Evangelism - Jesus Is The Only Way?

The following is what our Youth Ministry will look like and the path we will follow to
spread the true word of Jesus Christ as true disciples of the way the truth and the light.

It’s encouraging to hear Youth excitement at the prospect of serving the Lord on the
mission field. We’re sure God rejoices to see that desire in their heart. It’s also a strong
indication of the maturity of your faith that you realize that your enthusiasm is not
enough. Youth need God’s direction. Even within the field of missions, there are
hundreds of different ways youth can serve God.

Youth can be confident that God will honor their desire to be directed. He does not intend
that His will be something that we struggle to discover. Our struggle is more often in our
wills. God’s will often becomes instantly clear when we come to the point where our
heart is committed to following it, regardless of what it is.

Let God direct youth one step at a time. You did not share with us the steps you’ve
already taken. However, if you feel that God is calling you to youth ministry, there are
three things you should be doing. First, be willing to serve God in any way that He
chooses—even if it is not in missions. Let Him make the choice for you.

Second, if you haven’t done so already, get involved in missions. There are many
opportunities for short-term missions work. Investigate those opportunities. The
following organizations afford young people the opportunities of short-term mission
work in various areas of the world finally, study your Bible thoroughly. Go to a Bible
college, if possible, or enroll in a Bible correspondence course. The message that you
want to share is contained in the Bible, and you must know the message. Talk with your
parents, your pastor and any other mature Christians who know you. Invite them to be
honest with you about both your strengths, and your weaknesses. Then work to develop a
plan to go toward your goal.

As you follow these guidelines, God will reveal to you whether this is your particular
calling. God has made you for a purpose, and He will make that clear to you as you daily
seek Him. “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things
you do not know” (Jeremiah 33:3).

We join with Paul as he says in Ephesians 1:18: “I pray that your hearts will be flooded
with light so that you can see something of the future he has called you to share”.

Teaching our youth to Share God's truth with youth can be intimidating, especially youth
you don’t know very well. And it’s almost impossible to say that one method is the most
effective. But your desire to share your faith is really great. Many Christians don't have
boldness in their witness for Christ, and you’re taking the first step toward spiritual
growth by wanting to share your faith. The Bible teaches us that true believers want to
share with others what God has done for them (read John 4:28-30, John 4:39-42 and 1
John 1:1-4).
Whether you’re sharing with youth you know or with total strangers, you need to live a
consistent, Christ-centered life. Nothing will kill your testimony faster than talking about
Jesus with your lips and then denying Him with your actions. Simple consistency can
sometimes do more than a three-point sermon: you may not have an opportunity to tell
the youth in the community about Jesus, but if you’re polite and show some simple love
and decency, the youth will notice. You’ll stand out from the other youth who bark their
orders and don’t even mumble "thanks." Just being pleasant is often enough to make
people scratch their heads and ask why. Then you have an open door to tell them what
Jesus has done for you.

Evangelism is often about simply being a friend. A lot of people in this world need love
and compassion. Our youth will show love and compassion in our neighborhoods.
Young people today have tough days: failing tests, fighting parents, and crashing
relationships. They could use a friend and a good listener. Jesus often spent time just
being with people and listening to them. Follow Christ’s loving example. Love is not
arrogant and preachy. It's not rude and demanding. Love is compassionate and caring. Its
patient and kind (read 1 Corinthians 13:4-7).

Above all, remember to pray. Pray that the Holy Spirit will give you opportunities to tell
others about Christ. Pray that the Holy Spirit will let others see your Christ-like example,
even when you don’t say a word (read John 16:7-11). Our Youth will pray daily for
friends and family that need Christ, as well as people you don’t know very well, and even
pray for passing strangers. Asking God for wisdom to share the most important thing in
your life with these people (read James 1:5 and James 3:17).

Our Youth will learn more about sharing faith effectively, and “How to Give Away Your
Faith” using the preaching and teaching of Jesus Christ.

Our Youth did a great job stating their desire to show their friends the truth. One of the
best ways to show that you know the truth is to live a lifestyle of love. A radically
changed life lived for Christ will do more to persuade those who do not have strong faith
than many arguments. Your friend may think you're close-minded, but won't be able to
challenge the confidence and love displayed in your life.

"Religious pluralism," a term that means that all religions are pretty much equal, has been
around for a long time. Some people today may think of religion like a "spiritual salad
bar" where they can pick and choose whatever appeals to them. It's especially popular to
appear open-minded and accepting of the views and lifestyles of others, but very few
people have really explored what different faiths believe, especially the claims of Christ.

When youth begin to really look at the central beliefs of the various religions, you find
that there is little agreement between them. In his book "A Search for the Spiritual",
James Emery White makes the following point that treating all religions as the same is
not really possible: "Somebody is right and somebody is wrong, or everybody is wrong,
but you can't say that everybody believes about the same thing. That would be
intellectually dishonest in light of the facts. If God exists—unless he is some senile,
confused, muddled, schizophrenic, unbalanced being who isn't sure what he stands for—
there is religious truth and religious falsehood among the competing views. And the areas
of disagreement among those views are not trivial in nature."

Youth may want to encourage their friends to look more deeply into the differences
between Christianity and other faiths. Although most major religions believe in a higher
power, in life after death, and the need for spiritual teaching, when it comes to having a
personal relationship with God, only Jesus Christ offers that through taking away the sin
that separates us from God.

There are many resources available to help youth and their friends understand the
uniqueness of Jesus Christ and the Bible better.

Your friends may already be a Christians, but has started drifting away from the Lord.
Help them to grow spiritually by encouraging them to read the Bible, pray, and spend
time with other strong Christians. As they grow in understanding of faith, they may
discover there is more to Christ than Him being just another "faith option."

Good Youth missionary is being concerned about the salvation of even the worst kid you
know. This shows that God is working in you! The best thing you can do for neighbor is
to pray for them; only God can show people that He loves them and that they need Jesus
to forgive them. Remember that the way we live often affects people more than our
words—especially for someone who knows us well. You might want to ask God for
opportunities to interact in a positive way. Be friendly and caring, just as Jesus would be.

Remember, not everyone is saved and are ignorantly living in spiritual darkness. They
just don’t know any better, and doesn't have the power to change bad thoughts or
behavior. They need Jesus' help, but they don’t know that—yet. Your goal as youth
leaders would be to share Scripture. Not in a stuffy way, but as it comes up naturally. A
simple explanation of the Gospel can be all that is necessary in some cases, read 1
Corinthians 15:1-11.

You may need to earn the right to share the Gospel. Does this person see the love,
patience, and joy of Jesus in you? Remember Jesus' words: "Let your light shine in front
of others. That they will see the good things you do. And they will praise your Father
who is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16) Pray that God will help you by ready to speak when
the time is right; that is, if you are to say anything at all. As the Bible says, "There is a
time for everything...a time to be silent and a time to speak." (Ecclesiastes 3:1,7; New
International Version)

If you do have the opportunity to speak, don't come on too strong. You don't want people
to feel that you are claiming to be better than them or that you are condemning them.
They need to know that you honestly care, and are not simply trying to talk them into
something. "Let the words you speak always be full of grace. Season them with salt.
Then you will know how to answer everyone." (Colossians 4:6).
Often people who are angry and rebellious are actually hurting and lonely. Remember,
Jesus spent time with people who were disliked in order to help them. One example is
Zaccheus in Luke 19:1-10. People criticized Jesus for this, but He loves everybody, no
matter how bad or dirty or unpopular they are. If we are Christians, God wants us to love
everyone; Jesus said in John 15:12, "Here is my command. Love each other, just as I
have loved you."

If you haven't done so already, we encourage you to talk with your Sunday school
teacher, your youth pastor, or another Christian adult for some specific ideas. Be sure to
partner with them, or a Christian friend to pray, and when you do, remember that nothing
is too hard for God. (Jeremiah 32:17).

We as youth missionaries need to have respect for those who have religious beliefs other
than our own, but this does not mean that we have to agree with those beliefs—and it
certainly does not mean that we cannot share our faith in Jesus with them. However, our
increasingly pluralistic society would tell us otherwise. "The main thing in witnessing
and soul-winning is to live such a victorious life in Christ that people will be drawn to
Him through us, just like a magnet. If a student needs help in one way or another, we
should be there to assist in any way possible...By your so doing, that person will be
interested in what makes you concerned about him...Remember, it is the way you live
that often means a great deal more than what you say."

Others may be offended by your beliefs, but the Bible tells us that this will happen. It is
the privilege and responsibility of every believer to be concerned about the spiritual
welfare of others, and we're glad that you are. It is most important that what we say and
do as believers is directed by the Holy Spirit, because only He can reach into another
person's heart. We should also pray before we witness, so that the heart and mind of the
individual will be prepared by the Holy Spirit to receive the Word of God. Continuing to
pray for that person is also crucial. If we purpose to have an attitude of love, our
witnessing will be much more effective. Sometimes it may not be possible to say
anything to a certain individual, but you might have the opportunity to do a kind deed or
share some literature with them.

As Christians, we must have an attitude and way of daily living distinct from the world.
Some may think you are being "close-minded" or "judgmental" because you believe in
absolute truth. Don't let this disturb you because just as many others will secretly admire
you for your stand. Be sure you don't assume a self-righteous attitude; always remember
a Christian is only a sinner saved by grace and has no cause for boasting. If you accept
persecution by jokes and being misunderstood, God can use it to help you win some of
your friends. Radiate the joy that life in Christ can bring. Pray daily that God will give
you the grace to witness for Him and live your life fully for Jesus.

Remember Philippians 2:14-15 says: "Do everything without complaining or arguing, so

that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and
depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe."