The Art of Personal Evangelism

by Will McRaney

Publisher:

B&H

, 2003

Overview

Personal evangelism is the foundation for all church growth. As culture and customs shift and change, people look for spiritual answers to life’s significant questions. Unfortunately, in the increasingly crowded marketplace of spiritual ideas, people are looking to the church less and less. Will McRaney addresses this problem and asserts that, if the Kingdom of God is to expand, individual Christians will have to learn to communicate their faith story in a way that is engaging, personal, and relevant.

Contents

Top Highlights

“A third challenge is that communication of the gospel is wrapped in culture, both the sender’s and receiver’s culture.” (Page 77)

“The message of salvation is an essential part of the Christian message to a world without Christ. Salvation speaks to three of our most significant needs. Salvation speaks to our need for forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Spirit. People want to avoid the guilt they feel inside, even if they do not use the term sin. Salvation through Christ addresses this need. Salvation also speaks to the image of God in us longing for completion. Only God can fill this need. And finally, salvation speaks to our longing for wholeness and fulfillment in the midst of our fragmentation caused by sin. God knows our deepest needs, and He addresses them through salvation.” (Page 80)

“Properly understood and applied, surrender, repentance, and faith describe how to establish a relationship with the living God. However, if any one of the three is emphasized to the neglect of the others, there is a problem and possibly a misleading interpretation of the gospel. If faith alone is emphasized, one can move to an ‘easy believism.’ If surrender is overly emphasized, one can move to legalism. And finally, emphasizing repentance alone can lead to a works salvation. In sharing our faith, we should listen carefully to hear these three facets, regardless of the words that are being used.” (Page 94)

“Part of receiving Christ involves the surrender of our will to Christ’s leadership (Rom. 10:9–10)” (Page 91)

“This chapter considers two questions: What are the essential elements of the gospel? And what is necessary to receive Christ?” (Page 76)

Praise for the Print Edition

Not only will this book help individual Christians better share their faith, it will help church leaders better grow their churches. Anyone interested in sharing a timeless message in a timely manner will want to be sure to read this book.

—Alvin Reid, Professor of Evangelism, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

In evangelism, personal witnessing lays the foundation for all other approaches; this book provides the essential resource for personal witnessing.

—Alvin Reid, Professor of Evangelism, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

Product Details

• Title: The Art of Personal Evangelism
• Author: Will McRaney, Jr.
• Publisher: Broadman and Holman
• Publication Date: 2003
• Pages: 281

About Will McRaney

Will McRaney, Jr. is an Associate Professor of Evangelism at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, where he earned his Ph.D. in Evangelism. He is the cofounder of the Ministry Enhancement Group, which trains and consults in the areas of church growth and leadership development.