What is the gospel?

  • Forgiveness
  • “repent and be baptised”
  • Not a system but relational
  • Jesus
  • Death conquering and life giving
  • 1 Corinthians 15
  • God’s will to save
  • God’s love and Grace
  • Bought by the blood of Jesus
  • Life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
  • John 3:16
  • Debts canceled.
  • “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved”
  • Repentance
  • Demands action and/or response
  • Good news
  • Cross of Christ
  • Spirit of life
  • 2 Tim 2:8
  • No burning in hell
  • Jesus is Lord and Saviour
  • Jesus is the Son of God.
  • It is promised and planned
  • Salvation.
  • Romans 1:1-5
  • Love that has seeked us out.
  • He died in our place.
  • Life eternal through the Lord Jesus Christ.
  • Redemption
  • Powerful
  • Words of eternal life
  • Hope
2010
06/11
CATEGORY
Evangelism
Jesus
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5 Quick Questions…

One method for walk up or door-knocking evangelism is take with you a survey to complete with those who speak with. One of the surveys that I have used while on Summerfest is ’5 quick questions’:

  1. What characteristics best fits your idea of God?
    a. Loving
    b. Angry
    c. Distant
    d. Relational
    e. Other
  2. Who do you think Jesus is/was?
  3. What do you think is the biggest cause of the problems in the world?
  4. If you could ask God one question what would it be?
  5. Why do you think God hasn’t stopped the suffering in the world?

BENEFITS

  • Like all surveys, where you ask a large collection of people, you can gauge popular opinion.
  • You can get to know the peoples beliefs, concerns, ideas, of those who your church is trying to reach.
  • The questions get to the heart of most peoples objections to Christianity.
  • It’s a 2-way conversation, where the respondent has the power of the conversation. Less threatening for them as they can say no to you, turn you away, or stop you mid-survey.
  • Helpful diagnostic tool to see where people are at with the Christian Faith.
  • The results in themselves are valuable as they give you insight, plus they might even provide some sermon illustration material; bible study openers: how would you respond to the person who says… etc.
  • Stimulates conversation.

CHALLENGES

  • Can just look manipulative. Just using the survey to get in so to bible bash them.
  • Sometimes hinders ability to share the gospel (often the aim of door-knocking) as once the survey is completed the conversation is over.

TIPS

  • Be polite and friendly.
  • Introduce yourself…
    Hi I’m Hayley, I go to Church by the Bridge, just doing a survey & would love your opinions on a 5 quick  questions…
  • If they say NO straight out… respect their decision and thank them for their time:
    Thanks anyway, hope you enjoy the sunshine this afternoon.
  • Be genuinely interested in hearing peoples responses.
  • Don’t force conversation on people.
  • Be happy to walk away with just survey results.
  • Close the survey by saying: ‘just wondering if I can ask one more question in response to one of your answers… e.g.
    Why do you think God is…
    What do you mean when you say Jesus is the Son of God?
    If Jesus is just a good teacher, why do you think Jesus was killed by the authorities for disturbing the peace (insurrection)?
    You said, Jesus was the Saviour? Who do you think he was saving and what was he saving them from?
    How does your worldview answer the question about suffering, if you think Christianity can’t?
2010
06/11
CATEGORY
Community
Evangelism
Ideas
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Raising a Churchless Child

A parent is quoted saying:

As an intelligent human being, it’s her job to find the belief system that is right for her and makes her feel happy and fulfilled.  If she has a burning desire to become a Catholic or a Wiccan or whatever floats her spiritual boat, I’m behind her.

And the encouragement to be moral is:

Do it because it’s right, not because you fear retribution or judgment.

I am uncertain how happiness can decide the fate of ones life so strongly, considering happiness is often so subjective. What if the daughter decided on being a cannibal who murdered her food. As long as she was happy doing this, working 9-5 in her city job, married, serving the neighbours limb to the kids for dinner this would make the mum proud as punch: “At least she is happy”.

Obviously we want objectivity, correct? How do we have objective morality when we believe in no objective moral giver, namely God, who cares about right and wrong, is just and will bring to account the wrongs that have occurred in our lives?

2010
06/10
CATEGORY
Jesus
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26 ideas for Christmas…

I know it is only June, but what are you thinking of doing this Christmas?

Are you going to be exploiting the festive cheer to preach the good news of Jesus Christ given unto us?

Ideas for Christmas Outreach:

  1. Community Carols Event
  2. Christmas Festive Market
  3. Anglicare Christmas Appeal – Toys and Tucker
  4. Blue Christmas (church service for those grieving)
  5. Free Community Christmas Day Lunch
  6. Kids holiday program
  7. Letterbox drop
  8. Christmas Hampers for those in need in the local area
  9. Music / Concert / Recital
  10. Gingerbread House making night
  11. Nursing home visit with caroling
  12. Street Christmas party
  13. Apartment block Christmas party
  14. Outdoors large Nativity scene
  15. Nativity Play
  16. Church Christmas Tour
  17. Youth Band Night
  18. Additional Church services to the normal weekend
  19. Carols by Candlelight
  20. Midnight Mass Christmas Eve
  21. Family Christmas Service
  22. Christmas movie night screen “The Nativity Story” (bit old but…)
  23. Operation Christmas Child, invite community to take part.
  24. Christmas Shopping Child minding… look after kids while people shop. Have gospel content… Christmas craft etc.
  25. Christmas tree delivery
  26. Bible / Scripture giveaway
2010
06/10
CATEGORY
Christmas
Church
Evangelism
Ideas
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What is the gospel? by Greg Gilbert

2010
06/10
CATEGORY
Evangelism
Jesus
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18 Confessions… I am a Christian geek | 17



My hope is that this series of posts "18 Confessions" will
deepen the believers empathy for those seeking out the faith
and bring insight into the internal wrestles of a new Christian
or perhaps if you relate to the thoughts or struggles in  these
posts that you would consider the lasting satisfaction and joy
that can  only be found in Jesus.
2010
06/09
CATEGORY
Conversion
1 comment

10 people who give atheism a bad name…

10 Alfred Kinsey

Kinsey A 01

9 Napoleon Bonaparte

Napoleon-1

8 Than Shwe

Gen-Than-Shwe-Myanmar.

7 Kim Jong Il

Kimjongil

6 Jeffrey Dahmer

Jeffrey Dahmer

5 Jim Jones

Cm Cults-Jones Ho

4 Benito Mussolini

Mpmus

3 Mao Zedong

E6Af9Be6B3Bde4B89C-Mao-Zedong-Mao-Tse-Tung

2 Pol Pot

Pol-Pot

1 Joseph Stalin

Stalin-4

N.B. Adolf Hitler is left off this list because it is widely acknowledged that, while he abhorred organized religion, there is much evidence that he engaged in “nazi mysticism” or occultism.

For full article please read here

For 10 people who give Christianity a bad name read here

2010
06/07
CATEGORY
Uncategorized
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18 Confessions… I am a Christian | 16

My hope is that this series of posts "18 Confessions"
will deepen the believer empathy for those seeking
out the faith and bring insight into the internal
wrestles of a new Christian or perhaps if you
relate to the thoughts or struggles in these posts
that you would consider the lasting satisfaction and joy
that can only be found in Jesus.
2010
06/05
CATEGORY
Conversion
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More of a whole human

Erin Hodder was quoted in Sunday Telegraph (p17) that caring full-time for her mother, who suffers from MS, has ‘sort of made me more of a human being. It has made me realise what is important in life and it has helped me to grow and make good choices’.

Amazing isn’t it that we can find ourselves feeling most human when we are serving someone.

Jesus was the perfect human. No deceit or sin was found in him. He loved the Father with his whole heart, mind and strength. He served God and fellow human-kind.

Jesus lived the life we were supposed to live. To be most human is to be without sin, to worship God, to serve Him and others.

2010
06/01
CATEGORY
Culture
Media
People
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18 Confessions… Distracted by the city lights | 15

My hope is that this series of posts "18 Confessions" will
deepen the believers empathy for those seeking out the faith
and bring insight into the internal wrestles of a new Christian
or perhaps if you relate to the thoughts or struggles in these
posts that you would consider the lasting satisfaction and joy
that can only be found in Jesus.
2010
05/30
CATEGORY
Conversion
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