Church of Christ Sermons and Lessons for 2012
Speaker	Sermon/Lesson Title   (Right Click to Download)	Audio   Video  Text    Ipod MS Word	Category	Date Added	Lesson
Bobby Stafford	Advice on Personal Evangelism (Download Audio)		Evangelism	February 19, 2012	Sunday PM Sermon

Advice on Personal Evangelism 

Introduction: 

Read Acts 5:42.  All of us want to be like the early Christians.  We want to do our best in telling others the good news.  But many are afraid.  So what is some good advice on doing personal work? 

Body: 

I. What Not to Do 

1. Don’t start by criticizing the other person’s beliefs.  That will close an open heart.  Find common ground.  (Acts 8:34-35)
2. Don’t act haughty; or like a know-it-all.  Make sure your attitude is right.  (Colossians 4:5)
3. Don’t do all the talking.  Let them express their beliefs.
4. Don’t use too many scriptures.  Focus on a few.  Let the other person read from his own Bible. 
5. Definitely don’t get angry!

II. What to Say and What to Do 

1. Have courage to say something.  You know it is the right thing to do.
2. Get the person alone.  Talking with someone in a crowd about salvation is usually not effective.  Remember Christ’s words with Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman.
3. Tell them why this is so important to you.
4. Stress the things with which you agree.  (Acts 17:22-23)
5. Be genuinely sincere.  They need to know how much you really care about their soul.
6. Remember the other person’s convictions are just as important to him as yours are to you.
7. Ask questions.  (Luke 10:25-28)
8. Never argue; even if you win, you lose !  (II Timothy 2:24-26)
9. Always point to the Bible.  Allow the person to read for himself.  “What does the Bible say?” 

10. Never apologize for the truth or be ashamed of what the Bible

      says.  (Romans 1:16)

11. Stay focused on the lesson.  Don’t get side tracked. 

III. Things You Might Hear 

1. “If there is a God, why does He allow sin and war?”
2. “I would be a follower of Christ, but the Christian life isn’t practical.”
3. “I don’t believe in baptism.”
4. “I’m waiting until I feel differently.”
5. “I’d like to be a Christian, but I don’t know enough yet.”
6. “I think I shall try to live the Christian life for a while before being baptized, and if I am successful I shall become a Christian.”
7. “I don’t know which church to join.”
8. “I am as good as the members of the church.”

9.     “I believe in the Lord; that is enough.”

10.  “I’m too mean to be a Christian.”

11.  “I don’t know why I don’t.”

12.  “I’m too young, or I don’t know enough.”

13.  “I’m too old, or I’ve waited too long.”

14.  “I’m too sinful.”

15.  “I’m all right just like I am.”

16.  “I’m going to wait until I’m ready.”

17.  “You people are just too narrow-minded.”

18.  “I just could not live the Christian life.”

19.  “I just don’t know.”

20.  “I’m waiting on so and so.”

21.  “My mother (or someone else) died unprepared, and I just

             could not become a Christian for that reason.”

     22.  “Members of my family would not like it.” 

IV. At the Close  

1. Establish a need.  The person must come to realize that he is a sinner and what it will mean to die lost.
2. Eliminate objections.  “What would keep you from obeying today?”
3. Ask him to respond.  “Let’s go to the church building right now.”  (Acts 22:16)

Conclusion: 

Read Acts 2:40.  He did all he could to persuade them.  He knew they were lost.  (Jude 22:23) 

Bobby Stafford

February 20, 2012

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