Thursday, April 12, 2018

Do "YOU" Want To Be A More Effective Witness?

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO SHARE THE WORD OF GOD with a non-believer or a new believer?  Glad you asked.  As most of my Friends know, I believe strongly in the power of a good Bible study as a means of sharing the Gospel with the non-believer and the new believer - and it is still the best way for we who have been in Christ for a while to grow more mature in our walk with the Lord.

About 25 years ago, Dory and I became involved in a Bible study being held in our apartment community.  We had a very good leader, Bill (not me) and we both really liked his method of leading a Bible study.  We took a book of the Bible and began to read and discuss that book, verse by verse.

Let me give you an example:  As most Bible study leaders will do, since this was a new study group, Bill began in the book of John.  We began reading:

John 1:1, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

Then we discussed that verse:  In the beginning of what?  Who is the Word?  How is the Word God?  Do you know that some people teach that the Word was "a" god and not the Triune God?

John, 1:2, "He was in the beginning with God."


If He is God, how can He be with God?  Can you explain that relationship?


As you can see, that method of leading a Bible study might take more time to get through a Scripture passage or book.  But no one will be left behind in their understanding of God's message to us in those verses.  That should be our goal - to lead folks through the salvation story and leave no one behind.

I was once left behind.  In 1991 when the Gulf War hit its peak and the oil wells in Kuwait were burning, spewing great dark clouds of smoke into the air - I am sure that inspired many, many Bible study leaders to jump into a study of the End Times Prophecies.  We had a very good Bible study leader, Tom Fletcher, and that Friday evening Tom began to talk about the Rapture, the Tribulation, etc. - and, being a relatively new believer, I had no idea what those words meant.  But, no way was I going to ask questions and show my Biblical illiteracy.  So I smiled and listened, quietly.

That evening did one thing for me.  It made me realize that End Times Prophecies must be very important to we believers, therefore I need to learn more.  So that I can intelligently join in the discussions.  That evening in 1991 began my desire to study eschatology, the End Times.  And even though I have learned a lot in the ensuing years - I still have a lot to learn. 

Yes, I have a lot to learn about eschatology - and I also have a lot to continue learning about our Christian faith.  That is why I was so excited when I found this new series of Bible study videos which take us from the basics of witnessing our faith to the non-believer and new believer - to greater maturity in our own Christian walk.

If, in your deeper studies of Scripture, you have wanted to become more knowledgeable of the Greek language of our New Testament - most likely you have found the book "Greek For The Rest Of Us, Mastering Bible Study Without Mastering Biblical Languages" by Dr. William D. Mounce.  That book has been in my personal library for many years.  And now I have found this new video series, with notes and slides available, presented by Dr. Mounce.

More information on Dr. Bill Mounce:  He is the founder and President of BiblicalTraining (dot) org, he serves on a Committee for Bible Translation, and he has written the best-selling biblical Greek textbook, "Basics of Biblical Greek," and many other Greek resources.  He blogs regularly on Greek and issues of spiritual growth.  He was also a preaching pastor - a professor of New Testament and director of the Greek Language Program at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary - and a professor at Azusa Pacific University.

His education background:


Ph.D. 1981, in New Testament - Aberdeen University, Aberdeen, Scotland.

M.A. 1977, in Biblical Studies - Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, California.
B.A. 1975, in Biblical Studies, minor in Greek - Bethel College, St. Paul, Minnesota; Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, Kentucky, 1971-74.  

In the first video of the series, Dr. Mounce takes the key Scripture verse, John 3:16, and breaks it down so that we all - non-believer, new believer, and more mature believer - will gain new insight into that life-promising verse.

Let's take a look at the first video titled "Conversion."

The teaching in the video follows this outline:


A. “FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD”



1. Who or what is God? 

2. Why did He create the world?

3. What is our relationship with God?


B. “THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY SON”



1. What actually happened on the cross


2. Merciful heart of God

3. Who Jesus is

C. “THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM"



1. Whoever believes


2. Not simply “believe”

3. Believe into

4. Psalm 23

5. Salvation is not something we earn

6. Salvation is believing Jesus

D. “MIGHT NOT PERISH BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE”



1.  What does it mean to have eternal life?


2.  Do you have eternal life?

E. COUNT THE COST


F. GOD’S GOAL

Video Lesson Intro:

Looking back over your conversion experience:  It’s always a good idea to look back over your conversion experience.  What do you think happened when you became a follower of Jesus Christ?  Are you unclear about anything?  Could you possibly have misunderstood anything?  Did anything happen of which you might not be aware?


https://www.biblicaltraining.org/conversion/now-i-believe
            

Or you can Watch/Download the video showing only presentation slides:

    https://vimeo.com/159970839


I pray that you will find this video series useful in your Soul Winning / Evangelism efforts - and also in your personal study of God's Word as you seek to become more mature in your Biblical knowledge and as you become a more effective witness to the lost of this world.

God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,

Bill



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