40
TRAINING THE STORY
T R A I N I N G
THE
S T O R Y
L O N A L L I S O N 3
IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO SAVE
A SOUL .
“
of Christians have not shared their faith in the past 12 months.1
52%of the unchurched said they were open to a spiritual conversation.2
78%
Welcome! Beautiful things become more so when they are shared with others. Just as we beckon a friend to admire with us the grandeur of a sunset sky, so too do we long for people to take in the beauty of redemption in Jesus Christ. Jesus commissioned us to be His witnesses. Yet most Christians have never shared their faith. That’s why Spread Truth exists: to help you make the beauty of the gospel known, both near and far.
This guide presents the basic plot line for sharing God’s Story. Although it is presented in gospel order (Creation, Fall, Rescue, Restoration), conversations rarely follow a script. Working through this material provides you with the building blocks for sharing the fullness of God’s Story in conversational ways. It’s your job to be faithful to share whatever part you can, trusting that God will fill in the rest through others who do their part.
Be encouraged that your sharing will be well received: 78 percent of unchurched people say they would be interested in having a spiritual conversation. Together, we can invite people to take in the beauty of the gospel and trust that God will beckon His beloved children home.
1 Barna Research. https://www.barna.com/research/is-evangelism-going-out-of-style/#.VkC5E3sQRyo.2 Ed Stetzer: The Problem With the Harvest is Not the Harvest.” Facts & Trends. April 11, 2014. Accessed June 09, 2017. http://factsandtrends.net/2014/04/11/ed-stetzer-the-problem-with-the-harvest-is-not-the-harvest/.3 Lon Allison. (Im)possible: Discover the Joy of a Prayer, Care, Share Life. Birmingham, AL: New Hope Publishers, 2016.
1
INTRODUCTION
Most Christians agree they should share the gospel. But moving from theory to practice has been difficult for most of us. Before covering what to share in your gospel conversations, we need to cover some foundational points that affect how we share. We need to both expand and simplify our notions of evangelism.
What Does It Mean to Evangelize or Be a Witness for Christ?Lon Allison describes it well:
1. To witness is to ___________________ with God and others to bring
a person at least ________________________________ to God.
2. God is the evangelist—when we arrive he has already __________________________ us.
People May Be More Open Than You Think.
3. The age of _____________________________ (all religions are seen as equally valid)
may actually give you a platform to share.
4. We may be far more afraid to talk to people than they are _________________________
to listen.
““
2 / I N T R O D U C T I O N
Simply Start a Conversation.
5. Evangelism should engage a person both ______________________________
and _______________________________.
C. S. Lewis used both: He wrote The Chronicles of Narnia, a narrative story that engages the heart, and Mere Christianity, an apologetic presentation that engages the mind.
• A narrative approach shares God’s redemption as a story, from beginning to end, covering the major plot points. An apologetic approach is driven by addressing specific questions raised by the person you are speaking with.
• The former may connect to longings and the latter may appeal to rationale.
• Both are effective and needed, so it’s helpful to engage people with both types of evangelistic conversation.
P R O C E S S B O X
1. Watch training video 1, “Introduction.”2. Why do you think we need to engage both the heart and the mind when we share
the gospel?
INTRODUCTION
HEART HEAD
N A R R A T I V E
E M O T I O N
S T O R Y
A R T
A P O L O G E T I C
S Y S T E M A T I C
S C I E N C E
L O G I C
+
EVANGELISM CAN USE BOTH THE
3
4 / T H E P O W E R O F A G O O D S T O RY
THE POWER OF A GOOD STORY
4 Michael Gerson, “Crying at the Movies.” Washington Post. N.p., 7 Jan. 2013. Web. 22 Feb. 2013. <http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/ michael-gerson-crying-over-les-miserables/2013/01/07/7e3c74a6- 590b-11e2-88d0-c4cf65c3ad15_story.html>.5 Mike Cosper. The Stories We Tell: How TV and Movies Long for and Echo the Truth. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2014.
“ S T O R Y T E L L I N G . . . D O E S N ’ T A I M A T A R A T I O N A L M I N D . . . .
I T A I M S A T T H E I M A G I N A T I O N , A M U C H M O R E M Y S T E R I O U S A N D S N E A K Y
P A R T O F U S , R U L E D B Y L O V E , D E S I R E , A N D H O P E .” — M I K E C O S P E R 5
The latest stories capture our attention through movies, books, songs, plays, and even the news. We invest ourselves emotionally in them, getting caught up in the characters, the dialogue, the intrigue. Why is that?
Michael Gerson provides insight: “There is a reason the great stories persist in provoking our [emotions]: the hope that life is a story, that all the suffering, vulgarity, pity and sacrifice add up to something and lead somewhere.”4
Stories are powerful in helping us make sense out of life.
We Love Stories.
1. A good story has the ____________________ to move you.
2. A good story taps into our __________________________________.
P R O C E S S B O X
1. Watch training video 2, “The Power of a Good Story.”2. Quickly share your favorite story (book, movie, play, etc.), then explain why it is your
favorite or how it has changed you.
S A L LY L L O Y D - J O N E S 6
“
A STORY CAN TRANSFORM YOU.
A STORY CAN DO MORE THAN
TEACH YOU.
6 Sally Lloyd-Jones. “Thursday Is for Thinkers: Sally-Lloyd-Jones.” Web log post. Ed Stetzer. The LifeWay Research Blog. N.p., 2 Feb. 2012. Web. 20 Feb. 2013. <http://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2012/february/thursday-is-for-thinkers-sally-lloyd-jones.html>. 5
6 / W H Y S T O R I E S W O R K
WHY STORIES WORK
God’s redemption story is foundational to the world and our very lives. All of history hangs on its framework! And because humans are created in God’s image, this is why, at our core, we rely on stories to make sense of life.
From our earliest days, stories have been foundational to our learning and growth. They have influenced us from our first childhood memories, and they continue to shape us throughout our lives. There are lessons embedded in stories that would never train us if spoken otherwise. So everyone loves and lives by stories, and everyone has been influenced and shaped by stories. Really, if you think about it, everything we communicate is some sort of story. We are natural story-tellers and story-seekers.
1. Our brains are wired for _______________________.
2. Jesus knew the _____________________ of a story.
P R O C E S S B O X
1. Watch training video 3, “Why Stories Work.”2. Share the concept from this section that is most interesting to you and
why it might help you share the gospel more effectively.
M I K E C O S P E R 7
T H E Y H E L P U S T O M A K E S E N S E O F T H E R U I N W E S E E
A R O U N D U S . T H E Y H E L P U S T O K N O W W E ’ R E N O T
A L O N E I N O U R S O R R O W S A N D F A I L U R E S , A N D T H E Y
P O I N T T O T H E D E E P N E E D W E A L L H A V E F O R A N S W E R S ,
F O R H O P E , A N D F O R R E D E M P T I O N .
FALL STORIES HELP ORIENT US
TO A WORLD THAT DOESN ’ T WORK OUT
HOW WE EXPECT.
“
7 Mike Cosper. The Stories We Tell: How TV and Movies Long for and Echo the Truth. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2014. 7
8 / A W O R L D I N N E E D O F A S T O RY
God’s Story has slowly been abandoned as the framework narrative for this life. But we are wired for it, so humans seek out other narratives to fill the gap. Only the gospel has the most coherent, compelling, comprehensive narrative that answers the questions we have about life and meaning, the longing we have for love and acceptance. This is why we must make the gospel known.
The Stories We Trust.If we love stories, and if we are wired to embrace information via a story, what does this tell us about every person we encounter?
1. Everyone has adopted _______________________________________
as a life narrative.
2. We need a story that _______________________________________.
P R O C E S S B O X
1. Watch training video 4, “A World in Need of a Story.”2. What common worldview stories have you heard acquaintances
or celebrities use to make sense out of life?
A WORLD IN NEEDOF A STORY
8 Quoted in a message from Ravi Zacharias
“ I F I N D I T D I F F I C U L T T O C L I N G T O M Y A T H E I S T W O R L D V I E W A N Y M O R E
B E C A U S E I T H A S N O E X P L A N A T O R Y P O W E R — M AY B E P R A G M A T I C H E L P
F O R C E R T A I N S I T U A T I O N S , B U T N O L O N G -T E R M H E L P.” — S A R T R E 8
L I F E N E E D S T O H O L D T O G E T H E R A T T H E C E N T E R I F W E A R E
T O R E A C H T O D I S T A N T H O R I Z O N S . B U T O U R C U L T U R E O W N S
N E I T H E R A S T O R Y N O R H O L D S A T T H E C E N T E R .
R AV I Z A C H A R I A S 9
LIFE NEEDS A STORY FOR ONE
TO UNDERSTANDTHE DETAILS .
“
9 Ravi Zacharias, “An Ancient Message, Through Modern Means, to a Postmodern Mind,” Telling the Truth (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2000), 23. 9
GOD ’S
G O D ’ S S T O R Y I S R E C O R D E D W I T H I N T H E PA G E S O F S C R I P T U R E , T H R O U G H O U T H I S T O R Y, A N D E V E N W I T H I N O U R V E R Y L I V E S . K N O W I N G T H E B A S I C
O U T L I N E O F G O D ’ S S T O R Y I S A T R E M E N D O U S H E L P I N G O S P E L C O N V E R S A T I O N S . T H E S E 1 0 E L E M E N T S W A L K Y O U T H R O U G H T H E S T O R Y F R O M C R E A T I O N
T O F A L L T O R E S C U E T O R E S T O R A T I O N .
STORY
10 / G O D ’ S S T O RY
P R O C E S S B O X
1. Watch training video 5, “God’s Story.”2. Practice the hand motions for God’s Story.3. Read The Story Booklet multiple times so you can explain each page in your
own words.
11
GOD
CREATION
HARMONY
DISOBEDIENCE
CONSEQUENCE
NEED
PROMISE MADE
PROMISE KEPT
ALL THINGS NEW
FOREVER WITH GOD
12 / C R E AT I O N
CREATION :HOW DID IT ALL BEGIN?
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1 ESV
“Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” Psalm 90:2 ESV
1. Like any story, there must be a _________________________________.
Who is that for The Story? ______________________!
2. God is _____________________.
“God is love.” 1 John 4:16 ESV
“Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever.” Psalm 136:26 ESV
GOD
H E M A D E C R E A T U R E S A N D C R E A T I O N T O S H A R E I N H I S O W N
C O M M U N I T Y O F F A T H E R , S O N , A N D S P I R I T .
R O B E R T E . W E B B E R 1 0
THIS GOD, SO F ILLED WITH LOVE ,
LONGS TO HAVE OTHERS JOIN HIS
COMMUNITY.
“
10 Robert E. Webber, Who Gets to Narrate the World? Contending for the Christian Story in an Age of Rivals (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2008), 29. 13
14 / C R E AT I O N
Every story has an author and a main character. God is both. He steps into the beginning of this story and speaks—and His words are so powerful that they bring everything into existence. Everything that is came from God, who is three Persons in one being: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. He’s a mystery,
yet He makes Himself known to us. The heartbeat of this wonderful God is full of abounding, unending love. He is compassionate, merciful, and good. Because He has always existed, He knows everything. And because He is holy—good and pure and right—He alone can be the righteous Judge of all.
G O S P E L C O N V E R S A T I O N S
CREATION
3. God is ________________________ and ________________________.
“The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.” Isaiah 40:28 ESV
“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” Psalm 19:1 ESV
4. God is ________________________.
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” Isaiah 6:3 NIV
“I am the Lord, and there is no other, besides me there is no God.” Isaiah 45:5 ESV
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 28:19 NIV
“The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” Psalm 145:8 ESV
5. God is far more powerful and majestic than we could ever
________________________ but at the same time more personal and
________________________ than we could ever think.
Y O U A L R E A D Y K N O W W H A T H E ’ S L I K E —
W E L L— H E I S L I K E J E S U S !
N . T . W R I G H T 1 1
THERE IS A GOD, BUT NOT L IKE THE
OTHER GODS .
“
11 N. T. Wright, Simply Good News, page 132. 15
16 / C R E AT I O N
“I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place.” Psalm 8:3 ESV
“Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these stars, the One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, not one of them is missing.” Isaiah 40:26 NAS
6. God created the ________________________________________.
7. God created the Earth for a _________________________________.
8. God created humans to __________________________________.
Everything you see and everything you don’t have come to be because God said so. He knows every star, moon, and planet in every galaxy—because He made them. He knows every person who ever existed, including you and me. This God is incredible!
G O S P E L C O N V E R S A T I O N S
CREATION
CREATION
17
“God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good.” Genesis 1:31 NAS
9. God created everything to work together in perfect ______________________.
10. Adam and Eve enjoyed this harmony with ___________, with ______________________,
with ________________________, and within __________________________________.
11. God gave Adam and Eve ______________________ on Earth with just _____________________:
“And the Lord God commanded the man, ‘You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.’ ” Genesis 2:16–17 NIV
And everything God made worked together perfectly, in perfect harmony. Basically, Adam and Eve knew God so intimately that they never wondered if He cared, if He were really listening, if He were actually angry. God gave Adam and Eve utter freedom to cultivate the Earth, with just one rule to obey—there was a certain tree they were not to eat from. That one rule was a reminder that
God knew more than they did; and their obedience proved their trust in God’s heart toward them. In this world, Adam and Eve enjoyed complete peace, with no need to hide anything because there was nothing to hide. They knew exactly who they were and trusted God’s control for the future, so there was no worry or doubt. This magnificent world is almost beyond our comprehension.
G O S P E L C O N V E R S A T I O N S
HARMONY
CREATION
P R O C E S S B O X
1. Watch training video 6, “Creation: How Did It All Begin?”2. Write out how you could naturally and conversationally share the main points of Creation
with someone.3. Practice sharing the main points of Creation with someone in a role-playing exercise.
18 / T H E F A L L
THE FALL :WHAT WENT WRONG?
“Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God actually say, “You shall not eat of any tree in the garden”?’ And the woman said to the serpent, ‘We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, “You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.” ’ But the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’ So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.” Genesis 3:1–6 ESV
Well, it is obvious that the world God created is a far cry from what we see today. Daily we see images and hear stories of war, murder, crime, natural disasters, political divide, broken relationships, and all types of disease, sickness, sadness, and death.
Something has gone terribly wrong. The second chapter of this story explains why.
G O S P E L C O N V E R S A T I O N S
DISOBEDIENCE
T I M O T H Y K E L L E R 1 2
EVERY ONE OF OUR RELATIONSHIPS HAS BEEN DISMANTLED
BY SIN.
“
12 Timothy Keller, “Paradise Lost.” Redeemer Presbyterian, NYC, January 18, 2009. 19
20 / T H E F A L L
Adam and Eve:
1. Listened to _________________________________.
2. Rebelled and _____________________________________.
3. Decided that they, not God, would determine __________________________________.
4. Were ___________________________ by Satan but chose to sin.
“Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.” Genesis 3:7–8 ESV
5. With one choice, Adam and Eve lost ___________________________________________
God gave them.
God gave Adam and Eve utter freedom with just one rule to keep. But God’s enemy, Satan, wanted to mess up God’s perfect world, so he lied to Adam and Eve, enticing them to disobey the one rule. They listened to the lies about God’s heart toward them and how they would be better off doing whatever they wanted, and they chose to rebel.
Adam and Eve sinned against God setting in motion terrible consequences that have compounded with every generation. This is why the world is so different from the perfection that God intended. Now we have disharmony with God, creation, each other, and inside ourselves. Now we have death and sickness and fights. Now we are disconnected from God and feel like He has abandoned us.
G O S P E L C O N V E R S A T I O N S
G O S P E L C O N V E R S A T I O N S
THE FALL
CONSEQUENCE
21
“Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.” Romans 5:12 ESV
“The entire world is guilty before God.” Romans 3:19 NLT
“None is righteous, no, not one.” Romans 3:10 ESV
6. The ________________ that came into the world is now passed on from generation
to generation. We continue to choose _______________, just like Adam and Eve.
7. And just like Adam and Eve, we are desperate for ______________________________.
8. When we are honest with ourselves, we know that we are ________________________
____________________________ how to make things right within ourselves—let alone
how to make things right in all of creation!
Adam and Eve were the first to sin, but if we were in their shoes, we would have chosen the same thing. We are all, just like Adam and Eve, in desperate need of help on all fronts: spiritual, physical, emotional, relational, moral. We need harmony restored with God and creation and each other and ourselves. And we, like Adam and Eve, have no way to help ourselves. We are suffering the slow decay of death, on all fronts. We need help from someone from outside the brokenness, to pull us out and restore us to life.
G O S P E L C O N V E R S A T I O N S
THE FALL
NEED
P R O C E S S B O X
1. Watch training video 7, “The Fall: What Went Wrong?”2. Write out how you could naturally and conversationally share the main points of the Fall
with someone.3. Practice sharing the main points of the Fall with someone in a role-playing exercise.
22 / T H E R E S C U E
THE RESCUE :IS THERE ANY HOPE?
“Where are you?” —God, calling out to Adam and Eve who were hiding after their disobedience, Genesis 3:9 ESV
1. God’s redemptive pursuit of sinful man is what _________________________
biblical Christianity from all the religions of the world.
2. God’s Rescue Plan: _____________________ the power of sin and Satan.
“He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” Genesis 3:15 ESV
3. God’s Rescuer: ___________________________, God with us.
“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14 ESV
G O S P E L C O N V E R S A T I O N S
Every good story has what is called the rising action or a conflict. The effect of Adam and Eve’s sin was far greater than what they (or even we) could possibly realize. The horrific effects are all around us. Just turn on the news. Brokenness is everywhere.
A good story also has a climax where the hero of the narrative is going to somehow come in and resolve the dilemma. The unbelievable thing about this Story is that the author, God, is going to write Himself into His own story to provide a rescue not only for Adam and Eve but for all people, including you and me.
PROMISE MADE
PROMISE MADE
G E O R G E R O B I N S O N 1 3
WHO IS THAT SEED WHO WAS PROMISED
TO COME?
“T H E B I B L E I S O N E L O N G A N D D E T A I L E D A N S W E R T O
O N E S H O R T A N D C R U C I A L Q U E S T I O N :
13 George Robinson, Assistant Professor of Missions & Evangelism, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary; Wake Forest, N.C. 23
24 / T H E R E S C U E
“For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.” Colossians 1:13 NIV
1. Jesus came to earth to live the ____________________________ we should
have lived, to break the bonds of sin and death.
2. Jesus lived a ______________________________.
“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV
Adam and Eve’s treasonous act drops the heavy darkness of the Fall upon God’s Creation. They run for cover in the garden, behind fig leaves, hoping to escape the sin that can’t be shaken. But the God of the Universe wouldn’t leave them there, cowering in the shadows. He searched for them, calling out for them, seeking to reestablish the relationship that sin broke. When He found them, He made a more suitable covering for them, using animal hides.
God also spoke into their distress, promising that one day sin and all its consequences would be conquered fully and completely, for He would send a Savior to rescue them. The temporary covering
of that first animal sacrifice pointed ahead to the permanent covering that would come through the Savior. This Savior was the Promise Made, the hope that would come through Adam and Eve’s family line.
And so God’s people waited. They hoped for the Savior to come and remove the weight of sin. Throughout the ages, God continued to point to the hope of a Savior through people and circumstances. More than 300 of God’s promises were recorded, providing detailed prophecies of how this Savior would come and who He would be. God’s people looked ahead, trying to trust even as hope waned.
G O S P E L C O N V E R S A T I O N S
THE RESCUE
PROMISE KEPT
25
PROMISE KEPT
3. Jesus _______________________ on the cross for the sins of all mankind.
“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God.” 1 Peter 3:18 ESV
4. Jesus’ death was the ___________________________ for our sin.
“Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world.” Galatians 1:4 NLT
5. Jesus ____________________________ from the dead on the third day, by which
Satan’s defeat was sealed.
“Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.” 1 Corinthians 15:3–5 NIV
The religious leaders of the day were losing power and patience with Jesus. False charges were brought against Him, and He was arrested. He endured rejection, ridicule, and abandonment by His closest friends. His enemies beat and tortured Him, then sent Him to die an excruciating death on a cross. With open arms, He offered His life to grant us all the love, acceptance, and forgiveness we need. Instead of God punishing the whole world for sin, Jesus took on the wrath in full on our behalf. This innocent Man died for crimes He did not commit.
The disciples took their Lord’s body and placed it in a tomb. On the third day, when the women went to the tomb, it was empty—Jesus was not there. An angel told them Jesus was no longer dead, but was alive once again—He had worked another miracle, bringing Himself back from the dead! In His death and then His resurrection, He conquered for all the effects of sin and death and Hell, paving the way for Humanity to be free from those threats once for all. He won back for us the eternal life stolen from us so long ago.
G O S P E L C O N V E R S A T I O N S
THE RESCUE
P R O C E S S B O X
1. Watch training video 8, “The Rescue: Is There Any Hope?”2. How can you make the beauty of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection compelling to someone
who is not a Christian?3. Write out how you could naturally and conversationally share the main points of the Rescue
with someone. Be sure to stress the beauty of Jesus, our Messiah!4. Practice sharing the main points of the Rescue with someone in a role-playing exercise.
26 / T H E R E S T O R AT I O N
THE RESTORATION :WHAT WILL THE FUTURE HOLD?
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. . . . God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:1, 3–4 ESV
1. God has promised _______________________________________________________________
—where everything is made new again.
We all know that every good story has a good ending. Humans are wired that way—that’s why we love movies and books with a good resolution. God put it in our DNA because there truly is an ending that is beyond our wildest imagination for those who come to Christ.
SPIRITUALLY PHYSICALLY SOCIALLY EMOTIONALLY MORALLY
God’s story is written so that everything that was lost in the Fall has been redeemed for us through Jesus, the Promise Kept. The redemption we have today is in part, but one day it will be ours in full. One day, God will make All Things New. Everything will be restored to its original perfection, to the way God made it before the Fall. There will be no more sorrow, conflict, sadness, or tears.
No more wars, sickness, or death. No more deathly, destructive storms or earthquakes or volcanic eruptions. Imagine having perfect peace in all your relationships, with nothing to hide, nothing to fear. Imagine living free from the fear of suffering and sickness and death and hell! These things seem too good to be true, but that’s because we’ve never experienced such things before.
ALL THINGS NEW
Consider how restoration will affect us:
G O S P E L C O N V E R S A T I O N S
G O S P E L C O N V E R S A T I O N S
ALL THINGS NEW
N . T . W R I G H T 1 4
THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS MEANS
THE LAUNCHING OF A NEW CREATION.
“
T H E N E W C R E A T I O N W I L L H A P P E N C O M P L E T E LY ;
T H A T I S T H E G O O D N E W S A B O U T T H E F U T U R E .
G O D ’ S J U S T I C E A N D J O Y A N D P E A C E A N D L O V E W I L L
G R O W L I K E F L O W E R S O N E V E R Y R O A D S I D E A N D L I K E
S H O W E R S O N E V E R Y S P R I N G M O R N I N G . T H E
R E S U R R E C T I O N O F J E S U S I S T H E L A U N C H I N G O F
G O D ’ S N E W N E W W O R L D . H E W I L L T R A N S F O R M T H E
W H O L E W O R L D A N D F I L L I T W I T H H I S J U S T I C E , H I S
J O Y, A N D H I S L O V E . T H A T I S I N D E E D G O O D N E W S .
14 N .T. Wright, Simply Good News, page 102. 27
28 / T H E R E S T O R AT I O N
“No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.” Revelation 22:3–5 ESV
1. There will be no more _______________________, which means we will be able to serve God
without hindrance.
2. He will be in the city, and we will see His ___________________________, which means
we will enjoy uninterrupted intimacy with God.
3. His name will be on our _______________________, which means His rightful ownership will cover us.
4. We will ________________________ forever, which means God will let His Kingdom rule.
G O S P E L C O N V E R S A T I O N S
It is promised to all who have put their faith in Jesus Christ’s perfect life, atoning death, and conquering resurrection, because key to this ending is being Forever with God. What will it be like to see Jesus, the One who rescued us from the Fall and restored us to the Father? What will it be like to hear His voice and see the love in His eyes?
Imagine trusting and knowing God’s love so completely that you never have to wonder if He’s
angry with you or if you have failed to please Him. Imagine having complete fellowship and intimacy with Jesus, the One who loved us and died for us. Imagine spending eternity with Him in unbroken fellowship. Imagine knowing fully who we are and what God has made us to do: worship and obey God alone. Imagine having the wonderful privilege of reigning with Him and worshiping Him for all time—just as God had intended from the beginning.
FOREVER WITH GOD
THE RESTORATION
P R O C E S S B O X
1. Watch training video 9, “The Restoration: What Will the Future Hold?”2. Write out how you could naturally and conversationally share the main points of the
Restoration with someone.3. Practice sharing the main points of the Restoration with someone in a role-playing exercise.
C . S . L E W I S 1 5
CHAPTER ONE OF THE GREAT STORY WHICH NO ONE ON EARTH HAS READ :
WHICH GOES ON FOREVER : IN WHICH EVERY CHAPTER IS BETTER THAN THE
ONE BEFORE .
“
15 C. S. Lewis. The Last Battle. 29
P R O C E S S B O X
1. Watch training video 10, “Praying to Receive Christ.”2. Write out how you could naturally and conversationally lead someone in a prayer
of repentance and salvation. 3. Practice leading a salvation prayer with with someone in a role-playing exercise.
30 / M A K E T H E M W I S H I T W E R E T R U E
MAKE THEM WISHIT WERE TRUE
When we share God’s message in the Bible we should pay careful attention not only to what we say, but how we say it. Are we in awe of God’s story that offers what we all so desperately desire—unconditional love, forgiveness, and acceptance? Do we live life based on the truth that God’s story is the defining storyline for our lives?
The way we live and share the beauty of God’s redemption can make others wish it were true. Peter reminds us to always be “prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect” (1 Pet. 3:15). We are called to prepare our answer—to prepare a way to share God’s story in the best way that will make others wish what we were saying could be true. How you live out and share the story matters.
1. We have all heard a good story ruined by ______________________________________
____________________________________________. The same is true for how we share
God’s story: The _________________________ of it comes through in how we tell it.
16 Blaise Pascal. Pensees.
PA S C A L 1 6
“ P E O P L E A L M O S T I N V A R I A B LY A R R I V E A T T H E I R
B E L I E F S N O T O N T H E B A S I S O F P R O O F B U T O N T H E
B A S I S O N W H A T T H E Y F I N D A T T R A C T I V E .”
S O U R C E U N K N O W N
IF YOU WANT PEOPLE TO HEAR
TRUTH , TELL THEM . IF YOU WANT
PEOPLE TO KNOW THE TRUTH , TELL
THEM A STORY.
“
31
32 / M A K E T H E M W I S H I T W E R E T R U E
DISARM&
SURPRISE
MAKEIT
ATTRACTIVE
CAPTURE THEIR
IMAGINATION
It is important to know your culture and its hopes and longings and show them that Christianity is the only story that can fulfill it.
Be informed, thoughtful, sensible, open minded, helpful, and generous.
When imagination is captured, most people will give your ideas a fair hearing, then present the strong case for why the Story is the most compelling and thorough explanation for why the world is the way it is today.
1
2
3
MAKE THEM WISH IT WERE TRUE
2. Pascal’s three steps to bringing someone _____________________________ to faith:
P R O C E S S B O X
1. Watch training video 11, “Make Them Wish It Were True.”2. In what ways do Christians fail to make the gospel beautiful to a watching world?3. How can we become known more for sharing the beautiful gospel than for
standing against the brokenness of the world?
G AV I N O R T L U N D 1 7
IT ’ S HARDER TO REJECT SOMETHING ONCE YOU WISH IT
WERE TRUE .
“I I N C R E A S I N G LY W O N D E R W H E T H E R , I N O U R C U R R E N T
C U L T U R A L M O M E N T, T H E B E A U T Y O F C H R I S T I A N I T Y
S H O U L D B E A M O R E R E C U R R E N T F E A T U R E O F O U R
A P O L O G E T I C . I N A N A G E O F D I S I L L U S I O N M E N T,
P E O P L E F R E Q U E N T LY F I N D M O R E T R U T H I N T H E
A R T S T H A N I N L O G I C — I T I S T H E T U G O N T H E H E A R T,
M O R E T H A N T H E A P P E A L T O T H E M I N D , T H A T
O F T E N T R I U M P H S . P E R H A P S T O B E E F F E C T I V E I N
U P H O L D I N G C H R I S T W E M U S T H E L P P E O P L E F E E L
T H E S H E E R W O N D E R O F T H E G O S P E L—T H E S E N S E O F
E N C H A N T M E N T A N D N O S T A L G I A A C H I L D F E E L S I N
R E A D I N G A B O U T N A R N I A , F O R I N S T A N C E .
17 Gavin Ortlund. “How C. S. Lewis Put the Ontological Argument for God in Narnia.” TGC - The Gospel Coalition. March 25, 2017. Accessed June 02, 2017. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/how-lewis-put-ontological-argument-god-in-narnia. 33
WHAT’SNEXT?
Now that you have the building blocks to sharing God’s Story, we want to encourage you to be intentional in practicing your conversational approach and praying for opportunities to talk with people. Here’s what we suggest:
1. Pray Ask God to show you the people in your life—family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, and more—who you should be praying for in this season. Pray regularly for them, for all aspects of life, but especially that they might be aware of God’s great love for them. Ask God to soften your heart with love and mercy for the way His love has brought redemption to us all.
2. Be PresentColossians 4:3 says, “Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ.” Being present with people who do not know Jesus is the best way to find those opportunities! Seek to build deep friendship with those who don’t yet know Jesus. The more your life overlaps with them, the easier it will be to naturally share how God’s love has changed your life.
3. Be ReadyLive in light of 1 Peter 3:15, “If someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.” Ask God to help you take any opportunity to turn a conversation to spiritual things, and then lovingly ask if you can share the Story that has changed your life.
34 / W H AT ’ S N E X T ?
P R O C E S S B O X
1. Watch training video 12, “What’s Next?”2. Join our private Gospel Ready Facebook group! Email us to become a member.3. Pray for the people you want to share gospel hope with and prepare for a conversation.4. Set a date with a friend to ask people the worldview questions at a local park, campus,
or other public space.
35
ANSWERKEY
PAGE 11. cooperate one step closer2. gone before3. religious pluralism4. unwilling
PAGE 25. emotionally cognitively
PAGE 41. power2. longings and desires
PAGE 61. stories2. power
PAGE 81. some sort of story 2. explains life (for ourselves,
humanity, the world, spiritually, etc.)
PAGE 121. main character It’s God2. love
PAGE 143. majestic and powerful4. unique 5. imagine intimate
PAGE 166. entire universe7. specific purpose 8. reflect His image
PAGE 179. harmony10. God creation each other their own hearts11. full reign one rule
PAGE 201. Satan’s lies2. disobeyed God3. right and wrong4. deceived5. the perfect world
PAGE 216. sin sin7. restoration8. broken with no clue
PAGE 221. separates 2. Crush3. Immanuel
PAGE 241. righteous life 2. perfect life
PAGE 253. died4. payment 5. was raised
PAGE 261. a New Heaven
and New Earth
PAGE 281. curse 2. face3. foreheads4. reign
PAGE 301. poor delivery
or a flat cadence beauty
PAGE 322. one step closer
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
LIFE AS WE KNOW ITOur stories can be just as incredible, beautiful, heartbreaking, and breathtaking as the fictional stories we watch on television and read in books. Life as We Know It is a guided journey through your stories and the stories of others. It‘s a resource that will take you deeper into the lives of your friends, family, neighbors, and beyond.
LifeAsWeKnow.it
A gospel-sharing, animated children’s film, app, book, and more, designed to show the beauty of God’s story in an engaging way. With The Story Maker, children all over the world will be able to watch, hear, and share the gospel in their own language.
TheStoryMaker.com
THE STORY ACCOUNT & APPWhen we know God’s beautiful story of redemption, it changes everything: who we are, what we want, and how we live. The Story makes the beauty of God’s love known to everyone, everywhere. It’s freely accessible via app, web, and video and available in 20 languages (and counting). Create your free account online to share and track visitors and get the free app to share God’s Story.
TheStoryFilm.com
36 / R E S O U R C E S
THERE ’ S ONE STORY THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING.
MAKE IT KNOWN TO EVERYONE, EVERYWHERE THROUGH SPREAD TRUT H.
Our society is more disconnected than ever, and people around the world are desperate for hope. But when they are introduced to God’s love and find rescue in Jesus? Everything changes. Imagine Christians around the world ready to share God’s Story with anyone, anywhere, anytime. Imagine being fully equipped and confident to share the beauty of God’s Story in culturally relevant ways. Imagine getting the gospel to people no matter where they live. This is Gospel Everywhere, how Spread Truth maximizes the reach of the gospel through the support of friends like you. Partner with us today. Learn how at SpreadTruth.com.
THERE ’ S ONE STORY THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING.
MAKE IT KNOWN TO EVERYONE, EVERYWHERE THROUGH SPREAD TRUTH.
When we know God’s beautiful story of redemption, it changes everything: who we are, what we want, and how we live. The Story Training makes the beauty of God’s love
known to everyone, everywhere.
#GOSPELeverywhere
THE STORYTHAT INSPIRESALL OTHERS.
© 2018 Spread Truth / SpreadTruth.com
