Sunday Message Life in Christ Bible Church LICBC Headquarters, 154 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. Sierra Madre, CA 91024, USA http://www.licbc.org ********************************************************************************************** 2. BIBLICAL PATTERN OF EVANGELISM Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-20; Luke 24:47,48; John 1:40-51; John 4:28-38; Acts 1:8; 8:1-4; 11:12-21; Romans 1:8-16 with Acts 2:6-11. There are mainly two types of evangelism in the New Testament – Personal Evangelism and Mass Evangelism. All believers are to be “fishers of men”, fishing either with a great net (mass evangelism) or with a single hook at a time (personal evangelism). Laymen and women are leaving the task of evangelism to the clergy in the church. What would happen to an army if all the fighting were left to the officers? What would become of a sales organization if all the soliciting were delegated to the directors? Evangelism is scriptural and successful only when every believer is a soul winner 1. WHAT IS PERSONAL EVANGELISM? Personal evangelism is the person-to-person sharing of the good news of salvation with the aim of soul winning (leading the sinner to repent and turn wholly to God through Jesus Christ, the Saviour ) John 1:40-42,45-47; Acts 8:26-37 The purpose of personal witnessing is to bring individuals into a personal experimental knowledge of Jesus Christ as their Saviour and Lord, NOT to accept a particular Creed, join your church, form a group or become moralists. II. WHY IS IT URGENT? 1. THE HARVEST TRULY IS PLENTEOUS! – Matthew 9:36,37; John 4: 35-38. When the harvest is ripe, delay causes waste. 1. THE SHSORTNESS OF TIME AND ENDLESSNESS OF ETERNITY – John 9:4; I Corinthians 7:29-31. If others are ignorant of the Gospel, and we are in the possession of this redeeming truth, can we be silent? III. WHAT HINDERS PERSONAL EVANGELISM? 1. IGNORANCE! OUR IGNORANCE! INEXCUSABLE IGNORANCE! Matthew 13:19; Luke 24:25,45 2. UNWILLINGNESS TO SUFFER FOR THE SALVATION OF OTHERS Matthew 13:20,21; Acts 20:20-24. There is no trouble that is too great, no humiliation too deep, no suffering too severe, no labour too hard, no journey too hazardous, no love too strong, no expense too much for a soul winner in the effort to save one soul. 3. WORLDLY CARES AND DECEITFULNESS OF RICHES - Matthew 13:22; Luke 8:14; I Timothy 6:6-12. Worldly cares blind one’s eyes to the need of others. A life of ease, delicacy and extravagance is contrary to the example of Christ and the apostles. 4. EXAGGERATED DECTRINAL PREJUDICE – 2 Corinthians 4:2,5; 2 Timothy 2:15. Our duty is to preach Christ and to make His redemptive work prominent when we preach to sinners. Undue projection of one’s own personality, harping on pet and favorite doctrines in Gospel presentation to sinners hinders its effect. 5 PRAYERLESSNESS, LACK OF COMPASSIONATE LOVE, LACK OF TACT – James 1:5-8; I Corinthians 4:7; Philippians 1:15,16; I Corinthians 9:19-27. Be a prayer-warrior. Be an intercessor. Be filled with the love of Christ. Boanerges (sons of thunder) or Barnabas (sons of consolation)? Which are you? (Mark 3:17; Luke 9:54-56; Acts 4:36). John the former “son of thunder”, learnt the lesson of love in the school of Jesus – John 13:23; I John 2:10; I John 3:14,16; 4:7-12. IV WHAT IS FOLLOW UP? A new convert must be helped in the following areas: 1. Praying in faith according to the promises of God and his growing needs- Matthew 7:7-11; I Peter 5:7 2. Daily and personal reading and study of the Bible – I Peter 2:2; Acts 17: 10,11 3. Personal Evangelism – Mark 16:15,16; John 17:18 4. Christian Fellowship – Integration into a local assembly of God’s children Hebrews 10:25; Acts 2:42.
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