EV#05 How to Craft a Gospel Presentation (Part 2)

Intro:

Last time, we saw the introduction on “How to Craft a Gospel Presentation”. For those who missed the lesson, you might be wondering why you need to learn how to prepare a Gospel message. Aren’t the tracts good enough for us?

We saw the last time, that while the Gospel message is the same, there are many perspectives or in these lessons we use the term “metaphors” to describe it.

We’ll choose the metaphor that is most appropriate to your friend’s needs. The e.g. we used the last time is selling a car. When you sell a car to an engineer, an architect, a nurse or a student, you’re going to emphasize the different aspects of the SAME car. An engineer would be most concerned about the technical specs, an architect would be most interested about the aesthetics, a nurse would be most concerned about the safety features and the student would be most concerned about the cost. But we’re selling the same car.

In Everyday Evangelism, we saw how we build relationship with people and hence we know quite a lot about the person we’re talking to. Today, we’re not talking about flat-EM. We’re talking about evangelism to your friends or even relatives, people whom you already have some relationship with.

Since we know them well, we ought to know their needs. If we know their needs, we ought to be presenting the Gospel most suited to their needs so that the Gospel will have most effect on them.

Needless to say, we need to pray for them since ultimately it is God who saves them. All we’re trying to do is to be a good instrument that God can use to bring people to Christ.

So we’re going to begin to learn the different ways to present the Gospel and it is not going to be easy. Few churches actually teach the methods on how to present the Gospel. We’re privilege to be able to do it because a good evangelist called Dr and Sam Chan decided to write a book on it.

I. Basic Elements of a Gospel Presentation

@@ When we present the gospel, we are doing at least four things:

Four Basic Elements:

Evangelism in a Skeptical World: How to Make the Unbelievable News about Jesus More Believable 3. How to Craft a Gospel Presentation

1. Presenting the gospel elements: Jesus (or God), blessings, response, sin, condemnation.

2. Using a set of coherent biblical metaphors to organize the elements.

3. By necessity, leaving out other biblical metaphors.

4. Being sharply focused, penetrating, and to the point.

‘ 1. Presenting the Gospel elements: Jesus (or God), blessings, response, sin, condemnation.

‘2. Using a set of coherent biblical metaphors to organize the elements.

‘3. By necessity, leaving out other biblical metaphors.

‘4. Being sharply focused, penetrating, and to the point.

@@ The key concept is metaphor. You can use metaphors for God, sin, the titles of Christ, the works of Christ, and Jesus’ atoning work on the cross.

Because metaphor is a key concept, we’ll focus on the various metaphors before we embark on the actual presentation of the Gospel. This will be quite a long section. I’ve put the ppt on the Whatsapp group, please keep it for future reference.

II. Metaphors for Gospel Presentation

We’ll present the metaphors with its sinful state, correct response or blessings.

From the many examples of metaphors, you can select one that is most suited for your friends. Hence we’ll see many lists of metaphors.

A. Metaphors for God.

@@ Metaphor for God.

Look at Sinful State to see if that is the need of your friend. But you emphasize the attribute of God to teach him about God.

B. Metaphors for Sin.

@@ Metaphor for Sin

Here you also see the Sinful State to see the need of your friend but you emphasize the Correct Response to tell your friend what to do.

C. Metaphors for Titles of Jesus Christ.

@@ Metaphor for Titles of Christ

Again you see the Sinful State of your friend to see what to tell him about Jesus.

D. Metaphors for the Works of Christ.

@@ Metaphor for Works of Christ

Again you see the Sinful State of your friend to see what you can tell him about the Work of Christ.

E. Metaphors for the Atoning Work of Christ.

@@ Metaphor for Atoning Work

Here you want to focus more on Salvation Blessings that will give comfort to you friend.

Conclusion:

We’ll continue next week with more details about Sin and Salvation.

This chapter will take a couple of lessons more.