Sharing Your Faith Confidently

How We Can Help

One assumption Jesus had was that his followers would share the hope they had found in him. The last words of Jesus say (Matthew 28:19) “As you go make disciples of all nations…” implying making the most of daily opportunities Jesus places before us each day. Yet most followers in the West have introduced very few people to Jesus, let alone journeyed with them to help them become disciples. When researchers discovered why this happened, it was because we were unsure what to say, when to say it, how to say it, and, who to say it to. Very few Christians have been taught to share what they believe effectively.

At North-South Church Mobilisation, we have created an interactive and fun training on how you can confidently share your faith.

Session One

We look at the ways you and the others have come to faith – Who was it? What did they say? How did it happen to you? Helping people realise that someone went out of their way to show them how to find Jesus. That now it is our turn.

We look at the power of your story and to seek to condense it to a well-thought-through presentation.

Session Two

We learn a simple gospel presentation. Then we practice this method in our groups.

We look at other ways to share the faith which includes apps for your phone and booklets that spell out the gospel. The idea is to find a method that works for you.

We look at how the Holy Spirit helps and guides as we seek to listen prayerfully to his voice.

We look at ways to begin a spiritual conversation by simply asking questions of what others believe.

Beyond The Training

We ask the host church to have an outreach event in mind before we start training so there is a focus after the training. This could be an Alpha course, or a special evangelistic outreach event at church or in the community. We will then have a three-week “Holy Spirit challenge” for us to reach out to three people in your sphere of influence, with the hope that the church event will reinforce whatever has been shared. We will have a social media app (like “what’s app” or messenger ) to offer encouragement and for reporting back on how things are going.

 “In April 2019, we did evangelism training with Gradon, as a precursor to an Alpha Course. The evangelism training was followed by the “Holy Spirit challenge” to share Jesus with three people over three weeks. This created a lot of momentum with around seventy people coming to the Alpha introduction night (that included helpers and leaders). This momentum has continued throughout the year. We have had more salvation’s and baptisms recently. We believe a major factor in this is the evangelism training. It equipped our people to share their faith with others.”  – Phil & Bron Tait, former pastors of Raumati Beach Church (Vineyard)

Creating A Discipleship Approach To Outreach

To do outreach without having an effective discipleship process in place is not biblical or spiritually kind!

We seek to train people in a simple discipleship method in small groups that asks four questions of the text. It is so effective that non-believers can feel as comfortable as long-time believers. It has proved particularly effective in the past with non-Christians in the far north of New Zealand, who are largely Maori in introducing their whanau to Christ.  

The uniqueness of this method is that it expects accountability as to how each member will apply the message of the text in our daily lives. If for example, the text is about being generous, then who is God telling us to be generous to and how will we be generous? It also asks each week the question, “ who we have shared our faith or prayed” with as well as who God might be asking me to reach out in the coming week.

It shares the responsibility of each study (there are three parts to each bible study)  amongst everyone – giving everyone leadership experience and aims to divide the group as soon as the room that folk are meeting in is too small.

“We had around 12 people , mainly folk in their 30’s who used to meet as our discipleship group. There is currently two agnostics and one Buddhist amongst the twelve. These three each contribute with interesting insights as we ask the same four questions of the text each week. The questions create a safe place to observe and sense what the writer hoped we would see as he faithfully recorded what Jesus had said and done. I need to say I am enjoying our group as much as everyone, we normally start with a lovely meal which relaxes folk, as we catch up about what’s been happening in our lives. There is a lot of laughter and tears sometimes. We are all trying each week to be faithful in reaching out. There is one young Maori lady who is new believer who works Sundays, so has never been to a church. She is always talking to people about her new faith, it’s all so new, that when we talked about fasting in Mark 2, she then decided to make fasting a part of her life. Somehow hanging out with these people from all kinds of non-church backgrounds stimulates my faith. I used to be quite cynical about the worth of house groups because apart from pastoral care they offered, the studies were often information without application. Now I am a new convert and wished I had known what I have discovered recently when I first was ordained, because now I have come realise that Discipleship groups done well; that train up leaders and multiply are the hope of the church.”

– Gradon

Next Step…

Creating Disciples