Day 40 - 40 Days of Focus: Evangelism

The Greatest Story Ever Told

What was the secret to Billy Graham’s success at leading people to Jesus Christ? In His autobiography he explains that he was not the most talented of preachers. He spoke plainly and relied heavily on reading Scripture passages directly from the bible. But one thing Billy always did was tell the story of Jesus who lived and died and rose again. You will never be able to convince people to respond, but if you tell the story it will draw people to Christ. Jesus Himself said, “If I be lifted up, I will draw all men to Myself.” John 12:32

Don’t ever stop telling the story…

Day 39 - 40 Days of Focus: Evangelism

Sustainable Plans

So, how many times have you decided you were going to turn over a new leaf, make a change or be a more faithful Christian? As the old saying goes, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” OK, so you are not going to hell, but you get the point. Good intentions are not the same as good deeds. Has the 40 Days of Focus on Evangelism changed your thinking? Are you willing to adopt a daily plan for evangelism? How will you sustain it? What makes you think you will not go back to your old lazy ways? The following are some keys to sustaining your commitment. If you follow these you have a good chance of success.

KEY ONE: TRIGGER
You must have something to remind you
Whether it’s brushing your teeth or tying your shoes, choose something you do every day and ask God to remind you during that activity to pray.

KEY TWO: ACCOUNTABILITY
If you forget, who will know? Find one person or share with your small group. Decide how often they should ask you how your evangelism is going. Choose someone who is reliable.

KEY THREE: FRESHNESS
Keep your own spiritual life fresh and exciting. Allow God to show you His might by stepping out in faith and taking risks. Stay in fellowship with the Church. A stale gospel is not likely to leave the shelf it sits on. The manna God gave the Israelites lasted only one day and the manna He gives you won’t last much longer.

Day 38 - 40 Days of Focus: Evangelism

Recap

What did we learn during our 40 Day Journey? We certainly covered a lot of ground. Sometimes we get lost when there’s too much to focus on so as we conclude the journey let’s remove as much as we can and focus on the highlights. When I use google maps I often find the close-up to be of little help until I have pulled back and recovered my bearings. So, let’s back up to an aerial view of Evangelism as we recap our journey.

Evangelism is a Lifestyle not an Event

Many of us don’t evangelize because we have a wrong view of what it means and this produces a fear of the unknown that keeps us paralyzed. We must change our thinking to unlock a new plan of evangelism.

STEP ONE: Pray daily by name for soft soil + opportunity +boldness (you may need a trigger to remind you).
STEP TWO: As you are going… share when God places the opportunity in front of you (there are not coincidences with God in charge).
STEP THREE: Demonstrate the Gospel with your actions not just words.
STEP FOUR: Always invite people to places where they can hear the truth.
STEP FIVE: Know how to explain the gospel to someone who is ready to receive it.

Most Christians never lead a single person to faith in Jesus Christ during their lifetime. If you will faithfully share Jesus according to the plan above you will have the amazing privilege of leading many people to Jesus in the years to come.