Being a Lifestyle Witness

“Fishing is just a hobby for most people, something they do on their spare time. No one sees fishing as a responsibility. Yet fishing is serious business. It’s not a hobby for Christian’s; it is to be our lifestyle!” (Rick Warren, The purpose Driven Church) Hobby - an activity or interest pursued outside one's regular occupation and engaged in primarily for pleasure. Lifestyle - a set of attitudes, habits, or possessions associated with a particular person or group

The primary reason Christians are not catching fish is that they are not fishing. Matthew 4:19 “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Allow Jesus to make you fishers of men!!!

The lifestyle soul winner: is not in doubt about his own salvation is not ashamed of the Gospel considers God’s gift of salvation to be his most priceless possession starts every day with an earnest desire & prayer that this day he might have the high honor of sharing Jesus with a person who needs Him lives each day with his “antenna” up, listening to cues from the Holy Spirit

The lifestyle soul winner: expects lost people to act like lost makes it his business to continually sharpen witnessing skills & relational skills joins the angels in rejoicing when one sinner repents, and then cares deeply for the welfare and growth of the new believer

In Luke 10, Jesus is sending out His followers. He sends us out every day among the lost: We must engage the lost. Development relationships Invest in their lives – Jesus did! (Time) Be where the lost people are… We must endear the lost. Acts of kindness Expressions of concern; going out of our way to help Drawn to us and hopefully eager to hear the Gospel

In Luke 10, Jesus is sending out His followers. He sends us out every day among the lost: We must educate the lost. Go beyond – “Jesus loves you and has a plan for you life” Express who Jesus is and what He can mean in to their life Our testimony with Scripture We must escort the lost to the throne of grace. We must invite them to make a decision We engage the lost, endear the lost and educate the lost; challenge them to accept Jesus!

My life before I made a commitment to follow Jesus. How I came to know Jesus personally. My life since I came to know Jesus personally.

Immediate Family ______________________________ Relatives_______________________________________ Close Friends ___________________________________ Neighbors _____________________________________ Business Assoc. _________________________________ Acquaintances__________________________________ Others ________________________________________

Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (NIV) Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (NIV) John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (NIV) John 1:4 “The Word (Jesus) became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” (NIV) 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day.” (NIV)

John 1:12 “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” (NIV) John 10:10 “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (NIV) Acts 3:19 “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out.” (NIV)