Evangelism Training

Cindy Liu Barrie

Evangelism is not new. We could learn from the bible, the early
church, and the apostles how they evangelised so effectively. We will
discuss some scriptures to draw the biblical principles of evangelism,
to build a solid foundation for evangelism, that our work is not in
vain, but bears fruit.

Evangelism is not as hard as you think. Evangelism is about bearing

witness to how Christ demonstrated God’s love and great intention
for men through His sacrificial death on the cross. Evangelism is to
bear witness to how God is holy, men are sinners, sin separates men
from the Holy God, but whosoever believes that Jesus is, the Christ,
and confesses their sins, are forgiven. They would then have an
eternal life with God in heaven.
Isaiah 55:8-9 For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My
ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My
ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.
Proverb 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your
own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make
straight your paths.

We need to trust the Lord’s way of evangelism and biblical teaching, that it is
always far better than man’s way or our own way. Even if it doesn’t always
make sense to us we need to step out in faith and obey His way. He then can
work though us and we will receive the blessings of obedience and walking in
His ways.
We don’t have to be a Billy Graham or to preach on the stage at a
big event to be called an evangelist. Evangelism can be one on
one at any place. You may be shy or introverted, thinking you
could never preach or witness like an evangelist. You might be
exactly the person who the Lord uses to evangelise a shy and
introverted person. He created us all unique with different traits,
so He can use us to reach many different people in many different
circumstances of life.
In this training, the biblical principles will be used to answer the following:
1. Who can be an evangelist?
2. What to preach?
3. How did the early church preach?
4. What did the greatest evangelist Paul preach?
5. What did apostle Peter and Philip preach?
6. What is the gospel message?
7. How to equip evangelists?
8. What is the ideal way to go out?
9. Who to approach?
10.How to lead people to the Lord?
11.Where is the best public place to evangelise?
12.What is not evangelism?
13.Steps to follow.
14.Who should commission an evangelist?
1. Who can be an evangelist?
Some common misconceptions about evangelism are:
*Only a few gifted ones can evangelise.
*One must know bible verses well.
*Be able to speak eloquently.
*Be able to debate.
Remember that the Lord chose Moses to the Children of Israel out of Egypt.
Exodus 4:10-11 Moses said unto the LORD: “Please, Lord, I have never
been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to
Your servant; for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” But the LORD said
to him, “Who has made the human mouth? Or who makes anyone unable to
speak or deaf, or able to see or blind? Is it not I, the LORD?”
Evangelism or bearing witness is something that any born again believer can
do in obedience to God’s word. Some say that they don’t have the gift of
evangelism, however sharing the message of the Gospel of Christ is something
that all Christians can do. Some have a special gift of Evangelism like Billy
Graham, and the Lord is able to work mightily through them and bring many
children back to Him. Some of us however are introverts that the Lord can use
through witnessing for Him one on one. Remember there are many times and
seasons in our lives. This might be a season for witnessing in your children
lives or in the workforce where the Lord has placed you. Or it might be the
season for boldly stepping out and shining the light in your neighbourhood,
hometown or city or maybe on the mission field.
 

2. What to preach?
First let us learn from our Master.
Matthew 4:17: “From that time Jesus began to preach, He preached, repent: for the
kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Acts 1:8b Jesus said: “you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea
and Samaria, and to the end of the earth”.
John 14:6 Jesus taught: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to
the Father except through me".
Jesus’s first message was focused on repentance and the kingdom of heaven=where the
Father is, Jesus taught no one comes to the Father or enter the kingdom of heaven
except through Him, and Jesus last words before taken up to heaven, was to be my
witness...
Therefore, the fundamental preaching message needs to be built on repentance, and the
testimony of who Jesus is, what He has done; as He preached and commanded.
3. What did the early church preach to the Jews (religious people)?

Acts 5:42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach
and preach Jesus Christ.
They taught and preached Jesus Christ. It sounds so simple. But for the Jews,
Christ means anointed one, and the anointed one is the Messiah they are waiting
for. They were teaching and preaching from all the scriptures that Jesus was the
Messiah. The disciples were also able to personally bear witness to the signs and
wonders that they had seen during the time they had spent with Jesus and to
testify that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the Living God (Matt 16:16)
Therefore, it is crucial, we must preach Jesus is the Messiah.
4. How did Paul the greatest evangelist preach?
Paul understood faith come from hearing, hearing the word of
God, the truth, and Jesus is the truth. Paul proclaimed God’s
love and good intention for mankind that Satan twisted in the
Garden of Eden. His message is not simply God love you, but
how God loves the world. God’s love is not an empty word but
intentional and demonstrated by Christ’s willingness to suffer
and sacrificial death on the cross according to the scriptures.
Paul said in the following verses:
Galatians 1:11 “ For I would have you know, brothers and sisters, that the
gospel which was preached by me is not of human invention”.

1 Corinthians 15:3-4 Paul said: “For I handed down to you as of first

importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to
the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the
third day according to the Scriptures”.

1 Corinthian 1:17 “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach
the gospel, not with cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would
not be made of no effect”.
1 Corinthian 2:1-5: “when I came to you, brothers, I did not come proclaiming to you the
testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom.  For I decided to know nothing among you
except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.  And I was with you in weakness and in fear and
much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but
in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom
of men but in the power of God.
1 Corinthians 1:18 Paul said: “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing,
but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
1 Corinthans 2:7 “we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before
the ages for our glory”.
1 Corinthians1:22-23, For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach
Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles.
Here are the key points of Paul’s preaching: His message was from God not
of his own or from other men. He preached the foremost important message
that it is Christ who died for our sins, He was buried, and raised on the third
day in accordance with the Scriptures. Paul didn’t want to lessen the power
of the cross with too much preaching with his eloquent speech, rather he
simply focused on preaching Christ crucified. Paul believed and is confident
that the power of Jesus work on the cross could save men. Because of his
firm belief, he was able to demonstrate his faith in God’s work, by only
emphasizing and preaching Christ crucified rather than using signs and
wisdom. As Matt 11:23-24 tells us that people won’t always believe even
when they see miraculous signs and wonders.
To be an effective evangelist, one must preach like Paul did.
We need to examine our messages:
1) Have I preached a message from God or my own message?
2) Has Christ died for our sins, buried, and raised on the third day, my
foremost important message?
3) Have I preached too long and lessened the impact of the cross?
4) Have I imparted told them about church?
5) Have I demonstrated faith in God’s work on the cross?
6) Have I trusted in signs and wisdom more than in the power of cross?
5. What did apostle Peter and Philip preach?
Acts 10:42-44 Peter said: “And He commanded us to preach to the people
and to testify that He is the One appointed by God to be judge of the living
and the dead. To Him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who
believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name. While Peter
was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word.

Here are the key points of Peter’s preaching:

1. To testify Jesus is the Messiah appointed by God.
2. To bear witness for Jesus.
3. To proclaim to all who believe in Jesus, that their sins are forgiven.
Acts 8:5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.
Philip preached the Messiah has come to them.
What did Philip explain to the Eunuch, that convicted the Eunuch, to be baptized
immediately?
Acts 8:32-33 and 35-38 said the passage of Scripture the Eunuch was reading was:“He
was led like a sheep to slaughter; and like a lamb that is silent before its shearer, so He
does not open His mouth. In humiliation His justice was taken away; who will describe
His generation? For His life is taken away from the earth.” 35  Then Philip opened his
mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him. 36 As they went
along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look! Water! What
prevents me from being baptized?” 38 And he ordered that the chariot stop; and they
both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him.
From these verses we learn Holy Spirit directs Philip to explain to the
Eunuch from the book of Isaiah, Jesus was willingly taken as the sacrificial
lamb for the slaughter, died on the cross for men’s sins. Jesus is the Messiah,
the Son of God, and has authority to forgive men their sins.
Philip also asked the Eunuch: “do you believe in your heart Jesus is the
Messiah, the Son of God?” The Eunuch said: “yes”.

From Peter and Philip’s messages we learn, the gospel message is not a long
sermon, but focused on: He is the Messiah, the Son of God, the Sacrificial
Lamb, who takes away the sins of the world. Whosoever believes in Him
their sins are forgiven and and they will receive eternal life. That is the most
important gospel message, every evangelist must preach.
6. How to go out?
Luke 10:1&3 “… the Lord appointed other seventy also and sent them two and two ,
…”I am sending you like a sheep amount a pack of wolf. (Facing danger)
Ecclesiastes 4:12 And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will
withstand him, a threefold cord is not quickly broken. (Strengthen each other, mutual
encouragement and comforting one another)
Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I
in the midst of them. (Jesus Promise His presence to be there)
Matthew 18:16b in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established
(Protecting evangelist being accused of wrongdoing).
Rev 11:3 And I will give power unto My two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a
thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. In the last days there
are two witnesses sent to prophesy.
 
The Lord warns His disciples, evangelism is not a fun lighthearted activity but dangerous
both in the physical world and spiritual. You are like a sheep among a pack of wolves,
you may be attacked, hurt, even destroyed. Physically abused and attacked, emotionally,
rejected and hurt, and spiritually your calling may even be destroyed.
John 15 :20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his
lord. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept My
saying, they will keep yours also.
 
Therefore, Jesus instructs you not to go alone, but strengthened, encouraged, comforted
by one another and protected from potential accusation of the enemy. In addition, He
promised to be with you. Also, we have the Holy Spirit as Comforter and Counsellor
with us always to guide and direct us when we stop and listen for the still small voice.
7. How to equip evangelists?
Jesus said in Matthew 10:17 “so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.
A. Wise as serpents.
The serpent’s shrewdness in the garden of Eden, it knew to lead astray the
person perhaps didn’t hear the word of God direct, it knew to use question to
mislead Eve to fall. It purposely twisted God’s love and good intention for
evil.
To apply this for evangelists could mean, use serpent’s strategies to defeat the
serpent’s scheme:
1. Allow Holy Spirit guide you to the right person to evangelise.
2. Prepare the right questions to lead men to God.
3. Proclaim God’s love and good intention for mankind.
B. Innocent as dove.
The dove represents the Holy Spirit in the bible. John15:26-27 Jesus said:
“But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the
Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness about
me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from
the beginning”.
Jesus instructs His disciples to witness for Him like the Holy Spirit does.
Many evangelists like to witness by sharing their own testimonies. The
truth is, Jesus’s testimony is credible, powerful and has the authority to
forgive men’s sin and save men. But men’s testimonies have no
credibility, nor power or authority. Men’s testimony sometime sounds
weird to a unbeliever.
When evangelists go out, they are not wrestling against
flesh and blood, but against principalities against powers,
against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against
spiritual wickedness in high places. Always pray before
going out, during and after. Do not go out in your own
strength. We are fighting a spiritual battle every time we
witness and when a sinner repents there is joy in heaven
(Luke 15:7).
8. How to approach?
In general, you can approach anyone, friend relative or stranger, but when you approach
a stranger you can ask an open question like: “Would you like to know Jesus?” Give
people the opportunity to respond, if they respond “No” you simply move on to someone
who has ears to hear.
When evangelising to people you know, perhaps you could focus more on the people
group mentioned in Matthew 5:3-10 because Jesus said: “Blessed are the poor in spirit:
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn (In pain, need help);
they should be comforted (that their Messiah is here, to take away their pain). Blessed
are the meek (People humble and willing to listen): for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness (People who seek truth):
for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful (People who are kind and would listen)
for they shall obtain mercy (God’s mercy). Blessed are the pure in heart (younger one
their hearts are soft more open): for they shall see God. Research shows 68% of people
who come to the Lord are young people below age 17. Blessed are the peacemakers
(peaceful one would listen): they shall be called the children of God.
Matthew 18:3 Jesus said, and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you change
and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
It is also a good idea to be all things to all people as Paul says in 1
Corinthians 9. To a Jew he became as a Jew, to those under the law he
became as under the law, to the weak he became weak. If you are
witnessing in a poor area, don’t wear fancy expensive clothing. If you are
testifying in the first-class lounge of the airport don’t wear your sweats. If
you are evangelizing in an area of different culture be respectful of how
you dress. You should always be clean and presentable. This makes you
approachable and puts people at ease for what you have to share with
them.
Be aware of the following situation:
A drunk or drug influenced person. Is that a suitable time for he/she to hear
the gospel message?
If one does not respond to your greeting, would he/she be willing to listen to
you?
If he/she totally rejects the name of Jesus, would you push it on then?
If he/she refuses your message, would you debate with him?
If he/she abuses you, should you continue?
9. How to lead people to the Lord?
Most people have no idea they are sinners, the evangelist needs to explain
to people what sin is: lying, lust of the eyes, greed, envy, jealousy, taking
things from workplace when no one is looking, stealing, pride,
selfishness, rejecting God etc.
Sin is not only the act itself, but also what separates us from the Holy
Most High Loving Righteous God.
When men are not convicted, they will not see themselves as sinners.
Therefore, they will not confess their sins and accept a Saviour. First, they
need to realise they are a sinner.
After preaching the gospel and sharing about sins, an evangelist needs to stop
preaching or expounding more wisdom and let the power of the gospel
impact the person’s heart, and observe his/her reaction. If he/she’s body
language displays humbleness, you must be bold and ask: do you believe you
are a sinner?

If they say yes, you can lead them towards repentance, because they do not
know what to do next. Then ask: “would you like to humble yourself before
God and ask him to forgive your sins, and accept Jesus Christ is the Lord and
died on the cross for your sins as your saviour?” If the answer is yes, lead
them in prayer.
If they answer no, ask them why and listen to them carefully. Give
them an opportunity to speak their mind, to discern what is the
ungodly beliefs they hold and speak truth into their life. Always come
back to the subject of sin and the cross.

If people refuse to believe, simply move on to the next person.

Rejoice in your heart, because of what you did. You obeyed the Lord,
were bold to share the gospel. You have sowed a perfect seed, who
knows when the harvest may come. It’s better to leave people with an
impacting gospel message than give them too much wisdom at this
point.
Remember it is not your job to save a person. Nothing we can do can save
anyone. It is the Lord and the power of what He did on the cross that can save
and He alone. Our only role as an Evangelist is to bear witness to Him and His
work and present someone with the opportunity to respond.

Sometimes you could finish the conversation by saying “please remember, if

you are ever in trouble, you can pray to Jesus, believe in your heart Jesus is
Lord and confess your sins with your mouth, believe Jesus is your saviour and
you will be saved.
10. What is the gospel message or good news?
Here is an example for your reference:
Everyone has sinned, sins separate us from God, because God is holy. But God loves us so much.
He sent His only son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins, to redeem us, to restore our
relationship with God. Jesus willingly died and was buried. Three days later, He rose again.
Therefore, He has authority to forgive our sin and give us eternal life. If we are willing to repent
of our sins and believe Jesus is the Son of God the Christ, and accept Him as Lord and Saviour -
we will not die and go to hell, but have an enteral life in heaven with God. Jesus is our saviour.
Remember it isn’t enough to simply believe in God as even the devils believe in God and tremble.
(James 2:19) We must surrender our lives to Jesus Christ.

Feel free to use this message or use the points mentioned to write your own gospel
message. It’s important to get ready before you go out so you can preach confidently.
The aim is to make your gospel message short and clear for the unbeliever.
11. Where is the right place for evangelism?
You can preach anywhere to people you know. But if you try to reach out
to strangers, the best place is where there are many people, who have time
to spare, and don’t mind to be approached. For example a bus stop or on
the bus, airport or on the plane, train station or on the train, beaches,
hospital etc.
12. What is not Evangelism?
Evangelism is not about sharing our testimony.
Evangelism is not preaching a long sermon.
Evangelism is not about debate.
Debate brings out pride in people, which is the opposite of faith.
Evangelism is not about comparing religions.
The fact Jesus is the Son of God, the only one risen from the dead, because
He humbled Himself even to the death of the cross, God has highly exalted
Him, above every other name. in order that ultimately every knee will bow,
and every tongue confess Jesus Christ is the Lord.
13. Steps to follow:
1. Would you like to know what Jesus has done for you?
2. He died on the cross for your sins, we are all sinners. 
3. Sins are lying, lust in the eyes, pride, envy, jealous, selfish, rejecting God etc…
4. The penalty for sin is death, eternal separation from God in hell.
5. Our efforts can never reconnect us with God. (Religion, good works, giving to charity,
etc.)
6. But God so love you, He send His only son Jesus, the Messiah, died in your place to
pay the penalty for your sins, Jesus was buried, three days later God raised Him to live.
7. Would you like to humble yourself before God, and ask God to forgive your sins?
8. Would you accept Jesus died for you as your Lord and saviour? That your sins are
forgiven, and you are saved.
9. Don’t miss this opportunity to get right with God to accept His free gift of salvation,
eternal life, and the gift of His Holy Spirit.
14. Who needs to commission the evangelist?
Before Jesus had been taken to heaven, He commissioned His disciples “Go
into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation” Mark 16:15  
The moment you hear the great commission, and you believed it is for you,
you are the evangelist Jesus called. If you are willing to obey His calling, you
are commissioned with power and authority from Jesus to preach the gospel.
This is the most powerful commission you could ask from God. This is the
purpose of the Church, to take the gospel to the world.
 
Now its time to get your gospel message ready, if possible
practice it with your team mate, then go out 2x2 to share the
good news to some one.

May you be blesse as you share the gospel messagr!

God bless you!