Effective Evangelism Strategies for the New Year

EVANGELISM: LET S START THE YEAR OFF RIGHT CARRYING OUT THE GREAT COMMISSION MATTHEW 28:19-20 & ACTS 17:1-3 MINISTER STEPHEN EVANS MT. ZION MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH, GLENDALE 1

MATTHEW 28:19-20 (KJV) 19 GO YE THEREFORE, AND TEACH ALL NATIONS, BAPTIZING THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, AND OF THE SON, AND OF THE HOLY GHOST: 20 TEACHING THEM TO OBSERVE ALL THINGS WHATSOEVER I HAVE COMMANDED YOU: AND LO, I AM WITH YOU ALWAY, EVEN UNTO THE END OF THE WORLD. AMEN. The mission of the Church Not an option Every person who is saved person is to Go No matter what ministry you are a part of you, still are required to Go Go where? Home, community, job, etc . 2

WE MUST REALIZE THAT AS MUCH AS WE LOVE THE GOSPEL, THERE ARE MANY WHO DON T FEEL THE SAME WAY. 1 Corinthians 1:18 (KJV) FOR THE PREACHING OF THE CROSS IS TO THEM THAT PERISH FOOLISHNESS; BUT UNTO US WHICH ARE SAVED IT IS THE POWER OF GOD. them that perish are the TARGET AUDIENCE Evangelizing is not always going to be easy or a pleasant experience We won t always be successful in Making Disciples WE CAN T GIVE UP!!!!!! (someone s place in eternity is at stake) 3

WE MUST BE PREPARED!!!!! At all times And in all situations (ignored, questioned, confronted) 1 PETER 3:15 BUT SANCTIFY THE LORD GOD IN YOUR HEARTS: AND BE READY ALWAYS TO GIVE AN ANSWER TO EVERY MAN THAT ASKETH A REASON FOR THE HOPE THAT IS IN YOU WITH MEEKNESS AND FEAR. 4

LETS LOOK AT PAUL AND HOW HIS HISTORY COULD HAVE BEEN A HINDRANCE TO HIS WORK Prior to his conversion, his name was Saul Paul was a Jew Paul was highly educated in Judaism (one of the best students of the great Rabbi Gamaliel) Paul loved the Law, described himself as a Hebrew of Hebrews and was a Pharisee 5

LOOK AT PAUL DESCRIBE SAUL PHILIPIANS 3:5-6 (TLB) 5) FOR I WENT THROUGH THE JEWISH INITIATION CEREMONY WHEN I WAS 8 DAYS OLD, HAVING BEEN BORN INTO A PURE-BLOODED JEWISH HOME THAT WAS A BRANCH OF THE OLD ORIGINAL BENJAMIN FAMILY. SO I WAS A REAL JEW IF THERE EVER WAS ONE! WHAT S MORE, I WAS A MEMBER OF THE PHARISEES WHO DEMANDED THE STRICTEST OBEDIENCE TO EVERY JEWISH LAW AND CUSTOM. 6) AND SINCERE? YES, SO MUCH SO THAT I GREATLY PERSECUTED THE CHURCH; AND I TRIED TO OBEY EVERY JEWISH RULE AND REGULATION RIGHT DOWN TO THE VERY LAST POINT. 6

SAULS PERSECUTION ACTS 26:9-11 (TLB) 9 I USED TO BELIEVE THAT I OUGHT TO DO MANY HORRIBLE THINGS TO THE FOLLOWERS OF JESUS OF NAZARETH. 10) I IMPRISONED MANY OF THE SAINTS IN JERUSALEM, AS AUTHORIZED BY THE HIGH PRIESTS; AND WHEN THEY WERE CONDEMED TO DEATH, I CAST MY VOTE AGAINST THEM. 11) I USED TORTURE TO MAKE CHRISTIANS EVERYWHERE CURSE CHRIST. I WAS SO VIOLENTLY OPPOSED TO THEM THAT I EVEN HOUNDED THEM IN DISTANT CITIES AND FOREIGN LANDS. Paul participated in the stoning death of Stephen (Acts 7:58-8:1) 7

NOW PAUL IS PROMOTING WHAT HE ONCE TRIED TO PREVENT How did Paul do this? To the people, it seemed that he was preaching something totally new and against what their forefathers believed and what they had been taught all of their lives. (Not really) Acts 17:1-3 tells us: 1. Paul s method. 2. Paul s manuscript. 3. Paul s message and Paul s Messiah 8

TO HELP US PREPARE LETS TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT PAUL AS HE CARRIES OUT THE GREAT COMMISSION ACTS 17:1-3 1) NOW WHEN THEY PASSED THROUGH AMPHIPOLIS AND APPOLONIA, THEY CAME TO THESSALONICA, WHERE THERE WAS A SYNAGOGUE OF THE JEWS. 2) AND PAUL, AS HIS MANNER WAS, WENT IN UNTO THEM, AND THREE SABBATH DAYS REASONED WITH THEM OUT OF THE SCRIPTURES, 3) OPENING AND ALLEGING, THAT CHRIST MUST NEEDS HAVE SUFFERED, AND RISEN AGAIN FROM THE DEAD; AND THAT THIS JESUS, WHOM I PREACH TO YOU IS CHRIST. 9

THE METHOD ACTS 17:1-2 1) NOW WHEN THEY PASSED THROUGH AMPHIPOLIS AND APPOLONIA, THEY CAME TO THESSALONICA, WHERE THERE WAS A SYNAGOGUE OF THE JEWS. 2) AND PAUL AS HIS MANNER WAS, WENT IN UNTO THEM, AND THREE SABBATH DAYS REASONED WITH THEM 10

METHOD CONT. AS HIS MANNER WAS When Paul would go on his missionary journeys, he would start his evangelizing in the Jewish Synangogues for three sabbath days. Paul reasoned with them Reasoned to say thoroughly, to discuss, to preach, to speak back and forth, to have a dialogue with, to converse with. Paul preached the Gospel in the Jewish Synagogue and answered questions. 11

THE MANUSCRIPT VS. 2 HE REASONED WITH THEM OUT OF THE SCRIPTURES Scriptures Document, A writing. Paul was preaching to very pious and educated men, so he needed A Written Document to prove his point. The Document Paul used to reason with them was the Old Testament Scriptures. 12

OLD TESTAMENT PROPHESIES OF JESUS GENESIS 3:15 AND I WILL PUT ENMITY BETWEEN THEE AND THE WOMAN, AND BETWEEN THY SEED AND HER SEED, IT SHALL BRUISE THY HEAD, AND THOU SHALL BRUISE HIS HEEL. ISAIAH 7:14 THEREFORE, THE LORD HIMSELF SHALL GIVE YOU A SIGN, BEHOLD, A VIRGIN SHALL CONCEIVE AND BEAR A SON AND CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL. 13

OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECIES CONT. ISAIAH 53:6-9 6) ALL WE LIKE SHEEP HAVE GONE ASTRAY, WE HAVE TURNED EVERY ONE TO HIS OWN WAY AND THE LORD HATH LAID ON HIM THE INIQUITY OF US ALL. 7) HE WAS OPPRESSED AND HE WAS AFFLICTED, YET HE OPENED NOT HIS MOUTH: HE IS BROUGHT AS A LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER, AND AS A SHEEP BEFORE HER SHEARERS IS DUMB, SO HE OPENETH NOT HIS MOUTH. 8) HE WAS TAKEN FROM PRISON AND FROM JUDGEMENT: AND WHO SHALL DECLARE HIS GENERATION? FOR HE WAS CUT OFF OUT OF THE LAND OF THE LIVING: FOR THE TRANSGRESSION OF MY PEOPLE WAS HE STRICKEN. 9) AND HE MADE HIS GRAVE WITH THE WICKED, AND WITH THE RICH IN HIS DEATH; BECAUSE HE HAD DONE NO VIOLENCE, NEITHER WAS ANY DECEIT IN HIS MOUTH. 14

OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECIES CONT. ISAIAH 9:6-7 FOR UNTO US A CHILD IS BORN, UNTO US A SON IS GIVEN: AND THE GOVERNMENT SHALL BE UPON HIS SHOULDER; AND HIS NAME SHALL BE CALLED WONDERFUL, COUNSELLOR, THE MIGHTY GOD, THE EVERLASTING FATHER, THE PRINCE OF PEACE. MICHAH 5:2 BUT THOU, BETHLEHEM EPHRATAH, THOUGH THOU BE LITTLE AMONG THE THOUSANDS OF JUDAH, YET OUT OF THEE SHALL HE COME FORTH UNTO ME THAT IS TO BE RULER IN ISRAEL; WHOSE GOINGS FORTH HAVE BEEN FROM OLD, FROM EVERLASTING. 15

WHEN WE EVANGELIZE, WE MUST USE THE BIBLE AS OUR MANUSCRIPT The message of salvation we talk about MUST be in line with what the Bible says. If a person is going to be saved, they must believe the RIGHT message! 16

THE MESSAGE 3) OPENING AND ALLEGING, THAT CHRIST MUST NEEDS HAVE SUFFERED, AND RISEN AGAIN FROM THE DEAD Opening and alleging Paul made sure that what HE was saying was the same thing that the SCRIPTURES were saying. 3) THAT CHRIST MUST NEEDS HAVE SUFFERED 17

THE MESSAGE CONT. Suffer to feel intense physical and emotional pain. JOHN 19:1-3 1) THEN PILATE, THEREFORE TOOK JESUS AND SCOURGED HIM. 2) AND THE SOLDIERS PLATTED A CROWN OF THORNS AND PUT IT ON HIS HEAD AND PUT ON HIM A PURPLE ROBE. 3) AND SAID, HAIL, KING OF THE JEWS! AND THEY SMOTE HIM. 18

THE MESSAGE CONT. CHRIST DIED MATTHEW 27:50 (KJV) - JESUS, WHEN HE HAD CRIED WITH A LOUD VOICE YIELDED UP THE GHOST. MARK 15:37 (KJV) AND JESUS CRIED WITH A LOUD VOICE AND GAVE UP THE GHOST. LUKE 23:46 (KJV) AND WHEN JESUS CRIED WITH A LOUD VOICE, HE SAID, FATHER INTO THY HANDS I COMMEND MY SPIRIT: AND HAVING SAID THUS, HE GAVE UP THE GHOST. JOHN 19:30 (KJV) WHEN JESUS THEREFORE HAD RECEIVED THE VINEGAR, HE SAID, IT IS FINISHED: AND HE BOWED HIS HEAD AND GAVE UP THE GHOST. 19

THE MESSAGE CONT. VS. 3 RISEN FROM THE DEAD ROMANS 10:9 THAT IF THOU SHALT CONFESS WITH THY MOUTH THE LORD JESUS AND BELIEVE IN THINE HEART THAT GOD RAISED HIM FROM THE GRAVE THOU SHALT BE SAVED. 1 CORINTIANS 15:12-17 12) NOW IF CHRIST BE PREACHED THAT HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD, HOW SAY SOME AMONG YOU THAT THERE IS NO RESSURECTION OF THE DEAD? 13) BUT IF THERE BE NO RESSURECTION OF THE DEAD, THEN IS CHRIST NOT RISEN: 14) AND IF CHRIST BE NOT RISEN, THEN IS OUR PREACHING VAIN, AND YOUR FAITH IS ALSO VAIN. 15) YEA, AND WE ARE FOUND FALSE WITNESSES OF GOD; BECAUSE WE HAVE TESTIFIED OF GOD THAT HE RAISED UP CHRIST: WHOM HE RAISED NOT UP, IF SO BE THE DEAD RISE NOT. 16) FOR IF THE DEAD RISE NOT, THEN IS CHRIST NOT RAISED: 17) AND IF CHRIST BE NOT RAISED, YOUR FAITH IS VAIN, AND YE ARE YET IN YOUR SINS. 20

THE MESSIAH VS.3 AND THAT THIS JESUS WHOM I PREACH TO YOU IS CHRIST. Jesus was more than just a good an or prophet Christ - Christos means anointed or anointed one Root word Chrio means to smear or rub with oil. (anoint) Anointing symbolized: 1. being chosen and set apart for a special assignment. 2. Only the person being anointed can perform what he was chosen to perform. The person who was anointed had the same power and authority as the person doing the anointing. 21

THE RESULTS Acts 17:4 - AND SOME OF THEM BELIEVED, AND CONSORTED WITH PAUL AND SILAS; AND OF THE DEVOUT GREEKS, A GREAT MULTITUDE, AND OF THE CHIEF WOMEN NOT A FEW. Some of them were converted. Many Greek citizens and many important women. IF YOU FOLLOW THIS METHOD, MANUSCRIPT, MESSAGE AND MESSIAH SOMEBODY MIGHT GET SAVED!!! 22