"Wake up, O sleeper" Ephesians 5:14 Rev. Christopher Walker www.EvangelismCoach.org

"Wake up, O sleeper"

Ephesians 5:14

Rev. Christopher Walker

www.EvangelismCoach.org

My Values Complete trust in God’s sovereignty Work in Cooperation Intimacy with Christ Seed Planter “ A friend of sinners.” “ Leave the 99 to find the 1”

Complete trust in God’s sovereignty

Work in Cooperation

Intimacy with Christ

Seed Planter

“ A friend of sinners.”

“ Leave the 99 to find the 1”

Greatest Fears Bad experiences: Door to Door Drive-by Evangelists Pushy televangelists “ My friend was obnoxious with me” Clumsy Apologetics Complicated Scripts

Bad experiences:

Door to Door

Drive-by Evangelists

Pushy televangelists

“ My friend was obnoxious with me”

Clumsy Apologetics

Complicated Scripts

Greatest Fears Emotions Fear of Rejection Losing a friendship Fear of offending Feeling inadequate Embarrassment Gag Reflex

Emotions

Fear of Rejection

Losing a friendship

Fear of offending

Feeling inadequate

Embarrassment

Gag Reflex

Greatest Fears Perceptions Fear of what others will think about you. Rude Arrogance Your own weakness, hypocrisies, and inadequacies Personal Doubt Guilt Pastor says so. Jesus says so. To mess up somebody’s eternity destiny is your fault

Perceptions

Fear of what others will think about you.

Rude

Arrogance

Your own weakness, hypocrisies, and inadequacies

Personal Doubt

Guilt

Pastor says so. Jesus says so.

To mess up somebody’s eternity destiny is your fault

What if . . . . It was normal for Christians to evangelize? It wasn’t a program , didn’t cost money , didn’t take much time and could be done by ordinary people Evangelism was just another spiritual practice like reading the bible or praying?

It was normal for Christians to evangelize?

It wasn’t a program , didn’t cost money , didn’t take much time and could be done by ordinary people

Evangelism was just another spiritual practice like reading the bible or praying?

What if You didn’t have to be brave? Ordinary Christians could evangelize without being obnoxious?

You didn’t have to be brave?

Ordinary Christians could evangelize without being obnoxious?

Evangelism is . . . Joyfully sharing the good news of the sovereign love of God, and calling people to repentance to personal faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord to active membership in the church, and to obedient service in the world. Definition adopted by the 202nd General Assembly, 1990

Joyfully sharing the good news of the sovereign love of God, and

calling people

to repentance

to personal faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord

to active membership in the church, and

to obedient service in the world.

Definition adopted by the 202nd General Assembly, 1990

Our participation Listen Guidance of the Holy Spirit Spiritual Thirst of the person Discern God’s work Cooperate with it.

Listen

Guidance of the Holy Spirit

Spiritual Thirst of the person

Discern God’s work

Cooperate with it.

Result: Fear Free Natural Not aggressive or offensive Not forced, or awkward Not confrontational Normal Peaceful Conversations Relaxed and easy Grand Courage not needed

Natural

Not aggressive or offensive

Not forced, or awkward

Not confrontational

Normal

Peaceful Conversations

Relaxed and easy

Grand Courage not needed

Holy Spirit Works Both Sides

Fear Free Evangelism Trust the sovereignty of God to be at work Be guided by the Holy Spirit. Recognize the Kairos Moment Engage in conversation

Trust the sovereignty of God to be at work

Be guided by the Holy Spirit.

Recognize the Kairos Moment

Engage in conversation

Phillip Successful evangelist Intimate Relationship with God Listened to the voice of the Spirit. Guided “to the desert road”

Successful evangelist

Intimate Relationship with God

Listened to the voice of the Spirit.

Guided “to the desert road”

Getting there Guided to a particular Road Beyond Samaria In the desert Beyond Judea

Guided to a particular Road

Beyond Samaria

In the desert

Beyond Judea

Obstacles to his obedience Find a trustworthy substitute for his ministry Personal Safety during his travel Robbers, Sandstorms Wild Beasts, the climate. Money change Sufficient food Adequate transportation

Find a trustworthy substitute for his ministry

Personal Safety during his travel

Robbers, Sandstorms

Wild Beasts, the climate.

Money change

Sufficient food

Adequate transportation

Greatest Obstacle No X Marks the spot, or GPS

No X Marks the spot, or GPS

Phillip A particular group caught his attention Possible other groups on the highway. The Spirit said to him Go and stand next to THAT chariot God “underlined” that chariot. Go near and stand there.

A particular group caught his attention

Possible other groups on the highway.

The Spirit said to him

Go and stand next to THAT chariot

God “underlined” that chariot.

Go near and stand there.

Phillip Heard a stranger reading out loud From Isaiah Out loud Began a conversation “ Do you understand what you are reading” Based on the context

Heard a stranger reading out loud

From Isaiah

Out loud

Began a conversation

“ Do you understand what you are reading”

Based on the context

Eunuch Had gone to Jerusalem to worship God Perhaps he was a Jew? Perhaps he had been converted to Judaism? Perhaps he was seeking after God and thought a pilgrimage to Jerusalem would satisfy that thirst.

Had gone to Jerusalem to worship God

Perhaps he was a Jew?

Perhaps he had been converted to Judaism?

Perhaps he was seeking after God and thought a pilgrimage to Jerusalem would satisfy that thirst.

Obstacles to Overcome Treasurer of the Queen of Ethiopia. In charge of the kingdom’s economy. Salaries of the employees and army. Knew where all the money was physically stored. Like “Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board” Needed to find a replacement of great confidence during his absence.

Treasurer of the Queen of Ethiopia.

In charge of the kingdom’s economy.

Salaries of the employees and army.

Knew where all the money was physically stored.

Like “Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board”

Needed to find a replacement of great confidence during his absence.

Other Obstacles Personal Security Group travel with his security detail. Give up vacation time if any. Foreign language / money. Means of transportation / lodging.

Personal Security

Group travel with his security detail.

Give up vacation time if any.

Foreign language / money.

Means of transportation / lodging.

The work of God His spiritual thirst propelled him to overcome.

His spiritual thirst propelled him to overcome.

Eunuch Had been to Jerusalem – he was returning. Imagine his thirst was not satisfied. Perhaps he had heard of Jesus or rumors about his disciples. Reading a copy of Isaiah. His own? Bought at the book table? Knew that the Scriptures contained the truth.

Had been to Jerusalem – he was returning.

Imagine his thirst was not satisfied.

Perhaps he had heard of Jesus or rumors about his disciples.

Reading a copy of Isaiah.

His own? Bought at the book table?

Knew that the Scriptures contained the truth.

Eunuch Out loud Possible foreign language. Grammar difficulties. Pronoun references were confusing. “ Of whom does the prophet speak? Himself, or another?” Imagine a prayer of frustration. . . .

Out loud

Possible foreign language.

Grammar difficulties.

Pronoun references were confusing.

“ Of whom does the prophet speak? Himself, or another?”

Imagine a prayer of frustration. . . .

Both Sides of the Equation Phillip Led to the right place. Noticed the person that God underlined. Drew near that person (Positioned himself)‏ Took a risk, began a conversation. Eunuch Had overcome all obstacles Was found in the same place as Phillip Reading Isaiah 53 out loud. Had spiritual thirst, ready to receive.

Phillip

Led to the right place.

Noticed the person that God underlined.

Drew near that person (Positioned himself)‏

Took a risk, began a conversation.

Eunuch

Had overcome all obstacles

Was found in the same place as Phillip

Reading Isaiah 53 out loud.

Had spiritual thirst, ready to receive.

Kairos Moment The Holy Spirit had prepared the moment. The circumstances are lined up. The fruit is ripe and ready to pick. The word spoken “ Do you understand what you are reading?”

The Holy Spirit had prepared the moment.

The circumstances are lined up.

The fruit is ripe and ready to pick.

The word spoken

“ Do you understand what you are reading?”

Normal Conversation Began where Eunuch was “ Beginning with that same passage of Scripture” Conversation with Q&A Contextually natural He explained the Gospel “ He explained the good news about Jesus”

Began where Eunuch was

“ Beginning with that same passage of Scripture”

Conversation with Q&A

Contextually natural

He explained the Gospel

“ He explained the good news about Jesus”

Steps to Fear Free Evangelism Have an intimate prayer life. Ask God to help you notice those whom he underlines for you. Prayerwalking

Have an intimate prayer life.

Ask God to help you notice those whom he underlines for you.

Prayerwalking

Steps to Fear Free Evangelism Have desire to be available and be used. Trust in God’s leadership. Recognize the kairos moment Notice who God underlines Position yourself Engage in conversation

Have desire to be available and be used.

Trust in God’s leadership.

Recognize the kairos moment

Notice who God underlines

Position yourself

Engage in conversation

Fear Free Conversation Use questions Based on the context. Jesus used over 150 questions Questions help Personal Discovery Thought Development What’s the question behind the question?

Use questions

Based on the context.

Jesus used over 150 questions

Questions help

Personal Discovery

Thought Development

What’s the question behind the question?

Natural Conversation Allow the conversation to unfold naturally. Listen to the Holy Spirit Listen for the person’s spiritual thirst.

Allow the conversation to unfold naturally.

Listen to the Holy Spirit

Listen for the person’s spiritual thirst.

Fear Free Conversation Be prepared to explain the gospel If prompted by the Holy Spirit to do so. Get familiar with 1 script EvangelismCoach.org Series on Scripts, Scripts Category Goal: Do it with your eyes closed Comfort

Be prepared to explain the gospel

If prompted by the Holy Spirit to do so.

Get familiar with 1 script

EvangelismCoach.org Series on Scripts, Scripts Category

Goal: Do it with your eyes closed

Comfort

Keys to Remember Evangelism is a process in God’s sovereignty Plant a seed Water a seed Harvest a seed. We get to cooperate in kairos moments. Listen to the Holy Spirit Listen to the spiritual thirst of people. Contextual conversation, not scripted

Evangelism is a process in God’s sovereignty

Plant a seed

Water a seed

Harvest a seed.

We get to cooperate in kairos moments.

Listen to the Holy Spirit

Listen to the spiritual thirst of people.

Contextual conversation, not scripted

Assignment Pray to have the ability to Recognize the kairos moments. Recognize when God is underlining someone

Pray to have the ability to

Recognize the kairos moments.

Recognize when God is underlining someone

Free Mentoring Have two or more conversations. About spiritual things. With the people that God underlines. I’ll send you an email asking for stories. Send me your story and receive 90 minutes free mentoring Debrief the conversations Telephone or Video conference.

Have two or more conversations.

About spiritual things.

With the people that God underlines.

I’ll send you an email asking for stories.

Send me your story and receive 90 minutes free mentoring

Debrief the conversations

Telephone or Video conference.

Questions and Answers