“Evangelism: Sharing the Simple Power of Prayer”
https://www.trypraying.org/ "Try-Praying" booklets
Introduction
Today, I want to talk to you about evangelism – sharing our faith in a way that meets people where they are. When we look at resources like the Try Praying booklet from Trypraying.org, we see a tool designed to open doors and offer a simple, approachable way to start a conversation with God. This booklet becomes a counterpoint to today’s message, showing us a fresh and relatable way to introduce people to prayer and faith in Jesus.
Main Scripture:
Matthew 9:37-38 – Then He *said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38“Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”
1. Evangelism Begins with Love and Compassion
• Jesus as Our Model: Jesus showed us how to share the gospel in love. His ministry was filled with compassion, meeting people at their point of need. The Try Praying booklet follows this model by providing a resource anyone can pick up, regardless of where they are in life.
• Relating to People’s Struggles: The booklet speaks to people who may not even know how to pray or think, they’re not spirit lead. Like Jesus meeting people in their everyday lives, Try Praying presents prayer as something accessible and natural, a simple model and challenge to instill spiritual practice to connect with Jesus through through the Holy Spirit to pray.
Illustration: Think of someone who is skeptical about faith but open to help and comfort. Offering this booklet is a way of saying, “Here’s something to read. Just try talking to God.” This small act of encouragement plants a seed of faith.
2. Evangelism is About Making God’s Love Accessible
• The Simple Invitation to Pray: Jesus often spoke of faith in simple, yet relatable terms. In Luke 11:9, He said, “ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”
The Try Praying booklet is an invitation to do just that – to ask, to seek, and to find.
• Breaking Down Barriers: Many people think they need to be “good enough” or know the “right words” to pray. Evangelism is about breaking down those walls. Try Praying is designed for everyone, showing that God hears all who call on Him, regardless of where they are in life.
Example: A person may be struggling with loneliness, financial problems, or an illness. By giving them the booklet, we show them that God is only a prayer away and that they don’t have to be perfect to reach out to Him.
3. Evangelism is About Trusting God’s Timing
• The Power of the Holy Spirit: Jesus promised us that the Holy Spirit would go before us, preparing people’s hearts. The Try Praying booklet plants a simple seed that the Holy Spirit can water. In 1 Corinthians 3:6-7, Paul says, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth.”
Our job is to trust that God will bring growth in His timing.
• Faithful Persistence: When we invite others to “try praying,” it may not yield immediate results. They may read the booklet, pray once, and move on. But by trusting God’s timing, we know that every act of outreach has potential. Evangelism isn’t about closing the deal on salvation but being faithful to introduce people to God’s love.
4. Evangelism is Being Ready to Share Our Own Story
• Personal Testimonies Open Hearts: Sharing how prayer and faith have changed our lives can be even more impactful than sharing a booklet. When people hear about God’s work in our lives, it gives credibility and warmth to our message.
• Relate Your Experience with Prayer: The booklet challenges readers to try praying for themselves, but they may need encouragement from us. We can share our own stories of answered prayer, times God carried us through difficulty, and the peace we’ve found in Jesus.
Practical Application: When you share a booklet, think about how you might follow up. Offer to pray with them. Share a story of a time when prayer changed things for you. Let them see that God is not only real but willing and able to help.
5. Evangelism Embraces God’s Heart for the Lost
• God’s Desire for Everyone to Know Him: 2 Peter 3:9, we read that God is… “not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”
God desires that every person would know His love, and as followers of Christ, we are called to carry that desire in our own hearts.
• Praying for an Evangelistic Heart: We should pray that God would give us eyes to see the harvest around us and a heart that longs for others to know Him. When we have that heart, even something as simple as sharing a “Try Praying” booklet can be a powerful act of love.
Conclusion
The call to evangelism doesn’t always mean standing on a street corner with a megaphone. Sometimes, it’s as simple as handing someone a booklet, a small invitation to “try praying.” As we go forward, let us remember the harvest is plentiful, and we are called to be God’s laborers, reaching out to those around us with compassion, patience, and genuine love.
Call to Action: Pray about who you could give a Try Praying booklet to this week. Ask God to open doors for conversations and to prepare hearts to receive His message. And if you haven’t done so already, let this be a reminder to commit time to prayer, inviting God to shape our hearts for His work.
Pryer: In every encounter, big or small, let’s carry God’s heart for the lost and let the simple act of sharing prayer lead others toward faith in Christ. Amen.
