As you can see from my site, I am very much a promoter of evangelism/apologetic resources. In this day and age we are endowed with an “embarrassment of riches,” when it comes to evangelism/apologetic resources, and it is my hope that by promoting such riches, that it will help in equipping my Christian brothers and sisters to become the Christian case-makers that Jesus has called us all to be. (Acts 1:8; Matt. 28:19-20; 1 Peter 3:15)

The following article is from J. Warner Wallace who is the founder and director of the Cold-case Christianity web site which is one of the premier Christian case-making, or dare I say, apologetics, resources on the web today. It is a tremendous resource with a volume of free resources that will enable any Christian to become an effective case-maker for Gospel. (J. Warner Wallace is also the author of several ground breaking books which can be found at the links following this article.)

So in this post I am borrowing both from J. Warner Wallace and James Boccardo, the author who’s book Jim highlights in the following post from Cold-Case Christianity:

What If Christians Were “Unsilenced”?
by J. Warner Wallace, Cold-Case Christianity site

I love to borrow a good idea, and I’ll confess that I’ve been borrowing from James Boccardo for some time now. James wrote a book several years ago called, Unsilenced: How to Voice the Gospel, and I have been using it with groups around the country ever since. I met James at a conference in North Carolina where he and I were speaking; he sent me the book prior to the event. As soon as I read it I knew I’d discovered an “evergreen” resource I would use for years to come.

If you’re the kind of person who recognizes your responsibility to share the Gospel with people in your life, but find yourself hesitant or uncertain as to how you ought to begin, this book is for you. Although I’ve explored a number of books on evangelism (while in seminary and during my time as a pastor), I continue to return to this book for the following reasons:

It’s Practical
James is focused like a laser beam. He understands our fear and hesitancy and has learned to overcome these obstacles in his daily life. He’s an active evangelist who uses a single question to begin conversations that lead to the gospel: “What do you think happens after you die?” This simple approach is an effective “jump starter”; it is the practical foundation from which James begins.

It’s Accessible
Unsilenced is a very quick read. I read it on the flight to the North Carolina conference from Southern California. James is a layperson (graduating from UNC Chapel Hill and currently pursuing his M.A. in Biblical Studies) and he’s written the book in accessible language that simplifies the important issues as a catalyst for other laypeople.

It’s Responsive
What I love most about Boccardo’s book is the time he spent anticipating objections from non-Christians. In this sense, Unsilenced is a Case Making book that provides readers with a simple apologetic approach to evangelism. James’ “Bumps in the Road” chapter provides a responsive strategy for nineteen common objections. You’ll love the simplicity with which he navigates conversations.

It’s Doable
Unsilenced is a “get off your butt and get moving” kind of book that will provide you with an effective strategy to start sharing the Gospel. It has a modest goal and achieves this goal in 170 quick pages. Unsilenced takes the fear out of evangelism by providing a path to the Gospel, and Boccardo has cleared this path for us.

If you’re like me, you’ve been in conversations with people you hardly know and wanted to find a way to share the Gospel. Maybe you tried to direct the conversation toward the things of God, or maybe you waited patiently for the topic to emerge on its own. Now, when I find myself in these situations, I immediately think of Unsilenced and find the courage to ask the first question. James Boccardo has accomplished what he set out to achieve; he’s helped me to speak up when I might otherwise be silent. I can only imagine what a difference it would make if all of us were unsilenced.

J. Warner Wallace is a Dateline featured Cold-Case Detective, Senior Fellow at the Colson Center for Christian Worldview, Adj. Professor of Apologetics at Biola University, author of Cold-Case Christianity, God’s Crime Scene, and Forensic Faith, and creator of the Case Makers Academy for kids.

J. Warner Wallace Interviews James Boccardo on STR Radio

How Do I Start Conversations about God and Christianity?-J. Warner Wallace

How Do We Equip Students for Evangelism?-J. Warner Wallace-oneminuteapologist.com

Other resources:
Conversational Evangelism-Learning to enjoy the ride-by Lane
Forensic Faith-How to empower and keep our youth-by Lane

Over one million people have experienced the groundbreaking evangelism training course Becoming a Contagious Christian — a proven resource designed to equip believers for relational evangelism. Now revised and updated, it avoids stereotyped approaches that feel intimidating to many Christians — and to their friends! Instead, it shows ordinary believers how to share the gospel in natural and effective ways being the person God made them to be.

Becoming a Contagious Christian, a six-session, video-based study, that shows you how to share the gospel in natural and effective ways while being yourself. Designed by Mark Mittleberg and Lee Strobel, this study will help you identify and develop an evangelical style that is effective for you. Now revised and updated, it includes everything you need to train a small group, Sunday school class, or an entire congregation how to naturally share the gospel. This CD-ROM equips teachers, pastors, and leaders with: PowerPoint presentations for all six sessions (for teaching larger groups or seminars), six sermon transcripts from Bill Hybels, Lee Strobel, and Mark Mittelberg—for use in services as part of a churchwide Contagious campaign, campaign implementation guide, reproducible promotional materials including poster, direct mail postcard, bulletin insert, and more. You can use the resources on this CD to teach a class or seminar, or to conduct a church-wide Contagious campaign that combines motivational preaching during weekend services with simultaneous training in classes or small groups throughout your church.

To ‘whet your appetite’ for this amazing course, the creators have made the first session available via Youtube. Here it is:

If you are an individual or church who desires to embrace the “salt & light” lifestyle so that the Holy Spirit will empower you to fulfill Jesus’ last words to His followers, “you will receive power after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you, and YOU WILL BE WITNESSES UNTO ME,” then please invest in this tremendous resource that will equip you to do so. (Acts 1:8) Order the Becoming a Contagious Christian equipping course today! (Link to course, here).

Related articles
Conversational Evangelism-Learning to enjoy the ride-by Lane, here
Forensic Faith-How to empower & keep our youth-by Lane, here

I am a daily visitor to the Stand to Reason website. I highly recommend this site to anyone who is committed to evangelism as defined by Norman & David Geisler:

 
Recently an article was posted by Tim Barnett of Stand to Reason which includes his interview with Alisa Childers. I found Tim’s comments to be both illuminating and a challenge to the church in North America to embrace the cultivating of the mind as commanded by Jesus (Matt.22:37) through apologetics (1 Peter 3:15; Col. 4:5-6). His message is particularly pertinent for Christians today in carrying out the Great Commission that our Lord and Savior gave to His followers before His ascension (Acts 1:8).

Tim highlights the scriptural requirement and/or command for the Christian to cultivate their mind via apologetics. These four points are taught as the foundation for the scriptural basis for apologetics by Norman Giesler:

 
(Tim unpacks these four points in his interview)

In order to lessen the trepidation towards apologetics, I would like to offer the following definitions to clarify exactly what we mean when we say the word, ‘apologetics.’

Tim Barnett boldly states, “You can’t do evangelism today without apologetics.” From my own personal experience of engaging people of diverse religious persuasions (Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, etc.) on a daily basis, I wholeheartedly agree with Tim’s statement. Everyone I engage in a spiritual conversation has questions as well as misunderstandings about the Christian faith. Some people have asked me why I am a Christian, my response is always–because it is true. Which is usually followed by, “Well, that’s a bold (or arrogant) position. How can you be so sure it is true?” If I had not taken the time to study (aka “love God with my mind”) so that I could present a defense and reason (1 Pet. 3:15) for why I believe what I believe’ I would have left the person thinking, “true for him, not for me,” and I would have failed that person who God had placed in my path to reach with “the Way, the Truth and the Life.” (John 14:6)

All I ask is that you give Tim a hearing–I know it will be worth your time.

An Apologetic for Apologetics-with Tim Barnett-a Alisa Childers podcast

Resources
Alisa Childers-Apologetics, Theology, Culture & Worship, website, here
Apologetics and Evangelism-oil & water, or peaches & cream?-by Lane, here
The Intellectual ‘ostrich’-Pt. 1-‘apologetics isn’t for me’-Really? It’s time to open your Bible-by Lane, here
The Intellectual ‘ostrich’-Pt. 2-Survival to influence…the embarrassment of riches-by Lane, here
Forensic Faith-How to empower and keep our youth-by Lane

(This is an article from the July-August 2013 issue: A Historic Wind is Blowing Through the House of Islam)

Any-3 Lead Muslims to Christ Now! (NOTE: You can order the book, Any-3 Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime-Lead Muslims to Christ Now!, here. It is one of the best equipping resources for leading your Muslim friends to the saving knowledge of Christ).

Introduction

Any-3 is a five-step process which starts with getting acquainted and leads to discovering whether the Holy Spirit is at work in that person’s life to convict them of sin and prepare them for salvation.

Mike Shipman and his team experienced years of fruitless ministry in a “resistant” Muslim field. In desperation they decided to simply present the Gospel to everyone as a way to discover who the Spirit was already drawing to follow Jesus. Those who were responsive would then receive discipleship toward faith in Jesus.

“The First and Last Sacrifice Story” is the simple gospel presentation they developed.

To their amazement, Mike’s team found that the Holy Spirit has prepared some Muslims to accept Christ within minutes or hours of hearing the gospel, even without an investment of months or years to build relationships.

They suddenly found the people among whom they were working to be highly receptive. And from this experience they identified various false perceptions which had been crippling their ministry, which they dubbed Be-e Stings.

Seven years after their first new believer, Shipman and his team report the following fruit:

More than 5,000 Muslims … have professed faith in Jesus Christ through Any-3 style evangelism. … Of the more than 450 groups that have formed among our people group, one-third of them are fourth generation and beyond. …

We are doing today what very few people dreamed possible among Muslims—sharing the gospel and often hearing them say, “Thank you.”

Distinctives

Simple: A person can learn Any-3 in an hour, practice it with a friend that afternoon, and have fruitful interaction with Muslims that evening!
Natural: “It feels spontaneous and free, helping Christians live an evangelizing lifestyle.” Yet Any-3 provides a simple and natural path for moving from casual conversation to a gospel presentation and inviting a positive response.
Adaptable: “Because its principles derive from the evangelism pattern modeled by Jesus in John 4, Any-3 can be adapted to virtually any culture or worldview.”
God is using Any-3 to awaken and empower His people to eagerly share the gospel once again. Those who do are experiencing for themselves the gospel’s power and joy.

Five-Step Process
As he walked through a secluded area of a conservative Muslim suburb, Derek prayed for the Lord to connect him with someone with whom he could share the gospel.

Hasan was sitting at a small food stall drinking juice as Derek passed by. Hasan was waiting for his wife, who was in a salon. Seeing Hasan, Derek purchased a drink as well, and sat down near him.

The two began making small talk as they passed the time. Quite naturally Derek asked Hasan about his religion. The conversation maintained a relaxed tone, but Derek knew where he wanted it to go. With a few casual questions, Derek suggested that mankind shared a common sin problem. Hasan agreed, “Yes, we’re all sinners.”

Derek asked Hasan what he was doing to get his sins forgiven. Hasan mentioned three of the five activities his religion requires to please God. Then Hasan admitted, “My sins aren’t forgiven yet. I don’t know when they’ll be forgiven. On the judgment day, I can only hope my sins will be forgiven.” Derek was expecting this answer, knowing that Muslims rarely have any assurance of their own salvation.

Derek then politely, yet confidently, told Hasan that he knew his own sins were forgiven. He then explained how he knew, by telling Hasan a story identifying Christ as God’s sacrificial Lamb, who died for our sins and was raised from the dead. Derek concluded by telling Hasan that anyone who surrenders himself to Jesus, with repentance of sin and belief in the gospel, will have his sins forgiven.

Hasan responded by agreeing. It made sense to him that his good works could never cancel out all of his sins, but that God had made a way for forgiveness through Jesus. When Derek asked Hasan if he believed the gospel, Hasan replied with words of sincere conviction and openness. He was convinced that what Derek had shared was true, even though this was the first time he had heard the good news about Jesus’ sacrifice for him.

Derek then quoted Romans 10:9, explaining the need for repentance and surrender to Jesus Christ as Lord. That night, Hasan believed that God was calling him to salvation, and prayed to surrender himself to Jesus. And Derek’s evangelist zeal was renewed. (end of excerpts from the article)

For the complete article, here

Also visit my Evangelism to Muslims resource page, here

Engaging with Islam is a video course designed to give Christians in Western countries a practical introduction to the history and teaching of Islam and a foundation for evangelism and answering common questions and challenges that their Muslim neighbors, co-workers, fellow-students, etc., may bring up in conversation. The course can be done individually, in a small group or as part of leadership training. Anyone can lead this course as leaders notes and answers are provided. The course is a mix of preparation material, group discussion and a video presentation.

What makes this course particularly appealing is the access to the course. The entire course is on-line and free! The course is conducted by Samuel Green, a Anglican Interfaith Chaplain and co-founder of the excellent research site: answering-islam.org (You can access Samuel’s articles here)

The following is the introductory video to the course:

The course can be accessed at the Engaging with Islam website, here

There are also many other evangelism resources at the Engaging with Islam website for use in ministering to your Muslim friends, so please take time to check it out and avail yourself of the resources.

Related articles
Bridges-Christians Connecting with Muslims-training course-by Lane, here
A Closer Look at Islam-video course-by Alan Shlemon, here
God of the Bible, God of the Qur’an-are they the same God?-by Lane, here

We are living in an era unlike any before in which migration is taking place on a global scale. As such, you may have noticed that people from outside your country are now working, living or studying side-by-side with you. One such people group are Muslims. The Muslim diaspora in the West presents a unique opportunity for mission work. The uniqueness of the Muslims’ presence, neither as conquerors nor as conquered, but as neighbors, co-workers in the work place, fellow students, and immigrants, is a new situation which has no parallel in history.

The need for communicating the gospel of Jesus Christ to Muslims, in ways that are accurate and contextually coherent, is both obvious and urgent considering that it has been estimated that over 80 percent of all Muslims have never heard the Gospel, which means that four fifths of the Muslim world is still waiting, many of whom are right here at our door step. This migration is an amazing act of God as He brings these precious people into our sphere of influence so we can enter into fulfilling Jesus Great Commission of making disciples of all nations.

Author and historian, David Garrison describes the magnitude of this move of God’s Spirit on a global scale:

 
Over the past couple years I have had the privilge of conducting seminars at a number of churches in North America with the focus on the training of fellow Christians to reach their Muslim friends and neighbors with the Gospel. One of the resources that I have used is Bridges-Christians Connecting with Muslims from Crescent Project. In my opinion, this is the ‘go-to’ course for equipping Christians with the knowledge and confidence to engage their Muslim friends and neighbors in spiritual conversations in a way that leads them to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

The Bridges promo states:

 
The Bridges course includes six sessions made up of prayer, discussion, video content, group response and action assignments. All of these components are meant to develop a better understanding of Islam and to give the student a heart of an ambassador as they relate to Muslims. Each of the sessions are around 25min. duration (DVD format) and is accompanied by a workbook that is used while viewing the sessions.

In this Bridges Study Trailer, Fouad Masri explains the purpose and need for Bridges and how it will enhance the effectiveness of the Christian’s witness to their Muslim friends and neighbors.

If you or your church want to play the role that God is calling you to play in being the “salt and light” of the world to the Muslim people, then this course is for you! For more information on how to order the course, go to the Crescent Project website, here

The following testimony illustrates how one Muslim woman came to Christ when a fellow student took the step to reach out to her with the saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Don’t wait for tomorrow, equip yourself today through resources like Bridges and let the Holy Spirit empower you so you too can bring your Muslim friend one step closer to Jesus.

A Muslim Doctor Comes to Christ

I am placing this post in both the Conferences and Events section, as well as the Equipping Resources section as the conference spans both sections. Even though the conference is geared toward our youth, I can guarantee it will be beneficial and edifying for those of all ages who are interested in becoming more effective and fruitful contemporary ambassadors for Christ. 2 Cor. 5:20
Blessings,
Lane

From Amy K. Hall-Stand to Reason:

“We have good news for all of you who don’t live near one of the four locations where we hold our reTHINK Apologetics Student Conferences (Orange County, Dallas, Birmingham, and Minneapolis)—we’ll be live streaming our Dallas conference on March 29–30!

You can find all the info you need—speakers, schedule, pricing, etc.—here. The topic this year is “Has God Spoken?” (see the video below). The conference is geared towards the middle school through college age range, so the live stream would be great for a youth event or retreat. And honestly, even if you’re older than a college student, I think you would enjoy it.” (For the full article from Amy, here)

More more information about the conference and how you can purchase the LIVE STREAM, go here

I am placing this post in both the Conferences and Events section, as well as the Equipping Resources section as the conference spans both sections. Even though the conference is geared toward our youth, I can guarantee it will be beneficial and edifying for those of all ages who are interested in becoming more effective and fruitful contemporary ambassadors for Christ. 2 Cor. 5:20
Blessings,
Lane

From Amy K. Hall-Stand to Reason:

“We have good news for all of you who don’t live near one of the four locations where we hold our reTHINK Apologetics Student Conferences (Orange County, Dallas, Birmingham, and Minneapolis)—we’ll be live streaming our Dallas conference on March 29–30!

You can find all the info you need—speakers, schedule, pricing, etc.—here. The topic this year is “Has God Spoken?” (see the video below). The conference is geared towards the middle school through college age range, so the live stream would be great for a youth event or retreat. And honestly, even if you’re older than a college student, I think you would enjoy it.” (For the full article from Amy, here)

More more information about the conference and how you can purchase the LIVE STREAM, go here

After purchasing and viewing Alan Shlemon’s excellent video series, A Closer Look at Islam, I highly recommend this valuable resource to all Christians who have Muslim friends who they are in the process of bringing one step closer to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. This course can be used by the individual, or preferably in small or larger group studies in a church setting. One of the advantages to this course is its accessibility. You can order it from the Stand to Reason site in HD Video format directly to your computer which eliminates the wait time of receiving it by mail. Also, being able to view the video files directly from a computer makes it easier on the tech side when setting up. (It is also available in DVD format by mail). Be the first church in your area to organize A Closer Look at Islam study group and invite your friends from other churches in your area to attend.

The following is the explanation and overview of the video course:

A Closer Look at Islam-by Alan Shlemon

The following is an excerpt from the course addressing the issue-Is What Muslims Say Really What Islam Teaches?

Another great evangelism resource from Alan is The Ambassador’s Guide to Islam. This is a relatively compact guide in understanding Islam, as well as valuable instruction on how to navigate through a discussion with your Muslim friends regarding the main challenges to Christianity that a Muslim will often raise. Great for individual and group study. Here is the Table of Contents for the Guide:

The Ambassador’s Guide to Islam can be downloaded (PDF format) directly from the Stand to Reason site, here.

Other resources
To my Muslim friends-‘let us reason together-the Trinity explained-by Lane, here
Is the Bible textually corrupt? Muslims say yes, the Qur’an says no!-by Lane, here
Evangelism to Muslims resource page, here

Author and apologist, Greg Koukl, has just begun a new video series on how to share the Gospel. Greg is a master of the art of asking questions, and has outlined his evangelism methods in his book, Tactics-A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions. (I HIGHLY recommend this book-it will revolutionize your evangelistic approach and effectiveness in bringing your friends, co-workers, neighbors, fellow-students, etc. one step closer to Jesus Christ.)

The first video is:

 
The second video:

 
The third video:

The Burden-Free Step in Discussing Christian Beliefs–here