| Greetings!
There are some exciting firsts in our sixth issue!
This month we begin an 'interview' series to help introduce our Resource Ministries. Each month, they'll be sharing their answers to several questions we posed regarding evangelism. We think you'll learn how they can assist your efforts to share your faith.
We're also thrilled to present a very special offer from On Mission Magazine. We encourage you to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to gain valuable insights into evangelism and missions.
May God continue to equip you to be a greater lover of people you know, and meet, and may your desire to share the Savior increase...Someone You Love Needs Him!
Sincerely,
Scott McIntyre
Share the Savior:
Someone You Love Needs Him |
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Confidence Builders |
Are Friends Uninterested in Jesus?
If you've ever become discouraged because someone you care about seems totally disinterested in God, take heart. There are only two possible things going on in their life, and we can praise God in both circumstances.
1. They truly have no interest in things of God.
This shouldn't come as a surprise to us. We know that people without faith in Christ are alienated from God and enemies of his. ( Romans 5:10) This built in enmity is not something to lose any sleep over however, because God is the ultimate Enemy Exchanger!
Remember Saul on the road to Damascus? He hated Christians, and was personally persecuting Jesus. Yet in a moment, the unlimited power of God changed him into a willing servant, and committed follower of his former enemy.
True, your dear friend or beloved family member may seem like a hopeless case, but there is no one beyond the reach of our Mighty God! And he's not just powerful, he can be magnificently persuasive!
2. They have an interest because God is drawing them.
Jesus said, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him..." ( John 6:44), and that included Saul.
We have no way of knowing what was going on inside the soul of this man as he railed against the early church. His heart could have been as hard the moment Jesus spoke to him, as it was the day he watched Stephen being stoned to death.
It's equally possible though, that he could have been feeling the strong arms of God drawing him ever closer to the Savior he sought to persecute. It is not uncommon for people to resist the change God is bringing about, especially when they begin to sense that the battle is being lost.
Though everyone doesn't act like Paul when they are being drawn, many do seem frustrated or upset during this process. For instance, you might find your friends...
- Withdrawing from your friendship.
- Being fearful to relinquish previous beliefs.
- Refusing your invitation to church.
- Telling you to drop the religious talk
If this happens, don't despair. Hang in there, and keep loving them...perhaps you'll see God pulling them toward a great salvation!
Bottom Line
The same power that raised Christ from the dead, and the incomparable ability to turn even the hardest heart soft, are available to God for the task of reaching your friend or family member, who is resisting His message of grace. |
| Training Tools |
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How to Witness to a Pagan - Part 2
In our last issue, we introduced Gwydion Oak, a practicing Pagan, "Wiccan in particular", who wrote an article for WitchVox.com titled, How to Witness to a Pagan.
Though written to introduce Christians to Pagan beliefs, hopefully making them "more effective in sharing their beliefs", and presumably, less obnoxious, his remarks often provide principles for sharing with anyone who doesn't embrace the Christian faith.
In this issue, I'd like to share more of his thoughts, and add some of my own, on the of topic 'successful' evangelism.
Accept that You Can't Win Them All
"Realize before you begin that you will not convert everyone you meet," Gwydion begins, "and know when to stop." He recalls missionaries who seemed to regard a Pagan's refusal to join their church as evangelistic failure or a personal rejection. "In most cases, neither is true," he wrote.
"If a Pagan finally tells you that they have found their path, and wishes you well on yours, that simply means that you need to let go..."
Interestingly, Gwydion has described what often happens, when a Christian forgets who's in charge of changing minds. Only by the Spirit of God, can a Pagan, or any non-Christian, become convinced of the truth of the cross.
When we don't recognize this fact, and keep pushing our opinion in the hope we can get them to accept our way of thinking, we're trying to do the Spirit's task, and we are never very good at it.
Make sure your listener understands the message, when sharing your faith, instead of making acceptance your goal. That is a responsibility God puts in our hands.
One Last Comment from Gwydion
Gwydion thinks, and we agree, that knowing when to back off will help foster religious tolerance, which is not a bad thing if we understand all that truly means.
"You don't have to accept their beliefs, or agree with them, but since you never know what the future may hold, suspend judgment. That is the spirit of religious tolerance...that everyone has a basic right to believe according to their conscience."
And we understand that God's Spirit is able and responsible to change consciences! Thanks again, Gwydion! |
| Equipping Events |
May 2-3, 2008 - Pasadena, CA
The Christian Ministries Training Association will hold the 55th GLASS Convention at the Pasadena Convention Center. There will be 12 workshop tracks, including sessions on Outreach and Evangelism.
The Keynote Speaker Team includes Dr. Charles Arn, former pro football player, Dr. Ken Hutcherson, Tom Givens, Christine Yount Jones, Sean McDowell, and Helen Mitchell. Online Registration is available.
For information about other upcoming conferences, visit the Events page of Share the Savior. |
| Resource Ministry of the Month |
 International Student's, Inc.
ISI is an organization of Christian volunteers who want to have friendships with international students at U.S. colleges and universities.
Here's this month's interview with Leon Harper, Regional Director of ISI, in the Bay Area.
Q. How can ISI assist a church's evangelism efforts?
A. ISI can assist the local church in their evangelism efforts by offering cross-cultural training, and connecting them with international students at a nearby college and university, for the purpose of building relationships, and sharing Christ's love with them.
Q. What resources does your ministry offer to help Christians be more effective sharing their faith?
A. Training that ISI can offer will help them understand their audience, the international student, and the cultural differences between them and Americans. This will help them be more sensitive and understanding with their students so that they can share the Gospel appropriately.
Q. What do you think is the most important thing to remember when sharing the gospel with a friend?
A. To sense where their heart is, in their understanding of God, and their need to be accepted and loved by him.
Find Out More
Here are some links to help you learn more about ISI.
- Local ISI Staff with a link to Leon's home page
- Get to Know ISI - Statement of Faith and a lot more
- International Student's Page - Check out KGP
- Free Resources
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We close with two other thoughts.
One from Gwydion. "Treat Pagans [and everyone] you would teach with the same respect, as people, that you would want for yourself."
And the other from God..."Love your neighbor as yourself."
Sincerely,
Scott McIntyre
Share the Savior | |
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| Pause and Consider |
 Christians Should be More 'Adverbial'
A man, who had little good to say about Christianity, once called me a humane, compassionate Christian, and I thought, what a nice way to be recognized. |
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Suddenly it dawned on me that the polite sounding words were adjectives identifying me as an exception to other Christians he knew.
Since I think the Bible teaches every Christian is supposed to act humanely (adverb) and compassionately (another adverb), it was troubling to be identified so differently.
He obviously didn't know me well enough to realize that I can be a poor example of a disciple of Christ, but he knew enough of the Bible to realize that Christians should major in the behavior of their Savior.
May we each consider how to be more adverbial! |
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Visit this Month's Resource Ministry |
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Special Free Offer! |
On Mission Magazine
Would a magazine with practical ways for you to share Christ in the real world be a helpful resource?
What if it provided you with more ideas to help you lead your church, your family, or your life to be more on mission?
Well, that's exactly what On Mission does, and it's FREE!
You can sign up to receive the magazine in English or Spanish, give a gift subscription to a friend, or order a bulk subscription for your church, and it's all FREE!
Subscribe here! (Did we tell you it's FREE?)
Read the current issue online here!
On Mission is produced by NAMB, the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention.
Visit On Mission |
| Help Sustain
Share the Savior |
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Admin Manager Needed
Small organizations often function more effectively because of volunteers, and Share the Savior is no exception.
We are looking for one or more people to fill the role of Administrative Manager.
The position will initially provide some basic administrative support, but focus on recruiting, training, and supervising volunteers to handle administrative, financial, and IT duties.
If you know anyone who might be interested, please ask them to contact us.
Contact Information:
Scott McIntyre
510 734-6212
Share the Savior
PO Box 5594
Hercules, CA 94547 |
| To find out more about supporting the work of Share the Savior, click here and visit our Support page. | |
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