Last Saturday night in downtown Fort Worth, one particular young man wouldn't budge while listening to the preaching of gospel.
After a few minutes he slowly turned his back and began to walk away. He looked troubled. I walked towards him with a friend and from a bit of a distance I called out to him saying, "Sir!"
He turned his head back to look.
I continued…"Sir, we are Christians and we are with the group of people that are preaching. I know this may sound weird but…how can we pray for you?" "Do you need prayer for anything?" I inquired.
(Keep in mind that it is very rare for me to ask this. I typically don't...in fact I can't even recall a handful of times that I approached someone with the question "Can I pray for you?")
"Yes." He quickly responded as he turn around and started to walk towards us.
Very soberly he looked at me and said, "My good friend shot himself last Thursday."
Big sigh.
"I am so very sorry to hear this…I'm so sorry." I said while shaking my head.
"Yeah, we are really sorry." My friend Amy added.
"What is your name?" I asked.
"Shay". He said.
"And what was your friends name?" I questioned.
"Kyle." He replied.
"Hmmmm, that's interesting."
Then I pointed my arm and extended my finger to the open air preacher on the box and said, "That's interesting…because the young man on the box right over there is named 'Kyle'."
Shay looked stunned like a deer in headlights.
He immediately teared up and I proceeded to tell him the Gospel.
"I know that there probably aren't many words that can comfort you, Shay, during this difficult loss but just remember that Jesus Christ has the words of life…eternal life."
I continued. "Shay, if Kyle were to come back today and talk with you I know what he would say. He would tell you to repent of your sins and to put all of your trust in Jesus Christ who died on the cross and rose from the dead."
He intensely listened and hung on every word.
As I was talking to him the evangelism team was packing up and within seconds the men on the team began to gather around him. I introduced him to Josh, then to Greg and also to Cole.
I explained to Josh about his loss and after a few words, Josh put his hand on his shoulder and we all prayed for him.
You could see the gratitude in his eyes.
I looked up and Kyle was standing behind him.
I pointed behind him and said, "Shay, I want you to meet Kyle."
Shay's face lit up with a new ray of hope. As if he had known Kyle for years. He had a look on his face that was priceless. On my way home the thought of him moved me to tears.
"Good to meet you, man." Shay said.
"Hey, good to meet you, bro." Kyle responded.
We invited him to church and he gave hugs to a couple people on the team.
May God save that young man.
You just never know who you will come in contact with and what has happened in their lives. It was only 48 hours prior to our meeting that Shay received the horrific news that his friend killed himself. And the Lord was faithful to send him hope through the preaching of the Gospel.
I pray that this small encounter will encourage you to ask someone this week, or perhaps today or tonight, if you "can pray for them". Then share the Gospel with them and leave them with a tract.
Showing posts with label Evangelism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Evangelism. Show all posts
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Sunday, January 15, 2012
A Poem by Trish
Cling to Jesus. There's no other way!
“Why Jesus?” You ask. “What's He got to say?”
Let me start over and tell you the biblical way.
You see you've broken a law you can not pay.
If you've told one lie it will be Hell on that dreadful Day.
“One LIE!?” You plead. “You've got to be kidding me!”
Oh yes, one lie is all it takes. You see the bible says all liars will have their place…
In the lake of fire where there is no rest.
“What!? How can it be…I've done nothing wrong and I've been the best.”
If you've broken one commandment you've broken them all.
You can consider your self a liar, adulterer, blasphemer and that's not all.
If you've hated your brother you are a murderer at heart and if you've stolen one thing it's too late to start...to start over and pay for what you've taken. Because time doesn't erase sin only one payment can.
But wait there's hope!
“Hope?” You inquire.
“Hope for me? I've been nothing but a liar. I've sinned against God. I deserve Hell fire.”
Yes! Hope for you to escape.
And there's only one way and we're back to the start.
You need Jesus Christ and He'll give you a new heart.
Christ lived a perfect life for sinners like you and me. He hung on a cross upon Calvary. He was beaten and bruised for our wickedness. It was as if He committed the crime even though he was spotless. He rose from the dead in 1 2…3 days on time! And conquered the grave and the victory is thine.
What you must do is call out to Him.
Humble yourself, repent, and turn from your sin.
He will instantly translate you from darkness to light.
He'll reconcile you to God and you'll be His delight.
Pleasing to the Father. Isn't that what you want?
There's no time to waste. Tomorrow may never come.
If you hear the call of God today, turn to the Son!
Cling to Jesus - By Trish Ramos
www.fishwithtrish.com
“Why Jesus?” You ask. “What's He got to say?”
Let me start over and tell you the biblical way.
You see you've broken a law you can not pay.
If you've told one lie it will be Hell on that dreadful Day.
“One LIE!?” You plead. “You've got to be kidding me!”
Oh yes, one lie is all it takes. You see the bible says all liars will have their place…
In the lake of fire where there is no rest.
“What!? How can it be…I've done nothing wrong and I've been the best.”
If you've broken one commandment you've broken them all.
You can consider your self a liar, adulterer, blasphemer and that's not all.
If you've hated your brother you are a murderer at heart and if you've stolen one thing it's too late to start...to start over and pay for what you've taken. Because time doesn't erase sin only one payment can.
But wait there's hope!
“Hope?” You inquire.
“Hope for me? I've been nothing but a liar. I've sinned against God. I deserve Hell fire.”
Yes! Hope for you to escape.
And there's only one way and we're back to the start.
You need Jesus Christ and He'll give you a new heart.
Christ lived a perfect life for sinners like you and me. He hung on a cross upon Calvary. He was beaten and bruised for our wickedness. It was as if He committed the crime even though he was spotless. He rose from the dead in 1 2…3 days on time! And conquered the grave and the victory is thine.
What you must do is call out to Him.
Humble yourself, repent, and turn from your sin.
He will instantly translate you from darkness to light.
He'll reconcile you to God and you'll be His delight.
Pleasing to the Father. Isn't that what you want?
There's no time to waste. Tomorrow may never come.
If you hear the call of God today, turn to the Son!
Cling to Jesus - By Trish Ramos
www.fishwithtrish.com
Thursday, September 8, 2011
This video will make you squirm!
Anthony Martin gives a 3 minute Gospel message to the Torrance City Council at their weekly meeting. (The message starts at the 4:34 mark).
A bead of sweat formed on my friend Pastor Steve Sanchez's brow and after my friend Jaylene sent me the link, I got squirmy just watching it.
Here's what Steve writes:
"On the last day of my evangelism class I asked the students, “What unusual place do you think you may want to preach the Gospel?” This was after I had shown them that in America they can preach anywhere, from football games, to In N’ Out Burger; from stop lights to the Porta-Potties at the Rose Parade; from outdoor beer gardens to inside elevators!
Two men raised their hands. The first one said, “I want to share the Gospel at AA meetings.” I encouraged him that after he got kicked out, there are plenty more in the South Bay area where we live.
The second man, Anthony, said that he wanted to share at the Torrance City Council meeting. “How are you going to do that?” I asked.
“Everyone gets three minutes to talk. I’m going to share the most important message they can hear.” Frankly, I didn’t think he would. He was one the quietest guys in my class. Well, imagine my surprise when he sent me a portion of the city’s public access channel—and there he was! "
The message starts at the 4.34 min mark:
A bead of sweat formed on my friend Pastor Steve Sanchez's brow and after my friend Jaylene sent me the link, I got squirmy just watching it.
Here's what Steve writes:
"On the last day of my evangelism class I asked the students, “What unusual place do you think you may want to preach the Gospel?” This was after I had shown them that in America they can preach anywhere, from football games, to In N’ Out Burger; from stop lights to the Porta-Potties at the Rose Parade; from outdoor beer gardens to inside elevators!
Two men raised their hands. The first one said, “I want to share the Gospel at AA meetings.” I encouraged him that after he got kicked out, there are plenty more in the South Bay area where we live.
The second man, Anthony, said that he wanted to share at the Torrance City Council meeting. “How are you going to do that?” I asked.
“Everyone gets three minutes to talk. I’m going to share the most important message they can hear.” Frankly, I didn’t think he would. He was one the quietest guys in my class. Well, imagine my surprise when he sent me a portion of the city’s public access channel—and there he was! "
The message starts at the 4.34 min mark:
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Why You Should Use Tracts - by Ray Comfort
There is an old story of how a diver saw a piece of paper clutched in the mouth of an oyster. The man grabbed it, found that it was a gospel tract and said, "I can't hold out any longer. His mercy is so great that He has caused His Word to follow me even to the bottom of the ocean." God used a tract to save the man. Why should a Christian use tracts? Simply because God uses them. He used a tract to save the great missionary Hudson Taylor, as well as many, many others. That fact alone should be enough incentive for a Christian to always use tracts to reach the lost, but there are even more reasons why we should use them. Here are a few:
Tracts can make an opening for us to share our faith. We can watch people's reaction as we give them a tract, and see if they are open to listen to spiritual things.
They can do the witnessing for us. If we are too timid to speak to someone about the things of God, we can at least give them a tract, or leave it lying around so that someone will pick it up.
They speak to the person when they are ready – i.e. they don't read it until they want to.
They can find their way into people's homes when we can't.
They don't get into argument. They just state their case.
Dr. Oswald J. Smith said, "The only way to carry out the Great Commission will be by the means of the printed page." Billy Graham said, "Nothing surpasses a tract for sowing the seed of the Good News." The Apostle Paul said, "I might by any means save some." I'm sure that if Paul had access to the printed page that we have access to, he would carry his convictions to the full.
I am never in public without gospel tracts. In fact, if anyone ever finds me in public without them, I will give them $1,000. That makes sure I am always loaded for battle (you should say the same thing to your friends). When I see an attendant who is standing in a store looking bored, I can give him or her a tract and say, "This will break your boredom." Most people smile, and say "Thanks." In fact, we have tracts especially to break boredom. One is called the Intelligence Test Bookmark (available from Living Waters Publications). This tract has a ten-minute "getaway" time. After you give it to them, you have ten minutes to get away, before they even know that it's a Christian tract. Other titles are especially designed for specific purposes.
If you want people to accept your tract from you, don't say, "Would you like this?" They will probably say, "What is it?" and then you're in trouble. Instead, say, "Did you get one of these?" That question has a two-fold effect. You stir up curiosity and make them ask "One of what?" That's when you pass it to them. That phrase also makes them feel as though they are missing out on something. And so they are.
Perhaps your whole life seems to pass before your eyes at the thought of giving someone a tract. Don't worry – you are not alone. We all battle fear. The answer to fear is found in the prayer closet. Ask God to give you a compassion that will swallow your fears. Meditate on the fate of the ungodly. Give Hell some deep thought. Confront what it is that you are so fearful of.
Do you like roller coasters? Some Christians want to try bungie-jumping or sky diving. Isn't it strange? We are prepared to risk our lives for the love of fear... and yet we are willing to let a sinner go to Hell for the fear of giving out a tract. Ask yourself how many piles of bloodied stones you can find where Christians have been stoned to death for preaching the gospel. How much singed soil can you find where they have been burned at the stake. Shame on us. We have a fear of rejection. We are fearful of looking foolish. That's a subtle form of pride. That sort of fear isn't from God. He hasn't given us the spirit of fear. If we listen to the lies of the devil rather than the Word of God, it shows we prefer to have faith in the devil rather than in our faithful Creator. What a terrible thought! Faith in His "precious promises" will lift us above the fear that so easily paralyzes us. If God is with us, nothing can be against us.
If you have never given out tracts, leave them in a shopping cart, or put them in the mail when you pay bills. Why not begin today? Then each night as you shut your eyes to go to sleep, you will have something very special to pray about... that God will use the tract you put somewhere. You will also have a deep sense of satisfaction, that you played a small part in carrying out the Great Commission... to reach this dying world with the gospel of everlasting life. Don't waste your life. Do something for the Kingdom of God while you are able to. Finally, always remember – treat every day as though it were your last... one day you will be right, so do something for God while you are able.
Tracts can make an opening for us to share our faith. We can watch people's reaction as we give them a tract, and see if they are open to listen to spiritual things.
They can do the witnessing for us. If we are too timid to speak to someone about the things of God, we can at least give them a tract, or leave it lying around so that someone will pick it up.
They speak to the person when they are ready – i.e. they don't read it until they want to.
They can find their way into people's homes when we can't.
They don't get into argument. They just state their case.
Dr. Oswald J. Smith said, "The only way to carry out the Great Commission will be by the means of the printed page." Billy Graham said, "Nothing surpasses a tract for sowing the seed of the Good News." The Apostle Paul said, "I might by any means save some." I'm sure that if Paul had access to the printed page that we have access to, he would carry his convictions to the full.
I am never in public without gospel tracts. In fact, if anyone ever finds me in public without them, I will give them $1,000. That makes sure I am always loaded for battle (you should say the same thing to your friends). When I see an attendant who is standing in a store looking bored, I can give him or her a tract and say, "This will break your boredom." Most people smile, and say "Thanks." In fact, we have tracts especially to break boredom. One is called the Intelligence Test Bookmark (available from Living Waters Publications). This tract has a ten-minute "getaway" time. After you give it to them, you have ten minutes to get away, before they even know that it's a Christian tract. Other titles are especially designed for specific purposes.
If you want people to accept your tract from you, don't say, "Would you like this?" They will probably say, "What is it?" and then you're in trouble. Instead, say, "Did you get one of these?" That question has a two-fold effect. You stir up curiosity and make them ask "One of what?" That's when you pass it to them. That phrase also makes them feel as though they are missing out on something. And so they are.
Perhaps your whole life seems to pass before your eyes at the thought of giving someone a tract. Don't worry – you are not alone. We all battle fear. The answer to fear is found in the prayer closet. Ask God to give you a compassion that will swallow your fears. Meditate on the fate of the ungodly. Give Hell some deep thought. Confront what it is that you are so fearful of.
Do you like roller coasters? Some Christians want to try bungie-jumping or sky diving. Isn't it strange? We are prepared to risk our lives for the love of fear... and yet we are willing to let a sinner go to Hell for the fear of giving out a tract. Ask yourself how many piles of bloodied stones you can find where Christians have been stoned to death for preaching the gospel. How much singed soil can you find where they have been burned at the stake. Shame on us. We have a fear of rejection. We are fearful of looking foolish. That's a subtle form of pride. That sort of fear isn't from God. He hasn't given us the spirit of fear. If we listen to the lies of the devil rather than the Word of God, it shows we prefer to have faith in the devil rather than in our faithful Creator. What a terrible thought! Faith in His "precious promises" will lift us above the fear that so easily paralyzes us. If God is with us, nothing can be against us.
If you have never given out tracts, leave them in a shopping cart, or put them in the mail when you pay bills. Why not begin today? Then each night as you shut your eyes to go to sleep, you will have something very special to pray about... that God will use the tract you put somewhere. You will also have a deep sense of satisfaction, that you played a small part in carrying out the Great Commission... to reach this dying world with the gospel of everlasting life. Don't waste your life. Do something for the Kingdom of God while you are able to. Finally, always remember – treat every day as though it were your last... one day you will be right, so do something for God while you are able.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Don't forget about your mom
The below message recently was sent to me and I was struck by the precious young lady's devotion to her mother and her boldness to share the Gospel with her mom even when it was hard. If you have a mom that doesn't know the Lord, may this email serve as an encouragement to you. Don't lose heart. If God is able to do this for my mom and Jameka's, He is more than able to do the same for your loved one. Remember that you will only have one mom. Take some time to pour into her life today. Here's the email and read what God did through Jameka:
"God has allowed me to sow into my mother for over a year. Since realizing I was a false convert my relationships with my family changed dramatically. She used to tell me that she thought I was "crazy" and I didn't love her because I was different. Taking her through the law was one of the hardest things I have ever done. At times she responded defensively! Then SHE finally saw her predicament, she realized that she was a false convert! It's been about a month since she told me that she repented and put her faith and trust in Jesus Christ for her salvation alone! Since then she has shared with me how her thoughts, actions, and appetite has been changing. She has been listening in to services from our ministry because of the distance between us. Soon she plans to travel to fellowship with us here in Orlando. I visited her yesterday and she asked me for some tracts so that she could start handing them out. She called me last night telling me that she had given one to a cashier and left some in a restaurant... - Jameka"
"God has allowed me to sow into my mother for over a year. Since realizing I was a false convert my relationships with my family changed dramatically. She used to tell me that she thought I was "crazy" and I didn't love her because I was different. Taking her through the law was one of the hardest things I have ever done. At times she responded defensively! Then SHE finally saw her predicament, she realized that she was a false convert! It's been about a month since she told me that she repented and put her faith and trust in Jesus Christ for her salvation alone! Since then she has shared with me how her thoughts, actions, and appetite has been changing. She has been listening in to services from our ministry because of the distance between us. Soon she plans to travel to fellowship with us here in Orlando. I visited her yesterday and she asked me for some tracts so that she could start handing them out. She called me last night telling me that she had given one to a cashier and left some in a restaurant... - Jameka"
Friday, June 24, 2011
"Uh-Oh" Club - for ladies only
Each Thursday my friend Kristen and I go to a local University and witness to students. A couple weeks ago as we walked into the campus cafeteria a young student was walking out. I couldn't help but notice how horribly low her shirt was. I quickly handed her a tract and said, "Did you get one?" She took it. Then, in a low horrified voice, I covered my mouth and said to her, "Uh Oh!" as I pointed several times at her chest area. She frantically looked down, as if she had no idea, and started buttoning everything up. Then she responded, "Thanks." I wonder how long she walked around the campus with her shirt like that -without anyone saying a word.Yesterday, when I got home from evangelism, this was in my inbox from, Kristen:
I went to a fast food restaurant today, one where you drive up and order your food, and then a carhop brings it to your car. As I was contemplating what to order, I noticed three guys looking at one of the female carhops that was on roller skates. As she rolled by me, I saw exactly why they were looking at her. Her shorts were the shortest shorts I have ever seen on a human being, and everything in the rear was showing. Immediately, I thought, “I have to do something! Like leave this place! I don’t even know this girl, how can I correct her attire? Surely, one of her co-workers will say something.” My panic attack lasted about thirty seconds, and then I knew that I had to be the one to say something to her. Clearly, none of her co-workers had, and they weren’t going to. So, I placed my order and waited for her to bring it out. But a different girl began walking toward me with my order. Lord, could this get any more awkward? Now You expect me to ask the carhop that brought my food to tell Shorty-Shorts to come over to my car? Needless to say, that’s exactly what I did and she came skating over. I couldn’t even look up as she was rolling toward me; I knew this was going to be painful for both of us. I had never said anything to anybody about their dressing immodestly, so I had no idea what I was going to say. “Yes ma’am?” she said.
“Hey, I just wanted to tell you that those guys were kind of gawking at you, and I think it’s because your shorts are so short. I’m sure you didn’t realize. Just thought you would want to know, because I know I don’t like it when guys gawk at me.”
“Oh, thank you. It’s because my shorts are too big, and they kept falling down, so I had to belt them up high.”
“Well, I just thought you would want to know, because I don’t like guys gawking at me either,” I said again for some reason.
“Well, thank you.” And she rolled away.
Now, I have no idea if she made any adjustments to her shorts or not because I left rather quickly, but at least I said something. Driving away I thought of all the things I should have said and done, but in my nervousness totally forgot about, such as handing her the gospel tract that I had in my lap at the ready. But I didn’t kick myself too badly because it was my first time confronting someone in this way, and I knew, that just like with evangelism, it would get a little easier each time. -Kristen
--
If you're reading this and you can relate in any way to these two accounts but you've been nervous to say anything, just know you are not alone. There are now two of us doing this and if you start that will make 3! :-)
Join the "Uh-Oh" Club. And I'm not joking. I want to hear from you. Here's what you can do, the next time you see a lady that is dressed in an immodest fashion: Hand her a tract and say something to the effect of, "Here, this is for you." Or you can say, "Did you get one of these." And then point to the immodest area and with a horrified look, say "Uh -Oh". And better yet, perhaps you can talk to her. Either way, I'd like to hear what happens. Either send me an email (email [at] fishwithtrish.com) or post below.
Confronting someone in this way is not easy. But don't forget, that just like with evangelism, it will get easier each time.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Trish
"Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever." Daniel 12:3 (italics mine)
"The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise." Proverbs 11:30
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Who can say, "Tracts don't work"?
This email came into Living Waters yesterday:
"I met a man at the gas station the other day. He gave me a trillion dollar bill. Made me think about my life. Thanks, George"
I wrote back, saying:
"Dear George, Thank you for writing. I'm glad that someone cared enough to hand you a gospel tract. I hope you read the back and that you have made peace with God by repenting and trusting in Jesus Christ as your Savior."
He wrote back today, with this:
"I read the back... Repenting is what I got from the message. I think it is my time. I would like to talk to that man again. Is there a church in my area? Lakeland, Fl."
My response:
Dear George, great to hear from you again. When you say, "I think it is my time" you are right. The time is now. And Jesus said, "Whoever comes to me I will never cast out" (John 6:37b).
Come to the Lord today, George, and cry out to Him and ask forgiveness for your sins and trust in Jesus Christ. And read your bible daily. Today is the day of salvation. You may not have tomorrow.
As for a church, I'd recommend visiting 9Marks, which has a church finder. Type in your zip code, and see which churches are near you. The churches listed on 9Marks subscribe to good doctrine. http://churchsearch2.9marks.org/
In addition to that, The Master's Seminary posts a map where you can find Master's graduates that are pastoring churches in your area. Just because a pastor graduated from Master's doesn't mean he's solid, but chances are good that he is. At the very least you'll know he received solid Biblical training and the church where he serves would be a good one to check out. http://www.tms.edu/AlumniMap.aspx
And I would highly recommend that you get plugged into the Ambassador’s Alliance Fellowship online and meet other people who evangelize and perhaps you will find someone who knows of a solid church in your area. Once you have joined and become an "Associate Member" of the Ambassadors' Alliance you can use the MAP feature to locate individuals living near you. http://ambassadorsalliance.com/app_associate.shtml
Below are some wise words from a good friend (Todd Friel) which I think might be of help to you in your search for a solid church. I'd encourage you to read it all.
And last but not least, read "Save Yourself Some Pain":
http://www.livingwaters.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=81&Itemid=229
God bless you!
Trish
--
How to Find a Good Church
Almost 25 questions that will save you a lot of Sundays - Todd Friel
Looking for a good church? Join the club. Church-shopping can be a long and painful process.
To shorten your search, call the pastor of the church before you visit and ask the following
questions. This might save you a lot of Sundays.
1. What is man's biggest problem, sin or self esteem?
Seeker sensitive and felt-needs churches focus on man’s hurts and problems. The Bible says
that man’s biggest problem is sin.
2. What must a man do to inherit eternal life?
Repent and trust is the Biblical answer. If the word “repent” is never used, say, “Thank you.”
3. How do you deliver the salvation message?
Ask the pastor to describe specifically what he says. Does he encourage people to simply say a prayer? Does he tell people to ask Jesus into their hearts?
The salvation message should include: God’s holiness, man’s sinfulness, God’s response (hell), God’s kindness (Jesus on a cross), man’s response (repentance and faith).
4. How hard is it to become a Christian?
The “formula” is simple, doing it is not. It is not easy to believe.
5. How often do you talk about sin, righteousness and judgment?
Balance is key. This should not be the only emphasis, but it should be a regular emphasis.
6. How seeker sensitive is your church?
It is o.k. for a church to be “seeker aware” but seeker sensitive means that they lean toward
seekers and not the saved.
7. Who do you do church for, seekers or members?
“Both” is not acceptable. Church should be done for members and the unsaved are welcome to attend.
8. Do you dumb down your sermons?
If he says yes, he is probably not trying to wean his members from milk to meat. Answers like,
“We try to make our sermons accessible to everyone” are sermons that are not meaty.
9. What is your mixture of topical vs. expository preaching?
Topical preaching is fine, but if a pastor never or rarely preaches expositionally (verse by verse),
then you are going to be learning from the pastor and not God’s Word.
10. Do your sermons emphasize theology or are they just relevant?
Everyone should say their sermons are relevant, what you are looking for is if they teach
theology.
11. Describe your youth programs.
If fun and games is the major (and usually first) emphasis, you have a youth program that is trying to compete with MTV.
12. Describe your evangelism programs.
Don’t just accept, “We have an evangelism committee.” Dig. Are they serious about saving
souls?
13. What church growth model do you follow?
Hopefully they don’t have one. Churches should be reaching out to the lost, but churches that
are plugged into new church growth models tend to follow man’s modern ideas rather than the
Bible.
14. How much do you give to missions and the hungry?
Again, this reveals the heart of the church. While most churches give to missions, many never
consider the poor.
15. Do you believe the Bible contains no errors or contradictions?
No equivocation allowed here.
16. Do you believe in a literal 6 day creation?
Jesus did (Matt.19:4).
17. Do you believe in a literal hell and eternal punishment?
Jesus did (Matt.25).
19. When you distribute the Lord's Supper, do you emphasize the need to examine
yourself?
Paul did (I Cor.11:27-32)
20. Can a person who is living in a persistent lifestyle of sin inherit eternal life?
Sinners can certainly be forgiven, but practicing sinners cannot inherit eternal life (I John3:8,9).
21. Does your church exercise church discipline?
Paul said we should (I Cor.5).
22. Do Sunday school teachers, nursery, and youth volunteers fill out an application to answer questions about their core beliefs and salvation, or are all volunteers accepted because of a lack of volunteers?
23.What are the essentials of the faith?
Father, Son, Holy Spirit, Salvation through faith alone, the inerrancy of Scripture.
24. Do you have a cross in your sanctuary?
Many remove it because they fear it will turn off seekers. They should glory in the cross.
"I met a man at the gas station the other day. He gave me a trillion dollar bill. Made me think about my life. Thanks, George"
I wrote back, saying:
"Dear George, Thank you for writing. I'm glad that someone cared enough to hand you a gospel tract. I hope you read the back and that you have made peace with God by repenting and trusting in Jesus Christ as your Savior."
He wrote back today, with this:
"I read the back... Repenting is what I got from the message. I think it is my time. I would like to talk to that man again. Is there a church in my area? Lakeland, Fl."
My response:
Dear George, great to hear from you again. When you say, "I think it is my time" you are right. The time is now. And Jesus said, "Whoever comes to me I will never cast out" (John 6:37b).
Come to the Lord today, George, and cry out to Him and ask forgiveness for your sins and trust in Jesus Christ. And read your bible daily. Today is the day of salvation. You may not have tomorrow.
As for a church, I'd recommend visiting 9Marks, which has a church finder. Type in your zip code, and see which churches are near you. The churches listed on 9Marks subscribe to good doctrine. http://churchsearch2.9marks.org/
In addition to that, The Master's Seminary posts a map where you can find Master's graduates that are pastoring churches in your area. Just because a pastor graduated from Master's doesn't mean he's solid, but chances are good that he is. At the very least you'll know he received solid Biblical training and the church where he serves would be a good one to check out. http://www.tms.edu/AlumniMap.aspx
And I would highly recommend that you get plugged into the Ambassador’s Alliance Fellowship online and meet other people who evangelize and perhaps you will find someone who knows of a solid church in your area. Once you have joined and become an "Associate Member" of the Ambassadors' Alliance you can use the MAP feature to locate individuals living near you. http://ambassadorsalliance.com/app_associate.shtml
Below are some wise words from a good friend (Todd Friel) which I think might be of help to you in your search for a solid church. I'd encourage you to read it all.
And last but not least, read "Save Yourself Some Pain":
http://www.livingwaters.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=81&Itemid=229
God bless you!
Trish
--
How to Find a Good Church
Almost 25 questions that will save you a lot of Sundays - Todd Friel
Looking for a good church? Join the club. Church-shopping can be a long and painful process.
To shorten your search, call the pastor of the church before you visit and ask the following
questions. This might save you a lot of Sundays.
1. What is man's biggest problem, sin or self esteem?
Seeker sensitive and felt-needs churches focus on man’s hurts and problems. The Bible says
that man’s biggest problem is sin.
2. What must a man do to inherit eternal life?
Repent and trust is the Biblical answer. If the word “repent” is never used, say, “Thank you.”
3. How do you deliver the salvation message?
Ask the pastor to describe specifically what he says. Does he encourage people to simply say a prayer? Does he tell people to ask Jesus into their hearts?
The salvation message should include: God’s holiness, man’s sinfulness, God’s response (hell), God’s kindness (Jesus on a cross), man’s response (repentance and faith).
4. How hard is it to become a Christian?
The “formula” is simple, doing it is not. It is not easy to believe.
5. How often do you talk about sin, righteousness and judgment?
Balance is key. This should not be the only emphasis, but it should be a regular emphasis.
6. How seeker sensitive is your church?
It is o.k. for a church to be “seeker aware” but seeker sensitive means that they lean toward
seekers and not the saved.
7. Who do you do church for, seekers or members?
“Both” is not acceptable. Church should be done for members and the unsaved are welcome to attend.
8. Do you dumb down your sermons?
If he says yes, he is probably not trying to wean his members from milk to meat. Answers like,
“We try to make our sermons accessible to everyone” are sermons that are not meaty.
9. What is your mixture of topical vs. expository preaching?
Topical preaching is fine, but if a pastor never or rarely preaches expositionally (verse by verse),
then you are going to be learning from the pastor and not God’s Word.
10. Do your sermons emphasize theology or are they just relevant?
Everyone should say their sermons are relevant, what you are looking for is if they teach
theology.
11. Describe your youth programs.
If fun and games is the major (and usually first) emphasis, you have a youth program that is trying to compete with MTV.
12. Describe your evangelism programs.
Don’t just accept, “We have an evangelism committee.” Dig. Are they serious about saving
souls?
13. What church growth model do you follow?
Hopefully they don’t have one. Churches should be reaching out to the lost, but churches that
are plugged into new church growth models tend to follow man’s modern ideas rather than the
Bible.
14. How much do you give to missions and the hungry?
Again, this reveals the heart of the church. While most churches give to missions, many never
consider the poor.
15. Do you believe the Bible contains no errors or contradictions?
No equivocation allowed here.
16. Do you believe in a literal 6 day creation?
Jesus did (Matt.19:4).
17. Do you believe in a literal hell and eternal punishment?
Jesus did (Matt.25).
19. When you distribute the Lord's Supper, do you emphasize the need to examine
yourself?
Paul did (I Cor.11:27-32)
20. Can a person who is living in a persistent lifestyle of sin inherit eternal life?
Sinners can certainly be forgiven, but practicing sinners cannot inherit eternal life (I John3:8,9).
21. Does your church exercise church discipline?
Paul said we should (I Cor.5).
22. Do Sunday school teachers, nursery, and youth volunteers fill out an application to answer questions about their core beliefs and salvation, or are all volunteers accepted because of a lack of volunteers?
23.What are the essentials of the faith?
Father, Son, Holy Spirit, Salvation through faith alone, the inerrancy of Scripture.
24. Do you have a cross in your sanctuary?
Many remove it because they fear it will turn off seekers. They should glory in the cross.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Facebook Evangelism – Trisha Ramos
No doubt our Facebook pages can be a witnessing tool for the Gospel and with the advancement of modern technology and all the various social media venues, we don’t even have to leave the house to be a witness for the Lord. In fact Facebook, in particular, is a great way to reach many people at once by quoting bible verses that tell of the Lord's wondrous deeds and that call people to turn from their sins and trust in the Savior, Jesus Christ. Don't get me wrong, I realize that there are many other reasons why we have Facebook pages (networking, business reasons, etc) and I'm sure there various things that we post about our daily lives, but in the midst of it all, honoring the Lord and proclaiming the gospel should be in the forefront for the follower of Christ.To make this more clear, when you accept a friend on Facebook, typically the very first thing they do is view your pictures. In fact, sometimes that's all they may do. They quickly skim through them to see how you look and what you’ve been up to for the past decade or two and then off they go, onto the next person’s page. It reminds me of the ol' adage, "a picture is worth a thousand words." This saying refers to the idea that a picture communicates something. Sometimes it communicates too much. So with that in mind, when was the last time you went through your Facebook pictures and asked yourself, "Is this modest?" or "What am I communicating to my 'friends'?" and “Would I want my brothers and sisters in Christ looking at theses pictures?”
Ladies, this is especially for us. If you are a professing Christian and if you haven't done this already, here’s something practical that you can do: Go through every picture on your Facebook (This may take time depending upon how many pictures you have, but it will be worth it since on Judgment Day you will give an account to the Lord for all of these things) and if you are dressed in an immodest manner, hit 'Delete!'
If you need help with deciphering what is modest and what is immodest, ask a modest sister in your local church for help, or a godly older women who can give you wise counsel, or ask your husband (assuming that he has biblical standards for modesty). And if all else fails and you have no one else to go to, well then, there's always me and I'll be quick to toot my modesty horn.
For starters, here's a few specific areas that might help you out, let's begin with cleavage. Ladies, if you are showing cleavage, hit 'Delete' as fast as you can! I don't care how "cute" you look or if someone else posts the pic of you or if it was way back in your BC (before Christ) days. This is not acceptable in any circumstances for a woman who professes to follow Christ. Simply delete the picture or 'Un-tag' yourself.
If you have photos of you or your friends in bikinis, hit 'Delete' as quickly as you can and don't look back. Or if your mid (midriff) section is showing hit 'Delete' please. And short shorts are a no no, so you know what to do with that, 'Delete, delete, delete'. And then check your heart and ask yourself, "What is it within me that desires to present myself in this manner?” and “What does this speak of the condition of my heart?”
"In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel..." 1 Timothy 2.9a
Monday, January 11, 2010
Why I Use Gospel Tracts
A Christian friend recently told me that he doesn't "like gospel tracts". So I thought I'd give a few reasons as to why I use gospel tracts (oh and I don't pass out any ol' tract - it must have a solid, and clear gospel message on it). And yes, you can still be a Christian even if you don't pass out tracts. :-)
As long as you're being a witness and testifying of Christ, then that is wonderful (and this obviously can be done with out the use of tracts). The important question for a Christian is, 'Am I obeying the great commission?' Are you telling others about the Lord? Are you opening your mouth to preach the Good News of what Jesus Christ has done?
If you're like me, you want to preach the Good News with everyone you meet. Tracts can be a handy tool to keep in your handbag or back pocket to help you be an effective witness to reach the lost when private talk and conversation isn't convenient.
Here's why I think tracts are effective ways to reach people (list is not in any particular order).
1. People can get saved by reading one - it has happened before and can happen again
2. Tracts go where you can't (like into someone’s house or in a handbag, pocket, etc to be read later)
3. Tracts don't lose their cool - they stick right to the gospel message - they don't get into arguments
4. Folks can read it over and over (I was checking out of a store and turned around to hand the lady behind me in line a Million Dollar Bill Gospel tract and she immediately reached in her purse and pulled out an old worn out Million Dollar Bill tract. "I think you need a new one." I said. She laughed and took it." Make sure you read the back...it has a gospel message on it." I added.
5. If there are verses on them we have God's promise that His Word will not come back void
6. They are a great door opener for the gospel to be preached
7. They make you more giving - I use my own money to purchase tracts
8. They can do the witnessing for us. I try to speak to everyone that I give a tract to but if you are timid and afraid to open your mouth you can start by give them a tract (I must be the most timid of all because my purse has about 500 tracts in it right now).
9. Good Tracts that have a clear Gospel presentation bring Glory to God - whether anyone ever gets saved from them
10. They are a natural way of communication. We are told to "go and tell all the world". Pamphlets make sense and they are part of our obedience.
11. They help keep us prepared and alert to share the gospel with anyone we meet. Keeping a variety in our cars, pockets, handbags makes you ready with eternity in mind.
12. They remind us that God is Sovereign. Every encounter we have throughout our day is a "Divine Encounter". That awareness coupled with good tracts helps us to be good stewards of the breath and life God has given us.
13. They help us find other believers. It's neat to hand someone a tract and find out they are a brother or sister in Christ. I can't tell you how many times I've left encouraged to keep pressing on after talking to a fellow believer that I handed a tract to. My friend Mike O. met a lady in a donut shop one morning and she was so thilled another Christian was concerned about the Gospel.
14. Didn't God gave us one big tract, the Holy Bible?
I'm sure there are many other reasons. But that's just a few for now.
Here's a bit from my friend Ray Comfort on the topic, "There is an old story of how a diver saw a piece of paper clutched in the mouth of an oyster. The man grabbed it, found that it was a gospel tract and said, "I can't hold out any longer. His mercy is so great that He has caused His Word to follow me even to the bottom of the ocean." God used a tract to save the man. Why should a Christian use tracts? Simply because God uses them. He used a tract to save the great missionary Hudson Taylor, as well as many, many others. That fact alone should be enough incentive for a Christian to always use tracts to reach the lost, but there are even more reasons why we should use them."
"The only way to carry out the Great Commission will be by the means of the printed page." Dr. Oswald J. Smith
"When preaching and private talk are not available, you need to have a tract ready . . . Get good striking tracts, or none at all. But a touching gospel tract may be the seed of eternal life. Therefore, do not go out without your tracts." Charles Spurgeon
As long as you're being a witness and testifying of Christ, then that is wonderful (and this obviously can be done with out the use of tracts). The important question for a Christian is, 'Am I obeying the great commission?' Are you telling others about the Lord? Are you opening your mouth to preach the Good News of what Jesus Christ has done?
If you're like me, you want to preach the Good News with everyone you meet. Tracts can be a handy tool to keep in your handbag or back pocket to help you be an effective witness to reach the lost when private talk and conversation isn't convenient.
Here's why I think tracts are effective ways to reach people (list is not in any particular order).
1. People can get saved by reading one - it has happened before and can happen again
2. Tracts go where you can't (like into someone’s house or in a handbag, pocket, etc to be read later)
3. Tracts don't lose their cool - they stick right to the gospel message - they don't get into arguments
4. Folks can read it over and over (I was checking out of a store and turned around to hand the lady behind me in line a Million Dollar Bill Gospel tract and she immediately reached in her purse and pulled out an old worn out Million Dollar Bill tract. "I think you need a new one." I said. She laughed and took it." Make sure you read the back...it has a gospel message on it." I added.
5. If there are verses on them we have God's promise that His Word will not come back void
6. They are a great door opener for the gospel to be preached
7. They make you more giving - I use my own money to purchase tracts
8. They can do the witnessing for us. I try to speak to everyone that I give a tract to but if you are timid and afraid to open your mouth you can start by give them a tract (I must be the most timid of all because my purse has about 500 tracts in it right now).
9. Good Tracts that have a clear Gospel presentation bring Glory to God - whether anyone ever gets saved from them
10. They are a natural way of communication. We are told to "go and tell all the world". Pamphlets make sense and they are part of our obedience.
11. They help keep us prepared and alert to share the gospel with anyone we meet. Keeping a variety in our cars, pockets, handbags makes you ready with eternity in mind.
12. They remind us that God is Sovereign. Every encounter we have throughout our day is a "Divine Encounter". That awareness coupled with good tracts helps us to be good stewards of the breath and life God has given us.
13. They help us find other believers. It's neat to hand someone a tract and find out they are a brother or sister in Christ. I can't tell you how many times I've left encouraged to keep pressing on after talking to a fellow believer that I handed a tract to. My friend Mike O. met a lady in a donut shop one morning and she was so thilled another Christian was concerned about the Gospel.
14. Didn't God gave us one big tract, the Holy Bible?
I'm sure there are many other reasons. But that's just a few for now.
Here's a bit from my friend Ray Comfort on the topic, "There is an old story of how a diver saw a piece of paper clutched in the mouth of an oyster. The man grabbed it, found that it was a gospel tract and said, "I can't hold out any longer. His mercy is so great that He has caused His Word to follow me even to the bottom of the ocean." God used a tract to save the man. Why should a Christian use tracts? Simply because God uses them. He used a tract to save the great missionary Hudson Taylor, as well as many, many others. That fact alone should be enough incentive for a Christian to always use tracts to reach the lost, but there are even more reasons why we should use them."
"The only way to carry out the Great Commission will be by the means of the printed page." Dr. Oswald J. Smith
"When preaching and private talk are not available, you need to have a tract ready . . . Get good striking tracts, or none at all. But a touching gospel tract may be the seed of eternal life. Therefore, do not go out without your tracts." Charles Spurgeon
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
