“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up…”

Ephesians 4:11-12

Our primary role as ministry leaders is to equip people for works of service. What does it mean to equip people though? How do we do that? How did Jesus do that?

As gifted communicators, many ministry leaders would say they equip people for ministry through their preaching and teaching of the Word of God. They equip from the pulpit. They equip during the Sunday morning service or the weekly youth program.

Is the pulpit our most effective platform for equipping though? Maybe the answer to that can be found by simply asking if the people we’re preaching and teaching to are actually involved in the ministry of making disciples throughout the week. If they’re not, maybe it’s time we rethink equipping. How would you answer these seven basic equipping questions?

1. Do our people know how to study the Bible on their own?
2. Do our people know how to talk to God in prayer for longer than five minutes?
3. Do our people regularly pray for their spiritually lost friends?
4. Do our people even have any spiritually lost friends?
5. Do our people know how to clearly communicate the gospel?
6. Do our people know how to disciple a new believer?
7. Do our people know their spiritual gifts and look for opportunities to use them?

As Jesus equipped His disciples to be and make disciples, He took a more hands on, relational approach. It’s something we call the BE WITH factor.

“Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons.”

Mark 3:13-15

In Sonlife’s Leadership Multiplication Seminar and Knowing Him: 50 Day Study on the Life of Christ, we examine six “fishing trips” Jesus took His disciples on after challenging them to “fish for people.” These are all found in Luke’s Gospel, and they provide a picture of the hands on, learn as you go approach Jesus employed. In learning to fish for people, the disciples would learn to relate to different kinds of people in different kinds of settings with different kinds of needs. As fishermen, they had learned from their fathers where to fish, what time to fish, how to repair, prepare, cast, and draw in a net, and so much more. Their fathers didn’t train them to fish in a classroom. They learned on the boat, first by watching, and then by practicing.

Jesus was a carpenter. This too was a craft He learned from His step-father, Joseph. He learned about materials and tools. He learned basic techniques and foundational skills for building things. He probably even learned some basic business skills like negotiating wages and collecting payment for the work He did.

In addition to the 6 Fishing Trips, our Leadership Multiplication Seminar also considers 4 Ministry Tours and 5 Mission Trips that Jesus brought His disciples on to equip them for ministry. We’ll consider those events in upcoming blogs, but right now, let’s take a closer look at these fishing trips for Jesus’ fishers of people.

FISHING TRIP ONE / LUKE 4:31-37

After calling Andrew, Peter, James, and John to be fishers of people, Jesus joins them at their hometown synagogue to worship on the Sabbath. Jesus’ audience is Jewish, and they are the friends, neighbors, and family of His disciples living in Capernaum. While Jesus delivers a demon possessed man during the service, certainly something the disciples will be learning to do themselves, perhaps the more important lesson in this initial fishing trip is that ministry begins where you live. Care for your neighbors. Share Jesus with them.

FISHING TRIP TWO / LUKE 4:38-41

As I’m sure was their custom following the Sabbath service, Andrew and Peter headed back to the house for a wonderful, home cooked meal. Jesus was invited. Peter’s mother-in-law was in bed, sick with a fever though. Jesus healed her, and she got up and prepared food for everyone. The disciples learned about the power of God available to heal those who are sick, and maybe more importantly, that ministry begins at home. Bring Jesus home with you. Introduce your family to the Savior.

FISHING TRIP THREE / LUKE 5:1-11

After the disciples up close exposure to Jesus’ healing and deliverance ministry, they then experience His amazing teaching ministry as He captivates such a large crowd on the shore of Galilee that He has to step into Peter’s boat to teach from the water. Not only do they experience Jesus’ powerful teaching and preaching, but they also experience His miraculous power as He has them cast their nets back in the water after a futile night of fishing, only to pull them up overflowing with fish that threatened to sink the boat. The disciples were learning about God’s power for ministry as well as God’s provision for ministry.

FISHING TRIP FOUR / LUKE 5:12-13

As the disciples join Jesus in ministry, they come across a social and spiritual outcast. How will Jesus respond to the leper? What will the disciples learn? Not only does Jesus come face-to-face with the man covered with leprosy, but He also speaks to him. And not only does Jesus speak to him, Jesus reaches out His hand and touches the leper. No one does this. But Jesus did. Jesus loved the leper. Jesus accepted the leper. Jesus healed the leper. In that moment, this man was healed physically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually. What a worldview altering act for the disciples to witness. Lepers matter to God. No one is beyond God’s reach.

FISHING TRIP FIVE / LUKE 5:17-26

Upon returning to Capernaum, a large crowd gathers at a house to hear Jesus teach. Many Pharisees are there, no doubt wanting to check out the new Rabbi and see if He was credible. Surely many others had come looking to be healed of some sickness or delivered of some demon. The house is so crowded, four friends climb up on the roof and dig a hole in it to lower their paralytic friend down in front of Jesus. His need was obvious to all. He was paralyzed. He couldn’t walk. But that wasn’t the need Jesus saw. Jesus forgave his sins. His spiritual need was greater than his physical need. It always is. To show compassion and God’s power, as well as His authority to forgive sins, Jesus then healed the paralytic. Jesus’ disciples would learn the importance of seeing and meeting spiritual needs in people’s lives, as well as the spiritual authority needed to minister to others.

FISHING TRIP SIX / LUKE 5:27-39

The final fishing trip we examine in our training is the call of Matthew and the subsequent banquet at Matthew’s house. Like the leper, Matthew too was a social outcast in Israel. He was a hated, corrupt tax collector profiting off Rome’s occupation of Israel. At Matthew’s house, Jesus dined with other tax collectors and sinners. Were these “sinners’ prostitutes? Tax collectors loved money and loved to party. Jesus went where the sinners were. Matthew had likely been a secret believer in Jesus for a long time, thinking he would never be accepted by Jesus because of his chosen profession. Through this encounter, the disciples would learn just how much lost people matter to God. No matter how sinful. No matter how revolting their lifestyle. Lost people matter to God.

All of these lessons were learned, not in the classroom, but on the streets. The disciples were equipped for ministry within the context of real life encounters with people where Jesus modeled ministry for them.

I wonder what kind of questions the disciples had and what kind of conversations followed encounters like the one Jesus had with the leper, or the tax collectors and sinners, or driving out demons and forgiving sins?

We know the disciples were equipped though, because eventually we see them being sent out two by two to “proclaim the message… heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, and drive out demons.” (Matthew 10:7-8)

In our next blog we will look at 4 Ministry Tours Jesus brought the disciples on and how He used those tours to equip them as disciple-makers.

This blogpost originally appeared on Sonlife.com.

Fully God, fully man. Jesus lived His earthly life in dependence upon the Holy Spirit. Jesus fulfilled His earthly Messianic calling through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Stepping into the synagogue of His hometown of Nazareth, Jesus picked up the scroll from Isaiah and boldly declared:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for He has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.”

Luke 4:18-19

Reflecting back on the ministry of Jesus, the Apostle Peter proclaimed:

“People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus the Nazarene by doing powerful miracles, wonders and signs through Him, as you well know.” Acts 2:22

“And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” Acts 10:38

In speaking of his Lord’s ministry, Peter clearly understood that God the Father was working through the Son to accomplish miracles, wonders and signs. Peter, no doubt instructed by Jesus Himself in this truth, understood that Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit, enabling Him to do good and deliver the oppressed.

The Scripture makes it clear that Jesus IS God, and that as God, He added humanity to His deity in His incarnation.

“In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
“So the Word became human and made His home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen His glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.” John 1:1, 14

Jesus said of Himself that He IS God, YAHWEH, the I AM.

“Jesus answered, ‘I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I AM.” John 8:58

The writer of Hebrews, though, wrestles with the mystery that Jesus had been made like us in every way, with the exception of not inheriting a sin nature from Adam, so that He could offer Himself as the acceptable sacrifice for our sins.

“Because God’s children are human beings- made of flesh and blood- the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could He die, and only by dying could He break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could He set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying…. Therefore, it was necessary for Him to be made in every respect like us, His brothers and sisters, so that He could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then He could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people.” Hebrew 2:14-15, 17

The Apostle Paul penned words attempting to explain this mystery as best as humanly possible when he wrote of Jesus yielding His divine privileges without abandoning His divine nature so that He could be made in every respect like us.

“Though He was God, He did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, He gave up His divine privileges; He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When He appeared in human form, He humbled Himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.” Philippians 2:6-8

So how was it possible for Jesus to give up His divine privileges and yet still operate with divine power? How did Jesus heal the sick, deliver the oppressed, cleanse the leper, give sight to the blind, command the lame to walk, and raise the dead? How did Jesus turn water into wine, calm storms, walk on water, multiply loaves and fishes, know what people were thinking, and walk out of the tomb alive?

Quoting Isaiah, Jesus said for all who would listen that He would do everything that He did because the Spirit of the Lord is upon Me.

In the words of the Apostle Peter, in the words of the Apostle Paul, and even in the words of Jesus Himself, we see this simple truth stated. The earthly ministry of Christ was accomplished in full dependence upon the Holy Spirit.

Jesus’ ministry began when He was COMMISSIONED by the Holy Spirit and the Father.

“After His baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on Him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is My dearly loved Son, who brings Me great joy.’” Matthew 3:16-17

Jesus was FILLED with the Holy Spirit.

“Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River.” Luke 4:1a

Jesus was LED by the Holy Spirit.

“He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness.” Luke 4:1b

Jesus WALKED in the power of the Holy Spirit.

“Then Jesus returned to Galilee, filled with the Holy Spirit’s power.” Luke 4:14a

Jesus was ANOINTED by the Holy Spirit.

“The Spirit of the Lord… has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.” Luke 4:18a

Jesus was SENT by the Holy Spirit.

“The Spirit of the Lord… has sent me to proclaim that the captives will be released.” Luke 4:18b

Jesus was RAISED by the Holy Spirit.

“The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, He will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.” Romans 8:11

So, just to review… Jesus lived and ministered while on this earth filled with, led by, empowered by, anointed by, and sent by the Holy Spirit. 

Could Jesus have done what He did without depending upon the Holy Spirit in obedience to the Father? That’s exactly what Satan tried to get Him to do right from the outset of His ministry.

“If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
“If you are the Son of God, jump off!’ Matthew 4:3, 6

Jesus was so dependent upon the Holy Spirit to accomplish the Father’s will, before He went to the cross, He gave His most complete and extensive teaching on the ministry of the Holy Spirit to His disciples so that they would be equipped and enabled to carry on His message and ministry.

Jesus reminded His disciples that His ministry had been a reflection of His DEPENDENCE upon God.

“Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father! So why are you asking Me to show Him to you? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? The words I speak are not My own, but My Father who lives in Me does His work through Me.” John 14:9-10

Jesus promised His disciples the HOLY SPIRIT would be for them what He had been.

“And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.He is the Holy Spirit….” John 14:16-17a

Jesus told His disciples that the Holy Spirit would live IN THEM.

“He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it isn’t looking for Him and doesn’t recognize Him. But you know Him, because He lives with you now and later will be in you.” John 14:17

Jesus told His disciples that the Holy Spirit would become their new RABBI.

“But when the Father sends the Advocate as My representative- that is, the Holy Spirit- He will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.” John 14:26

Jesus told His disciples that the Holy Spirit would be their best spiritual RESOURCE.

“But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send Him to you.” John 16:7

Jesus told His disciples that the Holy Spirit would LEAD and GUIDE them.

“When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on His own but will tell you what He has heard. He will tell you about the future.” John 16:13

Jesus told His disciples that the Holy Spirit would EMPOWER them for His mission.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8

The Holy Spirit is the secret to living the Christian life. The Spirit of God gives us the freedom to step fully into the purpose and plan of God for our lives. Jesus finished the work the Father gave Him to do while depending upon the very same Spirit that now lives in me and you.

Apart from the Holy Spirit, Great Commandment-Great Commission living is impossible. With the Holy Spirit, all things are possible.

“For the Lord is Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

2 Corinthians 3:17

This blogpost originally appeared on Sonlife.com in 2020.

The Apostle Paul lays out clear expectations for those of us who are ministry leaders.

“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip His people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”
Ephesians 4:11-13

As ministry leaders, our primary task is this. EQUIP.

What does that look like in your ministry? What does that look like in mine? My guess is that many of us firmly believe that the primary way that we equip workers is through our preaching and teaching. Am I right?

For the past ten years, I’ve been training young leaders in Haiti through a residential leadership development program called SOYM, the School Of Youth Ministry. Sonlife’s disciple-making training based on a careful study of the life of Christ forms the foundation for everything we do in SOYM. Each year, we’ll have between 10-20 young leaders, men and women, in this disciple-making leadership development training program. It’s been one of the greatest joys of my now almost 30 years of ministry. Each year, our group of young leaders has a group assignment… they help to plant a church! Our SOYM graduates are serving as pastors, church planters, youth pastors. The director of Open Door Haiti’s orphanage is a SOYM graduate, as well as the administrator for that ministry’s Medical Center that treats over 1000 patients a month. We’re transforming young leaders into disciple-makers, with the hope of transforming a nation, one life at a time!

Early on in our disciple-making training at SOYM, I give an overview of the life of Christ and the development of His disciples using the 4 Chair Discipling training.

CHAIR ONE: WIN the Spiritually Lost
CHAIR TWO: BUILD the Believer
CHAIR THREE: EQUIP the Worker
CHAIR FOUR: MULTIPLY Disciple-makers

From the very first year of our training at SOYM, I have used baseball as an example for what it means to equip. I’m sure all of you long-suffering Cubs fans will appreciate the baseball analogy (sorry Clevelanders). Everyone in Haiti knows about baseball. Haiti is one half of the island known as Hispanola. The other half of the island? The Dominican Republic. There’s probably a player from the DR on every single team in the Major Leagues. It’s every young boy’s dream from the Dominican that they will one day grow up to be a professional baseball player… and a multi-millionaire! But right next door in Haiti, you will not find a baseball field. The only sport they really know in Haiti is futbol, the world’s game.

So I begin by asking our SOYM students if they would like for me to teach them how to play baseball. They enthusiastically agree. They’re interest is piqued. So then I tell them that I am going to teach them to play baseball by preaching a message to them about baseball. For the next 10 minutes, I preach a powerful message about baseball. I tell them how great the game is. I tell them about the fans cheering when you hit a home run, throw a strikeout, or make a great catch. I throw in lots of “hallelujahs” and I get lots of “amens”. There’s lots of laughter. I’m pretty animated, over the top even. But then when my sermon is done, I ask them if they are excited about baseball. “Yes,” they agree. Then I ask, “Do you know how to play baseball?” The answer is much different now. They have to agree that, while they are excited about baseball, they don’t yet know how to play.

Then I go to the blackboard. I tell the students I’m going to teach them. I grab the chalk and draw a baseball diamond. I draw a ball, a bat and a glove. I begin to explain the game of baseball in its simplest terms. Heads are nodding. They seem to be understanding. After about 5 minutes, I ask the students if they understand the game of baseball. They say “yes.” Of course, they don’t really understand, but they think they do, based on what I’ve been able to teach them conceptually in five minutes. But then I ask, “Do you know how to play baseball?” Again, they all agree. “No, we don’t know how to play baseball.”

It’s at this point that a grab an equipment bag that’s been hidden in the room. It’s filled with baseballs, gloves, bats and bases. I tell the students it’s time to learn to play baseball. Let’s go outside and I’ll train you how to play. We distribute the gloves, and I begin by teaching them how to throw and catch the ball. The basics. We do this for about 15 minutes. They’re starting to get the hang of it. Then I divide them up into two teams and take them on the soccer filed. We make a baseball diamond and I begin to throw batting practice. With each new batter, I show them how to hold the bat, how to position their feet, how to keep their eye on the ball, and how to swing. I’m amazed as batter after batter eventually makes contact. And when they do, jubilation erupts across the field. Now… yes, now… they are learning to play baseball!

I’ve given about an hour for a simple, teachable moment. I gather the students, and right there on our baseball field we talk about the difference between preaching, teaching and training.

If you’re a parent, you’ve probably experienced the frustration and joy of teaching your child to ride a bike. How do you teach them? You put them on the bike. You help them figure out their balance. You run alongside next to them to make sure they don’t crash. But is that how we train people in ministry? Usually not.

If we think we’re really equipping people through our preaching or teaching, we’re fooling ourselves. We can motivate, encourage and instruct from the pulpit. But train? What does training look like?

A simple five step process for equipping that I share with our SOYM students in Haiti is this:

1. I DO, YOU WATCH

2. I DO, YOU HELP

3. YOU DO, I HELP

4. YOU DO, I WATCH

5. YOU TRAIN SOMEONE ELSE

Remember what Jesus said.

“Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Matthew 4:19

Come, follow me… Jesus was their model. He would do it and they would watch.

I will make you… Jesus would equip them, helping them to learn the skills they needed.

Fishers of men… Jesus’ goal was to equip them to do the work.

Like Jesus, if we want to truly equip people for disciple-making, we have to come alongside them. We have to be their model. We have to provide practical skills. We have to shape their heart as well as their hands for the work. We have to give them opportunities to do the work. And then, we have to lovingly coach them to help them improve.

For Further Consideration:

1 – How were you equipped for ministry? What was most effective in helping you to become a disciple-maker?

2 – What current plans do you have in place to equip workers for the harvest? How well does your approach balance teaching (lecture) versus training (practice)?

3 – One simple way to equip is to include. Allow someone to shadow you when you’re preparing a message or planning an event, when you’re meeting with someone or just running errands. Allow them to “come and see.” Is their someone you could invite to be your shadow?

This blogpost originally appeared on Sonlife.com in 2016.

We receive an invitation every day.  Maybe hundreds of them.  We just don’t think of them as invitations.  To us, they are intrusions.  Banner adds.  Pop-up adds.  Unsolicited e-mails or phone calls.  Commercials on the radio or television.  Newspaper or magazine ads.  Movie previews.  Billboards.  Bumper stickers.  Junk mail.  And then there are invitations of the more personal nature.  Birthday invitations.  Wedding invitations.  Party invitations.  Invitations to coffee or lunch.  Invitations to play golf, tennis or ride bikes.

The other day I was in Sam’s shopping when a “sample lady” asked for my arm. I know.  Strange request. As I held out my arm (what was I thinking), she squirted some gel on my wrist and began rubbing it around in a vigorous, circular motion as she touted the virtues of the facial cleanser she had just smeared on my arm. As she rubbed it in so vigorously that the hairs on my arm tangled into little knots, she tried to tell me that it was really dirt from my “oily skin” that was clumping off and causing the knots. Needless to say, her invitation to buy this amazing product fell on deaf ears

What’s the last invitation that you said “yes” to, and why did you say “yes?

What is it that makes us say “yes” to anyone or anything?  What is it that makes someone say “yes” to Jesus instead of ignoring Him?

The disciple-making journey begins with a simple invitation.

Two disciples of John the Baptist approached Jesus to find out where He was staying, and He replied with an invitation.

“Come and you will see.”

At first glance, His response seems simple enough, but I don’t really think that Jesus was merely inviting these two young men to a location.  It’s clear after reading Johns account that Jesus was inviting these young men, Andrew and likely John himself, to a relationship.

“Come and you will see…  who I am!”

“Come and you will see… that I am the promised Messiah!”

“Come and you will see… that I am the Savior!”

“Come and you will see… that I am worthy of your full trust!”

“Come and you will see!”

Five simple words.  Loaded with meaning!  Packed with potential!

How did they respond after spending the rest of the afternoon with Jesus?  Andrew ran back to get his brother, Simon Peter, telling him, “Come and see. We have found the Messiah!”

In one way or another, Jesus offered this invitation to people of all kinds throughout His entire ministry.

Throughout the Gospels we see Jesus interacting with and loving all kinds of people:

Jesus loved the Leper

“Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man….” Mark 1:41

Jesus loved the Widow

“When the Lord saw her, His heart went out to her and He said, “Don’t cry.” Luke 7:13

Jesus loved Drunkards and Sinners

“The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners….” Matthew 11:19

Jesus loved the Crowds

“When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” Matthew 9:36

Jesus loved the Sexually Immoral

“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”  John 8:11

Jesus Loved the Poor

“Truly I tell you,” He said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others.” Luke 21:3

Jesus loved the Wealthy and Powerful

The Rich young Ruler- “Jesus looked at him and loved him….” Mark 10:21

Jesus loved the Children

“Let the little children come to Me….” Matthew 19:14

Jesus loved the Physically Disabled

Blind Bartimaeus- “Jesus had compassion on them….” Matthew 20:34

Jesus loved the People Who Would Reject Him

“As He approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it.” Luke 19:42

Jesus loved the Criminal

Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in paradise.” Luke 23:43

Jesus loved the People Who Killed Him

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Luke 23:34
Jesus was accused of being “a friend of sinners.”  Can the same be said about us?  Can the same be said about our church?

When Jesus looked out, He saw that the crowds were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd, and He had compassion on them.  They were fields ripe for a spiritual harvest.  (Matthew 9:35-38)

If we’re going to be like Jesus and build ministries modeled after Jesus, we have to prioritize spiritually lost people.  We have to be a friend of sinners.  And the model from Jesus is simple.

1.  BE where they are.

Jesus went where the crowds were, “throughout their towns and villages.”

2.  SEE who they are.

Jesus saw beyond the facade to the real needs they had.  He saw them as “harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”

“Sheep without a shepherd” is a clear description of someone who is spiritually lost.

3.  FEEL what God feels.

Jesus had compassion on them.  His heart broke for them.  His compassion led to action.

4.  MOVE when God moves.

Jesus first modeled ministry, teaching, preaching and healing every disease and sickness.

Then Jesus prayed for His harvest workers and sent the Twelve out to preach, heal and deliver.

Jesus makes the same invitation today that He made to Andrew and John almost 2000 years ago.  “Come and see.”  Only today, He has chosen to work through you and me to make that invitation.  We are sent into the harvest as His ambassadors.  We are sent into the harvest as fishers of men.  We are sent into the harvest as His witnesses.

The disciple-making process begins with spiritually lost people.  I’ve often said, “Any discipleship that doesn’t begin with evangelism and end with evangelism isn’t biblical discipleship.”  Building relationships with spiritually lost people and inviting them to “come and see” the real Jesus is the beginning of the 4 Chair Discipling journey.

For Further Consideration

1.  Who are the spiritually lost people that would consider me their friend?

2.  Are their people Jesus sees but I ignore?  What would it look like for me to really SEE people the way God sees them?

3.  How does my ministry prioritize spiritually lost people?  (teaching, programming, etc.)

This Blogpost originally appeared on Sonlife.com in 2016.

I can count at least ten different gospel presentation tools that I’ve used throughout my lifetime. I could still use any one of them to share the gospel with a spiritually lost person today. What gospel presentation tool do you use?

Ways to Present the Gospel

As a child, my mom led a Good News Club in our home for neighborhood children and taught us the Wordless Book. This was my first exposure to the gospel.

The Wordless Book by Child Evangelism Fellowship uses these five colors to explain the message of the gospel.

GOLD ~ God wants us to be in heaven with Him.
BLACK ~ Our sin separates us from God.
RED ~ Christ died on the cross as the only payment for our sin.
WHITE ~ Accept God’s forgiveness and the free gift of eternal life.
GREEN ~ Grow closer to God every day.

Later, as a jr. high student, our youth ministry taught us the Romans Road and I memorized verses from the book of Romans to present the gospel message.

Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…”
Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in[a] Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
Romans 10:9 “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Romans 10:10 “For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”
Romans 10:13 “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

In high school, I went through a 17 week course on Evangelism Explosion, the training developed by D. James Kennedy. In those 17 weeks, we learned a simple gospel message outline, memorized verses, crafted illustrations, and practiced sharing our faith by visiting people who had visited the church. Maybe you’re most familiar with Evangelism Explosion’s 2 Diagnostic Questions:

ONE: Do you know for sure that you are going to be with God in heaven?
TWO: If God were to ask you, “Why should I let you into My heaven?” What would you say?

While in college, I toured with Athlete’s In Action’s track team through Central and Eastern Europe, sharing the gospel with other athletes. As a ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ (now CRU) we had to memorize The Four Spiritual Laws, a popular gospel tract.

Law One: God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life.
Law Two: Man is sinful and separated from God. As a result, we cannot know God’s wonderful plan for our lives.
Law Three: Jesus Christ is God’s only provision for our sin. Through Jesus Christ, we can have our sins forgiven and be restored to a right relationship with God.
Law Four: We must place our faith in Jesus Christ as Savior in order to receive the gift of salvation and know God’s wonderful plan for our lives.

After graduating college, I began to use Billy Graham’s outline found in the gospel tract Steps to Peace with God:

Step ONE: God loves you and wants you to experience peace and life – abundant and eternal.
Step TWO: We choose to disobey God and go our own willful way. This results in separation from God.
Step THREE: Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose from the grave. He paid the penalty for our sin and bridged the gap between God and people.
Step FOUR: We must trust Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and receive Him by personal invitation.

Billy Graham’s approach to how to share the gospel uses the cross as a bridge between us and God. Another simple presentation of the gospel I soon discovered and used for years was the Bridge Illustration and One Verse Evangelism, developed by the Navigators. I would use Romans 6:23 to outline the gospel message, drawing the bridge diagram on napkins, placemats, pizza boxes, in the sand, in the air… For a long time, this was Sonlife’s go-to evangelism training in our SEMP and EQUIP student evangelism training conferences, and I literally trained thousands to share their faith using this method.

Sonlife has also developed a simple gospel tract, Knowing God Personally, which incorporates the bridge illustration. Over one million people have been introduced to the gospel message through this simple tool, which is available as booklets through our webstore and as a website you can share with friends.

Then, in 2003, I developed my own evangelism training based on the acronym YMCA. This fun training incorporated John 3:16 as the one verse to build the gospel message around:

YOU are loved by God. “For God so loved the world…”
MAN is sinful and separated from God. “…shall not perish…”
CHRIST died on the cross as the only payment for our sin. “…that He gave His one and only Son…”
ACCEPT God’s gift of eternal life by faith. “…whoever believes in Him shall… have eternal life.”

Our children began to be taught a simple gospel message presentation through LifeWay’s VBS curriculum, the ABC’s of Salvation.

ADMIT to God that you are a sinner.
BELIEVE in Jesus Christ as God’s Son.
CONFESS your faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

In 2013, Sonlife partnered together with Dare 2 Share to train students to share their faith using Dare 2 Share’s G.O.S.P.E.L. presentation, Life in Six Words. The tool is simple, but strengthened by incredible videos and apps for students to use in sharing their faith.

GOD created us to be with Him.
OUR sins separate us from God.
SINS cannot be removed by good deeds.
PAYING the price for sin, Jesus died and rose again.
EVERYONE who trusts in Him alone has eternal life.
LIFE with Jesus starts now and lasts forever.

Through the years, I’ve also been introduced to many other great evangelism tools: Three Story Evangelism by Youth For Christ, Three Circles Evangelism by NAMB, EvangeCube, and the Gospel Bead Bracelet being just a few.

Tips for Sharing the Gospel

Here are a few things I think are critically important when it comes to sharing the gospel.

1. Keep it simple. What each of these evangelism tools help to do is keep the message of the gospel simple. If the message is simple, it will be clear. If the message is simple, it will be understandable. If the message is simple, it will be reproducible. I believe this is why Paul wrote to the church in Colossae, “Pray that I may proclaim it (the gospel) clearly, as I should.” You want the gospel message to be simple enough that when you share it with someone, if they put their faith in Christ for salvation, they can turn around and share that same message with someone else. You’ll notice that in pretty much every one of the above gospel presentation tools, you will find these four basic elements. God’s Love, Man’s Sin, Christ’s Death, Our Response. If the presentation you use is missing any one of these elements, or adds much more than these, you might want to reevaluate for both simplicity and clarity.

2. Bring it up. Often we don’t share the gospel with someone because we think they are not ready to hear it. If we use a Stop Light as an analogy for someone’s readiness to hear the Gospel—with Red being closed to the gospel, Yellow being interested in spiritual things, and Green being ready to put their faith in Christ—most of us think our friends or neighbors are at the Red light.

Source: grendelkhan

A better perspective would be for us to assume our friend is at the Green light, initiate a spiritual conversation, see how they respond, and then evaluate their spiritual readiness. In other words, don’t write them off before we’ve even given them a chance. Their readiness might just surprise us.

3. Land the Plane. One of the hardest things for us to do when we’ve shared the gospel with someone is to close the deal, to land the plane. We stammer and struggle and just leave the conversation unfinished. Either we’re afraid to be viewed as being too pushy, or we’re afraid of being rejected. When we share the gospel, it should always come with an invitation for the person to respond. Two simple questions help in this regard. 1. So, what do you think? Does this make sense? 2. Would you like to put your trust in Christ alone for forgiveness and eternal life?

4. Pray, Pray, Pray!

• Pray for your lost friends. Jesus prayed, seeing that “the harvest is great, but the workers are few.” Matthew 9:37
• Pray for opportunities to share the Gospel message. “And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message…” Colossians 4:3
• Pray for boldness and clarity as you share the gospel. “Pray also for me, that whenever I may speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel.” Ephesians 6:19

For Further Consideration

1. Who are the spiritually lost friends you are currently praying for and investing in relationally? Which light do you think they are at—Red, Yellow or Green? Consider viewing them as a Green light, sharing the gospel, and evaluating their true spiritual readiness.

2. What gospel presentation tool are you personally using? Maybe you feel like you’ve known Christ long enough, or been in ministry long enough, that you don’t need a tool. You can just go freestyle. If so, ask yourself: Is the way I share the gospel message reproducible? Can I train others to share the same way I do?

3. Explore. See what great evangelism tools are out there. New ones are being developed every year. I’ve outlined several great tools above. Sonlife has several more in the Evangelism Toolbox in our 4 Chair Discipling seminar guide. Check out a few new tools, especially those that are using technology, whether they be in the form of a website that can be shared through social media or apps (Life in 6 Words by Dare 2 Share, The Big Story by InterVarsity, GodTools by Cru) that can be installed on smart phones or tablets. One great thing about tools like these is, because they are digital, they are easily shareable and therefore reproducible.

NOTE: This Blogpost originally appeared on Sonlife.com

A subtle, generally overlooked moment happens in the Garden of Gethsemane when Judas leads the Jewish leaders and guards there to arrest Jesus.

“Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to Him, went out and asked them, ‘Who is it you want?’  ‘Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied.  ‘I am He,’ Jesus said.  (And judas the traitor was standing there with them.)  When Jesus said, ‘I am He,’ they drew back and fell to the ground.”

Jesus knew what was going to happen to Him.  He had been telling His disciples since Peter’s declaration, “You are the Christ!” in Caesarea Philipi.  The Father revealed His plan to the Son.  It’s tempting to look at Jesus “knowing” here as being attributed to His divine omniscience, but Jesus was continually going to the Father.  He said He would only do what He sees the Father doing.  He would allow the Father’s plan to be revealed.  He would walk in obedience to the Father’s will.

What I’m struck with is the reaction of the crowd that came to arrest Jesus.

Jesus said, “I am He.”

They drew back and fell to the ground.

Why would they react this way.  It seems to be a response of fear, yet they came together as a lynch mob, armed with  clubs and swords.  Humanly speaking, what would they have to fear?

As I try and picture the scene, here’s what I see.

Authority!  
Power!  
Glory! 

Jesus speaks.  He was there at creation.  He spoke.  The earth came into existence.  He was there at Lazarus’ tomb.  He spoke.  Lazarus walked out of the grave alive.

I imagine Jesus simple declaration, “I am He,” being spoken with such force and such authority that they knew they were in the presence of the divine.  The “I AM” statement is a declaration of divinity.  I imagine the Father echoing Jesus’ words, just as He had thundered, “This is my Son.”  

Jesus’ declaration reverberated in their souls.  It shook them to the core.  They fell to the ground.  The reality of God’s presence was so overpowering, they could not stand.  They became weak-kneed.

If the crowd responded to Jesus’ “I am He” declaration like this, what impact did it have on the disciples?  You’d think it would strengthen their faith and fill them with confidence.  “He IS the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”   But no.  They fled in fear.  The disciples scattered.  Peter denied even knowing Jesus.

Jesus spoke with authority, power and glory.  He still does.  When He speaks to me, what is my response?  Like Isaiah, does the weight of His words bring me to my knees?   Do I worship?  Do I recognize His glory, His authority, His power?   Do I recognize my sin?   Do I submit my life to His will?  “Here am I.  Send me!”

When I read God’s Word, what weight does it carry in my soul?   Is it just a great book with instruction and counsel, or is it the Word of God?

“For the Word of God is alive and active.  Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
Hebrews 4:12

 

To learn more about Walking As Jesus Walked and Discipling As Jesus Discipled, visit:  SONLIFE.COM