KCMI - Ministry Tools
FRIENDSHIP EVANGELISM:
By: King's Commission Ministries Int. - Rev. Pieter G. Bos - P. O. Box 8355 Coburg, OR. 97408 - USA
http://OurMission.faithweb.com
Jesus said, "As long as it is day, we must do the work of Him who sent me". (John 9:4 NIV)
"All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matt. 28:18-20)
"You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you: and you shall be My witnesses....even to the remotest part of the earth." (Acts 1:8)
This is a practical tool towards fulfilling the great commission, and how to develop a personal prayer and action plan for (Friendship) evangelism, and discipleship.
Most Christians would acknowledge their obligation to be a witness for Jesus Christ, however, many of them feel inadequate or powerless in the area of personal evangelism. The question is...Should it be this way? The apostle Paul prayed for Philemon, "that the sharing of your faith might become effective". (Philemon 1:6 NKJV) and God answers prayer. It is up to us if we want to learn to be effective, too!
According to statistics, at least 80% of those who accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, do so because a friend either invited them to an evangelistic event, or because they gave them a personal witness and testimony. Therefore it is very important for each of us to develop a personal plan for evangelism that will call us to action. Here are six easy steps to follow which can be the beginning of a new challenge that will bear fruit as God enables:
#1) Prayerfully select one to three friends, colleagues or neighbors who are not Christians. Make it a mandate to pray for them on a regular daily basis, and ask God, how you can be a witness to them. Write their names on the back of this form.
#2) Identify three ways to build a "bridge" with each individual, which shows them that you care and that they know you are interested in them and in their lives. Be aware,
"People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care".
The Apostle Paul wrote in I Corinthians 9:19-22; "for though I am free from all men. I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more"..."To the weak, I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some."
#3) Choose three "events" for each individual named that will build on step #2 and give you quality time with your friends. A variety of different events can be very helpful, however, make sure that your friend will be exposed to the Gospel of Christ in an appropriate way in at least one of the events.
#4) Plan for three different times where you will have an opportunity to share a "personal testimony" with them. These testimonies may be different from one another depending on the person, the need and the situation he/she might find him/herself in. These testimonies need prayerful thought and preparation. (Watch out... don't preach......!)
#5) Counting the cost...Think about having a personal missions budget. Think about a creative way to save money for your evangelism outreach. An example could be that at the end of every day you put all your change in a cookie jar, so that when the time is right you have the money needed to cover any expenses involved with your personal missions project.
#6) A prayer support team is very important. Try to find people within your church who would like to be prayer partners with you. These individuals need to be the kind who will encourage you and hold you accountable to your plan for evangelism. The best prospects would be those who share common goals and have developed their own personal plan for evangelism.
Please be encouraged to involve one of the pastoral staff members from your church. A regular (once a month) time to pray together will also prove beneficial. Remember..., only the Holy Spirit can and will open hardened hearts. You are only asked to be obedient and witness. The results are up to Him.