How To Lead A Soul To Christ Series

How to Lead a Soul to Christ Part 2

“Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain,

and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain,

and the earth produced its crops. 19 My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth

and someone should bring that person back, 20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.” James 5:17-20

Intro: Today we continue the worship series on “How to Lead a Soul to Christ.”

The most important thing you can do as a Christian is to have a spiritual conversation with someone who is lost.

Soul winning is the greatest work in the world.

God has entrusted each of us…,

Every believer has this God given incredible privilege and responsibility to lead a soul to Christ.

We start by asking our self the question…

Do I really care? Am I concerned for where others are in their condition with God?

Do I have compassion and do I care that the world is lost.

What am I willing to do in order for me to be a condition so that I can Lead Souls to Christ.

Last week I began to teach you five simple steps to learn and use

when talking to someone about becoming Christian

The first one was can you take the bible and “Show The Need For Salvation?”

A few years ago I did a lot of Substitute teaching at a Middle School.

There was a student named Susan who came into school every day downcast and always complaining

about having a headache or stomach ache or some other physical illness.

By talking to her she began to open up a little more day by day.

I soon learned that that this girl’s mother had had a massive heart attack about a year earlier

and her father lived in a nearby town with a new girlfriend.

Susan had no contact with her father;

she said they don’t get along.

After several conversations,

I discovered that Susan was worried that her mom would have another heart attack

and that there would be no one left to care for her and her younger brother.

I spent a lot of time trying to encourage Susan.

There are many ways to share the Gospel.

Most people don’t want to admit they are a sinner.

Just saying you are a sinner and need Christ is harsh and critical.

Good presentation of the Gospel begins with concern and compassion.

There are all kinds of ways to have a conversation about God and eternal life.

Get out your sermon notes: write this down. Last week: “Show The Need For Salvation?”

Today we are going to talk about…

II. Share the Gospel

Can you take the bible and Share the Gospel?

Let’s start with the mind frame that we step into the world with everyday.

The word evangelism is scary.

Some people don’t like evangelism because they think it is too pushy.

The book of James emphasizes faith in action.

remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death

and cover over a multitude of sins.” James 5

Belief is more than just reading the Gospel

The body of believers are the hands and feet of the Gospel.

Faith and trust are actions not merely something read and thought about.

A lot of people believe that you need seminary or some type of advanced training to do it.

There is general belief that there is a church on every corner

There is a pastor for every church

So some believe there is no need for activities, especially those of going out to spread Christianity.

But this is what United Methodist believe. This is our heritage. This is our Tradition.

This is what you sign up for by being a Methodist.

John Wesley teaches us four primary contexts of ministry:

Field preaching, Methodist Societies, Class meetings, and Individual Visitation.

Through field preaching early Methodist preachers and lay people took the Gospel to the people.

Field preaching was not limited to fields,

but also occurred in homes,

town squares,

churchyards,

coal mines,

any place a non-church going crowd could gather.

Though John Wesley initially resisted the idea,

introduced to him by George Whitefield, it took on greater and greater importance in Methodism.

For Wesley, field preaching became the primary means by which

“God is found of them that sought him not.”[1]

Think about what Wesley is saying. “God is found of them that sought him not.”[1]

One of the challenges in the church today is how do we take the Gospel to those who show no interest in it.