After much discussion and contribution from all, we have come out with our version, OAT ....
Pre-Evangelism
- Definition:
- helping people, through observe-ask-listen, to discover and think through for themselves about their believes, values, needs and obstacles and then connecting them, by telling, to Jesus.
The very basic and foundational step before & throughout the conversation is to pray and be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
The Steps:
- Observe
- their facial expressions & body language
- are they sad, happy, uncomfortable, stress, depressed, tired, ...
- Ask & Listen & Ask Again... Helping Them to See for Themselves their Real Situations....
- to bring out their true feeling and thinking and to paint a picture of for them of what they are feeling and thinking
- e.g. how are you feeling? where or who can help you? have you consider God? tell me about your belief or God. What's stopping you from ...?.
- listen and understand what are not being said, or the manner it was said.
- Empathy: if you were in his position, what other things will want to find out, what would you do... think for him inside and the ask him....
- e.g. "What about ....?", "Have you try ....?
- we may or may not hear their Sour-notes - belief-vs-belief, belief-vs-behavior, belief-vs-longing, illogical belief.
- the key to help them find out their real needs.
- we may need to address 2 main areas of needs
- head - logical solutions, guidance to their problems
- heart - comfort, assurance, to remove their doubts, fear, discouragement.
- Tell
- We believes that Jesus is the Answer to all man's needs.
- tell them that Jesus/God love them and can help them.
- share some personal experience of how God/Jesus really come to help.
- Minister
- There could be a possible further step that they request or we can ask for permission to pray for them.
- Present day young generation with some much blessing and wealth does not seem to be concern with spiritual matters. They are pursuing material success of promotion and wealth. Need to learn how to introduce them their need for the spiritual dimension.
- When encountering obstacles to receiving Christ such as "cannot pray to ancestors", "cannot partake foods offered to idols", our answer should be to receive Jesus first and let Jesus tell them what to do. There should no conditions for them to get connect to Jesus.
