Saturday, March 27, 2010

Reach Out Don't Freak Out

Reach Out Don't Freak out is one of the sermons that Greg Stier of Dare 2 Share gives. This clip is a podcast from one of the chapel sessions at Dare 2 Share.

I believe you will be blessed and encouraged by this video.





Free Youth Ministry Resources

A Call To Win Souls - Suicide

This past week at work we learned of a co-workers death on Sunday morning. By Friday we had to deal with the realization that Larry hung himself. He was 39 years young, excersiced and seemed to be in good health and in good spirits every day.








All week I have been reflecting on an event in chapter 8 of the book Fire Starter where the main characters in this book, and their school, have to deal with the suicide of a popular classmate.







Whereas in Fire Starter it's the empty desk that reminds the students they failed their classmate, for us at MV it's the still posted note with Larry's picture.







All week many of us were still just trying to process through the idea Larry was dead, and now are trying to process the reality that it was suicide. All wondering what any of us could have done to tip the balance in the right direction.







To see Larry and his always present smile, his continual good word and encouragement for fellow drivers, especially the new ones. None of his knew of the demons he was fighting away from work nor the personal hell he was living through.







As a Christian, I wonder, how could Larry not know he could turn to God? Was Larry a Christian? None of us know. We can only hope.







The following is from chapter 8 of Fire Starter and can be found on pages 98-99 for those of you who own this book.







When class dismissed, Nick and I headed to Jen's locker. We found her there, slumped on the floor, arms curled around some textbooks, sobbing her heart out. I reached down and pulled her up and wrapped her gently in my arms. I really didn't trust myself to say anything just then, fearing I would dissolve into tears, too. It was nick who finally helped Jen get control when he said, "Jen, I can see know that Kailey's urgency about sharing Jesus is right. Every student at Brentwood needs the chance to hear about Jesus and the love and hope he offers. We have to spread the word. And we have to do it now, because you never know when it's going to be too late."







Your prayers for Larry's family and friends would be appreciated.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Resources - Books


The next book I would like to recommend is the book Handbook of Personal Evangelism by Dr. A. Ray Stanford.

This is another book that breaks soul winning down to the basics and presents the Biblical pattern in a clear, easy to understand way.

Here is an excerpt from the Introduction:

This book is written to guide a Christian in his personal witnessing so that he will present the plan of salvation in a clear and simple way that the lost can understand. To achieve simplicity in presenting the gospel takes much thought, much effort, and much practice. We must give the message in words the people can understand.


A doctor cannot communicate with most of his patients by using medical terminology. What the physician says may be true, but most patients will not be able to grasp the meaning. The Scriptures tell us in II Cor. 3:12, "Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech," and in I Cor. 14:8, 9, "For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? So like wise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? For ye shall speak into the air."

Communication is with words, and they have to be on the level of the person's understanding. Christ said, "Feed My sheep." He did not say, "Feed My giraffes."

As we prepare ourselves to reach a person for the Lord, we must constantly bear in mind how our words will come across to the lost. Remember, the average American cannot quote two Scriptures from memory. We do the lost a great injustice to speak in ecclesiastical terms which, though they may be precious to us, do not convey the proper meaning to the unsaved . . . and this defeats our whole purpose in witnessing.

Many people testify that before they were saved, although they went to church regularly and heard their minister use terms like "born again," "redemption," "justification," "propitiation," etc., they didn't understand that Christ had paid for all their sins on the cross. They didn't understand the gospel.

It is a crime to keep people from coming to know the Lord as their Saviour because we felt like exhibiting our "30,000 word vocabulary." Some may feel that a speaker is not "educated" unless he uses words the people cannot understand. They completely overlook the fact that to make something understandable takes much brilliance, thought, and work. As you strive to make the message plain, you will discover that "simplicity" is not simple . . . but it will greatly increase the fruit in your ministry.
This is a book I have made much use of and have found to be very helpful. Dr. Sanford even included chapters dealing with Repentance, Lordship Salvation, Water Baptism, Evolution , and on a few religious groups such as the Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, and Christian Science.

You can download this book for free at http://www.freegraceresources.org/pebook.html

I'll close with the closing of chapter 4 from this wonderful book.

Stop and think . . .


God saved you by His grace,
God keeps you saved by His grace,
God leads and guides you by His grace,
God enables you to serve Him by His grace,
God rewards you with love, joy, and peace in this life for serving Him by His grace,
God rewards you in heaven for having served Him on earth . . . SUCH GRACE!

Surely, God is good, and with the Psalmist we must say, "What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits toward me?" (Psa. 116:12)

I love the Lord, don't you?

Yes I do.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Resources - Books



Where the last book we looked at, Dare 2 Share: A Field Guide To Sharing your Faith, dealt with one on one anytime soul winning, our book today looks at two by two by two soul winning.

In 1962 Sword of the Lord publishers released the booklet Let's Go SOUL WINNING by Dr. Jack Hyles. Dr. Hyles was instrumental in getting churches involved in personal soul winning as it was the basis for his ministry.

This book is designed for use in the Church visitation/soul winning program when church members go out in groups of two, yet much of what is in here can be used in any situation the soul winner finds themselves in.

I am going to share one excerpt from this booklet that I wish every Bible believing church would get a hold of. this comes from p. 3.

Notice the simplicity of the Great Commision. I'm satisfied that this is not all it teaches, but this is the basic teaching, as I see it, of the Great Commision. There are several verbs in this verse. The first one is "Go." We are to go. That means go where they are. It doesn't mean to put up a shingle in your office and say, "If anybody wants to get saved, inquire within." It means you are to look them up, track them down. You are to go where they are.

This book comes highly recommened for all soul winners, and is available from Hyles Publications and Sword of the Lord Publishers.

Friday, March 12, 2010

Resources - Books

From time to time I will add various resources as I find ones that I like and use.

To begin with here are some of the books that I strongly recommend for current soul winners and new soul winners.




Dare 2 Share - A field guide to sharing your faith. This little book, written for teens, is also an excellent resource for adults. It is written by Greg Stier of Dare 2 Share Ministries international. http://www.dare2share.org/resources/dare-2-share-book/

In this book, Greg presents ways to share the Gospel without compromising the Gospel. He helps the reader to find their own unique sharing style and gives them the tools they need to use that style to share the substance of the gospel message in a personal and powerful way.

Part 1 of the book helps you in getting ready for the journey. Part 2 teaches you how to share your faith and how to bring up the Gospel with your friends without throwing up. Part 3 is 15 small sections with hints on sharing your faith with people of 15 different faith groups.

Through reading this book, and other books by Greg Stier, you will learn a neat acrostic for the word Gospel, and how you can use this to share your testimony and the Gospel with anyone.

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 Has Eternal Life
Life That’s Eternal Means We Will Be with Jesus Forever


If you want to take your soul winning to the next level, this is a book I highly suggest you pick up.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Welcome

Welcome to the Gospel Driven Ministries blog.

Here we are driven by the pure unadulterated life saving Gospel of Jesus Christ.

On the pages to follow we will share tips on sharing the Gospel, and hope to add testimonies from soul winners, all to encourage you.

Please feel free to drop us a line any time you so desire.


Yours for Souls,
Jim