In our desire to equip people to demonstrate and declare the Gospel more effectively we have come to realize that we need to regularly expose them to Gospel experiences that both shape them in the Gospel as well as train them in how to more effectively share the Gospel.
In this and the following posts I will share some of the “Gospel Pathways” that I have been developing to accomplish this.
In this post I want to share with you how we are training people to preach the Gospel through the Lord’s Supper. I have done this with the Missional Community that I lead as well as the Leadership groups that I am training to plant new churches.
We have the communion elements ready to celebrate our Lord’s Death. I then ask each person to particularly identify with one of the elements (the bread or the wine) and share how they are aware of their need for the gospel in light of how the bread or wine speaks to them. This gives each person the opportunity to express the Gospel in light of their need and how the Gospel satisfies their need.
For example, someone might say: I particularly identify with the bread this week because I am realizing that I have been trusting in my own works to make me righteous before God instead of trusting in the righteous life of Jesus lived on my behalf in human flesh. Or, someone might say, I am so grateful for the cup this week because I have been overcome with the reality of my sin this week and I need to be reminded that Christ blood was poured out for me for the forgiveness of my sins.
Before we begin this process I encourage each person to listen closely to the person on their right because they will be serving them the elements in light of the gospel need they expressed after everyone has shared. This gives each person the opportunity to listen for the Gospel need in others and then “preach” the gospel into their situation.
It might sound like, This bread is to remind you that Jesus’ righteous life lived in his body that was given for you on the cross is the righteousness of God exchanged for your sin and His blood was poured out for you to forgive you of your sin, including trusting in your own righteousness.
Throughout the experience the group gets to hear the Gospel need proclaim 8-12 times and then observes 8-12 different Gospel proclamations specifically applied to a unique person and situation. At the end of the night, the group will have grown in their ability to express their Gospel need, listen for the Gospel need in another's life, proclaim the Gospel contextually into that person's life and situation AND listen to 8-12 other people proclaim as well.
Now that they’ve come to realize that they can listen for the Gospel need and preach the Gospel appropriately to that need, I instruct them to listen in the same way to the people in their life and sphere of influence this week. I encourage them to listen to where people are looking for a substitute for their own sense of unrighteousness and are seeking to “pay off” their sin or seek out a sense of cleansing through something other than the life and blood of Jesus. Then, I encourage them to “preach” the life and death of Jesus contextually into their friends’ lives and situations. (Granted everyone is in a different place in their understanding of the Gospel and will need different levels of training or follow-up, but this experience really helps to clarify where people are at).
I have found that most people don’t believe they can effectively preach the Gospel to their unbelieving friends until they’ve successfully done it with believers – think about it – most pastors who get to preach it to the church week in and week out still don’t share it with their neighbors! How would we ever expect the members of our churches to confidently share it if they never have the opportunity to practice with other believers?
This is not only a great training experience, but a wonderful worship experience as well!
Let me know what you think and give it a try with the group you're leading. I'd love to hear how it goes.
