Extra! Ideas for Adults – How to Share Christ – Session 3

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Date: May 9, 2021

The Message

The Point: Jesus saves those who trust in Him.

Get Into the Study

Use the following information to introduce Question #1.

In January 2021, the news website Axios reported that Americans’ trust in traditional media has dropped to an all-time low. Less than half of all Americans trust traditional media. They report that 56% of Americans agree with the statement that “Journalists and reporters are purposely trying to mislead people by saying things they know are false or gross exaggerations.”

Say: The Axios news story reflects that many Americans have lost trust in traditional media sources. Then call attention to Question #1 (Where do you turn for trustworthy information?) and invite volunteers to respond.

Information for this post was gleaned from:

https://www.axios.com/media-trust-crisis-2bf0ec1c-00c0-4901-9069-e26b21c283a9.html

Get Into the Study [Option from Adult Leader Guide]

In advance, play a short video that demonstrates the importance of getting trustworthy information. Then ask Question #1.

Study the Bible

Use the following information to introduce Question #5.

A recent Gallup poll shows that for the first time in at least 80 years, church members are in the minority. Church membership in the U.S. was 73% in 1937, when the Gallup polls first measured it. In their most recent poll, church membership is at 47%. The drop in church membership is related to the number of adults in the U.S. who claim to have “no religious preference.” People who express no religious preference have grown from 8% in 1998-2000 to 21% in the most recent poll.

Ed Stetzer, dean of the School of Mission, Ministry, and Leadership at Wheaton College, responded to the poll saying, “Unless we want to be a regional group of Christians who only talk to ourselves, we’ll need to redouble our efforts in evangelism and church planting to engage an increasingly secular context.” Stetzer believes that these trends in declining church membership will only increase as time passes.

Larry Anderson, a pastor and president of the State Directors of Evangelism, said, “We must stop seeing the church as the ending place but the sending place and shift our focus to counting those being equipped and sent out of the building, as opposed to how many people we have coming into the building.”

Say: With the number of Americans claiming to have “no religious preference” on the rise, Christians face a challenge in reaching those people. Then call attention to Question #5 (What are some ways our group can work together to share the good news?) and invite volunteers to respond.

Information for this post was gleaned from:

https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/church-members-are-minority-in-u-s-for-first-time-gallup-says/

https://news.gallup.com/poll/341963/church-membership-falls-below-majority-first-time.aspx

— Donna McKinney wrote these Leader Extras. Donna is retired from a career with the federal government of the United States. She is a veteran Bible study group leader living in North Carolina.

Study the Bible (Option from the Daily Discipleship Guide)

Use the following idea during your discussion of Romans 10:11-13. To illustrate the concept of “salvation,” play the following video for your group. Click here for the video. Afterward, explain that while we may need physical rescue at some point from a dangerous situation, Christ offers forgiveness of our sin and new life in Him. He offers us spiritual salvation.

Additional Questions

Icebreakers

Who comes to mind when you hear the word “trustworthy”?
What are some things that you put your trust in every day?
What makes someone trustworthy?

Romans 10:8b-10

How is the Christian faith more than just believing facts about God?
How would you explain the terms confess and believe in these verses?
How would you summarize the central message of the gospel?

Romans 10:11-13

What motivates you to tell others about Jesus?
How would you describe or summarize your recent attempts at telling others about Jesus?
What are some barriers we face in sharing the gospel?

Romans 10:14-17

How do these verses encourage you to share the good news?
Why is it necessary that people verbally share the gospel?
What opportunities do you have this week to share the gospel? What opportunities exist for our group to share the gospel?

For Those in Your Group

Send the following link to your group members as either a teaser before the group meets or as a follow-up thought: