Three ingredients are necessary for developing confidence in witnessing: training, practice and experience.  You have had training and practice.  To get the experience that makes the training and practice useful, you must go and tell others about Jesus.

1. Three types of prospects for our church.
   
   1. Church-member prospects (Christians that are not involved in church).
      
   2. Ministry prospects (Persons who need some type of personal ministry, already attending).
      
   3. Evangelistic prospects (Their need is salvation).
      
2. Discovering evangelistic prospects is a two-fold task.
   
   1. Find the person.
      
   2. Determine whether they are ready for the gospel.
      

1. Seed stands for the four steps involved in finding and analyzing prospects.
   
   1. Search.
      
   2. Encounter.
      
   3. Evaluate.
      
   4. Decide.
      

1. Start by making a list of evangelistic prospects you know personally.
   
2. List the names of lost persons you know in the following categories:
   
   1. Immediate family ___________________________________
      
   2. Other relatives _____________________________________
      
   3. Friends ___________________________________________
      
   4. Work colleagues  ___________________________________
      
   5. Neighbors _________________________________________
      
   6. Acquaintances  _____________________________________
      
3. Next add contact information such as telephone numbers or addresses under the names.
   

1. Use the information you have collected and determine the evangelistic need of your contact.
   
2. Find a neutral topic to open the door of contact.
   
3. Find a way to relate to the person and seek out their special need from God.
   
4. Follow up on your last conversation, people become dissatisfied with a non-caring attitude.
   

1. You need to evaluate the evangelistic potential of every single prospect.
   
2. There must be proper assessment of the prospect's Spiritual condition.
   

1. Develop a witnessing strategy for each prospect.
   
2. Start with the ones who have the greatest potential.
   
3. Form a Prayer-List and place all your contacts on the list.
   
4. Call ahead and make a planned visit with a partner.
   
5. Share the Roman Road plan of salvation.
   
6. Introduce the new convert to other Christians, especially those with common interest.
   
7. You need to set a time to visit and witness every week.
   

As you share the Gospel of Christ, you will often be asked questions that you have not encountered before.  The best way to overcome barriers in witnessing is to learn principles you can use to deal with any problem that arises.  Let us tonight take a look at some of these barriers and try to examine a solution to them.

1. The most difficult barrier to overcome is formed by hindrances in our personal lives.
   
   1. Fear.
      
      1. Fear of rejection.
         
      2. The key to overcoming this is by faith (Psalm 27:1).
         
   2. Time.
      
      1. Time is a big hindrance to witnessing, as well as other activities in our lives.
         
      2. The key to dealing with this hindrance is obedience.
         
      3. Jesus commanded His followers to witness (Matthew 28:18-20, John 20:21).
         
      4. We must schedule time to be a witness for Christ.
         
   3. Apathy.
      
      1. Some feel that is the duty of others to witness and not their own.
         
      2. We overcome apathy with compassion.
         
      3. If we truly care about others, we will want them to hear about Jesus.
         
   4. A Sense Of Inadequacy.
      
      1. We all have to some degree a sense of inadequacy.
         
      2. Some feel that they don't know enough of God's Word.
         
      3. Others feel that they may do more harm than good.
         
      4. The key to overcoming inadequacy is to understand our role as Children of God.
         

1. What do you do when you are attempting to share the Gospel and something happens to arrest the attention of your prospect?
   
   1. Expect distractions to happen.
      
      1. A distraction to you may not be as significant as to the prospect.
         
   2. Be patient in making your presentation.
      
      1. When distractions occur, pick up where you left off with a brief reminder of what you have already stated.
         
   3. Involve your partner in dealing with the distraction.
      

1. The Gospel is confrontational.
   
2. In I Corinthians 1:23, Paul described the response he encountered in sharing the Gospel.
   
3. Do not be afraid of questions.  In Matthew 10:19-20, Jesus promised that we will be guided by the Holy Spirit when faced with unexpected demands.
   
4. Handle questions or objections as they arise.
   
5. Maintain the tone of a discussion and not of a debate.
   
6. Keep the conversation focused on the individual's relationship with God.
   
7. Don't be afraid to say, "I have not thought of that" or "I don't know".
   

1. Many fear that the prospect will react in hostile or harsh manner.
   
   1. We should always respond with God's love and our courtesy.
      
   2. Often we receive from others the attitude we give them.
      
   3. If the prospect will not receive you at this time, apologize for any inconvenience or misunderstanding caused by your visit.
      

The Bible makes it very plain that all mankind that do not know Christ as their personal Savior are lost.  But there are different classes among this vast multitude.  I want us to consider at least three of these classes.  The purpose for doing this tonight is that we might cause some that belong to these classes to think upon their way, and turn unto God before it is too late.

1. They say that all one has to do to be eternally lost is just to do nothing about being saved. (John 3:18).
   
2. This is certainly true because:
   
   1. Man is, by nature, a sinner and is lost. (Romans 5:12).
      
   2. As a sinner he is unfit for Heaven. (Revelation 22:10-15)  And cannot enter in. (Revelation 21:27).
      
   3. As a sinner he is sure of hell. (John 8:21-24).
      

1. This was true of many Jews in the days of Paul. (Romans 10:1-3).
   
2. This fact is illustrated in Matthew 22:9-14.
   
   1. The man without the wedding garment has deliberately refused the garment.
      
   2. He is a type of those that would be saved by their own doing. (Titus 3:5).
      
3. To be saved we must accept God's righteousness. (Romans 4:1-8).
   

1. These are those that "mock" at the Gospel. (Acts 17:32).
   
2. Those that ridicule the miraculous, such as the resurrection from the dead.
   
3. Those that consider themselves to be wiser than God and His Word. (I Corinthians 3:19-20,  I Corinthians 1:18-21).
   

1. When a boxer quits a fight, his manager throws in the towel; when a racer car driver quits a race, he pulls into the pits; when a person leaves a job, he turns in his resignation ("gives notice"); when a fiancé quits a relationship, she gives back the ring.  What are some other ways of giving up on someone or something -- or yourself?
   
   
2. Tell about a time in your life or in the life of someone you know when it was difficult to go on.  This can be a particular part of life (such as a job or a relationship) or about life in general.  Describe in your own words the emotional state of a person in such a situation:
   
   
3. Read II Corinthians 1:8-9.  Paul had a number of trials in his life and at several points along the way he began to despair.  How does Paul describe the circumstances in which he finds himself?  If you had to guess, what kind of trial do you think he is going through;  Rejection?  Poverty?  Disappointment?  Illness?
   
   
4. The following passages record the emotions of several individuals who were in despair.  See if you can identify the individual and perhaps the reason for their despair:
   
   
   • Acts 27:20
     
     
   • I Kings 19:4
     
     
   • Job 7:15
     
     
   • Jonah 4:3
     
     
   • Matthew 27:5
     
     
5. One of the individuals in question 4 is quite different in terms of the outcome of the despair.  Which one is different and why is it so?
   
   
6. Read II Corinthians 1:8-11.  How did Paul deal with his despair?  What did he do?  What did he count on?
   
   
7. Read II Timothy 4:6-8.  What was the outcome of Paul's despair?  Did his approach to his "dark time" help?
   
   
8. This week's focus on care and prayer
   
   Do you know someone in despair right now -- even as we meet?  What kind of activity on our part is appropriate under the circumstances?  Would you be able to help someone if you discovered them going through a difficult time?
   
   These questions have one answer with two parts:  show them God and demonstrate His love through prayer and caring.
   
   Perhaps you are experiencing despair in one or more areas of life.  Let someone pray for you -- and love you.  The saints of old used this method with great profit.
   
   Do you know someone in such a situation.  Pray for them right now.  You need not mention names or you may not be ready to pray -- but let someone pray.  God will surely bless you if you do.

Paul's experience with the Corinthian church was filled with conflict and criticism.  He had to defend his ministry and search for inner strength.  God strengthened him, and in this most personal letter, Paul reveals his secrets of overcoming discouragement.  He also informs us of how he was able to stay motivated.

1. "Therefore, seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not."
   
2. We must remember that the ministry belongs to Christ.
   
3. We are called by Him, not them.
   

1. "But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the Word of God deceitfully.
   

1. "We preach not ourselves, but Christ."
   
2. Satan would have us to obtain self-motivation.
   
3. Any gain other than for Christ, will result in failure.
   

1. "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels."
   
2. We fail because we forget what our limitations are.
   

1. "The inward man is renewed day by day."
   
2. Burnout is a common tool of satan.
   

1. "We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen".
   

As the early church grew, so did their problems. Peter and the other apostles began to hear rumors of complaints that some women had against the other ethnic groups.  The complaints revolved around the ministry that was being done.  According to this passage, Peter didn't even have to pray.  He said, "It doesn't make sense that we should neglect our priorities to wait tables."  Peter was not suggesting that serving tables was unimportant.  He was only stating that he understood what his priorities were (Prayer and the Word of God) and that the tables should become the priority of a set of deacons.  Peter knew that he was busy enough without trying to do everything.  He chose priorities for himself and for the deacons based upon the giftedness of the person, the strategic importance of the task and his ability to delegate activities to appropriate people.

1. He recognized the existence of a whole new Challenge (Acts 6:1).
   
2. He gathered the disciples together to discuss what Action needed to be taken (Acts 6:2).
   
3. He delegated the Ministry to others so he would not become diverted (Acts 6:3-4).
   
4. He took his hands off of the project and Delegated to fulfill the task (Acts 6:5).
   
5. He Approved the disciples' selections (Acts 6:6).
   
6. He took time to publicly Ordain and Set Forth the lay leaders (Acts 6:6).