The Greatest “Secret” of Success

The churches of Christ Greet You (Romans 16:16)

 

1.      If your congregation is small and struggling to grow, do you want it to remain that way?

2.      If you answer “NO, I want to see this group grow spiritually as well as in numbers.”

3.      Then, what is the secret to successful evangelism (or anything else)?
        a.  We are about to answer that question
        b.  and give you the greatest secret of successful evangelism known to man.
4.  It is revolutionary in its import.
        a.  It has allowed some Christians to conduct more personal Bible studies in one year
        b.  than most Christians will conduct in their life.
5.  It has helped countless other Christians stretch and reach out to lost ones all around them
        a.  in numbers far exceeding what they thought they could do.
        b.  The potential this one secret possesses may astound you.
            1.  If you take it and use it faithfully,
            2.  you will have the greatest secret of successful evangelism known to man.
6.  But before sharing the secret, let’s ensure that we know what evangelism is and is not.
        a.  What is your understanding of evangelism? Evangelism does NOT mean conversions.
        b.  We all must understand that our job
            1.  is NOT to count how many people we are privileged to baptize into Christ (Read 1 Cor. 1:17).
            2.  Our job is to sow the seed (Luke 8:5, 11).
            3.  Baptisms will come as the word finds good and honest hearts (Luke 8:15).
7.  We are to teach and preach the saving message of Jesus Christ (2 Tim. 4:2).
        a.  Therefore, let us never become discouraged
        b.  in our pursuit of fulfilling our duty and privilege to evangelize others.
8.  We also need to remember that most of the time
        a.  it takes more than one Bible study to accomplish the objective of evangelism.
        b.  There is nothing wrong with "one shot studies."
        c.  Sometimes they are useful.
9.  However, we need to understand that most people need time to process information
        a.  and to think of questions to ask.
        b.  Do not be afraid to spend several Bible studies with them.
10.  Commonly, Christians do not want to study often with another
        a.  from fear he or she will never respond.
        b.  That is a wrong focus.
11.  God said that our labor is not in vain if it is in the Lord
        a.  and done according to His will (1 Corinthians 15:58).
        b.  So let us not lose heart if we have many studies with a person and they back away.
            1.  Our duty is to teach.
            2.  When they have all the information they need, only then are we done.

Preliminary considerations that will reveal the secret to you

1.  Now some of you may be thinking that this is too good to be true,
        a.  or that we have a rather large ego
        b.  to think that we have the secret to successful evangelism.
2.  Well, our answer to those thoughts is No. No! NO!
        a.  Every successful evangelist has used the secret we are about to give
        b.  rather he was aware of it or not.
            1.  This secret is not "too good to be true."
            2.  And it is not from pride that we tell you these things.

Four P’s Will Reveal the Secret in One Word

3.  First, Passion: We must want to do evangelism.
        a.  Jesus had a passion to do the Father's Will (John 6:38).
        b. Yet, many Christians do not seem to have that same passion.
        c. Some Christians do not even seem to be aware of the importance of teaching others.
4.  Brethren, there is no way a person can be saved outside of Christ (cf. 2 Tim. 2:10).
        a.  There is no way a person can be saved without learning the truth (John 8:32).
        b.  Unless we teach them the truth, who will?
5.  We also must understand that evangelism is not an option for the child of God.
        a.  If we love Jesus, we will obey Him (John 14:15),
        b.  even in the command to evangelize (quote Matthew 28:18-20).
6.  There are literally billions of people outside of Christ.
        a.  We truly have our work cut out for us.
        b.  Fortunately, it is not all up to us.
7.  When God’s Word converts others, they will in turn teach others (2 Tim. 2:2).
        a.  To illustrate the power of this,
        b.  calculate how many people would be baptized
            1.  if just one person taught and baptized only one person per year.
            2.  Then he taught that new convert to do the same each year.
8.  If each of them taught one person a year,
        a.  in 33 years the entire world would be taught.
        b.  Not all will be saved.
            1.  In fact, most will not (cf. Matt. 7:13-14).
            2.  However, we will have done our work.
9.  Our first point, then, is to have passion for lost souls (our Want to).
        a.  With passion any plan you use will work.
        b.  Without passion no plan will work

1.  Second, Planning: Many people fear planning.
        a.  Others plan and yet fear work.
        b. Plan your work and work your plan is a great motto.
        c.  God had a plan or purpose from before the beginning of the world (Eph. 1:4).
        d.  The Bible says, "Having made known unto us the mystery of his will,
                according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself;
                that in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one
                all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth,
                even in him" (Eph. 1:9-11).
2.  Most Christians seem to be so afraid of doing something wrong
        a.  (as in messing up, not as in sin)
        b.  that they do wrong (sin) by doing nothing.
3.  A wise football coach would tell his players, "Do something, even if it’s wrong!”
        a.  Was he advocating that the players go and mess up?
        b.  Certainly not, but he understood something.
4.  He understood that our mind at times can be so burdened with thoughts
        a.  that one freezes and cannot decide what to do fast enough.
        b.  That soon becomes habit and the player is no good for the team.
5.  A good player is not afraid to make mistakes.
        a.  In time, if he moves instead of freezing,
        b.  he can be better trained on how to react to plays.
6.  The same is true of Christians.
        a.  We can over analyze things so much that we just freeze,
        b.  not sure of what to do.
7.  However, if we will act on every opportunity,
        a.  we may not do it right, but we will get better with time.
        b.  If we never move, we can never be corrected.
        c.  Inactivity makes a poor football player and a poor Christian.
8.  Part of planning is to set goals or Objectives.
        a.  How many people can you try to set up studies with
        b.  over the next week, the next month, and the next year?
        c.  Be realistic, but set your goal or objective high enough to be a challenge.

1.  Third, Perseverance: This is where the rubber meets the road.
        a. The Holy Spirit says, "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast,
            unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord,
            forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord" (1 Cor. 15:58).
        b.  We must face our challenges with grace and humility.
        c.  Evangelism is hard discouraging work at times.
2.  But other times will bring joy beyond comparison.
        a.  If you have not experienced the joy of seeing one baptized
        b.  whom you worked (studied) with then it is a shame.
        c.  You have truly missed a marvelous thing.
3.  To think that because you took the time to study with them
        a.  they were able to hear something that they may never have heard
        b.  is a wonderful feeling, especially when it brings forth fruit.
4.  We must Resolve to continue in spite of how we feel
        a.  and in spite of what others may or may not do.
        b.  Even when persecuted, remember that persecution leads to glory (Rev. 2:10).
5.  And above all, don't worry.
        a.  Worry is when you hold a mental picture of things you don't want to happen!
        b.  Most things dreaded NEVER happen.
        c.  So obey Jesus, and don't worry (READ Matthew 6:25, 31, 34).

1.  Fourth, Prayer: This is the last and perhaps most important thing to remember.
        a.  Paul wrote, "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit,
            and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints" (Eph. 6:18).
        b.  Prayer (Knee Bends) is not used enough.
        c.  The Bible says the fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much (James 5:16).
2.  Jesus said to pray that workers to be sent out into the fields (Luke 10:2).
        a.  We should NOT pray that prayer
        b.  unless we are willing to go into the field ourselves.

Conclusion

1.  Now if you put all we have said together,
        a.  you will understand the secret to successful evangelism (or anything else)
        b.  in your city or anywhere in the world:

2.  Want-to (Passion)

3.  Objectives (Planning)

4.  Resolve (Perseverance)

5.  Knee-bends (Prayer)

6.  The greatest secret to evangelism is not a magic formula or some new method.
        a.  It is simply WORK.
        b.  No more and no less will do the job.

7.  Let us get to work. Shall we?

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