A CMBA Church Equipping Workshop on personal evangelism was held Monday, Jan. 8, at Spring Valley Baptist. Twenty people from nine churches were in attendance. The training was the first in a new 2024 series the association has planned with content designed to apply to all members of CMBA churches, not just for staff or lay leadership.
Associational Missions Strategist Jamie Rogers and CMBA’s Church Planting Catalyst JayWill Wilson led the workshop, which included training on how to share your faith story, conversation starters, and how to give a simple gospel presentation.
Attendees heard statistics about lostness across the Midlands before being challenged to identify five lost people that they personally know and then committing to sharing the gospel with one of them in the next week. Rogers underscored the importance of being intentional, praying for opportunities to share, and taking advantage of every-day conversational moments to engage others with the hope of the gospel.
Build a gospel conversation by asking intentional questions, such as:
“In your past, what kind of role did religion or faith play for you?”
“What is your faith or spiritual background?”
“Have you ever considered Jesus, and what He thinks about you?”
“Can I tell you how Jesus has changed my life?” (Be prepared with a one-minute story response.)
“Can I share with you how Jesus can change your life?”
Wilson, pastor of City of Refuge Church, said his members regularly share with each other who they are praying for to become saved, who they are praying to disciple, and how they can pray for each other. Members are taught to “share the gospel through simple words – God, Man, Sin, Salvation, and Response,” which Wilson calls a basic blueprint for evangelism. “We lead them to understand the gospel, they commit to growing together, and then reading through a book of the Bible as natural first steps of discipleship,” he says.
The next CMBA Church Equipping Workshop will be held April 22 on the topic “The Gospel & Culture,” with guest speaker Dr. Tim McKnight from Anderson University. All workshops include supper and will be held in Spring Valley’s student center which is located at the back side of the church parking lot.