Page 42 - Discipleship Ministries Student E-Book

4. Witnessing
This is simply sharing with others what happened when Christ came
into your life …both other Christians and other friends or family who
you know. Teach him/her a simple plan of how to share their faith
using God’s Word. There are a number of simple plans which are easy
to learn. Have him role play with you as you practice. Remind your new believer that they don’t have to
know all the answers. Those will come in time as they grow in Christ.

The goal of discipleship is to prepare a new believer to come to a point in their Christian maturity so that
they can begin discipling others. 2 Timothy 2:2 says, And the things that thou hast heard of me among
many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

In Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus commanded His disciples that, while they were going, to make disciples of all
nations. You cannot be a disciple until you have received Christ as Savior, so included in this charge is
the idea that his disciples should be witnesses of Christ and make disciples of those who receive their
message. Again, he made one final charge to them just before departing into the clouds. These were
his last words to his disciples:

Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my
witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

This call to witness is of greatest importance, because it represents the heartbeat of God. He came to
die for every man’s sins. He paid the ultimate price in expressing His love for all mankind. And in
departing, He wants every man to hear of what He did for them so that they might be saved.
Remember, II Peter 3:8 tells us that the Lord is “not wishing that any should perish, but that all should
reach repentance. He desires all men everywhere to hear the Gospel and believe in Him. But he has
chosen you and me to be the instruments of His message.

Romans 10:13-15 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of
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whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are
they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the
good news!”

Just as Moses was sent to Israel in Egypt to deliver the people to the Promised Land, we have been sent
to the nations to deliver the message of salvation by grace through faith. It is our greatest duty and
calling!

Understanding the Gospel

In order to present the Gospel message to the nations, you must first clearly understand the scope of
the Gospel message.

The word gospel means “good news,” which is the message that a sinner can be forgiven of his sin
through the work of Jesus on the cross. It is the only rescue plan that can bring every man into a right
standing before God. It makes the difference between eternal heaven and eternal hell. It is the most
important message a person can hear and receive. The message is laid out clearly in Scripture:

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