How to Present the Gospel
Some people are not very good with their words, or are afraid. The best way to overcome these obstacles is to just get out there and go soulwinning. It's really that simple. Why practice when you can learn from hands-on-experience? You're just sharing with someone else how you got saved. We ought to let the Samaritan woman in John 4 be our mentor. She hadn't even been saved for an hour and she had already led a multitude of people to Jesus, "And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did" (John 4:39). All she did was tell others what Jesus did for her, and ask them to come find out for themselves... "Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? Then they went out of the city, and came unto him."
So all you need to do is tell others how precious Jesus is to you, and what He has done for you, and then ask them if you could please share the good news of Christ crucified with them. Most people won't listen, so expect this upfront; but some WILL listen, and will get saved. I know from personal experience. There are many people out there, on the verge of suicide, or tired of life, or just lonely for someone to care about them, and they are RIPE as Jesus said for the harvest... "Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest" (Luke 10:2).
Then there are those people who are doing fine in life, but in their heart they desire the truth, like Cornelius in Acts 10--they're waiting for someone to open their eyes with the Truth of God's Word... "Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth" (1st Timothy 2:4). When we go soul-winning, we are bringing the Truth to them!
The most important thing is to BE YOURSELF. People don't like phonies. Personally, I think wearing white shirts, ties, and looking like a salesman is a very bad idea. I think it would be much more appropriate to dress and act like Andy Griffin. Who doesn't like Andy Griffin?
Here are the basic 4 points that a person needs to realize to be saved:
I Am a Sinner. This is the first thing that a person must realize to be saved. Why would a person need a Savior if they don't need to be saved from anything? Many people today refuse to confess the sins in their life to God. 1st John 1:8-10 read, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." So if a person doesn't see them self as being sinful, then they can't be saved, because they are still in darkness as 1st John 1:10 states. Romans 3:10,23 clearly indicts mankind as being sinful. Isaiah 64:6 condemns even our self-righteousness as filth in God's sight.
I Deserve to Go to Hell. Romans 6:23 plainly states that the wages of sin is DEATH. In Genesis 2:17 God warned Adam and Eve that they would die THE DAY they ate of the forbidden fruit. They disobeyed God, but didn't DIE physically until hundreds of years later. Why? It's because they DIED SPIRITUALLY that awful day, and all mankind has been born spiritually dead since (Romans 5:12). Please understand that spiritual death and the second death are not the same. Every person who is not born again is ALREADY spiritually dead. The second death is Gehenna, i.e., the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:11-15). All those who die in their sins, without being born again, will be arraigned, prosecuted, and sentenced at The Great White Throne of Judgment and then cast into the Lake of Fire forever.
Jesus is the Savior (the Christ), who Paid the Full-Price for My Sins. Jesus paid a debt He did not owe, because we owed a debt we could not pay. Jesus, who knew no sin, became as sin, that we who knew no righteousness could be made the righteousness of God (2nd Corinthians 5:17). Jesus literally took our sins upon Himself, and imputed His righteousness to our record. What a Savior! Jesus didn't just die to pay for our sins, He shed His blood for our sins, and applied that blood to the mercy seat in Heaven (John 20:17; Hebrews 9:12, 24).
We are saved by Jesus' precious blood (Colossians 1:14; 1st John 1:7; Revelation 7:14). Only the blood of Jesus can TAKE AWAY our sins forever. "Atonement" is an Old Testament word, which means "to cover," because the blood of goats and bulls could only COVER sin temporarily (Hebrews 10:4); but thank be to God, Jesus' blood once and for all TOOK AWAY our sins! Hebrews 9:12 states, "Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us."I Am Saved by Receiving Jesus Christ as My Savior, believing Upon Him to Forgive My Sins. John 1:12,13 states... "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." Salvation is of God, a supernatural act of God in response to my faith in Jesus Christ alone. 1st Corinthians 15:1-4 defines the Gospel as: Christ's DEATH, BURIAL, and RESURRECTION. This is what Jesus did to pay for our sins, and definitely includes Jesus' virgin birth, sinless life, and blood sacrifice (Hebrews 9:22).
It boils down to this: We are SINNERS, and Jesus is the SAVIOR. That's it! Please read, The Sin Question/Son Question.
There are no GOOD WORKS that a person has to do to be saved. A man asked me, "Isn't calling upon the Lord a work?" It's not a self-righteous work. Jesus said in John 6:29, "This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." Isaiah 64:6 condemns all self-righteous attempts to please God. In fact, many Christians misunderstand Ezekiel 18:24, not realizing that it is only condemning self-righteousness. Romans 10:3,4 couldn't be any plainer concerning self-righteousness... "For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth."
It's VERY important when we go soulwinning that we stress these truths to people, i.e., that self-righteousness angers God. So many people preach a shallow Gospel nowadays, without ever stressing the DANGERS of adding works to faith. The only thing that a lost sinner needs to do to go to Heaven is to BELIEVE upon Christ.
Does a Person Have to Pray to be Saved?
Does one have to confess Christ with their mouth to be saved?
What to Do When Someone Refuses to Get Saved
Love them as a person whom Christ was willing to die for (Romans 5:8). This might mean just thanking them and going your way, or expressing some tough love, warning them that they're headed for destruction. It depends on the moment. It's important for you to realize as a soulwinner that most of a soulwinner's ministry is that of PLANTING SEEDS. We read in 1st Corinthians 3:7, "So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase." I cannot save anyone, and neither can you. That's not our job!
Our job is to preach the Gospel, whether they get saved or not is out of our control. Jesus stated in John 15:5, "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." This doesn't mean that everyone we witness to will get saved. It does mean that there are MANY people in this world who are waiting to hear the Gospel, and God will lead us to some of them, or them to us, if we are yielded and abiding in Christ.
Tragically, the average believer couldn't care less about winning souls to Jesus. When we walk with God, we will begin to share God's burden of winning lost souls, and we will preach the Gospel, and people will get saved.
It's Wise to Know Your Bible
I would recommend that you do a Bible study on fundamental Biblical doctrines, i.e., the deity of Jesus, Jesus' virgin birth, the blood atonement, Jesus' sinless life, Jesus' bodily resurrection, Jesus' death, Jesus' burial, Jesus bodily ascension, imputation, propitiation, predestination, baptism, etc. You can study false doctrines later on if you so desire; but first you would be wise to learn the fundamental basics of God's Word. We read in 2nd Timothy 2:15, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
This verse applies to all Christians, not just to Christian leaders; but especially to Christian leaders. Surely, you don't need to learn all about Bible doctrines or different religions to win people to the Lord--you just need to give them the simple Gospel (i.e., the good news) of what Jesus did for them. However, you WILL be asked questions while witnessing to people. The Bible says in Colossians 4:6, "Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man." So I would recommend learning the basics so you'll be able to answer basic questions.
If someone stumps you, and they will at times, you might tell them that you want to give them the correct answer, and will come back at a later time (if it's ok with them), after you've checked into the matter. In addition, they may appreciate your willingness to do that for them. It's ok to say, "I don't know" and revert back to the simple Gospel. And by the way, people love to take the conversation all different directions, which is ok, but you need to keep reverting back to the main issue, which is the salvation of their soul.
Various Helps and Common Sense
It's a bad idea to talk to underage kids, and I wouldn't do it without first getting permission from the parents. If you know the family, then perhaps; but if you're new to an area, better safe than sorry. Some parent will go ballistic, and I don't blame them, when they see some adult stranger talking to their kids.
Here's some excellent words of wisdom on distributing Gospel tracts by Pastor Jeff Owens (this is a Windows Media audio sermon). Here are more sermons by Dr. Owens.
Also, be respectful of people's time, property, and opinions. This is America you know, and it's ok to agree to disagree. So if you meet a Satanist who thinks you're trying to shove the Gospel down his throat, don't push the issue. Remember, there's a fine line between faith and foolishness. As the saying goes... People don't care what you know until they know that you care. That is so true! So our primary focus when soulwinning should be to let people know that we care about them, and the best way to do that is to show them the utmost in respect and consideration. We should do this anyway as Christians, but especially when trying to win people to the Lord. There's nothing worse than a rude, inconsiderate, and mean religious person who makes people angry. So when someone slams their door in your face after cursing you, apparently for no reason, it may be because someone else hurt their feelings.
The Apostle Paul said in Titus 3:10-11... "A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject; Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself." If you've witnessed to someone twice, and they are belligerent, and refuse to get saved--then God will have to deal with them. Although it is true that the Apostle Paul spent time debating with people, he also said in Titus 3:9... "But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain." You're going to meet time-wasters who have no desire for truth, but just want to argue. The Bible directs us to "avoid" such foolish questions and nonsense.
Some people will challenge God in their unbelief. A common statement that I here is, "I'll believe the Bible when God hands It to me personally." Show them Romans 1:20, "For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse." This verse speaks volumes. Also, shown them Luke 16:30-31, "And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead." If a person is defiant against God after hearing the Gospel, and being shown these verses, then they simply DON'T want to get saved. We shouldn't waste our time, because there are many people who DO want to hear the Gospel.
Soul-winners are Beautiful People!
We read in Romans 10:15, "...as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!" Perhaps you'd like to read an article I wrote some time ago called Churches With Ugly Feet. God calls the soulwinner's feet, BEAUTIFUL. I don't know about you, but that makes me want to go soulwinning even more!
We read in Daniel 12:3 that soulwinners will shine for eternity, "And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever." No wonder Jesus said in Matthew 6:20, "But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal."
What will this temporal life matter 100 years from now, or 10,000 years from now? All that will matter when we die is that we died in the Lord (i.e., born again), and that we spent our life soulwinning and living for the Lord. I don't know about you, but I want to be an aggressive soulwinner!
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