The Power of Word Pictures

Jesus employed analogies to describe salvation: born again, bread of life, justification.  These metaphors are inspired, because Jesus used them in his own salvation preaching.  The analogies remain with us today showing how these word pictures still communicate.  We can make use of these scriptural analogies while evangelizing.  These analogies can become background for scripting conversations with our hearers.  Jesus was very keen on this method of communication.  For example, he used Bread, a staple of sustenance, and living water, a necessity for survival. People could immediately understand how important these items were in their everyday life.  Jesus used these metaphors to teach spiritual lessons. 

We can also find our own cultural analogies for engaging people in spiritual conversations.  For example, movies often portray themes of forgiveness and sacrifice. Popular songs speak of desire for commitment and true love. Movies and music are ordinary activities in which virtually everyone participates.  In both the Old and New Testaments God uses ordinary objects to communicate extraordinary truth. God employs the same principles today to communicate His truth to individuals.  He uses signs, symbols and stories from everyday life.

Contributed by Dr. Lyle Pointer

For more resources of Vibrant Church Renewal and Evangelism go to:

http://www.usacanadaregion.org/church-renewal

http://www.usacanadaregion.org/evangelism

Values-Discerning Witness

We can show people what is right in God's sight.  Worldly priorities, such as fun and escape, have simply been misappropriated as ultimate values.

Upon sensing what is valued, the encouraging Christian witness says "yes".  We need not take the position, "No, you are wrong."  We can say, "Yes".  For instance, Marilyn, an accountant for twenty years and a mother of three boys, observed, "Nothing is more important in this world than family."

Jodie, her coworker and a member of the Methodist church, responded, "I, too, love my family.  Isn't God good to allow us to share in close, loving relationships!  I thank Him all the time for giving me my husband and daughter."  Most human values generally reflect something of what God feels is important, too.  The most constructive evangelism takes a "yes and" position, not a "yes, but" position.  This is a powerfully effective way to witness, for the listener serves as a cooperative partner in exploring what Christ has to offer.

A "yes and" approach acknowledges God is already at work in the life of the unconvinced.  When unbelievers identify God's truth in their perspectives, the work of evangelism advances.


Contribute by Dr. Lyle Pointer


For more resources of Vibrant Church Renewal and Evangelism go to:

http://www.usacanadaregion.org/church-renewal

http://www.usacanadaregion.org/evangelism

The Authority of Reason

There are two types of revelation–special revelation and general revelation. The witness of God's Spirit through Jesus as attested within the Bible is an example of special revelation.  General revelation is God's handiwork seen in the natural world. The Christian witness should stand strong on this claim: science tells us about God.

At first glance, this appears to be a controversial claim, for no one will agree unless he or she already acknowledges God's existence.  Our hearer will probably not acknowledge God's existence at the same level as we do.  So we will have to warm our hearers to the idea that if there is a God, and if we understand God as creator--one who is all powerful, and all knowing—then his creation will be reflected in nature.  Since science is the key to understanding nature, God willingly allows science to testify to his creation.

The universe works in an ordered manner.  For example, the moon remains at a consistent range of distances that has varying positive effects on the earth, such as gravity.  For the moon to get out of its orbit would cause the earth to disintegrate.  The same is true of the sun.  The conclusion is that we live in a rational universe.  Otherwise, science would yield no knowledge in the face of chaos.  We should pose this question to the hearer: how long of a jump is it from the fact of the universe to a rational mind that created the universe?

Contributed by Dr. Lyle Pointer

For more resources of Vibrant Church Renewal and Evangelism go to:

http://www.usacanadaregion.org/church-renewal

http://www.usacanadaregion.org/evangelism