Going Public with Your Faith Requires Words - Leader Guide - Week 4, Week of September 13-18 Based on Chapter 10 of text 4 Lesson & Series Overview Lesson Purpose The purpose of week 4 is to lead group members in two ways: a. to learn that a verbal witness is required in order to lead people to Christ, and b. to begin learning a gospel presentation to be used. Here s the summary from the Learner Notes: Unlike most studies of evangelism, the authors of Going Public with Your Faith have chosen to give attention where most other training cut corners the cultivation phase. But eventually a verbal presentation of the gospel must occur for someone to come to a saving faith in Jesus Christ. We shouldn t try to pick evangelistic fruit before it is ripe, but equally wrong would be to neglect the harvest field that God has called us to. PREPARATION NOTE: As we warned you last week, please challenge one or two more members of the class to read and master the bridge presentation so that maybe you and they can present it in small groups on a napkin or piece of scrap paper. Series Notes COMMON TO EVERY WEEK, BUT IMPORTANT! 1. The book is specifically written for cultivating relationships and sharing Christ in the work place. Because so many of the Westwood family are students, homemakers or even unemployed, we have tried to broaden the scope of these lessons because many of the principles apply to other environments as well. 2. Key Components - The Westwood Curriculum Team believes that the series will be most effective with the following elements fully utilized: a. Discussion - A group time that is heavily dependent on discussion and interaction. Our belief is that the lesson is as much (or more) about motivating people to obey God s word as it is about teaching God s Word. Believers already know more than we do. Some Biblical background is provided in the Teacher s Study Section, but please don t cover all of this at the expense of group member interaction. b. Daily homework (supplied each week) for continued involvement with the study. This will be delivered electronically to each person who signs up for the e-list, but also in written form as needed. c. Individual Reading Books are available in The Source for $10 to group members.
d. Sermons Although each lesson doesn t exactly align with the sermon, overall they are very complimentary. Please encourage your group members to attend worship. e. The Big Challenge - We want group members to leave the lesson with a Big Challenge of the week. It isn t enough just to learn, we want members to do something with each lesson. f. Your Personal Stories Nothing brings teaching alive like real life stories experienced by the leader. Please ask God for wisdom in sharing from your own life experiences to enhance the lesson. 3. This teaching guide and the student handouts will be available online at WestwoodGroups.com at least one week in advance. ABS Teachers will receive a copy in your class box each week as well. Scripture Focus of the Lesson Bible Passages Matthew 13:44 The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Romans 10:14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? Acts 8:30-31 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked. "How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Col 4:4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Important Weekly Leader Notes 1. Read chapter 10 of the book Going Public with Your Faith. Session 4 is based on that chapter. 2. Make sure to bring in your own personal stories. They make the session come to life! 3. MAKE TIME FOR THIS! The key focus of the lesson this week is to present The Bridge which is a gospel presentation based on the verse we ve been memorizing, Romans 6:23. Make sure you study it from pages 156-163. The outline found with the teaching resources at WestwoodGroups.com should also help you organize your thoughts. You will want to be able to share this in class. 4. We suggest teaching from the Learner Notes. Review this teaching guide and write your personal notes on the side for things you want to cover from the Leader Guide.
Leader Study Section Thoughts on The Soil We must accept the obvious fact that we have an enemy who works hard against the efforts we make in presenting the Gospel. One of the key selections from the first part of the chapter is a great opening statement, How hard it is for people to accept eternal life as a free gift. This could be easily turned into an open discussion question by simply adding a, Why? Through prayer, we are able to increase our sensitivity to what God s doing in the lives of our coworkers. A key passage of the book highlights the importance of timing and being sensitive to what Christ is doing in the lives of those around us. Press the Gospel too soon and the Word falls on hard, dry ground. But we must take care to avoid the opposite problem. If the time is right and a person s heart is ready, but we fail to recognize the open door or feel awkward about presenting the Gospel, we miss an opportunity to plant in a well-cultivated heart. The book also talks about the different types of questions you can ask to steer the conversation to a planting phase. It is interesting that children are known for their questions. As a interesting point of conversation, it would be good for you to share this study done on the four types of questions kids ask and how it determines who they are. Four Types of Kids-Based on their Questions Here is a short list of some types of questions that kids often ask. Naturally every kid will ask each of these types questions but which one pops up more than any other? The Why Child o The classic kid question. Kids that focus on this question might really be trying to understand why things are the way they are. Because I said so is never going to be a satisfactory answer. This child will want a position to be fully defended before they will accept it as true. The How Child o Interested in real life and how things work. Grounded in reality. May choose non-fiction over fiction. This child s play might be more closely related to happenings of the real world. The What If Child o Interested in cause and effect. When told that something can t or won t happen this child wants to know is but what if it does? The What if child is thinking creatively. Considering possibilities and impossibilities alike. The Who Child o Interested in people. Wants to know everything about everyone, including strangers. This child may be more attuned to social cues, physical appearance, etc.
Key Points from the Scripture Remember Save time for the gospel presentation sample this week! Matthew 13:44 The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. This is a meaningful parable that shows the true value of a relationship with Christ, or coming into the kingdom of heaven. Many people to which we will talk will struggle with giving up a way of life they ve come to know as adults. Maybe that s why most people who come to Christ do so in their younger years. This parable shows that nothing in our lives is more valuable than the kingdom of heaven. If we have to give up everything to attain it, we have made a sound decision. Sometimes we re afraid to ask people to change. It seems like a confrontation and in a very real sense it is. God, through us, is asking people to change the basis of their entire lives! But having a proper perspective of the transaction will help. Yes, it costs a whole lot. Everything in fact. But we must remember that we re asking people to give it all in order to get so much more in return. Romans 10:14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? This verse really needs no commentary. It is similar in nature to 2 Corinthians 5 in which we are given the ministry of reconciliation. Taken in reverse order of the passage, which is, in fact, the correct chronological order: people hear the word of God, they believe, and then they call upon God. We are the important catalyst to the beginning of this formula because we are called to preach the word of God. Without that, the process never begins. In Acts 8:30-31, the Ethiopian Eunuch was experiencing this first hand. He desired more, but was missing a believer to put flesh on the bones of his understanding of the word of God. It is interesting that a teachable moment had been created by a catalyst in his life. By the things we re learning in Going Public, we are hoping to partner with the Holy Spirit in the creation of teachable moments in which a curios seeks asks, How can I take the next step? Acts 8:30-31 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked. "How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Col 4:4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. In this passage Paul was asking for prayers for open doors to share the message, the mystery of Christ (verse 3 was one of last week s scriptures), but also requesting prayers that he would be able to proclaim the message clearly. Guys, if Paul is asking for prayer for clarity, then I believe we should be too! And if we are going to ask God for something, I believe his answer would come along with a little time in the word. Let s do our part to be prepared to present the gospel clearly.
Group Session Guide Review & Accountability Say: Ask: Last week we focused on preparing our faith flags, faith stories and our personal testimony. 1) Has anyone further developed a faith story that you d like to share? 2) Has anyone had a unique opportunity to share a faith flag or story with someone this week? 3) Are you still praying for the three people on your Impact List? (see week 1) Starting Point Say This week we re focusing on learning to share the gospel with others, specifically sharing the details of what Jesus did for them and how they can accept God s gift of eternal life. Option 1: Jump Right In How about I just get right to the point and role play a way to share the gospel using The Bridge? Present The Bridge (option included for later in lesson also) Set up the situation and sit down and share with someone playing the role of a lost person. More instructional options are available at the next shadowed box. Option 2: Statement & Questions Share the introduction found on the Learner Notes: Unlike most studies of evangelism, the authors of Going Public with Your Faith have chosen to give attention where most other training cut corners the cultivation phase. But eventually a verbal presentation of the gospel must occur for someone to come to a saving faith in Jesus Christ. We shouldn t try to pick evangelistic fruit before it is ripe, but equally wrong would be to neglect the harvest field that God has called us to. Opening Questions: 1. Have you ever heard a great presentation of the gospel? What made it great? 2. Have you ever had the honor of leading someone to Christ? What did you use to share? Option 3: The Visual Illustration: Seeds Before reviewing the homework and dismissing, you may wish to close the session with the Visual Illustration printed at the end of this Leader Guide: Seeds.
Scripture REVIEW OF PASSAGES (Note) Read through the verses printed on the Learner Notes and share any insights from your study. (Be careful to allow time for group discussion, being careful to not spend the entire group time here.) We printed the passages on the Learner Notes so that all group members would read from the same translation and so that some passages could be abbreviated. BRIEFLY DISCUSS THE PASSAGES Matthew 13:44 The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Your comments: Romans 10:14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? Your comments: Acts 8:30-31 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked. "How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Your comments: Col 4:4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Your comments: Focus Discuss any insights you have from the Focus Section of the Learner Notes. Here is the text from there: Just like an airplane ride, the takeoff and the landing are the most crucial parts of a gospel presentation. In order to gently and respectfully steer a conversation toward a presentation, seek to nudge the conversation without trying to control it. One good transition question would be, Could I share with you one verse that I believe summarizes the content of the entire Bible? Some diagnostic questions are: 1) Have you ever come to the point in your life that you know for sure you d go to heaven? or 2) If you were to stand before God and he asked, Why should I let you into heaven, what would you say? Often people are unsure of their relationship with Christ. 1 John 5:13 is a good verse to let people that we can know where we stand with God. In that passage John said, I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.
The gospel presentation itself should cover God s love and plan for mankind, our failure to meet God s standards, His provision for our sin and our response of faith and repentance. Be sure to center all of your conversation on what the Bible has to say. Avoid phrases such as I think or I believe. While gospel tracts have their place in gospel communication, we believe it s more natural and comfortable to create your own tract or presentation. That type of presentation allows for a more personal and natural presentation. Some questions after a presentation are good to bring it toward a conclusion or landing the airplane. You might ask one or both of these questions: 1) What do you think about all of this? Or 2) Can you think of anything that would keep you from making a decision to trust Jesus and become a follower? If the friend is interested in receiving Christ, make sure he or she understands the importance of repentance and Lordship. Making Christ Lord is a decision that costs nothing, yet costs everything! Lead your friend in a simple prayer that emphasizes what Christ did for us and what the new believer is giving Christ faith, trust and Lordship. It is now your responsibility to help them grow! If someone declines the invitation, don t look hurt or dismayed. This isn t about you, but about God and His timing. Affirm the friendship and the fact that you won t be hounding them. You could say, I understand. You are an awesome friend and I don t want to abuse our friendship. I promise not to hound you about this if you promise me you ll let me know if you are ever interested. Gospel Presentation Note: You may prefer to present the gospel plan here. Another option is to break into small groups with preenlisted people showing how to present the presentation on a small piece of paper. (The point is being able to share on whatever is within reach when the opportunity is right. We don t always have a gospel tract or Bible available!) Present The Bridge in Smaller Groups (if no presentation was modeled earlier) Set up the situation and sit down and share with someone playing the role of a lost person. You may also do this in groups with pre-enlisted people. Idea: Depending on whether you walk through this activity later in the lesson, you may wish to have the group turn to Just for Thought on the back of the learner guide and write down some ideas of what to say about each key word. For use later, the outline can be found at ewestwood.org/groups. Click on Going Public with Your Faith.
Truths to Remember (Note) Invite group members to fill-in-the-blanks on their Learner Notes as you discuss each statement. 1. The ultimate goal of cultivating an evangelistic relationship with a nonbeliever is to share Christ. We must be ready to walk through that door when it is open. a. It really is a matter of life and death! b. When we are working on cultivation, we really don t know when the person will become interested. 2. Just living a good life isn t enough. The gospel has to include words. Jesus didn t just live it in front of them. a. Many people believe that our responsibility is just to be good. Scripture doesn t show this to be true. b. We can t live a life good enough to help people find Christ. Our lives can be a catalyst, but if we can t tell them how, we can t count on them learning how from our lives. 3. If we really believe the truth of the gospel, we will find ways to share Christ with those we love. a. It s like a friend who has cancer and we know the cure. The life and death reality of a physical illness is no less important than a spiritual illness. If we really believe in the spiritual realities of heaven and hell, and know the answers, how can we not share? 4. The best method of sharing the gospel is the one that feels most comfortable to you, that you are willing to use, that fits into the situation. a. The presentation in this lesson is a suggestion. It is good because you can learn it quickly and only have to memorize one verse. b. If you already know a plan, by all means, stick with it! There are many ways to share the gospel. The only bad one is the one that doesn t get shared! 5. If you memorize verses to use in sharing the gospel, you ll always have Biblical truth ready for an unplanned discussion when you don t have a Bible handy. a. Using Scripture is important because God works through His word in powerful ways. b. Memorizing scripture seems difficult for adults because we aren t as disciplined, don t have to take a test on it, and don t work systematically to accomplish it! Questions for Discussion (Note) We normally suggest that you plan your lesson in order to spend at least 15 minutes in discussion. This may be difficult this week due to the time to share the gospel presentation. Guiding the discussion and leading people toward meaningful change in their lives may be easier through thoughtful discussion.
Questions in Student Sheet 1. What does it say to a person if we ve been friends for a long time and have never talked about spiritual matters? How do you recover from that if you are in that situation? 2. What are the essentials to include in a gospel presentation? Are any of these truths often left out of a gospel presentation? 3. Is escaping hell sufficient motivation to accept Christ? Why or why not? 4. What plans for sharing the gospel has been a favorite of yours and why? (Roman Road, FAITH, Four Spiritual Laws, CWT, John 3:16 only) 5. What are your thoughts about the Bridge Illustration? Is it clear? Could you use it? What else do you need before you ll feel comfortable with it? 6. What are some ways we can become prepared and stay prepared to share the gospel as God gives opportunity? Just for Thought Review Scriptures or thoughts on what to say for each of the seven key words in the Bridge Illustration using Romans 6:23. (Walk though each word and ask the group to remember and say what they could share about each of the key words (from remembering the presentation already shared). Wages Sin Death Gift God Eternal Life Christ Jesus The Big Challenge Ask group members to turn with you on the Learner Notes to The Big Challenge. Walk through the activity. Work on the Bridge Illustration this week. Practice it with a Christian friend, realizing there is a reason to practice it may be rough at first. Pray for a chance to share it with someone this week. For more help, visit ewestwood.org/groups for a written outline of the presentation. CLOSING Before reviewing the homework and dismissing, you may wish to close the session with the Visual Illustration printed at the end of this Leader Guide: Seeds.
Homework Review Homework Listed on Learner Notes 1. Work on The Bridge or another gospel presentation. 2. Read chapter 11 on objections in Going Public with Your Faith. 3. Visit ewestwood.org/groups for Going Public Daily Thought Emails. 4. Review these verses and consider adding some to your presentation: Is. 53:6, Rom. 5:8, 1 Pet. 3:18, Psalm 103:12, 1 John 5:13, Rom. 6:23, John 1:12, John 3:1-8, 16-18, Rom. 3:22-28, Jer. 29:11, John 3:16, Gal. 2:16, Ezekiel 18:4, John 14:6, Rev. 3:20, 1 Cor. 15:3-4, Eph 2:8-9 Visual Illustration Everyone learns differently. Below is an idea on how to bring in a creative object lesson. The Seed Strategy Supplies Needed: An envelope of seeds for the class. Teaching Focus Point: The planting phase of evangelism can be likened the planting process of a seed. Teaching Process: Preparing the Soil o Ask the group what is necessary for the seed to grow, the natural answer would be soil. o Ask the class what would need to be done for the soil to be ready for a seed to be planted. o Equate those activities to the activities involved in the evangelistic process. Planting the Seeds o Share this interesting portion of the directions: not all seeds will germinate and not all that do germinate will survive. Use this as an open discussion point for the class After the Seeds are planted o Be sure to emphasize the message that the growing of the seed is the responsibility of Christ, not us. o Much like planting a normal seed, we can do all we can to prepare the soil, plant it in the best light, water it as recommended, etc, but the growing depends on the seed and the Creator. Evangelism is the same way. Have the members to carry the seed with them the next week and think about what seeds need to be planted in their workplace.