Bridge Illustration (1 Verse Remember)
Most Powerful when shared with love, clarity, and simplicityWrite out Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" then ask the person if they would like to see a simple picture based on this verse that explains God's relationship with people.
Wages: "how would you feel if your boss refused to pay you the wages that were due to you? Deep down, we all know it is only right that we get what we deserved. Similiarly we earn wages from God for how we have lived our lives"
Sin: ask your friend what he thinks when he hears this word. You might explain that sin is more an attitude than an action. It can be either actively fighting against God or merely excluding him from our daily lives. You can ask "Has God ever seemed far away?" If he says yes, add that thats one of the things sin does - it makes God seem far away. Now draw two opposing cliffs with a gap in between.
death: ask what thoughts come to mind when you see it being circled? Explain that death in bible always means some kind of separation.
but: mention that it is important because it means that a sharp contrast in thought is coming. What we have just looked at is bad news; what follows is good news.
gift: Ask, "If wages are what a person earns, then what is a gift?" Remind your friend that someone must purchase every gift.
of God: explain that the gift you are talking about is free. It is from God himself. It's so special that no one else can give it. Ask, "How do you feel when someone gives you a special gift?"
eternal life: ask "How would you define these words?" Contrast one side of the cliff, death, with the other side, eternal life. Ask "what is the opposite of separation from God?"
Christ Jesus: draw these words so they create a bridge between the two cliffs. Help your friend to consider that every gift has a giver, and only Jesus Christ can give the gift of eternal life.
trust: Write these words over the bridge you just drew. Explain that friends trust each other, and tell your friend Jesus wants a trusting friendship with him. All he has to do is admit that he is responsible for the "sin" of either fighting or excluding God from his life. That is what trust means - trusting that Jesus wants to forgive us for rejecting him from our lives. At this point, you can ask him if he wants to start a relationship with God that will last forever. If he says "Yes" invite him to pray a short prayer in his own words, asking Jesus to forgive him.
Close by reminding him that this simple illustration shows what God is like: Someone who really cares about people, especially him. Invite him to read all about it in the bible, perhaps beginning in the gospel of John.
Tips:
Successful evangelism is simply sharing the gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit and leaving the results to God. Technique dont bring people to God, the Holy Spirit does. Pray that God will open their heart to his good news.
Use some questions to kickoff the bridge diagram (Use their name through the presentation):
-If you were to die today and you were standing before God and he asked you, "Why should I let you enter into Heaven?" What would you say to him?
-If a friend at work were to ask you how to become a Christian, what would you tell him?
-On scale of 0-100% how sure are you about going to heaven?
Community Leadership Institute
