Who Can I Reach? - Bringing Influenceable People to Christ (I Corinthians 9:19-23)

When we come to church:

 

1. Are we thinking about others or about ourselves?  v. 19

2. Are we willing to go out of our way to make others feel welcome in our church.  v. 20-21

 

3. Do we realize that the little things we do to make people feel welcome can help win some of them to Christ?  v. 22

4. Do we realize that the real reason we are here is to spread the gospel?  v. 23

Who Can I Reach? How to Bring a Hostile Man to Christ (Acts 6:8-15, 54-60; 9:1-20)

1. Saul, who later went by his Roman name Paul, got saved on the road to Damascus when God spoke to him out of a blinding light. Acts 9:1-9

2. God sent a reluctant disciple named Ananias to tell Saul what he must do. Acts 6:1-7:60

3. Some say that Stephen may have set an example that led to Saul's conversion. Acts 6:1-7:60

a. Stephen was chosen to be one of the first deacons (servants). Acts 6:1-7.
b. Stephen was a man full of faith and power. Acts 6:8
c. Stephen was a man of great ability in the Scriptures. Acts 6:9-10
d. Stephen was a man who did not back down under persecution. Acts 6:11-14
e. Stephen had a heavenly countenance about him. Acts 6:15
f. Stephen preached a great sermon that explained the fulfillment of God's plan through the Jews was in Jesus Christ. Acts 7:1-53
g. Stephen saw a vision of Jesus standing at the right hand of God. Acts 7:54-57
h We know that Saul saw these things about Stephen's life because he watched over the clothes of those who stoned Stephen to death. Acts 7:58
i. Saul saw Stephen forgiving the very ones who were putting him to death. Acts 7:59-60
- Saul saw forgiveness versus revenge, even in the face of death.

God did not give up on Saul who later preached in Asia and what is modern day Europe.  We may be saved because of the example Saul saw in Stephen.

Who Can I Reach? - Bringing People to Christ with a Home Bible Study (Acts 28:17-31)

1. Start by inviting people you know of that may have an interest in spiritual things.  v. 17a

2. Explain who you are and what you are doing.  v. 17b-20

3. Live in such a way that your life will be a good witness and people will listen to what you have to say. v. 21-22a

4. Use the opportunity to dispel misunderstandings people have about Christ and Christianity.  v. 22b-23a

5. Use the Word of God (the Bible) as your textbook.  v. 23b

6. Recognize that some may become believers and some may not.  v. 24

7. Understand that if you are not as successful with one Bible study group as you would like that maybe God has another group of people for you to reach.  v. 25-29

8. Turn what may look like a bad situation into an opportunity to teach unbelievers about Christ. v. 30-31

Who Can I Reach? - Bringing an Unexpected Seeker to Christ (Acts 10:1 - 11:18)

We must understand:

1. There are people we don’t expect that are sincerely seeking after God.   (10:1-2)

2. God has a desire to connect us with people  that are seeking Him.  (10:3-8)

3. God is working in us to prepare us spiritually to connect with people that are not like us.  (10:9-28)

4. God will provide us with unexpected opportunities to speak the gospel to those who are ready to listen.  (10:29-33)

 
5. Preaching Jesus is the most important thing we can do for those who are seeking to be saved. (10:34-43)

6. When seekers become believers we must help them follow through and be discipled. (10:44-48)

7. We must expect and deal with opposition when unexpected seekers come to Christ. (11:1-17)

8. We should celebrate when unexpected seekers are bought to Christ. (11:18)

Who Can I Reach? --- Bringing an Acquaintance to Christ (Acts 16:22-34)

1. Be willing to set an example in an uncertain situation.  v. 22-24

2. Pray and sing to God as a witness to those around you.  v. 25

3. Set the right example no matter what happens.  v. 26-28

4. Speak calmly and reassuringly to give hope to those who are lost.  v. 28

5. Be the kind of person that a lost person will listen to about the gospel. v. 30

6. Focus on Jesus as you share the gospel with an acquaintance who shows an interest in the gospel.  v. 31

7. Show concern for the family of an acquaintance you are trying to reach for Christ.  v. 32

8. Show them how to follow through on their decision for Christ.  v. 33

9. Rejoice with those you have led to Christ about their decision. v. 34

Who Can I Reach? --- Bringing Family Members to Christ (John 1:35-42)

1. Remember that someone introduced you to Jesus. v. 35-36

2. Be a follower of Jesus yourself. v. 37

3. Go out of your way to learn all you can about Jesus. v. 38-39

4. Be concerned enough about your family members to think about bringing them to Jesus.  v. 40-41

5. Find out where your family members are …

     a. Physically  -  v. 41a

     b. Spiritually  -  v. 41b

 
6. Live the kind of life that will allow you to lead your family members to meet Jesus.  v. 42a
 
7. Pray that your family member will have his own personal encounter with Jesus.  v. 42b

The Method of the Church: Be Salt and Light - Matthew 5:13-16

1.  What does our church do that makes our community a better place?  v. 13 

- The church should make a difference in the flavor of its community.   

 

2. If our church ceased to exists would anyone in our community know we were gone?  v. 13b

- The church ought to be good for something.

3. Does our community even know that we (Union Missionary Baptist Church) are here? v. 14

- The church ought to be a light that is extending the gospel in its community and around the world.

4. Do we minister to ourselves or do we share the blessings of God with the community? v. 15

- Is it about us or them?

5. Does our church seek to bring glory to God or to ourselves by the good works that we do? v. 16

- The purpose of all that the church does is to bring glory to God in the eyes of the community that is watching. 

Help our church be salt and light to this community.  If there are ideas of how we can do this and bring glory to the Lord, please comment!  We won't know otherwise!