PERSONAL EVANGELISM
Lesson 1. Keys To Preparing Your Heart:
Healing From Evangelism Stereotypes

(Audio Clip)

I. Our Image of Evangelism Will Affect How We Reach Out To Others

Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh (Mat. 12:34).

A. If we conceive of evangelism as being difficult and tedious, it will affect our approach to outreach.

Illustration: If we see airplanes as tending to crash, we will:

• not fly, or
• fly and be very nervous

B. Many have negative associations with the idea of evangelism. Examples:

C. Many believers conceive of evangelism as an aggressive person with a confrontational approach in a hostile environment.

Mental Image Response Action

D. Your mental image will evoke some kind of response. This response can become a trap to get you to not fulfill the will of God. If how you imagine evangelism produces fear or anxiety or repulsion, then you are incorrectly thinking and responding to the Great Commission. The image you have in your mind is a "stereotype."

II. Stereotypes

A. Definition:

1. a fixed metal type, hence a plate or fixed or solid metal type for printing books; thus we say a book is printed on stereotype or in stereotype; the latter use of the word seems rather to signify the workmanship or manner of printing than the plate.
2. the art of making plates or fixed metal types or executing work on such plates.

B. A stereotype can be either positive or negative. Some produce life and others produce death.

C. Stereotypes determine our freedom to function.

III. The Present Stereotype of Evangelism

A. The Personality.

1. aggressive
2. hyperactive
3. dominant

B. The Approach.

1. aggressive
2. confrontational

C. The Environment.

1. door-to-door
2. downtown
3. the street

Resident within us is the Holy Spirit whose great heart-cry is to reach a dying world for Jesus Christ.

IV. Origins of False Stereotypes

A. The Battle Over Evangelism. "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10). The devil does not want us to reach out to others. Illustration: Gen. 3:1-5, the devil deceived Eve into believing lies. The strategy of the enemy:

1. The ultimate goal of the enemy is to stop a life before it's saved and destroy it.
2. If that doesn't work, to get a person to quickly abandon the faith.
3. And if that doesn't work, to keep them from reaching out to others.

B. The History of Evangelism Training.

1. The role model of the equipping evangelist. Aggressive evangelists were the traditional role models. This then became a personality stereotype. Then a group of aggressive people become the only ones reaching out and the rest are completely uninvolved.
2. The methodology of confrontation. Most were trained to confront people with the Gospel message.
3. The training environment. Most were then taken downtown or door-to-door where there are no relationships to train them in confronting people with the Gospel message.

 

Home | Courses | Charges | Online Registration | FAQ Study Groups | Extension | What's New | Resources | Samples