Lesson 11: Evangelistic Preaching

► A student should read 1 Corinthians 1:17-25 for the group. What is God’s method for saving the lost?

The Jews were looking for power to deliver their nation. They wanted a message of power with signs of power to prove that it would work.

Gentiles wanted wisdom for understanding life and for success in the world. They wanted a message that would explain how they could get what they wanted.

The cross represented surrender and sacrifice. To the Jews who wanted power, it looked like weakness. To the Gentiles who wanted worldly wisdom, it looked like foolishness. In reality, the power and wisdom of God were demonstrated in the death of Christ. The cross looked like the weakness and foolishness of God, but it was greater than the best efforts of men.

The gospel message goes against the natural, sinful desires of humanity. It calls for repentance and surrender to God. It seems like a foolish message, because people want to hear about how to get what they want.

God has chosen to use the gospel to save people. He has given the task of communication to believers. The word preaching does not refer only to a person speaking to a crowd, but to communication of the gospel in various forms. The point of the passage is not that public preaching is God’s chosen method. The point is that the gospel is God’s method.

► What does the passage mean when it says that the preaching of the cross is foolishness to those who do not believe?

The word preaching may be used in a broad sense to refer to various forms of communicating the Word of God. However, in this lesson, we will use the word preaching in its usual sense: to refer to an individual speaking the Word of God to an assembly of people.

Evangelistic preaching is when the gospel is presented to an assembly of people. It is not just a presentation of any topic or passage of scripture. It is a presentation of the gospel.

The evangelistic preacher usually tries to persuade his listeners to make an immediate response to the message, with the goal that they be converted immediately. The message is designed to call them to that decision.

The information in an evangelistic message is carefully selected. The purpose of the message is not primarily education. The preacher tries to provide the information that the listeners need for the decision to be converted. This information includes explanation of the basic gospel, how the listener should respond, and possible consequences of the decision.

The preaching may occur in a quiet, orderly setting such as a church congregation in a church building or to a crowd of people somewhere else who have gathered for some other purpose. The crowd may be friendly to the message, or they may not.

► What are various settings where you have seen the gospel preached?

Because there are differences between preaching in a church and preaching to a different kind of group, we will first give guidelines that apply to evangelistic preaching in a church. In a further section in this lesson, we will give some guidelines that apply to outdoor preaching.

(1) Expound a scripture passage.

The Word of God is powerful, so the preacher needs to use it. It is not necessary that the passage be long or that the preacher spend a long time explaining details of it. He should use scripture that supports the gospel message. He should make sure that his most important statements are based on the scripture, so the power of God’s Word is used. He should not select part of a verse to use with a meaning that is different from the meaning it has in its context.

(2) He should define the terms repentance and faith.

The listeners may have wrong ideas about what these terms mean. They may think that repentance means making your life right so that God will accept you. They need to know that repentance means being sorry enough for your sin that you are willing to be delivered from it.

Listeners may think that faith means believing in a religion or practicing religious customs. They need to know that saving faith is to completely put your trust in the atonement of Christ for salvation.

(3) Emphasize that a person becomes a Christian in a moment of conversion.

Many people have wrong ideas about what it means to be a Christian and how a person becomes a Christian. They may assume that the preacher just wants them to become more religious or be part of his church. They may think he just wants them to start living a stricter life. Emphasize that at conversion a sinner repents, receives forgiveness, and begins a personal relationship with God.

(4) Refute the wrong reasons people have for professing to be Christians.

In some societies, most people think they are Christians. They may think they are Christians because they have been in church, do good things, believe certain things, or have had some spiritual experience. Besides emphasizing conversion, describe a life of relationship with God and the obedience that follows repentance.

(5) Make sure that unchurched people will understand you.

Don’t use terms that only religious people know. Don’t refer to religious customs that your listeners don’t understand.

► What are some terms used in your church that people in your neighborhood might not understand?

(6) Offer forgiveness, relationship with God, and eternal life.

These are the most important benefits of being born again. Show the seriousness of the sinner’s condition by describing the judgment and eternal punishment that will come on unbelievers.

(7) Avoid promising benefits that are not promised in the gospel.

If people think that the offer of salvation includes material benefits from God or the church, prosperity, healing of sickness, or some other kind of improvement of life’s situation, they may try to accept the benefits without really repenting.

You can explain that when God is in control of a person’s life, he will guide, bless, and help with their problems. However, we should not promise that all their problems will be solved if they become followers of Christ. For some people, life may even get harder because of persecution.

(8) Do not connect conversion with local church membership.

Church membership should be available as soon as a person is truly converted, but the terms of membership need to be explained after conversion. Do not talk about church membership requirements while trying to persuade a person to repent of his sins. The evangelist should focus on bringing the listener to encounter God.

► What are some requirements for membership at your church that are not necessary for salvation?

(9) Do not set requirements for conversion that come with maturity.

Call for the listener to repent of the sins he understands. Do not tell him rules about details of life that he will not understand until he has been a believer for some time. The call to repentance and faith is difficult enough. Do not add difficulties that might make a person reject the gospel.

(10) Explain what you want them to do.

Don’t assume that the listener knows he should pray and ask God for forgiveness. Don’t assume that he knows how to come forward and kneel. When you invite the listeners to respond, explain exactly what you want them to do. Consider how to make it as easy as possible for the person who is timid in the church environment.

People may gather to pray for many reasons. Sometimes a pastor invites people to pray about a variety of needs. The guidelines listed here do not necessarily apply to all occasions of praying. These guidelines apply to praying with those who respond the invitation after an evangelistic sermon.

The pastor should make sure some people of the church are trained to help people who are praying for salvation. He should have these people prepared to help when he gives an evangelistic invitation.

Sometimes a person who wants to help pray with people is a hindrance instead of a help. The pastor should watch for problems and be ready to help. If a person is hindering the prayer time with unwise behavior or wrong counsel, the pastor should do whatever is necessary to correct the problem.

We believe that a person can repent, believe, and experience conversion immediately. That belief guides our policies for praying with seekers.

(1) At least one mature believer should help each seeker who is praying.

Do not leave a seeker to pray alone and leave without help. We want the seeker to come to a definite victory.

(2) Find out why the seeker is praying.

Do not assume that he is praying for salvation. Even after an evangelistic sermon, people come to pray for a variety of reasons. It is not necessary to interrupt a seeker who is praying; but at some point, the believer who is helping him should ask, “What do you want God to do for you?” The believer can then pray with him about whatever need he has.

(3) Encourage the seeker to make full repentance.

Ask, “Are you willing to repent of sin, and let God deliver you from sin?” Encourage him to tell God his repentance. It is not necessary for him to confess his sins to the pastor or any other person, unless there are specific transgressions against those people.

(4) Assure the seeker that God will forgive.

Tell him to ask God for forgiveness and to trust God’s promise to forgive. If he seems to struggle with doubt, show him a scriptural promise (1 John 1:9, John 3:16, Romans 5:8).

If the seeker seems unable to pray in his own words, the helper could offer to help him with a prayer that the seeker will repeat. It could be something like this prayer:

“Lord, I know I am a sinner and deserve eternal punishment. I am sorry for my sins and am willing to quit them. I ask you to forgive me—not because I deserve it, but because Jesus died for me. Thank you for salvation. From this time on, I will live for you.”

Usually, if a seeker has difficulty praying to a definite victory, there is a sin that he is reluctant to quit. He cannot have faith for forgiveness until he truly repents.

(5) Ask the convert for a testimony.

If the seeker seems to find victory, someone should ask him, “What did God do for you?” Encourage him to make a definite statement. He may testify to the congregation, but he should at least state it to the ones who prayed with him.

(6) Give a printed explanation of salvation.

The convert should be given a printed explanation of salvation to take with him. It will help him understand what happened and also help him explain to others.

(7) Arrange the first step of discipleship.

The first step of discipleship will usually be a meeting with a pastor or mature believer. Make sure the convert understands what happened to him. After that, he may join a small group or meet with someone regularly.

Someone should also visit his family, make sure they know about the conversion, and invite them to the church. There may be an opportunity to share the gospel with them.

► What are the customs at your church for praying with seekers? What do you need to do to add the things listed above?

Preaching outside is for the purpose of reaching people that do not come to church. It is difficult because the listeners are there for some other purpose and may not give attention. There may be noise and disorder. There is not an atmosphere of worship created by a congregation like there would be in a church building.

An obvious requirement for an outdoor preacher is that he must have a voice that is powerful enough for people to hear, or he must use some kind of amplification.

The first challenge for preaching outside is to get attention. People in the area decide quickly whether they want to listen or not. Some will listen for a few minutes. Many will listen to only a sentence or two before deciding whether or not they are interested.

The preacher must use short sentences, and every sentence must make a worthwhile statement. He must remember that each sentence will be the first sentence that some listeners hear. Making a point with each sentence will help catch attention. If he succeeds in getting a group to listen, he may be able to tell illustrations and explain points more thoroughly.

If possible, the preacher should have a group of believers with him. If people who are passing see others listening, they are more likely to stop and listen. If there are musicians who can provide music before the preaching, that usually helps to gather a crowd.

The preacher should invite the listeners to come forward and pray for salvation.

The helpers should distribute printed information to people in the area.

► What possible settings exist for outdoor preaching in your neighborhood?

Each student should now look at the evangelistic sermon he brought with him. He should consider how it fulfills the 10 guidelines for evangelistic preaching. He should plan how it should be revised.

There may not be time for the class to discuss every student’s sermon, but the class should do several of them together to provide students with examples.

The next class session should not cover a lesson. The students should present their evangelistic sermons and then discuss them. It is not necessary for them to preach the sermons completely, but condense them to a presentation of 5-7 minutes each. The next scheduled session after the practice session should use Lesson 12.

Develop an evangelistic sermon that follows the guidelines of this lesson. The sermon does not have to be written out completely, but should have the main statements written. Bring it to the next class session for discussion.