Featured What Is the Best Single Passage to Evangelize Someone?

If to Gentiles, I would use Acts of the Apostles 17:24-31.
To Jews, Acts of the Apostles 2:22-36.

There are others, such as chaining together certain passages in the Gospels and in Romans, but in the context of the OP those are the two I would start out with.
If anyone was interested after that, I would use whatever the Lord brought to my mind after that.

 

Jon,
Of course we do.

God uses His own word to do the work of evangelizing, does He not?
1 Corinthians 1:18-31, specifically verse 21.
Also:

" Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures." ( James 1:18 ).

 

Typically if I give someone a Bible reference, I give 1 John 5:9-13. With a brief explanation one can know one can have eternal life. Depending on time and place.

 

Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

One can give this invitation of Jesus to anyone who is open to the Spirit, and they can step into the life and power of Jesus.

 

Perhaps you believe that when you read the Bible in English, you are not reading God's actual words, Jon.

But I can safely say that when I read my AV,
I know that I have the Lord's words in my own language...
So, when I speak the words off the page, I am confident that they are His words and that when they go forth, they will not return to Him void.

James 1:18 specifically states that God, of His own will, begat ( "birthed" ) the believer with His word.
Therefore, I see that it is the word of God coupled with the Spirit of God that does the work.
Also, see Ephesians 5:26.

I'm sorry that you do not appear to see that.

 

I'm not sure that it's the sinuglar best, but it's the one that popped into my mind.

Paul is speaking by the power of the Spirit to the Greeks at Mars Hill, and this event is one of very few where he's preaching to Gentiles and giving a fairly lengthy presentation.

 

Huh?

I'm not "suggesting" that evangelism needs to quote Scripture, Jon.
I'm flat-out stating that it does.

" For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and [is] a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." ( Hebrews 4:12 ).

" that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, " ( Ephesians 5:26 ).

"Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine." ( 2 Timothy 4:2 ).

" Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures." ( James 1:18 ).

The word of God is what does the work, and the Holy Spirit uses it.

If I may ask, where in the world did you get the idea that communicating the truths of Scripture are what does the work...
As if man's summary of those truths will somehow convince someone?

Ok, Jon.
I clearly see where you stand.

Apparently the very words of God don't matter the same to you as they do to me.

 

"Dave G,

Hello DaveG,

I have learned to have several groups of scripture, even chapters to reference in evangelizing out in public. The more of God's word we use the more effective we will be. God gave us that task in part.
it helps if we have other graces that accompany our efforts, prayer, being knowledgeable, speaking the truth in love, not being rigid.no prepackaged four spiritual laws, etc.
When we interact, listening is a necessary skill to know what section of scripture God has given that will speak to the person and their concerns

The scripture is primary in that it is how God has chosen to progressively reveal himself.
We must establish the scripture as the word of God written.
The authority comes from heaven as you alluded to isa.55 already.
New Christians, or persons who do not evangelize often try and tell anecdotal stories, jokes, and sometimes that can break the ice, or remove an obstacle, but Hebrews 4:12-13tells us what the word of God does;


12 For the word of God is quick,
\and powerful,
and sharper than any twoedged sword,
piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit,
and of the joints and marrow,
and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

Jesus indicated the supremacy of the scripture;
3x Jesus used the written word to refute Satan, and than these things;


jn8:47 He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.


jn12:48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.
Jn17:
17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.

19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

 

Dave in Acts7 Stephen recites redemptive History before they kill him,

Peters first sermon was peppered with scripture;

look here in Acts13:

16 Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience.

17 The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it.

18 And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness.

19 And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan, he divided their land to them by lot.

20 And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.

21 And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years.

22 And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave their testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.

23 Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus:

24 When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.

25 And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not he. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose.

26 Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent.

27 For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him.

28 And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain.

29 And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre.

30 But God raised him from the dead:

31 And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people.

32 And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers,

33 God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.

34 And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David.

35 Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

36 For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:

37 But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.

38 Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:

39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

40 Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets;

41 Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.

42 And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.

43 Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.

44 And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.

45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.

46 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.

47 For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.

48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.

49 And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region.

Yes Dave they were all about scripture, preaching and teaching it.
More scripture is quoted than words or anecdotal accounts. I try and pattern any evangelism following this model.
Footnotes:

 

Hello SMA,

Frequently after some of these encounters the scripture reveals that Paul would continue in an area and preach and teach,
acts13:
42 And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.

43 Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.

44 And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.

45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.

46 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.

48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.

49 And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region.


acts14:
14 And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed.

2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren.

3 Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands.
and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about:

7 And there they preached the gospel.

20 Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.

21 And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch,

22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

I think it is clear that when it says they confirmed the souls of the disciples it included teaching on the promises of God.

 

yes for sure...it is not an either-or, but a both-and approach. If the Spirit is not working on the person it is hard to say, but that is the work of God in the unseen realm for the most part.
I HAVE SEVERAL OPPORTUNITIES IN PUBLIC, AND AS MUCH AS IS POSSIBLE I WILL HAND MY BIBLE TO THE PERSON AND LET THEM TAKE IN THE SECTION WE ARE SPEAKING ABOUT.

I want them to know it is the word of God that is at issue, not my stories or jokes.
Some people who are barely literate I do not embarrass them if they cannot read, but we read it for them showing it is contained in scripture. The goal is to point them to Jesus and eventually to sit under the hearing of the Word preached in a local assembly.