AY Honors/Preach It/Answer Key

Preach It

Skill Level

2

Year

2009

Version

28.11.2024

Approval authority

General Conference

Prologue

Instructor required

Instructor Requirements

• A. An adult who has preaching skills OR
• B. Any holder of the advanced Preach It honor OR
• C. Your pastor

1

Spiritual Preparation

1a

What is intentional spiritual preparation?

Before going in front of others to share the gospel, you should first go before God and find the gospel. Spiritually preparing for preaching is just as important as writing the sermon or preparing the presentation. Be Spirit Filled and others will see God in you and want to know more.

1b

Discuss with your instructor the role of spiritual preparation in evangelism.

Few preachers are self taught, and the Adventist Church has an extensive system of training professional preachers through university, mentoring while in the field, and then Seminary. For the aspiring lay preacher a mentor/instructor is equally important.

2

Seed sowing

2a

What is seed sowing?

Seed sowing is an activity that opens the way for evangelism. It is somewhat secular in nature, and thus non-threatening to people who are anti-religion. People who would not normally attend an evangelistic program may well attend one of these activities. If successful, a seed-sowing activity leaves a positive impression about the church on the participants and establishes a level of trust. These activities are primarily about creating friendships where conversation may turn to spiritual matters at the appropriate time.

2b

Name 5 examples of “seed sowing”

• Depression Seminar
• Personal Finance Seminar
• Computer classes
• Healthy Lifestyle Management classes
• Auto Mechanic class
• Child care

2c

Participate in at least one “seed sowing” event

Though this honor requires you to participate in only one seed sowing event, it is good practice to host two seed sowing events between each evangelism series.

3

Invitation – Demonstrate and/or explain three ways to invite someone to an evangelistic meeting.

• Phone them
• Ask in person (visit)
• email

Regardless of how you invite them, your guests are far more likely to come if:

• You offer to go with them to the meetings (or you are speaking)
• You agree to pick them up
• You explain why the meetings are worth their time
• They have an interest in spiritual things, possibly developed through conversations with you
• They have previously accepted an invitation to a social event at your church
• and most importantly, you already established a relationship with your guest (remember the seed sowing efforts)

4

Understand a Budget

1. Develop a budget with the pastor or your evangelistic team leader

For this activity consider the budget items listed further down this requirement, any costs unique to your situation, travel and accommodation costs if the series is away from your home area and of course, remember to budget the revenue side too. Some how you will need to pay all the costs of the series.

2. Know how much money you have to work with and how to adjust your planning based on your budget

Sources of money can include church budget, conference evangelism funds, specific fund raising, and offerings in the meetings. Nearly all items can be adjusted in your budget as required depending on your situation.

3. Unless it is already available at your venue, find out the costs of:

i

Equipment

Projector, computer, lights, sound system, etc. Think through what you need and discuss with your instructor and the venue management.

ii

Printed materials

Ask about different quantities of printed matter. The setup process is a large part of the cost, with incremental copies a small cost. In other words 500 pages will not be much less than 2500. While you can check with local printers, be sure to ask at your conference office for pre-negotiated deals.

iii

Mailing and postage costs

You will want to investigate bulk mailing and unaddressed admail rates. Generally admail can be sent to postal/zip codes either to residences or businesses or both, and you can obtain maps and householder/business counts from the post office website. Preparation of your mailing may be important to get the best rates.

You might also investigate free community newspapers and flyer delivery services as an alternative flyer delivery method.

iv

Advertising

While the requirements specify TV and Radio you should not restrict yourself to these mediums. Other advertising opportunities may include Internet ads, blogging, Facebook and Twitter, billboards and other outdoor media, signage on the venue, press releases, and other methods.

TV

You do not want to buy national advertising for a local series. Local cable stations are more your style.

Radio announcements

Local radio can be surprising cheap if you are flexible on the time of day

Ask about remnant space (time sold on a space available basis where the radio station plays your ads when they have unsold time, charging only for the actual ads played).

Consider the type of station you work with. Do you want to target Christian Radio listeners, or maybe News listeners or various types of secular music? The easy listening station attracts a different demographic than the Christian station does, so consider your ideal audience.

When comparing media quotes remember to break everything down by the cost per thousand impressions and discard impressions outside your reasonable drawing area. 30 seconds of exposure to one hundred thousand listeners within 15 km of your event is worth far more than 30 seconds of exposure to a two hundred thousand listeners 75% of which are located 100 km away from the event.

While not in the requirements, you might also try geographically and interest based internet ads on a site like Facebook.com. With Facebook you can narrow down your audience in really interesting ways. For example, you could run a young person focused series and target under 25 people with an interest in religion who live in your city. Technology is presenting all kinds of interesting opportunities.

v

TV

If using an Adventist Church this is not an issue but if renting another church, hall or venue there is likely going to be cost. Consider the cost of various venues and be prepared to negotiate.

Some venues may not accept an evangelistic series for legal, political, theological, or policy reasons. A famous example occurred when John Carter was about to start a series in Kiev in 1995 - and lost his venue at the last minute. A lot of prayer and some visits to high level government contacts saved the series which resulted in 3,488 baptisms and the formation of over two dozen new churches in a city that only had one Adventist Church before. Inspirational Video here: http://www.cartereport.org/media-library/2011/victory-kiev.

5

Know the law/code regarding holding public meetings in your area.

In democratic countries there are few restrictions, mainly the venue should comply with firecodes. If you are using a church or public hall there is nothing to worry about.

In other countries permits are required. Check with your Pastor or other knowledge person.

6

Equipment Knowledge - List, describe the use of, and specialized care for the equipment needed in a media-based evangelistic series, such as the following:

6a

Projector

Know proper care of equipment

How to protect from dust (especially in developing countries)

Demonstrate ability to properly connect to computer and operate

Know proper care of equipment

How to protect from dust (especially in 3rd world countries)

Dust fries projectors. Keep your projector in its bag when not actively in use and blow out the projector occasional. Heat and lack of circulation also fries projectors, so be sure you do not block the fan which can cause the projector to overheat, shut down in the middle of the sermon (not a good thing) or burn out the bulb. Always make sure you have all the cables and a spare bulb in the projector bag.

Demonstrate ability to properly connect to computer and operate

Given the variety of equipment available we can not give specific guidance. If you need assistance check the manufacturers website or the equipment manual.

6b

Computer

Know proper care (protection from dust etc.)

Demonstrate ability to hook up and use with projector

Understand the program for using a “split screen”

Be familiar with the various plug adapters for use in other countries

Know proper care (protection from dust etc.)

Computers work best when they are protected from dirt, dust, being dropped and other abuse.

Demonstrate ability to hook up and use with projector.

The variety of equipment available means we can not provide specific guidance here. Check the manual online if you are having difficulty.

Understand the program for using a “split screen”

Similarly, you may need to consult the helps for the software. You will want to fully understand the presentation software and have an assistant present well versed in the software ready to assist during your presentations. The devil works overtime on computers during evangelism, so the time to learn the software is long before you stand up to preach.

Be familiar with the various plug adapters for use in other countries

International Travellers know that electrical systems in different countries use various plug styles, voltages and hertz. Your plugs may not fit and your equipment may not run correctly (or at all) or may be damaged if you are not aware of the differences and prepare accordingly. It is easier to get travel adapters from Amazon or another online retailer BEFORE you find yourself 3 hours into the jungle trying to charge your laptop off a Honda generator with the wrong plug.

Here is a list of the types of power in various countries: http://kropla.com/electric2.htm

6c

Power Inverter

A power inverter, or inverter, is an electronic device or circuitry that changes direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC). The input voltage, output voltage and frequency, and overall power handling, are dependent on the design of the specific device or circuitry. A power inverter can be entirely electronic or may be a combination of mechanical effects (such as a rotary apparatus) and electronic circuitry. Static inverters do not use moving parts in the conversion process.

For purposes of this Honor, you may need a power inverter to power your computer and projector off batteries in a situation where regular a/c power is not available (remote location, tent etc). Car batteries are a potential source of reliable portable power but to use it for electronics or lights you need an inverter.

7

Sermon Preparation - Using Media type split screen computer evangelist sermons:

7a

Demonstrate ability to edit

Follow the instructions provided with the program or the software helps.

7b

Use the “1st time translation sheet” and learn spacing

We believe this to be a very specific reference to the ShareHim program. Follow the provided instructions if you need to translate the presentations.

7c

Work with an interpreter*

You should seek guidance from your instructor or someone who is experienced at working with a translator.

7d

Practice the sermon 3-5 times out loud with a interpreter*

Among other reasons, you will need to have a good idea of when the translator has completed the thought before you carry on to the next thought.

7e

Work with your instructor for advice and input to improve your presentation.

An excellent program of complete multimedia sermons is offered by Sharehim.org ShareHim has resources on exactly how to meet these requirements.

8

Getting Decisions – Altar Calls

8a

What is an altar call?

A segment, usually at the end of a message, where the members of the congregation are invited to come to the front and give their life over to God. The altar call may be for people that want to discuss baptism or for a lesser commitment like letting go of one sin in your life. There may be multiple altar calls in a series of meetings.

Traditionally preachers use soft music, prayer, and spoken word to encourage people to come to the front. Elders and other pastors may be employed to pray with people who come forward and collect their names and contact information.

In mass media (radio, TV, satellite) evangelism a virtual altar call is often used. Since the audience can't literally come to the front of the room they are invited to call in or write or go online to respond to the altar call, but the purpose is the same.

8b

What are some key ingredients of an altar call?

An altar call is a practice in some evangelical Christian churches in which those who wish to make a new spiritual commitment to Jesus Christ are invited to come forward publicly. It is so named because the supplicants gather at the altar located at the front of the church building. In the Old Testament, an altar was where sacrifices were made. So, the name "altar call" refers to a believer "offering" themselves on an altar to God, as in Romans 12:1:

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."

Most altar calls occur at the end of an evangelical address. The invitation may be referred to as an "altar call" even if there is no actual altar present. Many preachers make use of the altar call; notable examples include Billy Graham, Benny Hinn, Franklin Graham and Reinhard Bonnke. Congregations often sing a hymn, usually with a theme of invitation or decision, during the altar call. Some churches make use of the sinner's prayer, which people who come forward to be "saved" are asked to recite. It is sometimes said by the invitee that those who come forth are going to receive Jesus Christ as their Savior. This is a ritual in which the supplicant makes a prayer asking for his sins to be forgiven, acknowledges Jesus as the risen Son of God and pledges his/her devotion to Jesus and to live thereafter following Christ's teachings. This is often called being born again. (source: Wikipedia Altar Call)

9

Present a five minute sermon you have edited

Here is where you put what you learn into practice. This basic honor only requires a 5 minute sermon, which is a very short talk designed to give a taste of preaching. For the real deal, do the Preach It Advanced Honor.

10

Evangelist Meeting Follow-up

10a

What does the term Disciple mean?

The word disciple can be used both as a noun and as a verb.

When used as a noun, "disciple" means a follower. A disciple of Jesus Christ is someone who follows Jesus in their daily life, growing in faith and reaching others with the gospel.

When used as a verb, "disciple" means to teach someone to become a faithful follower of Jesus Christ. Discipling a person does not end when they accept Jesus, it is a lifelong journey. New disciples need continued instruction after accepting Jesus, and they also need to find ways to serve Him. Discipling means finding ways a new believer may serve. The best way to do this is by finding which gifts they have received from the Holy Spirit, and then finding ways they can use those gifts in His service. New believers will not automatically find this on their own.

It is important that a person serve the Lord using the gifts conferred by the Spirit. New believers sometimes think that if they do not get up and preach, or go door-to-door handing out pamphlets, that they are failures. They need to understand that different people have different roles, and those roles are given by the Spirit. Yes, some people will get up and preach or go door-to-door, but others may have been selected to work behind the scenes. Effective witness needs all kinds of workers.

For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them:
— Romans 12:4-6a (NKJV)

Spiritual gifts are listed in the Bible primarily in Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, and Ephesians 4. An Internet search for "Spiritual gifts inventory" will find several sites having the purpose of discovering these gifts. This is usually done in the form of a quiz, and can be quite effective.

As always, please evaluate any site you decide to use very carefully before sending new believers there.

10b

What was Christ's method of discipling?

We will let Ellen White explain this: http://www.whiteestate.org/books/ed/ed9.html

10c

Name five things a church can do to disciple a new believer

There are many programs that have been developed on discipleship and therefore many lists.

1. Get the new believer involved in service (church office, ministry, community service etc)
2. Get the new believer involved in sharing their faith
3. Get the new believer involved in study to better understand God and Salvation (new believer classes)
4. Show them the value of Christian Fellowship
5. Help them adjust to the Christian lifestyle

Intervarsity has a 10 session program aimed at youth:

1. Affirm God's love for them

2. Encourage them to join God's mission

3. Teach them how to discern God's voice in prayer

4. Show them how to study the Bible in a group and on their own

5. Demonstrate the value of Christian fellowship

6. Discuss how to confidently talk about Jesus with others

7. Help them consider changes they might make to become more like Jesus

8. Start discerning God's unique calling for them

9. Explore how God can heal through prayer, and Scripture to build faith in God’s ability to rescue them from the difficult issues affecting them inside and out

10. Prepare them for rough patches in their faith

More complete explanations here: http://evangelism.intervarsity.org/how/discipleship/10-ways-disciple-brand-new-christians

References

http://sharehim.org/
http://evangelism.intervarsity.org/