Faith Sharing
Evangelism is, at its heart, sharing faith with others, particularly with those who are un-churched, and inviting them to follow Jesus as Christian Disciples.
Friendsville United Methodist Church (FUMC) believes that it is our mission to share our faith through God's Word. Please take a few minutes and let us share the most wonderful news you will ever hear.
| 1. | God loves you and offers a wonderful plan for your life. |
His Love - "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." (John 3:16. NIV)
"I came that they might have life, and might have it more abundantly" [that it might be full and meaningful] (John 10:10)
Why is it that most people are not experiencing the abundant life? Because…
| 2. | Man is sinful and separated from God. Therefore, he cannot know and experience God's love and plan for his life. |
Man is Sinful - "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)
Man was created to have fellowship with God; but because of his own stubborn self-will, he chose to go his own independent way and fellowship with God was broken.
Man is Separated - "The wages of sin is death [spiritual separation from God] (Romans 6:23)
God is holy and man is sinful. A great gulf separates the two. Man is continually trying to reach God and the abundant life through his own efforts, such as a good life, philosophy, or religion - but he inevitably fails. How can we bridge the gulf?
| 3. | Jesus Christ is God's only provision for man's sin. Through Him you can know and experience God's love and plan for your life. |
He Died in Our Place - "God demonstrates His own love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)
He Rose from the Dead - "Christ died for our sins…He was buried…He was raised on the third day, according to the Scriptures…He appeared to Peter, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred." (1 Corinthians 15:3-6)
He is the Only Way to God - "Jesus said to him I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to my Father but though Me." (John 14:6)
God has bridged the gulf that separates us from Him by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins.
It is not enough just to know these facts…
| 4. | We must individually receive Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord; then we can know and experience God's love and plan for our lives. |
We must receive Christ - "As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name." (John 1:12)
We receive Christ through Faith - "By grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works that no one should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)
When we receive Christ we experience a New Birth - Jesus answered, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I said to you, 'You must be born from above." (John 3:5-7)
You can receive Christ right now by Faith through Prayer - Here is a suggested prayer you can use to ask Jesus to come into your life: "Lord Jesus, I need you, Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the doors of my life and receive you as my Savior and Lord. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Make me the kind of person you want me to be."
Does this prayer express the desire of your heart?
If it does, pray this prayer right now and Christ will come into your life as He promised. "And this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life: whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. 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." (1 John 5:11-13)
Thank God often that Christ is in your life and that He will never leave you (Hebrews 13:5). You can know on the basis of His promise that Christ lives in you and that you have eternal life from the very moment you invite Him in. He will not deceive you.
| 5. | Growing as a Christian - Spiritual growth results from trusting Jesus Christ. "The righteous man shall live by faith" (Galatians 3:11). A life of faith will enable you to trust God increasingly with every detail of your life, and to practice the following. |
- Daily Prayer
- Reading God's Word found in the Bible
- Obeying God moment by moment
- Sharing your faith with others
- Allowing the Holy Spirit to control and empower your daily life
- Finding a good Church and becoming active with other Christians who love God and His Holy Word
If you need assistance with any information found in the material presented above please call Pastor Wendell Smith at (865) 995-2576 or Darrell Lankford, Lay Leader at (865) 995-2745. If you would like to contact us by e-mail we may be reached at Lankford2d@aol.com.