Practical Tips for 
Personal Evangelism 

Calling to the Gospel

	Preparation
Repentance -- Before you can say “Thy Kingdom Come” you have to say “My Kingdom Go.” 
	Prerequisites
Belief that God’s ways are right – Hos. 14:9	
Lively faith – Mouth speaks of that which fills the heart -- Mt. 12:34
Fear of God – Ezek. 33:7-9, 1 Pet. 3:14-15, Is. 2:22, 51:12
	Provision
		Scripture – Ps. 19:7-14, 119, 2 Jn 6
		Holy Spirit – Jn. 4:14, 1 Cor. 2:10-12
		Church – 2 Jn. 9-10, Phil. 6
		Presence of Christ – 1 Pet. 5:7

Content of the Gospel

Yale theologian H. Richard Niebuhr made this statement regarding Protestant liberalism in the 1920s, “a God without wrath brought men without sin into a kingdom without judgment through the ministrations of Christ without a cross.” (H. Richard Niebuhr, The Kingdom of God in America (Harper & Bros., 1937).)

"The Gospel" means many things, including …
+ Peace with God, Rom. 5:1
+ Peace with others – social issues, justice, etc., Mt. 5:23-24
+ Peace with yourself – dealing with guilt (Mt. 11:29) 
+ Peace with nature – environmental stewardship – future blessings (lion and lamb, etc)  Is. 11:6

A biblical sketch of Gospel basics (from Heb. 6:1-2) 
+ repentance
+ faith 
+ baptism
+ confirmation
+ resurrection
+ judgment
	
Scholars note these common themes in the message of the early church (the "kerygma"):
1. This is the final, messianic age foretold by the prophets. 
2. This final age was inaugurated by Jesus who preached and performed miracles during his ministry on earth. 
3. Jesus was born of the royal line of David. 
4. Jesus suffered and died as foretold in the scriptures. 
5. Jesus was buried. 
6. Jesus was raised from the dead. 
7. Jesus was exalted in heaven and sits at God's right hand. 
8. The Holy Spirit is present in the church during this final age as a sign of Christ's power and glory. 
9. Jesus will come again marking the end of this messianic age. 
10. Call for repentance coupled with an offer of forgiveness.

	Everyone should be comfortable with a basic Gospel outline, e.g., 
•	God created mankind to enjoy fellowship with Him
•	Mankind is in rebellion against God
•	God offers reconciliation through Christ
•	Reconciliation is received by faith in the community of faith

Command to preach the Gospel

	+ Mt. 28:18-20
+ Acts 1:8
+ Acts 8:4
+ 1 Pet. 3:15

Questions you can ask to turn a conversation toward spiritual things
1.	If you were to die and God asked you, "Why should I let you into Heaven?", what would you say? 
2.	Do you think much about spiritual things? 
3.	So what's God doing in your life? 
4.	How important is your faith to you? 
5.	What has been your most meaningful spiritual experience? 
6.	Does your religious tradition answer your questions about life? 
7.	Do you have any kind of spiritual beliefs? 
8.	What do you think of Jesus? 
9.	I like to pray for people I meet; how can I pray for you? 
(Modified from Don Whitney's page at http://www.spiritualdisciplines.org/issue6.html) 

Scope of the Gospel 

	Sinner’s Gospel
•	Wrath of God 
•	Afflicted conscience
•	Redemption
•	Release
	Social Gospel
•	If Italians can make a Little Italy, we should make a Little Heaven 
•	We should work for a city with no pornography, abortion, crime, homeless, hungry, lonely, but with children in religious schools
•	Teen idols would be missionaries, priests and nuns, not Britney Spears
•	But we can never be satisfied with any earthly paradise (Ps. 73:25) 
Cosmic Gospel
•	Reconciliation of all things in Christ – Col. 1:20