Evangelism Explosion
“I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. Now the one who plants and the one who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.” (1 Corinthians 3:6-9 NASB 2020)
When I was 15 years old, I first learn how to share a simple gospel message. I was the first one in my family to accept Christ, so I was eager to try to explain it to my family. I shared the gospel with my dad the week after returning from Bible Camp where I had learned the gospel presentation. Amazingly, after explaining it to him and asking him if he wanted to accept Christ, he said yes! My mom, who was very religious, took about two more years before she came to Christ with my senior pastor. During that time, I also had the privilege of leading one of my brothers to Christ. I talked to a new kid at the youth group I had just started attending and he prayed with me to receive Christ.
My freshman year in college a new acquaintance asked me if I would like to join a Sunday School class that he was teaching on evangelism called Evangelism Explosion. I had never heard of the training ministry, but I had heard of the founder, Dr. D. James Kennedy. I didn’t know what I was getting myself into or how much this one Sunday School class would change my life and ministry. Over the course of the rest of the semester I attended this Sunday School class, and we would break up into teams of three to follow-up on church visitors or find receptive people in the community to talk about Jesus. They called this, “On the Job Training,” or “OJT.”
Over the last 32 years I cannot think of a time that I have shared the gospel personally with another interested individual and not use some or all of what I learned in that Sunday School class. It took a little work to memorize the gospel presentation and the accompanying verses, but it has been the tool that I have used to see God bring many people to himself. Seemingly random conversations have actually been “divine appointments” where God brought me to someone whose heart was ready to hear the gospel and receive Christ. I could share with you story after story of people who I have met who have come to Christ through the gospel presentation I first learned back in 1989.
The Gospel has not changed! It is still the power of God for salvation to all who believe! We may use different illustrations or approach people from different angles, but the message of the gospel is timeless. We are launching evangelism training called Share Your Faith, on Saturday, March 27, 2021 here at Carlisle Alliance Church. The doors open at 8:30 AM and we will conclude around 4:00 PM. The cost is $25 which includes all materials and lunch. Everyone high school age on up is encouraged to attend. This one-day seminar is the beginning of a larger equipping ministry. Following this event, for those who want to go deeper, we will be offering further training on Monday nights along with opportunities to have “On the Job Training.” Click on the link below or fill out the form located in the Sunday bulletin to sign up for the one-day training.
https://store.evangelismexplosion.org/p-1981-share-your-faith-at-carlisle-alliance-church.aspx
