This is part 9 of the “As You God” series. If you have missed any of the previous parts you can catch up using the index at the As You Go web site. Last week I mentioned one of my favorite famous quotes about Evangelism is by Charles G Finney:
Make it an object of constant study, and of daily reflection and prayer, to learn how to deal with sinners so as to promote their conversion.
I indicated that I’d like to conclude this series by providing some resources that I have found useful for learning about evangelism and “dealing with sinners”.
This week, I’d like to recommend a study called “The School of Biblical Evangelism.” The School of Biblical Evangelism offers 101 lessons on Biblical Evangelism. The study takes you step by step from the basic purpose of Evangelism all the way through providing background on world religions and cults. The textbook can be ordered from Amazon or Living Waters . The synopsis from the Living Waters website gives an understanding of what this book contains:
In this comprehensive study course, you will learn how to share your faith simply, effectively, and biblically . . . the way Jesus did. Discover the God-given evangelistic tools that will enable you to confidently talk about the Savior.
With 101 lessons on subjects ranging from basic Christian doctrines to knowing our enemy, from false conversions to proving the deity of Jesus, you will be well-equipped to answer questions as you witness to anyone. This study course will help you to prove the authenticity of the Bible, provide ample evidence for creation, refute the claims of evolution, understand the beliefs of those in cults and other religions, and know how to reach both friends and strangers with the gospel.
As the printed version of the popular online School of Biblical Evangelism, this book provides all the lesson text at your fingertips, as well as room for you to record your answers to the study questions. This makes it a convenient format for easy reference as you put its lessons into practice.
- Living Waters offers The School of Biblical Evangelism as an online university. The online university offers all of the lessons online, plus 45 audio material that is not in the text book, 50 cartoon lessons for kids and an online forum. In addition, Living Waters provides you with copies of Way of the Master and Out of the Comfort Zone books and CD copies of Hell’s Best Kept Secret and True and False Conversions. When you complete the lessons, Living Waters will send you a diploma and a bonded leather copy of the Evidence Bible to celebrate your accomplishment! It is a great value to enroll. I enrolled in the school and got a lot of value out of it. Access to the online community remains even after graduation.
- Find a friend or two that would like to go through the material together. Then commit to doing 1 or 2 (or more) lessons a week together. Do the lessons on your own and then meet together and go over the lessons together. Having some friends to work through the material together helps keep going through the material. Having a group to discuss the material with is very helpful. Craig and I worked through the material in 2006 doing two lessons a week and then meeting for lunch once a week to discuss it. Eventually we started meeting at the mall on alternate weeks to practice what we had learned. Having completed the material we still meet at least once a week at the mall for lunch and to witness.
- Recognizing that everyone does not have a friend close by that can meet with them to study this material, and some don’t have the money to enroll in the online course, we have created a Yahoo! group to provide a place for encouragement and questions to go through the material. Each week or so, we post a message to the group to ask how you are doing at working through the material at whatever pace you have decided to go at. You can join the group online .
