courageous & contagious

OUR MISSION: To guide those far from God into the new start found in Jesus Christ.

courageous & contagious Be strong & courageous, do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged. For the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

The goal of our time together over these few weeks is to equip us to be courageous and contagious Christians who are active in guiding others back into relationship with God through Christ. courageous & contagious • Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” • John 20:21 “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” • Acts 1:8 “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the Earth.” Be strong & courageous, do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged. For the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9 To guide those far from God into the new start found in Jesus Christ.

Six characteristics of a courageous & contagious Christian… courageous & contagious • It is fuelled by LOVE • It flows from AUTHENTICITY • It is built on RELATIONSHIPS • It is expressed in ACTIONS & WORDS • It respects the PROCESS • It is a PARTNERSHIP Be strong & courageous, do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged. For the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

Evangelism styles… courageous & contagious 1) Confrontational • Acts 2:22-24, 36-39 “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man • accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among • you through him, as you yourselves know. • This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; • and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death - nailing him to the cross. • But God raised him from the dead, freeing him • from the agony of death, because it was • impossible for death to keep its hold on him… Be strong & courageous, do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged. For the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

Evangelism styles… courageous & contagious 1) Confrontational • …Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom • you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were • cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, • “Brothers, what shall we do?” • Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of • Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. • And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. • The promise is for you and your children and • for all who are far off – for all whom • the Lord our God will call.” Be strong & courageous, do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged. For the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

Evangelism styles… courageous & contagious 2) Intellectual • Acts 17:22-34 “…People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. • For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even • found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. So you are ignorant • of the very thing you worship – and this is what I am going to proclaim to you. • The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth • and does not live in temples built by human hands. • And he is not served by human hands, as if he • needed anything. Rather, he himself gives • everyone life and breath and everything else. • From one man he made all the nations, that they • should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked • out their appointed times in history and the • boundaries of their lands. 27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ • 29 “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill. 30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31 For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.” • 32 When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.” 33 At that, Paul left the Council. 34 Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed. Be strong & courageous, do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged. For the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

Evangelism styles… courageous & contagious 2) Intellectual • Acts 17:22-34 “…People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. • For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even • found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. So you are ignorant • of the very thing you worship – and this is what I am going to proclaim to you. • The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth • and does not live in temples built by human hands. • And he is not served by human hands, as if he • needed anything. Rather, he himself gives • everyone life and breath and everything else. • From one man he made all the nations, that they • should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked • out their appointed times in history and the • boundaries of their lands. Be strong & courageous, do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged. For the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

Evangelism styles… courageous & contagious 2) Intellectual • God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find • him, though he is not far from any one of us. 28 ‘For in him we live and move and • have our being.’As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ • “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine • being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill. • In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but • now he commands all people everywhere to • repent. For he has set a day when he will judge • the world with justice by the man he has • appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone • by raising him from the dead.” Be strong & courageous, do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged. For the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

Evangelism styles… courageous & contagious 3) Testimonial • John 9:13-15 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. • Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes • was a Sabbath. Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had • received his sight. • “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.” Be strong & courageous, do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged. For the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

Evangelism styles… courageous & contagious 3) Testimonial • John 9:24-25A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. • “Give glory to God by telling the truth,” they said “We know this man is a sinner.” • He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. • I was blind but now I see!” Be strong & courageous, do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged. For the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

Evangelism styles… courageous & contagious 3) Testimonial • John 9:30-33 The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where • he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to • sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will. • Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. • If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” Be strong & courageous, do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged. For the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

Evangelism styles… courageous & contagious 4) Interpersonal • Luke 5:27-32…Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting • at his tax booth. “Follow me,” Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything • and followed him. Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a • large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. But the Pharisees • and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his • disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax • collectors and sinners?” Jesus answered them, • “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the • sick. I have not come to call the righteous, • but sinners to repentance.” Be strong & courageous, do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged. For the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

Evangelism styles… courageous & contagious 4) Invitational • John 4:25-26 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. • When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” Then Jesus declared, “I, the • one speaking to you - I am he.” • 28-30 Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and • said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could • this be the Messiah?” They came out of the town • and made their way toward him. • 42They said to the woman, “We no longer believe • just because of what you said; now we have heard • for ourselves, and we know that this man really • is the Savior of the world.” Be strong & courageous, do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged. For the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

Evangelism styles… courageous & contagious 5) Invitational • Acts 9: 36-42 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha; she was always • doing good and helping the poor. About that time she became sick and died, and • her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. Lyddawas near Joppa; • so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him • and urged him, “Please come at once!” Peter went with them, and when he • arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. • All the widows stood around him, crying and • showing him the robes and other clothing that • Dorcashad made while she was still with them. Be strong & courageous, do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged. For the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

Evangelism styles… courageous & contagious 6) Serving • Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. • Turning toward the dead woman, he said, • “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. • He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. • Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to • them alive. This became known all over Joppa, • and many people believed in the Lord. Be strong & courageous, do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged. For the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

courageous & contagious • God knew what he was doing when He made you. • God knew what he was doing when He put you in your circle of friends. • God knew what he was doing when he put you in this church. Be strong & courageous, do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged. For the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

courageous & contagious Video 1 & 2 Be strong & courageous, do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged. For the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

Principles for starting spiritual conversations… courageous & contagious Focus on the other persons interests and questions Be willing to take chances Make the most of split-second opportunities Remember – Put others first! Be strong & courageous, do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged. For the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

Why your story is Important… courageous & contagious Our friends are honestly interested Our friends can relate to it It is undisputable Be strong & courageous, do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged. For the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

courageous & contagious Video 3 Be strong & courageous, do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged. For the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

courageous & contagious Be strong & courageous, do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged. For the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

OUR MISSION: To guide those far from God into the new start found in Jesus Christ.

courageous & contagious