P RAYING Y OUR F RIENDS TO C HRIST A Guide for Praying Evangelistically

…is the result of the North American Mission Board (NAMB) and state partners seeking God’s direction for how to fulfill the Great Commission in North American by 2020 Title of PresentationDate G OD ’ S P LAN FOR S HARING (GPS)

GPS is a simple, concise strategy to pray for and share Christ with every lost person in the United States and Canada by the end of the year Title of PresentationDate G OD ’ S P LAN FOR S HARING (GPS)

Four Biblical Markers for God’s Plan for Sharing (GPS) 1.Praying 2.Equipping 3.Sowing 4.Harvesting Title of PresentationDate G OD ’ S P LAN FOR S HARING (GPS)

THE INFLUENCE OF PRAYER ON EVANGELISM Title of PresentationDate SESSION ONE

 “The most important human factor in effective evangelism is PRAYER.” – R. A. Torrey  Jesus commands His followers to pray for laborers of the harvest – (Matt. 9:36-38). Title of PresentationDate SESSION ONE I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone-- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4

Five Ways Prayer and Evangelism Work Together: 1.Prayer opens the heart of the recipient (Col. 4:3). 2.Prayer gives clarity to the message presented by the witness (Col. 4:2-4). 3.Prayer empowers the message of the witness (Col. 4:2- 4, Rom. 1:16). 4.Prayer gives courage despite threats against the witness (Acts 4:23-31). 5.Prayer positions the witness in the middle of God’s redemptive activity (Acts 1:14, 2:1-41). Title of PresentationDate SESSION ONE

Prayer positions us and other believers in the midst of God’s redemptive activity:  With the right heart  In the right place  At the right time  With the right message Title of PresentationDate SESSION ONE

Three Strategic Processes in Sharing Christ: 1.Prepare – with a pure and compassionate heart. 2.Pray – for every lost person’s salvation and for every believer to become a witness. 3.Share – by putting feet to our prayers. Title of PresentationDate SESSION ONE

“Although humans play key roles, church growth is not a human enterprise; it is a divine initiative. When all is said and done, God is the one who gives the increase and adds to the church.” – The Everychurch Guide to Growth Title of PresentationDate SESSION ONE

Title of PresentationDate SESSION ONE

Truths to Treasure Title of PresentationDate SESSION ONE  God’s Plan for Sharing (GPS) is a strategy to reach every person across the United States and Canada with the gospel by the year  God’s Plan for Sharing (GPS) consists of four biblical mileposts: praying, equipping, sowing, and harvesting.  “Friends” are people we already share a relationship with, whether it is casual or close.  “Neighbors” goes beyond those who live in our neighborhoods, encompassing any person we encounter throughout the day as well as those all over the United States and Canada we may never meet.  Prayer and evangelism must be bound together.  God guides us to present the right message in the right place at the right time.  Bringing our friends and neighbors to Christ takes these three strategic processes: 1. Prepare; 2. Pray; 3. Share.  Salvation is a divine initiative, not a human enterprise.  Write below a few particular truths that God has impressed upon your heart that He is telling you to live out.

Prepare with a Pure and Compassionate Heart Title of PresentationDate SESSION TWO

1. Prepare with a pure heart. Title of PresentationDate SESSION TWO A.Sin separates from God Isaiah 59:1-2 B.God won’t listen if we cherish sin Psalm 66:18 C.God forgives when we confess 1 John 1:9 D.It is important to repent James 5:16

Title of PresentationDate SESSION TWO

2. Prepare with a heart of praise and thanksgiving. A.Give thanks to God for your salvation. B.Give thanks to God for His redemptive work. C.Give thanks to God for allowing you and others to join Him in that redemptive work. Title of PresentationDate SESSION TWO

3. Prepare with a heart of compassion for the lost. A.It starts with an understanding of God’s love, grace and mercy. (2 Cor. 5:14) B.It is stimulated by our time spent in the Father’s presence. (Lk. 23:34) C.It is demonstrated in a desire for redemption rather than destruction. (Ezek. 22:30) Title of PresentationDate SESSION TWO

Truths to Treasure:  The first step in bringing people to Christ is to prepare our hearts by confessing our sins.  The next step is to have a heart of praise and thanksgiving to God.  A heart of compassion for the lost is developed by understanding God’s love, grace and mercy, is stimulated by time spent in the Father’s presence, and is demonstrated in a desire for redemption rather than destruction.  Write a few particular truths that God has impressed upon your heart that He is telling you to live out. Title of PresentationDate SESSION TWO

PRAYER - FOR EVERY LOST PERSON’S SALVATION AND FOR EVERY BELIEVER’S WITNESS Title of PresentationDate SESSION THREE

Why Pray for the Lost? 1. It is Biblical. Title of PresentationDate SESSION THREE

A.God’s Word urges us to pray for the lost. I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone--for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4 Dat SESSION THREE

Title of PresentationDate SESSION THREE B. Jesus specifically commands us to pray for the lost.  …your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:10  He said to them, "When you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come’.” Luke 11:2

C. Paul modeled praying for the lost.  Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. Romans 10:1  I speak the truth in Christ – I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit – I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race. Romans 9:1-3 Title of PresentationDate SESSION THREE

2. Because of the spiritual condition of the lost. Title of PresentationDate SESSION THREE A.Blind (Romans 3:11; 1 Corinthians 2:14; 2 Corinthians 4:3-4) B.Bound (Ephesians 2:2; 2 Timothy 2:25-26) C.Condemned (John 3:18; 2 Corinthians 4:3; Ephesians 2:3) D.Hell-Bound (John 3:36; Revelation 20:15) E.Helpless (John 6:44; Ephesians 2:1) F.Hopeless (Ephesians 2:12)

How do we pray for lost people? Title of PresentationDate SESSION THREE 1.Pray according to the promises of God (1 Timothy 2:4, 2 Peter 3:9). 2.Pray asking God for resources and opportunities (Luke 10:2-4). 3.Pray the acrostic “HEART”.

“HEART”  H= Pray for a receptive HEART (Luke 8:5,11-15)  E= Pray for their spiritual EYES to be open and their EARS to hear (2 Corinthians 4:3-4, Matthew 13:15,16)  A= Pray for God’s ATTITUDE toward sin (John 16:8, 1 John 1:8)  R= Pray for the person to be RELEASED to believe (2 Timothy 2:25-26, 2 Corinthians 10:3-4)  T= Pray for a TRANSFORMED life (Romans 12:1-2) Title of PresentationDate SESSION THREE

Three kinds of laborers for which we pray: 1.Courageous Luke 10:1-4 2.Those who put Christ above all Luke 9: Those who have a heart of compassion Matthew 9:36-38 Title of PresentationDate SESSION THREE

Title of PresentationDate SESSION THREE

Methods to pray evangelistically for our friends and neighbors: Title of PresentationDate SESSION THREE 1.List Praying 2.Prayerwalking 3.Neighborhood Houses of Prayer

Title of PresentationDate SESSION THREE

Truths to Treasure Title of PresentationDate SESSION THREE  We should pray for the lost because Jesus prayed for them and because it is biblical.  We should also pray for the lost because of their spiritual condition.  We should pray for lost people according to the promises of God because God desires to save people, and nothing is impossible for God.  The HEART acrostic suggests some ways to pray for the lost to have a new heart: H= Pray for a receptive HEART E= Pray for their spiritual EYES to be open and their EARS to hear A= Pray for God’s ATTITUDE toward sin R= Pray for the person to be RELEASED to believe T= Pray for a TRANSFORMED life  We are to pray for laborers committed to God’s redemptive work.  Some practical methods of praying for friends and neighbors are list praying, prayer walking and participating in neighborhood houses of prayer.  What is your personal truth to treasure that God has spoken to you? Write it in your book. What is a specific action you can take on that truth?

SHARE: PUTTING FEET TO YOUR PRAYERS Title of PresentationDate SESSION FOUR

“Evangelism without intercession is like an explosive without a detonator; intercession without evangelism is like a detonator without an explosive.” – Reinhart Bonnke Title of PresentationDate SESSION FOUR

1.God is Looking for Followers Faithful in Prayer and Evangelism Title of PresentationDate SESSION FOUR

2. The Faithful Follower Lives Strategically Title of PresentationDate SESSION FOUR A.Build evangelism into your everyday patterns of life, efficiently using time and resources. B.Seek out relationships with those who are lost C.Know the story of the Gospel of Christ. D.Know your own story of coming to faith in Christ. E.View evangelism as an investment, not an event.

“After we receive a ‘no,’ there are several things we should not do. We should not take the response personally or respond with anger, disdain, or shock. We should not remove ourselves from the lost person’s life. It may be after the ‘no’ that people are most sensitive to you and to the message of Christ. We can’t afford to send the message that we were only friends with them as long as there was a chance they would join our club.” Title of PresentationDate SESSION FOUR

3. The Faithful Follower Encounters the Lost Redemptively by: Title of PresentationDate SESSION FOUR A.Demonstrating a Loving Concern B.Offering Assistance in an Area of Need C.Asking Open-Ended Questions D.Going Beyond Trite Answers E.Listening Attentively and Carefully F.Praying for God’s Timing to Move into Spiritual Matters G.Offering to Pray with the Lost Person

4. The Faithful Follower Delivers the Good News by: Title of PresentationDate SESSION FOUR A.Asking Permission to Tell His/Her Story B.Sharing the Gospel C.Asking for a Willing Commitment to Christ D.Leading Them in a Prayer of Commitment

5. The Faithful Follower Begins the Discipleship Process: Title of PresentationDate SESSION FOUR A.Collect Contact Information for Follow-up B.Review and Leave Behind Some Basic Discipleship Material C.Plan Future Contact or Arrange it with Another Believer D.Offer to Enroll Them in Bible Study/Sunday School/Small Group E.Invite the Person to Your Church F.Pray with the Person Before Leaving

Truths to Treasure Title of PresentationDate SESSION FOUR  God looks for followers faithful in prayer and evangelism.  God desires for us to be strategic in prayer and evangelism.  To have a lifestyle of evangelism we must encounter the lost.  As prayer and evangelism must be bound together, evangelism is not complete without discipleship and full discipleship reproduces in prayer and evangelism.  What specific truths has God shown you during this section that you need to apply to your life? Take a few minutes to tell your triplet what God has been saying and then offer prayer for obedience to that truth.

“The church must be brought to the end of its self-seeking and come to understand what matters most in God’s mission of kingdom advance - people. People need the Lord. And whatever it takes to reach them, to that the church should first give itself. Other concerns matter only as they support this central kingdom goal. The church does not exist for itself. The church exists for the glory of Jesus Christ, the advancement of his kingdom through bringing people to the foot of the cross, and forming Christ in God’s people. Prayer for revival lays the foundation for this to happen. May we, therefore, make that ‘method’ paramount.” - Lewis Drummond Title of PresentationDate SESSION FOUR

Title of PresentationDate INVITATION TO CONSECRATION

Let’s review the process of praying your friends and neighbors to Christ: It’s the will of God. It’s biblical. It takes preparation of the heart in purity. It takes preparation of the heart in compassion. It will take faithful followers praying for the lost. It will take faithful followers sharing with the lost Title of PresentationDate CONCLUSION

Dwight L. Moody was correct when he said, “Those who have left the deepest impression on this sin-cursed earth have been men and women of prayer. You will find that PRAYER has been the mighty power that has moved not only God, but man.” Title of PresentationDate CONCLUSION

Ron Dunn in his book, Don’t Just Stand There, Pray Something, said, “That God would place such an incomparable privilege and such responsibility in our hands is past understanding, but he has done just that. Through intercession we can become the instruments of salvation to men and women we never see face to face in this life.” Title of PresentationDate CONCLUSION

Let’s join hearts and hands and prepare, pray and share, so that all across North America people can hear and respond to the Good News of Jesus Christ. Title of PresentationDate CONCLUSION