Dr. Mike Bechtle - Evangelism for the Rest of Us: Sharing Christ within Your Personality Style

Evangelism for the Rest of Us by Mike Bechtle shows how each of us, whatever our personality style, can share our faith in a joy-giving, joy-receiving way. A splendid book.

Ken Blanchard, coauthor, The One-Minute Manager
and The Secret

Many Christians have chosen to sit in the evangelism dugout because they dont feel qualified to be on the field. But theyve been playing the wrong position. Mike Bechtles exploration of evangelism helps people discover the unique position God designed them to play and gives them hope and encouragement to get back in the game.

Dave Dravecky, best-selling author and founder of Outreach of Hope

If you struggle with sharing your faith, like I do, then Mikes book will be significant. His personal stories and practical ideas are wrapped in a biblical perspective with lots of engaging humor. This book will take a heavy burden of guilt off your shoulders and replace it with the joyful confidence of, OK! I canand wantto share Jesus!

Kathy Collard Miller, speaker and author of
Partly Cloudy with Scattered Worries

The evangelism fear factor fades when we simply love people and talk to them. Whether you are an introvert or extrovert, sharing Christ is all about making room for natural relationships with the people in your everyday world. In his book, Mike Bechtle winsomely coaches us all toward authentically living this truth in a most user-friendly way.

Fred Wevodau, National Director of
Urban Ministries for the Navigators

Mikes book touched a chord in my heart as I saw him gently but relentlessly peel away the layers of excuses most of us hide behind. For too many years I practiced the most common and comfortable form of evangelism: I didnt! Now Im working on Mikes three keys to overcoming fear: stay close to God for integrity of character, stay close to unbelievers for opportunities to influence, and stay close to believers for accountability and partnership. Mikes book didnt make me feel guilty for my failure to sharehe is far too kind to engage in that type of negative motivation. Instead, he has written a warm and practical book on evangelism that gives me hope. God wants to partner with me in impacting peoples lives eternally, and he wants me to be myself when I do so. Thanks, Dr. Mike. Because of your book, Im more purposeful about my evangelistic efforts and more confident that God will use me the way I am to lead people to himself.

Dr. Andrew W. Neillie, president,
the Deep in the Heart Leadership Group

2006 by Mike Bechtle

Published by Baker Books
a division of Baker Publishing Group
P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
www.bakerbooks.com

Ebook edition created 2010

Ebook corrections 06.07.2016, 07.21.2017

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meansfor example, electronic, photocopy, recordingwithout the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

ISBN 978-1-4412-0272-7

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture is taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com

Scripture marked NCV is taken from the New Century Version. Copyright 1987, 1988, 1991 by Word Publishing, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Published in association with the literary agency of Alive Communications, Inc., 7680 Goddard Street, Suite 200, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80920.

For my wife, Diane,
who believes in me just the way I am
and lets me believe in her the way she is...

... a long, loving partnership
with my very best friend

contents

Authors get one page to explain how their book actually made it into print. Inevitably, its not because they were wizards of words. Its because other people participated in the process. Without them, most ideas would still be in the authors head. It takes other people to tell you that you have something to say and that you have the ability to put it in writing, and to get off your behind and start putting it on paper.

That could make for a long list, since our thoughts are shaped by every encounter we have in our lifetime. So I hereby acknowledge everyone who has been part of that process. You know who you are, and Im more than grateful.

Specific to this book, however, are a few special individuals who were more than instrumental in making it happen:

Jim Wright initially gave me the opportunity to present these ideas for Sonlight Fellowship, an adult class at the First Evangelical Free Church of Fullerton, California. Im grateful to the members of that class for challenging my thinking as these ideas took shape. In one session, Dr. Janice Strength said four words that freed me to put words on paper: Thats why introverts write.

Dan Prince, Glenn Meadows, and Jeremy Dorse have been my champions over coffee to keep me motivated. Gentlemen, know youre appreciated.

My wife and I have the privilege of serving as mentors in Becoming One, a class of young married couples at the First Evangelical Free Church of Fullerton. A big chunk of our hearts reside with them, and they keep us young. They have been sounding boards for the content as well. Special thanks to Robert Bleker and Greg Bock for the lunch meetings to discuss these ideas.

Kathy Collard Miller told me I could write. Then she gave me encouragement and advice on how she does it. She and her husband, Larry, have always been there for friendship and support. Thanks, guys, for being in our lives.

Im hard on agents. Andrea Christian started the process, then went to work for a publisher. Then Chip MacGregor took my manuscript through labor and delivery and promptly left the profession. Now Beth Jusino is shepherding my words. Hopefully, I wont cause the same result with her. All three have been agents with Alive Communications, which has far exceeded my expectations for an agency.

Vicki Crumpton of Baker Publishing Group spins her editorial magic around my words to make them coherent. Ive been amazed at how good I sound when she gets hold of my ideas. If this is what its like to work with an editor, I think Ill keep writing for a long, long time. Thanks, partner!

My son, Tim, single-handedly convinced me that I could find the time to write and showed me how to make it happen. Without his wisdom, there would be no book. My gratefulness is exceeded only by my love for you, son.

My daughter, Sara, has shaped my thinking through our many conversations over the years. Shell challenge my ideas because she cares. Starbucks was made for our times together, and I enjoy nothing more than simply being with you. Thanks for bringing Brian into our familyhes a gift. Together you gave us a granddaughter, Averie. I love you all.

FinallyDiane has given me more than twenty-eight years of love and friendship. Youve always had my heart, and you always will.

1
why is it so hard?

I gave up on evangelism.

I dont remember exactly when, but it was a long, long time ago. I cant put my finger on the exact date, but somewhere along the line, my passion for souls took a detour.

It wasnt always that way. I actually remember a time when I looked for opportunities to witness. Youre a Christian, people said. Youll automatically want to lead people to Christ. I knew evangelism was important. I knew the value of it. I even took classes, looked for chances to share, and prayed for opportunities.

Occasionally, I found a stranger to share with. Those were the best opportunitiesthe ones that felt like real evangelism. I would start the conversation, move quickly into presenting the gospel, and end as quickly as I had started. The person usually didnt make a commitment to Christ, but I had done my part.