Engage: Before You Engage

North American Mission Board

9 May 202306:46

Summary

TLDRCatherine Renfro, Director of Evangelism at the North American Mission Board, discusses strategies for fostering a culture of evangelism in churches. She emphasizes redefining success in gospel conversations, sharing conversation starters, and encouraging prayer for opportunities to share the gospel. Renfro highlights the importance of equipping church members with the courage and confidence to engage in gospel discussions, using practical tips and resources like the 30-day prayer guide from Hoosier1.com.

Takeaways

😇 Defining Success: Success in gospel conversations isn't about someone getting saved but sharing the gospel itself, as God is responsible for the results.
🌱 Planting and Watering: Paul's words in First Corinthians 3:6 emphasize that believers plant and water, but God gives the growth, reminding us to focus on sharing the gospel rather than the outcome.
🗣️ Conversation Starters: Having a few gospel conversation starters can help initiate discussions about Jesus, such as asking to pray for someone or inquiring about their spiritual beliefs.
💪 Courage and Confidence: Conversation starters can provide the courage and confidence needed to start gospel conversations, especially when one is unsure of the other person's response.
🙏 Praying for Opportunities: Encouraging church members to pray for opportunities to share the gospel is a powerful practice, as it aligns with God's will and can lead to fruitful conversations.
📅 Daily Prayer Practice: Psalm 5:2 suggests that praying in the morning for opportunities to share the gospel sets the tone for the day and prepares one for divine appointments.
📝 30-Day Prayer Guide: The Hoosier one 30-day prayer guide is a resource that can help church members pray daily for those in their lives who do not know Jesus.
📱 Available Resources: The prayer guide can be found on hoosier1.com or the YouVersion app, making it accessible for church members to engage in daily prayer.
🌟 Personal Stories: Personal testimonies, like the story of a person praying for their father's salvation for years, illustrate the power of prayer and the joy of answered prayers.
🛡️ Preparing for Conversations: Being prepared with a clear definition of success, conversation starters, and a habit of prayer helps church members to be more intentional in their gospel conversations.
🚪 Opportunities Abound: The Bible teaches that the harvest is plentiful, indicating that as the church prays and prepares, opportunities to share the gospel will present themselves.

Q & A

Who is Catherine Renfro and what is her role?
-Catherine Renfro is the Director of Evangelism at the North American Mission Board.
What is the main topic of the conversation in the script?
-The main topic is creating a culture of evangelism in a church, focusing on the third phase called 'engage'.
What is the first thing suggested to do before engaging in gospel conversations?
-The first thing suggested is to redefine success in terms of gospel conversations, emphasizing that success is simply sharing the gospel, not necessarily seeing someone saved.
How does the script define success in gospel conversations?
-Success in gospel conversations is defined as sharing the gospel itself, not necessarily the conversion of the listener.
What biblical reference is used to illustrate that God is responsible for the outcomes of gospel conversations?
-First Corinthians Chapter 3 Verse 6, where Paul says that he planted the seed and Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.
What is the second suggestion for preparing to engage in gospel conversations?
-The second suggestion is to start sharing gospel conversation starters with people before they engage in those conversations.
Can you provide some examples of gospel conversation starters mentioned in the script?
-Examples include asking 'How can I pray for you?', 'Do you have any spiritual beliefs?', 'Has anyone ever told you about Jesus?', 'Do you have a church you attend?', and 'May I share my story with you?'.
What is the third thing suggested to do before engaging in gospel conversations?
-The third suggestion is to help people start praying for opportunities to share the gospel.
What does Psalm chapter 5 verse 2 say about morning prayers?
-Psalm chapter 5 verse 2 says, 'In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my request before you and I wait expectantly.'
What is the purpose of praying for opportunities before engaging in gospel conversations?
-Praying for opportunities helps believers to identify people in their lives who don't have a relationship with Jesus and to ask God for the chance to share the gospel with them.
What resource is mentioned in the script to help church members pray for people in their lives who don't know Jesus?
-A 30-day prayer guide called 'Hoosier One' is mentioned, which can be found at hoosier1.com or on the YouVersion app.

Outlines

00:00

📢 Defining Success in Evangelism

Catherine Renfro, the Director of Evangelism at the North American Mission Board, discusses the importance of redefining success in the context of gospel conversations. She emphasizes that success is not solely about leading someone to salvation but rather about sharing the gospel itself. Renfro encourages leaders to remind their followers that God is responsible for the growth, as stated in First Corinthians 3:6. She also suggests equipping them with gospel conversation starters to facilitate the initiation of these discussions. Renfro shares a personal story of a woman who, after years of hesitation, was able to share her faith with a co-worker, highlighting the power of conversation starters in building confidence.

05:01

🙏 Encouraging Prayer for Evangelism Opportunities

The second paragraph focuses on the power of prayer in preparing for gospel conversations. Renfro advises leaders to guide their congregation in praying for opportunities to share the gospel with those who do not know Jesus. She mentions the Psalm 5:2 as a foundation for morning prayers and provides specific prayer points, such as praying for opportunities to start conversations, for the salvation of others, for boldness, for the right words, and for the Holy Spirit's guidance. Additionally, Renfro introduces a 30-day prayer guide available at hoosier1.com and on the YouVersion app as a resource for church members to engage in daily prayers for evangelism opportunities. She concludes with a personal account of answered prayers, illustrating the impact of consistent prayer on evangelism efforts.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Evangelism

Evangelism refers to the act of sharing the Christian Gospel with others, with the intent of spreading the Christian faith and encouraging others to develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. In the video, Catherine Renfro, as the Director of Evangelism, discusses the importance of creating a culture of evangelism within the church, emphasizing the need to equip and encourage church members to share the hope of the Gospel.

💡Gospel Conversations

Gospel conversations are discussions that revolve around the teachings of the Gospel, aiming to communicate the message of Jesus Christ to others. The script highlights the need to redefine success in these conversations, emphasizing that the act of sharing the Gospel itself is successful, regardless of the outcome, as it is God who determines the results.

💡Equipping

Equipping, in the context of the video, refers to the process of preparing and enabling individuals within the church to effectively share the Gospel. It involves providing them with the necessary knowledge, skills, and confidence to engage in gospel conversations, as mentioned by Catherine Renfro when discussing the process before engaging in these conversations.

💡Success

Success, as redefined in the script, is not about the conversion of the listener but about the act of sharing the Gospel message. The video script uses the metaphor of planting and watering seeds to illustrate that it is God who brings the growth, indicating that success is in the sharing, not necessarily in the conversion.

💡Confidence

Confidence in the video is portrayed as a crucial element for individuals to initiate gospel conversations. It is suggested that providing conversation starters and prayer can help build this confidence, allowing individuals to overcome fear and engage more freely in discussions about faith.

💡Conversation Starters

Conversation starters are phrases or questions designed to initiate discussions, especially about spiritual or religious topics. The script provides examples such as 'How can I pray for you?' and 'Do you have any spiritual beliefs?' These are intended to help individuals begin gospel conversations more easily and confidently.

💡Prayer

Prayer is presented as a powerful tool for seeking opportunities to share the Gospel. The script encourages church members to pray for opportunities to engage in gospel conversations and for the spiritual well-being of those they wish to reach, illustrating the importance of prayer in preparing for and supporting evangelism efforts.

💡Courage

Courage is highlighted as a necessary attribute for individuals to start gospel conversations. The video script shares a story of someone who, empowered by prayer and conversation starters, was able to overcome fear and uncertainty to share her faith with a co-worker, demonstrating the role of courage in evangelism.

💡Hoosier One 30-Day Prayer Guide

The Hoosier One 30-Day Prayer Guide is a resource mentioned in the script designed to help church members pray daily for opportunities to share the Gospel and for the salvation of those who do not know Jesus. It represents a practical tool for equipping individuals in their prayer life as part of their evangelism journey.

💡First Corinthians 3:6

This biblical reference is used in the script to illustrate the concept of success in evangelism. It states that Paul planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God gave the growth, reinforcing the idea that the success of gospel conversations lies in the sharing, not in the conversion, as it is ultimately God's role to bring growth.

💡Psalm 5:2

Psalm 5:2 is cited in the script to emphasize the importance of morning prayer and the expectation of God's response. It is used to encourage church members to pray for opportunities to share the Gospel, showing that prayer is a foundational aspect of seeking and recognizing these opportunities.

Highlights

Catherine Renfro serves as the Director of Evangelism at the North American Mission Board.

The conversation focuses on creating a culture of evangelism in churches, particularly the third phase called 'engage'.

Equipping leaders to share the Gospel is essential before engaging in gospel conversations.

Redefining success in gospel conversations is crucial; success is sharing the Gospel, not just conversions.

The results of gospel conversations are in God's hands, as stated in First Corinthians 3:6.

Providing conversation starters can help individuals initiate gospel discussions more confidently.

Examples of gospel conversation starters include asking about prayer needs and spiritual beliefs.

Prayer plays a significant role in preparing for gospel conversations, as illustrated in Psalm 5:2.

Encouraging church members to pray for opportunities to share the Gospel is a powerful practice.

Practical ways to pray for gospel opportunities include praying for boldness and the right words.

The Hoosier One 30-day prayer guide is a resource to help church members pray for those who don't know Jesus.

The prayer guide is available at hoosier1.com and on the YouVersion app for daily use.

Praying for opportunities can lead to exciting moments of sharing the Gospel, as shared in personal stories.

A personal testimony of a family praying for their father's salvation, which was eventually answered at age 75.

The importance of being intentional in having gospel conversations in everyday life.

The role of leaders in helping their congregation define success, share conversation starters, and pray for opportunities.