Evangelizing Your Community - Lesson 7

By Stafford North

Christian Living and Conversational Evangelism

Background Information for the Teacher

Objectives:

  1. The student can draw the first three rings on the Congregational Evangelism chart.
  2. The student can explain the importance of "Christian living" in the total process of evangelism and can describe some ways in which congregations can develop more impact in this area.
  3. The student can define conversational evangelism and can describe at least three situations in which he/she could practice it.

Preparation:

  1. Have chalkboard or markerboard available (or PowerPoint for the chart.)
  2. Have paper and pens available to the class.
  3. Students should have the drawing they began at the last class meeting.
  4. Students will need Bibles.
  5. Read Chapters 4 and 5 in North's Evangelizing Your Community which cover Christian Living and Conversational Evangelism.

Theme:

The good lives of Christians is an absolute pre_requisite to an effective local evangelism program and as Christians associate with others, they need to be using those contacts as times to mention Christ and His church in their conversations.

Lesson Plan for Teaching the Class

Introduction: (10 minutes)

  1. Call the roll and greet any new people or visitors.
  2. Sing an evangelistic song.
  3. Pray for the class and the work of the congregation in evangelism.
  4. Ask students to tell about their experiences during the past week in doing things to advance the reputation of the church.

Learning Experiences: (35 minutes)

  1. Using the board (or PowerPoint provided), help students to draw the chart on congregational evangelism-reminding them of the first circle and adding two more to be covered in this lesson.
  2. Read Matthew 5:13_16. Q: What does it mean for a Christian to be "salt" and "light" to those around? A: He/She is connected with people and influences their behavior. Read 2 Corinthians 2:14_15. Q: What analogy does Paul use to describe how Christians impact others? A: Aroma of Christ. Read 1 Peter 3:1. Q: How is a Christian woman to influence her non_Christian husband? A: By her godly life. Read 1 Peter 2:12. Q: Give an example of how a Christian could live among the "pagans" in a way that would bring glory to God. A: On the job, a Christian could show his/her joy in being honest and in refraining from immoral behavior. A student in school can stand for honesty when others may be tempted to cheat or lie. In the neighborhood, the Christian can help those who have special needs with children, sickness, or death.
  3. Rodney Stark, in his book The Rise of Christianity, tells how Christians helped those around them who were sick and served them in other ways that gained good will for the church.
  4. Q: How can this congregation be better prepared to do a better job of living the Christian life before our community? A: Have classes and sermons on this topic, have groups that discuss how we can do it, have reminders in the bulletin, have elders give occasional reminders, have a way for members to commit themselves to this lifestyle.
  5. Write on the back of the sheet with the chart, specific ways you want to participate in evangelism. Maybe you would write something like this: I will especially let my light shine with my golf group, or in my neighborhood, or with my fellow_workers, or with the people in my club, or when I am playing sports.
  6. Read Colossians 4:5_6. Q: In addition to living well among non_Christians, this passage suggests we should do what? A: Use our conversations with them to good advantage. As we are associating with those outside the church and are demonstrating before them the good life of Christians, we should also take advantage of those contacts to use "conversational evangelism."
  7. Conversational evangelism just means that as we are having our conversations every day at work, at school,, in the neighborhood, at ball games, and wherever else we may be, we sometimes work into the conversation something good about a sermon, about what has happened at church, something good our youth have done, an up_coming event at church, or something about one of our church friends.
  8. Read John 4:7_14. Q: What does Jesus start talking about? A: A drink of water, physical things. Q: To what does he move the conversation? A: Spiritual things.
  9. A woman went to the beauty shop. (See North, p. 68).
  10. Q: What is something you might bring up in a conversation this week to do conversational evangelism?

Application and Assignment:

  1. Next week, I'll ask you to tell about a conversation you had this week in which you used conversational evangelism. Try it; you'll like it.
  2. Be sure you are writing on the back of the chart things you personally want to do in evangelism.

Back to Evangelizing Your Community

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