Leading People to Christ

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Leading People to Christ
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Leading People to Christ

• Let Glory Crown
• the
• Mercy Seat

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Leading People to Christ

• The Salvation Army
• An international movement, is an evangelical part
  of the universal Christian Church.
• Its ministry is based upon the Bible
• Its ministry is motivated by love for God
• Its mission is to preach the Gospel of Jesus
  Christ and meet human needs in His Name without
  discrimination.

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Leading People to Christ

• John 145 NIV
• Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have
  found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and
  about whom the prophets also wroteJesus of
  Nazareth, the son of Joseph."

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Leading People to Christ

• John 141 NIV
• The first thing Andrew did was to find his
  brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the
  Messiah" (that is, the Christ).

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Leading People to Christ

• Acts 834 NIV
• The eunuch asked Philip, "Tell me, please,
• who is the prophet talking about, himself or
• someone else?
• 35Then Philip began with that very passage of
  Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.

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Leading People to Christ

• Matthew 419 NIV
• "Come, follow me," Jesus said,
• "and I will make you
• fishers of men."

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Leading People to Christ

• Mercy-Seat
• Hebrew kapporeth, a "covering"
• the covering or lid of the ark of the covenant
  (q.v.). It was of acacia wood, overlaid with
  gold, or perhaps rather a plate of solid gold, 2
  1/2 cubits long and 1 1/2 broad (Ex. 2517 306
  317). It is compared to the throne of grace
  (Heb. 95 Eph. 26). The Holy of Holies is
  called the "place of the mercy-seat" (1 Chr.
  2811 Lev. 162).

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Leading People to Christ

• Upon that Mercy Seat, on the great Day of
  Atonement in the ritual of Israel's worship, the
  blood was sprinkled.
• Paul says that Christ was a Mercy Seat
• 'in His own blood.'
• The thing God was doing when Christ offered up
  His life on the Cross reveals the grounds on
  which in every age God has forgiven sinners.
  Those grounds are expressed in the single phrase,
  a propitiation in His blood.

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Leading People to Christ

• The Mercy Seat, also known as the Penitent Form,
  is in every Army sanctuary. It is a place where
  thousands of boys and girls, men and women, have
  received God's pardon and strength to live right
  lives.William Booth always believed that it was
  good to confess one's surrender to God in
  public.

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Leading People to Christ

• There is no special value in the wood nor is the
  Penitent Form merely a place in a building. A
  drum has often been placed in the center of an
  open air meeting ring to serve for the same
  purpose.Wherever anyone feels they must live as
  God wants them to live, that place can be their
  Penitent Form or Mercy Seat.

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Leading People to Christ

• General Point 1
• Good grooming
• Do not offend by being improperly dressed

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Leading People to Christ

• General Point 2
• Personal Hygene
• Be clean,
• well groomed
• and fresh of breath

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Leading People to Christ

• General Point 3
• BE MANNERLY
• It may not be wise to touch the seeker
• especially if the person is of the opposite sex.
• Many are troubled by being touched. Do not pry
  confessions are for God to hear

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Leading People to Christ

• There may be those who know the seeker who will
  be most qualified to help.
• Allow God to use these people.

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Leading People to Christ

• ARE
• YOU
• READY ?

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Leading People to Christ

• Preparing the way
• It is essential to be sensitive to the leading of
  the Holy Spirit when constrained to talk to
  someone about the claims of Christ.
• Your usefulness will be enhanced as you bring to
  your task

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Leading People to Christ

• GODS WORD
• Know it, always carry it
• It is your ONLY authority

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Leading People to Christ

• FAITH
• as alive
• although as seemingly
• small as a mustard seed

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Leading People to Christ

• LOVE
• a burning, Christ-like love is the driving force
  behind
• soul-winning

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Leading People to Christ

• UNDERSTANDING
• no two people are alike in personality, problems
  
• or needs

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Leading People to Christ

• TACT
• be approachable never
• dogmatic,
• harsh or
• critical

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Leading People to Christ

• SINCERITY
• Your life must match your
• profession.
• Shallowness and sham are soon detected.

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Leading People to Christ

• PRAYER
• Seeking Gods guidance is essential in
  soul-winning

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Leading People to Christ

• There is a calm, a sure retreat 'Tis found
  beneath the mercy seat

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Leading People to Christ

• COUNSELLING
• In finding a counsellor be aware of the age, sex
  and background of the seeker.
• If someone close to the seeker is qualified to
  act then make use of that relationship.

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Leading People to Christ

• COUNSELLING
• Kneel with the seeker
• Begin with a personal prayer for strength
• You are about to help in the greatest task of
  your life
• Leading someone to Christ

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Leading People to Christ

• COUNSELLING
• Avoid cliches such as
• look up - just believe - hold on
• let go or plunge into the Blood
• They may cause confusion or even offend

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Leading People to Christ

• COUNSELLING
• Gently introduce yourself by name
• Encourage the seeker to tell you his/her name
• Then when you pray you can pray for that person
  by name

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Leading People to Christ

• A needy sinner at thy feet,
• With broken heart I bow
• For pardon at thy mercy seat,

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Leading People to Christ

• COUNSELLING FOR SALVATION
• Emphasize Gods Love
• John 316For God so loved the world that he gave
  his one and only Son that whoever believes in him
  shall not perish but have eternal life.

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Leading People to Christ

• COUNSELLING FOR SALVATION
• Emphasize Gods Love
• Testify to it
• Show how it is revealed in the Bible

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Leading People to Christ

• COUNSELLING FOR SALVATION
• Outline the Way of Salvation
• God wants for man to live a full rich life
• John 1010I have come that they may have life,
• and have it to the full.

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Leading People to Christ

• COUNSELLING FOR SALVATION
• Outline the Way of Salvation
• Because man was created with free-will he chooses
  his own way which results in separation from God.
• Abundant life can only be found by living Gods
  way.

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Leading People to Christ

• COUNSELLING FOR SALVATION
• Outline the Way of Salvation
• No-one is exempt from this
• Romans 323all have sinned and fall short of the
  
• glory of God,

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Leading People to Christ

• COUNSELLING FOR SALVATION
• Point out Gods answer Jesus Christ
• Romans 88
• But God demonstrates his own love for us in
  this While we were still sinners,
• Christ died for us.

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Leading People to Christ

• COUNSELLING FOR SALVATION
• Point out Gods answer Jesus Christ
• John 146Jesus answered, "I am the way and the
  truth and the life. No one comes to the Father
  except through me.

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Leading People to Christ

• COUNSELLING FOR SALVATION
• Stress the need to accept Christ personally
• He is a personal Savior and the individual
  seeker must accept him in that light.
• Revelation 320
• I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my
  voice and opens the door, I will come in.

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Leading People to Christ

• COUNSELLING FOR SALVATION
• Encourage a Definite Decision
• Gently guide the seeker towards repentance
• Psalm 3818
• I confess my iniquity
• I am troubled by my sin

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Leading People to Christ

• COUNSELLING FOR SALVATION
• Encourage a Definite Decision
• Encourage belief in the Lord Jesus Christ.
• The act of faith brings about a right
  relationship with God through Jesus.
• He becomes a living reality in the life of the
  seeker because of Gods grace.

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Leading People to Christ

• COUNSELLING FOR SALVATION
• Consolidate through Prayer
• Salvation is Gods work in mans life.
• It is natural for the new relationship to be
  established in prayer.

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Leading People to Christ

• Approach, my soul, the mercy seat,
• Where Jesus answers prayer.

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Leading People to Christ

• COUNSELLING FOR HOLINESS
• Emphasize Gods Power
• Holiness is not an impossibly high standard
• it is not impossible to attain.
• Emphasize Gods power, show its revelation in
  Scripture and speak from your own testimony.

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Leading People to Christ

• COUNSELLING FOR HOLINESS
• Emphasize Gods Promise
• God has pledged that holiness is possible in the
  life of anyone fully receptive to the Holy
  Spirit. Man is made Holy through the indwelling
  of the Spirit of Christ.
• see Ephesians 3 14 - 21

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Leading People to Christ

• COUNSELLING FOR HOLINESS
• Ephesians 3 14 17
• 14For this reason I kneel before the Father,
  15from whom his whole family in heaven and on
  earth derives its name. 16I pray that out of his
  glorious riches he may strengthen you with power
  through his Spirit in your inner being, 17so that
  Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.

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Leading People to Christ

• COUNSELLING FOR HOLINESS
• Ephesians 3 17 21
• And I pray that you, being rooted and
  established in love, 18may have power, together
  with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long
  and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to
  know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you
  may be filled to the measure of all the fullness
  of God.

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Leading People to Christ

• COUNSELLING FOR HOLINESS
• Ephesians 3 20 21
• 20Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more
  than all we ask or imagine, according to his
  power that is at work within us, 21to him be
  glory in the church and in Christ Jesus
  throughout all generations, for ever and ever!
  Amen.

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Leading People to Christ

• COUNSELLING FOR HOLINESS
• Emphasize the Work of the Holy Spirit
• The Spirit convinces man of his need of a deeper
  work within his life.

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Leading People to Christ

• The spirit-filled man reveals
• The peace and poise of a Christ-controlled life,
  steady in all circumstances
• A live prayer life
• Eagerness for Gods Word
• Readiness to witness
• A life marked by purity and power

The immature Christian reveals An
unstable,unsatisfying experience, often being at
the mercy of circumstances. A static or
inconsistent prayer life Lack of eagerness for
Gods Word Preference for the Silent
Witness A life needing more purity and power
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Leading People to Christ

• COUNSELLING FOR HOLINESS
• Emphasize Consecration
• A positive commitment involving renunciation.
  There is a parallel with the discipline of the
  athlete or the musician - giving up trifles to
  attain true freedom.

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Leading People to Christ

• COUNSELLING FOR HOLINESS
• Emphasize Consecration
• Hebrews 121 let us throw off everything that
  hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and
  let us run with perseverance the race marked out
  for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author
  and
• perfecter of our faith,

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Leading People to Christ

• COUNSELLING FOR HOLINESS
• Emphasize Consecration
• Clarify what must be consecrated and what must be
  given up.
• Encourage a Definite Decision.

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Leading People to Christ

• COUNSELLING FOR HOLINESS
• Emphasize Consecration
• Sanctification is the work of the Holy Spirit in
  the life of the Christian.
• It is natural to establish this in prayer.

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Leading People to Christ

• Come, at the mercy seat fervently kneel
• Here bring
• your wounded hearts,

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Leading People to Christ

• COUNSELLING FOR RESTORATION
• Reasons for Backsliding
• Avoid too much pressure or probing.
• Confessions must be made but must also be treated
  in confidence.
• It might be necessary for the seeker to talk to
  the Corps Officer

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Leading People to Christ

• COUNSELLING FOR RESTORATION
• Reasons for Backsliding
• Neglect of Bible reading and study
• Neglect of prayer
• Unresponsiveness the the KNOWN
• will of God

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Leading People to Christ

• COUNSELLING FOR RESTORATION
• Reasons for Backsliding
• Decline in personal faith
• Slackness in attending Gods house
• Being too SELF- reliant
• Inviting temptation (playing with fire)

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Leading People to Christ

• COUNSELLING FOR RESTORATION
• Avoid being shocked by what you hear
• Do not condemn
• The seeker is looking for a way back to God
• There is a need to be assured of mans acceptance
  as well as Gods

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Leading People to Christ

• COUNSELLING FOR RESTORATION
• God is ready to Save and to Keep
• 1 John 19If we confess our sins, he is faithful
  and just and will forgive us our sins and purify
  us from all unrighteousness.

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Leading People to Christ

• COUNSELLING FOR RESTORATION
• God is ready to Save and to Keep
• Remember Jesus parable of the
• Prodigal Son
• This demonstrates Gods prodigious forgiveness of
  the backslider.

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Leading People to Christ

• COUNSELLING FOR RESTORATION
• God is ready to Save and to Keep
• Ephesians 613Therefore put on the full armor of
  God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may
  be able to stand your ground, and after you have
  done everything, to stand.

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Leading People to Christ

• COUNSELLING FOR RESTORATION
• Emphasize the Importance of Faith
• The Bible constantly repeats the truth that
  forgiveness of sin is possible, because of Gods
  grace and may be experienced through faith in
  Jesus Christ as
• Lord and Savior

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Leading People to Christ

• COUNSELLING FOR RESTORATION
• Emphasize the Importance of Faith
• Man is saved by grace through faith in our Lord
  Jesus Christ
• Man is kept through faith in our Lord Jesus
  Christ
• Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ overcomes the
  world
• The Christian lives by faith in our Lord Jesus
  Christ

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Leading People to Christ

• COUNSELLING FOR RESTORATION
• Emphasize the Importance of Faith
• The Salvation Army accepts the doctrine that it
  is possible for the believer to stray from God
  but that forgiveness is available to the truly
  penitent.
• Prayers should be made for forgiveness and for
  the gift of his keeping power.

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Leading People to Christ

• So may we
• with willing feet
• Ever seek
• the
• mercy seat.

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Leading People to Christ

• COUNSELLING FOR REDEDICATION
• Identify the Need
• There could be a specific need which may be
• Personal
• Family related
• Work related
• Corps related

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Leading People to Christ

• COUNSELLING FOR REDEDICATION
• Identify the Need
• In each case you are dealing with matters of a
  deeply personal, even intimate nature.
• Before assisting such a seeker be sure that you
  are the right person to deal with the situations.
  
• Better to pass the seeker to someone more
  qualified than to be the cause of frustration or
  even backsliding.

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Leading People to Christ

• COUNSELLING FOR REDEDICATION
• Identify the Need
• As always stress the importance of communing with
  God through the Scriptures and prayer.

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Leading People to Christ

• COUNSELLING FOR REDEDICATION
• Identify the Need
• Although there may be a specific need expressed
  it must be stressed that there is no such thing
  as selective consecration.
• The whole man must be dedicated to God
• Not a fragment but the whole

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Leading People to Christ

• COUNSELLING FOR REDEDICATION
• Meeting the Need
• Attend Bible study and prayer meetings
• Get involved in evangelism and visitation
• Make a concerted effort to bring people to the
  Corps
• Take on the needed work of the Corps, being
  concerned with the work not a position

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Leading People to Christ

• DANGER
• If you become involved
• with a seeker who
• confesses to
• gross moral breakdowns
• or illegal activities it
• would be well to allow
• the Corps Officer to take
• over or to seek
• professional
• help.

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Leading People to Christ

• Come with happy faces
• to the
• place of
• prayer.

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Leading People to Christ

• The Young Peoples War
• An old Army term for the ministry to children.
• In dealing with young people the counsellor will
  need to be gentle and very careful

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Leading a child to Christ

• Whoever welcomes a little child in my name
  welcomes me. But if anyone causes one of these
  little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be
  better for him to have a large millstone hung
  around his neck and to be drowned in the depths
  of the sea.
• Matthew 125 6 NIV

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Leading a Child to Christ

• Understand the childs motive in taking this step
• The desire to be better
• The wish to be a follower of Jesus
• Guilt about some wrong doing, to an adult this
  may seem insignificant but to the child it will
  be a major problem
• To ease burdens or confusion
• An emotional response to the Altar Call
• Because friends have come forward

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Leading a Child to Christ

• Understand
• How the child feels about what is happening
• Do not rush the process
• Dont assume understanding when in reality there
  is confusion
• Initially guide the child to a simple decision to
  be a follower of Jesus

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Leading a Child to Christ

• Understand
• The hopes and needs of the child
• The need to talk and the need for a listener
• Work out what will happen next
• Honor the trust which has been placed in you. A
  child may misinterpret any conversation you may
  have that seems to be about the decision made or
  confidence shared

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Leading a Child to Christ

• Understand
• That Jesus died for them, young as they are
• That sins are forgiven
• That Jesus can be trusted to help keep the child
  good and be the lifes pattern, guide and friend
• Knowing how he lived, through the Bible, can help
  the seeker to grow more like Him, day by day

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Leading a Child to Christ

• Pray
• for the childs understanding of the guidance
  offered
• for forgiveness
• for those near and dear to the child
• for strength to deal with temptation
• thanking God for the life of Jesus
• thanking Jesus for dying for us
• thanking Jesus for His friendship
• praising God and dedicating the childs life to
  Jesus

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Leading a Child to Christ

• TEENS
• In dealing with teens you may need to initiate
  the conversation
• Be prepared to ask tough questions - they live in
  tough circumstances
• Move the teen on to making a Definite Decision

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Leading a Child to Christ

• TEENS
• If the Teen makes a commitment to Christ with
  your guidance
• be prepared to be available for future help
• and support

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Leading People to Christ

• And Heaven
• comes down our souls to greet,
• And glory crowns the mercy seat.

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Leading People to Christ

• DISCIPLING
• You have been involved in one of the
• most significant events in the life
• of a human being.
• Your work is not over
• It may never be over

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Leading People to Christ

• DISCIPLING
• Even at the time of the decision you may feel
  that more counseling is needed immediately
• Find a quiet place where this can take place

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Leading People to Christ

• DISCIPLING
• Keep in touch
• By phone
• By visitation
• By letter or card
• By being available
• By greeting the new convert at the Corps

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Leading People to Christ

• DISCIPLING
• The great commission calls on us to
• Make Disciples
• who will in turn make others .
• Be or provide a mentor to help the new convert
  to grow in grace

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Leading People to Christ

• DISCIPLING
• Encourage the convert in
• Bible study
• Prayer meeting
• Attendance at worship
• The social life of the Corps

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Leading People to Christ

• It is one of the great mysteries that God allows
  us to be involved in His great redemptive work.
• It is a privilege and an awesome responsibility
• Be prepared for the greatest task of your life.

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Leading People to Christ

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