Given the research about the Nome community and the Nome Eskimo Community, my work in Alaska will likely be more akin to helping people break down walls that were erected because of hurts and offenses more than helping people who have never heard about Jesus. But, I would not want to miss the opportunity for having been ill prepared. So, what does it mean to present the Gospel to someone? I found this four-step process attributed to Billy Graham and Bill Bright at Campus Crusade.
Step One: God’s purpose, peace, and love. God wants you to experience peace and life abundantly and eternally (Romans 5:1, John 3:16, 10:10).
Step Two: Our problem: Separation. God created us in His own image to have abundant life. He did not make us robots to automatically love and obey Him but gave us the gift of free choice. Hence, we chose to disobey God on our own will, which resulted in our separation (Romans 3:23, 6:23). Our attempts through the ages have failed to bridge the gap (Isaiah 59:2, Proverbs 14:12).
Step Three: God’s remedy: The cross. Jesus Christ is the only answer to this problem. He died on the cross, rose from the grave, and paid our penalty (I Timothy 2:5, I Peter 3:18, Romans 5:8).
Step Four: Our Response. To receive Christ, we must trust in Him by personal invitation (Revelation 3:20, John 1:12, Romans 10:9). Then pray with the individual and make sure they receive discipling. And focus on the basics, which include prayer, scripture, devotional life, accountability, and discipleship.
While a four-step process is just the kind of thing that resonates with me, I pray that I would not miss an opportunity to connect with someone relationally and that my talking about Jesus would sound like I was talking about an old friend. I pray that the people I encounter would see something in me that they want too and that our hearts would be softened toward Jesus.
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