Do You Need to Follow One Set Pattern or Formula of Preaching the Gospel for Someone to Be Saved?

NO! One size doesn't fit all. Try anything and everything to reach people for Christ! Be willing to spend and be spent for the souls of others. I think it is only superstition and fear of man that keeps us from wholehearted, joyous, bold, outrageous redemptive interaction with others for the sake of the gospel. Here's some ways to start taking steps to get the message out cross-culturally and within your sub-culture. Others have done these and more, there's nothing new here. Feel free to add to the list...

1. Pray. Ask God where He wants you to go today and who He wants you to engage for the gospel. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send you into His harvest. Pray for those who do not know Christ. Pray that your interactions would be significant, real, sincere, honest and engaging; and that God would keep you from inadvertently doing something to pull the rug out from under your witness to the grace of God in Christ.

2. Adopt. Adopt an ethnic people group living in your area. Frequent their neighborhoods, businesses, and stores and restaurants. Build friendships that cross continents, while not having to go further than the nearest subculture residing nearby. Most people have only a few miles to travel to be in "another world" these days. "The nations" live right next door.

3. Remember where you came from. Don't neglect your own. Don't leapfrog over your own people. Go where God leads but don't stipulate too much based on your preferences. For example, I love ethnic foods and have a selfish tendency to not want to eat American food. So I frequent many ethnic spots and get to know many people in different cultures, but I need to be mindful not to neglect my own culture, whatever that is!

4. Ask. Take time to ask good, leading, engaging, honest, appropriate questions. How long have you lived here? Did you know the language when you arrived? How many languages do you speak? Tell me about your family. What was the weirdest thing for you in this new culture? The toughest thing to get used to? What do you miss most (and least) about your homeland? What do you do for fun? What are your future plans?

5. Choose the harder way. Go somewhere you don't necessarily "want" to go. Find a place of service that isn't your first choice. If you have two options before you, choose the harder of the two ways, just to mix it up. We often gravitate to our comfort zones, get out of yours and see what God does. We profile way to often even within our own cities, towns and neighborhoods. There are places we just won't go and people we just won't talk to. Break out of that limiting trap and explore.

6. Be inviting. It is one thing to engage and then walk away. It is another to invite others into your life. Invite others to family gatherings and everyday activities. Be with people where they live and where you do. Yes, it costs, it is an investment in people. Two things last forever: God's Word and people. Invest heavily in both, especially at the same time.

7. Get collectively creative. I don't know how many people have told me they aren't creative or they have no imagination. Then you get talking and they are a wealth of both! They just need the confidence and assurance that they have something to offer that is uniquely them and they need to exercise that option. Don't always go alone. Get together with a few likeminded souls and talk amongst yourselves. Then go out with the gospel. We are the packaging the gospel comes in. God uses many different ways and people to lead others to Him who is the only Way of salvation.

8. Don't profile. You know what I mean. Everyone does it. The nations live next door and so do people from your own culture that for one reason or another you may not like. Ask God to change your attitude towards them and reveal your hidden (or not so hidden) biases, breaking them down and shattering them for the sake of the gospel.

The gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified is "the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes" (Rom. 1:16). Take it, boldly, unashamed and without fear, to the streets. Because Jesus is coming soon to a city near you.

These ideas barely scratch the surface, I know. What are some of yours?