The Eleven Twelve Project
 
Volume #12
January 2009
 
Greetings!
Christmas is over, and gift giving is behind us for another year.  Or is it?  Actually, in this issue, it seems to us that everything is a gift from or for someone. 
 
First, any wisdom we might have regarding evangelism, is a gift from the Father.  Our desire to write this newsletter, and the hope that it might encourage and equip you, is also a gift from Him. 
 
Your willingness to receive the Eleven Twelve Project is a gift to us, and all the articles all designed to help you better share the gift of salvation with those who need the Savior.  Even our Win a Resource section has been renamed this month because you've won a free gift.
 
So tear open the packages...it's gift giving time!
 
Sincerely,
 
Scott McIntyre
Share the Savior:
Someone You Love Needs Him
In This Issue
Confidence Builders: God Made Evangelism Easy for Us
Training Tools: How to Be Clear for Christ
Equipping Events: BASS Church Workers Convention
Ministry Partner of the Month: Forgiveness Ministries
Confidence Builders
Photo of Burney Falls 
God Made Evangelism Easy for Us
How would you like it if God expected your role in evangelism to include the following three things?
 
1.  Arousing someone's interest in the gospel
2.  Convicting them of their sin
3.  Dying for them
 
Of course, that's not what God expects of you and me at all. 
 
He is responsible for drawing people toward Jesus and the message of salvation; the Spirit is charged with making them aware of the burden of their sin; and Christ is the only one whose death was ever enough to save them.
 
With as much as God has done, we can be thankful that we've not been left out of the picture.  Instead, He has blessed us with the privilege of explaining to people how they can receive the forgiveness of a gracious God, and given us the responsibility to do so in love, with gentleness and respect, making sure they understand what we've said.
 
God's assignments can always be accomplished, with His help!
Training Tools
Photo of Wheat Sunset 
How to Be Clear for Christ - Part I
The Apostle Paul, was referring to the gospel message when he asked Christians in Colossae to "Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should." (Colossians 4:2-4)
 
Be clear!  That sounds so easy, but according to David Cho, "Every group, be it a profession, subculture, religion, or social group, has its own collective lexicon of unique jargon, understood and appreciated only by its members."

The unique jargon used by Christians is often called Christianese, and it can be a road block to understanding for people who don't share our spiritual heritage.  With that in mind, let me propose some ideas which could improve your ability to be clear when presenting the spiritual truth about Christ.
 
If Paul needed God's help, it makes sense that we do too.  So, first, ask God to help you proclaim it clearly!  Then spend some time practicing clarity, by selecting one or more of the ideas below.
  1. Find a Christian's testimony online that is full of Christianese.  Rewrite it, eliminating the Christianese, and give both to a friend.  Ask which they think is easier to understand.
  2. Post your personal testimony on a discussion board (or your Blog if you have one), select certain words or phrases that may be difficult to understand, and ask readers to provide a clearer way to express the same thoughts.
  3. Listen to a sermon and write down the words and phrases you think could be difficult for someone who is not a Christian to understand.  Take some of them and write correct, but simpler definitions. 
Finally, it helps to keep a proper perspective on evangelism.  Remember that being convincing is not the goal for the Christian when sharing the gospel, clarity is.  When someone understands the message we're communicating, we've fulfilled our role in evangelism.
 
* * * * * *
 
In the next issue of The Eleven Twelve Project, we'll conclude our short series on How to Be Clear for Christ, by providing a few more ways to practice clarity.  
 
Until then, for more immediate help on this subject, read about our free gift to you or visit Christianese Untangled, a resource section on our website.
Equipping Events
Photo of Zechariah 
March 5-7, 2009 - Castro Valley, CA
With over 350 workshops to choose from, in 19 different tracks, the BASS Church Workers Convention, may have something for everyone.  However, we want to focus on the talks being presented in the evangelism track.
 
Here's just some of the topics you'll find at this year's event.

Don't see one that interests you?  Try accessing all the workshops.  Unable to attend?  Most of the workshops will be recorded, and available for purchase after the convention.

Check out the sessions that Share the Savior will be presenting at BASS or visit the Events page of our website for information about other upcoming conferences.
Ministry Partner
Help Graphic 
Forgiveness Ministries
Helping people develop a lifestyle of forgiveness, based on the Cross of Jesus Christ, is one of the primary goals of Forgiveness Ministries, and the results of living this lifestyle can play an important role in evangelistic effectiveness.
 
According to Steve Diehl, the founder of Forgiveness Ministries, "people who fully receive God's forgiveness, authentically forgive others, and sincerely ask others for forgiveness" can expect changes in their lives.  Here are just four...
  1. An increase in the feelings of joy, peace, and hope
  2. The ability to love others (even our enemies)
  3. Better opportunities to restore broken relationships
  4. More and better friendships
In other words, a turning toward wholeness begins; the process of conforming us to the image of Christ is underway, just as God promises in Scripture.
 
How does that relate to evangelism?  Jesus came to seek and save the lost, and it was through his perfect human character, that the love of the Father was poured out to those around him.  As we continue to look more like the Son, we too will be vessels of God's story of redemption to the lost around us.
 
We encourage you to learn more about this ministry of forgiveness that God is using Steve to lead.  Below are five steps you might consider.

The Final Word: God may not use Forgiveness Ministries or Share the Savior as he molds you into the image of His Son, but He will accomplish that very thing, in His time, and His way, for His glory!

 
Indicates Free Resources
 
 
As we complete our twelfth issue, I want to try and summarize the philosophy of evangelism we've shared in this issue, and the previous eleven, in 25 words or less.  Here goes... 
God wants us to love people.  People who love, strive to meet other's needs.  Some people we know need salvation.  Let's share Christ with them.
May God continue to make us greater lovers of people, better equipped to recognize their needs, especially their need of a Savior, and more eager to communicate the message of hope to them.
 
Sincerely,
 
 
Scott McIntyre
Share the Savior
Someone You Love Needs Him!
Quick Links
Pause  and Consider
Who people are, and what they think, matters a great deal to God, and it should matter to us too.
 
Therefore, arguments over spiritual matters should be avoided, and if we blow it, we should be the first to apologize.

Visit this Month's Ministry Partner

 
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Sustaining Us! 
 
I've recently come to a deep realization that your subscription to this newsletter makes you a supporter of our ministry, much the same as financial donors or prayer partners. 
 
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Money and prayer are the common ways I pictured people supporting us.  But I realized that 'support' is merely the vehicle enabling us to serve the church. 
 
Therefore, anyone's interest in Share the Savior, that affords us the opportunity to minister (and that certainly includes you) is a supporter of our work.
 
With that in mind, thank you for your support.
To find out more about supporting the work of Share the Savior, click here and visit our Support page.
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a Resource!
To further show our gratitude for your support, we've decided to offer you a free gift. 
 
We hope it will not only properly show our appreciation, but also enable you to more effectively communicate your faith to a loved one who needs the Savior.
 
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To visit the Archives, where you can browse all previous issues of the Eleven Twelve Project, click here.
 
New issues are published approximately every six weeks, and will be added to the archives shortly afterwards.