Student-created video series addresses common concerns about evangelism

Roger struggled under the control and lies of the devil for many years, but things changed when he encountered a group of evangelists from Cana Baptist Church (all students from Southwestern Seminary). The evangelists shared the Gospel with Roger and extended an invitation to respond. Roger brought them into his house, and while sitting on his couch, he repented of his sins, believed in Jesus as Lord and Savior, and called upon His name for salvation.

Following this experience, the first in a formal door-to-door evangelism effort by Cana Baptist Church this past January, one of the evangelists, Jonathan Baldwin, said, “I believe that Roger is the first of many in our community who will hear the Gospel and trust in the Lord.”

In the months since then, Baldwin, a Ph.D. student at Southwestern Seminary, has continued to evangelize door-to-door on behalf of his church as well as Southwestern, and God has indeed provided much fruit. Recently, Baldwin has made an effort to utilize what God has taught him about the evangelistic task in order to help train and encourage other believers in his congregation to share the Gospel so that even more lives may be saved.

Ahead of his church’s evangelism push during the month of October, Baldwin has launched a series of training videos entitled “Sharing the Gospel Every Day” (see here). The series currently comprises six videos on YouTube. Each video features an individual speaker spending two to five minutes addressing a common concern about evangelism.

Matt Queen, L.R. Scarborough Chair of Evangelism at Southwestern, says, “Throughout history, Southwestern Seminary students have found evangelistic inspiration in their classrooms that has led them to use their ingenuity to reach the world. Jonathan Baldwin’s ‘Sharing the Gospel Every Day’ training videos demonstrate just another way that the evangelism taught here at Southwestern is intended to be practiced in the churches. Though he filmed these videos in order to assist the members of Cana Baptist Church in Burleson, Texas, he is finding that they are encouraging and equipping sister congregations and fellow believers to evangelize.”

Multiple speakers in the series are tied to Southwestern, including Baldwin, Baldwin’s wife Laura, professor Matt Queen, and Queen’s daughter Madison. Baldwin says he chose these speakers because they are consistent witnesses for the Gospel, as well as because they evangelize through their local church.

The videos’ topics include how to share the Gospel, proper etiquette for door-to-door witnessing, and methods for how parents can bring their children along for evangelistic endeavors. Speaking on this latter topic, Laura Baldwin suggests bringing snacks, water and “comfort items” for children; reminding them of the Gospel and of God’s command to share the good news with the lost prior to going door-to-door; and tag-teaming with one’s spouse during evangelistic encounters so that one deals with the children while the other drives the conversation.

“That way,” she explains, “there’s a flow to the conversation, our children are well taken care of, and the person we’re talking to has our full attention.”

In another video, Jonathan Baldwin speaks about how to begin evangelistic conversations when going door-to-door, as well as how to transition into Gospel presentations. Regarding the former, Baldwin explains that, after introducing himself and his fellow evangelists, he simply states that they are in the neighborhood telling people how much God loves them. He then immediately begins a Gospel presentation.

If he and the person he engages begin with small-talk, however, a simple transition, Baldwin explains, is to move from “great things that are happening”—that which is good in their lives—to the good news of the Gospel. If they are instead discussing “not-so-great things that are happening,” then Baldwin transitions to the reality of living in a sin-cursed world, followed by why the Gospel is good news.

“Churches will find these videos helpful in training and building up the body to evangelize the lost,” Baldwin says. “Whether you have never shared your faith or you regularly share it, these videos are not only a great starting place, but provide great encouragement to continue being faithful to God’s command to make disciples.”