Issue link: https://cp.revolio.com/i/1505063
Chaplain's Corner #15 Sharing the Gospel Tom & Dee Sanchez/ BSHDFC Chaplains As I write this article, I am just finishing up my Sunday sermon about sharing the Gospel. The pastors at my church have been taking turns sharing different ways to share the story of Christ to those that don't yet know Him. As we've worked through this series, we have tried to provide opportunities for the people in the church to find something that works for them. Many Christians have never shared the gospel with a non-believer. Some even believe it is only their job to live a good life, maybe invite a friend to church, and support the pastor as he shares Christ to the world. That just doesn't line up with the Bible. As Chaplains in this motorcycle ministry, we must remember that we minister to the ministers. One of our responsibilities is to oversee the spiritual care and instruction for the local chapter. Our members should be out there sharing Christ, especially since the mission statement of this ministry is "to introduce Jesus Christ to the world of motorcycle riders, for the purpose of making more and better disciples through the ministry of the local church." As Chaplains, we are to help equip our members to accomplish this task. So, how many ways do you know to share the gospel? What is your favorite way? Do you change it up depending on the situation? During our sermon series, we've discussed The Bridge, where Christ is the only bridge that can close the gap between sinful man and a holy god; the 3 Circles (God's Design, Our Brokenness, and the Gospel), the Roman's Road, and the Wordless Bible. We also had a guest speaker who shared how God had used him to perform a miracle and that allows him to share about Christ, much like the disciples did in the early church! There are so many more ways! Sharing your story (how God became real to you) is a powerful method that is hard for skeptics to refute. Other popular methods are Peace with God (made popular by Billy Graham – God's Plan, Our Problem, God's Remedy, Our Response), FAITH Evangelism (Forgiveness, Available, Impossible, Turn, Heaven/How), the 4 Spiritual Laws (God loves you, Man is sinful and separated, Jesus is the only way, we must receive Christ individually), and the 5-finger method (each finger represents Christ's birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension). But these are just a few. A quick Google search will reveal many more methods. At https://dudedisciple.com/methods-of-evangelism/, more than twenty different ways can be found. I told my church to become familiar with one. Make it a part of their lives so it feels natural. As missionaries, we should be familiar with more than one. We should be able to adapt to the changing situation we will find ourselves in and be prepared to respond. Years ago, Marty created the King of Hearts and Joker ministry cards. These can be found in our online store and are a great resource. Dee and I want to see you trained and equipped to share and to help others share. If there is anything we can do to assist you in this, please reach out to us at chaplain@bshdfc.org. b The Cost of Building a Great Chapter A Bible Study by Marty Edwards Nehemiah is the name of the 16th book in the Old Testament. Unlike many Old Testament authors, Nehemiah was not a prophet or a priest. He was a Jew who supervised the rebuilding of Jerusalem in the mid-5th century BC after his release from captivity by the Persian king Artaxerxes. He also instituted extensive moral and liturgical reforms. Why would this be an important study for a bunch of Christian bikers? Because Nehemiah was passionate about rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem that had been destroyed many years before. In doing so, he collided with his critics and enemies who were absolutely determined to stop him! I want to challenge all of our BSHDFC members to read the following segments of Nehemiah because what Nehemiah needed to complete his mission, is what we need to complete ours! And the opposition that Nehemiah met, we have or will soon meet as well. I believe the following study will be helpful for your chapter's success! 1. To build anything GREAT for God (a wall or a ministry) it's going to require a real burden. (N1:3-4) 2. To build anything GREAT for God (a wall or a ministry) it's going to require a clear vision. (N1:8-10) 3. To build anything GREAT for God (a wall or a ministry) it's going to require fearless boldness! (N2:1-4) 4. To build anything GREAT for God, you can count on encountering serious opposition. (a) doubters N4:1-2 (b) critics! N4:3 (c) destroyers N4:7-11 (d) distractors N6:1-4 (e) liars/false witnesses N6:6-8 (f) intimidators N6:10-13. But then there will be a great reward for courage and faithfulness! N6:15-16. Make no mistake! If you are building something important in your city (like a motorcycle ministry), you're going to meet some or all of these characters along the way. But if you are faithful to the end, pressing on to completeness, God will reward you as He did Nehemiah! Stand firm! b