Eric Meyer OS Outline
Eric Meyer
CMN 8263: Discipleship & Evangelism
Professor Lanker
June 3rd, 2008
Out of the Saltshaker Outline
Introduction:
Summary: Evangelism must come from the heart; modeled after Jesus, and not be based so much on memorized technique. The practice needs to take place in everyday life, not just in church.
1. Times and environments change, but the word of God does not. The evangelist needs to understand his environment, and determine how best to present the Gospel based on those circumstances. He is not to change the Gospel to match the environment.
2. It seems that most potential evangelists are nervous about bringing up the subject of God in casual conversations. Understanding ways to comfortably speak God’s Word are crucial for the evangelist.
3. We have to remember that God is presenting the Gospel through us. He cures, we care.
4. God’s message deserves to be presented well. An evangelist should not consider the work a dreaded job, but an enjoyable experience.
Quote: We are to get out of the saltshaker and into life itself- not to be trodden down but to be zestful witnesses to Jesus as Lord and Savior, as the one who alone gives life to a dying world.” (pg. 12-13)
Interaction: Rebecca starts the book out with a great analogy, and keeps the inspirations flowing steadily throughout the book. I really enjoyed her take on evangelism, and will work diligently to put many of her suggestions to good use.
Eric Meyer
CMN 8263: Discipleship & Evangelism
Professor Lanker
June 3rd, 2008
Out of the Saltshaker Outline
Chapter 1: Sleepless in Spain
Summary: Evangelism needs to be a lifestyle. If a person views spreading the Gospel as a project that needs to be completed, and he judges success by counting the number of people “saved,” then the recipient of the Word is being treated like a customer.
1. We have to be humble when speaking of God. If we speak only memorized Gospel sales pitches, we do not offer friendship.
2. Jesus gives us the words He wants us to speak. We did not come up with the ideas in the Gospel; we are just discussing how those ideas have changed our lives.
3. In discussing God, we are not trying to please other people with our performance. We are trying to please God.
4. Being a Christian does not mean being perfect. It means admitting our imperfections, and being willing to ask forgiveness for them.
5. We have to be unafraid to let people see our imperfections, and to know that Jesus did not come to save the perfect, but the lost.
Quote: “If we don’t grasp that Christ has freed us to be authentic, we will see evangelism as a project instead of a lifestyle.” (pg. 28)
Interaction: In 1 Thes. 5:14-22, Paul discusses the Christian lifestyle. How easy it is to forget that our life must be dominated by Jesus’ desires. If we truly follow Jesus, that lifestyle will easily blend right in to evangelism. We make it much more difficult than it has to be.
Eric Meyer
CMN 8263: Discipleship & Evangelism
Professor Lanker
June 3rd, 2008
Out of the Saltshaker Outline
Chapter 2: Jesus – The Most Human of Us All
Summary: God created us in His image, and then took on human flesh to teach us how to be perfect humans. We have a model for humanity. If we want to fulfill our potential, we need only follow Jesus.
1. Jesus laughed and cried. He enjoyed long dinners, conversation and wine. He spoke with equal comfort to all classes of people. He is God yet human.
2. Jesus left the splendor of His kingdom so that He could speak directly to us. It is not too much for him to ask us to tell others how He has improved our lives.
3. We must do more that simply study the Bible at church. We have to leave the saltshaker.
4. Jesus healed more than physical illnesses. He healed emotions.
5. Jesus did not come to create a religion. He came to build relationships.
6. Jesus does not suggest. He commands.
Quote: “Who do you think you are, healing on the Sabbath?” And Jesus answered, “The Lord of the Sabbath.” (pg. 39)
Interaction: Jesus was human, the perfect human, but He is still our Lord. He came to teach us how to be human because we are pretty good at being inhumane. Our society has established a tremendous array of norms that describe how a man or woman should behave. Jesus, our Lord, tells us to be like Him; to simply be human.
Eric Meyer
CMN 8263: Discipleship & Evangelism
Professor Lanker
June 3rd, 2008
Out of the Saltshaker Outline
Chapter 3: Jesus-The Lord of All
Summary: Jesus is the Lord of creation. He rules all of nature, of which we are a part. He has given us specific rules which He expects to be followed. What so many people fail to realize is that those commands are based on a foundation of pure love, and are for our benefit.
1. If we accept Jesus as our Lord, then we must obey. His demands stem from His love, and His rules are for our best interest.
2. Jesus has displayed His total authority. He commands demons, defeated Satan, and controls the elemental forces of nature.
3. Belief in Jesus must be commensurate with our behavior. The two can not be separated.
4. We are not allowed to create the rules for obeying Jesus.
5. We are also commanded to paint a true picture of Christianity; not our interpretation.
6. Our behavior reveals who our lord is. Hedonism has no place in Christianity.
Quote: “Jesus says that if we resist doing what we feel like – to seek revenge – and do what He says – to forgive – we’ll end up truly free.” (pg. 52)
Interaction: Parenting provides daily lessons and examples of what Jesus taught. With 4 children between the ages of 6 and 13, I am constantly quelling arguments, telling the kids to forgive, and to just be nice to each other. Every day brings more rebellion to my authority. Just when I think one child understands, another acts up. When Jesus calls us his children, He is using a very appropriate description.
Eric Meyer
CMN 8263: Discipleship & Evangelism
Professor Lanker
June 3rd, 2008
Out of the Saltshaker Outline
Chapter 4: A Question of Love
Summary: There is no place for hypocrisy in the life of a Christian. We are commanded to love, not to judge the behavior of others. If we want a perfect model of what it means to really love our neighbors, all we have to do is look to Jesus.
1. Jesus did not come to enhance a religion, and religious activity is not what He desires.
2. The Trinity is an outstanding example of the importance of relationships.
3. We all look like prodigal sons standing next to the Father.
4. We can not keep God’s love to ourselves, but must actively present it to those in need. By loving others, we display our love for God.
5. Pharisaism is alive and well, and we must actively guard against it entering our behavior.
Quote: “The first Bible many people will read will be us and how we live.” (pg. 62)
Interaction: Pippert teaches that we are to not worry about converting people, but moving them a little bit closer to God. If we relax, and let our behavior be an example, God will use many different disciples to move a person to a place where they are ready to accept Jesus. That is such a freeing concept. All we have to do is live our lives the way Christ asks, and naturally present Jesus’ message when the opportunity presents itself. As the Navy ads say, “It’s not a job, its an adventure!”
Eric Meyer
CMN 8263: Discipleship & Evangelism
Professor Lanker
June 3rd, 2008
Out of the Saltshaker Outline
Chapter 5: A Question of Holiness
Summary: Being able to offer a Christian platitude for every situation, or having memorized the entire Bible, does not make one a Christian. Anything that builds a barrier between Christ and us, or us and others, even if it is knowledge of the scripture, must be avoided.
1. When spiritual knowledge leads us to isolating ourselves, then we have misinterpreted the Gospel.
2. If we view evil as externally imposed upon us, then we are blaming others when we sin.
3. Christians are different from others. They have distinctly Christian character, influence, righteousness, piety, ambitions, relationships, and commitment.
4. Christians are not “finished products.” By displaying our blemishes we tell the world that we are not better, just willing to ask forgiveness.
5. The Holy Spirit is the one who judges. We are asked simply to let Him into our lives, and display what being a Christian has done to change our lives.
Quote: “Jesus had compassion, but there was also toughness n His love. He won them without sacrificing the purity of His life.” (pg. 78)
Interaction: When Jesus was specifically asked to perform miracles to prove His divinity, He always refused. It occurs to me as I read this chapter that maybe He did so to show us that we don’t need miracles to bring others into relation with Christ. We simply need to love them, stand up for our convictions, and be consistently Christian. Jesus never acquiesced.
Eric Meyer
CMN 8263: Discipleship & Evangelism
Professor Lanker
June 3rd, 2008
Out of the Saltshaker Outline
Chapter 6: A Question of Obedience
Summary: Having a Lord implies that one is a servant. Servants are to be obedient. If a person claims to have accepted Jesus as Lord, yet does not obey Him, then they have truly not made a commitment to their Lord.
1. Knowledge of the scriptures, though important, in itself does not guarantee salvation.
2. Knowledge must be translated into action. Jesus tells us that action is obeying Him.
3. Obeying Jesus stems from love for Him, and complete trust in His words.
4. We can not choose parts of Jesus’ words to obey. We are called to obey all of them.
5. Obedience is critical because it establishes harmony between God and man.
6. Christ is alive! Our obedience is not to a book, but to a living Creator, Lord, and Savior.
Quote: “When we live as Jesus did, in His power and with His presence, seekers will be drawn to us.” (pg. 93)
Interaction: One of the most difficult evangelistic tasks for me is discussing Jesus with my family. It seems weird to be so comfortable talking about God with strangers, and so challenged when that conversation is with family members. Each chapter of this book is like another layer of pressure being peeled away. I know this life is a marathon, but Pippert give solid reassurance that we really do not need to sprint.
Eric Meyer
CMN 8263: Discipleship & Evangelism
Professor Lanker
June 3rd, 2008
Out of the Saltshaker Outline
Chapter 7: Christ with Us
Summary: No matter how we try, how good at sales we are, we can not make a person into a Christian. We must allow the Holy Spirit to guide us and open hearts to hear His message. We are simply the messengers. Our job is vital, but impossible unless we actively pray for help.
1. Jesus is made strong in our weakness. What may seem impossible to us is not because Jesus multiplies our meager abilities. His Spirit makes good use of what we offer.
2. Jesus is always with us. We need to make sure we are always asking Him for direction.
3. We are the Gospel. What we do is equally important as what we speak.
4. We must be available for God to use. Every day can be filled with opportunities to minister, but they will only occur if we get out into the community.
5. ALL people are God’s creatures. We are not to judge, just serve.
Quote: “We must see in our neighbors their inherent worth and dignity.” (pg.100)
Interaction: On the day I was commissioned as a Steven Minister, my morning devotional reading was based on 2 Corinthians 3-5. I don’t believe in coincidences, but do believe that God uses my love for reading to speak to me. He comforts me so that I can comfort others. That is a truly powerful statement. He needs me to comfort others. In that knowledge I am assured that He will comfort me. That makes the task of dealing with unpleasant people acceptable even when it is not enjoyable.
Eric Meyer
CMN 8263: Discipleship & Evangelism
Professor Lanker
June 3rd, 2008
Out of the Saltshaker Outline
Chapter 8: Practicing the Presence of Jesus
Summary: In order to benefit from Christ’s presence, we must continually be available for Him. Humans are not born skilled, we acquire skill through practice, and the same is true for becoming aware of, and following the will of God.
1. We have to get past our own fear of rejection if we are to help others.
2. We need to see people as Jesus does. We have to look beneath the exterior and not judge simply what we see. We are not required to be successful evangelists, just active ones.
3. We have to love people for who they are; speaking to them at their level.
4. Authenticity is critical. If we are trying to be something we are not, others will quickly notice and be turned off to the message.
5. Being the Salt and the Light means getting our hands dirty. It means getting out into the world as Jesus did.
Quote: “We are salt and light. We make a difference because we are different. And when we live before God as we truly are, He will change the world in which we live.” (pg. 116)
Interaction: Physical pain usually will go away. Emotional pain can linger for decades. Rejection is one of the pains that can stagger a person for years. No wonder that evangelism carries such strong connotations! Getting past those fears will only happen with trust in Jesus. I think that is a modern day miracle that anyone can receive if they actively follow Jesus.
Eric Meyer
CMN 8263: Discipleship & Evangelism
Professor Lanker
June 3rd, 2008
Out of the Saltshaker Outline
Chapter 9: Developing Conversational Skills
Summary: Good communication skills will not convert anyone, but they will make it possible for an evangelist to be more comfortable in discussing Jesus. This comfort will lead to more open conversations, and keep poor communication style from blocking God’s message.
1. Insecurities and fears may be misinterpreted as conceit. People want to be around happy positive people, and that attitude will open the door for Christian conversation.
2. We can’t possible know every answer to every question. We must not be afraid to learn as we go.
3. We have to expose our faith through our behavior, not impose it on others.
4. Life is a marathon, and God’s job is to convert. We need to relax, pray, and obey.
5. Avoid religious clichés and platitudes. Simple English works best.
6. Don’t argue, but respond with questions. Determine what is bothering someone, or stopping them from considering Christ, and then try to interest them in Jesus’ words.
Quote: “We need to first understand for ourselves the meaning of Biblical words, then we need to translate them in ways that people can understand.” (pg. 127)
Interaction: In Ephesians 6:11, Paul tells us to put on the full armor of God. I am starting to understand that we do so by deeply knowing the scripture. We need to be able to speak the word of God fluently so that anyone, regardless of intellect can understand. Doing so arms us with the most precious armor available, the word of God.
Eric Meyer
CMN 8263: Discipleship & Evangelism
Professor Lanker
June 3rd, 2008
Out of the Saltshaker Outline
Chapter 10: Three Ways to Witness
Summary: Effective evangelism requires the presentation of the Gospel, the demonstration of Christ’s compassion through our own compassion, and dependence upon the Holy Spirit.
1. The evangelist tells Jesus’ story through the lens of his own testimony.
2. It is not enough to love our neighbors. We need to witness as well.
3. We have to walk with the Spirit. When we continually ask for His presence, we allow Him to use us.
4. God chose people to spread His message. It will not spread by itself.
Quote: “Therefore, our task is to tell “His” story and “our” story in the hope that it may one day be “their” story. (pg. 135)
Interaction: Maybe the key part of the above quote is that it emphasizes “one day.” Evangelism is a process where we build relationships with people, and do the best we can to introduce them to God. If they are not receptive now, maybe one day they will remember something we said, and it will open the door to Christ.
Eric Meyer
CMN 8263: Discipleship & Evangelism
Professor Lanker
June 3rd, 2008
Out of the Saltshaker Outline
Chapter 11: Cultivating the Soil
Summary: Evangelism is a process, but that does not mean we need to make it a rigid formula. Though there are methods that will make for more effective conversations about God. The first step is to lay the foundation, or cultivate the soil.
1. Through investigation we determine what others believe. We then need to stimulate their interest, and finally relate the message of the Gospel.
2. Another way to discuss the Gospel is by starting with common interests, moving to specific interests, determine underlying issues, and then move to theological issues.
3. Another process starts by building relationships, then determining fundamental beliefs, and finally moving to the source of authority. In the 3rd step we are tying to determine why a person believes what they do.
4. We cultivate by behaving as Christians, and by praying that blind eyes will be opened.
Quote: “As a businessman he says that he was aware that his employees were always watching him…Over time they realized they could absolutely trust him to be fair because they knew he had integrity. They also knew he was a man of deep faith.” (pg152)
Interaction: I used to work with a man of deep faith who constantly teased or jokingly ridiculed his employees. The company performed well during good times, but moral dramatically fell in bad times. There was no moral foundation, no trust. As I read this chapter, I was thinking about how things could have been different. It is too bad his faith was not always on display.
Eric Meyer
CMN 8263: Discipleship & Evangelism
Professor Lanker
June 3rd, 2008
Out of the Saltshaker Outline
Chapter 12: Planting the Seed
Summary: The Gospel has its own power to persuade. As an evangelist, our job is to tell the story of the Gospel, and let God grow the faith.
1. We did not write the Gospel. Our job is to simply relate it, and let Jesus be responsible for His words. We are also not to water down the message.
2. Our message is Jesus’ story; that He lived, died, and rose again. We are to live our lives consumed by His presence.
3. We must declare our message; our encounter with Jesus, and how he changed our life.
4. We communicate God’s love through our love and compassion for others. If we are silent, and worship at home, we can not possible love others as God loved us.
5. People need to know their sins can be forgiven. That is the freedom that saves.
6. We need to know the word of God intimately enough to demonstrate how it has changed our own lives, and we must pray constantly.
Quote: “God wants His truth proclaimed. So long as what we say is motivated by God’s love and faithful to the truth of the Gospel, that is all that matters.” (pg. 171)
Interaction: I had the opportunity to preach sermons the weekend before Christmas this past year. I was intimidated by the fact I would be presenting the Gospel to people who may only attend church 2 times a year. It was not until I focused the message specifically on God’s words, and not on my interpretation, that I felt calm enough to stand in front of those people.
Eric Meyer
CMN 8263: Discipleship & Evangelism
Professor Lanker
June 3rd, 2008
Out of the Saltshaker Outline
Chapter 13: Reaping the Harvest in God’s Truth & Love
Summary: God has given us the awesome responsibility of inviting a response to His message. After the ground has been cultivated, the seeds planted, and God has caused those seeds to grow, the evangelist is given the opportunity to participate in the process of helping someone to take the next step into a relationship with God.
1. Conversion to Christianity requires submission to Jesus as Lord. A commitment must be made.
2. God respects our free will. There are no accidental Christians. We all must repent, believe, and invite Jesus into our lives; every aspect of our lives.
3. We are not to pressure people to make commitment to Jesus. That commitment must be made of their own free will, even if that means decades of ministering.
4. We must never give up!
Quote: “God relentlessly tracks us down. And when we finally turn to Him, what we see are the eyes of love. This aspect of God’s character must be present in our character as well.” (pg. 183)
Interaction: Relentlessly love people even though they don’t want it and even when they are downright miserable to be around. I am pretty sure that is what God has done for me. I don’t even want to think about what God was thinking when I pulled some of my more creative stunts! The fact that He never gave up on me is one that teaches me to try to display similar compassion.
Eric Meyer
CMN 8263: Discipleship & Evangelism
Professor Lanker
June 3rd, 2008
Out of the Saltshaker Outline
Chapter 14: Reaping the Harvest in God’s Power
Summary: The acceptance of Jesus is not something we can do for others. They have to do it themselves. Even when the situation looks bleak, our job is to be where God needs us, and to be patient.
1. We don’t ascend to God, He descends to us.
2. People live their lives on a continuum. On the left is “No relationship. On the Right is “Total Acceptance”. While not stated that way in this chapter, Pippert emphasizes the fact that patience is required as people, sometimes slowly move to the right.
3. God has to crush our self reliance sometimes before we are willing to listen to Him.
4. God brings peace. We really need to trust that He does.
5. We must not hesitate to start the process because we never know how much time we are given.
Quote: “The secret in seeking is not in our human ascent to God, but in God’s decent to us. We start out searching but we end up being discovered.” (pg. 186)
Interaction: Some people say that they found Jesus. That may be true, but it certainly was not the case for me. I know Jesus found me because I was not even remotely looking for Him! God’s ways are mysterious because He chooses to reveal just as much as we need. Not understanding why God does what He does is probably another way for Him to teach us trust. I don’t have to know why He chose to touch me when He did, I am just glad that He did!
Eric Meyer
CMN 8263: Discipleship & Evangelism
Professor Lanker
June 3rd, 2008
Out of the Saltshaker Outline
Chapter 15: Revealing Truth Through Reason
Summary: People tend to address the subject of divinity through either an emotional or intellectual standpoint. In order to approach people in each group with the subject of God, the evangelist needs to use very different techniques. In either case, we must remember that only God will remove religious blindness. This chapter deals with intellectual approaches.
1. The evangelist needs to understand why an intellectual believes what he believes.
2. Before trying to discuss the benefits of a relationship with God, we need to know the fundamental philosophical beliefs of our friend.
3. Key beliefs to understand are: what are their beliefs on the basic nature of the world, origins of morality, human nature, and the fundamental problems with the world.
4. Stage in life also makes a difference in the perspectives of many people when discussing God. People with many experiences may be more open to certain arguments than youth who operate from beliefs rather than experiences.
5. A good process for conversation is to listen, restate their beliefs, then explain my beliefs.
Quote: “The seekers are delighted to be asked questions; it’s the believers who are initially nervous about the assignment.” (pg. 209)
Interaction: Lack of patience is one of my challenges. I have to keep reminding myself that Paul spent many years preparing to do the work Jesus asked him to do. We have to be prepared to teach the words of Jesus. People are willing to listen even when we don’t think so.
Eric Meyer
CMN 8263: Discipleship & Evangelism
Professor Lanker
June 3rd, 2008
Out of the Saltshaker Outline
Chapter 16: Revealing Truth Through Stories
Summary: Many people believe that Christianity is dry dogma. The job of an evangelist is to make Jesus’ story come alive in their minds so that they can see that Jesus Himself is alive.
1. We need to understand another person’s needs before we can determine how to tell them how Jesus can help them. We must listen first.
2. Knowledge of the Bible is critical. We need to be able to describe how the Bible has touched our lives in a very natural conversational manner.
3. We need to humble ourselves; be willing to admit we have made bad choices, and then explain how Jesus helped us out of the mess we created.
4. We need to be close to Jesus at every moment, ready to introduce Him to anyone at any time. If we are not always thinking about Jesus, we may not be ready to introduce Him.
5. God has to stay in our story. The story is about Him, not us.
Quote: Don’t be afraid to tell people who you are and who you were before you met Christ.” (pg. 221)
Interaction: Personally, I try to use Jesus’ name as frequently as possible in conversation with other Christians so that I am comfortable talking about Him to non-Christians. There is such a negative connation today attached to giving up our will, believing what can’t be seen, not being intellectual because of belief in Jesus that I have to practice overcoming my lack of humility.
Eric Meyer
CMN 8263: Discipleship & Evangelism
Professor Lanker
June 3rd, 2008
Out of the Saltshaker Outline
Chapter 17: Revealing Truth Through the Power of the Spirit
Summary: God alone is our source of strength. However, many people are searching for a source of spiritual strength in a manner that leads them far from Jesus. The job of an Evangelist is to demonstrate how the Holy Spirit alone directs our lives.
1. We need to constantly be ready to witness. In order to do so, we must always be in tune with the Spirit.
2. Many people misunderstand God’s true nature. They think He is supposed to take care of them no matter what they do.
3. We need to understand, and help others to understand that, “God is God and we are not.”
4. The fact that people believe in other forms of spirituality is great because it means they are searching already. We need to ask the Spirit to help them in their search.
5. The evangelist’s job is to introduce the true nature of God to people already seeking alternate spiritual answers.
Quote: “We must be careful not to tempt God by capriciously seeking for signs…” (pg. 231)
Interaction: How God has worked in our life is what people need to hear. Jesus performed many thousands of miracles, yet people still refused to believe. When he changed how people behaved, He truly healed them. We must help people understand that He still wants to heal them.
Eric Meyer
CMN 8263: Discipleship & Evangelism
Professor Lanker
June 3rd, 2008
Out of the Saltshaker Outline
Chapter 18: The Witness of Community
Summary: It is not enough for us to demonstrate Jesus’ interaction in our personal lives. We need to demonstrate the strength of the Holy Spirit in our Christian communities. God designed us to live in community as He does, and that has to be taught to others through how we live.
1. God Himself by definition lives in community. Being made in His image, we need to live in community as well, or we will not be healthy.
2. One of the most fundamental commandments is to love others. That can not be done in isolation, and requires that we teach God’s words.
3. Through small group ministry, we can demonstrate and emulate the life of Jesus.
4. Bible study helps people understand God. They do not have to believe to read the Bible!
5. Evangelism stems from the local church.
6. The fields are ripe.
Quote: “…we need to open our arms wide and let seekers know that they bless us just by being in our midst.” (pg. 245)
Interaction: Many times, I need to force myself to go to group events. I would much rather stay at home and relax at the end of the day or week. However, being in a community brings life and energy, and Jesus can use me in many ways if I get out of the house. Letting people know that they are an enjoyable part of my life can be an act of love that may open their heart to Jesus.
Eric Meyer
CMN 8263: Discipleship & Evangelism
Professor Lanker
June 3rd, 2008
Out of the Saltshaker Outline
Chapter 19: Without a Vision the Peoples Will Perish
Summary: The Christian church, the body of Christ, must be clear of its vision or there will be little success in doing the work the Jesus needs done.
1. Our first step as an evangelist is to make sure we are acting as a Christian.
2. We need to understand how to relate the words of Jesus to the current culture.
3. We need to make sure our churches are open and welcoming, offering a sense of family.
4. Our churches need to be God centered. We are attending to worship the one true God, and by making sure we do so, we introduce seekers to His word.
5. Evangelism style needs to fit our environment.
6. Life is a marathon, not a sprint. We may fail many times, but we have to know God is with us, and He has already won the ultimate battle.
Quote: “The truth is that Christianity is both deeply rational and deeply experiential.” (pg. 253)
Interaction: God loves us enough to let us have free will. He has given us plenty of emotional and intellectual evidence so that we can choose Him if we desire. If we can get past the battle of wills with our creator, we open our lives to abundant joy, a joy which we need to share with as many people as possible.