Training Leaders

Training Leaders Who Can Help Grow & Plant Churches

How Jesus Christ Teaching Techniques May Apply

to Evangelism and Church Planting

Learning Objectives

1. The students will explain how Christ used object lessons, problem-solution methods, questions, and conversations for effective evangelism.

2. The students will write a short paper describing how they can use Christ’s teaching techniques in evangelism. They will point out how they can train their elders and local church leadership best in evangelism and church planting.

Introduction - The Bible commands us:

``Be on guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless, and lose your own stability, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.’’ (II Pet. 3:18)

Learning about the messages of Christ is not enough. We should also examine the teaching ministry of Jesus. This will help us to learn how an effective teacher operates; what are his roles, what are his methods, what are his aims; what are his materials, how does he use questions to stimulate thinking in his pupils; how does he teach different people about different subjects; how does he use object lessons; how does he appeal to people’s needs etc?

Let us explore how Jesus, the teacher, used principles of education to do evangelism and prepare people for the beginning of the church!

I. Christ Use Object Lessons In Evangelism (John 4:1-43)

A. A good illustration is needed to help people see an example of what you are teaching them

B. When Jesus taught the woman at the well He let the teaching grow out of a natural occasion, he did not come with the same answers for different people’s questions. He was weary from his journey and went to get a drink of water.

C. Jesus initiated the conversation with a question, ``Woman would you give me a drink?’’

D. By speaking to a Samaritan woman, Jesus grabbed her attention, interest, and curiosity.

E. He taught mainly through conversation not with a lecture method. Most people learn more through conversation than through lectures!

F. Jesus was willing to teach to crowds or individuals, he taught whenever an opportunity arose. Later the woman told the crowds. Be willing to teach to both crowds and individuals.

G. Jesus was willing to be seen in association with an adulterous woman.

H. Jesus built upon her questions to lead her to the truth. (John 4:24)

I. Jesus moved from her problems to the solutions. Do not offer solutions until you have exposed the problems.

J. Jesus moved from what was known to what was unknown when he told the woman, ``Whoever drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I shall give him will never thirst again, but the water that I will give him will become a well of water within him that bubbles up for eternal life.’’ (John 4:13,14) Use comparisons to show people what spiritual concepts like faith, love, hope, justification, sanctification mean!

K. Jesus used real things to explain theoretical concepts. Jesus said, ``Believe me woman the time will come when you will neither worship neither on this mountain or in Jerusalem, but an hour is coming when the true worshippers will worship in spirit and in truth.’’ (John 4:22-24)

L. Jesus used contrasts to show the woman how she was worshipping what she did not even understand. ``You Samaritans worship what you do not know, we Jews worship what we know.’’ (John 4:22)

M. Jesus used different forms of motivation to convince people of their need to follow Him and His teaching:

1). Commands - ``FOLLOW ME!’’

2). Incentives - ``Follow me and I will make you fishers of men!’’ (Matt. 4:19)

3). Power - All power is given unto me in heaven and earth, go therefore and make disciples of all nations.’’ (Mt. 28:19,20)

4). Warnings - ``Unless you repent you shall all likewise perish and be lost for eternity!’’ (Lk. 13:3)

5). Love - ``Peter if you love me, feed my sheep.’’ (Jn. 21:15-17)

6). Rewards - ``Anyone who has left their home to follow me will receive a hundred times as much in this life as in homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, and children, and fields, along with persecutions and in the future, eternal life.’’ (Mark 10:30)

7). Examples - Jesus said, ``Look at the birds of the air, they do not sow or gather into barns and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they. But, seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and things will be added to you as well.’’ (Matt. 6:31-33)

8). Modeling - Jesus said, ``Every pupil when he is trained will be fully like his teacher.’’ (Lk. 6:40)

9). Believed - Jesus believed the best in his disciples when he said, ``Peter, on this rock (Of your faith), I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.’’ (Matt. 16:18)