EVANGELISM:
YOU TOO CAN!
"A simple guide to soul winning"
Written By
John Emmanuel
Edited By
John Ayomide
All scriptural quotations are from The Amplified Bible Version. Except otherwise indicated.
A GoodnewsBroadcast Publication.
©2023
Lagos, Nigeria.
For feedback and enquiries; johnemmanuel870@gmail.com
INTRODUCTION
Having been permitted of God to train some brethren on evangelism, we believe the basic thoughts shared in those training can serve as a guide for people who desire to obey the Lord Jesus' instruction on evangelism;
"And He said to them, Go into all the world and preach and publish openly the good news (the Gospel) to every creature [of the whole human race]" Mark 16:15.
But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth. Act 1:8.
DEDICATION
We dedicate this book to all those who have decided to obey the last instruction of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, to witness the message of the gospel to others.
And to my wife, John Ayomide, who has devoted herself to serving God alongside myself. Your sacrifice of love to God is not in vain. I love you Best! Thanks for yielding to Jesus.
CONTENTS
In this book you will learn about;
1. THE EXCUSES FOR NOT reaching out to others about Jesus.
2. WHAT THE GOSPEL IS NOT about.
3. WHAT IS THE MESSAGE OF EVANGELISM all about.
4. IT'S ALL ABOUT REPEATING THE NEWS
5. HOW TO PREPARE for Evangelism.
THE EXCUSE
"I can't speak in public."
"I am shy."
"I don't know what to say."
"What if I say the wrong thing?"
The above and several other reasons are why many people have never shared the gospel of Jesus to anyone.
However, the truth is, no one was born a speaker for Jesus. It is salvation through Christ Jesus that gives us the mandate from God to tell others about Jesus.
Majority of our excuses for not sharing the gospel are actually a distraction from the enemy and our society. The greatest hindrance to evangelism is not lack of funding. It isn't biblical illiteracy (that is, lack of a degree in Theology). Rather, many of us are not involved in soul winning because we are consciously or unconsciously ashamed of the gospel. Apostle Paul was a very effective soul winner for the Lord because he put away shame. The devil and the world system makes us feel abnormal for sharing the gospel but see what apostle Paul has to say:
For I am not ashamed of the Gospel (good news) of Christ, for it is God's power working unto salvation [for deliverance from eternal death] to everyone who believes with a personal trust and a confident surrender and firm reliance, to the Jew first and also to the Greek, Romans 1:16.
Beloved of God, do not let the enemy cheat you of the reward that awaits those who faithfully witness Jesus to others. Join the train, do away with the excuse today.
If you are willing to do that, I welcome you onboard.
WHAT THE GOSPEL IS NOT
We cannot deny that several people are committed to going into the streets or standing on the pulpit to preach. The problem today is that what many people are preaching or telling others about is not the message of the gospel. Some of the things we hear people say today which are not the message of salvation include:
1. Come to our church and see miracles: The gospel is not primarily an invitation to church. It is an invitation to Jesus Christ.
2. Hell fire and Heaven is real: As true as it is, the gospel is not first about heaven and hell. Several pagans believe in a kind of heaven and a certain kind of hell. Other religions also teach about heaven and hell. While a knowledge of heaven and hell can make a person become conscious of the existence of God as a Supreme Being, such knowledge cannot save a man from condemnation. It is not enough to know God, we must know about the diligent means of seeking Him. The only diligent means of seeking God is the gospel.
3. Rapture: Several people stand on the streets and on the pulpits to talk about rapture yet no one will be saved by having a knowledge of rapture. It is no news that most people talk about rapture in a way that leaves fear in the heart of men without letting them know that rapture is actually a blessing to the child of God. Those who have read their Bible know that the rapture is God's plan to give His children another body that is free from death, aging, sickness and immortality. The rapture of the saints is also God's way of bringing us to Himself in a more literal sense.
4. Behavioural Modification: Some people think if we can behave well, God will accept us. When we act well, it doesn't change God, rather our good behaviour helps other people form an opinion about us. A good behaviour however does not basically mean the problem of sin in the life of a person has been solved. Changing one's behaviour does not deal with the root of sin and wickedness in such a person. For instance, someone who is courteous to people may turn out to be an armed robber. Another person who does not smoke or drink may be doing so because of medical reasons and not because of the fear of God. Only the gospel of Jesus has the capacity to change a person's life from inside out.
5. Preaching Certain Doctrines: Doctrines are good but most times they are our own biases and point of view. Several doctrines are merely a shadow image built based on some level of exposure we have from the Bible and from men and women we look up to in religious matters. Some people preach against a particular dress mode e.g. that it is bad for a lady to wear ear rings, trousers etc. however, time and time again has shown that people change their doctrines based on the available information they have. Also these doctrines do not stand the test of perfect scrutiny in light of the whole Bible.
Since we have identified some messages that is not the gospel message, we must now answer the question...
WHAT IS THE MESSAGE OF EVANGELISM?
Evangelism has a root meaning related to good news, and it is basically explained in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4.
"AND NOW let me remind you [since it seems to have escaped you], brethren, of the Gospel (the glad tidings of salvation) which I proclaimed to you, which you welcomed and accepted and upon which your faith rests, And by which you are saved, if you hold fast and keep firmly what I preached to you, unless you believed at first without effect and all for nothing. For I passed on to you first of all what I also had received, that Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for our sins in accordance with [what] the Scriptures [foretold], That He was buried, that He arose on the third day as the Scriptures foretold,"
We can see from the above passage that the message of the good news is all about the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for our sins. The message that saves is the message of salvation through the death of our Lord Jesus. Our Lord Jesus knew no sin:
2 Corinthians 5:21 - For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
He was without sin:
Hebrews 4:15 - For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
He did no sin:
1Peter 2:22 - Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth.
However, the sinless Lord came and died in our place as punishment for sin.
"but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" Romans 5:8.
Jesus came and died for our sins, so that anyone who believes in His death is automatically discharged from the punishment of sins and eternal condemnation.
For Christ [the Messiah Himself] died for sins once for all, the Righteous for the unrighteous (the Just for the unjust, the Innocent for the guilty), that He might bring us to God. In His human body He was put to death, but He was made alive in the spirit. 1 Peter 3:18.
For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life. John 3:16.
Jesus did not only die for our sins, God raised Him up and in the resurrection of Jesus there is justification for us.
"Who was betrayed and put to death because of our misdeeds and was raised to secure our justification (our acquittal), [making our account balance and absolving us from all guilt before God]." Romans 4:25.
It also does not ends here, we must also tell the listener that Jesus will come again for all who believe this truth to give us a new body that cannot die or fall sick again.
"If we who are [abiding] in Christ have hope only in this life and that is all, then we are of all people most miserable and to be pitied. But the fact is that Christ (the Messiah) has been raised from the dead, and He became the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep [in death]. For since [it was] through a man that death [came into the world, it is] also through a Man that the resurrection of the dead [has come]. For just as [because of their union of nature] in Adam all people die, so also [by virtue of their union of nature] shall all in Christ be made alive. But each in his own rank and turn: Christ (the Messiah) [is] the firstfruits, then those who are Christ's [own will be resurrected] at His coming." 1 Corinthians 15:19-23.
This is the message to be preached during evangelism, this is the good news of Jesus. When you share this message with a person, ask them if they understand you and give them the opportunity to call on Jesus straight away from their heart, so that they will be saved. The Bible teaches this;
"Because if you acknowledge and confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and in your heart believe (adhere to, trust in, and rely on the truth) that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart a person believes (adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Christ) and so is justified (declared righteous, acceptable to God), and with the mouth he confesses (declares openly and speaks out freely his faith) and confirms [his] salvation." Romans 10:9-10.
IT'S ALL ABOUT REPEATING THE NEWS
The message of Jesus is news, and news is only beneficial when it has been relayed to others. A news is of no benefit if it is never shared with others. You cannot keep the message of Jesus to yourself and not tell others. The message of Jesus is called the good news because it is the news that reveals the goodness of God.
"But God shows and clearly proves His [own] love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for us." Romans 5:8.
The good news is the message of what God who is loving in nature has done for sinners through Jesus Christ.
When Jesus was leaving the earth, His last instruction was for His followers to go and tell others about what He has done.
"But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth." Act 1:8.
If you have received Jesus into your life, by extension you have also received the instruction to share the good news with others. The same message that saved you must be heard by others through you. What is this message that saves?
"For I am not ashamed of the Gospel (good news) of Christ, for it is God's power working unto salvation [for deliverance from eternal death] to everyone who believes with a personal trust and a confident surrender and firm reliance, to the Jew first and also to the Greek, For in the Gospel a righteousness which God ascribes is revealed, both springing from faith and leading to faith [disclosed through the way of faith that arouses to more faith]. As it is written, The man who through faith is just and upright shall live and shall live by faith." Romans 1:16-17.
The Gospel of Jesus is God's powerful means of rescuing us from the wrath to come. God is Holy. He frowns at and hates lawlessness. We humans are filled with all sort of lawlessness and it is leading us into the wrath of God. It is only in the Gospel of Jesus that God has planted a deliverance from destruction for humans.
Dear Reader, if you know that a certain people will be attacked by some terrorists on a particular day, will you keep quiet and not inform those that will be affected? If you are previleged to some information about a natural disaster that may happen in your area soon which will affect your loved ones and neighbours, will you keep it to yourself? I am certain you will want to rescue yourself and others from such calamity.
The Bible teaches us that there is an impending disaster waiting to happen. God will visit and judge humanity of all the lawless deeds that has been done against Him. God however does not desire that anyone should perish even when He comes to judge the lawlessness in our days. God is aware that it was the devil that led humanity into damnation, hence, when God finally comes to judge the devil, God desires to spare mankind from the punishment and consequences of sin. However, the only way people will be rescued is if you and I take this message to them.
PREPARING FOR EVANGELISM
Beloved of God, if you have read this book up to this point, you have known the basic message to be shared during evangelism. I congratulate you because you are now ready to share with others. However, you need to know that in evangelism you are;
Partnering with God:
"For we are fellow workmen (joint promoters, laborers together) with and for God..." 1 Corinthians 3:9.
Therefore, you will need the following to help you prepare well for evangelism.
1. You need to prepare ahead in the place of prayers: You must not think evangelism is an ordinary act of talking to people. You are going to be talking to men on behalf of God. You must prepare in the place of prayers because the devil has blindfolded many souls.
For the god of this world has blinded the unbelievers' minds [that they should not discern the truth], preventing them from seeing the illuminating light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ (the Messiah), Who is the Image and Likeness of God. 2 Corinthians 4:4.
You must pray that the blindfolding in the heart of people you will share with will be removed. You are to ask the Lord to pull down such blindfolding. Evangelism requires prayer because it is a warfare. You are snatching and pulling down strong holds so, you cannot afford to be passive.
"For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds, [Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). " 2 Corinthians 10:4-5.
"...Strive to] save others, snatching [them] out of [the] fire; on others take pity [but] with fear, loathing even the garment spotted by the flesh and polluted by their sensuality" Jude 23.
Having done your preparation in the place of prayers, you have to...
2. Be compassionate: The last two scriptures quoted above shows us that sinners are already condemned and are under the influence of the devil so you must show them compassion. Do not conclude a sinner does not need salvation, for that is actually the greatest need of a sinner no matter how terrible his/her life is. Do not think a sinner is too wicked to need saving. Sinners are actually a tools in the hand of the devil and you must snatch them from him with compassion.
3. Depend on the Holy Spirit: Because evangelism is a partnership act between God and man, you will definitely need the help of the Holy Spirit. You cannot successfully witness to anyone without the help of the Holy Spirit. The power of boldness and utterance from the Holy Spirit is so vital to evangelism without which your message will not cut into the heart of men. Our Lord Jesus instructed the early apostles not to do evangelism without the Holy Spirit:
"But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth." Acts 1:8.
4. Avoid Arguments: Evangelism isn't the time to argue on which doctrine is correct or which is wrong. It is not the time to argue on scriptures. Arguments during evangelism could lead you away from the major matter of soul winning. Please do well to avoid unnecessary arguments.
5. Your Appearance during Evangelism Matters: It is important that as a child of God you represent the one whose message you are preaching even in your appearance. Do not appear unruly, uncultured and inappropriate.
6. Pray Again after every Seed is Sown: Whether your message was accepted by the person you preached to or not, you should pray again for those who have heard you witness. Your prayers will go a long way to water the seed you have sown. Do not postpone praying for those you shared the gospel to, as experience shows that you may not remember to mention them in prayers in the future if you don't do so now.
Also feel free to pray with anyone who listens to you after you are done witnessing. You can ask for any specific matter they will like you to pray with them about. You should believe that God will hear your prayers in His faithfulness.
7. You can collect any means of contacting a person who got saved via your witnessing. It could be their email, phone contact, home address, etc. so as to follow them up if it will be possible.
8. Please do expect that some people may not grant you audience while others may listen to you and not be willing to commit themselves to Jesus. It is because the battle for their souls is real, hence, do not feel rejected or dejected. You are not the one who saves, your job is only to speak.
If you have read this book up to this point, you are ready for evangelism! Congratulations! You can now go and share with others the truth about salvation.
Would you like to get more clarification, questions or desire a physical engagement with your group or perhaps you want to share a testimony with us? Please reach us via johnemmanuel870@gmail.com; +2348103072931
You can download some of our books online via the links below:
Author's Page:
https://usr.helps7.com/JohnEmmanuel/index.html
THE TWELFTH BATTALION:
https://usr.helps7.com/JohnEmmanuel/JE001/index.html
THE SINNER'S RACE:
https://usr.helps7.com/JohnEmmanuel/JE002/index.html
SEED OF GREATNESS:
https://usr.helps7.com/JohnEmmanuel/JE003/index.html
Your beloved pilgrims in the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Emmanuel & Ayomide John
GoodnewsBroadcast.
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