“It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out of your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.” –Bilbo Baggins
As you “step onto the road” of your Gospel Advancing journey, the uncertainty can make you feel a bit like Frodo (minus the funny-looking ears and furry feet, we hope!). And in a sense, your strategy to achieving your goal should be the same as Frodo’s: to keep putting one foot in front of the other and living out the mission day by day. As you do, others will follow.
That’s why our #3 Gospel Advancing value is: Leaders fully embrace and model it. Once you and your leaders have been trained in how to share the Gospel, the real progress comes when you do it regularly. Chances are, you’ll start enjoying and even craving the adventure it brings. (Hey, you’re one up on Frodo—at least you’re not headed to Mt. Doom!)
A great first step on the journey is to use the Cause Circle to help you share the love and truth of Christ with your own friends and family members. Follow each of these important steps with those you’re trying to reach for the Kingdom of God:
- Praying
- Caring
- Sharing the Gospel
As with most things in life, you’ll find that learning to relationally share the Gospel happens more in the doing than in the studying. Once you’ve got AAA, the G.O.S.P.E.L., and the 2 closing questions as tools, then its time to dive in and just do it!
Finding Your Gospel Advancing Companions
As both Bilbo and Frodo discovered on their excursions, good traveling companions can be the key to a successful journey. If you’ve committed to being a Gospel Advancing leader, try to identify someone who is on the same journey and can remind you to keep going and keep growing. This person can hold you accountable to sharing the Gospel in personal conversations and as part of every youth group message you give.
(Need a place to find connections? Join our Gospel Advancing Ministry Facebook group.)
Keeping Your Feet
A huge part of your group’s success on this path will likely depend on how well you personally embrace evangelism and coach your leaders to do the same.
Jesus said: “The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.” Luke 6:40
God has put you in the unique position of being “the teacher,” which means your greatest impact will come when you personally live out the mission. You don’t have to be a super-evangelist or do everything perfectly. Just make honest efforts to lovingly share the Gospel, with the help of the Holy Spirit.
Then, share with your students how your efforts are going, using what we call Take 5—five minutes during your youth group meeting for students and leaders to talk about any Gospel conversations they had that week—both those that went well and those that flopped. This authentic communication will help inspire your students and leaders to “step onto the road” with you as you continue your Gospel journey.
