SCCD Church Members and Friends

Evangelism: An Invitation

GOD CALLS US “TO SPEAK” FOR CHRIST (2 Corinthians 5:20) and entrusts to us the important task of evangelism “so that people of all nations would obey and have faith.” (Romans 1:5)

1. What is evangelism?

Evangelism is the act of proclaiming the gospel, the Good News of Jesus Christ. The word evangelism comes from the Greek evangelizo, which means to tell the Good News.

2. Why is it important to tell the Good News?

Jesus himself commanded us to:

Go to the people of all nations and make them my Disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to do everything I have told you. (Mathew 28:19, 20a)

Scripture tells us:

But how can people ask the Lord to save them, if they have never had faith in Him? How can they hear about Him unless someone tells them?

No one can have faith without hearing the message about Christ. (Romans 10:14,17)3.

3. When is the right time to tell the Good News?

Opportunities to tell the Good News about Jesus Christ may occur while you are having an ordinary conversation such as:

• During a telephone conversation with a friend
• While having lunch with a co-worker
• While sitting next to someone on a bus, train, or plane

Don’t be anxious about what you will say. Trust in the Holy Spirit to guide you! The Apostle Paul said: When I talked with you or preached, I didn’t try to prove anything by sounding wise. I simply let God’s Spirit show his power. (1 Corinthians 2:4)

4. Where is the right place to tell the Good News?

The right place to tell the Good News of Jesus Christ is wherever there are people – at church-sponsored events, in your community, in the work-place, in educational institutions, while traveling or dining out. In the early days of the church, followers of the Lord “went from placer to place, telling the Good News.” (Acts 8:4).

How To Tell The Good News

You can either use a Scripture leaflet or use the articles in this website:  “Ang Sagot” or “I Want to be a Christian” or “Pathway to God and Heaven”.

Getting Ready

When preparing to share your faith and to tell the Good News to others, consider the following steps:

1. Begin with prayer.

Pray that God’s Holy Spirit will help and guide you, and pray for those with whom you will be sharing the Good News.

2. Study the Scriptures.

Read alone or with a partner the Scriptures you will use or the leaflet you plan to distribute. Imagine the questions that you would have if you were not already a believer. Don’t be afraid of the hard questions.

3. Listen to those with whom you are sharing the Good News.

The people you meet will have their own stories to tell. By listening , you will gain insight into their needs and be able to assess how best to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.

4. Tell your own story.

After listening to someone’s story, you may have the same experience to share. Or perhaps you could tell about when you were first introduced to Jesus Christ and heard the Good News. Be prepared to share what believing in Jesus Christ means to you.

Going Forth

If you plan to use a Scripture leaflet, here are some suggested ways of making the Scripture leaflet an effective part of your personal witness and sharing.

1. Introduce the Scripture leaflet.

At an appropriate time during the course of a conversation, introduce the leaflet by saying, “I thought of you when I read this because …” or “This leaflet helped me because …” (Avoid judgmental types of statements, such as, “You really need to read this.”)

2. Suggest to the person whom you are sharing the Good News to keep in mind these questions while reading the text.

• What does this teach me about Jesus?
• What am I being invited to do?

3. Offer to be a reading partner.

Arrange times when you and the persons with whom you are sharing the Good News can meet together to discuss the thoughts and questions they may have.

4. Include a contact name and number in the Scripture leaflet.

Put a sticker or stamp with your name, address, and telephone number (or that of your church or organization) on the back panel. If listing your church, include the times of worship services and special events.

5. Pray.

Ask those with whom you are sharing the Good News if they have any special needs they would like you to pray for.

6.  Encourage daily Bible reading.

Encourage the person with whom you have shared Jesus to begin a daily Bible reading program. Offer a copy of the Bible  that includes study helps and shows the person with whom you are sharing Jesus how to look up a Scripture reference.

7. Follow-up.

Keep a listing of the names, addresses and telephone numbers of the people with whom you have shared the Scripture leaflets so that you can keep them in your prayers and make follow-up contacts.

If you do not  have a Scripture leaflet, follow the steps found in this website:

1. Ang Sagot…click here to read

2. I Want to be a Christian…click here to read

3. Pathway to God and Heaven…click here to read

It doesn’t matter which age group we belong to. Our Lord Jesus Christ gave us the responsibility to go and evangelize the whole world.

—> Go therefore and MAKE DISCIPLES of all people!!! (Matt. 28:19) <—