One Sunday as they drove home from church, a little girl turned to her mother and said, "Mommy, there's something about the preacher's message this morning that I don't understand." The mother said, "Oh? What is it?" The little girl replied, "Well, he said that God is bigger than we are. He said God is so big that He could hold the world in His hand. Is that true?" The mother replied, "Yes, that's true, honey." "But Mommy, he also said that God comes to live inside of us when we believe in Jesus as our Savior. Is that true, too?" Again, the mother assured the little girl that what the pastor had said was true. With a puzzled look on her face the little girl then asked, "If God is bigger than us and He lives in us, wouldn't He show through?"

Yes, God is bigger than you or me and we should let him show through. This doesn't mean necessarily that we have to be eloquent preachers, teachers and evangelists. It means that Christ should show through a believer and others should notice the difference. The difference that Christ makes is a great starting point to enter into dialogue with others. Maybe our actions speak louder than words. We are to be a living testament read by all men.

God loves people, He wants them to come into a relationship with him such as described in John 3:16. For God so loved the world, he gave his only begotten son.

God uses people to teach and reach out to others. God is still in the rescue business. But who does he use to do the rescuing?

Today I would like to share some ideas on relationship evangelism and my own experiences in evangelism.

1. There is a story of a conversation between Jesus and Gabriel which is purely fictional, but illustrates a good point...

After Jesus ascended to heaven, the angel Gabriel approached Him and said, "Master, you must have suffered terribly for men down there."
"I did," He said.
"And," continued Gabriel, "do they know all about how you loved them and what you did for them?"
"Oh, no," said Jesus, "not yet. Right now only a handful of people in Palestine know."
Gabriel was perplexed. "Then what have you done, to let everyone know about your love for them?"
Jesus said, "I've asked Peter, James, John, and a few more friends to tell other people about Me. Those who are told will in turn tell still other people about Me, and My story will be spread to the farthest reaches of the globe. Ultimately, all of mankind will have heard about My life and what I have done."
Gabriel frowned and looked rather sceptical. He knew well what poor stuff men were made of. "But what if Peter and James and John grow weary? What if the people who come after them forget? What if way down in the twentieth century, people just don't tell others about you? Haven't you made any other plans?"
And Jesus answered, "I haven't made any other plans. I'm counting on them."
-- Lifestyle Evangelism, Joseph Aldrich, p. 15-16

2. Twenty centuries later . . . Jesus still has no other plan!
a. He counted on His early disciples and they delivered
b. He's counting on you and me;

Don't worry this is only an illustration, don't look, it's not in the
scriptures. I know how important it is to be biblically literate. To share with others we need to have something substantial to share. We need to know more of God's word.

Top Ten Signs You May Not Be Getting Enough of God's Word

* You become frustrated because Charlton Heston is not listed in the Concordance
* You think Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had a few hits during the 1960s
* The preacher announces the sermon is from Genesis-and you check the table of contents.
* You open your bible to Luke and a loose page from a magazine with the date 1965 falls out.
* The kids keep asking too many questions about your usual bedtime story: "Jonah the shepherd boy and his ark of many colours

We need to know the word of God better. That is my challenge to you and myself.

I would firstly like to talk about my experiences with friendship
evangelism.
Through a friend I came to work at GLD (Gospel Literature Distributors) over 25 years ago. I made many positive Christian contacts through my work, including having the opportunity to share Christ's message through local business acquaintances and overseas missionary organisations.
In Ecuador, South America-through a contact in a church in Quito I found work as a missionary with a well known agency.
Last time I went to Ecuador I invited one and all to services. I found the gospel in Ecuador to be contagious. I went to one baptism where in one night over 30 people baptised of all ages. Local neighbours knew of this church, its fame spread far and wide.

Barriers to Sharing
I. TOO MANY PEOPLE

A. WE LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE WE COME FACE TO FACE WITH MORE PEOPLE THAN WE CAN EASILY RELATE TO...

1. A casual stroll down the street or through a store brings us face to face with dozens of people every minute
2. Every day we come in contact with more people than we can possibly relate to in meaningful ways

B. THIS FACT CAN EASILY RESULT IN CRIPPLING OUR ABILITY TO RELATE TO PEOPLE...

1. Since we cannot possible recognize or relate to EVERY one, we are tempted to relate to NO one!
2. Before long, we begin to adopt an attitude of "isolation"
3. Eventually, we lose the ability to effectively carry on meaningful relationships

C. THIS CAN HAVE AN ADVERSE EFFECT ON EVANGELISM...

1. For a meaningful relationship is one of the most successful means of providing an avenue for the gospel
2. But many Christians, caught up in the attitude of "isolationism"...
a. Often do not have any significant contacts with non-Christians
b. Are therefore unable to relate to others in a "redemptive" manner

II. LIFE IS FAST AND COMPLICATED

A. DESPITE INVENTIONS TO SAVE TIME, WE ARE BUSIER THAN EVER...Technology has not set us free to enjoy the leisure hours promised in the 1970s.

1. Jobs change, people move
2. Congestion grows, traffic jams
3. Telephones ring constantly, TV drones on and on
4. We are held captive by schedules and the demands of others
5. We find ourselves unable to slow down our world...

B. LIVING SUCH HECTIC LIVES...

1. It is easy for one to feel there is simply no room to add the "work of evangelism"
2. One might feel that to do so may even be "the straw that breaks the camel's back"
3. So evangelism of any sort is often left out

Christians are called to be separate from the world,

Do not try to work together a equals with unbelievers for it cannot be done 2. Cor. 6:14-18.

But this does not mean isolation, We are called to be the salt of the earth as in Matt 11:19 He is a friend of tax collectors and other outcasts.

Jesus calls us into the world to bring a message of hope. How can we reach the world if we do not wish to associate with the world? Are we prepared to get our hands dirty?
Today I would like to share a message of relationship evangelism, a method of making positive contacts for the kingdom.

Definition of Relationship Evangelism
The Christian has been provided with two primary means to win the world to Christ.
1 Firstly there is the message to proclaim: the Word,
2 The manifestation of the gospel in the life of the Christian:
the personal testimony.

Relationship Evangelism
Adapting the two means to the best advantage for those we seek to lead to Christ.
A process of developing meaningful relationships with other people to build bridges.
.
By working with an unlimited pool of contacts (family, friend, neighbours, co-workers) we can build up personal relationships.
By normally starting with those closest to us and working outward.
The development of relationships involve several progressive steps such as the

* Initial contact
* Becoming better acquainted
* Being a servant
* Being a friend
* Sharing your faith when the opportunity arises
* Witness of the church
* Exposure to the gospel
* Invitation to respond

Never assume that people are not interested in the gospel. I believe that people are very interested, I talk to a lot of them. I am very aware that deep down there are spiritual needs that are crying out to be met.
A lot depends on the way we share the message. Our personal style matters.
We don't want to run ahead of the Holy Spirit in our enthusiasm.Never assume that people in general are not interested.

Assumptions can be quite dangerous. For example, the photographer for a national magazine was assigned to get photos of a great forest fire. Smoke at the scene hampered him and he asked his home office to hire a plane.
Arrangements were made and he was told to go at once to a nearby airport,
where the plane would be waiting. When he arrived at the airport, a plane was warming up near the runway. He jumped in with his equipment and yelled, "Let's go! Let's go!" The pilot swung the plane into the wind and they soon were in the air. "Fly over the north side of the fire," yelled the photographer, "and make three or four low level passes." "Why?" asked the pilot. "Because I'm going to take pictures," cried the photographer. "I'm a photographer and photographers take pictures!" After a pause the pilot said,
"You mean you're not the instructor?"

--The Jokesmith.

Maybe in times gone by most Christians found it easier to develop new relationships with other people.
Many Christians had close friends and asociates who had a Christian background like Apollos Acts 18:24-26.
In such relationships it was easy to discuss religious differences over a period of time without breaking off all contact after a few disagreements.
Today we live in a rather secular society and people generally claim to not want to talk about "religion"

In the 21st century, the stress age, christians have many barriers to overcome to form relationships such as the barrier mentioned before-time, money, telephones, entertainment.

. In his book, "Why Churches Grow," Flavil Yeakley made the following observations based upon his study of growing and dying churches:

a. "The data presented in these tables strongly support the idea that establishment of a pattern of friendship is an important part of the conversion process." (p.64)
b. "Thus the Christ who lives in the heart of the individual members of that congregation is formed in the heart of the new convert. A personal relationship is essential in the process." (p. 53)

Consider the results of a survey by The Institute For American Church Growth,
who asked over 10,000 people this question: "What was responsible for your coming to Christ and this church?" -
Their replies:

a. I had a special need - 2%
b. I just walked in - 3%
c. I like the minister - 6%
d. I visited there - 1%
e. I like the Bible classes - 5%
f. I attended a gospel meeting - 0.5%
g. I liked the programs - 3%
h. A friend or relative invited me - 79%

Relationship evangelism is not the only way to do personal work.
Many souls have been brought to Christ through other means, but relationship evangelism is a viable option which makes us better Christians in the process of trying to influence the lost.
It is an easy, natural, less confrontational way to share our faith with others. It is non-intrusive.

Where do we start?
Ask God to bless your efforts to make stronger relationships with others.
Ask God for wisdom in your dealings with others.

Principles to remember
Conduct your life in such a way that people are aware of your faith.
Don't try to say everything at once.
Ask questions of the other person, seek to understand them first.
Understand where the other person is coming from, what ideas do they have.
Be sensitive to their reactions, place yourself in their shoes.
As you share your faith, ask God through prayer for wisdom.
Prayer is the building block for any effective evangelistic ministry.

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES...

1. Around the NEIGHBORHOOD...
a. Include Christians in your social, recreational and work activities with your non-Christian friends
b. Have your prospects over for dinner, and invite some Christian friends as well
c. Invite your prospects to functions of the local church (regular assemblies, gospel meetings, etc.)
d. Invite them to "pot-lucks" or other social functions organized by Christians
e. Invite them to home Bible studies with a mixture of Christians and non-Christians
2. At WORK...
a. Introduce them to other Christian associates
b. Invite them to attend weekly Bible studies at places of employment, or with other businessmen outside of work. Try sharing the faith on neutral ground.
c. Invite them to church functions
d. Invite them to lunch or dinner where other Christians will be present

Again, the purpose at this stage is not to convert, or to "gang up" on the prospect, but to simply let them be around other Christians where they can see the faith of others being demonstrated in their lives.
Faith in Christ is a life changing experience. Trusting Him can change our lives and the lives of others through the power of the Holy Spirit. Real faith should be contagious.
I am convinced that friendship evangelism works, here I stand before your today a result of a kind word by a christian friend on a city street corner more than 25 years ago!

Source Materials--Executable Outlines, M. Copeland, 2002