WELCOME TO MY316!
TWO OPTIONS
RESOURCES

SESSION ONE: STORIES
_____________________________
Look it up!
Matthew 18:11 Matthew 20:28
Mark 2:17
Luke 4:43 Luke 19:10 John 3:17 John 10:10
SESSION TWO: SHARE
I John 4:7-8
1. _____________________________
I John 2:2 / 2 Peter 3:9
1. _____________________________
Romans 5:8 / Isaiah 53:5
__________________________
Romans 10:9-10
__________________________
John 10:10 / I John 5:12
__________________________
MY316 HOMEWORK
SESSION THREE: PRAY
Luke 6:35, 38 (NKJV)
SESSION FOUR: SERVE

WELCOME TO MY316!

If you could choose one way to teach everybody in

your church how to share Jesus with others, how

would you choose to do it? MY316 would be a good

option because it helps every church member, even

children, to not only share their testimony verbally,

but to put it into action as well.

MY316 does this by helping you use what you

already know to share Jesus with your friends and

family. You know John 3:16 and you know what He

has done for you; so, you already know all you need

to know to share Jesus with others.

Researchers tell us that John 3:16 is a verse that

most people in Oklahoma already know. This makes

it a familiar method to share. John 3:16 is the

gospel in a nutshell. This makes it a thorough way to

share. John 3:16 was originally spoken by Christ

Himself. This makes it a powerful way to share! And

what better way to share your own story than

linking it with the powerful words of our Lord!

So, we hope you will use this valuable resource to

equip your people to effectively reach your

community for Jesus Christ in a personal and

powerful way.

TWO OPTIONS

We have provided you with two options to utilize

MY316.

OPTION ONE: We have included complete lesson

plans for five sessions that will fit into a normal

Sunday School time frame. This will allow your

group to work through the MY316 emphasis in

detail and to practice the various elements as a

group.

OPTION TWO: We have also included a MY316

Highlight plan. This is a 10-12 minute emphasis that

you could use at the beginning of your class period

each week to encourage your members to get

involved in reaching their friends and family and to

“take it personally.”

RESOURCES

Each downloaded session has a lesson plan for the

leader and student handouts to help with note

taking and assignments.

In addition, optional pieces can be downloaded

from www.bgco.org/MY316. You can also call

Lindsey Craig at (405) 942-3000 ext. 4313 to order

materials.

Also, visit www.MY316.com

and read the

information and testimonies to see how God is

blessing people and how He is using this powerful

witnessing tool. You can even add your own

thoughts and stories.

WEEK ONE: STORIES

BEFORE THE SESSION BEGINS

Copy Worksheets (1 per member).

Gather Pens or Pencils.

Read through your lesson plan and work

through the worksheet for yourself so you

can lead others through it.

Prepare optional posters, handouts or

visuals as suggested to highlight the session

(see attached page for suggestions).

REMEMBER: This is MY 316. You want your class to

take it personally and interject themselves into the

story. This means you will need to focus on being a

facilitator, not a lecturer. At times you may have to

endure the awkwardness of silence as people

consider some things they have never looked at

before. You can help this process by looking ahead

each week and making a personal contact or two

with some class members, asking them to be

prepared to share in class.

Also be aware that your class should have lost

people present as well, so there may be items that

they cannot share experientially.

Pray that by

hearing the stories of others, they may realize that

something is missing from their lives.

What a

blessing if your first “MY316” victories came from

those closest to you!

OPENING (10 minutes)

Take a few minutes to open your class with some of

your usual procedures (welcome guests, call for

prayer requests or reports, announcements, etc.).

INTRODUCTION:

EVERYBODY HAS A STORY (15 minutes)

Everybody has a story and most everybody loves to

tell it. It may be a favorite vacation story, a funny or

special pet they had, that frantic trip to the hospital

maternity ward, and the list could go on and on.

The truth is, we all have many of those stories and

we love to tell them over and over in spite of how

many times you’ve already heard them.

Verbal Activity: Ask 3-4 class members to share one

of these stories, but warn them ahead of time that

they only have 1 minute to share the story. Appoint

a time keeper!

It’s hard to tell these stories in a limited time, isn’t

it? It’s hard to summarize all of the feelings, events

and outcomes that succinctly. So, imagine how

difficult it might be to summarize your life in a

couple of sentences! Certainly you couldn’t recall

specific events, dates or characters. But could you,

in one short thought, in a brief paragraph of 2-3

sentences, sum up the purpose and plan of your

life? Try it.

Worksheet Activity: On the worksheet, ask them to

write a brief paragraph of 25 words or less that

would sum up their life’s purpose, goal or focus.

After a few minutes, ask a few to share what they

wrote.

HIS STORY (10 minutes)

Jesus was a master story teller and could say a lot in

very little space. His parables are literary

masterpieces. Most of these parables were less

than a dozen verses. One of the longest, “The

Prodigal

Son,” was less t

vers

page long

and yet Charles Dickens called it the greatest short

story ever written!

In just 33 years on this earth, Jesus lived a full life.

Read John 21:24-25

. John, a personal witness of

only three years of that life, says that a library as big

as the earth could not contain His story. And since

He was here before time, it could truly be said that

all of history is HIS story.

But the Master storyteller on more than one

occasion summarized His life in a single statement.

Worksheet Activity: Ask various class members to

look up the verses listed on the worksheet (Matthew

18:11; Matthew 20:28; Mark 2:17; Luke 4:43; Luke

19:10; John 3:17; John 10:10) and read them aloud

to the class. How would you sum up His purpose?

These verses are just a sampling of the statements

that Christ made about Himself, which were echoed

by many of the men who penned the Scriptures. But

of all of those “red letter verses” none is more

beloved, more widely known or more descriptive of

His life purpose than this:

Read John 3:16 from the NKJV and display your John

3:16 poster. Leave it up during the 5 week emphasis

as a reminder and memory tool.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only

begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should

not perish but have everlasting life.

That’s

Twe

it!

nty-five words! The gospel in a

nutshell! The reason Christ came to this earth…the

summation of His life’s purpose. He showed God’s

love by giving up His life so that we could have life!

And thanks to that, we can now be a part of His

story!

OUR SPIRITUAL HERITAGE (20 minutes)

There is only one way to receive this gift of eternal

life. Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV) says it this way:

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and

that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Some of us came to the knowledge of this saving

grace at a very early age. Some found it much later

in life. Some of us struggled to accept it while

others found it much easier. It is a very individual

decision as unique as our own life stories. And still,

through the years we have seen some identifiable

similarities in the testimonies of those who have

found the saving grace of Jesus Christ.

The first similarity is the power of prayer.

Ultimately, it is the power of prayer that brings

salvation. That moment when we confess our sins

and ask Him to forgive us and be our Savior is the

moment that salvation comes to the new believer.

But more often than not, long before we said that

prayer, there were others praying for us. Some

prayed for our protection that we would live long

enough to see the day we would utter the sinner’s

prayer. Others prayed for our brokenness so we

would humble ourselves before God. Still others

prayed for our enlightenment, that we would see

and understand His gift of salvation. Some of these

people were well known to us, grandparents,

parents, siblings, pastors, and youth leaders. Others

were silent warriors who we may never know, but

they were praying that we would know Him.

Worksheet Activity: Who prayed for you? Using

names, initials or symbols, list the people who you

knew were praying for your salvation. Ask if anyone

would share about someone from their list.

A second similarity was the shared Word. It may

have been in a single revival service, a week of

camp or a weekly Sunday School class over a long

period of time; but more than likely, someone

shared the gospel with you. They may have given

their own testimony, told a Bible story or shared a

tract, but somehow or another, they helped you see

that you were a sinner and in need of God’s

forgiveness. And while we are grateful for the great

evangelistic crusades of preachers like Billy Graham,

it is highly likely that the person who shared their

faith with you was a parent, a friend or a Sunday

School teacher.

Worksheet Activity: Who shared with you? Using

names, initials or symbols, list the people who

shared their faith with you in one form or another.

Ask if anyone would share about someone from

their list.

A third similarity was the example of a Christ-like

life. It’s one thing to give lip service to the Lord, but

another thing to live the Christian life. The world

today is not blessed to have personally seen Christ

in the flesh, but they are still hungering for His love.

And Christ’s plan is for us to be a witness…an

example… of that love. And He has empowered us

to do just that!

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has

come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in

Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the

end of the earth." Acts 1:8 (NKJV)

Recently an actress was recognized for her portrayal

of a real life character whose life was a living

example of Christian service. In an interview she

was asked about how this role influenced her life.

Her response is a strong reminder that we must

“walk the

walwell

k” aas “talk the talk.”

She said,

“O

ne of my biggest questions was how

people use their faith in their religion as a banner

and then they don’t do the right thing. But they go,

‘I’m a good Christian, and I go to church, and this is

the way you should live your life.

’ …

in a live

interview we had, I said,

‘

One of my largest

concerns stepping into this was that whole banner-

hold.

’

I said,

‘It scared me because I’ve had

experiences that haven’t been great. I don’t buy a

lot of people who use that as their shield,

’

and she

[the person she portrayed] was so open and honest

and forthright, and I said,

‘Wow, I’ve finally met

someone who practices

’ …

I no

t doesn’t preach.

have faith in those who say they represent a faith,

whereas befo

o not

give

was

me a lect

ure

ke, ‘

on how to live my life when I know

I’m a pretty

decent human being. I might not go to church every

day but I know I do the right thing or try to. You’re

going to church and you’re still sleeping around on

your wife and spendin

How

are

everyone’s money.

you better than I am?

’ So I’

fin

all

y met people

that walk the walk and it’s made me happy, really

happy.

”

Worksheet Activity: Who lived Christ for you? Using

names, initials or symbols, list the people who you

respected for their walk as a Christian. Ask if anyone

would share about someone from their list.

MY316:

PRAYING, SHARING, SERVING (5 minutes)

Jesus was the ultimate example of what we have

just discussed. He prayed for us when He walked

this earth (John 17) and He still prays for us

(Hebrews 7:25). He shared the testimony of the

gospel with us in His teachings and He showed us

the gospel in His service. Now He invites us to link

our story to His and do the same, not in our power

but His.

MY316 is a tool to help us hold ourselves and each

other accountable to be like Jesus.

(Use the MY316

visual you made here and leave it up during the

emphasis.)

“MY” obviously emphasizes that this is a

personal

commitment.

OUR3

It’s

16 but M

And while we will all rejoice in the fruit of this labor,

we are still each commanded and expected to do

our part (I Corinthians 3:13-15).

Over the next four weeks, we will look at “MY316”

from this perspective:

MY3: Who are the three people that God would

have me to pray for during the next few weeks? We

will discuss prayer, its power and purpose. We will

join with you in encouraging each other to pray for

the lost and for the opportunity for someone…

perhaps you…to share

the gospel with the

MY1: Who is one person with whom God is leading

you to share your testimony? We will show you

how to share your story in a simple and powerful

way by integrating it into John 3:16.

MY6: How can I serve others? Faith without works

is dead (James 2:20) and is often more detrimental

to the sharing of the gospel than if we had said

nothing at all. Jesus commanded us to be a servant

to all. We will look at what the Bible says about

serving and will come up with creative and

innovative ways to serve others

and show Christ’s

love.

And finally we will wrap up our emphasis by giving

you some great material to share with those you

lead to the Lord to help answer their questions and

grow them in the faith.

CLOSING

Evangelism doesn’t happen by accident and it must

become personal and intentional if we are going to

win a world that is rapidly heading down the wrong

road. “MY316” is not a magic formula, but simply a

reminder that to win the world we must pray, share

and serve, and we must take it personally.

Ask for the

class’ commitment and pray for your

class as they accept this responsibility.

WEEK ONE: STORIES

–

Option 2

Ask for a couple of volunteers to attempt to

summarize the essence of their life story in 25

words or less. After they make their attempts, point

out that, while Jesus was a master storyteller whose

personal history transcends time, He actually

summed up the essence of His own story in 25

words. We find it in John 3:16. Read the verse or

ask if anyone can quote it. Researchers tell us that

this verse is quite possibly the most well known

piece of Holy Scripture, quoted by believers and

non-believers.

We all have unique life stories and yet, when we

examine our spiritual heritages, we often find some

common elements in the majority

of Christians’

spiritual heritages.

1) Somebody shared the story of Christ with

them.

2) Somebody prayed for them.

Somebody showed them God’s love in acts

of service.

And, of course, all of them “will not perish,

but have everlasting life.”

Knowing this, the Baptist General Convention of

Oklahoma has launched MY316.com, an emphasis

that calls on each of these commonalities in an

effort to encourage and train the members of our

churches to get personally involved in reaching their

lost friends and family members.

(Consider using a poster to illustrate the following

and serve as a visual reminder for the next few

weeks. A suggested layout can be found in the

Lesson 1 materials.)

MY: Take it personally. We are all commanded to be

witnesses for Him.

3: Ask God to burden you for 3 lost friends for

whom you will pray daily and focus your service.

1: Share your life story and your John 3:16

testimony with at least one of these three and

become involved in the one-on-one discipleship of a

new believer.

6: Determine 6 ways you can serve these three

people to show them practically the love of God.

MY316.com is a clever way to remember this, but it

is only a slogan if we

don’t take it personally and get

involved. Over the next 4 weeks, we will give you

some suggestions on how you can get involved. For

more information go to my316.com.

SESSION ONE: STORIES

For God so loved the world that He gave His only

begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should

not perish but have everlasting life.

JOHN 3:16 (NKJV)

25 words or less…

Sum up your life’s purpose, goal or focus.

_____________________________

Look it up!

Matthew 18:11

Matthew 20:28

Mark 2:17

Luke 4:43

Luke 19:10

John 3:17

John 10:10

Who Prayed?

Who Shared?

Who Served?

SESSION ONE

POSTER / HANDOUT SUGGESTIONS

John 3:16 Poster

Under the section entitled

“His Story” we suggest

you make a large poster of the verse from the New

King James Version and leave it in a highly visible

place through the study. This will keep everyone

using the same wording.

You may also consider printing copies on index

cards, or distributing blank cards and having

everyone write their own copy (we learn by doing),

and encourage them to hang this on the bathroom

mirror, in the middle of their steering wheel, on

their computer screen, or wherever they would see

it on a regular basis as a memory tool and a

reminder of the MY316 emphasis.

MY316 Visual

As a visual aid for the

section entitled “My316:

Praying, Sharing, Serving” and as a reminder for the

next four weeks, make a visual that will help the

class remember the elements of MY316. Be

creative!

One suggestion would be to cut out individual

letters and numbers from colored butcher paper or

construction

paper to spell out “MY316.” On four

strips of paper, write the words personal, prayer,

share and serve. Using four different colors for the

letters and matching words would help make the

correlations clear. Hang these on the wall as they

appear on the worksheet (see at right) and then

refer to it each week.

For God so loved

the world that He gave

His only begotten Son,

that whoever believes in Him

should not perish

but have everlasting life.

John 3:16 (NKJV)

WEEK TWO: SHARE

BEFORE THE SESSION BEGINS

Copy Worksheets (1 per member).

Gather Pens or Pencils.

Read through your lesson plan and work

through the worksheet for yourself so you

can lead others through it.

Pre-enlist a member to practice doing their

personal story in 3 minutes or less and ask

them to come prepared to share it. Do the

same for your story as well (see Tying It All

Together).

Option: Copy the sample testimonies,

transitions and presentation page so class

members can read them during that part of

the session and keep them as guidelines.

OPENING (10 minutes)

Take a few minutes to open your class with some of

your usual procedures (welcome guests, call for

prayer requests or reports, announcements, etc.)

INTRODUCTION: A MESSAGE TO DELIVER

(5 minutes)

Verbal Activity: Appoint a timer as in Session 1 and

ask your class, “In

sec

u tell

onds or less,

me what was some of the best news you ever

received and how it was delivered?

” Allo

-4

w 3

people to share. Then follow up with the story

below.

George Sweeting, in

-Guil

t Gu

ide

book “The No

for Witnessing,” tells of a man by the name of John

Currier who in 1949 was found guilty of murder and

sentenced to life in prison. Later he was transferred

and paroled to work on a farm near Nashville,

Tennessee.

In 1968, Currier's sentence was terminated, and a

letter bearing the good news was sent to him. But

John never saw the letter, nor was he told anything

about it. Life on that farm was hard and without

promise for the future. Yet John kept doing what he

was told even after the farmer for whom he worked

had died.

Ten years went by. Then a state parole officer

learned about Currier's plight, found him, and told

him that his sentence had been terminated. He was

a free man.

Sweeting concluded that story by asking, "Would it

matter to you if someone sent you an important

message -- the most important in your life -- and

year after year the urgent message was never

delivered?"

(Copied from Our Daily Bread

November 6, 1994.)

John Currier obviously saw other people living in

freedom. They were setting an example for him on

how to live in freedom. But what he needed were

the words which would tell him HOW he could be

free, and there was only one source for that.

We who have heard the good news and

experienced freedom through Christ are responsible

to proclaim it to others still enslaved by sin. Are we

doing all we can to make sure that people get the

message?

IT’S SI

T I K

NOW (20 minutes)

In John 9 we find one of the most powerful and

convincing testimonies given in the scriptures. It is

that of a man, blind from birth, who Jesus healed

with a divine mud pack. After his healing, this

unschooled, baby believer was called before the

religious leaders of the day to give an account of his

healing, which he gave willingly and excitedly.

As usual, the religious leaders were attempting to

accuse Jesus of wrong-doing so they could label Him

a sinner. The formerly blind man heard these

accusations and when pressed a second time for his

take on what had happened he said,

"Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One

thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see."

John 9:25 (NKJV)

That’s

tto

the

m line

a strong testimony, simply

telling what you KNOW to be true and saying it

because you believe it!

A famous Bible teacher was once asked, “What is

the greatest thought you ever had?” His answer

was: “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells

me so.” When

KNOW

wha

t the Bible tells us

and we couple it with what we KNOW has

happened to us, sharing our faith testimony

becomes much easier.

Joe Friday of Dragnet fame used to challenge his

witnesses to be succinct with his famous line, “Just

the factsju

, mst

a’amth, e facts.” That’s what

people need to hear from us…the facts that we

believe. And what are the facts?

1) The Facts of Your Story

Worksheet Activity: On the worksheet ask the class

to write down a few factual statements about their

experiences of finding Jesus. You can lead them

through it with the following three comments to

keep them on pace.

In a couple of sentences, write down what your life

was like before you knew Christ. Be honest without

a lot of details. If you were saved very young, it

may have been the typical life of a small-town kid. If

you came from a bad situation, it may have been a

life filled with emptiness and heartache. Whatever

the case, sum it up in a sentence or two.

Then, in 3-

4 sentences, describe the “who, when

and where

how

”

met Jesus. You may find

yourself in a conversation where you can be

detailed, but if you had to very quickly tell someone

when it was and where you were when someone

shared the gospel with you that caused you to

realize your need for God, what would you say?

Now, in a couple of sentences, using terms that you

would use normally, what would you say it is like

having Jesus in your heart?

There, you’ve made Joe Friday proud!

2) The Facts of His Story

But our story, apart from His story, is really

powerless to save. There are some important facts

we need to know from the scriptures that must be

shared as well.

Worksheet Activity: On the worksheet ask the class

to write down the factual statements found in these

scriptures. Ask for volunteers to look up a scripture

and give their answer. Suggested responses are

below.

I John 4:7-8: God loves not because He is loving, but

because He IS love.

I John 2:2 / 2 Peter 3

God doesn’t love

people, He loves the whole world-good and bad.

Romans 5:8 / Isaiah 53:5: God showed His love by

sending His Son to die for our sins.

Romans 10:9-10: Believing is an internal knowledge

proved by an external action.

John 10:10 / I John 5:12: If we believe in the Son,

we will have the abundant and eternal life God

promised.

Note that these facts are repeated throughout the

Scriptures in numerous places and in a variety of

circumstances. But also note that they can all be

summed up in that one 25 word statement.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only

begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should

not perish but have everlasting life.

JOHN 3:16 (NKJV)

TYING IT ALL TOGETHER (15 minutes)

Sharing your testimony effectively means weaving

your story and His story together so that others can

see that Jesus is relevant to you and how you live. It

also means sharing it with confidence. This doesn’t

mean memorizing it as a canned speech, but it does

mean knowing the facts so well that they are

second nature, and being prepared so that you will

not be tripped up by minor distractions.

1) Begin By Telling Your Own Story

Learn to share your story in 3 minutes or less. Here

are a couple of samples of different types of

testimonies. Notice they contain clear facts without

too many distracting details.

Sample #1:

You know, when I was a little kid, life

was pretty simple and uncomplicated because I

didn’t know much. But the older I got, the more I

began to realize that there were some pretty big

challenges in life and I knew I wasn’t really prepared

to handle them very well. I knew something was

missing in my life. Then when I was at summer

camp, a guy was sharing with us about living

without fear, having confidence, having a full life. I

knew that’s what I wanted so I asked one of my

counselors how I could know that feeling. They

shared with me about how Jesus came to give us

that kind of life and that how believing in Him and

following His ways would bring that kind of peace. I

asked Jesus to forgive me of my sins and to help me

change and the difference was immediately evident.

I have found a real peace in knowing that He is

guiding my life. I don’t have all of the answers to

life, but I know Who does and that gives me great

comfort.

Sample #2:

For a lot of years I was kind of a mess. I

didn’t know wha

, so

I tr

ied

wan

a little

ted

everything, but none of it really made me happy or

gave me any real satisfaction. A couple of my co-

workers seemed to kind of have it all together, but I

think I was too envious to ask them about it.

Besides, we did

n in

the

’t

same

exac

circles.

tly ru

But one day, one of them shared with me at coffee

break how they had really struggled early in life. He

even mentioned some of the very things I was

wrestling with. I asked him how he got over it and

he told me it was when he found Jesus and

discovered that the secret to a full and meaningful

life was in knowing Him. The more he talked, the

more I knew that was what I was looking for. A

couple of days later after work I asked him how I

could know Jesus like that and, right there in the

lobby of our building, I asked Jesus to forgive me of

my sins and to help me change the way I was living.

Since then, I have had a much different outlook on

life. I find greater purpose in what I do

and I’ve even

found the strength to mend a few of the bridges I

burned before I knew Him.

Verbal activity: Share your “under 3 minute”

personal story and ask the pre-enlisted person to do

the same. Encourage class members to work this

week on preparing their own “under 3 minute” story

by writing it down and practicing it. Ask them to

bring them with them next week. (See MY 316

Homework page.)

2) Transition to His Story

Folks often get hung up on trying to move from

their contemporary story to the historical story of

the Bible. Havingl a statfewe“mtranents”

sitiona

can make this so much easier. Find a couple that fit

you and commit them to memory. Here are a few

samples:

Sample #1:

You know, the longer I know the love of

Jesus, the more I understand the things He said. Like

when He said, “

loved

For

the

God

…”

Do yo

realize what that means?

Sample #2:

One of the things my friend said to me

that really stuck with me was actually something

Jesus said. He said, “For God so loved the world…”

That pretty well sums up the whole thing doesn’t it?

Sample #3:

Back when I was a kid I learned

something I didn’t understand until I found Jesus.

You may have learned it, too. Jesus said it actually.

e said, “For God so loved the world…” Have you

ever thought about all that’s included in that one

statement?

3) Tell His Story

There is no rule that says you have to use a tract or

Bible when witnessing; in fact you may find yourself

in situations where that is impossible. But, if you

have the MY316 tract which has the verse printed

on it or a pocket New Testament you can simply say

something like, “I carry that verse with me in my

heart and my

Som

cke

eople

t.”

are visual

learners and this may help them, plus you can leave

the tract with them. Once you get to the verse, you

can use it phrase by phrase to share the story of

salvation. Personalize it your own way, but here is a

sample of how to use John 3:16 to share.

Sample:

It says, “For God so loved…” You know I

never knew how much God loved me until I let my

guard down and opened my heart to let Him love

me.

But the cool part is, He doesn’t just love me, He

loves you, too. In fact

the

it says that “God so loved

world

.” Not just church people, not just preachers or

missionar

whol

ies…b

e world

the

loves us even

when we are not being good. And He showed that

because it says He so loved us “that He gave His

only begotten

Son.” “Gave” is a short word that

sums up a lot. When you read the whole story you’ll

learn that He gave Him to be mocked, beaten, and

crucified for our sins. The Bible says that even while

we were sinning, He loved us enough to let that

happen. And then

He says,

That whoeve

“

r believes

in Him.

”

That means whoever truly believes He loves

us that much. It means that we know and believe

Christ really died for us and that He rose from the

grave to be our Lord and Savior. To believe He is

Lord means to turn away from our sin and the

things that defeat us and trust Jesus to save us from

our sin. And then comes the coolest part of all,

“should not perish but have eternal life.” We don’t

deserve His love at all, but for those who believe, He

wants to give it to you now and forever. We get to

live with Him and experience His love forever.

Following John 3:16 as an outline does several

things for us.

It keeps our presentation biblical

It keeps it familiar

It invokes the power of the Word

It keeps us efficiently on task

It leads to a logical conclusion

It will take practice, but the payoff could be eternal

for those with whom we share.

CLOSING (10 minutes)

When the blind man of John 9 shared his story, he

also took it to the next level by extending an

invitation to his listeners. In verse 27 he asks the

Pharisees, “Do you want

to become His disciple

too?” If we sha

t nev

the

er ask o

tory

listeners to receive Christ, we’ve missed the point.

To simply know the message is not enough; to

randomly share the message is better. But to

intentionally take our story to someone we believe

needs it and ask them to join us on this wonderful

journey with Jesus…now that has power!

During the next week you have an assignment. It is

spelled out on your

“MY316 Ho

work

m” e

sheet.

1) Write out your personal story and practice

it. Bring your finished testimony with you to

small group next week.

2) Practice sharing the story of salvation using

John 3:16 (NKJV).

3) Identify people you know who you believe

need to hear your story and His story. Then

begin to pray that God will instill in you the

burden and create opportunities for you to

share one-on-one with one or more of

these people.

WEEK TWO: SHARE

–

Option 2

In John 9 we find one of the most powerful and

convincing testimonies given in the scriptures. It is

that of a man, blind from birth, who Jesus healed

with a divine mud pack. After his healing, this

unschooled, baby believer was called before the

religious leaders of the day to give an account of his

healing, which he gave willingly and excitedly.

As usual, the religious leaders were attempting to

accuse Jesus of wrong-doing so they could label Him

a sinner. The formerly blind man heard these

accusations and when pressed a second time for his

take on what had happened he said,

"Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One

thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see."

John 9:25 (NKJV)

That’s the bottom line of a strong testimony…

simply telling what you KNOW to be true and saying

it like…rather because…you believe it!

A famous Bible teacher was once

asked, “What is

the greatest thought you ever had?” His answer

was: “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells

me so.” When we KNOW what the Bible tells us

and we couple it with what we KNOW has

happened to us, sharing our faith testimony

becomes much easier.

Our personal story provides a wonderful opening

that engages people with the personal and practical

nature of salvation. John 3:16 provides the perfect

outline for the plan of salvation as it does several

things for us.

It keeps our presentation biblical

It keeps it familiar

It invokes the power of the Word

It keeps us efficiently on task

It leads to a logical conclusion

It will take practice, but the payoff could be eternal

for those with whom we share. Here is a sample

testimony from the MY316.com study which

illustrates how a person could share their own

story, transition to His story and share the plan of

salvation; and all in less than 10 minutes.

For a lot of years I was kind of a mess. I didn’t know

what I wanted, so I tried a little of everything, but

none of it really made me happy or gave me any

real satisfaction. A couple of my co-workers seemed

to kind of have it all together, but I think I was too

envious to ask them about it. Besides, we didn’t

exactly run in the same circles. But one day, one of

them shared with me at coffee break how they had

really struggled early in life…he even mentioned

some of the very things I was wrestling with. I

asked him how he got over it and he told me it was

when he found Jesus and discovered that the secret

to a full and meaningful life was in knowing Him.

The more he talked, the more I knew that was what

I was looking for. A couple of days later after work I

asked him how I could know Jesus like that and,

right there in the lobby of our building, I asked Jesus

to forgive me of my sins and to help me change the

way I was living. Since then, I have had a much

different outlook on life. I find greater purpose in

what I do and I’ve even found the strength to mend

a few of the bridges I burned before I knew Him.

And you know, the longer I know the love of Jesus,

the more I understand the things He said. Like when

He said, “For God so loved the world that He gave

His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him

should not perish but have ev

erlasting

well, do

life,”

you realize what that means?

It says, “For God so loved…” you know I never knew

how much God loved me until I let my guard down

and opened my heart to let Him love me. But the

cool part is, He doesn’t just love me, He loves you,

oo. In fact it says

the

tha

world

.” “God so loved

Not just church people, not just preachers or

missionaries but the whole world. He loves us even

when we are not being good. And He showed that

because it says He so loved us “that He gave His

only begotten Son

.” “Gave” is a short word that

sums up a lot. When you read the whole story you’ll

learn that He gave Him to be mocked, beaten, and

crucified for our sins. The Bible says that even while

we were sinning, He loved us enough to let that

happen. And

then He says, “That whoever believes

in Him.” That means whoever truly believes He loves

us that much. It means that we know and believe

Christ really died for us and that He rose from the

grave to be our Lord and Savior. To believe He is

Lord means to turn away from our sin and the

things that defeat us, and trust Jesus to save us

from our sin. And then comes the coolest part of all,

“should not perish but have eternal life.” We don’t

deserve His love at all, but for those who believe, He

wants to give it to you now and forever. We get to

live with Him and experience His love forever.

MY316.com can help you become a powerful

witness for Christ as it teaches you to share your

faith efficiently and effectively.

SESSION TWO: SHARE

Before Christ…

Write 2-3 sentences which describe what your life was

like before you asked Christ into your heart.

_________________________________

Finding Christ…

Write 3-4 sentences which tell the who, when and where

of how you asked Christ into your heart.

_________________________________

After Christ

…

Write 2-3 sentences which describe what it is like now to

have Christ in your heart.

_________________________________

Look it up!

What facts do these verses tell us

about God’s love for

the world and His plan for redeeming man?

I John 4:7-8

_____________________________

I John 2:2 / 2 Peter 3:9

_____________________________

Romans 5:8 / Isaiah 53:5

__________________________

Romans 10:9-10

__________________________

John 10:10 / I John 5:12

__________________________

MY316 HOMEWORK

1) On scratch paper, write out your personal story of your life before Christ, your experience finding Christ and

your life after accepting Christ. Refine it and practice saying it several times. Once you have it where you can share

it in under 3 minutes, write it in the space below. Then consider bringing it with you to class next week to share

with the group.

2) Practice

sharing Jesus’ story using John 3:16 as your basic outline.

3) On a note card, write the initials, names, or make a symbol indicating those close to you who you believe need

to hear your story and the story of Je

in a

place

(s)

’

here

u wil

for

l see it

them. Post or carry this list

regularly and be reminded to pray that God will create a burden and an opportunity to share one-on-one with at

least one of these people.

FINAL NOTE: It may be that this assignment presents a dilemma for you because you are still on the road to finding

Christ in your life. If this is the case, please consider the verses you read and discussed in your small group. Think

of the personal stories you heard. Realize that God does have a wonderful plan for your life. Invite Him into your

heart now. If you need help doing this, call your small group leader or a Christian friend, they would love to share

in this experience with you.

SAMPLE TESTIMONIES, TRANSITIONS & PRESENTATION

PERSONAL STORIES

Sample #1:

You know, when

I was a little kid, life was pretty simple and uncomplicated because I didn’t

know much. But the older I got, the more I began to realize that there were some pretty big challenges

in life and I knew I wasn’t really

some

epa

thing

s miss

g in

andle them very well. I kn

life. Then when I was at summer camp, a guy was sharing with us about living without fear…having

confidence…having a full life. I knew that’s what I wanted so I asked one of my counselors how I could

know that feeling. They shared with me about how Jesus came to give us that kind of life and that how

believing in Him and following His ways would bring that kind of peace. I asked Jesus to forgive me of

my sins and help me change and the difference was immediately evident. I have found a real peace in

knowing that He is guiding my life. I don’t have all of the answers to life, but I know Who does and that

gives me great comfort.

Sample #2:

For a lot of years I was kind of a mess.

didn’t know what I wanted, so I tried a litt

everything, but none of it really made me happy or gave me any real satisfaction. A couple of my co-

workers seemed to kind of have it all together, but I think I was too envious to ask them about it.

Besides, we didn’t exa

ctlyru

s. But one day, on

of the

the

m share

d w

ith

e at

circl

coffee

break how they had really struggled early in life…he even mentioned some of the very things I was

wrestling with. I asked him how he got over it and he told me it was when he found Jesus and discovered

that the secret to a full and meaningful life was in knowing Him. The more he talked, the more I knew

that was what I was looking for. A couple of days later after work I asked him how I could know Jesus like

that and, right there in the lobby of our building I asked Jesus to forgive me of my sins and help me

change the way I was living. Since then, I have had a much different outlook on life, I find greater

purpose in what I do, and I’ve even found the s

rength to mend a few of the bridges I burned befo

knew Him.

TRANSITIONS

Sample #1:

You know, the longer I know the love of Jesus, the more I understand the things He said. Like

when He said, “For God so loved the …” Do you realize what that means?

Sample #2:

One of the things my friend said to me that really stuck with me was actually something Jesus

said. He said, “For God so loved the world…” That pretty well sums up the whole thing doesn’t it?

Sample #3:

Back when I was kid I lear

rst

d until

I fo

met

und Jesus.

hin

You

may

I didn’t unde

have learned it, too. Jesus said it actually. He said, “For God so loved the world…” Have you ever thought

about all that’s included in that one statement?

GOSPEL PRESENTATION USING JOHN 3:16

It says, “For God

You kno

I ne

loved

ver knew how

…”

much God loved me until I let my guard down

and opened my heart to let Him love me. But the cool part is, He doesn’t just love me, He loves you, too.

In fact it says

the

wor

t .”“NoGod

t ju

soslt oved

church

prea

peop

chers or

le, not just

missionar

whol

ies…b

e world

the

loves us even when we are not being good. And He showed that

because it says He so loved us “that He gave His one and only Son.” “Gave” is a short word that sums up

a lot. When you read the whole story y

ou’ll learn that He gave Him to be mocked, beaten, and crucified

for our sins. The Bible says that even while we were sinning, He loved us enough to let that happen. And

then He says, “That whoever believes in

ove

m.”

us tha

Tha

t much

means whoever truly believes He l

It means that we know and believe Christ really died for us and that that He rose from the grave to be

our Lord and Savior. To believe He is Lord means to turn away from our sin and the things that defeat us

and trust Jesus to save us fr

om our sin. And then comes the coolest part of all, “should not perish but

have eternal life.” We don’t deserve His love at all, but for those who believe, He wants to give it to you

now and forever. We will live with Him and His love forever.

WEEK THREE: PRAY

BEFORE THE SESSION BEGINS

Copy Worksheets (1 per member).

Gather Pens or Pencils.

Gather index cards or half sheets of typing

paper for the worksheet activity.

Read through your lesson plan and work

through the worksheet for yourself so you

can lead others through it.

Optional: If you do not have copies of the

MY316 tract available, consider printing the

“model sinner’s prayer” on index cards so

class members can have a copy. You will

find this in the

“

CLOSING

section.

”

OPENING (10 minutes)

Take a few minutes to open your class with your

usual procedures (welcome guests, call for prayer

requests / reports, announcements, etc.)

INTRODUCTION:

STANDING IN THE NEED (5 minutes)

The old spiritual states

, “It’s me, O Lord, standing in

the need of prayer,” and, most certainly, we all

need prayer for daily strength. Additionally, there

are times when we need the power of prayer for

extraordinarily challenging times. But could it be

that we

have emphasized the “me” to the exclusion

of others? One Christian research group’s findings

would suggest so. They stated that five years ago

the number one request coming into their prayer

lines across America was: pray for my lost family

and loved ones that they do not go to hell! It is

number eight today. It has been replaced by

number one: pray for my physical body, and

number two: pray for my financial prosperity.

Often when we practice intercessory prayer in our

small groups at church, we shift th

e “me” to the

“we” as we pray for our fellow Christians who are

struggling with health issues, employment problems

or other family crises. And while we are

commanded to do this, pray for our brothers and

sisters,

the time we spend on “me” and “we” often

ecludes us prayin

the lost.

The

lat

“them”,

Adrian Rogers said, "We spend more time praying

for the saved who are sick than for the unsaved

who are lost, more time trying to keep the saints

out of Heaven than the lost out of Hell."

To pray for the lost is a prime directive for

Christians, and it comes with a promise. James 5:16

tells us that the “fervent prayer of a righteous man

avails

has

ch.

called

”

us to stand in the gap

for those who are lost. Charles Spurgeon, once

said, "If sinners

…

perish, let them perish with our

arms around their knees. Let no one go [to Hell]

unwarned and unprayed for."

MEANINGFUL SPECIFICS (15 minutes)

Zig Ziglar, in speaking of the road to success, stated,

“

You cannot make it as a wandering generality. You

must become a meaningful specific.

” This could be

equally applied to success in sharing our faith and

to the prayer involved in that effort. General prayer

“for the lost of thothe

se wowhrlodd

” oann’d

know the Lord is not powerless, but it is rarely

effectual in OUR liv

-ers.

es…the lives of the pray

When we become “meaningfully specific” in our

prayer life, it increases the fervency of our prayers.

Evangelistic prayer concerns which have names,

faces, families, relationships, etc. punctuate the

urgency of the need for salvation. Reflecting on the

earlier Spurgeon quote, we would most likely not

lock our arms around the knees of a stranger who

might be headed in the wrong direction. But we

would readily entangle that loved one who is about

to step into the path of certain death. We must

learn to love and care more about mankind in

general, but there is no better or easier place to

initiate that love than in the lives of those we know

best.

Worksheet Activity: Lead your class through this

exercise, taking time to truly ponder the listings.

Using the three categories, ask the class to list those

they know well who need a personal relationship

with Jesus. They can keep this list as a prayer

reminder. Then pass out index cards or half sheets

of typing paper and ask the group to record their list

again and post these on a wall in the classroom as a

weekly prayer reminder.

If they prefer to be

discrete, tell them to use initials, first names only, or

even a symbol. You will refer to this list again next

week, but this could easily become a permanent list

to which you can not only add names, but highlight

those who come to know the Lord. Call attention to

the “FOCUS” instructions as well.

WE ARE THE ANSWER (20 minutes)

Ask for a volunteer to read Luke 10:2.

Depending on the translation you use, Jesus says

the fields are white unto harvest, the harvest is

plentiful, or the harvest is truly great.

Ask: What is the harvest to which He is referring?

Obviously it is the souls of men and women, boys

and girls who need to know the Lord. In John 4:35,

Jesus repeats this thought, but He is a little more

emphatic when He says, “Open your eyes and see

the harvest.” In other words, the harvest is right

outside your door…you can see it!

Call attention to the names on the wall that have

just been posted and/or those on their prayer lists.

This is our harvest. And now comes the important

part. Notice that Jesus did not say, “The workers

are few, so pray that God will intervene and harvest

the field for us.” No, He said, “Pray that the Lord of

the harvest

will send out workers into His field.”

He’s lo

r a

kin

crew o

f h

arvesters and that crew

is us!

And our tools are not combines and

threshers, but, as Revelation 12:11 implies, our

tenacious testimony.

That’s why when

our

st fri

end

ray

s and

for

family, we should expect that we may very well be

the method God uses to answer our prayers and we

must be prepared to share.

Refer to last week’s h

omework assignment.

prepared to share your 3 minute testimony and ask

if anyone else would share what they have written.

When each person has shared, ask them to post

their testimony by their prayer lists. Encourage them

to not only pray for the people on their lists, but to

be willing and open to share their story with these

people as God gives the opportunities. Encourage

others, whether they read their testimony or not, to

post their stories now or next week if they still need

to finish writing them out.

CLOSING (10 minutes)

As we contemplate the role of prayer in evangelism,

there are two sides to this coin. One is the prayer

we pray for those that God has placed on our heart.

We should pray without ceasing that our lost

friends and family would come to know the saving

grace of our Lord. Sometimes we might have a hard

time knowing how to voice that prayer. If you need

help, Paul summed it up nicely.

Ask for a volunteer to read Colossians 1:9-14.

But there is another prayer of vital importance.

That is the prayer by the lost for their salvation. As

much as we might

“will

”

for them, salvation is still

a personal matter requiring the confession and

profession of each individual. Often times they will

have difficulty knowing how to voice that prayer.

That’s where your assistance is vital. While we

know that there are

o “magic words

incantat

voke

salvat

s”

on, it is important

that those praying understand exactly what they

are committing to the Lord and what they are

asking Him to do. Knowing a “model sinner’s

prayer” can be very helpful. The “MY316” tract has

a good example that you could use:

God, thank You for loving me. I believe Jesus came

to show your love, to die on the cross for my sin, and

was raised from the dead. I trust Jesus as my Lord

and Savior. I commit my life completely to You.

Thank you for your forgiveness and free gift of

eternal life.

Remind your class of the following:

1) If

they haven’t already done so, encourage

them to write out their personal story and

practice it. Encourage them to bring their

finished testimonies to small group next

week and post it with the others.

2) Continue practicing their plan of salvation

presentation using John 3:16 (NKJV).

3) Encourage them to ask God this week to

help them focus in on three specific people

from their prayer list and ask Him to send

laborers into the field to witness to them.

Ask Him specifically for the opportunity to

share one-on-one with one of these people

and begin preparing and watching for that

opportunity.

WEEK THREE: PRAY

–

Option 2

The old spiritual states, “It’s me, O Lord, standing in

the need of prayer,” and, most certainly, we all

need prayer for daily strength. Additionally, there

are times when we need the power of prayer for

extraordinarily challenging times. But could it be

that we have emphasized the “me” to the exclusion

of others? One Christian research group’s findings

would suggest so. They stated that five years ago

the number one request coming into their prayer

lines across America was: pray for my lost family

and loved ones that they do not go to hell! It is

number eight today. It has been replaced by

number one: pray for my physical body, and

number two: pray for my financial prosperity.

Often when we practice intercessory prayer in our

small groups at church, we shift the “me” to the

“we” as we pray for our fellow Christians who are

struggling with health issues, employment problems

or other family crises. And while we are

commanded to pray for our brothers and sisters,

the time we spend on “me” and “we” often

precludes us prayin

the lost. The

g fo

late

r “them,”

Adrian Rogers said, "We spend more time praying

for the saved who are sick than for the unsaved

who are lost, more time trying to keep the saints

out of Heaven than the lost out of Hell."

To pray for the lost is a prime directive for

Christians, and it comes with a promise. James 5:16

tells us that the

a rig

“fer

hteous

man

ent prayer of

avails much.” God has called us to stand in the gap

for those who are lost. Charles Spurgeon, once

said, "If sinners perish, let them perish with our

arms around their knees. Let no one go [to Hell]

unwarned and unprayed for."

Zig Ziglar, in speaking of the road to success, stated,

“

You cannot make it as a wandering generality. You

must become a meaningful specific.

” This could be

equally applied to success in sharing our faith and

to the prayer involved in that effort. General prayer

“for the lost of the world” and “those” who don’t

know the Lord is not powerless, but it is rarely

effectual in OUR lives, the lives of the pray-ers.

hen we become “meaningfully specific” in our

prayer life, it increases the fervency of our prayers.

Evangelistic prayer concerns which have names,

faces, families, relationships, etc. punctuate the

urgency of the need for salvation. Reflecting on the

earlier Spurgeon quote, we would most likely not

lock our arms around the knees of a stranger who

might be headed in the wrong direction. But we

would readily entangle that loved one who is about

to step into the path of certain death. We must

learn to love and care more about mankind in

general, but there is no better or easier place to

initiate that love than in the lives of those we know

best.

MY316 calls on us to get meaningfully specific by

asking God to burden us for 3 specific people who

we will focus our prayer life on until the day that

they pray to receive Christ in their hearts.

As we contemplate the role of prayer in evangelism,

there are two sides to this coin. One is the prayer

we pray for those that God has placed on our heart.

We should pray without ceasing that our lost

friends and family would come to know the saving

grace of our Lord. Sometimes we might have a hard

time knowing how to voice that prayer. If you need

help, Paul summed it up nicely.

Ask for a volunteer

to read Colossians 1:9-14.

But there is another prayer of vital importance.

That is the prayer by the lost for their salvation. As

much as we might “will it” for them, salvation is still

a personal matter requiring the confession and

profession of each individual. Often times they will

have difficulty knowing how to voice that prayer.

That’s where your assistance is vital. While we

know that there are no “magic words or

incantations” to invoke salvation, it is important

that those praying understand exactly what they

are committing to the Lord and what they are

asking Him to do. Knowing a “model sinner’s

ayer” can be ver

316

elp

act has

l. The

good example that you could use.

How is your evangelistic prayer life? Are you fervent

and focused in your prayers or are you a wandering

generality? MY316 can help.

SESSION THREE: PRAY

Do you have co-workers or business acquaintances, immediate or extended family members, or friends

and neighbors that need a personal relationship with Christ? List them below. Use first names only or

initials if you need to be discrete. Keep this list in your Bible or post it where you will be reminded to

pray for them.

Work

Family

Friends

____________________________________________________

As you pray for those you have listed, ask God to begin to lead

you to three of these people on whom He would have you fervently focus your service and your prayer

life.

1._________________________ 2. _________________________ 3. _________________________

WEEK FOUR: SERVE

BEFORE THE SESSION BEGINS

Copy Worksheets (1 per member).

Copy the Sample Scenarios sheet for the

Worksheet activity.

Gather Pens or Pencils.

Read through your lesson plan and work

through the worksheet for yourself so you

can lead others through it.

OPENING (10 minutes)

Take a few minutes to open your class with your

usual procedures (welcome guests, call for prayer

requests / reports, announcements, etc.)

INTRODUCTION: CHARISMA (10 minutes)

Charisma! It’s

aring

that

quality that

end

draws

people: a winsome attitude, a magnetic personality,

that certain something that just makes people want

to be around you.

Jesus had it. He got 12 men to drop everything and

follow Him. In three years He developed a following

that created a stir that rattled in the halls of the

highest government offices. And look at who He

was attracting:

Infamous tax collector Zaccheus and the

pious, respected Nicodemus

Godly Mary of Bethany and the shameful

Samaritan woman

Struggling cripples and strong

Roman

centurions

Children and the aged

Impetuous Peter and the cautious Thomas

White collar Matthew and blue collar James

and John

Even those that hated Him, like the scribes and

Pharisees, cou

d wh

n’t

y should

sta

y away.

be surprised? Didn’t He say, “If I be lifted up I will

draw all men to me.”?

And what was the source of this wonderful

charisma? The answer is in the word itself.

“Charisma” comes from the same Greek word

“charis” that we“grace.”tran

Like m

slat

oths to

e as

a flame, people of all ages and from all walks of life

were drawn to the grace of God being lived out in

the life of this common, Nazarite carpenter.

Whether He was rebuking the religious zealots or

pardoning an adulterous woman, whether He was

responding to an admiring throng or enduring the

scoffing of an angry crowd, in times of tender

exchange or riotous assault, His grace was

consistent. Never had they seen anyone who lived

with such genuine grace!

Likewise, the hallmark of the early church was an

uncommon grace (Acts 2:42-47). The sacrificial way

that they ministered to one another, the warm

fellowship in ea

, their

stro

ther’s

g unity

homes

of spirit and the depth of their praise, these were all

evidences that something different was happening

in th

is new group call

” or ed“Ch

“Christ

ristians

followers”(Ac

. An

ts.

d the p

)

d it!

Acts 2:47 says their number grew

daily

because

they, the church,

had found “favor with all the

people.”

Isn’t it am

ofte

n shr

ink

ack

fro

m sharing

the gospel of grace for fear we will offend someone,

when the Bible tells us that true grace has just the

opposite effect. What is offensive is not gracious

living, but inconsistent, half-hearted living. O.S.

Hawkins hit the nail on the head when he said,

"Real Christianity is lovely. There is a quality about a

Spirit-filled, radiant Christian that draws and

attracts others and causes them to enjoy favor with

all the people. The truth is that the gospel is not

nearly as offensive as some of its proponents!"

GRACE IS A VERB (30 minutes)

Grace was such a powerful evangelistic force in the

early church because it had become an action verb

rather than just a state of being. True, the early

church understood they were living IN grace, but

they were also living OUT grace as an action. They

were literally “gracin

service

” people with their

Their grace filled lives were blessing those around

them and thus, lifting up Jesus. They were the

embodiment of Matthew 5:13-16,

"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its

flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for

nothing but to be thrown out and trampled

underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A

city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do

they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a

lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the

house. Let your light so shine before men, that they

may see your good works and glorify your Father in

heaven.

”

True grace-filled living will ignite the fires of

evangelism in two ways. First of all, it earns us the

right to be heard. As the old saying goes, “People

don’t care how much you know until they know

how much you care.” And believe me, people are

watching and evaluating. Certainly people recognize

when we have been gracious to them personally,

but they also notice how we treat others. If we are

inconsistent in our daily walk people begin to

wonder if they were being loved or just

“schmoozed.”

But I say to you that for every idle word men may

speak, they will give account of it in the day of

judgment. Matthew 12:36 (NKJV)

Wow! What a sobering thought! Every idle word!

And certainly every idle deed would be implied

there as w

ell. But here’s

ood news:

some g

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings

of silver. Proverbs 25:11 (NKJV)

Our words, and actions, can not only be a stumbling

block, but they can also be a blessing to those with

whom we come in contact.

Worksheet Activity: Ask the members to break into

smaller groups of 3-4 and choose one of the events

or places in the list on the left. After reading the list

“How gra

?ou” qs

uestions, ask them to list

some specific

“grace living” actions they could

employ regularly in their chosen place or activity.

After a couple of minutes give them the sample

scenarios sheet and see if this encourages some

additional ideas. Emphasize that grace living is not

always a grandiose act of service, but is often

expressed in the subtle but powerful things we do

and the character we show. After a few minutes

return to the larger group and ask the groups to

share their responses.

Now, ask your class to look at their prayer lists. Say:

As you have prayed over the past week has God

brought three of these people into sharper focus?

As you have thought today about grace living

toward others, have three of these been coming to

mind more often than others? If so, circle those

names on your lists and begin focusing on how you

can show grace to these three.

Ask your class to look at their worksheets and

record those names and some specific actions of

grace they can perform that would open a door for

them or another Christian to point their friend or

family member to Jesus. Remind them that

evangelism won’t happen because we talk about it,

but rather because we become intentional about it.

How we live in public is a vital part of our

testimony. But

it’s only

rue

gracious

part.

living

is more than just being kind and considerate. True

gracious living ignites the fires of evangelism when

it points people to Jesus. In our daily living do we

give God glory? Is it evident to those around us that

our happiness or contentment is because of Him? Is

our speech peppered with references to His will and

His blessings in our life? As “salt of the earth” do

we make people thirsty for the grace of God or do

we just hope they like us and admire our kindness?

Jesus didn’t say, “If y

peo

are kind and good,

will get saved.

I be

”

lifte

said

I will draw

, “If

all men to me,

”

John 12:32. For our grace living to

ignite the fires of evangelism, it must be about Him,

not us. Only the Spirit can draw men to God and

only the name of Jesus can bring salvation. But

what a blessing we have to be the vehicles that

carry that message to a world that needs His grace!

And what’s more, He promises to bless us when we

live in grace toward one another.

Finally, all of you be of one mind, having

compassion for one another; love as brothers, be

tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for

evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary

blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that

you may inherit a blessing. 1 Peter 3:8-9 (NKJV)

CLOSING (5 minutes)

There it is! In 4 weeks we have helped you to define

your MY316. You have 3 people to pray for; you are

ready and looking for that opportunity to share with

(if you haven’t

and you

alr

have

6 way

serve those for whom you are praying. And you

know how to weave your story with His story to

make it personal. Next week we will wrap up by

showing you how to enhance that new relationship

that will be created when you successfully

introduce your friends and family to Jesus Christ.

WEEK FOUR:

SERVE

–

Option 2

Charisma! It’s

aring

that

quality that

end

draws

people, a winsome attitude, a magnetic personality,

that certain something that just makes people want

to be around you.

Jesus had it. He got 12 men to drop everything and

follow Him. In three years He developed a following

that created a stir that rattled in the halls of the

highest government offices. He attracted the rich

and poor, famous and infamous, the sick, the

powerful, the oppressed and the influential. Even

those that hated Him, like the scribes and Pharisees,

couldn’t stay away.

And what was the source of this wonderful

charisma? The answer is in the word itself.

“Charisma” comes from the same Greek word

“charis” that we translate as “grace.” Like moths to

a flame, people of all ages and from all walks of life

were drawn to the grace of God being lived out in

the life of this common, Nazarite carpenter. Never

had they seen anyone who lived with such genuine

grace!

Likewise, the hallmark of the early church was an

uncommon grace (Acts 2:42-47). The sacrificial way

that they ministered to one another, the warm

ellowship in ea

their

tro

ther’s

ng unity

homes,

of spirit and the depth of their praise, these were all

evidences that something different was happening

in this new group called “Christians” or “Christ

followers

”(Ac

1:26). And the people liked it! Acts

2:47 says their number grew

daily

because they, the

church, had found “fav.” or with all the people

Isn’t it amazing? We often shrink back from sharing

the gospel of grace for fear we will offend someone,

when the Bible tells us that true grace has just the

opposite effect. What is offensive is not gracious

living, but inconsistent, half-hearted living. O.S.

Hawkins hit the nail on the head when he said,

"Real Christianity is lovely. There is a quality about a

Spirit-filled, radiant Christian that draws and

attracts others and causes them to enjoy favor with

all the people. The truth is that the gospel is not

nearly as offensive as some of its proponents!"

Grace was such a powerful evangelistic force in the

early church because it had become an action verb

rather than just a state of being. True, the early

church understood they were living IN grace, but

they were also living OUT grace as an action. They

were literally “gracing” people with their service.

Their grace filled lives were blessing those around

them and thus, lifting up Jesus. They were the

embodiment of Matthew 5:13-16,

"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its

flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for

nothing but to be thrown out and trampled

underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A

city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do

they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a

lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the

house. Let your light so shine before men, that they

may see your good works and glorify your Father in

heaven.”

True grace-filled living will ignite the fires of

evangelism. First of all, it earns us the right to be

heard. As the old saying goes, “People don’t care

how much you know until they know how much you

care.” But it’s only a part. True gracious living is

more than just being kind and considerate. True

gracious living ignites the fires of evangelism when

it points people to Jesus. In our daily living do we

give God glory? Is it evident to those around us that

our happiness or contentment is because of Him? Is

our speech peppered with references to His will and

His blessings in our hli” dfeo ? As “salt of the eart

we make people thirsty for the grace of God or do

we just hope they like us and admire our kindness?

MY316 focuses on showing us how to honestly and

consistently serve people in such a way that it fuels

the fires of evangelism. Look around you for ways to

live graciously in your everyday life. Do you “grace”

others by the way you live? (Note: The MY316

download includes a sample sheet of Grace Living

scenarios you can use if time allows.)

WEEK 4: SAMPLE SCENARIOS FOR DAILY

GRACE LIVING

Shopping:

Look around you. On one of your 5 weekly trips to

the local WalMart you notice the young female

checker that often waits on you has been moved to

the seated position by the exit door, no doubt

because

she

re th

’s

an 50% through her

pregnancy. You remember those days and how you

felt.

Have you ever ask

feeling

er how she’

Have you asked if she knows

if it’s a

r if

oy or girl

she

’s

decided on a name? You noticed that she has

that expectant mother glow and is really trying hard

to look nice in spite of the weight gain. You noticed,

but did you tell her how nice she looks? Wouldn’t

she be blessed if one day, after you have

established that you are really interested in her and

her child, you dropped off a little inexpensive baby

gift or a $10 gift card with a little note of

encouragement? And after all that,

I don’t think she

would be offended if you asked, “Have you got a

good church home for that new baby when it gets

here? If not, may I invite you to min

e?”

Eating Out:

Look around you. You’ve eaten at this local

restaurant pretty regularly for several years now.

That one waitress, the middle aged red-headed lady

that calls everseyemons e she’s

“Honeyb,”een

there forever. You don

then

’t know her name, but,

again, you’ve

knows

you

go to

the

Baptist church, though, because she asked you

about the “Halloween thingy” you were having.

Wonder if she has kids or grandkids that were

interested? Did you ask? Maybe you could make it

a point to eat there tomorrow and bring her a flyer

about the “Halloween thingy.” That way she’d know

you were really listening to her, and so would the

people in the next booth that are eavesdropping on

your conversation. Restaurants are like that. When

you find out

her name and that she’s helping raise

her three grandkids, ask her if you could drop by

and visit her daughter some time and invite them to

church. She probably won’t mind if you take an

interest in her family.

You might get more

information than you barg

ained for, but that’s okay.

When she brings your food, ask Bea (that’s her

name, by the way), if you could include a prayer for

her and her grandkids when you say grace. Oh, and

look around you…there aren’t many Mercedes in

the employee parking lot so leave a good tip.

My Workplace:

Look around you. Seems the workforce at the office

is getting younger everyday…couldn’t be that you’re

just getting older.

These “kids”

the

sit

break

around

room talking

about “twittering and tweeting and

facebookin

ght as

.”

speaking Greek!

They can carry on an “electronic friendship” half

way around the globe in milliseconds, but

can’t get

to work on time because they seem helpless to do

anything practical like rotate their tires or winterize

their cars before the first major freeze. You could

show them how, but people their age

don’t want to

listen to people your age.

The company just made you get a new smart phone

and, frankly, you can’t understand the manual (or at

least

suryoue ’ you wou

derst

’t

d it i

ave

you had taken the time to read it.) The boss just

called and said he’ll shoot you a file this weekend

and also suggested the new mileage app could

really make your expense reports easier to keep.

He speaks Greek, too.

You decide to put l

ast week’s Sunday School lesson

to the test. “…before honor is humility” Prov. 18:12.

So you humble yourself and ask twenty-something

Tyler if he could show you a couple of things on

your new smart phone. During the next few days of

break room tutoring sessions, his conversation

regularly sh

ifts to your “sweet ride.” That’s his term

for the fact that your 20 year old truck still looks

and runs great. Tomorrow you’re going to show

him how to make his 5 year old import start in the

cold weather.

enl

Then

ighten him

the

’ll

concept of regular car maintenance, and after that

you plan to

introduce him to your church’s young

adult director. Sweet!

The Neighborhood:

Look around you. Seems like every other month

there is a moving van somewhere in the

neighborhood. This little corner of the world is

growing. Where are they all coming from? Have

you asked them?

You

’re loo

kin

t the

window at the couple

moving in across and two houses down. Looks like

about a 3 year old boy and twin somethings in

diapers. Whew

! Aren’t you glad those days are past

for you? Hopefully Jake and Amy Roberson will get

over to visi

liv

e on

e blo

ck o

…

er an

d this

couple looks like they would be the right age for

their Sunday School class.

You’re glad to finsee allthat

y ohccupouse ied! It’s

been a month or more since anyone mowed the

lawn! Ouch! Why did you

Yes

ave to say that? “

Lord,” y

der

your

breath

, “I know I have a

riding mower that would knock that out in an hour

or less and, yes,

I don’t

eally

to watch the

game this afternoon. But what if they don’t want

me to mow their lawn?

” You pause, though you

know the answYer

oualr’reerig

ask

and

yh. t, “

they will receive.”

Riding up on your mower you ask if they would

mind if you helped them move in by mowing their

lawn. “Oh thatwould

niso

reat!” theysay

“We moved from an apartment and we don’t even

own a mower yet. It’s on our ‘to get’ list.”

As you pull into their backyard you hit the speed

dial on your cell

this is Henry.

pho

off

“Jake,

the TV and grab your weed eater,

we’ve got a lawn

to do. And tell Amy to call my wife, they need to

get a casserole in the oven.”

Hmmm, the way you feel at this moment, this might

be a better way to spend some future Saturdays.

There sure have been a lot of moving vans lately.

School Activities:

Look around you. The school auditorium is packed.

The lights dim and the annual middle school spring

band concert in underway. As usual, the sixth grade

band plays first and you’re glad since you’re a sixth

grade parent. Following their stirring presentations

of the beginner classics

“Skip to My Lou” and

“Buffalo Gals”

graders

the

receive

their

participation ribbons. As they exit the stage to make

way for the 7

graders, most of their parents exit

the auditorium, too.

“How sad,” you think to yourself. “As much as I

would like to be at hom

e, it’s sad to think the 7

graders won’t h

per

for

m t

o. An

house

what will it look like by the time the best band, the

graders take the stage?” So, you determine to

persevere to the end.

Near the end, the young man who played the

impressive trumpet solo is also awarded the

Outstanding Middle School Band Member medal.

Judging from the smiles and camera flashes on your

row, that is his family sitting next to you.

As the lights come up, you introduce yourself as

fellow band parents and congratulate them on their

son

fin

’s

e job and award. As your respective

children approach they

respond, “You have a 6

grader an

d you’re still

are die

hard

ban

You

parents!” “Well,” my

e wifwoe

uldrepln’t ies, “

have gotten to meet the band member of the year

if we hadn’t stay

pro

ed.

udly.

”

The

the

y smile

way out, the conversation continues and you tell

them about the orchestra at your church and how

several of the members are high school students. “If

you don’t have a chu

rch

sure ou

ome already, I’

minister of music would be interested in your son

being a part of our

The

ile

c program.”

again.

“It was nice to meet you,” they say as they leave.

And you know, you feel like they really meant that.

It’s good to rejoice with those who rejoice…even if

you have to sit through a whole evening of middle

school bands to do it.

…do good, an

hopin

for

end,

nothing in return; and your reward

will be great, and you will be sons of

the Most High. For He is kind to the

unthankful and evil.

Give, and it will be given to you:

good measure, pressed down, shaken

together, and running over will be put

into your bosom. For with the same

measure that you use, it will be

measured back to you.

Luke 6:35, 38 (NKJV)

SESSION FOUR: SERVE

Daily Acts of Grace

Shopping

Eating Out

My Workplace

My Neighborhood

School Activities

Meeting a Need

Who are the three people that God has placed on my heart to pray for fervently?

1_______________________ 2____________________ 3____________________

What are two acts of grace I could perform to meet a specific need for each of them?

_______________________ ____________________ ____________________

_______________________ ____________________

____________________

How gracious am I?

Who or what types of people do I see here?

Do I engage people here and if so, how?

What is my attitude

when I’m

? Am

ere

patient,

considerate, pre-occupied, frazzled, etc?

Do I regularly consider the kind of day others are

having? Do I ever ask? Do I listen for clues?

Do my words and actions grace those around me?

Do my words and actions make this experience

better or easier for those around me?

If given the option,

ould

these people “vo

off the island?”

WEEK FIVE: FOLLOW UP

BEFORE THE SESSION BEGINS

Obtain a few

copies of the New Believer’s

material for display. If your resources allow,

it would be helpful for each individual or

couple to have a copy for their own

reference during this session and to use, if

needed, for a one-on-one follow-up.

Read through your lesson plan and

familiarize yourself with the New Believer’s

material.

OPENING (10 minutes)

Take a few minutes to open your class with your

usual procedures (welcome guests, call for prayer

requests / reports, announcements, etc.).

INTRODUCTION: PASS IT ON (5 minutes)

Go therefore and make disciples of all the

nations, baptizing them in the name of the

Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

teaching them to observe all things that I have

commanded you; and lo, I am with you always,

even to the end of the age. Amen.

Matthew 28:19-20 (NKJV)

The Great Commission is our marching orders as

Christians! If you have been a Christian for very long

you’ve probably heard more than one sermon

preached from this text

, and if it

serm

wasn’t

on missions, then it was probably a sermon on

evangelism. But notice that the disciple making

process is actually in three parts.

1) We make disciples.

To convince someone to willingly follow

another person, code or philosophy is to

“make the

iscipm a dle” of such. When we

lead people to Christ, we are not informing

them about Christ, we are leading them to

commit to follow Him. Understanding what

we are saying in the plan of salvation is not

the same thing as them repenting and

committing to follow Him. But once they

do, once they have become a disciple of

Christ, they have initiated the process.

2) We are to baptize them.

We know that only one person, usually a

church staff member, will actually perform

the baptism; just as baptism is a symbol of

what God has done in the life of a new

believer, it is also a strong symbol of

obedience on the part of the believer.

Baptizing them is actually another way of

saying “leading them into a life of

obedience.” There will be a lifetime of

learning and growing in this area, but those

first basic steps are crucial, confessing Him

before men as they follow His example

through believer’s baptism.

3) Finally, we are to teach them to observe

ALL things.

This means establishing in them a desire

and method for lifelong learning by

exposing them to the gifts of prayer and the

Word of God, and by showing them the joy

that comes from sharing their faith.

THE ROLE OF DISCIPLER (10 minutes)

Paul understood what an honor it was to be a

discipler of men.

Read Colossians 1:24-29.

Is there any doubt after reading this passage that

Paul was committed to making the message clearly

and widely known among the believers in these

new churches? He was writing from prison and was

basically sayin

it if

help

“I

t’s

you get

all worth

the Message and brings you to maturity in Christ.”

Just like parents and siblings, when established

believers bring a new member into the family of

God, we have a responsibility to nurture them and

to teach them the basics so they can continue to

grow to full maturity.

When you personally lead someone to the Lord, it

may not be possible for you to be the one who

fulfills the role of the long term one-on-one

discipler. Issues of geography, gender, age

difference, etc., may make this impossible or

unadvisable. It may even be that ongoing

discipleship will need to take place in a small group

setting. Whatever the circumstances, when you

lead someone to the Lord, it is your responsibility to

encourage them and do all you can to see that they

receive this nurturing from a strong Christian church

or individual.

However, if you receive and accept the call from

God to serve as a discipler of a new believer, here

are a few things to keep in mind.

1) Remember that it is the work of God

through His Holy Spirit that we are

facilitating.

It’s

our

not

about

persuasiveness or our ideas, so pray that

the Holy Spirit will create a hunger in the

new believer and that He will guide your

thoughts during the discipling process.

2) Because it is His work, lead the new believer

to focus on his/her relationship with Jesus

Christ more than simply changing outward

behaviors.

3) We cannot lead where we have not been.

So continue to personally study the Word,

remain steadfast in prayer and continue to

share your faith with others. Also, read and

understand whatever material you are

using to disciple the new believer.

4) Choose

good

material

that

will

progressively and understandably lead a

new believer through the basics and toward

a deeper relationship with Christ. Use

material that they can read and handle on

their own when the initial accountability

time ends.

MY316 NEW BELIEVER’S BOOK

(25 minutes)

A great resource for leading a one-on-one or small

group discipling process

is the “MY316 New

Believer’s Book.” It is a 7 lesson study that will help

a new believer establish a strong foundation for

their new life in Christ.

Distribute copies of the New Believer’s Book for the

class to follow as you lead them through this

overview. At the end of each lesson

’s

description,

ask for comments from the class. Prompt responses

with questions like:

Did anyone share this with you as a new

believer?

Why do you think this information is

important for the new believer?

What do you feel will happen to a new

believer if they miss or gain a good

understanding of this concept?

At what point in your Christian walk did you

grasp this concept? Would knowing it

earlier have helped you?

LESSON 1

Even if you were to begin a discipling relationship

next week, it will be easy for you to start using this

resource because it begins with what you have

already learned in the MY316 study by sharing your

story with others.

There is no more excited witness than the new

believer, but if we as seasoned believers have

difficulty in knowing what and how to share,

imagine how the new believer feels! Lesson 1 re-

emphasizes what has happened in their life using

John 3:16 and helps them understand how to

express that in words of their own.

It is highly likely that a new believer will have even

more lost friends than the seasoned church

member, so Lesson 1 also helps them begin to focus

on who they know that needs to hear their story

and begin to examine how they can serve and pray

for these people.

LESSON 2

Obedience is the theme of Lesson 2. It starts with

baptism which is vitally important in the life of a

new believer for a variety of reasons…not the least

of which is the fact that it is the first step of

obedience to confess Him before men. It is also

important to the discipleship process as it links the

new believer to a supportive church family. From

there, Lesson 2 moves to

obeying His Word

helps on studying His Word

life changes that obedience can bring

LESSON 3

By now the new believer is probably confronting a

lot of new issues and inner struggles. Among those

is the need to stay connected with God on a

personal level, not just vicariously through you or

the church. Lesson 3 deals with prayer; not just how

to pray, but also it’s power, it’s comfort and it’s

place in our lives.

LESSON 4

Lesson 4 teaches the transforming love of Christ

and starts the new believer on the path to loving

and serving others. It reminds us that love is a

three way street: He loves us, we love Him and, by

His power, we love others.

This lesson uses a lot of Bible references, so it also

enhances the new believer’s knowledge of and

comfort with the written Word of God. As with all

of the lessons, it not only introduces new concepts,

but continues to reinforce practices previously

taught.

LESSON 5

Hopefully by week 5 you have helped the new

believer find a place of belonging in their new

church family…a Sunday School class, a small group

study, etc. But there is so much more scripturally

and pragmatically to the church than a weekly Bible

study or fellowship group.

Lesson 5 deals with the church as the bride of Christ

and the body of Christ. It also helps the new

believer

understand

the

importance

and

relationship of the ordinances of baptism and the

Lord’s supper.

LESSON 6

Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation…”

(John 16:33). By now a new believer often begins to

wrestle with the realization that their faith has not

insulated them from suffering. They try to

rationalize a loving God and a suffering world. They

question persecution they may be suffering because

of their new faith and lifestyle.

Lesson 6 will give them encouragement for the

difficult times.

LESSON 7

Lessons 1-

6 were “boot camp.” The new believer

has received the manual and has been educated as

to the expectations of the general and wiles of the

enemy. Now it’s off to war!

Lesson 7 commissions and deploys the new believer

with the understanding that the church does not

enjoy a home field advantage. They are being sent

as missionaries to redeem a world that has turned

away from God.

CLOSING (10 minutes)

As you close this study, ask the group to re-examine

the meaning of MY316.

MY: Have you taken it personally?

Have you

determined how to weave your story into His story?

Have you committed yourself to doing whatever

God calls you to do to see your lost friends and

family members come to know Him?

3: Have you asked God for a focused burden for

three people close to you? Are you praying for them

daily?

1: Are you asking God expectantly for an

opportunity to share one-on-one with one or more

of these for whom you have been praying? Are you

willing to commit to being a disciple maker?

6: Have you identified and determined to follow

through on six specific acts of service you can do to

demonstrat

e God’s love to those for whom you are

praying? Have you determined that your walk will

match your talk?

Ask for any closing comments from the group and

then have a time of prayer with and for the group.

WEEK FIVE: FOLLOW UP

–

Option 2

We’ve all heard the sad and tragic stories of

children who were victims of neglect. Some of the

worst chronicle infants, brought home from the

hospital and then practically ignored. If, by some

miracle they physically survive, they are often too

emotionally or socially backward to live a

meaningful life. No one has told them what to do,

what is expected of them, what their potential is. In

some of the worst cases of neglect, they die from

what doctors call a

“failure to thri

ve.” The laying o

a strong foundation for a healthy, happy and whole

person is not completed in the birth event. It is the

result of a process of nurturing, mentoring and

maturing.

The Bible speaks of salvation as being “born again.”

And as it is with a newborn baby, making a healthy,

happy and whole disciple is a process, not an event.

The Great Commission, Matthew 28:19-20, outlines

the process for us.

1) We make disciples.

To convince someone to willingly follow

another person, code or philosophy is to

“make the

discipm a le” of such. When we

lead people to Christ, we are not informing

them about Christ, we are leading them to

commit to follow Him. Understanding what

we are saying in the plan of salvation is not

the same thing as them repenting and

committing to follow Him. But once they

do, once they have become a disciple of

Christ, they have initiated the process.

2) We are to baptize them.

We know that only one person, usually a

church staff member, will actually perform

the baptism, but just as baptism is a symbol

of what God has done in the life of a new

believer, it is also a strong symbol of

obedience on the part of the believer.

Baptizing them is actually another way of

saying “leading them into a life of

obedience.” There will be a lifetime of

learning and growing in this area, but those

first basic steps are crucial…confessing Him

before men as they follow His example

through believer’s baptism.

3) Finally, we are to teach them to observe

ALL things.

This means establishing in them a desire

and method for lifelong learning by

exposing them to the gifts of prayer and the

Word of God, and by showing them the joy

that comes from sharing their faith.

Paul was a great evangelist and a master at

persuading others to receive the grace and love of

Christ. But Paul was also a discipler and understood

there was a need to go deeper with the Lord. And

Paul understood what an honor it was to be a

discipler of men.

Read Colossians 1:24-29.

Is there any doubt after reading this passage that

Paul was committed to making the message clearly

and widely known among the believers in these

new churches? He was writing from prison and was

basically saying, “It’s all worth it if it helps you get

the Message and brings you to maturity in Christ.”

Ask your class.

“

Who were or are your disciplers?

”

Allow a few to share briefly.

Just like parents and siblings, when established

believers bring a new member into the family of

God, we have a responsibility to nurture them and

to teach them the basics so they can continue to

grow to full maturity.

MY316 calls for us to be disciplers. It provides

training and the materials in the form of a New

Believer’s book to nurture new believers. But it still

requires godly Christians who will commit to

becoming a discipler of new believers.

Is God calling you?