1. Evangelism / World Religions

2. Ambassadors for Christ
2 Corinthians 5:20
We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
What do you expect ambassadors to another country to know? About your country and their’s!
Character – act like a Christian! No one is perfect (Romans 3:23) but don’t live in active rebellion against God and call yourself a Christian – drinking, pre-marital sex, cheating, gossiping

3. Purpose Equip Knowledge Tactics Encourage
Philemon 6 - I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.

4. How many times does the word “love” appear in the book of Acts?

5. How many times does the word “love” appear in the book of Acts
How many times does the word “love” appear in the book of Acts? Zero (0)
This doesn’t mean the Bible isn’t all about love. But the Book of Acts does tell the story of the explosive growth of the early church and how the Gospel was shared.
It wasn’t shared by saying, “Jesus really loves you, so maybe you should follow Him.”
It used scripture to explain that Jesus was the predicted Messiah, that He was God, that salvation comes through Him, that He is the one path to true peace, forgiveness and eternal life.
Read Acts to see how it was shared boldly (not loudly or abrasively)

6. Historical facts

7. Historical facts Jesus was a real person who died on a cross
The disciples believed He rose physically
The Apostle Paul . . .
persecuted Christians then converted
wrote at least Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Philippians, Galatians and Philemon, which record key doctrines and traditions at early dates.
We know the original writings of the Bible with 99.5% accuracy, and 100% on major doctrines

8. If you get stumped . . .

9. If you get stumped . . . “I don’t know, but I’ll find out”
Humble response
Takes all the pressure off you
Keeps you from giving bad answers
Gives you time to prepare better answers
Lets you make an appointment to come back later to talk about God

10. Believer
Non-believer

11. Always seek to move people to the right
Moving towards Jesus 
Believer
Non-believer

12. Always seek to move people to the right
Faith, from Grace
Moving towards Jesus 
Believer
Non-believer

13. Always seek to move people to the right
Faith, from Grace
Moving towards Jesus 
Discipleship 
Believer
Non-believer

14. Pluralism All religions are equally valid paths to God
Seriously flawed thinking
Basic logic: Something can’t be “A” and “Not A” at the same time
Jesus as God / Messiah
Reincarnation vs. die and face judgment
Jesus’ death on cross

15. Should we sent out “reverse missionaries?
If all religions lead to God and your current religion involves you being persecuted, you should switch, right?
Reverse missionaries would convert people from Christianity to their local religion.
If that sounds foolish, then perhaps the concept of religious pluralism is as well.

16. Does Christianity allow for other paths?
No passages note that Jesus is the only way. One hundred!
Old Testament: Only one God!
That doesn’t prove we’re right, just that it is an essential Christian doctrine.

17. The difference is grace
Works
Jewish
Hindu
Buddhist
Muslim
Mormon
Etc.
Grace
Christianity
Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.

18. Just the same? Islam Bible has been corrupted
Jesus did not die on the cross
Allah leaves sins unpunished (scales)
Started and spread through violence
Jesus - just a prophet
Christianity
Bible has been transmitted accurately
Jesus died on the cross
God punishes all sin
Persecution for first 300 years
Jesus is God

19. And for claiming that they killed the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, the messenger of GOD. In fact, they never killed him, they never crucified him - they were made to think that they did. All factions who are disputing in this matter are full of doubt concerning this issue. They possess no knowledge; they only conjecture. For certain, they never killed him. Instead, GOD raised him to Him; GOD is Almighty, Most Wise. Koran, Sura 4:

20. View of the cross Islam One sketchy revelation
Over 500 years after the event
Christianity
Thorough, early accounts in the Bible by many witnesses
Secular documentation
Historical fact
Close to the time of the event

21. Just the same? Islam Bible has been corrupted
Jesus did not die on the cross
Allah leaves sins unpunished (scales)
Started and spread through violence
Jesus - just a prophet
Christianity
Bible has been transmitted accurately
Jesus died on the cross
God punishes all sin
Persecution for first 300 years
Jesus is God

22. Just the same? Mormon We lived before we came to earth
Multiple levels of Heaven
God used to be a man
Jesus = spirit brother of Lucifer
Saved by works
Great neighbors? Yes!
Christians? No.
Christianity
God is eternally existent
Jesus is God and the creator of the universe
Saved by grace

23. Comments from a Mormon I can see that we do double speak, trying to stand on both sides of the line and often feign ignorance until called out. I found myself doing it I fully understand that as a Mormon, I am dishonest if I try to make our doctrines sound the same as yours so that we can get along better. They are different and I know that By definition, our church proclaims that yours is wrong. We send out missionaries to say other churches are wrong, come be baptized here instead.

24. Galatians 1:6-9 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!

25. Mormons Do they think Galatians 1 is authoritative?
Does the book of Mormon teach the same Gospel as Paul, or a different one?
If the same, then stick with the Bible, as the book of Mormon would be redundant.
If different, then heed warnings of the Bible
If they ask you to pray about the book of Mormon . . .

26. Just the same? Jehovah’s Witness Jesus isn’t God
Not allowed to take materials
Works based
144,000 “anointed ones”
Annihilation instead of Hell
Christianity
Jesus is God – show verses – John 1:1-5
John 8:58: “I AM” vs. “I have been”
Test everything; hold onto the good

27. John 1:1
Real version: John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
JW version: “and the Word was a God.”
Contradicts monotheistic passages
They don’t translate it “a God” anywhere else.

28. Just the same? Hinduism / New Age Reincarnation This is an illusion
Karma
All religions are valid
No literal Heaven or Hell
Christianity
Die once then face judgment (Hebrews 9:7)
This is real
Heaven & Hell are real
Christianity claims to be exclusive

29. New Age quotes We create our own reality.
This is all just an illusion.
We are all connected / the same thing.
There is no right or wrong.

30. Just the same? Buddhist Goal: Eliminate desire
The existence of the individual self is an illusion
Self-reliant
No creator God
No Heaven or Hell
Christianity
Sin is our problem
One God
Heaven & Hell are real
Jesus is God

31. Other Hare Krishna Wicca
Jesus is not God, just an enlightened vegetarian
Reincarnation
Chanting / rule following to release bad Karma
Wicca
Jesus is rejected or just considered a teacher of love and compassion.
We’re not sinful / don’t need salvation

32. Why I can’t be an atheist . . .
Something came from nothing?
Life came from non-life?
Evolution to everything we see today?
Oxymoronic fine–tuning from chaos?
Consciousness from materials?
Morality from nothing?

33. Summary Be obedient – share the truth of Jesus in love where possible
Faith flags
Be equipped to tell your story
Understand their perspective
“I don’t know, but I’ll find out”
Pray
Ask questions
Proclaim the Gospel

34. Ambassadors for Christ
2 Corinthians 5:20
We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
What do you expect ambassadors to another country to know? About your country and their’s!
Character – act like a Christian! No one is perfect (Romans 3:23) but don’t live in active rebellion against God and call yourself a Christian – drinking, pre-marital sex, cheating, gossiping

35. Who’s in charge? God is. John 6:44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.
More specifically, God the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit brings all good things to our lives – joy, peace, the ability to understand scripture, boldness to share our faith, and more. He is the one who changes our hearts. Don’t try to do this on your own.

36. Email - neil@4simpsons. com Blog - www. 4simpsons. wordpress
- Blog Stand to Reason Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry -