Dec 14, 2020
What You'll Hear:
- I became a Christian in my '40's just before 9/11. I called upon the Lord for my security
- First job was for my cousin as a bus boy in a bowling alley at age 16 to help pay for tuition at a Catholic school
- Raised in Rochester, NY and went to school in Buffalo, later transferring to Northern New York in Clarkson Univ and got a Civil Engineering degree
- First job built highway bridges, then worked for TN Valley Authority and worked on what was to be the largest nuclear plant in the world, but then 3 Mile Island happened
- Left engineering and went to business school and worked as a full-time sales person for audio-technical systems for churches, loved getting outside and meeting with people
- After he became a believer, he committed to bringing up faith, since so many Christians didn't to that with him
- My main spiritual heavenly job here on earth is to teach those who God puts in my path, everything He has commanded them, in season and out
- 1 Peter 3:15 "Always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks me to give a reason for the hope that you have"
- It's possible for the believer to make the ground harder for someone to receive the Gospel. One example was when he prayed with a non-believing client over lunch
- I started seminary 2 years after being a believer, about halfway through that 12 year process I took a course in Christian Apologetics. It was the sweetest thing that had come to my mind.
- While I was still in sales, I got more and more involved in the Apologetics ministry, until I went full-time 3 years ago.
- Some tips on if you're doing a ministry at the same time as your full-time job. Don't waste a lot of time watching TV. Carve out time to read, pray, and meet with other believers. Practice during the day. Shed time-wasting activities and be productive as God measures productivity.
- Bringing the heart of the Gospel to a person is more than just rambling off verses and bringing logical arguments.
- Bring the pain of living in a falling world. You can say "God is not just a crutch, but the entire hospital, not only do I need a crutch because I have a broken heart, but you do too"
- No-one can refute your testimony, and you're sharing something deep-rooted in yourselves, and it's a real-life true story.
- Ask questions. See book "Tactics" by Greg Koukl. He says to leave a stone in their shoe.
- It helps to know a bit about their belief system in advance. You have to ask questions, but you can narrow down your questions with some knowledge.
- Ask them "is that really what you believe?"
- Paul in Athens started with what they believed, and then pointed out the hole in their beliefs and filled it in with the true Gospel
- If you don't know an answer, it's OK to say you don't know, but it does so much to be prepared ahead of time while the soil is tilled.
- To be prepared, know good Theology. They started a podcast "Word on the Street", geared toward someone who doesn't know a lot of Theology already. Some future topics include critical race theory, why is there human suffering in the world, what is the Christian's right role in politics, what does God say about social justice,
- Go to www.Reasons2Believe.org, also have Heroes of the Cross, 90 second WordTrax
- Or email ben@wordtrax.com