Evangelism Course overview

Is the command of the Lord Jesus to every Christian (Matt. 28:18-

20). Whether you are outgoing and evangelistic or laid back and
patient, you are called to be a fisher of men, not just a keeper of
the aquarium. This is a good place to start.

Why Should We Witness to People?

Foundations

Three Important Verses For Witnessing

Salvation is God's Work

How to Memorize Scripture

The Importance of Prayer in Evangelism

The Do's and Don't's of Witnessing

Law and Gospel

The Four Spiritual Laws

Christian CPR

Leading Someone to the Lord

Trust God and Go Witness

FILES: CHURCH OF GOD DASMARINAS discipleship dept.

Research and compiled and edited by Ron Camiling

Ref: Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry

 Why Should We Witness?
Have you ever asked yourself, "Why should I witness?" Several reasons
should come to mind.

First, because Jesus commands you to: "Go therefore and make
disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the
Son and the Holy Spirit," (Matt. 28:19). Also, Ezek. 3:11 says, "and go to the
exiles, to the sons of your people, and speak to them and tell them, whether
they listen or not..."

Second, you must witness because you love the unsaved (if you
don't, you should). The most loving thing you can do is present the gospel in
hopes of bringing others to salvation. Galatians 5:22 lists love as one of the
fruit of the Spirit. It is love's nature to give. Take for example John 3:16, "For
God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son..." Love gives, and
if you have only a small portion of His love, you will want to give to others.

Third, witness because it is a wise thing to do. Prov. 11:30 says, "...he
who is wise wins souls." Now, I know I am not a very wise person. But, since God
says I'll be wise to win souls, or try to, then great, let me at it. I want to be wise
in God's sight.

Fourth, witness to keep people out of hell. Hell is a terrifying place

of utter anguish and eternal separation from God. Those who are not saved
go there. Witnessing is an attempt to keep them out of hell.

Fifth, witness because it pleases God and brings glory to His

name.

And finally, witness so they may find the love and fellowship of
God (1 John 1:3), the greatest of all treasures. I can think of no greater gift
than salvation. It frees the sinner from sin, it delivers the lost from
damnation, and it reveals the true and living God to those who don't know Him.
The angels of heaven rejoice greatly when anyone passes from judgment
into salvation (Luke 15:10). Shouldn't we as Christians rejoice too? Shouldn't
we weep over the lost? Shouldn't we ask the Lord of the field to send
laborers into His harvest (Luke 10:2)? Certainly! The salvation of others is the
goal of your efforts. The love of God is your motive. Is there anything
greater? So, give.
 Foundations are First
"Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not
need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15).

Without a proper foundation, buildings don't stand, civilizations don't last,

and Christians don't witness well. The foundation I am talking about is the
foundation of basic Christian doctrine. Do you know what the Trinity is? How
many natures does Jesus have, one or two? Are we saved by grace through
faith or by grace and works? For what purpose did Jesus die? Did He rise from
the dead? If so, why?
Perhaps you do not believe that knowing doctrine is important. Maybe you
think that we should just tell people about Jesus and let them choose to
accept Him or not. Unfortunately, witnessing isn't always that simple.
Knowing what and why you believe is essential. For example, if someone says he
wants to receive Jesus as Savior but doesn't believe that He is God in flesh, is
that important? If someone says that the Trinity is not biblical, what would you
say? Is the Holy Spirit a force or God? Doctrine is important because it defines
who you put your trust in. It is not simply that you have faith, it's who you put
your faith in.

A "Setup" at church.

A few years ago an associate pastor of a local church asked me to give a

talk on some biblical issues to his college and career group. As we talked
about the lecture he decided he would like me to test the group on their
doctrinal knowledge. He asked me to pretend I was someone off the street
who happened to walk in to "see what was going on and challenge them." Since
no one at the study knew me, it seemed like a great idea. He said, "Ask them
questions that will make them think. Ask them questions about their faith."
Since he wanted them to answer for themselves, he arranged not to be
there. Instead, a Bible study leader, who knew of the "setup," would be in
charge. This way, the group would be forced to defend their faith because
their pastor wouldn't be there to bail them out when things got tough, and
they did.
I asked some questions about the Bible, got some answers, and then asked
more questions about their answers. I asked them how they knew the Bible was
true, how they knew they were going to heaven, why their beliefs were correct
and everyone else's was false, and more. All I did was challenge them. Later I
asked them about Jesus. I said, "If Jesus is God then why did He pray to God the
Father?" The sudden silence spoke loudly against them. I continued with,
"Some Jehovah's Witnesses I was talked to a little while ago said that there
was no such thing as the Trinity. They had a bunch of proof texts. Why should I
believe you and not them. They have answers and they seem to know their
Bible."
Needless to say, the group was thoroughly upset. One person left to get
the pastor. Two girls were doubting their salvation and a couple of guys told
me later they wanted to beat me up (and these were Christians!).
Just about then it was time to stop. The Bible study leader, who had kept
tactfully quiet until then, interrupted the discussion and, playing along for a
few seconds longer said, "All right, all right. Let's put a stop to this. " He
looked confidently at everyone and said, "Don't worry. We are going to have a
speaker here tonight who will be able to answer all these questions and
explain why the Bible really is the word of God, why there is a Trinity, and all
that other stuff we talked about."
A couple of people said to me, "Yeah, so why don't you stay and you can hear
some answers." I smiled and said, "Maybe I will." The Bible study leader smiled
too and as he pointed to me he said, "And tonight, he is our speaker." They
stared at me for a moment. Then, as if on cue, they all began to moan and
groan. They had been set up. I smiled. After a while, they smiled too.

What are you called to do?

You are called by God to accurately know His word, "Be diligent to present
yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed,
handling accurately the word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15).
You are called by God to grow in your walk with Him, "Therefore, leaving
the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity..." (Heb.
6:1).
You are called by God to search the scriptures daily, "Now these were more
noble minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with
great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily, to see whether these things
were so" (Acts 17:11).

How good is your foundation?

Are you like the people in that church? Are you weak in your basic Christian
foundation? Can you defend the Trinity biblically? Can you show someone in
the Bible that Jesus is God in flesh or that salvation is by faith only and not by
our works? Do you know if Jesus rose from the dead in the same body He died in
or was it a different spiritual body? These questions are crucial and you need
to have the correct answers. Do you?
If your foundation is weak, then you need to strengthen it. Without a good
foundation you won't be able to stand against a breeze of opposition. That is
why you must first establish your foundation: you must witness in the strength
of truth, not the weakness of error.
Just as a baby must crawl before it walks, a Christian must know the basics
before he can mature: "Therefore, leaving the elementary teaching about the
Christ, let us press on to maturity..." (Heb. 6:1).
Let's first learn the elementary teachings before we go on.
 Three Important Verses in Witnessing
"So shall My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to
Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the
matter for which I sent it" (Isaiah 55:11).

If you only study one page on this section on evangelism, this page is it. Why?
Because here is where you will learn three of the most important verses of
evangelism: Isaiah 55:11; Rom. 1:16; and John 12:32.

Isaiah 55:11

Isaiah 55:11 says, "So shall My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it
shall not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and
without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it." God's word is unique. It
was by His word (speech) that God created, "God said, ‘Let there be light'; and
there was light" (Gen. 1:3). "By faith we understand that the worlds were
prepared by the Word of God..." (Heb. 11:3). Jesus is called the Word, "In the
beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God...
and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us..." (John 1:1,14).
When Jesus was on the earth, He taught. He taught with words and His
words had a very strong effect on people. They angered some and broke
others. But when Jesus spoke, things happened.
Jesus forgave sins by speaking, "And seeing their faith, He said, ‘Friend, your
sins are forgiven you'" (Luke 5:20). He raised the dead by speaking, "Lazarus,
come forth" (John 11:43). He calmed the wind and sea with words, "Then He
arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and it became perfectly calm" (Matt.
8:26). He cast out demons by speech, "And He said to them, ‘Begone!' And they
came out..." (Matt. 8:32). He healed by speech, "And He stretched out His hand
and touched him, saying, ‘I am willing; be cleansed.' And immediately his leprosy
was cleansed" (Matt. 8:3,13). God's words are powerful.
The Word (the Bible) is described as having many qualities:

"All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for

It is
teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in
inspired:
righteousness" (2 Tim. 3:16).
It is truth: "The sum of Thy word is truth" (Psalm 119:151).
"...If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of
It makes
mine; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall
free:
make you free" (John 8:32).
It "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of
produces Christ" (Rom. 10:17)
faith:
"For the word of God is living and active and sharper than
any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of
It judges: soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to
judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart" (Heb.
4:12).
 The Word of God is a mighty weapon. That is why you should memorize!

Romans 1:16

Rom. 1:16, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God
for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the
Greek." What is the Gospel? 1 Cor. 15:1-4 says it is the sacrificial death and
physical resurrection of Jesus for sins. It is the powerful message of
salvation to sinners. If you know that the Word of God will accomplish what
God wants it to and if you know that the gospel has power to save, then it
should ease your mind to know that in witnessing you are using two very
powerful weapons: God's Word and God's Gospel. The Word of God is the
Bible. The Gospel of God is His revelation or redemption.

John 12:32

John 12:32, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to
Myself." Here Jesus speaks specifically about His crucifixion. It is He who
draws to Himself all who are to be saved. When you present the gospel (1 Cor.
15:1-4), the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus for sins, Jesus draws
the sinner to Himself. He does the work, not you.
As a Christian, you are to witness with truth, honesty, and integrity. As the
Lord provides the opportunity, you should respond in a humble and gentle
spirit (2 Tim. 2:24). And in that, you should point people to Jesus. It is He alone
who saves.

If you know that God's Word will accomplish what God desires, that the
gospel is powerful to save, and that it is Jesus who draws all men to Himself,
then you should realize that the responsibility of salvation does not rest on
you, but on God. You are the teacher, the deliverer of good news. "How shall
they believe in Him who they have not heard?" (Rom. 10:14). You help them hear!
These three verses should help you to gain confidence. You witness; God
saves. You plant the seeds; God waters. He uses you. It is His Word that
accomplishes salvation. It is His gospel that is powerful. It is His Son Jesus
who draws. You witness in power when you witness with the Word of God.
 The Importance of Prayer in Evangelism
"The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore beseech the
Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest" (Matt. 9:37-38).

Prayer is essential in the Christian's life. Without it your witness will be far
less effective and you will be far more vulnerable to the enemy. When you
witness, you need the blessing and support of the Lord. You need to be in
fellowship with Him. Prayer makes this all possible.
When you witness you plant the seeds of the Gospel, but it is God who
causes the growth (1 Cor. 3:6-7). In prayer you ask God to give that growth. In
prayer you ask God to convict the unrepentant of their sin and by that awaken
in them the need for salvation. In prayer you, "...let your requests be made
known to God" (Phil. 4:6). Think back to your own conversion. Were there
people praying and requesting your salvation?
Jesus prayed frequently (Matt. 14:23; 26:36; Mark 6:46; Luke 5:16; John 17).
Paul prayed (Rom. 1:9; Eph. 1:16). Stephen prayed (Acts 7:55-60). You must pray.
God wants you to pray to Him and have fellowship with Him (John 1:1-4). Why?
One reason is that our battle is not against flesh and blood but against
powers and the spiritual forces of darkness (Eph. 6:12). That is where the real
battle is, in the spiritual realm. You need prayer. Prayer is one of God's
ordained means for you to do spiritual warfare and sharing the Gospel is
definitely spiritual warfare.
Another reason to pray is that you can actually influence God with your
prayers. If you are doubtful then look at 2 Kings 20:1-7. King Hezekiah was
told by the prophet Amoz that he should set his house in order because he was
surely going to die (v. 1). Hezekiah prayed earnestly (v. 2,3). The Lord heard his
prayers and said, "I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I
will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the LORD. And I
will add fifteen years to your life" (v. 5).
Hezekiah's prayer made a difference. That is why you, as a Christian, can be
an effective witness, because you have influence with God and because you can
ask God to save. Prayer is a vital part of witnessing.

What should you pray for?

Pray for more people to witness. Jesus specifically asked you to pray to the
Father and ask Him to send workers into the field (Matt. 9:37-38). What is the
field? It is the world of sinners. Who are the workers? They are people like
you. Jesus wants people to find salvation and enjoy eternal fellowship with
Him. He wants you to preach the Gospel. He has given the command "Go
therefore and make disciples of all the nations..." (Matt. 28:19). Your witness
for God may or may not be verbal. But either way, you need to pray and ask God
to give you strength, love, and insight.
Pray for compassion for the lost. Compassion is a necessary element in
witnessing. It motivates you to speak, to teach, and to pray for others to come
into the kingdom of God. Compassion helps you to cry over the lost and to
come to God in humble request for their salvation. Paul said, "Brethren, my
heart's desire and by prayer to God for them is for their salvation" (Rom. 10:1).
Pray for the desire to witness. Pray this regularly and watch the Lord
change you and give you a desire to reach out and tell people about Jesus. God
will grant your prayers and joy will fill your heart as you fulfill the
command of God by witnessing.
Pray for boldness. Pray for the courage to step out in faith and speak up
when needed. Many Christians are timid because speaking a word for the sake
of the Lord can be risky and frightening. Boldness gives you the courage to
risk ridicule and to endure the scorn. Ask God for it. "For God has not given
us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline. Therefore do not be
ashamed of the testimony of our Lord" (2 Tim. 1:7-8).
Pray to the Lord to bind Satan and his angels. There is a hierarchy of
demons seeking to hinder your witness and steal the seeds of the Gospel that
you plant. You cannot fight spirits with reason or flesh and blood, but you
can ask the Lord to fight. With prayer you can assault the camp of the enemy
and weaken his false kingdom. Prayer is a mighty tool, a powerful tool. You
need it if you are going to witness.
Pray for your needs. Do you have a close walk with God? Do you need a
deeper fellowship with Him? Do you have sins you need to confess and
forsake? If so, then pray. Enjoy your privilege of coming to the Creator of the
universe who meets your every need. He loves you. He wants to hear from you
and He wants you to make your needs known to Him. "Be anxious for nothing,
but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your
requests be made known to God" (Phil. 4:6).

Hindrances to prayer

Prayer is important for many reasons, especially for witnessing. But prayer
can be hindered. So that your prayers and witnessing might be as affective as
possible, a discussion of the hindrances of prayer is necessary. Do any of the
following apply to you?
Sin hinders prayer. "If I regard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not
hear" (Psalm 66:18). We all sin, but do you have unconfessed and unrepented
sin in your life? If so, confess your sin, repent from it as you are commanded in
Acts 17:30, and continue in witnessing and prayer.
Selfishness hinders prayer. "You ask and do not receive, because you ask
with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures" (James 4:3).
Examine yourself. Make sure your prayers are not motivated by selfish desires.
If you find that selfishness is a factor then confess it and repent.
Doubt hinders prayer. "But let him ask in faith without any doubting, for the
one who doubts is like the surf of the sea driven and tossed by the wind"
(James 1:6). We all doubt. We all fail. But when you doubt be reminded of the
man who said to Jesus, "Lord I believe, help my unbelief" (Mark 9:24). He
believed and yet doubted and Jesus granted his request. Remember that God
has given a measure of faith to every man (Rom. 12:3). Trust God, even when you
have doubts. It does not matter necessarily how much faith you have as much
as who your faith is in. Put what faith you have in Jesus. Trust Him. Watch Him
be faithful to you.
Pride hinders prayer. Jesus spoke of the Pharisee and the tax-gatherer who
both were praying. The Pharisee boasted about himself while the tax-gatherer
asked for mercy from God. Jesus said in Luke 18:14 regarding the tax-gatherer,
"I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other."
Jesus shows us that pride is sin and that it hinders prayer (James 4:6). Have the
same attitude that Jesus had in heaven in His full glory as He had on Earth as a
man. He was humble. If you are prideful, confess it as sin, repent, and continue
in humility.
A poor husband and wife relationship hinders prayer . This may seem a little
out of place here, but it isn't. A proper relationship with your spouse is very
important. If there are problems because of selfishness, pride, argument,
anger, unforgiveness, or any of the other multitudinous obstacles that can
develop in marriage, then your prayers will be hindered. How are you doing
with your mate? Are you witnessing while there is anger between you two? In
Matt. 5:23-24 Jesus said, "If therefore you are presenting your offering at the
altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave
your offering there before the altar, and go your way; first be reconciled to
your brother, and then come and present your offering." Are you reconciled
to your wife or husband (for that matter, anyone you know with whom there is
strife) before you offer sacrifices of witnessing and prayer to the Lord? If
not, then be reconciled, so your prayers won't be hindered. 1 Pet. 3:7 says,
"You husbands likewise, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with a
weaker vessel, since she is a woman; and grant her honor as a fellow heir of
the grace of life, so that you prayers may not be hindered."

Prayer is a privilege

Prayer is a privilege. It is a powerful tool. Without it you will be a foolish

worker in the fields of the dead. Pray and ask the Lord of the harvest to raise
the dead to life. Bend your knees in fellowship with your Lord. Let Him wash
you in His presence and fill you with the Holy Spirit. Prayer is where you meet
Him. Prayer is where you are shaped. Pray.
 The Four Spiritual Laws
If you've gone through a discussion with someone and you want to present
the gospel message in a simple and systematic way, the well known "Four
Spiritual Laws" can be of help. They are simple, to the point, and use Scripture
to convict, convince, and convert. They are:

1. God loves you:

 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten
Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have
eternal life" (John 3:16).
2. Man is sinful and separated from God.
 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom.
3:23); "For the wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23); "But your
iniquities have made a separation between you and your God"
(Isaiah 59:2).
3. Jesus Christ is God's only provision for man's sin.
 "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the
Father, but through Me" (John 14:6); "But God demonstrates His
own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died
for us" (Rom. 5:8).
4. We must individually receive Jesus as Savior and Lord .
 "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become
children of God, even to those who believe in His name" (John
1:12); "if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe
in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be
saved" (Rom. 10:9); "For by grace you have been saved through
faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God" (Eph. 2:8).

The Roman Road

Another list of verses usable in the same way as the Four Spiritual Laws is
the "Roman Road." The advantage to these seven verses is that they are all in
the book of Romans. Sometimes this is an advantage when you don't want to
flip through a lot of pages.

1. Rom. 3:10, "As it is written, 'There is none righteous, not even one...'"
2. Rom. 3:23, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
3. Rom. 5:12, "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the
world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because
all sinned."
4. Rom. 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is
eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
5. Rom. 5:8, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while
we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
6. Rom. 10:9-10, "if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe
in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; for
with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the
mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation."
7. Rom. 10:13, "For whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be
saved."
 I recommend you put the Roman Road in your Bible. Go to Romans 3:10
underline it and write Romans 3:23 next to it. Then go to Romans 3:28,
underline it and write Romans 5:12 next to it, and so on. That way all you need
to do is memorize where you start: Romans 3:10

The Do's and Don't's of Witnessing

"Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the
opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned, as it were, with
salt, so that you may know how you should respond to each person" (Col. 4:5-
6).

Like most things in life, witnessing has guidelines. Following is a list of 20

Do's and 12 Don't's. They should aid you while witnessing and help prevent
serious errors. If, however, you choose to ignore them, witnessing will be
difficult and awkward.

Do's

1. Do Pray.
2. Do speak to please God.
3. Do read your Bible.
4. Do start with a positive witness for Christ.
5. Do keep things simple.
6. Do share your salvation experience with them.
7. Do know what you believe.
8. Do have a genuine love.
9. Do be simple and define your terms.
10. Do memorize appropriate Scriptures if possible.
11. Do be ready to learn from the people you witness to.
12. Do be patient and gentle.
13. Do listen attentively.
14. Do answer their questions.
15. Do ask questions.
16. Do let him save face.
17. Do bring him, if possible, to a decision about Jesus.
18. Do encourage him to study the Bible by itself.
19. Do use Scripture in context.
20. Do remember that greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world (1
John 4:4).

Don'ts

1. Don't attack directly or make fun of someone.

2. Don't jump from one subject to another.
3. Don't expect too much from him.
4. Don't have a spiritual chip on your shoulder.
5. Don't lose patience.
6. Don't come on too strong.
7. Don't debate peripheral issues or doctrines.
8. Don't get sidetracked defending your denomination.
9. Don't be uptight.
10. Don't assume.
11. Don't argue.
12. Don't speak too fast or unclearly.
Christian CPR
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and
to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).

Witnessing is a spiritual battle where you not only fight against ignorance
and prejudice but also against Satan. He will attempt to hinder your efforts,
attack you spiritually, and do a thousand other things to stop you. As a
result, you can suffer spiritually dry times brought on by his attacks. So what
do you do to save your spiritual life? Simple . . .
Almost everyone has heard of CPR, cardiopulmonary resuscitation. It has
saved many lives. I would like to introduce you to Christian CPR It can save
your spiritual life. It's simple: Confess, Pray, and Read.

Confess

The first of the three letters represents Confession: our human need. Each
person who witnesses should have his own life right with God. That doesn't
mean being perfect, but it does mean actively seeking to walk in accord with
God's will. It means regularly confessing your sins to God and forsaking
them. This is done in prayer.
Sin is not something to be taken lightly. It is so bad, so evil, so wicked, that
it cost Jesus His life. The greatness of the sacrifice of Christ only reflects
the greatness of the depth of sin. It took something as incredible as God on
the cross to undo sin. Sin can hinder your effectiveness so you need to make
sure you confess any sin to God. He will forgive you and your fellowship with
Him is restored. In that proper relationship, He will guide you and empower you
to speak boldly for Him.
The Bible says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to
forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).
Confession is good for the soul they say -- and it is true. It is good to bow
before the Lord in humility and seek His forgiveness: "Humble yourselves in
the presence of the Lord and He will exalt you" (James 4:10). Be ready to
confess and forsake your sins. That is what God asks.

Pray

The second letter represents Prayer: your special privilege. Through

prayer you are in fellowship with the Holy Creator of the universe. You can
actually speak to Him. You can worship, love, and spend time with Him. Because
of what Jesus has done for you on the cross, God hears your prayers.
When you desire to pray, is it your flesh that seeks Him? No. Since your
natural self does not seek God and since you are still in sinful flesh, when
the inclination to pray comes over you, it is God calling you to spend time with
Him. He wants you to fellowship with Him. 1 Cor. 1:9 says, "God is faithful,
through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our
Lord." He wants you to be in His presence and be dependent upon Him. The one
who is in the presence of the Lord cannot but have his heart filled by Him. He
cannot but speak of Him: "Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth
speaks" (Matt. 12:34). When Moses was in the presence of God, his face shone
(2 Cor. 3:7). When you are in the presence of God, your heart will shine.
Prayer is the practice of the presence of God. To be effective, you need to
be in fellowship with God. To be in fellowship, you need to be praying,
constantly.

Read

The third letter represents Reading: your daily bread. It is in reading the
Bible that God speaks to you. The Bible is, of course, the Word of God. It is,
"inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction,
for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped
for every good work" (2 Tim. 3:16-17).
The Word of God is one of the ways He has made Himself known to you. It is
light for your soul, food for your thoughts, and the guide by which you
should shape your life.
By reading the Bible and memorizing Scripture, you are a much greater
threat to Satan. When Jesus was tempted by Satan what did He use to rebuke
Him? A miracle? A powerful sweep of His hand? No. He quoted Scripture (Matt.
4).
Follow Jesus' example. Learn Scripture. Use it. Let it dwell in your heart
and mind. Rebuke the enemy with it. Learn from it. It will nourish you.

Prayer and Fellowship

Fellowship with God is a privilege and a great blessing. There is nothing

better or greater to have. The purpose of Christian CPR is to help remind you
of the requirements for fellowship with God. Fellowship with the Lord
should be the number one priority in your life. If it isn't, make it so.
When Solomon was asked by God what he wanted, Solomon desired wisdom
(1 Kings 3:5-9). When David was asked what he wanted, he said, "That I may dwell
in the house of the LORD all the days of my life" (Psalm 27:4). In the New
Testament whenever Solomon is mentioned, it is not in a favorable light. Jesus
said, "Not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed as beautifully as one
of these lilies" (Matt. 6:28-29). Yet, David, a murderer and adulterer, was
called by God a man after His own heart (Acts 13:22). Why? I believe it is
because David sought fellowship with God. David wanted only to be in the
presence of the Lord. David, the sinner, loved God.
Jesus was at the home of Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42). Martha was busy
with her preparations and Mary was at Jesus' feet. Martha mentioned that Mary
was doing nothing and had left all the work to her. Jesus' reply is
enlightening. He said, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so
many things; but only a few things are necessary, really only one, for Mary
has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her."
You see, the Lord desires that you spend time with Him. It is more important
than all your other responsibilities, even witnessing. If you are in fellowship
with the Lord, then your walk will be stronger, your love bolder, and your sin
weaker. You will shine as a light to the world (Matt. 5:14) and the world will
know that you are His disciple (Matt. 5:16).
When you sense the desire to pray, answer it. It is God calling you to spend
time in His wonderful presence and be filled by Him. And there in His presence
is where you will gain the greatest benefit and become the most powerful
witness.
As you can see, CPR is an easily remembered tool that should help you
understand the importance of confession, prayer, and reading. In daily prayer
time seek God. In daily reading time seek God. Be like David who wanted to
dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Be like Mary who wanted to sit at
Jesus' feet and be with Him. Be like Jesus who so often went to prayer for
fellowship with God. Obey the Father who has commanded you to fellowship
with Jesus. In Him are the blessings to keep your heart alive because, "grace
and truth were realized through Jesus Christ" (John 1:17). It is in true
fellowship with Jesus that witnessing is at its best. Witnessing is not just
words -- it is a way of life.

Law and Gospel

"...for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin" (Rom. 3:20).

In the Old Testament God gave the Law through Moses. It is the commands
and precepts that govern human conduct. In the New Testament God gave the
Gospel through Jesus. It is the message of salvation by grace through the
sacrificial death and physical resurrection of Jesus, for our sins.
The Law is the do's and don't's of moral behavior. It consists of the 10
commandments (Exodus 20), rules for social life (Exodus 21:1-23:33), and
rules for the worship of God (Exodus 25:1-31:18). It was a covenant of works
between God and man and was (and is) unable to deliver us into eternal
fellowship with the Lord. The Law is a difficult taskmaster because it requires
that we maintain a perfect standard of moral behavior. And then when we fail,
the Law condemns us to death. Works do not earn us salvation or play any
part of it. The Bible says that a man is justified by faith apart from the works
of the Law (Rom. 3:28).
The Gospel, on the other hand, is the good news of the death, burial, and
resurrection of Jesus for our sins (1 Cor. 15:1-4). It is the message of what
God has done for us, our deliverance from sin and the punishment of the Law.
"Law and Gospel" are also part of our foundation and a good
understanding of their relationship will greatly help your witnessing. How? If
you understand that the Law of God is a standard of perfection, that it
reveals sin, that we are unable to keep from breaking it, and that the Gospel
frees us from the need to keep the law perfectly, then in order to obtain
forgiveness of sins you will be better able to communicate the message of
salvation to the unsaved.

The Law is different from the Gospel

Most Christians already have a basic understanding of the difference

between Law and Gospel; they just don't know they do. For example, "You are a
sinner (Law). You need Jesus as your Savior (Gospel)." The Old Testament (Law)
came before the New Testament (Gospel). The Law shows us what we are guilty
of and the Gospel delivers us by grace. First we must know we are guilty (Law)
before we recognize our need to ask for forgiveness (Gospel).
The Law kills. The Gospel makes alive. When Moses came down from the
mount after receiving the Law and saw that the Israelites had fallen into
idolatry, he threw the tablets of the Law down to them and 3000 people died
(Exodus 32:28). Later, when Peter preached the Gospel, 3000 people were
saved (Acts 2:41).
With a better understanding of the Law, it will be easier for you to explain
sin. Without the Law, sin cannot be known; Romans 3:20 says, "...through the
Law comes the knowledge of sin." (See also Rom. 7:7.) If sin is not known, then
the need for Jesus is not felt. This is why you mention the Law to those with
whom you witness. How? By asking them if they have ever sinned. Tell them that
lying, cheating, stealing, lusting, not honoring God, etc. is sin. Everyone is
guilty somewhere (Rom. 3:23), so everyone needs to be delivered. Everyone
needs the Gospel.
The Law is peculiar. It says "be holy," but shows us we are not. It says "do
not lie," but shows where we do. It says "honor the Lord your God," yet shows
us where we fail. Since none of us can keep the whole Law, we are all under
condemnation. There is no way out. What can we do? Nothing! That is why "the
Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we may be justified by
faith" (Gal. 3:24). The Law guides us to Him. How does it do that? By showing us
that the attempt to keep the Law (our works) is insufficient to give eternal life
and that the Gospel of grace is the only way to God.
In other words, you must help the person realize that they are not good
enough to merit God's favor. People tend to think that because they are
sincere or "not that bad," they are going to be with God when they die. But the
Bible reveals that "sincerity" and being "not that bad" are not good enough.
God requires perfection.

Salvation is of God.

That is why salvation belongs to the Lord (Psalm 3:8), by faith and not by
works (Rom. 4:5). That is why it is a free gift of God (Rom. 6:23), through grace
(Eph. 2:8-9). That is why God became man (John 1:1,14) and fulfilled the Law:
"For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did;
sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin,
He condemned sin in the flesh" (Rom. 8:3). And also, "For if a law had been given
which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been
based on Law" (Gal. 3:21); "For by grace though faith you have been saved, not
by works..." (Eph. 2:8). And, "...but to the one who does not work, but believes in
Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness" (Rom.
4:5).
In presenting the Gospel, you show how the requirements of keeping the
Law perfectly is removed. Say something like, The Bible says that if you break
just one command of God, you are condemned, (James 2:10-11). I often add, "Sin
can be forgiven but the effects continue. The effect of your sin is death. Your
sin is an offense to the Law-giver, God. But Jesus, who is God in flesh, bore our
sins on the cross and died with them. If you want your sins forgiven, then you
need to come to Christ and ask Him to forgive you. He will."
 Leading Someone to the Lord
Alright, so you know about the Law, the Gospel, sin, salvation, the Four
Spiritual Laws, and the Roman Road, but how do you lead someone to the
Lord? How do you introduce someone to Christ?
First of all, you tell them about God, sin, and Jesus dying on the cross. So,
let's say that after all this, the person you're witnessing to is touched by
God's Word and wants to become a Christian. You say...
"Do you understand what I've been telling you?"
"Yes."
"Do you want to receive Jesus as your Savior?"
"Yes. Yes I do."
"Good. But first, I need to tell you something. Being a Christian means living
for Christ. It means seeking to do His will and not your own. It won't always be
easy. Satan will make your life difficult at times. You may lose friends and
things won't necessarily get better overnight. Being a Christian can be costly.
In fact, Jesus said that you must deny yourself, take up your cross daily, and
follow Him (Luke 9:23). That is what Jesus wants you to do, to follow Him
always -- even when others don't want you to.
"Now, If you still want Jesus as your Savior and Lord, I would be glad to
pray with you."
"Yes, I do. I understand and I still want Jesus."
"Then let's pray." You tell him to repeat what you say, maybe bow his head
and close his eyes, or not... It doesn't matter.
An example of what to say is "Dear Jesus, I know I have sinned against you. I
confess that I am a sinner. I accept the sacrifice you made on the cross on my
behalf. I ask you to come into my heart. Please cleanse me of my sin. And give me
eternal life. I repent from my sins and put my trust in You. Thank you Jesus.
Amen."

The preceding paragraph is only an example of how to lead someone to

Christ. As I've said before, there is no formula, but only a recognition of one's
sinfulness before God, confession and repentance of sin, and trusting in
Jesus' sacrifice for sin.
I would like you to take special note to tell the person that being a
Christian is not easy. In a way, when you do this you are trying to talk him out
of being saved. But what is really happening is three things: 1) you are making
sure conversion is real, 2) you are warning him of what is to come, and 3) you
are trying to prevent a 'false conversion' and the excuse he might say later
like, "Oh, I tried Christianity once. It didn't help me." Remember, we receive
Christ for the forgiveness of sins, not to "make things better." Also, you want
someone to come to Christ with full knowledge of what it means to be a
Christian.
If we aren't willing to follow Jesus through thick and thin, then we aren't
worthy to be called His disciples. We are to love Him more than anything else
(Luke 14:26-28).
Also worth noting is the short sentences used in the prayer. Don't worry
about exactly what to say, just speak the truth, confess sin, ask Jesus for
forgiveness, speak slowly, and use short sentences. This way, there will be no
confusion.
 Trust God and Go Witness
It is one thing to read about how to witness to someone; it is
another to put into practice what you've learned. I tell my
students, "If you want to witness, then go witness." That is the
best, though not the easiest, way to learn. I call it "Trust and
Go." Trust God and go witness. My very first evangelistic
endeavor was just such a case. This is what happened.

Are you available?

Are you available to God? Are you willing to pray, take a risk,
trust God and go? If you are, if you have the desire and a
willingness to learn, then God will use you. He desires a willing,
teachable, and available person more than the most learned mind.
If you make yourself available, He will make you able. Get ready!
He will use you!
 How to Memorize Scripture
Many people don't think they can memorize their way out of a new shopping
mall let alone remember a verse in the Bible. I've spoken with dozens of people
about Scripture memorization who say the same thing: "I have a terrible
memory." My answer to them is, "Nonsense!" Everyone memorizes all the time.
You've learned to speak, haven't you? You've memorized thousands of do's and
don't's in life, right? You know your social security number, your phone
number, your address, how many brothers, sisters, or children you have, how
to get to work and what to do when you get there. The problem is not that
people can't memorize, it's that they won't memorize.
The Bible is the foundation for witnessing and you must memorize verses to
be able to use it -- this applies to your devotional life as well as witnessing.
One serious problem I've found is that most people have memorized fewer than
seven verses. The average Jehovah's Witness has committed many more to
memory and, given the opportunity, could make the average Christian feel
about as knowledgeable as banana bread. What I would like to do is help you
memorize better.

Four easy steps to memorization

There are four easy steps to Scripture memorization. Let's use 1 Peter. 2:24
as an example: "and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we
might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by his wounds you were healed"
(NASB).

Step 1: Location

The first step is to memorize the location, not the verse. The reason for this
is if you forget the verse, but you've memorized the location, you can always
go look it up.
First, memorize the location: "1 Peter 2:24." Say "1 Peter 2:24" over and
over again. Don't worry about what it says at first, just memorize the location.
Make sure that when you say 1 Peter 2:24 it flows smoothly off your lips. Say
1 Peter 2:24 emphasizing different syllables. Say 1 Peter 2:24, or 1 Peter 2:24
or 1 Peter 2:24 or even 1 Peter 2:24. But say 1 Peter 2:24 enough times that
when you say 1 Peter 2:24, it is as natural as breathing.

Step 2: Gist

The second step is to learn the gist of what the verse is. In this case it is
very simple, "Jesus bore our sins in His body on the cross." Say, "Jesus bore
our sins in His body on the cross" in different ways. Say, "Jesus bore our sins
in His body on the cross," or "Jesus bore our sins in His body on the cross,"
and "Jesus bore our sins in His body on the cross," etc. But say "Jesus bore
our sins in His body on the cross" enough times that when you say, "Jesus bore
our sins in His body on the cross," it is as natural as saying 1 Peter. 2:24. (Kind
of repetitive, isn't it?)

Step 3: Association
 The third part is more fun. This is where you associate the two together.
Say, "1 Peter 2:24 is Jesus bore our sins in His body on the cross. Jesus bore
our sins in His body on the cross is 1 Peter 2:24. 1 Peter 2:24 is Jesus bore our
sins in His body on the cross..." Say this over and over again, about ten times. In
no time, if you do this, you will memorize.
This association part is important because it helps you to think of one part
whenever you think of the other. For example, if someone asked you "Where
does it say that Jesus bore our sin in his body?", you'd immediately reply with "1
Peter. 2:24." It works.

Step 4: A piece of paper

The fourth and final part is to take a piece of lined paper, 8 1/2" by 11", and
draw a vertical line about one inch from the left hand side.
Write the verse location in the left column on your paper and on the right
side simply write the verse. Do this with each verse you want to remember. Fold
it up, put it in your pocket or purse, and carry it with you everywhere you go.
When you forget a verse or its location simply pull out the paper and refresh
your memory. In no time at all, you'll have over one hundred verses committed
to memory.

Memorization is like exercise. The more you do it, the easier it gets; the less
you do the harder it gets. So do it. If you follow this procedure your mind will
become like a sponge, you'll end up memorizing all sorts of stuff with the
greatest of ease, like how many socks are in your drawer, everything that is in
your refrigerator, and even where your car keys are.

And one more thing. You will be amazed at how the Lord uses what you've
memorized.
 Salvation is God's work
"Salvation belongs to the Lord" (Psalm 3:8).

When someone appeals to God and seeks forgiveness in Jesus, his sins are
removed, he is cleansed, his relationship with God is restored, and he is made a
new creature (2 Cor. 5:17). All of this is the work of God, not man.
The Bible has a phrase that describes the non-Christian. It is 'natural man'. In
1 Cor. 2:14 Paul says, "But a natural man does not accept the things of the
Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them,
because they are spiritually appraised."
Our human condition can be compared to a drop of poison in a glass of
water: all the water is poisoned but it is not as bad as it could be. The water is
incapable of being good. We, too, are incapable of really being good.
When Jesus' disciples asked Him who can be saved, He replied, "With men this
is impossible, but with God all things are possible" (Matt. 19:26). That is why
salvation rests in God alone by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8-9).
About now you are probably wondering what this has to do with witnessing.
Why do you need to know all this? I am glad you asked. It is helpful to know
because you must realize it is God who saves people. Specifically, it is the Holy
Spirit who convicts the sinner of sin -- not you. "And He [the Holy Spirit], when
He comes, will convict the world concerning sin, and righteousness, and
judgment" (John 16:8).
Remember, the gospel is preached after sin is made known. Because the
sinner cannot come to God on his own, he must be convicted of his sin, and
thus be made aware of his need for salvation. The conviction of sin is beyond
our control. It is the work of the Holy Spirit (John 16:8).

Prayer is essential in witnessing

It is, then, vital that you pray and request God to convict as well as save.
Prayer is an essential part of witnessing. When you witness you must pray.
Then you are free to spread the gospel as effectively as you want and to trust
God to give the increase (1 Cor. 3:6-7). Ask Him to send the Holy Spirit; ask Him
to convict the world of sin. The work of the Holy Spirit is essential in
salvation.

The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit works in two types of people during witnessing: the saved
and the unsaved. In the saved, He dwells within (Rom. 8:11), teaches (John
14:26), anoints (1 John 2:27), guides (John 16:13), and sanctifies (1 Pet. 1:2).
Without the Holy Spirit we would be like ships without rudders, unable to live
as Christians and certainly unable to witness effectively.
In the unsaved, He convicts of sin (John 16:8). Sinners come to Jesus to have
their sins cleansed. They do this after they discover their guilt before God.
This too is the work of the Holy Spirit.
Since the natural man is separated from God because of his sin (Isaiah 59:2),
the Holy Spirit uses the Scriptures (that you quote) to convict him of his
sinfulness, convince him of his need for salvation, and convert him through
the Word. When a natural man (or woman) is aware of his sinful condition then
the gospel message of deliverance from sin is preached and becomes
effectual.

Sin

Sin does two things: it offends God and it kills man. How? It offends God
because it is His law we break. It kills us because of the nature of Law. Have
you ever heard of a law without a punishment? A law without a punishment is
only a slogan. Since God is just and laws have punishments, then God must
punish the lawbreaker. But that is not the end of the story. God is also
merciful and gracious. His justice fell upon Himself -- on the cross. His mercy
falls upon us -- by grace through faith.

Justice, Mercy, and Grace

Imbedded in the relationship of Law and Gospel are the concepts of justice,
mercy, and grace. One of the best ways you can show the difference between
them is to use illustrations that show their differences and relationships. For
example, Justice is getting what we deserve. Mercy is not getting what we
deserve. Grace is getting what we don't deserve.
Let's suppose you have a bicycle and I want it. So, one night I sneak over to
your house and steal it. You catch me and I go to jail. (Jail would be where I
"pay" for my crime of breaking the law.) The penalty is met and that is justice. I
get what I deserve.
Let's change it a little. I sneak over to your house and steal your bike. You
catch me. But you don't send me to jail. Instead, you tell me to forget about it.
The penalty, jail, is not met. That is mercy. I did not get what I deserved.
One more change. I sneak over to your house and steal your bike. You catch
me. You don't send me to jail. In fact, you give me the bike plus a hundred
dollars. That is grace. The penalty is met (by you paying the 'damages') and I was
given what I did not deserve (the bike and money).
Justice, which demands payment, does not meet the requirement of mercy,
which seeks forgiveness. Mercy does not meet the requirement of justice.
Grace meets both.

The Lamp Analogy1

Let's say I am at your house or apartment with my wife. We are talking about
church and in my zeal I accidentally knock over your lamp. Now, this lamp is
special. A dear friend gave it to you and it has great sentimental value, and
besides, you need a light in your room. After a moment or two you realize that
the damage is done and decide to forgive. You say to me, "That is alright, Matt. I
forgive you for breaking the lamp, but give me ten dollars."
Is asking for ten dollars after you've just forgiven me, true forgiveness?
Certainly not! When God forgives our sins, He says He will remember them no
more (Jer. 31:34). Forgive and forget are similar in spelling and similar in
meaning. If you forgive me can you demand payment from the one forgiven? No,
because a forgiven debt does not exist.
Let's say that instead of asking me for ten dollars you turn to my wife and
say, "Matt broke my lamp. You give me ten dollars for it."
I ask you again. Is that true forgiveness? No. You are simply transferring the
debt to someone who was not involved in the original offense.
But, we have a problem. The lamp needs to be replaced. In true forgiveness,
then, who pays for its replacement? (Think about this a bit before you go on to
read the answer.) Who pays? You do! You're the only one left. Remember, if
you've forgiven me the debt, how can you demand payment?
Now, who was my offense against? You. Who forgives? You do. Who pays?
You do.
When we sin, who do we sin against? God. Who forgives? God. Who pays?
God! Did you get that? God pays! How does He do that? Simple. 2000 years ago
on a hill outside the city of Jerusalem He bore our sins in His body and died on
the cross (1 Pet. 2:24). He took our punishment: "Surely our griefs He Himself
bore, and our sorrows He carried... He was pierced through for our
transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our
well-being fell upon Him..." (Isaiah 53:4-5).
God is just. God is merciful. God is gracious. In the justice of God, He took
our place. In the mercy of God we don't get punished. In the grace of God, He
gives us eternal life.
Even though we are unworthy of salvation, even though we are unworthy
of God's love, even though we are unworthy of mercy, even though we are
worthy of wrath, God saved us. He did so not because of who we are, but
because of who He is, not because of what we do, but because of what He did.
God is love (1 John 4:16). God is holy (1 Peter 1:16). God is good (Psalm 34:8).
We could never fathom the depths of His purity and kindness (Rom. 11:33). We
could never, through our own efforts, attain Him. There is only one thing left
for us. We must worship Him, love Him, and serve Him. He alone is worthy.
Blessed be the name of the Lord.

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