Steps: To Personal Evangelism
Steps: To Personal Evangelism
Werner Nachtigal
Stephan Gängel
TO PERSONAL E VANGELISM
The aim is for every believer to reach at least one person with
the Gospel on Global Outreach Day.
When asked who his successor would be, Billy Graham told
Photos: no limit e.V., G.O.D., wikimedia
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One Day – One World – One Message: Jesus
Global Outreach Day challenges ordinary believers to share
the Gospel on that day. There is only one important person
we want to mobilize: You!
“Go out there, step out in faith. Do something you haven’t done
before!” Nick Vujicic, Life Without Limbs
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Preparing for Global Outreach Day
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the best message in the world
and the only way to salvation. That is why we have to share
the Gospel. This little booklet will teach you the three main
steps to personal evangelism.
Please answer the following questions:
1. What is the most important decision you have ever
made in your life?
2. What is the best thing you can do for someone who
doesn’t know Jesus?
Many Christians would give the following answers:
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member that God can work through you, even if you are fear-
ful, insecure, or do not know what to say. Even saying some-
thing wrong is usually better than not saying anything at all.
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Different situations require different approaches. Pre-
pare your strategy by considering where they come from
and what their specific situation is.
When you realize they are curious, you can build on that by
continuing to ask questions.
Jesus answered, “If you would know the gift of God and who it
is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he
would have given you living water.”
John 4:10
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• “I’ve found something that has changed my entire life.”
• “What is the best thing that ever happened to you?”
and then you follow up with the question:
• “May I tell you the best thing that ever happened to me?“
“I’ve found hope and a happiness that is unique.
Would you like to experience that, too?”
• “Where would you go if you were to die tonight?“
• “If you only knew what you could experience today, it
would be the best day of your life.”
• “Do you need a miracle? May I pray for you?”
• “Would you like to have more joy and know real peace?”
God gave you one mouth and two ears. That means you
should listen twice as much as you talk.
If you have spent time finding out about the person you are
talking to, you will know what he or she needs and how to
guide the conversation.
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You need to be fully convinced that a person without Je-
sus lacks the most important thing in life. Exercise your
faith and assume that the person wants to receive Jesus.
You could even offer to pray for some specific need. Perhaps
the person is ill or someone close to them has recently passed
away. Jesus often met people in their times of need. Today God
is still able to heal sick people, put marriages back on track, or
free people from addiction. However, the greatest need of all
is our eternal separation from God.
If you try to take a bone from a dog, the dog will defend his
bone with all the strength he has; but if you offer him a love-
ly piece of meat instead, the dog will drop the bone imme-
diately. Likewise, people will always defend their religions,
opinions, and beliefs, because they know nothing better.
When people hear about Jesus and what he has done for
them, about God’s plan for their lives and his offer of forgive-
ness, peace, real joy, and eternal life, they will let go of their
false beliefs. Confrontation only hardens hearts.
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Your testimony
Your story is very important and can change a life forever.
Perhaps you could share a specific story from your past or
present life, for instance, how God answered your prayers or
helped you.
It is not only important what you say, but also what the oth-
er person understands!
You can give a testimony in either a boring or a very interest-
ing way. Your story is unique. Tell it in a way which captures
their attention. Choose something from your life with which
your listeners can easily identify. Be honest and give God the
glory with your life.
Focus on what God has done and can do. Make sure the peo-
ple understand what you are saying and ask what they think
about it. Be sensitive to the signals they are sending that indi-
cate their interest. It is vitally important for you to pick up on
those signals and follow up with relevant questions. Find out
how much the person already understands, then share your
testimony and create a desire in that person's heart to say: "I
want that!"
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STEP 2: THE GOSPEL
1. God’s Plan
It was God’s plan from the beginning to be friends with mankind.
In the beginning, everything was all right in the world. There were
no wars, no injustice, no sickness—everything was perfect. Man-
kind lived in peace and harmony with God.
God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.
Genesis 1:31
Consider this: God’s plan for the person you are talking to
right now is the best plan there is for their life. God wants to
have an eternal relationship with this person.
2. The Problem
Mankind decided to go his own way and turned away from God.
Today we can see the results of this decision. Instead of being
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able to live in peace and harmony with each other, lies, hate,
jealousy, sickness, and war are everywhere. But even worse
than that is being separated from God forever.
The problem is that out of his own efforts, mankind cannot re-
store the connection to God. The various religions are a desper-
ate attempt to get closer to God again. Because of guilt, mankind
has been separated from God.
There’s nobody living right, not even one. … We’ve compiled this
long and sorry record as sinners … and proved that we are ut-
terly incapable of living the glorious lives God wills for us.
Romans 3:10, 23 The Message
Consider this: Before the person you are talking to can desire
to get saved, he must understand that he is lost.
3. God’s Love
God is just and therefore cannot simply ignore our guilt. Because
God loves us so much, he came up with a perfect plan for redeem-
ing everyone, which means you also can be brought back into con-
tact with him. God showed this love by sending his only Son, Jesus
Christ, into our world to die on the cross for everyone. In doing so,
Jesus took the punishment for our guilt upon himself. On the third
day, Jesus rose from the dead, just as he said he would. He is alive
today, and through him the way to God has been re-opened.
This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one
and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed;
by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life.
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STEP 3: THE DECISION
Consider this: If a ship on the high seas is sinking and the pas-
sengers are drowning, it is not enough for a life raft to come
along and have a “good talk” with them. Nobody would un-
derstand that! We have to do more than just share the Gospel.
Jesus came to seek and save the lost. He wants to use you, too,
to bring eternal salvation to people. Learn how to lead some-
one to Jesus.
Ask him for forgiveness and follow him. Jesus is risen from the
dead! He is alive and here right now. He is waiting for you to an-
swer.
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setting things right, and then you say it, right out loud: “God has
set everything right between him and me!”
Romans 10:9-10 The Message
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3. Ask them to pray the following prayer
Now ask the other person to close his or her eyes and pray a
prayer out loud after you. Pause at each dot, so that the other
person can repeat what you have just said. Start praying loud
and clear like this:
2. Bible: Read God's Word and learn about God and his ways.
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ACTION!
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Gospel Sharing Ideas from A to Z
From airport evangelism to sharing at the zoo, there are so
many ways to reach people and so many different places
where they can be reached: book tables, playgrounds, events,
door-to-door or street outreaches (with 1:1 evangelism, music,
drama, megaphone, or other activities), hospitals, prisons, or-
phanages, parks, neighborhoods, railway stations, shopping
malls, and even the Internet.
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3 STEPS
TO PERSONAL E VANGELISM
Training Book
The Gospel is the greatest message of all times. God wants
to use you to take it to other people.
In this 3 STEPS Training Book, you will learn how to win
people for Christ!