Hillsong Conference (5-8 July, 2011) are offering 3 different elective streams this year, one being: ONE FOR ANOTHER

The mission of the church has always been to serve others, promote justice and to rescue those who are perishing. this year one for another will provide you with the wisdom and grace needed to live out the mission of the church as well as offering experience and knowledge from local, national and global professionals in this arena. this stream seeks to not only impact the world with a heart of compassion, but to diligently seek justice upon the earth that we share. the hillsong team alongside guest speakers welcome you to join one for another at hillsong conference 2011.

Electives: The church & global Social Issues | effective evangelism today | Innovative global missions | the local church: bringing hope to real Issues | the medical elective

Could be worth checking out?

H/T Steve

About this study series:

Evangelism is not a onetime event but a continuous process… as we do life with those around us.

It takes energy and effort to cultivate friendships over an extended period. But many of us already have these long term loving friendships with unchurched friends. The boys we went through school with, the girls from yoga, the colleagues at work or the mums from mums group.  God has set the times and places that we would live (Acts 4:20) and by his providence blessed us with the families, social networks, and offices, schools we find ourselves in. Lets reach out with the gospel to the people we find in every sphere of our lives.

If you don’t have many unchurched friends think about the potential relationships. Are there opportunities at a sport group, your university, office, home, gym class, mothers group, playtime, parents of your kids’ friends, or even at church (welcoming newcomers or those you meet through community outreach activities)?

The aim of this four week bible study series is to see you grow more and more in your willingness to be a ‘slave for Christ’ and to bring glory to him as you allow him to working through you to reach those you know with the Gospel.

DOWNLOAD: Reaching those we know – Evangelism Lessons from 2 Corinthians

This is a great sermon series of talks on evangelism – Commending Christ: The Pastor, the Church, and the Perishing
Desiring God 2009 Conference for Pastors

Have a listen:

The Need for Evangelism by Mark Dever

A Shepherd and His Unregenerate Sheep by Matt Chandler

The Pastor and Evangelism by Mark Dever

“I Will Not Be a Velvet-Mouthed Preacher!” by John Piper

The Church and Evangelism by Mark Dever

Missions as Fasting by Michael Oh

Commending Christ, Q & A by various

Some people are more interested in paying out Christianity, airing their own opinions, making a mockery of the faith and of you than actually really wanting ot know the answers. The often deflect a healthy discussion about Christianity by offering cheap shots. And we need to be aware of: A fool [who] finds no pleasure in understanding, but delights in airing his own opinions. (Prov. 18:2)

Sure they may feel passionate about their one-liner but may have nothing to back up the statement they made. Often these statements are sincere but often not. Don’t get me wrong honest questions deserve our best answers. If you don’t know the answers you can always offer to research and get back to them. But more often than not our friends throw us careless one-liner that can high jack the conversation.

Some examples of these one liners that can often derail conversations and make the Christian squirm are:

• There is no proof of God

• All Religions are basically the same

• You shouldn’t force your views on me

• You can’t trust the bible it is not reliable

• God can’t really exist because their is so much evil and suffering in the world.

Here are five examples of responses that are questions to help you push your friend to back up their claim and to help you discern whether this is a cheap shot or a genuine question.

• What do you mean by that?

• How did you come to that conclusion?

• Can you give me an example of that?
• How do you know that?

• Yeah, wow that is a valid point, can you slow down and tell me how you came to that conclusion?

We should be able require your challenger to back up the claim. Burden of proof should be on the person you makes the claim not on the target of the claim. Get them to back up the claim before you answer. Often they will answer with another general one liner.

This is not the most asthetic pleasing website and the videos are not the greatest quality but the content is spectacular. You can watch a number of videos where Cliff stands on a public university lawn and answers the questions of passers by.

I love this show as it reminds me that I have a sure hope and a faith based on truth. It also helps me better think about how I answer the objections and questions my friends have to Jesus.

These are shown on Australian Christian Channel.

www.givemeananswer.org_

Is the resurrection real?
Is Jesus the only way?
Why believe in God?
Does God allow evil?__
Why different morals?
Is God necessary?
Why Jesus?
Does freewill exist?
Is the Bible accurate?
Other religions?
Was Jesus perfect?
Is God imagined?
What is heaven?
Did God forsake Jesus?
Why did God allow 9/11?

THE NINES is a free one-day event that will take place totally on-line, offered by Leadership Network. It is designed for all church staff members who want to be motivated and stretched in their leadership.

It begins: 09/09/09 at 9:09am CST.(which works out to be 11pm Sydney time – I think!)

You will hear from 47+ speakers, who will each spend 9 minutes giving their best leadership advice.

Speakers include:
Mark Batterson :: National Community Church (Washington, DC)
Dave Ferguson :: Community Christian Church (Naperville, IL)
Reggie Joiner :: reThink Group
Dan Kimball :: Vintage Faith Church (Santa Cruz, CA)
Perry Noble :: NewSpring Church (Anderson, SC)
Ed Stetzer :: LifeWay Research
and many many more!

It’s totally free, but you must pre-register.

I think its a pretty unique way to run a conference – it will be interesting to see how it works and what the content will be like.

H/T ChurchRelevance

http://www.neueministry.com/2009/03/pursuing-robust-spiritual-conversations-%E2%80%93-part-i/

http://www.neueministry.com/2009/03/pursuing-robust-spiritual-conversations-part-ii/

WikiHow:

http://www.wikihow.com/Have-a-Great-Conversation

Books:

Promoting the Gospel by John Dickson… He writes a far bit about how we need to be ‘prepard’ to share the hope we have and the way to do this is by dropping ‘gospel nuggets’ – small bites of truth in conversation. Best way to prepare for these is to read and read and re-read the Gospel accounts of Jesus and so you can share real life stories and expereinces of Jesus and the way he cares for people. e.g. that’s just like the time in the bible talks about when Jesus….

Just Walk Across the Room by Bill Hybles… He writes from experience and shares stories that inspire you to step outside your comfort zone, even in conversations!

Coming Soon… Without A Shepherd’s very own guide to having a conversation…

Just Walk Across the Room, Bill Hybels

I got a call from a friend recently who was ecstatic because she had ‘Just Walk Across the Room’ moment while sitting in a taxi on her way home from the city.  I had just lent her the book by Hybels earlier in that week, and by reading the stories in the book she began to become more and more aware of the occasions to share something of her faith and life with strangers, friends and acquaintances.

This book had a similar effect on me. The more I read it the more I was aware the Spirit’s prompting where I could reach out to people with the love of Christ, whether by a friendly smile, offering to help a drunk guy get a cab, starting a conversation or having a chit chat with someone at the bus stop.

Hybels shares loads of everyday moments where people have just walked across the room. These stories really excite you in your own personal evangelism. Hybels believes that all people yearn to experience God’s love whether they know it or not and we should want to be an agent of that love and seek out ways to share it. He challenges his readers to take an interest in people, share your story with them, and be willing to be surprised at just how joyfully rewarding it is.

In the words of my friend “I just had to call you and tell someone about how amazing God is to give me an opening in conversation with the taxi driver”. It sounds strange but my friend was so excited that she had just stepped out of her own “comfort circle” and was experiencing the thrill of living generously by having a conversation with a stranger.