Personal Evangelism Manual

How to build witnessing relationships

In Romans 1:14-15, Paul wrote “I am under obligation both to the Greeks and to the Barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. Thus, for my part, I am eager to preach the Gospel to you also who are in Rome.” The word translated “under obligation” literally means, “I am a debtor,” or “I owe it to them.” We owe it to those who are without Christ to share with them the love Jesus has for them. Remember, everyone needs relationships! Here are a few suggestions on how to build witnessing relationships:

• Be real. We are called to care.
• Find out what you have in common with them.
• Be a good listener. Use your eyes and ears.
• Look for opportunities to serve them.
• Your walk gives credibility to your talk.
• Your talk gives clarity to your walk.
• Look for opportunities to plant spiritual seeds.
• Be sensitive to times of heightened spiritual receptivity.
• Be patient. Don't give up.

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Sharing Your Personal Testimony

I. What IS a personal testimony?

Telling how you came to know Christ, sharing with someone how Christ has changed your life.

II. Why should I share my testimony?

1. To be obedient to the command of Christ. — Acts 1:8
2. To demonstrate the power of God in changing your life. — 2 Corinthians 5:17
3. To demonstrate the faithfulness of God in answered prayer.
4. To demonstrate the love of God.

III. Is there an example in the Bible?

An example of Paul's personal testimony is found in Acts 22 and Acts 26. He based his testimony on the following points:

1. His life before becoming a Christian. — Acts 22:3-5; 26:4-11
2. His salvation experience. — Acts 22:7-16; 26:12-18
3. His life after becoming a Christian. — Acts 9:19-22; 22:21; 26:19-20

IV. What should I include in my personal testimony?

1. Your life before becoming a Christian.
2. How you realized your need for Christ.
3. When and how you accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior.
4. Specific ways Christ has changed your life since becoming a Christian.
5. What the Lord is teaching you now.

V. I became a Christian as a young child and there seems to be little "dynamic" to tell… what should I include?

1. Christian home and family background, people who had an influence on you, and your early Christian experience.
2. How you knew as a child what following Christ meant.
3. Your experience of understanding that you personally needed to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior.
4. Reasons why God's presence in your life makes a difference now, and specific areas in which He is actively working in and through you.

VI. Can you give me some tips on things I should do in giving my personal testimony?

DO begin your testimony with an attention-getting sentence. Examples:

• "I used to think I really knew what was going on in life. Boy, was I wrong!"
• "I used to be afraid of dying, but not anymore."
• "I grew up in a church but did not understand its purpose until a few years ago."
• DO end your testimony with a decision question. Examples:
• "And that's how I became a Christian. Do you understand what I have said?"
• "Do you feel you have come to know Christ yet, or are you still on the way?"
• DO adjust your testimony so others can identify with you. Identify with weaknesses and needs (as honestly as you can).
• DO give enough details to arouse and keep interest.
• DO use scripture. Hebrews 4:12; 2 Timothy 3:16,17.
• DO present Christ as the center of your testimony, not yourself, Do not dwell on your past.
• DO stress the personal relationship you have with Christ.

VII. Are there any "Don'ts" in giving my testimony?

• DON'T use "church" and "Christian" talk. Example: Explain sin as disobedience to God. "Salvation" and "being saved" must be explained as the willing acceptance of Jesus Christ as one’s only means of entering heaven (Savior), and a willingness to follow God’s guidelines for life (Lord).
• DON'T be too wordy. (Three to four minutes is adequate.)
• DON'T avoid the point—Christ is the answer to a new life.
• DON'T overemphasize how bad you were before coming to know Christ.
• DON'T use words that are general ("it was just a fantastic experience," "I felt great," etc.). Be specific ("I became aware that God loved me as an individual," etc.).
• DON'T mention church denominations, groups, or people in a derogatory manner, even if you disagree with them strongly.
• DON'T make statements that you know will cause an argument.
• DON'T give the impression that the Christian life is a bed of roses and that you are now perfect. Paint an accurate picture. Christ said we could have an abundant life, but He didn't promise it would always be easy.
• DON'T speak in a judgmental or critical way. Convey an attitude of love and acceptance.

VIII. Your Story Can Move Others to Christ

(The following was taken rom Sharing Christ When You Feel You Can't by Daniel Owens, copyright (c) 1997. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a division of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, Ill., 1-800-635-7993.)

Your story has power…

1. It's personal. You don't have to memorize Bible verses, or worry about telling it correctly.
2. It is conversational. It's not a sermon. It can be shared over a cup of coffee or after a round of golf.
3. No one can dispute it. If you have joy, peace, and love in your life as a result of knowing Christ, that will be evident.
4. It is interesting. It's natural for friends to want to know more about each other. Even if your friend is antagonistic to the Gospel, he/she may still be interested in why you value your relationship with a man named Jesus.

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How to use The Kristo website

The website is the flash presentation of the gospel that includes music, life issues and the Solution using the bridge illustration. The viewer can respond to the presentation at the end by following simple instructions.

Using the website as a tool for personal evangelism can be effective in several ways:

1. Put the website address on your personal website and your ministry’s website for seekers to link to.
2. Purchase the business-sized cards that has the website address. Hand it out to students you are building a witnessing relationship with in your dorm, class, work, etc.
3. Let them know that you will get back with them in a couple of days to see what they thought of the website.
4. Put the website address on any printed brochures, materials, ministry apparel, ads in college publications.
5. Put the website address as a part of your email signature.
6. Send an email to a seeker using the website address inviting them to link and look.
7. Use your own creative, innovative ideas to get the Word out.

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Unlearning “Christianese”

Ron Hutchcraft made it clear when he wrote, “Obviously, the need to translate Christ’s message is hard to miss in a foreign setting where there is a clearly different linguistic language. But the need to translate the Jesus-story is easy to miss when our neighbors and friends speak the same linguistic language we do, but a different cultural language.

The words of our Christian “tribe” simply have no meaning – or the wrong meaning – to the lost “tribe” right next to us. Many lost people assigned to us by God have no better understanding of “born again”, “saved”, or “accepting Christ” than Mincaye, an African, had of “forgive.”

Acts 2:6 states: “Each one heard them (the apostles) speaking in his own language.”

Ron goes on to say, “This is life-or-death information we have to deliver. We can’t afford to have our lost family and friends miss it just because we said it in words they don’t understand. It’s time to move beyond Christianese to communicate the message people cannot afford to miss.

The words we use can be decisive for each of us in our personal rescue mission for Jesus. You’re God’s missionary where you are. If you make the effort to translate the Good News into the language of the person who needs it, you can be part of a life-giving miracle!”

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The Power of Prayer Evangelism

Prayerlessness is one of the greatest hindrances to evangelism on our campuses, workplaces and in our neighborhoods. One of the reasons why more students are not coming to faith in Christ is the lack of intercessory and intentional prayer for the lost. Robert Speer once said, “The evangelization of the world…depends first of all upon a revival of prayer.” Do you want to see friends and family come to know Christ as Savior? Then review these suggestions taken from “Praying Your Friends to Christ.”

• Ask God to open their spiritual eyes (2 Cor. 4:4).
• Ask God to set them free from spiritual captivity (2 Tim. 2:25-26).
• Ask God to give them ears to hear (Matt. 13:15), faith to believe (Acts 20:21), and will to respond (Rom. 10:9).
• Ask God to send people into their lives to witness to them (Matt. 9:38).
• Ask God for ways to build caring relationships ((I Cor. 9:22).
• Ask God for opportunities to witness (Col. 4:3).
• Ask God for boldness to witness (Acts 4:29).
• Ask God for an opportunity to invite them to a harvest event (Luke 14:23).

(Taken from Praying Your Friends to Christ.)

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Campus Surveys

Many college and university ministries use a survey to open up the door for a verbal witness on campus. This is an excellent way to train new and more experienced witnessing. Click here for a sample survey but always make sure that it is contextualized to your specific campus.

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Evangelism Stories & Illustrations

The power of stories of how God has moved in and through a person is undeniable. Illustrations are just as powerful because they tell how God’s unchanging love is active in reaching out to the lost. You will be seeing a growing list of powerful stories that will challenge and encourage your evangelism and witnessing.

Old Deacon praying

The story is told of an old deacon who was leading in prayer in a prayer meeting. One of his stereotyped phrases was this: “O Lord, touch the unsaved with Thy finger.” As he repeated this phrase in one particular prayer, he stopped short. Other members came to his side and asked if he was ill. “No,” he replied, “but something seemed to say to me, ‘Thou are the finger’.” (Otterbein Teacher)

Israel Failed at being God's Messengers

One of the reasons that God judged Israel is because they failed in their call to be God’s messengers in the world. Instead of “making God’s way…known on the earth” (Psalm 67:2), their “speech and actions (were) against the Lord…” (Isaiah 3:8)

God’ reprimand to Israel’s religious leaders

One of the most severe reprimands that God ever spoke was to Israel’s religious leaders in Ezekiel 34:1-10. There God says, “Woe, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock? You eat the fat and cloth yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat sheep with feeding the flock.”

We are in danger of committing the same kind of sin when we expend all our energy trying to feed ourselves spiritually, but spend little energy trying to pass on what we have learned to others.

What’s more important?

Our love for God will not only drive out fear, but it will also cause us to be concerned about the things that concern Him. His priorities will become our priorities as our mind is renewed through His word. Like the hunter who was so intent on ridding his cabin of one pesky mosquito that he never noticed the grizzly bear grazing near his tent. When we concentrate on the minor issues of life, we will miss the major ones. Many of us do care about winning the lost, but other things become more important.

The kudzu vine

There is a vine called “kudzu” that grows throughout much of the south and southeast US. It grows up to sixty feet long and was originally brought to the US to use as forage for cattle and to prevent erosion along the sides of roads. There have been major agricultural problems with the kudzu vine, however. After being introduced, it soon began to spread out of control, choking the life out of young trees all along the sides of highways. Despite much research, agriculturalists haven’t been able to find a way to kill it.

Like the kudzu vine, interests which originally seem good can enter our lives and choke out God’s best for us.

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Evangelism Ideas

This is a partial list of ideas that you can quickly grab and do without much planning. Warning! Don’t just start doing a bunch of these ideas on one person. Pray to the Lord that He will give you wisdom and insight on how to approach a person or group. These are to just help you brainstorm and sort thought potential ways to share your faith. The bottom line is that you have a story to tell. These ideas can help you share your story.

• Give a seeker a copy of the The Case for Christ.
• Ask someone who is wearing a cross if that means anything to them or is it just jewelry.
• Give a friend a copy of C.S. Lewis’ Screwtape Letters.
• Email a seeker the link to http://www.thekristo.com/ and ask them what they thought about it.
• Do a campus survey to open the door for a verbal witness.
• If you are an fairly experienced witness, then grab a new believer and go out on campus prayerwalking and sharing Christ. Mentoring is good!
• Pray for 5 students or friends you know that you can influence for Christ.
• Take a seeker to lunch and share Christ.
• Pick up a couple dozen donuts and take to class or office. Begin to share your testimony.
• Write out your personal testimony and send it to a friend.
• Buy someone a Bible and give to a lost person that you know. Be sure to write a personal note in the Bible to them.
• Have a dinner for a small group and then share your testimony.

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Worship Evangelism

According to Isaiah 6:1-8, if you come into the presence of the Lord and leave the same way you came in, then you haven’t worshipped. Martin Luther understood the power of music in worship when he said, “I really believe, nor am I shamed to assert that next to theology there is no art equal to music.” Luther also said that, “Experience proves that next to the Word of God music deserves to be extolled as the mistress and governess of the feelings of the human heart.”

Most college and university ministries now have a time set aside for their students to worship. You will begin to notice that the new resources and challenges will be available for you to make your individual and corporate worship an environment and experience for transformation to take place. The small or large group worship experience is an incredible opportunity for students to bring their lost friends to see them experience the living and powerful God we serve. Come back for more!

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Evangelism Scriptures and Quotes

Matthew 28:18-20
Mark 16:15
Luke 9:25
Luke 12:12
Luke 23:47-48
John 1:12
John 3:3-7
John 4:24
John 10:10
John 14:26
John 15:27
John 16:8-11
John 16:13
John 20:21
Acts 1:8
Romans 1:16
Romans 8:9, 13,14, 15, 36
I Corinthians 9:16,17
II Corinthians 5:18-20
Galatians 5:25
Ephesians 4:30
Ephesians 5:18
I Thess. 5:19
2 Timothy 3:16,17
Titus 2:7-8
Hebrews 2:14-15
Hebrews 4:12
I Peter 3:15
I John 5:6
I Peter 3:15

Quotes for evangelism

• “Evangelizing in the church is like fishing in a bathtub: it’s terribly convenient, but you don’t catch much.” (Dr. Roy Fish)
• “Your walk gives credibility to your talk, while your talk gives clarity to your walk.” (unknown)
• “You say you have a faith? Well, then, either give it out or give it up.” (Robert Speer)
   
  

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