INTRODUCTION

BOOKS AND A SPECIAL BOOK

 

The world is full of books and study courses. The wise man Solomon commented about that in his day long ago when he said, “Of making many books there is no end” (Eccl. 12:12), and that is doubly true today since we have computers and printing presses and many modern techniques for multiplying knowledge.

Much of the learning from these books is worthwhile, for the Lord has given us minds that need to be fed so they will continue to develop. We are told to “study to make ourselves approved unto God” (2 Tim. 2:15).

But good as the books are that we have, they are not permanent. Many will be put aside and lost. Pages of others will become yellow and brittle and they will be discarded. Much that has been learned from those pages will be neglected and eventually forgotten.

There is one book, however, that will last through all the centuries of life, and on into never-ending eternity. It is called the Book of Life, and being written in it is the most important thing that could ever happen to you. The prophet Daniel wrote about being written in that book: Everyone whose name is found written in the book will be delivered (Dan. 12:1). Heaven is wonderfully described in the 21st chapter of Revelation, and those who will enter it are listed in the 27th verse, only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Having your name written in that book means you will be alive with Christ for all the never-ending years of eternity. Think of that! No book on earth can compare in value to the book that God is writing.

If your name is written in that book, you can be thanking the Lord for the gift of life, eternal life, that He has given you. What a supreme gift that is! But that is only the beginning. Yours is now the privilege – and the responsibility – of sharing that gift with your family, your neighbors, your whole community, with everyone whose name is still not written in that wonderful Book of Life. That is a wise thing for you to do – He who wins souls is wise (Proverbs 11:30) – and what an essential deed it is, for you will be rescuing those people from an eternity in hell. But how can you do it?

The booklet in your hands has seven lessons to show you how, and they are extremely important, for they open the way for you to introduce others to the way of life. You will be showing them how to have their names written in that marvelous book, the Book of Life. Read the lessons, learn the method they describe, and then put them into practice.

 

How many can you cause to have written in the Book of Life?

 

 

 

LESSON ONE

REASONS FOR SOUL-WINNING

 

            Few are called to be preachers, but every born-again Christian is called to be a soul-winner. You must lead your people into the joy of soul-winning.  “Soul-winning is a definite effort to lead a definite person to accept a definite Savior at a definite time.”  - Billy Sunday.

           

            1. Reasons for being a soul-winner

a.       The worth of a soul - Mark 8:35-38.

b.      The fact of hell – Luke 12:4-5.

c.       The sufferings of Christ on the cross for each sinner – 1 Peter 3:18.

d.      The emptiness and folly of this world – 1 Peter 1:24-25.

e.       The desire to have the family circle complete in heaven – 1 Thess. 4:16-17.

f.        The glories of heaven – John 14:2-3.

g.       The personal rewards that are offered to faithful soul-winners – Daniel 12:3.

            2. Needs of a personal worker

a.       He must be saved himself and sure of his salvation – 2 Peter 1:10-11.

b.      He must live a pure life – 2 Peter 3:14.

c.       He must work in a spirit of love – 1 Peter 1:22-23.

d.      He must have a fair knowledge of the Bible and know how to use it – 2 Tim. 2:15.

e.       He must be a man of prayer – Eph. 6:18.

f.        He must be filled with the Holy Spirit – Eph. 5:18.

g.       He must have compassion for lost souls – Jude 23.

           

Discussion - Why is each of the needs listed above important?

 

 

LESSON TWO

HOW TO WITNESS

 

            Many people mistakenly believe that witnessing opportunities happen by chance.  Our Lord is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (II Peter 3:9b). God desires that every person have the opportunity to hear the gospel message. With this in mind, every believer should be ready in advance to witness when God grants the opportunity.

           

            1. How to witness

a.       A witness for Christ must be saved himself – Romans 5:9-11.

b.      Tel1 the simple facts of your conversion and the change in your life – Psalm 51:12-13. (See more below in #3 on the next page.)

c.       Tell about answers to prayer you have received - Psalm 50:15.

d.      Tell how Christ satisfies you completely – Psalm 107:8-9.

e.       Tell about personal victory over sin and temptations – 1 John 5:4-5.

f.        Tell about your favorite verses in the Bible, and how God spoke to you this morning from a particular passage of Scripture.

g.       Give your friends the gospel of Christ. Tell them about Him – Romans 1:16.

           

            2. Hindrances to confessing Christ

a.       Fear of man - 2 Tim.l:7; 1 John 4:18; Phil.4:13.

b.      Ashamed - 2 Tim. 1:8.

c.       Impure life -1 John 1:9.

           

            Note: Read Ezek. 33:8 to discover the danger of not witnessing!

            3. Develop your personal testimony.

One of the most powerful witnessing tools is your own testimony of your relationship with Christ and how it has affected your life. After his healing, the blind man testified to the religious leaders, One thing I do know, I was blind and now I can see (John 9:25b). Some people may object to Scripture, desiring to argue doctrine or points of view, but it is hard to refute the testimony of a Christ-changed life.

 

 

Your personal testimony should be composed of three parts:

              1.            What your life was like before you became a Christian. Describe your life before coming to Christ, with particular attention to feelings of emptiness and hopelessness, both of which are common to unbelie-vers. Be sure not to place too much emphasis on particular sins, so as not to glorify a sinful life.

              2.            Describe when and where you heard about Jesus, and why you made the decision to accept Him as your Savior.  As you describe the conviction that came upon you, pray that the Holy Spirit will also work in the life of the one to whom you are witnessing, bringing a spirit of repentance and sorrow for sin.

              3.            Tell how your life has changed since becoming a Christian.  Share about the joy and peace that are yours as a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven.  Be specific about the ways God has changed your life.

 

Assignment:  Write a brief paragraph on each of the above points.  Ask the Lord to tell you what will make your testimony the most effective.

 

 

LESSON THREE

THE FOUR SPIRITUAL LAWS

 

Just as there are physical laws that govern the physical universe, so there are spiritual laws which govern people’s relationship with God.  This method of evangelism teaches four laws and presents hearers with the opportunity to consider their response.  The laws should be presented in the same order as they are written below, because each law builds upon the previous one.  It would be helpful to have the Scriptures marked in your Bible for easy reference. 

 

 

              1.            God loves you and offers a wonderful plan for your life (John 3:16, John 10:10).

              2.            Man is sinful and separated from God. Therefore, he cannot know and experience God's love and plan for his life (Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23).

              3.            Jesus Christ is God's only provision for man's sin. Through Him you can know and experience God's love and plan for your life (Romans 5:8, 1 Corinthians 15:3-6, John 14:6).

              4.            We must individually receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord; then we can know and experience God's love and plan for our lives (John 1:12, Ephesians 2:8-9, John 3:18, Revelation 3:20).

 

Assignment:  Memorize the Four Spiritual Laws and practice presenting them to a classmate.

 

 

LESSON FOUR

THE ROMAN ROAD TO SALVATION

 

The path to salvation can be explained using verses from the Book of Romans.  As in the Four Spiritual Laws, the road should be followed in order, and it would be helpful to mark the verses in your Bible.  The main advantage of this method of witnessing is that all verses are located in only one book, making finding them simple and easy.  After you present the fourth point, be sure to follow through by asking the hearer if he would like to pray to receive Christ as Savior.

 

 

              1.            Man’s need (Romans 3:23) All have sinned and need forgiveness.

              2.            Sin’s penalty (Romans 6:23) The penalty for sin is death.

              3.            God’s provision (Romans 5:8) God provided a way to pay the penalty through the death of Jesus.

              4.            Man’s response (Romans 10:9) Confess sin, believe in Christ, and receive forgiveness.   

 

Assignment:  Mark these four verses in your Bible and commit them to memory.

 

 

LESSON FIVE

A MARKED NEW TESTAMENT

 

A marked New Testament is an excellent way to have someone read with you through chosen verses on salvation, for the inquirer may appreciate the trouble you have gone to in preparing the Bible.  You may also place the Bible in the hands of the one to whom you are witnessing, inviting him to follow the numbered tabs. The method for preparing the Bible is presented below. You may also customize this approach with your own favorite verses, but be sure to have no more than six so that it does not become too complicated.

 

 

              1.            Put a tab with the number 1 showing at the top on the page with the first verse, Romans 3:23.  A high-light pen might make the verse easier to find quickly. 

              2.            In the margin, write “See page ____ for 2”, indicating the page number in your Bible for Romans 6:23 where you have placed the next tab. 

              3.            Continue in this way through the following verses, explaining each one:  John 1:12; 1 John 1:9; Rev. 3:20; 1 John 5:10-13.

 

Assignment:  Prepare a New Testament with tabs and practice sharing the gospel with a classmate.

 

 

LESSON SIX

FIVE-FINGER EVANGELISM

 

This simple method of evangelism requires no special equipment or books.  Using the fingers of one hand, the plan of salvation is explained.  This method requires that you memorize the verses, but is very practical in that you will always be prepared to share the gospel.  If the hearer seems willing, and it seems appropriate to do so, you may hold his or her hand and point to each finger as you share what it means.

 

 

              1.            First Finger – God loves you (John 3:16).

              2.            Second Finger – All have sinned (Romans 3:23).

              3.            Third Finger – Christ died to pay for your sin (1 Cor. 15:3).

              4.            Fourth Finger – Believe Christ died for your sin (John 1:12).

              5.            Fifth Finger – When you believe, you receive everlasting life (Rom. 6:23).

            

 

LESSON SEVEN

THE WORDLESS BOOK

 

You can tell the message of salvation to anyone with your Bible and this wonderful little book! Allow the person to interact with you. Scripture references in parentheses are for your study. A few verses are quoted for use while witnessing. Begin your conversation by introducing yourself and finding out the person's name so you may call him by name throughout your presentation. Be sure to tell this story enthusiastically. It is the way of salvation for your listener!

 

 

The Story

Have you ever seen a book without words or pictures? (Fan the pages showing colors.) This book of colored pages tells a wonderful story from the Bible about the true and living God who made the world. I call my book a Wordless Book. Each color reminds me of part of the story. Would you like to hear it? (wait for a response)

 

Go to the GOLD page

     (Experience has proved it is wise to begin with the gold page, stressing the love of God.)

   The gold page reminds me of Heaven. Do you know what Heaven is? (wait for a response) Heaven is God's home. The Bible tells us that in Heaven, the street of the city is pure, clear glass-like gold (Rev. 21:21). God tells us many other things about His home. No one is ever sick there. No one ever dies. There is no night there. Every person in Heaven will be perfectly happy--always (Rev. 21:4-23). The most wonderful thing about Heaven is that God the Father and His Son, the Lord Jesus, are there.

     God made everything.  He made you, too, and He loves you very much. The Bible says, "For God so loved the world . . . (John. 3:16). This means He loves each person--including you and me. Because God made you and loves you, He wants you to be part of His family and to be with Him in Heaven someday (John 14:2). What a special place Heaven is! It is perfect because God is perfect. But there is one thing that can never be in Heaven.

 

Go to the DARK page

(Use this page to stress the spiritual need of the listener. As you talk about sin, pray that the Holy Spirit will bring conviction.)

   That one thing is sin. This dark page reminds me of sin. Because you and I are sinners we want to have our own way instead of God's way. Wanting our own way is sin. Doing, or saying, or thinking bad things is sin. Sin is dis-obeying the rules God has given in His book, the Bible. Sin causes sadness in our world. Can you think of some things that are sin? (Wait for a response.) Do you know that you are a sinner? God's Word says. "For all have sinned" (Rom. 3:23). All means every one of us, including you and me. Sin separates you and me from God because He is perfectly right--without any sin at all. God cannot allow sin where He is.

   God has said sin must be punished. The punishment for sin is death--to be separated from God forever (Rom. 6:23). God knew there was nothing you could do to get rid of your sin. He knew you could not be good enough to please Him. But He loves you and wants you to be His child. So He made a way for you to be forgiven.

 

Go to the RED page

(Use this page to stress the way of salvation through the death of Christ.)

   The red page shows the way. God loves you so much. He sent His own Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to earth from Heaven. He was born as a tiny baby.  He grew up and became a man. Jesus was different from any other person who lived on the earth. He never did even one wrong thing. He is perfect.

But one day wicked men put a crown of thorns on His head and nailed the Lord Jesus to a cross. The Bible says while He hung there, God put all your sins on Him (Isaiah. 53:6). All your anger, all your lies and your meanness--all your sin was put on the Son of God.

   When Jesus was nailed to the cross, what came from His hands and His feet? (Blood.) The Bible says that without giving of blood, there is no forgiveness. (Heb 9:22). Jesus took your punishment of death for sin. He suffered so much. Then He cried with a loud voice, "It is finished." The Lord Jesus came to earth to take our punishment for sin. And He finished the work when He died on that cross. The Bible says, "Christ died for our sins ... and was buried" (1 Cor. 15:3). But after three days the most wonderful thing happened. God gave Him life again. He raised Jesus from the dead. Jesus is a living Savior (1 Cor. 15:4). He wants to be your Savior--to save you from your sin.

 

Go to the CLEAN page

(Use this page to stress the listener's part--to believe on the Lord Jesus as his personal Savior.)

   This page reminds me that you can be made clean from sin (Ps. 51:7). God tells us about it in the Bible. (Let the person read the whole verse with you.) "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Yes, God loves

you. God says if you believe in Jesus you will not perish--you will not be separated from God forever. He will forgive your sins and make you clean in the eyes of God.  God says, "Whoever believes." We could put your name in the place of "whoever." If you believe in Jesus as Savior, He will give you everlasting life.  That's the kind of life you need to live in Heaven with God. If you believe on the Lord Jesus as your Savior, He will forgive your sin. And He will be with you always and give you power to obey God. You can tell Jesus today that you have sinned and that you believe He died for you. The Bible says that if you repent, that means turn away, from your sin, it may be wiped out (Acts 3:19).  It also says that if you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ you will be saved (Acts 16:31). Would you like to do that with me now? (If the answer is yes, pray with the listener to receive Christ as his Savior.)

 

Go to the GREEN page

   (Stress spiritual growth on this page.)

   The color green reminds me of things which are growing, like leaves, grass, flowers and trees. This page reminds me of the new life, the everlasting life, you have received from God. When you believe on the Lord Jesus as your Savior from sin, you are like a newborn baby in God's family. God wants you to grow in a special way. The Bible tells you to "grow in .. .the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Pet. 3:18).

   As you learn more about Jesus from the Bible you will learn how to keep from sinning (Ps. 119:11). Ask Him each day to help you obey Him. When you do sin, tell God you have sinned. He will forgive you right away. The Bible says, "If we confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). Ask Him to help you not to do that wrong thing again. (Lead the person in thanking God for His promise to help.)

                1.            Talk to God—pray (l Thess. 5:17). The Bible says to pray continually.

                2.            Listen to God--learn God's Word by reading and memorizing it (Psalm 119:11).

                3.            Talk for God--witness or tell others-- about Him (Mark 16:15).

                4.            Worship God--go to Sunday school and church (Heb. 10:25).

 

Before the person leaves,

 

                1.            Give him a tract or correspondence course.

                2.            Have him say a thank-you prayer for what the Lord Jesus Christ has done for him.

                3.            Pray for him.

                4.            Request his name and address for follow-up.

 

Wordless Book instructions courtesy of Child Evangelism Fellowship.