
Goal: how to get in front of gamers and be a light for Christ while honoring the context and the person
Why Share Your Faith?:
Love for God and for others –
- When we genuinely love God, we want others to know and honor Him
- When we love another person, we want what’s best for them (and nothing is better than knowing God)
Successful Evangelism Defined: “going out in the power of the Holy Spirit, and sharing the truth in love, leaving the results to God.” ~Bill Bright, founder of Cru
How to Share Your Faith – 3 types of evangelism in the Bible
In the Bible, evangelism (telling people about Jesus) seems to fall into 3 types.
- Body Evangelism
Preaching the good news to a crowd, or coming to believe as part of a Christian community
Possibly the hardest (because people have to agree to come, and you don’t 100% know what they’ll experience). Best when mixed with the other two. That said, people change temperature the most when they are in an environment of that temperature, even more than just being around one person of that temperature (idea applies to backsliding as well).
- Bible Examples
- Peter and Paul in front of crowds (Acts 2:14-41; Acts 13:42-43)
- Church growth (Acts 2:42-47)
- Modern/Gaming Examples
- Host a gaming event with a presentation (7Admirals Rally, VGM Fortnite tourney)
- Invite to Discord Bible Study (Healthy Gaming Study)
- church alter call
- small group bible study
- Tips
- Invitation requires trust (the further they have to go from their comfort zone, the more relational equity or felt need promise is needed to get them there)
- Tools
- Discovery Bible Study
- Church invite script
- Invite them to game with you and your Christian friends
- Relational Evangelism
Telling friends and family about Jesus (all at once or over time)
Possibly the most thorough of type. The people you pray over the most for the longest. Can be the most powerful impact you have on someone’s life, but not possible to do well with many people (depth vs scope).
- Bible Examples
- Phillip & Nathanial (John 1:43-46)
- Woman of Well & her town (John 4:28-30)
- Modern/Gaming Examples
- Car rides with family
- Jeff’s D&D Story – Paul Yurgel (also MtG 2-headed Giant tourney, local game store)
- Tips
- Story: David at MtG tourneys (open to the possibility that God may have other plans for you tonight, MtG is secondary)
- Tools
- Wondering Questions
- The “Sometime” Question
- “How can I pray for you?”
- CoJourners Training
- Quick Bible Stories
- Micro Testimonies (Snippets, Biscuit Trail?) – 3 statements
- Your longing for peace (relief from anxiety) – ex. “My wife and I are experiencing anxiety about care for our elderly parents”
- How Jesus meets us at this point – ex. “Just the other day, we got a call from their caregivers saying how they had things in hand and were taking good care of them. That really showed us how God is still in control
- How that gives us hope for now and the future
- Book: “I Once Was Lost” (5 thresholds – spiritual tracking tool)
- Book: Bringing the Gospel Home (relational gospel drips over years)
- Initiative Evangelism
Starting a spiritual conversation with a new person.
Easiest to learn first, also possibly your only option when somewhere you won’t be again (unless you can somehow boost the local heroes). Effective if God has already been preparing that person (others have planted and watered).
- Bible Examples
- Jesus & Woman at the Well (John 4:6-10)
- Phillip & Ethiopian (Acts 8:29-31)
- Modern/Gaming Examples
- VR Chat conversations with Survey (sample surveys)
- Board Games with Soularium
- Tools
- Conversation Starter:
- How can I be praying for you?
- Spiritual Survey
- Soularium
- Gospel Presentation
- Knowing God Personally Booklet
- Well-Crafted Testimony
- G.A.M.E.
- Conversation Starter:
- Tips
- Opt-in
- Not every conversation will lead someone to a salvation decision. How can you lead them as far from A to Z as they are willing to go without pushing them backwards?
- Follow-up
- Don’t need to have all the answers (“That’s a great point, and I don’t know the answer, but I’d love to look into it and get back to you!”)
- Book: God Space (wondering questions – windows to the soul)
Further Training:
Conclusion: Inspirational video – “where were you?”