“I will be visiting a close relative in the next couple of weeks. My relative is not a Christian. I would love to give them a pamphlet or small book which explains the gospel. Does the CRC have something like this? What would you suggest?”
That’s the question I was asked recently. I’m wondering how you would answer that question. What would you suggest?
Here are a couple of ideas that came to my mind. Alpha has really good, tried and tested evangelism tools. Why Jesus is a short pamphlet written by Nicky Gumbel. Nicky Gumbel, the author of the Alpha course, is gifted at speaking respectfully and clearly about the gospel to spiritually and culturally diverse audiences. Alpha’s strategy works because people have access to clear teaching in a relational setting. Each Alpha group starts with dinner which is followed by a teaching time, then small group discussion. The message of the gospel is served up in a warm, safe environment. The Why Jesus pamphlet has the same personality as the Alpha course. It could be a very effective tool to be shared with someone you care about.
Another tool that I am familiar with is One Verse Evangelism from the Navigators. One Verse Evangelism is not a pamphlet but a conversation tool. One Verse Evangelism outlines Romans 6:23 using questions and a picture. You can’t leave it on their coffee table but you can use this tool to start a conversation around the table about the gospel.
Someone else suggested The Jesus Film. Great idea! You can find the Jesus video in long or short firms in just about any language. Why Jesus, One Verse Evangelism and The Jesus Film have been around for quite a while. I wonder... if we were to design an evangelism tool today, what would it be like? How would it be the same or different from evangelism tool of the past? What would it need to include? What media(s) would we use?
My husband is currently researching the topic of the Gospel and Kingdom for a class he is taking. I’m sure this will prompt more questions! Let’s keep talking. What tools have you found helpful in sharing the gospel with your friends?
Comments
The best book I've read on the topic is: 'Evangelism - Outside the Box' by Rick Richardson. He gets at the heart of the matter within us... how to engage the Spirit in the process, and in the end offers some very intriguing ways of presenting the gospel, including Alpha, GIGs, and on a napkin (post-modernly).
Like Paul, share your testimony (Acts 26). God has arranged this encounter, your equipped for this work, rejoice, no one is better fit for the task than you are.
Salvation is personal; Jesus calls his sheep by name (John 10).
As for something to give the person: If the person is into social media, internet etc.
Link: http://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/what-gospel/
For pamphlets: Varied just search gospel tracts.
I have two short works I can put in the mail to you tomorrow if you want them for free:
1. Ultimate Questions by John Blanchard, 31 pages
2. Jonathan Edwards “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”, Made Easier to Read by John Jeffery Fanella, 32 pages (it has a few notes marked on one page)
A missionary with Christian Reformed World Missions recently wrote a blog entry on using a song by Mumford & Sons as an evangelism tool. In the blog, he also quotes Grant Lovejoy who writes, “The best discipling resource among oral communicators is not a printed booklet but an obedient Christian. Oral communicators learn by observing.” I have certainly found this to be true in my ministry.
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