Students today are more relational than ever, and so it makes your job of sharing Christ in a relevant way that much more important. If you are a student, you’ve got a built in advantage. You speak the language, and understand them like no other creature on the planet. You are God’s best weapon for bringing Him to your campus. If we’re honest though we’d have to say it’s tough presenting Christ as the only way to God in our culture.
Ideas are easily swapped in the cafeteria or during practice, but our message demands a response. We want that person to make an intelligent decision about what we communicated. Sometimes we can dance around the issues talking about spiritual stuff, but never really get to the heart of the matter. We often never actually bring them to the point where they can receive Christ. That’s why using a simple tool to communicate your faith can be so helpful.
Using a tool keeps the message simple and to the point.
How often have you gotten into long conversations with a friend about spiritual things, but couldn’t seem to get down to the main issue of where they stood with God. Most evangelistic tools present a simple and complete outline including Scriptures to help you keep on track.
Usually a tool will begin on a positive note – “God loves you!”
This is important, because God’s Spirit wants to draw your friends to God. Presenting God in a positive sight will let them take that first step towards Him.
A tool will always present how to receive Christ.
It’s built right into the text, and usually all you need to do is read it, and lead your friend in prayer.
A tool will give you confidence because you’ll know what to say.
The Japanese have a saying, “I will master something, then the creativity will come.” When a woodworker masters how to use the tools of his trade, he then naturally creates objects of beauty and worth. When you master a tool, you will then be able to relax and be yourself in the context of a spiritual discussion. Something many adults can’t even do well. Christ wants to express His love and concern through you. If you are always concerned about what to say next, that will be harder to express. A tool will help you become confident in the message you want to bring to your friends.
Some students react to using a tool. One guy said, “I’m the only Bible some of my friends will ever read, so I’m just gonna let my life speak for itself.” But can a person really trust Christ by just observing someone’s life? The simple definition of evangelism is to announce or proclaim good news. God has called us to back up our life with words that will clarify and bring to light the reality of Christ in us.
Remember, an evangelistic tool helps us in our mission to present Christ. However, it is only a tool. God is the one who draws people to Himself. He is the One who will open their eyes to spiritual truths. He will be the one to give assurance in their heart for what He has done. It’s not the words in the booklet that will change anyone. A tool acts as a simple outline to lead them to the truth they need to place their trust in Christ.
