afraid of what somebody is going to say, or how they are going to respond, my friend, the whole problem is pride. Do you know what the problem is?  I love ‘me’ so much. I refuse to have ‘me’ rejected by those who know me. Even if they will die and go to hell, they will still have to die and go to hell because I’m not going to have the awful painful emotion of being rejected.

Do you know why we don’t share our faith? Our biggest problem is pride not ignorance. The issue is, are you more concerned about someone else attitude and opinion about you, and their rejection of you, and their rejection of your approach, and what you know and what you stand for? Are you more concerned about whether they will die and go to heaven or not? That can only be one thing and that’s pride.

So, we are talking about two strategies. The first one is right motive, or right attitude, or right spirit.  What’s the Spirit? Very simple, spirit of humility. We are not trying to impress anybody. We are just trying to get them saved. Second is also very simple, just the right message. Paul said “And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. ² For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

Paul was a great philosopher. He knew so much about so many things. He said I have one message. What’s your reason for not sharing with some folks? Is it suppose they bring a subject that you don’t know about? The truth is. it doesn’t really matter who you share your faith with.  There’s only one message. You don’t have to learn a whole book of theology.  You don’t have to find out what everybody else believes. You only have to believe what you are sharing.  And be sure you believe it.

No matter what they say, you just have to keep bringing them back to Jesus.  Paul said, I have decided that there’s only one message and that’s Christ crucified.  You don’t have to worry about a plan. You just have to tell them Jesus Christ is the saviour, the Lord, and your life.  Jesus Christ has made you sufficient for all things, because of your relationship with Him. And that is the source of the whole gospel right back to the simple message of Jesus.

The testimony of God is not only what Jesus has done in your life but the testimony of scripture. There’s only one hope and one way. People say to me, if I tell people there’s only one way, what are they going to say, what are they going to think. Are you worried about being rejected? That’s pride. Paul said I only have one message that’s Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

As wise as the apostle Paul, as brilliant as he was, and all the epistles that he wrote, he said I only have one message. He talked about love, judgement, the coming of Christ, he talked about all the subjects that you can imagine, and yet he said I only have one message, Christ Jesus and Him crucified. That you should understand this message, that Jesus died the atoning death at Calvary.  His death paid every person’s sin debt in full and when people are ready to confess their sins and receive Christ as their Lord and personal saviour by faith, God radically transforms their lives in an instant just like that.

One message for everybody. God couldn’t have made it any simpler. You may say, suppose they ask me this question?  And I say the same message, Christ Jesus and Him crucified. The fact that Jesus Christ is sufficient to meet every single need through His atoning death at Calvary, you have one message you don’t ever have to be ashamed of it, you don’t ever have to compromise it, you don’t ever have to apologize for it, you can declare it clearly and no matter how they respond to it, you are doing the right thing and you are glorifying God.

I tell you my friend, the reason we don’t do it is pride, fear of rejection, fear of criticism.  We need to witness with spirit of humility and with one message, “And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. ² For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

CONDUCTING LARGE GROUP GOSPEL EVENTS

Christ Is All Ministries (CIAM) conducts gospel conferences, crusades, and other evangelistic outreaches. Planning and conducting large group gospel events need some considerations. A lot of work goes into organizing such events.  Ahead are many difficult choices, financial constraints, and other setbacks. However, if you stay the course and aim for excellence, planning these gospel events can extend the Kingdom of God and bring a great harvest of souls to be discipled.

Considering your target Audience.

Think about the group of people that you are targeting. Are you targeting the Christian population, pastors, church leaders, unbelievers etc.? Once you have identified your target audience, you then have to decide which minister or minsters will be featured at your event. Then you’ll have to decide the order in which they will minister. 

Find the right venue

Ensure the venue is suitable for your event. The venue is a huge part of the event because it contributes to the atmosphere. Look at similar events in the area and find out the venue commonly used.  You can then have a rough idea of the relevant venue to be used for your event. It’s a good idea to choose a venue that is used for similar events so the people attending are familiar with the place. Some people regularly visit the same venue for different events and are used to the place.

There are many other things to consider when choosing the venue for your event. They include: the acoustics, location, price of the venue, whether volunteers are included with the venue costs, and the number of seats if applicable. Consider not just the capacity, facilities, and location of the venue, but the reputation they have for gospel events.

Sometimes the type of gospel event will help you eliminate some venues. In most cases, churches are great for gospel events because it’s free of charge or the cost is lower than that of a commercial building and you can use volunteer labour. But if your event needs an especially large stage or an unusually large audience, for example, an open-air crusade, you might have to look for a venue other than a church. The location of the venue relative to the target audience is also a big factor. People will be less willing to drive a long distance to an event on a weeknight than on a Friday or Saturday.

The venue should be large enough to accommodate the expected crowd but not so large that you end up with lots of empty seats. Ministers and your attending audience prefer events that are well attended: attendance is much higher when 90% of the seats are filled. If you’ve ever been to an event where there are only 200 people in a 1000-seat room, you know it’s not well attended. 

Find the right Ministers

This step is interchangeable with finding the right venue. You’re probably planning a gospel event because you already have ministers in mind. If not, it’s important to ensure the ministers you want to feature are available in the time frame you want to hold the event. Choose a minister or ministers based on how many people they can draw to the event. Crowd size may not be your only goal, but you must still be realistic in estimating attendance. Your budget comes from that estimate. Your goal is to find the right ministers, the right venue, and the right time frame. You can’t just choose any combination of ministers, venue, and event date, and expect to have a successful gospel event.

The word “right” implies several criteria.  For example, a venue at a great price that is too small for the number of people you expect to attend is not the right venue. A minister who will charge   lots of money to attend your event is not the right minister. Resist the urge to settle for anything that is not quite right. It’s going to take prayer, patience, and persistence to get everything right, but in the end it’s worth it. Not only will your event be a success, but your ministry will survive to hold future events!

The price you will pay the minister for ministering at the event is far from the only cost directly associated with the minister you have invited. Almost all ministers require additional expenses like hotels, food, or sound equipment. Some require travel too. Those costs can be quite high, as some ministers have a whole team that travel with them to support the event. 

Advertising

Laying the foundation that I’ve just shared with you is absolutely critical. Without it, the rest of what you do is unlikely to work. Once you’ve got that foundation in place, you should gather all your advertising ideas and come up with a plan to reach as many people as possible for as cheap as possible.

Here are some ideas to help you get started:

• Get a good radio or TV station to announce the upcoming event.
• Create a video promoting the event and play it at churches in the area.
• Pass out fliers at other events leading up to your event.
• Produce and send out email campaigns.
• Use social media advertising.

Technical Equipment

As all event organizers know, good events require lots of pieces to fit together. Some of those pieces are absolutely essential for the event to take off in the first place. You may or may not have to deal with equipment and sound engineers when organizing a gospel event, but it is best to check. Do you have your own equipment?

While many venues will have their own PA system and the staff to run it, make sure you ask. See if you need to hire or purchase anything additional. Make sure the right equipment is in place.  Establish who is setting up the equipment and who is running the mixing desk on the day of the event. Communication is very important here. 

Event logistics

On the day of the event, the venue should be open on time, all the volunteers and ushers should be in place, the environmental conditions should be right, and the people attending should be greeted professionally.

You need to get security, door staff and ushers ready to help activities on-the-day. Hand out event itinerary, badges, etc. if applicable.  Follow health and safety protocol. The venue organizers will be able to help with this, but you should alert ministers, staff, and the people attending.  Check if there are any curfew or license concerns.

HOW TO TALK TO ANYONE ABOUT JESUS

1. Be a good listener first. Don’t start by preaching. Ask questions to understand the other person’s beliefs and background when it comes to faith.

Before sharing your own beliefs, make an effort to understand where the other person is coming from. Ask open-ended questions about their spiritual background, beliefs, doubts, or experiences with religion/faith. Listen without judgment and try to have a thoughtful discussion rather than launching into a monologue.

2. Share your personal experience. Explain what believing in Jesus means to you and how it has impacted your life in a positive way, without judging others.

Rather than reciting doctrine, share how your personal faith in Jesus has shaped your life. What positive changes have you experienced? How has it given you hope, purpose or guidance? Speak from the heart about how Jesus has made a difference for you. But avoid implications that others are wrong or inferior for having different beliefs.

3. Use gentleness and respect. Don’t be pushy or condemning. Remember that people have diverse beliefs that they hold deeply.

Approach the conversation with humility, not arrogance. Don’t behave as if you have all the answers or act superior. Respect that others have their own deeply-held beliefs that are important to them, just as your Christian faith is important to you. Avoid “you’re wrong” language.

4. Know the basics of Christianity. Be able to clearly explain who Jesus was, his teachings, and the core Christian beliefs if asked.

Be prepared to clearly but concisely explain the essentials: who Jesus was, his life and teachings as described in the gospels, his death and resurrection, and core Christian beliefs like salvation, grace, and eternal life. But don’t overwhelm with too many specifics unless asked.

5. Don’t argue. If they disagree, don’t get defensive or confrontational. Agree to respectfully disagree.

If the person voices disagreement with your Christian beliefs, don’t take it as a personal attack. Avoid getting trapped in arguments or heated debates. Acknowledge that people can have different beliefs and perspectives. Part ways on respectful terms if needed.

6. Live your faith through actions. Let your loving, ethical conduct be a testimony to your beliefs about Jesus.

Often, living out your faith through compassion, integrity and ethical behaviour can make a bigger impact than anything you say. Strive to embody the teachings of Jesus daily in how you treat others. This can be the most powerful form of sharing your faith.

7. Offer to share resources. You can suggest a book, video, or church community if they seem interested in learning more.

If the person seems curious to learn more after your discussion, you can suggest additional resources – a book, video, podcast or church community that may help answer their questions. But don’t insist if they don’t express interest.

8. Be ready to end the discussion gracefully if they are not interested in continuing.

Don’t force the issue if it’s clear the person does not want to discuss faith any further. Agree to disagree, change the subject, and move on without an awkward atmosphere. There may be another opportunity to respectfully revisit the topic another time.

The overall approach is to be a humble, respectful witness to your faith by sharing it authentically while also being truly open to the other person’s beliefs and perspective.

LEADING EVANGELISTIC MOVEMENTS

When it comes to spreading the Christian faith through evangelism, successful movements usually share some key characteristics:

Vision and Passion

Effective evangelistic movements are driven by a clear, compelling vision to reach people with the Gospel and a passionate zeal fuelled by the Holy Spirit. The leaders cast a bold, inspiring vision and rally others around this mission with infectious enthusiasm. To explore further on this, the following key elements must be taken into consideration;

• Cast a bold, specific vision for reaching a particular people group, city, or region with the Gospel
• Inspire believers to embrace this vision as their own through preaching, teaching, events, etc.
• Let your authentic passion for the lost and desire to see lives transformed be evident and contagious
• Ensure the vision is grounded in the Great Commission mandate to make disciples of all nations

Prayer Movement

Evangelistic awakenings are invariably birthed and sustained through fervent, unified prayer by believers. Great movements are preceded by great movements of prayer calling on God’s power and presence to draw people to Himself. The following are key to achieving this;

• Establish networking prayer meetings, prayer chains, and calls to united prayer and fasting
• Model a lifestyle of fervent, persistent prayer for spiritual awakening and open hearts
• Gather monthly/quarterly for corporate rallies devoted solely to praying for the lost
• Mobilize intercessory prayer teams to saturate the ministry efforts in prayer without ceasing

Unwavering Biblical Foundations

While the methods may be creative and contextual, the message remains unwavering – the truth of Scripture and the person and work of Jesus Christ. Evangelistic movements keep biblical truth at the centre.

• Ensure all evangelistic training, resources and methods uphold sound Biblical doctrine
• Preach expositionally through books of the Bible to lay a solid scriptural foundation
• Have new believers grounded in the core gospel message from the outset
• Be prepared to graciously but firmly correct any unbiblical beliefs or practices

Equipping Believers 

Effective leaders don’t just evangelize themselves, they mobilize and equip all believers to spread the Gospel through their lives and lips. They train and empower the whole body of Christ in personal evangelism.

• Create pathways for every believer to be trained in personal evangelism skills and tools
• Offer workshops, classes, resources and periodic revivals on the topic of evangelism
• Identify and develop small group leaders to become evangelism coaches
• Celebrate testimonies of believers winning people to Christ as inspirations 

Heart for the Lost

What sustains evangelism long-term is a genuine, driving compassion for those who don’t know Christ. Leaders embody and instil in others a love and burden for lost souls.

• Intentionally build relationships with non-believers to understand their worldviews
• Study about and enter into the felt needs and questions of the unchurched
• Role play and teach on cultivating authentic compassion for those without Christ
• Bring believers face-to-face with the realities of lostness through mission trips, outreach, etc.

Cultural Relevance 

While not compromising Biblical truth, evangelistic efforts must thoughtfully communicate the Gospel in ways that can be understood within a particular cultural context using relevant language, illustrations and delivery methods.

• Study and become students of the cultural contexts being engaged
• Adapt evangelism methods to communication styles and contexts without compromising truth
• Use language, imagery and illustrations drawn from the respected cultural milieu
• Model contextualization by learning about and integrating into aspects of the culture appropriately

Multiplying Discipleship 

Evangelism is not the end goal but the means to make disciples who make more disciples. Effective movements have robust plans for establishing new believers in their faith and teaching them to make disciples as well.

• Have a clear, simple, replicable process for establishing new believers as disciples
• Raise up disciples and disciple-makers to be coaches and spiritual guides
• Focus not just on evangelizing but on reproducing your life spiritually in others
• Expect new disciples to start making more disciples quickly as a lifestyle

Persevering Prayer

Evangelistic leaders don’t rely solely on human effort but bathe their ministries in continual prayer, trusting God to draw people to Himself while co-labouring with Him obediently.

• Humbly rely on God’s power working through your efforts, not human effort alone
• Pray bold, specific, faith-filled prayers for Gospel breakthroughs and open hearts
• When results seem slow, redouble efforts in prayer, examining anything hindering it
• Celebrate and give God glory for every spiritual victory, small or large

Willingness to Adjust

While being Biblically grounded, dynamic movements iterate their evangelism strategies based on an honest evaluation of their effectiveness in a given context. They’re committed to winning souls, not methods.

• Hold methods, traditions and personal preferences with an open hand
• Be willing to course-correct strategies based on prayerful evaluation, not double down blindly
• Gather honest feedback and criticism from all levels to improve fruitfulness
• Learn from other fruitful evangelistic movements and model successful approaches
  
  

Sustained Sacrifice 

Reaching people for Christ requires personal sacrifice – of time, resources, comfort and more. Effective leaders model and inspire a willing denying of self to prioritize the Great Commission.

• Lead by example in giving up your own comforts, assets and ambitions for the Gospel
• Raise up and celebrate those whose sacrifices enable the movement to spread
• Create a culture and ethos where sacrifice is the norm, not the exception
• Tie sacrifices directly to spiritual fruit and God’s calling, not mere duty

In summary, God uses evangelistic leaders willing to unite Christians around a clear, passionate, Biblical vision, equip believers, exemplify love for the lost, communicate contextually, persevere in prayer, adjust pragmatically, and make sacrifices to spread the Gospel until the day Christ returns.

SHARING THE GOSPEL ONLINE

Using Digital Platforms

In today’s digital age, the internet and social media provide powerful platforms for sharing the gospel and connecting with people:

• Social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.) for posting, messaging, going live.

Craft content with captivating visuals, short videos, and conversational language to share hope and Bible truths in an authentic, non-preachy way on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, etc. Use relevant hashtags and interact through comments.

• Blogs and websites for sharing testimonies, Bible teachings, and gospel presentations

Create a hub for longer-form articles, testimonies, gospel presentations and apologetics resources. Optimize for search engines and equip readers to further explore faith. Include CTAs to take next steps.

• Online videos and podcasts to engage viewers/listeners with multimedia content

Film high-quality teaching series or interviews explaining the gospel and addressing common objections and questions. Produce in an engaging style that draws viewers in. Leverage YouTube’s audience.

• Discussion forums and comment sections to engage in online dialogue

Join existing online communities built around interests/affinity groups. Develop real relationships and trust. When appropriate, offer to discuss your spiritual perspective.

• Mass email/messaging capabilities to share across your network

Use an email list to share encouragement while earning permission to continue the spiritual dialogue. Personalize messages and facilitate real connection.

Meeting People Where They Are

With so much of life happening online, intentionally having a digital presence allows you to intersect with people’s daily digital experiences:

• Connect with those you may not easily cross paths with in the physical world
• Leverage interests/affinity groups to build relationships organically
• Engage in contemporary issues and questions people are already discussing
• Bypass geographic and social barriers to message dissemination

Listen well to underlying questions people are asking through their online conversations, comments, interests, and posted content. Be a consistent, constructive, supportive voice and friend in their online communities before sharing anything overtly “preachy.” Identify their unique struggles, joys, hopes, and thought processes through their digital trail so you can empathize and contextualize better. Be careful about making assumptions based on someone’s online persona – get to know them as a real person.

Creating Digital Content

Produce shareable, gospel-focused content tailored for the online space:

• Testimonies, devotionals, mini-series on Christian living topics
• Apologetics addressing common spiritual questions/objections
• Animated videos and motion graphics capturing attention
• Quotes, scripture passages, and engaging visuals/graphics
• Live Q&As, teachings, and participatory online events

Focus on real-life stories over doctrine – create content capturing authentic faith journeys and life changes. Address complex apologetics topics through engaging video series or motion graphics that make the content understandable. Study effective marketing/advertising principles for crafting content that compels people to pause, watch, and engage. Post content systematically and strategically rather than randomly – build toward introducing the gospel. Make content shareable and tailor it to how your audience consumes content online.

Gospel Intentionality 

While building community online, look for opportunities to transition to spiritual conversations naturally:

• Pivot small talk to questions about spiritual beliefs and interests
• Share your story and how your faith transforms your life
• Offer to discuss beliefs further or share a gospel resource
• Invite anyone interested to an online Bible study or church service

Ask thoughtful questions that gently transition to spiritual matters as relationships allow. Share your testimony authentically when it relates to their experience/struggles. Use current events and viral topics as bridges for sharing timeless biblical wisdom and the hope of the gospel. Offer to send them a link to a gospel presentation video or provide an e-book/digital Bible for them to explore at their own pace.

Virtual Discipleship

For those who respond to the message online, be prepared to follow up and facilitate virtual discipleship:

• Video chat or phone to personally connect beyond just texts/posts
• Provide online Bible study resources for new believers to grow
• Connect them to a local church community for in-person fellowship
• Make yourself available to answer questions and encourage them

For new believers, set up a regular interactive video Bible study using live video chat capabilities. Create self-guided online discipleship courses with embedded videos, quizzes, a discussion forum, and clear next steps. Connect them to a local church community and help facilitate their transition to in-person fellowship when ready. Be available for ongoing intentional video/chat follow-ups on their questions as they grow.

Digital Mission Field

The internet is a 21st-century mission field with billions yet to be reached. Thoughtfully sharing your faith online can:

• Remove stigma by letting people investigate anonymously
• Encounter the lost where they live much of their lives today
• Multiply your outreach exponentially through the shareability of content
• Overcome geographic and access barriers to the gospel message

Entire countries and affinity groups are highly accessible and also under-reached online. Content can spread exponentially and remove barriers through the shareability and connectivity of the internet. This provides room for people to explore faith anonymously, without social risk, and at their own pace before professing. Digital communities can provide ongoing support for isolated believers globally.

In conclusion, sharing the gospel online requires adapting your methods to the digital space while remaining biblically accurate and led by the Holy Spirit. In our digital age, sharing the Good News online enables you to exponentially expand the reach and impact of your witness for Christ. As with in-person evangelism, wisdom and sensitivity are required, while creatively leveraging technology to make disciples of all nations.

YOUTH AND SCHOOL EVANGELISM

The Importance of Reaching Youth

• Young people are at a crucial stage of life where their beliefs, values, and trajectories are being shaped
• Statistics show most people make a decision to follow Christ before the age of 18
• Reaching youth helps set the foundations for a faithful life and impacts future generations

On-Campus Ministry

• Many effective youth/campus ministries focus outreach around local schools
• Establish positive presences at school events, athletics, performances, etc.
• Provide community service, mentoring, and after-school programs to build relationships
• Follow all policies for official campus clubs or student-led Bible studies

Establish an approved presence at schools through official Bible clubs, outreach events, community service, and campus supervision roles. Personally invest in teachers and staff to gain credibility and influence.

Peer-to-Peer Evangelism

• Equip and encourage youth to share their faith naturally with friends
• Help them find relational ways to invite peers to church youth group events
• Train them in sharing their testimony and explaining the gospel clearly
• Provide evangelistic tools and resources designed specifically for youth

Teach evangelism through friendship, initiating and navigating spiritual conversations casually. Also, role play handling objections and practising the “stops” in the gospel explanation.

Relational Ministry

• Build trust by consistently showing up in students’ lives over time
• Seek to understand their unique pressures, interests, and questions
• Be a steady source of encouragement, wisdom, and mentoring
• Earn the chance to share the gospel by demonstrating Christ’s love authentically

Creative Outreach

• Thoughtfully use relevant mediums that appeal to young people today
• Social media, online videos/content, music, interactive experiences
• Events like youth rallies, concerts, camps, community service projects
• Visual branding, fashion, and tapping into youth culture
• Multimedia experiences move beyond just lecture-style teaching to reach visually

Apologetics Training 

• Prepare youth with answers to tough questions and objections their peers raise
• Equip them to address doubts, academic attacks on faith, and ethical issues
• Build their confidence in the intellectual foundations of Christianity
• Model gracious and thoughtful dialogue when disagreeing

Help youth wrestle through intellectual and ethical objections to faith prevalent today (science, sexuality, evil, reliability of Scripture). Teach logical reasoning, understanding worldviews and fallacious thinking. Ground them in historical evidence and philosophical arguments for Christianity. And equip to engage skeptics and have respectful dialogue around disagreements.

Bridge Events and Experiences

• Intentionally create welcoming on-ramps to hear about and experience the Christian community
• Create fun, appealing entry points not initially “religious” to spark curiosity about your youth community
• Design immersive experiences allowing interactive engagement with elements of faith
• Follow-up events like concerts, retreats, and summer camps focused on spiritual growth and making the gospel connection.

Involve Youth in Evangelism 

• Identify and develop youth who are already passionate about sharing their faith
• Provide training in sharing the gospel, apologetics, and outreach skills
• Celebrate and tell stories that inspire other youth to get involved
• Rally them around a compelling, youth-led evangelistic vision for their schools

Effective youth evangelism takes persistent presence, employing relevant methods, building trust, and equipping teens to be a missionary force in their schools and youth culture. When done well, lives can be transformed and intergenerational spiritual impact results.