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REVIEW 10 weeks in 100 seconds A new identity: Ambassadors for Christ (all Christians) with various primary evangelism styles Because God is sovereign & we’re responsible: Talk with God about our friends before talking with friends about God 7 Principles of Evangelism / “Listening to Hear” / hospitality 5 Thresholds of Faith: Trust, Curiosity, Open to Change, Seeking, Entering Kingdom There’s 1 gospel, but many ways to explain it. An “Irreducibly Simple” Gospel could be described as…

Bad News Good News Invitation The Bad News is the story of how God’s children were seduced (by the evil one) The Good News (Gospel) is the story of the infinite degree to which God went to rescue his children The Invitation is the offer extended by God to those he is calling into his family (through his ambassadors)

GOSPEL BOOT CAMP INVITATION The Invitation moves the Gospel from being “The Story” to “My Story” To those deserving physical, spiritual and eternal death, the greatest gift he could give is Eternal Life What is that? John 17:3 = “Knowing God” How can we know God and have Eternal Life? By Grace through Faith (Ephesians 2:8-9)

GOSPEL BOOT CAMP INVITATION Grace: “Unmerited favor” Getting what we don’t deserve God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense “Jesus + Nothing = Everything” The Holy Spirit uses Bad news to convict, but then reveals Good News of God’s grace and the gift of eternal life

GOSPEL BOOT CAMP INVITATION Faith: Not merely mental assent to doctrine of God or existence of Jesus (James 2:19) A functional trust we place somewhere, in someone or something Can be strong or weak Efficacy lies in where it’s placed Won’t be placed in Jesus unless no other options

GOSPEL BOOT CAMP INVITATION Repenting = trusting Jesus as our worthy Lord (then acting likewise) Trusting he is good, has our best interests in mind, and has the right to be our lord Believing = trusting Jesus as sufficient savior 1 John 5:13 “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” Both are a turning away from 1 thing to turn toward other

GOSPEL BOOT CAMP INVITATION Jesus’ basic invitation: “Repent and believe the good news (Gospel)” Mark 1:15 2 sides of same coin = trusting in Jesus rather than ourselves or other functional lords and saviors To those who received his invitation (and himself) “he gave the right to be children of God” (John 1:12) A “Sinner’s Prayer” can be an expression of this - a true confession of faith (though can also be a false positive if presented as a magic formula)

GOSPEL BOOT CAMP INTEGRATION Case studies: Friend working in IT (handout) Homeless Adoptive parent Husband/Wife Start with what they know, or the good they already value or demonstrate. Affirm it, then build a bridge to the Gospel.

GOSPEL BOOT CAMP INTEGRATION There is not a single passage of Scripture that does not fit into the grand overarching story of the Gospel. There is not a single topic or situation in life that does not find its true meaning in the light of the Gospel. All together, this means there are a multitude of ways to begin to communicate it to others. So let’s start with 1 way Think of a person you’ve been praying for Think of their life. Where do their story and God’s story of redemption intersect. Start there.

GOSPEL BOOT CAMP INTEGRATION Missional Prayer: How Paul asked the church to pray for himself as an ambassador: “And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message … Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I ought” Colossians 4:3-4 “Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.” Ephesians 6:19-20

GOSPEL BOOT CAMP INTEGRATION Missional Prayer: How Paul prayed for Christ’s ambassadors: “…that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.” Ephesians 1:18-19 “I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.” Philemon 6