Conversational Evangelism: Building

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Conversational Evangelism Building By
Dr Dave Geisler
www.meeknessandtruth.org
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Conversational Evangelism Four types of
conversations we want to have with non-believers
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Four types of roles you need to play in your
friends life
Artist
Builder
Musician
Archeologist
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Build a Bridge to the Gospel
Hear Illuminate Uncover Build
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Build a Bridge to the Gospel
Artist
Builder
Musician
Archeologist
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Build a Bridge
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Building a Bridge to the Gospel

• Goal
• The goal is to find common ground and build a
  bridge to the Truth.
• How
• Keep six steps in mind

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Building a Bridge to the Truth (Jn. 832)

• Find the Right Balance in your approach

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1. Find the Right Balance in your approach?
Building a Bridge to the Truth (Jn. 832)
Objective Evidence Subjective Experience
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A Caution In Using Reason

• there is just enough of the modern worldview
  left so that reason still has a point of entry.
  But we have to use this knowledge wisely. We
  cannot give an overdose of argumentation.
• Ravi Zacharias, An Ancient Message, Through
  Modern Means To the Postmodern Mind in Telling
  the Truth Evangelizing Postmoderns, p. 27

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Why A Purely Intellectual Approach To Reaching
Singaporeans Is Insufficient

• Unlike the Western mindset, which is
  comfortable with the dichotomy between words and
  deeds, theory and praxis the Eastern mindset
  tends to see the person as a whole.
• As a result of this holistic outlook,
  intellectual arguments alone do not appeal to the
  Eastern mind. There is a need to see evidence of
  filial piety, respect and good works.
• Former student at East Asia School of Theology

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Be mindful of the fact that your life will speak
louder than your words

• Because of my chains, most of the brothers in
  the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word
  of God more courageously and fearlessly.
• Philippians 114 (NIV)

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Building a Bridge to the Gospel (Jn. 832)

• 2. Find Common Ground with those you are trying
  to reach (1 Cor. 922)

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Find Common Ground
To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I
have become all things to all men so that by all
possible means I might save some. (1 Cor. 922)
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1. Find Common Ground
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2. Find Common Ground

• Start with ideas that you and the other person
  agree on.
• Search for common ground with low-key spiritual
  questions.

• Does it matter what you believe?
• Can everyone be right?
• Is just faith enough?
• Is there any difference between Jesus and other
  religious leaders?

Biblical Example Acts 28 Acts 17 Notice that
Pauls approach was different in these two
passages. Why?
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Finding Common Ground in Action in Singapore

• I went into this taxi where the driver was
  playing some Buddhist mantras over his sound
  system. He asked me politely if I minded and
  offered to turn it off if I did. Actually I did
  mind, but I decided to use the opportunity to ask
  him what he was playing. He told (me) what it was
  and asked if he could explain it to me. He also
  asked which religion I belonged to which I
  answered Christianity. I agreed to hear his side
  of the caveat that he was open enough to hear my
  side at the end of his.
• He then began an exposition on his Buddhist
  faith that he enjoyed immensely, talking about
  how he tries to be as good a person as possible
  At the same time, he boasted how he was open to
  other faiths as well. So I asked him if I could
  share why I felt Christianity was different.By
  the time we reached my destination, I had taken
  the opportunity to invite him to my church
  (likewise, he had invited me to attend some of
  his Buddhist meetings).
• Former student at East Asia School of Theology

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Finding Common Ground in Action in Singapore

• I realized what made him open up to me
  initially was the fact that I was open to him to
  start with. Though he did not say it explicitly,
  I had to hear his desire to continue listening
  to his mantras, following which I bothered to
  hear about his faith. By allowing him that, the
  common ground of understanding was laid and he
  was open to listen to my view.
• Former student at East Asia School of Theology

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Building a Bridge to the Gospel (Jn. 832)

• Find the right balance in your approach
• Find Common Ground with those you are trying to
  reach
• 3. Build a bridge from point of shared beliefs
  (even those they are not quite aware of)

These can be head bridges and or heart bridges.
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Heart Bridges
Assuming that we are modeling it (humility and
love), we also need to be able to explainhow it
is that their very hopes could be fulfilled in
Christ or how it is that without Christ (or in
many cases Christs truth) their fears will be
realized and their hopes thwarted. Rev. Dave
Montoya, Dealing With Both Minds and Hearts
Answering the Questions Behind the Questions,
Unpublished works located on Meekness Web-site
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Building Heart Bridges (Example)
When someone says I think Christians are
arrogant for claiming that Jesus is the only
way, ask yourself what in these values, beliefs,
hopes, etc., you can agree with them on? (Common
Ground)
The most obvious area of common ground is in the
value placed on humility. Their distaste for
arrogance and affinity for humility is as much a
left-over from the Christian influence on Western
culture as it is Gods Law written in their
hearts. But it is a significant area of common
ground and should be recognized as suchWe have
to admit that Christians are sometimes arrogant
and that that is not right. We have huge common
ground over their desire to be loved and accepted
and that others be loved and accepted. After all,
that is the heart of the Christian message, that
God so loved the world... MT Trainer, Rev.
Dave Montoya, Dealing With Both Minds and Hearts
Answering the Questions Behind the Questions,
located on Meekness web-site http//meeknessandtru
th.org/tools.htm
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Show others that Jesus meets the longings of
our hearts!
Heart Bridges
What oxygen is to the brain, Jesus is to our
hearts. He satisfies our deepest longings unlike
anything else.If we were to list all of our
hungers, we might be surprised at how many
legitimate hungers we have. We hunger for truth,
love, knowledge, belonging, self-expression,
justice, imagination, learning, and
significanceto name a few. Ravi Zacharias,
Jesus Among Other Gods, p. 71-72
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Developing Heart Bridges with Asians

• In a religious culture that seeks either to
  appease or to bribe the gods for ones own
  needs, I need to find a way to communicate and
  contrast the idea of a personal Christian God as
  opposed to the distant and impersonal deities
  that the Chinese is familiar with.
• Although Guan Yin, the goddess of mercy is
  suppose to be the deity symbolizing love and
  mercy for mortals, who can claim to have a
  personal relationship with this deity? Other than
  coming to her when one needs something, can
  anyone talk to her as with a friend and have a
  two-way conversation to boot? Of the thousands of
  deities available, can one find a friend amongst
  them?
• Former student at East Asia School of Theology

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Show That Jesus Is One Of A Kind

• Jesus stated without a doubt that God is the
  author of life and that meaning in life is found
  in knowing Him. This idea would be totally denied
  by Buddhism, which either ignores God or rules
  out His existence altogether.
• Ravi Zacharias, Jesus Among Other Gods, p. 12

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Comparing Jesus, Muhammad, and Buddha
Head Bridges

• Jesus was without sin.
• Even the Koran states that Jesus was without sin.
  (See Sura 345-461919-21)
• Mohammed was told to ask for forgiveness
• (Sura 4055481-2)

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Comparing Jesus, Muhammad, and Buddha

• Buddha was imperfect
• He was understood as having many rebirths thus
  indicating an imperfect life.
• At best, Buddha pointed to the way and followed
  a path to purity. He did not possess it fully
  himself.

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Jesus
Muhammad
Not Virgin Born
Virgin born -Sura 347
Sinless - Sura 345-461919-21
Sinful -Sura 4055481-2
No Miracles except Quran -Sura 1790-93
Did many miracles
Advance by the Sword Sura 29,2,36,73,111,123
Blessed the peacemakers Mt 59
Forgave enemies
Retaliated on Enemies
Motivation by Fear
Motivation by love
Died and was buried
Rose and His tomb is empty (Muslims reject)
Adapted from N. Geisler F. Tureks PowerPoint
12 Points
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Build Your Bridge Using Planks Of Common
Understanding
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Six reasons why it matters what you believe!
Building Head and Heart Bridges!
Building Bridges with those you are trying to
reach! ( I Cor. 922)
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1. What you believe will affect how you live!
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Not All Religious Viewpoints Can Be Right!

• 1. What you believe will affect how you live!
• 2. Not all religious viewpoints can be right!

Can Krishna, Buddha, Jesus, and Muhammad all be
right?
Can all religions simultaneously be true?
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Can They All Be Right?
Christianity Judaism Islam
Polytheism, Mahayana Buddhism
Atheism, Theravada Buddhism
Many gods
One God
No God
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Objection!

• But God can become whatever he wants to be!

Reply Can God as creator be separate from the
Universe at the same time He is identical to the
Universe? No, He can not.
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Faith must have an object!

• 1. What you believe will affect how you live!
• 2. Not all religious viewpoints can be right!
• 3. Faith must have an object to have merit!

About one out of four (26) born again
Christians believe that it doesnt matter what
faith you follow because they all teach the same
lessons. Born Again Christians, 2000, George
Barna, Barna web-site
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Christianity is Based on a Historical Event

• And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching
  is useless and so is your faith.
• I Corinthians 1514 (NIV)

• Biblical faith must have an object to be
  valid.

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It matters what you believe

• 1. What you believe will effect how you live!
• 2. Not all religious viewpoints can be right!
• 3. Faith must have an object to have merit!
• 4. Not all religious leaders made equal claims!

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The Unique Claims of Jesus Which religious leader
ever made these claims?
I am without sin (John 846) I have always
existed (John 858) I am the only Son of God
(John 316) I am the light of the world (John
812) I have come to save the world (John 317) I
have authority to forgive sins (Mark 210) I was
born to testify to the truth (John 1837) You
trust in God Trust also in me (John 141) I am
the Truth and only way to God (John 146) I will
come again to judge the world (Matt 2531-46)
Take from The Top Twenty-three Presentations By
Norm Geisler and Frank Turek
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It matters what you believe

• 1. What you believe will effect how you live!
• 2. Not all religious viewpoints can be right!
• 3. Faith must have an object to have merit!
• 4. Not all religious leaders made equal claims!
• 5. The proof of Christs claims have no parallel
  among major religious leaders!

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Comparing Christianity and other Religions is not
like comparing apples with apples!
No Comparison!
Other Religions
Christianity
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The Proof of Christs Claims(Cont.)

• Buddha claimed to point to the way, Mohammed
  claimed to be a prophet of God, but Jesus Christ
  is the only major religious leader that ever
  claimed to be God, who fulfilled prophecy, lived
  a sinless life, and then died on the cross and
  rose from the dead.
• Dr. Dave Geisler

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It matters what you believe

• 1. What you believe will effect how you live!
• 2. Not all religious viewpoints can be right!
• 3. Faith must have an object to have merit!
• 4. Not all religious leaders made equal claims!
• 5. The proof of Christs claims have no parallel
  among major religious leaders!
• 6. Without God, some people find it difficult to
  find meaning in life!

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Friedrich Nietzsche 1844-1900
God is dead. God remains dead. And we have
killed him. How shall we, the murderers of all
murderers, comfort ourselves? The Gay Science,
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God
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Fyodor Dostoevshi (1821-1881)The Brothers
Karamazov

• If God is dead, anything is permissible!

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1. What you believe will effect how you
live!2. Not all religious viewpoints can be
right!3. Faith must have an object to have
merit!4. Not all religious leaders made equal
claims!5. The proof of Christs claims have no
parallel among major religious
leaders!6. Without God, some people find it
difficult to find meaning in life!
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Building a Bridge to the Truth (Jn. 832)

• Find the Right Balance in your approach
• Find Common Ground with those you are trying to
  reach
• Build a bridge from point of shared beliefs (even
  those they are not quite aware of)
• 4. Memorize a basic outline for defending the
  Christian faith to guide you in your discussions
  with others

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12 Steps in Establishing the Case for
Christianity

• 1. Truth about reality is knowable.
• 2. The opposite of true is false.
• 3. It is true that the theistic God exists.
• 4. If God exists then miracles are possible.
• 5. Miracles can be used to confirm a message
  from God.
• 6. The New Testament is historically reliable.
• 7. The New Testament says Jesus claimed to be
  God.
• 8. Jesus claim to be God was miraculously
  confirmed by
• a. His fulfillment of many prophecies about
  Himself
• b. His sinless and miraculous life
• c. His prediction and accomplishment of His
  resurrection
• 9. Therefore, Jesus is God.
• 10. Whatever Jesus (who is God) teaches is true.
• 11. Jesus taught that the Bible is the Word of
  God.
• 12. Therefore, it is true that the Bible is the
  Word of God (and anything opposed to it is
  false).
• See Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics
  by Dr. Norman Geisler for more details, which can
  be ordered at www.normgeisler.com

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The Importance of Memorizing Logical Progression
of Points

• The main difficulty I had in applying the
  conversational approach in the three encounters
  was in effectively linking one question or
  argument to the next, to lead the person to a
  clear conclusion. I often felt somewhat muddled
  in the conversation.
• I realize I need to focus on understanding and
  remembering a logical progression of points so
  that I can help someone to see and understand for
  himself.
• Former student at East Asia School of Theology

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Building a Bridge to the Truth (Jn. 832)

• Find the Right Balance in your approach
• Find Common Ground with those you are trying to
  reach
• Build a bridge from point of shared beliefs (even
  those they are not quite aware of)
• Memorize a basic outline for defending the
  Christian faith to guide you in your discussions
  with others
• Remember the goal

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Remember the Goal!

• Dont get so caught up in removing barriers that
  you forget to remember the goal!

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Remember the Goal in Using Apologetics in
Evangelism!
To remove the obstacles so that we can help
people take one step closer to Jesus Christ each
day. (I Cor. 36)
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Building a Bridge to the Truth (Jn. 832)

• Find the Right Balance in your approach
• Find Common Ground with those you are trying to
  reach
• Build a bridge from point of shared beliefs (even
  those they are not quite aware of)
• Memorize a basic outline for defending the
  Christian faith to guide you in your discussions
  with others
• Remember the goal
• 6. Actively seek for opportunities to transition
  
• to spiritual things.

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• 6. Actively seek for opportunities to
• transition to spiritual things.
• Example
• Has anyone ever explained to you the difference
  between Christianity and all other religions?
• Explain Do versus Done
• (See Bill Hybels, Contagious Christians
  Training)

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Do vs Done

• For example
• Muslims believe that mans good works have to
  outweigh his bad works. (Do)
• Hinduism teaches that if one does enough good he
  can pay off his karmic debt and escape the cycle
  of reincarnation. (Do)
• Buddhism teaches that salvation comes about when
  one desires to stop desiring. (Do)
• Jesus says accept the gift I offer. It has
  already been Done for you (you can do nothing
  to earn Gods gift) Invite me to come into your
  life and change you from the inside out (Phil.
  213)

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Building a Bridge to the Truth (Jn. 832)
(Review)

• Find the Right Balance in your approach.
• Find Common Ground with those you are trying to
  reach.
• Build a bridge from point of shared beliefs (even
  those they are not quite aware of).
• Memorize a basic outline for defending the
  Christian faith to guide you in your discussions
  with others.
• Remember the goal.
• 6. Actively seek for opportunities to transition
  
• to spiritual things.

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Invite Them To Take A Step Of Faith

• Accepting Jesus is like drinking a cup of tea,
  you will never know how it really taste by
  hearing what others say unless you drink it for
  yourself.
• Former student at East Asia School of Theology

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But what if they dont care?

• Answer
• If life is just a drop in the bucket compared
  to eternity, wouldnt that be worth checking out?

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Building a Bridge to the Gospel

• Interview with students U.T. Austin

This 15 minute video (Building Bridges to the
Gospel) is contained on our Resource C.D. and DVD
materials.
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Conversational Evangelism Four types of
conversations we want to have with non-believers
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Four types of roles you need to play in your
friends life
Artist
Builder
Musician
Archeologist
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The Conversational Evangelism Model (In a
nutshell)
We want to hear their discrepancies and then
illuminate them by asking questions that will
clarify their religious terminology and
expose the weaknesses of their perspective.
Then we want to uncover the real barriers and
build a bridge to help them take one step
closer to Jesus Christ each day (I Cor. 36).
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A Biblical Perspective

• The Apostle Paul said, I have become all things
  to all men so that by all means, I may save
  some.
• I Cor.922

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Evangelism Training for the New Millennium
Conversational Evangelism
Acknowledgements This material was developed by
Dave Geisler his Meekness team members, and was
refined by suggestions from people around the
globe and based in part on the Mirror model
concept developed at Hill Country Bible Church
and pioneered by Glenn McGorty (See speaker notes
for more details). Special thanks to Kent
Vanderwaal for all his work in developing our new
graphics. Thanks also to Brett Yohn (Baptist
Student Ministry Dir. U.N.L.) who originally
developed the imagery of musician, artist,
archeologist, and engineer (which we now call
builder), to better describe the Conversational
Evangelism model.
www.meeknessandtruth.org
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Revisions
Descriptions of Revision
Author
www.meeknessandtruth.org
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Conversational Evangelism Building By
Dr Dave Geisler
www.meeknessandtruth.org