Gospel Talks Podcast

Ask Your Evangelism Question Now!

Submit Your Questions Here! And we will answer them on future episode. 

In this episode, we delve into a thought-provoking question: Should you pray with an unbeliever? Join us as we explore the power and impact of prayer, even for those who may not yet believe.

**Key Topics Covered:**
- **The First Real Prayer:** Discover how your prayers can be the first genuine communication with God that your friend hears, moving beyond rote prayers from books or religious leaders.
- **Real Relationship with God:** Learn how your heartfelt prayers can demonstrate the reality of a personal and powerful relationship with God.
- **Biblical Examples:** We examine the story of Cornelius from Acts 10, a devout man whose prayers were acknowledged by God, leading him to seek out the Gospel.
- **Invitation to Follow Jesus:** Understand the importance of inviting others to become followers of Jesus, as we look at biblical examples like the Philippian Jailer and the first believers in Acts.
- **Guiding Others in Faith:** Discover the best ways to help your friends express their faith and trust in God through prayer, emphasizing that it’s their faith in Christ's finished work on the cross that saves them.
- **Practical Insights:** Learn practical tips on how to explain and model prayer for others, showing that prayer is simply talking to God from the heart.

Whether you're seasoned in your faith or just starting your journey, this episode offers valuable insights on how to engage with unbelievers through prayer and demonstrate the transformative power of a real relationship with God.

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Ask Your Evangelism Question Now!

n this episode of "The Exchange Bible Study," we dive into the challenging questions that aren't covered in our regular study sessions. From complex theological inquiries to personal doubts and uncertainties, we explore how to navigate these tough topics with faith and understanding. Join us as we seek wisdom, share insights, and learn how to approach the questions that test our knowledge.

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Ask Your Evangelism Question Now!

In this episode, the hosts delve into the challenges of maintaining focus while conducting The Exchange Bible Study, especially when participants have numerous questions and concerns. Here are the key points discussed:

1. **Answering Questions is Crucial:**
   - Unlike old-school evangelism that prioritizes staying on message and deflecting questions, this approach emphasizes the importance of addressing participants' queries.
   - Many questions, like those about the goodness of God amidst suffering, are credibility questions that need answers for participants to genuinely engage with the Gospel.

2. **Patience and Persistence:**
   - The hosts share a story of a friend who spent 22 weeks going through The Exchange Bible Study with an unbelieving friend. Despite numerous questions and obstacles, the patient and thorough approach led to the friend's eventual belief in Christ.
   - This underscores the idea that evangelism often requires more than one interaction and necessitates addressing concerns and questions thoroughly.

3. **Staying on Topic vs. Keeping on Track:**
   - While it's important to stay on topic, the hosts argue that it's not about keeping participants on track but rather ensuring the facilitator stays focused on the subject matter.
   - Confidence in the Gospel's power and a genuine burden to see friends come to faith are highlighted as essential motivations for perseverance.

4. **Managing Distractions:**
   - Some participants may not have questions but simply enjoy talking, which can lead to distractions.
   - The Exchange Bible Study provides a structured format that helps keep the discussion anchored. Facilitators can redirect conversations back to the text with phrases like, "That's great, now let’s see what this next paragraph, or this next question says …”

Overall, the episode encourages a balanced approach of patience, addressing questions, and using the structure of The Exchange Bible Study to maintain focus.

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📱Download the Exchange App Today
📖 Start an Exchange Bible Study
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Ask Your Evangelism Question Now!

In this episode, the Gospel Talks team explores the profound concept of God's nature and its implications for understanding love. They begin by clarifying that while nothing in the created world is God, God is present within the created world. God is not merely an energy force or an indistinct being; He is a real, knowable person who has revealed Himself in the Bible.

The discussion delves into four key attributes of God: He is Holy, Just, Loving, and Gracious. These attributes are presented in a logical order, emphasizing that God embodies all of these qualities simultaneously and perfectly. His love does not negate His justice, nor does His justice diminish His love.

The hosts highlight John 3:16 to illustrate God's immense love for the world, demonstrated through the gift of His only Son. They reference 1 John 4:19, which states that human love originates from God's love for us, and 1 John 4:8, which asserts that knowing God is intrinsically tied to loving others.

Further, they discuss the transformative nature of God's love, as expressed in 1 John 4:14-16, emphasizing that those who live in love are living in God, and God in them. This supernatural love, they argue, can only be fully displayed by true believers, as evidenced by John 13:34-35, where Jesus commands His followers to love one another as a testament to their discipleship.

The episode concludes by reinforcing the idea that true love is supernatural and its only source is God Himself, urging listeners to embrace and reflect this divine love in their own lives.

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📱Download the Exchange App Today
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❤️ Partner with us to reach the world!

Ask Your Evangelism Question Now!

SHOW NOTES:

It might be good to remember 2 key elements. 

–The truth never changes – The doctrine of the Trinity was forever settled before time and won’t be changed when time is no more. 

–The truth may need to be explained differently to an agnostic, than it does to a Muslim. Perspective changes everything. That means we have to ask questions and listen as much as we talk. 

• One God in 3 persons 

–God the Father 

–God the Son 

–God the Holy Spirit 

While I can understand the concept, I can’t imagine the reality.  

It is not illogical, it is just impossible! As Jesus said “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26) 

I’m okay with having a God that is bigger than I am. 

This is a faith thing. If anyone is going to have a relationship with God, they are going to have to choose Faith! 

• There are a lot of things that a person doesn’t have to know to be genuinely saved. 

But when it comes to Who Jesus is – You have to get that one right! 

A person doesn’t have to know about the trinity to be saved, but a person can’t disbelieve the Trinity and especially the deity and the humanity of Jesus and genuinely be saved. 

• When we explain the Gospel it is not always necessary to bring this subject up. 
• When it does come up, simply explain it from the Bible. 
• Be careful with “easy” illustrations – they often lead to error.

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📱Download the Exchange App Today
📖 Start an Exchange Bible Study
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❤️ Partner with us to reach the world!

Ask Your Evangelism Question Now!

**Can You Be Factual and Care How People Feel?**

In this episode, we explore the balance between staying true to biblical facts and showing empathy towards others' feelings. We discuss a thought-provoking statement, “I think my dogma just got run over by your karma,” and delve into how those committed to biblical truths can sometimes come across as unfeeling to those who are sincere about their own beliefs.

Jesus summed up our relationships with God and people in one word: LOVE. He taught us to love God with all our being and to love our neighbors as ourselves. By attempting to view life through our friends' eyes, many conflicts between facts and feelings can be resolved. 

We'll illustrate this with the analogy of a chess player looking at the game from the other side of the board. The goal isn't to be right but to help our friends understand the truth of who God is and how they can have a loving relationship with Him.

If you're interested in learning how to share your faith lovingly and effectively, consider The Exchange Online: Sharing Jesus through Relational Evangelism. This practical, thorough, and biblical online course can be studied individually or in groups, at your own pace. It includes three of our most popular books. Visit exchangemessage.org for more information.

Remember, most people need more than one touch with the Gospel. Don't feel pressured to move someone from A to Z in a single conversation. Be a "soul farmer," as illustrated in John 4, and trust that the timing is in God's hands.

Tune in to discover how to blend truth with love in your evangelism efforts!

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Subscribe to our podcast today!

More Tools:

📱Download the Exchange App Today
📖 Start an Exchange Bible Study
🎓 Take the Exchange Training Course Online
❤️ Partner with us to reach the world!

Ask Your Evangelism Question Now!

In this thought-provoking episode, we delve into the challenging question of the fate of those who have never heard of Jesus Christ. We explore biblical teachings that emphasize the universality of sin and the exclusivity of salvation through Jesus, as highlighted in passages such as Acts 4:12 and John 14:6. The episode addresses common concerns about divine justice, referencing Ecclesiastes 7:20 and Genesis 18:25 to affirm God’s righteousness in judgment.

We discuss the implications of Revelation 20:11-15, which describes the final judgment, underscoring the importance of the Great Commission in Mark 16:15-16. Through a compelling story of transformation, we share how a young man named Myles found hope and purpose through the Gospel and is now preparing to reach unreached people groups.

This episode aims to inspire and equip listeners to join in the mission of spreading the Gospel, emphasizing the urgency and responsibility of sharing the message of Jesus Christ with the world.

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Subscribe to our podcast today!

More Tools:

📱Download the Exchange App Today
📖 Start an Exchange Bible Study
🎓 Take the Exchange Training Course Online
❤️ Partner with us to reach the world!

Ask Your Evangelism Question Now!

Show Notes:

Should we talk about hell with an unbeliever? 

• Let’s always answer questions with the Bible as much as possible. 

– John 16:7-11 

Jesus, on the night He was betrayed told His disciples about the coming ministry of the Holy Spirit, whom He called the Helper, or some translations that Comforter. 

John 16:7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 

v. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 

v. 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 

v. 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 

v. 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. 

–Jesus said that one of the 3 main subjects that the Holy Spirit was in the world to convince the world about was coming judgment. 

–Jesus talked about Hell far more than He talked about Heaven. 

–We only have one conclusion we can draw as to why He did that – Hell is real and Jesus didn’t want people to go there. 

• I take great comfort out of the Bible Truth that God is Holy – He only, always does the right thing. He has to, He is Holy, Perfect. He cannot do wrong.  

– While the truth that His holiness causes separation between us and God is a painful realization to most people, there is a bit of comfort found in that truth as well. 

–The distance between me and God isn’t caused by lack of desire or love on His part. It’s caused by my sin and His Holy nature. My sin separates me from Him. 

• The Bible Truth of God’s Just Nature is also eye opening for most people.  

– 1st lets define Justice – God doesn’t play favorites. Some of us think of God as a doting Grandfather. Maybe we imagine him patting us on the head and say, I know you’ve sinned, but I know you’ve done the best you can so I’m going to let you into heaven anyway. That’s not the way the Bible describes what is going to happen. 

–Justice – God must Judge everyone by the same standard. He is a perfectly just judge! 

–What is the standard He uses to deal with us – The wages of sin is death Romans 6:23 

–What does that look like, because even people going to heaven die physically. 

–We’ll look at that in just a minute, but let’s 1st take a look at a picture of God’s Judgment. Matthew 25:41 Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.’ 

I like to say this is a good news / bad news verse 

The Good News is that God doesn’t want humans to go to into this eternal fire. He prepared it for the devil and his angels. God is “not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” 2Pet 3:9 

The bad news is that some people – Here it is those on His left – have to go to this place of eternal fire. I love to look at my friend and say, “Bill, if I were you, I’d want to know who those people are.” 

–In the last book of the Bible God gi

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❤️ Partner with us to reach the world!

Ask Your Evangelism Question Now!

Episode Title: Is God Fair? Unpacking Divine Justice and Goodness

In this episode, we grapple with one of the most profound questions of faith: Is God fair? Starting with an exploration of fairness versus justice, we delve into the nuances that distinguish these concepts. While fairness is often subjective and determined by feelings, justice is grounded in facts and laws. This distinction is crucial as we seek to understand the nature of God’s actions and character.

Drawing from Lesson 2 of The Exchange Bible Study, we consider the implications of justice, particularly in the context of human legal systems where justice, albeit imperfect, seeks to uphold societal laws. We then pivot to ask more insightful questions: "Is God Just?" and "Is God Good?"

Reflecting on personal experiences and childhood memories, we revisit the simple yet profound prayer: "God is great, God is good." This leads us to affirm God's sovereignty and inherent goodness, even amidst the pain and suffering in the world. We confront the challenging realities of why bad things happen, acknowledging that while God created a perfect world, sin and its curse brought suffering into our lives.

We discuss God's plan to ultimately eradicate sin, referencing the hope found in Revelation 21:4, where God promises a future without pain or sorrow. Yet, we also address the pressing question of why this redemption hasn’t occurred yet, pointing to God's patience and desire for sinners to repent.

The episode culminates in the ultimate demonstration of God's justice and goodness: the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. We explore the profound truth that while it was not fair for Jesus to die for our sins, it was just. Through His sacrifice, He offered us His perfect righteousness in exchange for our sin, highlighting the depth of God's love and the hope of redemption.

Tune in to explore these deep theological questions and gain a greater understanding of God’s nature as both just and good.

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📱Download the Exchange App Today
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Ask Your Evangelism Question Now!

Join us in this  episode as we explore the question: Is it possible to conduct an Exchange Bible Study with someone who speaks broken English? At The Exchange, our mission is to make this transformative study accessible in as many languages as possible. Currently available in English, Spanish, and Simple Chinese, with more translations underway, we're dedicated to reaching diverse communities worldwide.

Delving into the mantra of "More time and more truth versus brief encounters with a brief Gospel," we underscore the importance of ensuring comprehension for a credible decision. Despite language barriers, we offer practical insights to navigate meaningful exchanges with individuals facing linguistic challenges.

Firstly, we recognize that individuals often understand more than they can express. Through simple questioning and patient dialogue, profound connections can be forged. Drawing from personal experiences, including encounters with a young man from Africa, we highlight the power of genuine communication transcending language constraints.

Secondly, we celebrate the technological advancements enabling communication across languages. Tools like Google Translate serve as invaluable aids in bridging linguistic gaps, enhancing our ability to share the Gospel effectively.

Furthermore, we emphasize the significance of prayer in overcoming language barriers, trusting in God's guidance to connect with individuals who can assist in facilitating Exchange Bible Studies in non-English languages.

Finally, we address additional obstacles such as reading and vision impairments, advocating for oral exchanges as a viable solution to ensure accessibility.

This episode offers practical strategies and heartfelt anecdotes, illuminating the transformative potential of Exchange Bible Studies in breaking down linguistic barriers and fostering genuine connections across diverse communities. Tune in and discover the power of meaningful exchanges in spreading the message of hope and salvation.

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Subscribe to our podcast today!

More Tools:

📱Download the Exchange App Today
📖 Start an Exchange Bible Study
🎓 Take the Exchange Training Course Online
❤️ Partner with us to reach the world!