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Mark Pickering gives the lowdown on the upcoming tour Confident Christianity Do you ever feel that your evangelism skills could be honed? Do you long to get the gospel message through to your friends but struggle to communicate? Or perhaps you worry about the difficult questions that might get thrown at...
We cannot talk with non-Christians about the Gospel unless we first talk with them. But talking superficially is not enough. The Gospel involves serious life and death issues which are deeply personal, and if we jump in cold without first establishing a relationship with our hearers, we will only turn...
Introduction To maintain our sanity we need to understand clearly who is responsible for what in sharing the Good News. In particular we need to address the questions, 'What is God's part and what does he expect of me?' Get the answers to those questions wrong and you will find that...
If we are living a consistent Christian life and praying for opportunities to speak of Christ, they will come. But will we be ready? Will we be able to explain confidently and coherently what we believe? Where should we start? What should we include? How should we finish? Thankfully we...
It is one thing to know what the Gospel is. But it is quite another to present it clearly and succinctly in a way that others can understand. A good Gospel outline needs to be simple to remember, and free of jargon terms while covering the central issues of the...
It may sound a tall order but I believe the major beliefs of Christians can be reduced to five basic propositions. I want to outline them at the beginning of our discussion, and then questions can begin in any area you would like to take up. Proposition 1 Contrary to popular...
Some people argue that evangelism is a matter of the simple proclamation of Gospel truths, uncluttered by human arguments that appeal to fallen intellects. Christianity, they say, is an affair of the heart, not the mind and God alone can open blind eyes to see the glorious truth of the...
Being open about your faith in God can be scaring! The common fears are: losing friends appearing judgmental not knowing how to answer their questions On the first issue, all one can say is, 'Yes, that's a risk! Being a disciple is a costly business.' However, in our culture if...
Three Valid Approaches Beauty and design in the natural order eg Ps 19:1, Rom 1:19-20 Inner awareness eg Acts 17:27, Rom 2:15 God has revealed himself in Jesus Christ eg Col 1:13-15 Three Different Sets of Objections Creation Genesis v Evolution The problems of suffering and evil Experience The world's religions Isn't...
'It is a central heresy of our culture to say that all truth is relative; that one thing may be true for me and quite another may be true for you. This absurdity destroys the very notion of truth.... and is the result of muddled thinking. No one can seriously...
A Study Guide on a Recurring Theme in Dialogue The Christian world view has a great deal more to say about suffering than any other religion or philosophy. It gives substantial (albeit incomplete) answers to our questions. The Bible is a practical book, not satisfying our idle intellectual curiosity (Mt 11:25)...
In short, we do not know! 'The secret things belong to the Lord our God' (Dt 29:29). Certainly we cannot speak for any individual. However, the Bible does not leave us totally in the dark and various approaches towards an answer can be made. We are not here considering the...
Many people say they are unable to believe what the Bible says about God because they are unable to believe that miracles happened. They are at least clearly able to see what some liberal theologians can't - that belief in the God of the Bible implies belief in the miraculous....
In a recent television interview Peter Ustinov, the famous actor, was asked for his 'doctrine of man'. He gave the reply 'Man is essentially good!' and was rewarded with sustained applause from the audience. Even among those who believe in the reality of heaven and hell, the popular conception is...
We now live in a 'global village', a multi-faith society where exclusive claims may offend. Many adherents of other faiths are prepared to recognize Jesus as a great teacher, prophet, leader and reformer - even perhaps as one way to God. Are we not then being arrogant, intolerant and narrowminded...
In answering we need to ask why and when our friends think the Bible has been changed? There are four separate questions here: Did the events really happen in the way the eyewitnesses claimed they did? (Are there errors of fact?) If the eyewitnesses did not relate the events as they...
'If God did not exist it would be necessary to invent him.' Voltaire Isn't it possible to explain Christian conversion and behaviour in purely psychological terms? This question can be rather threatening. Our faith in Christ is intensely personal, and we are right to feel deeply about it. But emotional feeling...
'Christianity stands or falls on the claim that Jesus Christ rose from the dead.' So claimed Ludwig Kennedy in a recent radio debate with Lord Rees-Mogg. He was right. The Apostle Paul put it even more bluntly: 'If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is...
Christians commonly present a circular argument in the way they discuss the authority of the Bible. They say that Jesus is the Son of God and produce proof texts from the Word of God to make their point. The unbeliever replies that he does not believe the Bible. The Christian...
Starting in the Right Place. Some outlines start with the fact of sin, and blindly assume both the existence of God and the fact that his character is morally pure. Other outlines start with a statement about the love of God, also making assumptions about his existence and character. While...
Many people today, like the philosophers at Athens, are miles away in their thinking and their behaviour. A short presentation of the Gospel may be the first they have ever learned about Jesus. If they are to come to trust him, they will need to learn much more. Hopefully they...
Given that the Gospel itself is God's powerful agent in evangelism through which he reveals himself (Rom 1:16,17), and given that it is in the mind of God to whom he chooses to reveal himself (Matt 11:27), we then have the right framework to discuss what constitutes success in evangelism....
One of the most effective methods of engaging in evangelism is to invite your friends round for a meal with the explicit purpose of having an after-supper discussion about Christianity. Ideally one or two Christians need to invite about a dozen of their uncommitted friends. An attractive and enjoyable meal...
Evangelism Know and Tell the Gospel - John C Chapman - Hodder & Stoughton Evangelism - Now and Then - Michael Green - IVP How To Give Away Your Faith - Paul Little - IVP Explaining Your Faith without losing your friends - Alister McGrath - IVP Evangelism and the Sovereignty...
If you would like to get involved in dialogue evangelism discuss the various possibilities with other Christian leaders in your medical school. Review your programme, and pray through the implications. What do you think of the booklet? Would you like to distribute them, and how? What about a Talk-Back? How many...
