How is Your Relationship with Jesus?

Make sure you have your own relationship with Jesus and know Him well, being confident in your walk with Him. How can you witness to someone about Jesus if you don’t even know Him? Spend time with Him daily.

Make sure that you’re prayed up. Make sure your life is clean and holy. Don’t watch, listen, or do things that are associated with the things of this world. If you are in the mist of a sin, how can you tell someone else to get out of sin?

You meet people at their needs first before you try to give them Jesus (James 2:14-17), particularly those who are poor. Don’t try to heal them first or preach about salvation first until you meet them at their need, giving them food or clothes. A healing may be what they need, so you lay hands on them and pronounce healing over their body. Also be aware of where hospitals are so you can direct them to get medical attention. Those who are poor and in poverty, be careful not to up-rile them by trying to persuade them from getting out of their poverty.

Everything you do in the Lord, make sure its backed up with the Word.

Street Evangelism

Qualities of a Good Street Worker

1. A vital relationship with the Lord Jesus – You have to spend time with Him daily. How do you spend quality time with Him? You can journal, you can sit in quietness, you can write, or listen to music, praying, reading the Word, playing music, reading Holy material it can vary but however Holy Ghost leads you. One thing that we face is inconsistency in spending time with Him.
2. Christ’s burden and compassion for the lost – You must have this in your heart. Everyone gets touched and moved when they see little Children that are starving. There are people starving all over the world. We need to show support and meet people’s needs. If you are blessed, what are you doing to bless someone else? When you witness to others look at their circumstances. No matter what has happened to them, they’re still in need. If you see someone in need don’t lack compassion.
3. A sensitivity which causes the worker to look beyond surface problems and circumstances – This stems from your relationship with Jesus and the significance of hearing His voice when you go out in the world. Holy Ghost will lead you about that person so its important that you know His voice. You need to be available for others to just be a listening ear for others or a person who actually has heart and cares. Holy Ghost will give you words of knowledge about them. Be friendly and approachable and genuine. When it comes to those you encounter that have demonic spirits, you don’t need to run or be afraid. Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. If you resist the devil he will flee. You have the authority to cast out demons in Jesus name.
4. Flexibility which enables the worker to love people before they “shape up” (socially or doctrinaly) – You must love a person and accept them as they are, not condoning their sin. But love them past their sin as a human being created in the image of God. They are lost, and Jesus has called us to win the lost so that they can repent. Become all things to all men that you might win some as Paul said (1 Corinthians 9:19-23). Getting past your own pride in the sense of not wanting to be associated with a person of low social or doctrinal standard; this will kill love in your heart towards others. Instead kill racial, bigot, selfish and high-minded mindsets and see human beings as precious souls.
5. Dedication and persistence.
6. Plenty of common sense (common to a spirit-filled person).

Pre-Evangelism Effort Preparation

1. Make sure all works understand the basics of soul-winning and street work.
2. Develop a strategy for street Evangelism and acquaint the works with your strategy. As a team leader, you need to know where each person is spiritually in their own lives. We’re going out as workers for Christ and know the people labouring with you.
3. Have appropriate materials such as tracts, Bible, pencil, paper, etc. Whatever you are sent out with, make sure its together. Many like going out with their phones quicker than having a hard copy of a Bible. Whomever God’s lays on your heart to talk to, talk to them. You don’t go talking to every living person on the street. You don’t go out and try to force people to listen to what you’re saying. Use your gift whether Words of Knowledge or Prophecy.
4. If you are distributing Gospel literature, familiarize yourself with it. If you don’t care much about what you’re trying to spread why should they?
5. Dress appropriately (comfortable walking shoes, appropriate clothes for the area). Make sure you wear something that will aid you in helping people. Don’t wear anything with the motive of being attractive sensually or for popularity sake. Know the area you are going into culturally.

Some Common Mistakes

1. Going to an Evangelism effort without spending appropriate prayer time.
2. Thinking that handing out tracts, witnessing and holding street meetings is enough to reach your community. This is just a beginning. There must be an involvement with people on a deeper level.
3. Displaying a professional or missionary attitude to those you are trying to reach. This attitudes projects the idea that you are coming down from your perch to help those “poor, depraved sinners” so they better take heed. You make them feel like you are doing them a favor.
4. Not being properly prepared for what you will meet culturally, spiritually, etc. in the streets.
5. Not sticking with the basics and getting sidetracked with theological discussions such as demonology, prophecy, etc., or superficial issues such as drinking, smoking, etc. Its so easy to get side tracked and sometimes that individual will side track you. The best witness you gave give is your own salvation. How you came to this conclusion.
6. Using Christian expression: “Are you saved?” “Born Again,” “Repent,” etc (If they are used, you must explain their meaning). People who don’t know God won’t know what you are talking about. Explain things in simple terms are Holy Ghost leads you.
7. Apologizing for what God has kept you from. Don’t make up excuses for why you can’t go out and do certain things like sins. Why God kept you from drinking or partying or smoking or carousing.
8. Focusing in on race or color. Personifying ethnic stereotypes. Talk to them as though they were human beings with dignity.
9. Neglecting your personal hygiene and appearance, thinking it doesn’t affect people’s reaction to your witnessing. Being mindful of how other people perceive you. Be who you are but with dignity and cleanliness. Dress in modest apparel.

Situations to avoid:

1. Don’t use a gathering as a ready-made crowd for you to preach at, such as crap games, sports, etc., be courteous.
2. Women working with men, men with women. Men should work with men and women with women as much as possible (the exception would be when ministering to homosexuals.)
3. Working alone. Workers should work in teams of twos. Lone Rangers cause problems. Why two by two?

• Jesus sent them out that way — Mark 6:7
• One can pray as the other witnesses — Matthew 18:20
• If one is in trouble, the other can help

Reacting to Threats or Arguments

1. Try to avoid negative confrontations if at all possible, either physical or verbal.
2. Pray! Ask God for courage, strength and wisdom — spirit filled common sense.
3. Don’t react in kind (abuse for abuse, etc). Don’t repay unkindness for unkindness.
4. Don’t take any threats ligthly, they just might be serious.
5. A strong negative reaction may be a reaction to you personally, your appearance, style of communication, etc. In that case move away or let another worker “substitute” in your place.
6. If this is a reaction to the Gospel, be ready to suffer the consequences.
7. Be prepared to die for your faith if need be.
8. Always use common sense.

Type of people you will encounter in Evangelism

1. Non-informed -This group lacks the necessary information about Christ. Even if they wanted they would not know how to become Christians. We must be aware of the gaps in their knowledge and build from there to Christ.
2. Informed – These are people that are informed of the Gospel but haven’t acted on this information. These people need not to be crammed with the Gospel, but rather acknowledged and prayed for.

Talking to street people

1. Encourage people. Bring hope to them. You don’t have to focus on their sin. They are well aware of their sin.
2. Talk to, not at people.
3. Listen to what they are saying.
4. Speak their language. After finding out who they are and what their demeanor and personality are, speak on their level. Be simple at all costs.

Praying with people in the street

1. Don’t place your hands on a person’s head. This has negative cultural connotations. For example, to many blacks, it would be a very demeaning gesture; what as master would to to a slave.
2. Rather, place hands on persons shoulder.
3. Don’t speak in tongues. This only distracts and frightens those outside of the Pentecostal circles.
4. Don’t get too emotional. Again, this frightens and distracts people.
5. Key your prayers short.
6. Leave most of your time to talk with the individual. Make sure the person you are praying for understands the basics of what’s going on.
7. Lead people through the “sinner’s prayer.” Acts 2:28
8. More important than praying “for” someone is helping a person pray for him/herself.

Salvation (Make Sure You Remember the Person’s Name)

1. Romans 5:12 (The Need)

• Show them their need for a Savior
• Sin was passed down from Adam & Eve
• They sin because they have no choice, we are born sinners, all have sinned and come short of the glory of God

2. John 3:16 (The Solution)

• If they were the only one on earth, God still would have sent Jesus to die for them.
• Scratch out the word “they” an put your name in the space.

Acts 4:10-12 (The Greek word for salvation is “Soteria”)

3. Romans 10:8-10 (How to apply the Solution or put into a set of instructions)

• Explain that the Word is near them.
• Their heart is not the organ that pumps blood
• Confession means a statement of affirmation, frank acknowledge wen out admission.

4. Ephesians 2:8,9 (It is a Gift)

• Grace is God’s unmerrited favor
• Use an example of the gift
• The cannot work for it.

5. John 1:12 (You have the right to received this gift)

• When we believe on His name, we become his sons and daughters
• Power-Right

Assurance of Salvation

• Romans 10:8-10
• Ephesians 2:8,9
• 1 John 4:15
• 1 John 1:9
• Romans 8:1

Scriptures Used for: Salvation, Holy Spirit, Assurance of Salvation and Out of Fellowship

Salvation

1. Romans 5:12–The need
2. John 3:16–The Solution Acts 4:10-12 Salvation in the Greek is: “Soteria” — deliverance, safety, preservation, soundness and healing.
3. Romans 10:8, 10 –How to apply the Solution.
4. Ephesians 2:8,9 – It is a gift.
5. John 1:12 — You have the right to received this gift.

Holy Spirit

1. John 14:15, 17, 26 –The Promise
2. Acts 2:38 — A gift
3. Acts 1:8
4. Acts 2:4 — You must do the speaking
5. Acts 19:2, 13 — laying on of hands to receive
6. Luke 11:9, 13 — You get exactly what you ask for
7. 1 Corinthians 14:2 — A purpose for speaking in tongues.

Out of Fellowship

1. 1 John 1:9
2. 1 John 2:1

Rededication and Who we Are in Christ

1. II Corinthians 5:17
2. II Corinthians 6:14-16
3. 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20
4. Roman 8:37
5. Galatians 3:26-29
6. Ephesians 1:11-23
7. Ephesians 2:4-6