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Real World Evangelism Lesson 4 Planning to Reach the Lost!

Mk 16:15-16 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and

preach the gospel to every creature. "He who believes and is

baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be

condemned.

* * 0 We have indeed come a long ways in our

study, but we still have a ways to go!●We started our study of Real World Evangelism

by looking at our “need” to seek the lost, we then moved on to begin looking at “how” we go about doing this!

–Praying!

–Preparing!

●Today we are moving on to our need for “planning!”

–Planning = a scheme or method of acting, doing, proceeding, making, etc.

* * 0 After we have put in the proper

preparation, where do we go from there?This is the question we want to ask & answer!

●I have often found it sad that many Christians will spend a great deal of time & money “planning” for retirement, for investments, even for trips, but are we willing to invest in reaching the lost?

●Why do so many fail to see this need that is far greater than any?

●I do not claim to have all the answers, but I do believe we need a plan!

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God always works according to plan!

“God has no problems, just plans!”

●1Pe 1:18-20 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you. (Cf. Jn. 3:16; Eph. 1:3-7 etc.)

* * 0 Many congregations setup 1 to 5 years

plans for what they want to accomplish!“If you fail to plan, then you are planning

to fail!” (Benjamin Franklin )●This helps us to focus on what the

goal it at hand!

●This helps us to be more motivated to work harder and reach our goal!

●It is often said that, “things work better when they go according to plan!”

* * 0 I. What are some things we need

to plan for?●The truth is that the better we prepare & the better we

plan the more ready we will be to reach the lost for Jesus!

●What are some of the things we will face when seeking to reach the lost?

–We must help them understand the Scriptures!

●Act. 8:26-39

–We must help them understand if they are wrong!

●Rom. 10:1-3 cf. Act. 18:24-19:5

–We must help then understand what to do!

●Act. 2:37ff

* * 0 How can we better prepare by

planning?●Planning for things help us to work through

them even before we begin & and this enables us to be aware of the possible outcomes.

●Is reaching the lost always going to be easy?

●Will the result always be immediate?

–1 Cor. 3:4-6

–Is. 55:8-11

●Understand these things will help us in our planning!

* * 0 II. What are some ways we can do

this?●If our goal is to get more people to come to services

“how” should/could we do this?

–Having a special day a few times a year!

●Family & Friends Day!

●Invite Our Neighbors Day!

–Having a special event!

●Vacation Bible School

●Gospel Meeting

●Workshop/Lectureship

●Ladies’ Day

●Each one of these involves “planning!”

* * 0 The truth is that there are many

ways to reach out to the community!●Free car washes/ free food

●Send of invitations (house to house etc.)

●Having a food bank/ clothing for the needy

●Planning activities to be do as a group!

–Camping/fishing trips

–Youth night

–Movie night

–Bowling night

●Those in the 1st Century understood this!

* * 0 III. How did Jesus & the Apostle

“plan” to reach the lost?●What did they do when they got to a new place?

–Mt 12:9 Now when He had departed from there, He went into their synagogue.

–Mt 13:54 And when He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, "Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works?

●This method is found over and over again!

–Acts 13:5; 14:1; 17:1 and 10

–Seek, Search & Share! (See. Act. 17:1-3)

* * 0 How do we go about finding

people interested in the Word?●What are some places we might look for them,

what are some methods that might help us reach out to them?

●Imagine what we could do for the cause of Christ if we would learn to plan with these questions in mind!

●If we do not take the time to plan, what are the chances that anything will get done?

●How did we become a Christian? Did it take someone taking time to prepare & plan?

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Conclusion:

●May we keep in mind that, “God always works according to His plan!”

●May we learn to pray for the lost, prepare to teach them and plan to reach them!

●If you are here today and not yet a Christian, then today is the day my friend!

●If you are a Christian, then let us learn to work together to better “plan” how we can reach the lost for Jesus!

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