The Journey Faith & Life Seminar:

Transcription

1 NAME: The Journey Faith & Life Seminar: Becoming A Contagious Christian Student Notes March 21, 2017 Page 1 of 16

2 BECOMING A CONTAGIOUS CHRISTIAN 1. live in Metro NYC. 2. live in NYC. 3. Unaffiliated with some religion. 4. are Evangelical Christian. 14 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? 15 And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" Romans 10:14-15 Journey Mission Statement: The Journey exists to give the people of NYC the to become fully-developing followers of Jesus Christ. At The Journey Church this involves! BIBLE VERSES ABOUT SHARING YOUR FAITH Matthew 28: Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him -- but some of them still doubted! 18 Jesus came and told his disciples, "I have been given complete authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Page 2 of 16

3 Acts 1:8 8 But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about me everywhere -- in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." 2 Corinthians 5:20 20 We are Christ's ambassadors, and God is using us to speak to you. We urge you, as though Christ himself were here pleading with you, "Be reconciled to God!" 1 Peter 3:15 15 Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if you are asked about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. THE GOAL OF THIS SEMINAR: To become about sharing my faith, ultimately becoming a. THE COSTS OF BECOMING A CONTAGIOUS CHRISTIAN THE COSTS: 1. Time and Energy Building relationships takes work. Involves explaining and re-explaining the Gospel as often as needed. I have to learn to be patient when people don t respond as I expect. Benefit: I grow in Spiritual Maturity. 2. Reading and Study I have to learn to make time to read and understand God s word. When someone doesn t understand something or asks a question I can t answer I may have to search for the answer. Page 3 of 16

4 Benefit: I get to know God better personally. 3. Money Building relationships involves taking people out and investing in them. Sometimes I will need to purchase a Bible or a book to help someone better understand what we are discussing. Benefit: I am using the resources God has given me to invest in eternity. 4. Risks of Embarrassment, Rejection, or Persecution Not everyone will accept what we believe. Sometimes people will make fun of us for our beliefs. What we are sharing is counter cultural. Benefit: God reminds us that blessed are the persecuted. 5. It Complicates Our Life Investing in other encroaches upon our Independence We have to make adjustments in our everyday to be available for those around us. Benefit: There are good complications in life (marriage, having kids, sharing your faith, etc.) THE REWARD OF BECOMING A CONTAGIOUS CHRISTIAN I get to see to my come to an understanding of who Jesus Christ is, put their trust in Him, and ultimately watch them become! Page 4 of 16

5 I In Jesus Then I Jesus. Others in Jesus Others Jesus. As you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. John 17:18 WARNING: We don t do the, Jesus does! Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. John 14:6 MY PERSONAL TESTIMONY * The first step in becoming a Contagious Christian is knowing my personal testimony. And the apostles gave powerful witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God's great favor was upon them all. Acts 4:33 For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes - Romans 1:16 Now stand up! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant and my witness. You are to tell the world about this experience and about other times I will appear to you. Acts 26:16 Page 5 of 16

6 WRITING OUT YOUR TESTIMONY As you begin to write out your testimony, remember: 1. Be concise and simple in wording. 2. Avoid religious clichés or God-talk. 3. Be direct and to the point to 4 minutes is preferred. 3 minutes is ideal. 5. Emphasize aspects of your story that will relate to your friend. My life before becoming a Christian: *Where were you spiritually before receiving Christ? What was your life like? *What were your attitudes and beliefs? What was most important to you? *What substitute for God did you use to find meaning in your life? (sports/fitness, success at work, marriage, sex, making money, drugs/alcohol, having fun, entertainment, popularity, hobbies) Page 6 of 16

7 How I Became a Christian: *What caused you to begin considering God/Jesus as a solution to your needs and as your Savior? What significant steps led up to your conversion? *What needs, hurts, or problems made you dissatisfied with the way you were living without God? (Choose a theme). How did God get your attention? *What motivated you? What specifically did you do to step across the line? *Where did it happen? What did you say in your prayer? Be specific. My Life After Becoming a Christian: *How did your life begin to change after you received Christ? *What benefits have you experienced or felt? What problems have been resolved? *How has Jesus helped you change for the better? How has it helped your relationships? Give a current example. Page 7 of 16

8 NEXT STEPS: 1. Write out your testimony using your notes. 2. Send your testimony to Pastor Jeremy or Pastor Kerrick 3. Know your testimony so that when someone asks you about your faith you are prepared to share! You are generous because of your faith. And I am praying that you will really put your generosity to work, for in so doing you will come to an understanding of all the good things we can do for Christ. Philemon 6 APPROACHES TO EVANGELISM * Your approach to evangelism should look like YOU. * God created each of us with a unique make-up, specific gifts and talents, and different personalities our approach to evangelism should look like us! 1. Evangelism * The Apostle Peter is a great example. Acts 2:36-41: 36 So let it be clearly known by everyone in Israel that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified to be both Lord and Messiah!" 37 Peter's words convicted them deeply, and they said to him and to the other apostles, "Brothers, what should we do?" 38 Peter replied, "Each of you must turn from your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 This promise is to you and to your children, and even to the Gentiles -- all who have been called by the Lord our God." 40 Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, "Save yourselves from this generation that has gone astray!" 41 Those who believed what Peter Page 8 of 16

9 said were baptized and added to the church -- about three thousand in all. 2. Evangelism *The Apostle Paul is a great example. Acts 17:2-4: 2 As was Paul's custom, he went to the synagogue service, and for three Sabbaths in a row he interpreted the Scriptures to the people. 3 He was explaining and proving the prophecies about the sufferings of the Messiah and his rising from the dead. He said, "This Jesus I'm telling you about is the Messiah." 4 Some who listened were persuaded and became converts, including a large number of godly Greek men and also many important women of the city 3. Evangelism * The Blind man John 9: So for the second time they called in the man who had been blind and told him, "Give glory to God by telling the truth, because we know Jesus is a sinner." 25 "I don't know whether he is a sinner," the man replied. "But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!" 26 "But what did he do?" they asked. "How did he heal you?" 27 "Look!" the man exclaimed. "I told you once. Didn't you listen? Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?" 4. Evangelism * The Woman at the well. John 4: The woman left her water jar beside the well and went back to the village and told everyone, 29 "Come and meet a man who told me everything I ever did! Can this be the Messiah?" 30 So the people came streaming from the village to see him. Page 9 of 16

10 5. Evangelism * Phillip and the Ethiopian Acts 8:26-31, As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, "Go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza." 27 So he did, and he met the treasurer of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under the queen of Ethiopia. The eunuch had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and he was now returning. Seated in his carriage, he was reading aloud from the book of the prophet Isaiah. 29 The Holy Spirit said to Philip, "Go over and walk along beside the carriage." 30 Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah; so he asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?" 31 The man replied, "How can I, when there is no one to instruct me?" And he begged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him. 35 So Philip began with this same Scripture and then used many others to tell him the Good News about Jesus. 36 As they rode along, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, "Look! There's some water! Why can't I be baptized?" He ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away. The eunuch never saw him again but went on his way rejoicing. 6. Evangelism * Jesus models this for us. Mark 10: But among you it should be quite different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be the slave of all. Page 10 of 16

11 NEXT STEPS: 1. Identify the best approach of evangelism for you. 2. Start practicing this type of evangelism and become comfortable with it. 3. Look for ways to use this type of evangelism in your everyday life. YOU ARE GOD S PLAN A * Often amongst our families, our co-workers and our friends, we are God s Plan A! *Very few people around us are Christian and it is no mistake that God has placed us in the family we are in, amongst the friends we have and in the workplace we are in. But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? Romans 10:14 Who is in my sphere of influence? Family Members who don t have relationship with Jesus: Co-workers who don t have relationship with Jesus: Page 11 of 16

12 Friends who don t have relationship with Jesus: Who else do I see every day who may not know Jesus? (Starbucks, Gym, Commute, etc.) Key Actions: 1. Be Authentic (You is better than someone else). 2. Be Available (Your time is your best resource) 3. Be Aware (There is always opportunities around us) NEXT STEPS: 1. Identify people in my Sphere of Influence. 2. Start praying for these people. 3. Be intentional about connecting with these people every day and sharing your faith with them. Page 12 of 16

13 STARTING SPIRITUAL CONVERSATIONS * How you start a conversation will depend upon on your approach to evangelism, your personality and the subject matter you are talking about. 3 Approaches: 1. The Direct Method: * This approach doesn t wait for opportunities to avail itself, it creates them. * Having a direct opener that you share with people. For example, Have you ever wondered the difference between Christianity and religion? If you want to know more, let me know. * This method requires you have a strong confidence in what you are going to share and you are prepared to answer the questions that come from the question you just asked. 2. The Indirect Method: * Use the current discussion topic and turn it towards matters of God and faith. * Examples: - When someone at work ask you how your year is going, don t forget to share how things are spiritual. - When you meet someone new in town, as you get to know them and are sharing your favorite spots like restaurants, just let them know about the church you attend as well. - Use current things like sports, music and even what is in the news to talk about matters of faith. - Use shared activities or hobbies as places to talk about what else you do.. I serve every Sunday at my church. Page 13 of 16

14 3. The Invitational Method: * ABI: Always be inviting * Invite family members, friends, and co-workers to join you on Sunday at a service or invite them to a fun event like a Coffee House or Concert. * Servant Evangelism * This approach starts the spiritual conversation and allows the person to approach it at their own pace since it isn t as private or intimate. NEXT STEPS: 1. Find the best approach for you. 2. Be friendly and remember to develop a relationship first no matter what approach you use. THE GOSPEL MESSAGE: * Once you have engaged people in conversation, you must be prepared to share the Gospel Message in case the opportunity presents itself. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. - Romans 5:8 For all have sinned; all fall short of God's glorious standard. Romans 3:23 Page 14 of 16

15 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9 NEXT STEPS: 1. Have a clear idea of what it means to be a follower of Jesus. 2. Be prepared to share this with someone if they ask. TOOLS FOR EVANGELISM: But my life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus -- the work of telling others the Good News about God's wonderful kindness and love. Acts 20:24 Page 15 of 16

16 LIVING A LIFE OF EVANGELISM: 1. Make your personal walk with Jesus a priority. 2. Always be praying for the people in your sphere of influence who don t know Jesus. 3. Have a clear understanding of the Gospel message and on how to share that with someone. 4. Learn the approaches to evangelism and find the one that works best for you. 5. Discover the best method for you to clearly communicate. 6. Use the tools and resources you have. 7. Always be inviting people to join you on Sundays, in your growth groups and to other fun events like concerts and coffee houses. Page 16 of 16