# Reformed Evangelism



## GoodTreeMinistries.com

What are some of the methods you use to reach the lost as a reformed Christian? What are some Good reformed gospel presentations that you use or know of. Please anything is welcome. Articles, videos, service(ending with tract)and tracts...etc.


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## Miss Marple

Well, I left a Gideon Bible at the ATM today. . .


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## Afterthought

I treat them nicely, and I invite them to church. If they won't go to the church, I invite them to at least speak with a pastor. If they won't go to speak with the pastor, I offer to bring the pastor to them. Recently, the congregation I attend at home has made little cards that have the church's contact information and address on it, so as to make it easier to invite people to come and hear the preaching of the word.


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## C. M. Sheffield

A few things come to mind...


Pray daily that God would save the lost and use you as an instrument to that end.
Meditate routinely upon the impending doom of sinners and the mercy of God in Christ.
If a minister; Preach the Gospel from the pulpit, in public, and from house to house.
Distribute God's Word and evangelistic literature promiscuously. 
Invite people to your church with every opportunity that presents itself.
Take the opportunity to speak the Gospel to those whose path you providentially cross with honesty and love.
Pray for God's forgiveness for unfaithfulness in all these areas and for grace to fulfill them with all earnestness.


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## Miss Marple

We have a Vacation Bible School, now. Also we as a church go monthly to a rest home to exhort and sing and visit. We are going to be having a conference of some sort this August. We have a Harvest Dinner, and a Backpacking trip. Unbelievers have attended and continue to attend all these things, so, the gospel is shared with unbelievers.

Beyond that we just reach out to friends, family, neighbors as possible. Apparently mentally ill people drop in on occasion, and we welcome them and give them the gospel. After all we are in San Francisco - we have our regulars.

A music teacher of my daughter's just became a Christian after being prayed for for twenty years or so by my elder's wife. He has a Bible but I gave him a copy of Confessing Christ, and invited him to church as he has no church home as of yet. I hear of others witnessing to roommates, people at the bus stop, fellow students. . . a lot of variety, really.


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## C. M. Sheffield

I live in the Bible belt and evangelism has its challenges here. I can't imagine the kind of challenge it must be to evangelize in a place like San Francisco.


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## Miss Marple

C. M. Sheffield said:


> I live in the Bible belt and evangelism has its challenges here. I can't imagine the kind of challenge it must be to evangelize in a place like San Francisco.



At least we have people to witness to!


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## Backwoods Presbyterian

While you have a point C.M., in a lot of ways it is actually much harder to evangelize here in the Bible Belt when most unbelievers have some kind of tenuous association with a church and must be convinced they are in fact not a Christian. 

Another way to look at it is that it is easier to build a house from "scratch" (i.e. - evangelize in an openly anti-Christian place like San Francisco) than it is to tear down a dilapidated structure and rebuild it (i.e. - evangelizing in the cultural Christianity of the Deep South).


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## au5t1n

^What he said.


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## Marrow Man

Tim Keller once said exactly the same thing -- it was easier to evangelize in Manhattan than it was in rust-best Pennsylvania.


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## Josh Williamson

C. M. Sheffield said:


> A few things come to mind...
> 
> 
> Pray daily that God would save the lost and use you as an instrument to that end.
> Meditate routinely upon the impending doom of sinners and the mercy of God in Christ.
> If a minister; Preach the Gospel from the pulpit, in public, and from house to house.
> Distribute God's Word and evangelistic literature promiscuously.
> Invite people to your church with every opportunity that presents itself.
> Take the opportunity to speak the Gospel to those whose path you providentially cross with honesty and love.
> Pray for God's forgiveness for unfaithfulness in all these areas and for grace to fulfill them with all earnestness.



Excellent advice!


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## Christopher88

The south is closed off the gospel; there are too many unbelieving churches or churches that practice false doctrine that the gospel in the south might be darker land then the west...


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## jogri17

I think it is important to make a distinction between evangelism and outreach. We do outreach in the hope to get an opportunity to evangelize. I tend to believe from my experience that outreach is better done as the church as a whole (group), while evangelism tends to work better with friendships and individuals 1-1 aside from the preaching of the Gospel on Sunday Mornings which hopefully would interest non christians after sufficient exposure to the people of God in our outreach. 

Things like soup kitchens, VBS, language instruction, website, Facebook page, etc. tend to me more outreach. They try to get the name of Christ, the Lord, out there as represented by a local church. But even if there is a spiritual twist to the various things mentioned, it falls short of evangelistic. In evangelistic, the goal is to see a person come to repent of their sin and turn to Christ. This can be dramatic as in a preaching event during a special service or in can be more gradual as during weekly meetings at starbucks in going through a book of the Bible or a catechism or a simple Christian book. 

And to finally answer the question, I personally am a strong believer in relationship evangelism (I didn't use to be). Individuals sharing the gospel with people. I am firmly convinced that it is a sign of an unhealthy church which only has the ministers share the Gospel with unbeleivers. I wouldn't go too far in that and imply that every single person has an obligation to share the Gospel with every person they know, but in providence God gives us occasions and it would be sin to not act upon them. Ministers and elders have a duty to teach people how to share the Gospel, or make sure it is done. 

Some ways I have seen this down is simply not being too dogmatic about methodology. They permit various programs to be used and shared during Sunday school classes and each person can pick one that works, and eventually as different opinions and thoughts are shared, midst the chaos of contradictory opinions, each person tends to settle down on their own approach and creates a culture in which it becomes normal to talk about their experiences and how how they could learn from other brothers and sisters. But I think that is the key, we Christians are afraid not just of sharing our faith, more more fundamentally talking about how our spiritual convictions affect our daily live outside of local church life with one and another because we all have our own different gifts and temperaments.


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## SinnerSavedByChrist

> Distribute God's Word and evangelistic literature *promiscuously.*


If there ever was a proper use for the word "Promiscuous" we have it. Amen!!

I would recommend people to Ray Comfort's "method" of quickly presenting a gospel and engaging people's consciences. Living Waters University, Justin - YouTube - and there are heaps of other similar videos. The Law-grace approach cuts all the pleasantries out, and engages the ungodly head on. 

But yea, evangelism must flow not just out of_ knowledge_ of the Gospel, but of *intense gratefulness* for the mercies Jesus has shown each of us. From this will flow an _irrepressible desire_ to share with others that love. And gird yourself for suffering. Prepare to lose all your non-christian friends. All of them if God so hardens their heart against the gospel. If you preach the gospel to everyone you come across, they will gnash their teeth at you and want to kill you. They will say: _"Keep your religion to yourself and don't push it down my throat"_. (that is, if you preach a Puritan gospel)

I've lost many worldly "friends" because I've finally dared to speak up. All that "relationship building" becomes powder puff overnight when you preach the gospel. But I'd rather they hear the gospel, of their sin, God's wrath and the Love of God revealed in the person of Christ - than I be their "friend" while they stumble to the slaughter. 

It's not easy!!! Gotta keep praying those Col 4:3 and Eph 6:19 prayers!!!

EDIT: If you want to learn about how to evangelise in a 1 to 1, or a street outreach context, contact the puritanboard member "Josh Williamson" who posted above. He has plenty of experience and advice he can offer. Be blessed!


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## Zach

This thread has been very convicting to me already. Thanks for the very good advice, everybody. How unloving of us is it to not speak of Christ to those who need Him!


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## ThyWord IsTruth

I ask the Lord to give me the sensitivity to notice when there is an opening to share the gospel.
I ask the Lord to go before me throughout the day and prepare hearts and minds, to make the ground fallow to receive the implanted word of God. 
I ask God for wisdom and love to say the right truths of who He is. 

A great question to ask someone is. "What do you think is our main purpose for existence?"
Many times they are speechless or dont know what to say. Most people dont think about that. They just go on living in a cycle without even thinking about it. 

Most of all be a Christian. Glorify God even when talking in normal conversation to strangers. You will be surprised how a "Praise God for this beautiful day" can open up conversation.


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## Stephen L Smith

Some solid Reformed resources include
* Tell the Truth Tell the Truth The Whole Gospel Wholly by Grace Communicated Truthfully & Lovingly (4th Edition) - Reformation Heritage Books
* Spurgeon's Soul winner The Soul Winner - Reformation Heritage Books
* Evangelism and Sovereignty of God Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God - Reformation Heritage Books
* Lloyd-Jones has helpful advice in Knowing the Times - see especially the articles 'The presentation of the gospel' and 'conversions psychological and spiritual' Knowing the Times - Reformation Heritage Books


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## Hamalas

What do y'all think of the Christianity Explored courses? I've been looking at their stuff and am impressed but I'd love to hear the mechanics of how it has been used and applied in local churches. Has it proved helpful to unbelievers? How often do you run it? What advice would you give to a church looking to offer this course?


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## JM

I listened to this sermon last night and it was encouraging, not so much on_ methods_ but remaining faithful to scripture when involved in evangelism and missions. 

"We don't have a band or fancy children's programing...but we do have the word of God; Baptism [and the Lord's Supper]..." and that is enough. (Henry Bartsch, June 23rd evening service at Trinity ARP Church)


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