Would you like to know God personally?

Hello friends,

We have all answered yes to this question: "Would you like to know God personally?" We’ve said yes to His offer of salvation and Jesus call to "follow me". As a result we have a relationship with God that can have make a difference in every area of our lives.

We also know that there are hundreds and thousands of students on our campuses who don’t know Jesus. However, many of them do desire to know Him. How confident are you in knowing how to share your faith with someone who answers yes to this question? Could you explain the gospel to someone and bring him or her to a point of decision? What about others in your ministry?

In 1 Peter 3:15, Peter writes: “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,”

We encourage you to be ready, (willing and looking for opportunities!) to share your faith and that you would help equip others on your campus. One tool that we use to share our faith is a booklet called “Would you like to know God personally?” It is a brief 4-point outline of the gospel with scripture for each point. There are diagrams; questions to ask and a suggested prayer someone may use to express faith in Christ and receive Him as Lord. Chances are you have some of these at your campus. If you would like some, please let us know and we would be happy to send you some.

I have included some helpful tips below that will aid you in sharing your faith and using the Knowing God Personally or other similar booklets. We hope you find them useful.


Sharing Your Faith With Others

Tips on designing your testimony:
(for a worksheet go to http://www.godsquad.com/evangelism/topics/testimony.htm )
1) Keep it short (3-5 minutes)
2) Know it well (write it out and practice it)
3) Avoid Christian lingo (“then I got saved”, “went forward”, “prayed the prayer”)
4) Present the gospel in it (I realized that God loves me, that I had sinned against Him, but Jesus died in my place to pay the penalty for my sin and by trusting in Him to pay that penalty I’m forgiven, able to go to heaven and have a relationship with Him…)
5) If you came to Christ as a child, you can share the gospel and talk about how God has made a difference in your life (How he satisfied your needs so you never drifted from God) or how your life is different now that you’ve given Him complete control etc.
6) Pick a theme and weave your story around that. “I used to struggle with trying to please everyone”, “I wanted to be liked and popular”, “I never felt good enough” etc.

Ideas about sharing your faith

1) Communicate love and care, don’t argue or get upset with them (better for the person to sense the love of Christ than for us to win an argument) “… But do this with gentleness and respect” 1 Pet. 3:15
2) You are inviting people to take the next step in a process or journey of faith in Jesus. Decisions are great if people are ready, but we need to be good listeners & patient.
3) Ask questions and listen for the answers
4) Be aware that the person you are sharing with may have past hurts or struggles that prevent them from trusting God, be sensitive
5) If you don’t know an answer to someone’s question simply say “I don’t know, but I’ll check into that and get back to you.” And then do!
6) Go in the power of the Holy Spirit
7) It is God who calls people to Himself, we are simply His vessels “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.” (1 Cor. 3:6)

Benefits of using a booklet like “Knowing God Personally”

1) A leaving piece, something they can take with them
2) It helps you to focus on the person and not yourself as you try to think of what to say next
3) Aids you in staying on track, not getting off on tangents
4) Leads people through the gospel and up to a point of decision
5) The person you are sharing with knows you are not done, until the booklet is finished
6) It helps you to learn how to communicate the gospel, even if you don’t have the booklet with you. Memorize the 4 main points and 1 scripture reference for each, and you will be much more equipped to share your faith.


Pointers on using “Knowing God Personally”

1) Try to stick to the booklet and not add lots of other content
2) Hold the booklet so you both can see it
3) If someone asks a question unrelated to the page you are on, ask them if you can address that afterwards
4) Ask the questions that are printed in the booklet, listen to what they have to say
5) Ask them “does this make sense” often
6) Bring those who respond positively through, the prayer, it is so exciting to have the privilege of helping someone express their new faith in Christ.
7) When you bring someone to the prayer, ask them if they want to follow along with you out loud or quietly to themselves. Ask them to say amen at the end so you know when they are done. If they want to pray on their own later that is ok.