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Spheres of Influence

Do you have any non-Christian friends?

A common problem that I encounter when I teach evangelism seminars is the objection:

I’ve been in the church so long, I don’t have any non-Christians friends. Therefore, I don’t have anyone I know that I can pray for.

I don’t know my neighbors, so how can I pray for them?

I picked up a concept from a presentation years ago that has stuck with me.

It gives you the opportunity to take an inventory of your current relationships in your three spheres of influence in your life.

These relationships may not be deep, but you already have regular contact with these individuals.

[Read more…] about Spheres of Influence

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What is relational evangelism?

There are many different personal evangelism methods being taught these days in the body of Christ.

In part, these different evangelism methods are an outgrowth of different strengths, personalities, personal preferences and diversity in the body of Christ.

Evangelism trainers like myself have found these different ways to help nervous people grow more comfortable in sharing their faith with others. [Read more…] about What is relational evangelism?

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Book Review:Eats with Sinners

I’ve been in the Church for so long that deep friendships with people apart from Christ have been neglected.

I’ve filled my day with work, managing the lives of my children, administrative and planning for the local church, and running an international ministry.

Recently, I’ve been having a season of reading and re-reading a bunch of books relating to personal evangelism in a more relational style.

My recent evangelism books reading list

I’m particularly looking at intentional ways of building relationships of with people who are apart from Christ.

A recent contribution to Building Relationships

One recent good book in this area is Eats with Sinners: Reaching Hungry People Like Jesus Did by Arron Chambers.

This pastor from Colorado shares lots of his experiences in developing relationships with people who don’t know Christ.

Arron suggests that we set up regular times to meet with people who don’t know Christ, and to share a meal with them.

They are framed in the context of characteristics that Jesus used in His recipe to reach lost people. The list is

  • My review on Aaron Chambers Eats with Sinnersintegrity
  • accessibility
  • grace
  • faith
  • intimacy
  • tolerance
  • resolve
  • urgency
  • mercy
  • humility
  • investment
  •  joy
  • vision.

Meal times allow for that context for authentic relationships to happen.

Over those meal times, we develop a genuine relationship, and eventually get to the place share sharing needs and concerns between us.

We’ve moved from weather, to family, to deep personal concerns.

There, we find opportunities to share our stories of what Christ has done for us, and how our lives have been changed because of this.

Where Eats with Sinners will inspire challenge or push

As you read Eats with Sinners: Reaching Hungry People Like Jesus Did, I believe you will be challenged by the intentionally that we must have to spend quality time with people who don’t yet know Christ.

In my coaching ministry, I see churches that want instant results – like baptisms within a week of a huge weekend outreach.

In a conversation with my own pastor recently, I looked at my own life and this week and realize that I’ve not made enough space to be with people outside the church.

One church I coached last year got intentional.  In 6 months, 6 new people belonged to the Lord and 3 had already taken baptism.  It was the fruit of being intentionally present with people.

Taking the time to develop true relationships will lead to stronger disciplemaking and deeper faith committments in a local church.  It increases the “stickyness factor” and relational strength to the local church.

Chambers gives different creative ways of bringing Christ into your conversations and your daily life and using it to share the Word.

Get out there and enjoy some food

Since sharing meals is the theme of Eats with Sinners: Reaching Hungry People Like Jesus Did, recipes are peppered in sidebars and call out pages.  Some of them look really good.

At the end of each chapter are questions for digging deeper. Also, there are practical suggestions throughout the book for how we can put into practice — some practical ways that we can do more to reach the lost.

You could use Eats with Sinners: Reaching Hungry People Like Jesus Did as a personal devotional book, or use it in your small group that is focused on holding one another accountable to being with people.

Note:  The publisher provided me a review copy, with perfect liberty to say what I really think.  If you buy this book from Amazon through any of the links, Amazon will send me a thank you gift.

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Freddy’s Story of Life Change

An Unexpected Turn CoverPastor Valcarcel’s short little book is his personal testimony of how he came to faith in Jesus and some of the life transformation since that encounter.

It’s a very short read at only 56 pages, but it tells a very powerful story of his life.

He self-published it in hopes of getting the story out.

Freddy admits his addiction to work and things destroyed his marriage, his family, and nearly his own life, but through a series of circumstances, God brought him to a place of faith.

The Principles of Testimony

Pastor Valcarel uses key principles of telling your personal testimony. It follows a basic outline for those who have a conversion experience at a particular point in time.

  • My life before Christ
  • How I met Christ
  • My life since then

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Evangelism is a Process

Another key take away from this story is evidence of the process of evangelism in Pastor Valcarcel’s life.

God used circumstances, people of influence, a few sermons in a church, late night reflections, all to bring him to a place of surrender. It’s a prime example of the links in the chain principle of helping people find faith.

The more I listen to stories of conversions and faith awakenings, the more convinced I have become that people need to see the process of evangelism from the beginning of the seeking journey.

Help others see the evangelism process

As evangelists, we can help people out in their journey to faith, no matter how long we might be in their life.

I yearn for people to come to faith quickly.  There is urgency that drives me to pray, rather than drives me to be obnoxious.

People around Freddy gave him the space to search, and grace to explore and ask questions.  They were present when needed, and helpful when needed.  I’m sure they wanted him to come to faith right away, but God worked to prepare his heart over the course of time.

Now Freddy is a pastor, teaching others to share their faith and helping new people find faith in Christ.

Order your copy here:

Unexpected Turn, An: My Testimony by Pastor Freddy Valcarcel
ISBN: 1-60610-048-3, 52 pages, 6 x 9, English

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Pray First then Watch

Prayer_Before_EvangelismI truly believe that prayer opens conversational doors.

One of the principles that I put forth in my Fear Free Evangelism Seminar is that when you pray, evangelism stuff happens.

Conversations appear.  You don’t have to force a conversation.  Conversations about faith simply show up.

The challenge is then how to listen to their spiritual thirst and listen to the work of the Holy Spirit to help the other person discover their next step towards faith.

Here is a recent testimony from a pastor’s wife after a recent Fear Free Evangelism Seminar.

Notice that they took the initiative to pray first and then the conversations unfolded.

My husband and I attended a Christmas party on our street last evening. All of the people on the street were invited. This is a first since we have lived here.

I connected with an older woman in her 80’s. After probably 30 minutes of conversation, she said, “Is your husband a minister?”

I replied, “Yes.”

She shared about being raised in a strict Catholic home (very common in our town), but she doesn’t “practice it” anymore. She hasn’t since she was about 18.

I asked “why?”

She said it was the confession to the priest that turned her off.

I asked if she had ever tried any other church.  She said no. She never wanted to.  But, she hastened to assure me she believes in God and do it their “own way.”  She said religion has never been a real priority.

She began to make a negative comment about “these born-again Christians.”  I felt very peaceful in gently saying to her, “I’m a born-again Christian.” She apologized and I said, “Oh, no. I understand.”

About then her husband and a young woman joined us. The husband said, “I’m reading the Bible.” and the young woman said, “That’s on my list, too.”

The older woman said, “It’s too hard to understand. I tell him he’s just reading it to make him sleepy.” She and her sister had tried to read it when they were young and “there was no one to explain what it meant” to them. They couldn’t understand it.

By this time, my husband joined us. I asked the husband what version of the Bible he’s reading and he said the King James. I said, “Oh, you could read a more modern version.” I don’t think he even knew there were other versions.  I told him we could give him one and I plan to take it to their house.

We parted with hugs and the older lady invited me to come to visit them and bring my grandson.

I was amazed that my husband and I were talking with three of our neighbors about reading the Bible!! But, we did pray before we went to the party.

Now my husband wants to make a list of our neighbors and pray for them. He talked with some people that I didn’t. I’m very excited about how God may what to use us here.

This is an excellent step in growing.  The conversation was natural, and I already know that the Bible has been delivered.  That led to a follow-up conversation that may turn into an investigative Bible study.

See another testimony at: Fear Free Evangelism Case Study.

Let me ask you this?

Have you spent time asking God to whom are you going to speak with today?  Do you notice those who cross your path?

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