Free and available for editing and adaptation for Evangelical purposes

In my desire to consistently share the gospel with the people around me, I have tested and tried a number of applications for smartphones. The principle is simple: no matter where I go, I always have my phone on me. While I am impressed with the availability of applications that allow me to take the Bible with me, I cannot find an application or video that successfully presents the gospel in an effective manner. Therefore, I endeavored to create such an application myself. In my search, I realized something incredibly important: the most accessible way to create the presentation was to package it in a Power Point presentation or PDF slide set. Those two documents are universally applicable to any smartphone or mobile device today: Windows Phone, Android device, tablet, ipad, iphone, etc. Better yet, updating the language or contents in these slide shows is simple too, so that they can be adapted to each person’s specific style and desire.

Below is a downloadable copy of the basic presentation, a copy of a longer presentation directed at Muslims, and a guide that describes the basic concepts each slide is designed to represent. Feel free to edit this to work for your personal use. I don’t desire credit and I don’t have a desire to force anyone into my mode of sharing the gospel, I only desire to equip other people beyond myself.

Remember this helpful aspect of electronic presentations too: They are as easy to share with others as sending them as an email attachment. This is often a very comfortable way for me to both give the person follow up material, and get their contact information.

For someone who accepts the gospel, I will leave them with a Bible or a New Testament, and we set a plan going forward for church attendance and follow up. I always pass along this presentation by email, so they can review it and be reminded of the concepts, and then I pray blessing for them as they start their new walk.

Basic Gospel Presentation:     PPT File          PDF File

Gospel for Muslims:               PPT File          PDF File

Presentation Guide

For anyone downloading these tools, I only ask for one thing: feedback. Please tell me what you like, what you don’t like, and what you would change.

Also note, the reason I have pdf files in addition to Power Point, is that Power Point is best, but I have found that it does not always work perfectly on some devices, particularly the HP Tablet. Often the background graphics don’t work perfectly.

If your mind works anything like mine, you’ve probably spent a lot of Sundays distracted during the worship time. Busy with your own thoughts, angry at the person who came in late and disrupted you to get to his seat, or distracted by some abstract person or motion between you and the stage. Though worship consists of far more than what happens during the Sunday service, we tend to allow it to swallow the focus of our lives, until Sunday is the only day in which we act in a holy manner.

The following video has been very popular lately, and for good reason…it ironically reflects the truth that we need to get serious about worshiping, both on Sunday and throughout the week, with our singing, our witnessing, and our fellowship with God.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoDi157qdGw&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

The Christian life is a life of selflessness and sacrifice.

Jesus said, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” (Luke 9:23) and "And whosoever does not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:27).

My understanding of the role of sacrifice in my own life is to manage the things He gives me as a good steward: my marriage, my money, and my possessions. Those things all really belong to Him, I just take care of them and invest them for a good return…a return of souls reconnected to Him.

The question that often comes back to haunt me is: How much am I called to sacrifice?

I have given up many things in the course of my life…but I also live with many things I could give up. I don’t have to live at my current standard of living…I choose to live in a state of comfort above most of the world’s population. I believe God is ok with my decisions in that respect. I didn’t have to get married, but I felt that God setup the marriage I have and called me to that lifestyle. I don’t have children—and I feel that God has placed that sacrifice on my heart and Stacy’s heart at this time too.

I revisit these sacrifices and others often, because the American dream that I see all around me is VERY appealing at times, and living a sacrificial lifestyle causes me to look weird and even unspiritual to some people (imagine the looks I get when I tell people Stacy and I have been married seven years and have not chosen to start a family). I become envious of the things that other people around me have: homes, families, expensive hobbies, and great careers. 

I also revisit this topic of sacrifice often because I am constantly reminding myself that I cannot judge the level of sacrifice that He has called other people to. I often wish that more American Christians would live a life of sacrifice for the sake of supporting their church, supporting missions work, and getting involved in serving others.

I’m a crazy person at the beginning of each year. I LOVE to make resolutions every time January comes around, and I usually fill an entire sheet of paper with them.

As such a passionate goal setter, I’m prone to ask others about their resolutions, only to get a lot of blank stares and goofy “you’re crazy” looks. So if you’re a goal setter too, please send me your goals and your thoughts on mine, which I’ve shared below:

2011 Initiatives

Stay in Shape:

• Exercise 2x per week (and lose weight to 140 lbs)
• 7+ Day Detox starting January 17^th
• Eat Healthier: 2 pieces of fruit/day and regulate sugar intake: DrP., Ice Cream, candy
• Bi-monthly 5k’s or Triathlons: Blackland Tri, Cooper Clinic Tri, Tulsa Run 5k

Lead the Home in Spiritual Growth:

• Regular Prayer on Sat or Sun
• Regular Bible Study and Journaling
• Special Worship Opportunities, concerts
• Better Discussion regarding our spiritual lives
• More romance of my wife

Travel:

• Big Bend Camping Trip (Spring Break)
• Possibly Northeast: Dean and Corbie and Liberty University
• Possibly West Cost: Derrick in Seattle and/or Lindy in San Diego
• Weekend Getaways: Chicago, TX B&B, Houston

DTS:

• Complete Thesis
• Internship at Church
• Teach a Lay Institute Class

Church/Service:

• Victim Relief
• Complete Application Process with Missions Agency
• Read through Operation World

Finances:

• Sell house in ATL
• Give more money outside of the tithe
• Try to motivate a cheaper and more giving Christmas with family

Personal Growth:

• Regular Personal Bible Reading through Chronological Bible
• Regular Reading in the Original Languages
• Solitude: Periodic Days of Reflection, Personal Hiking Trip
• Read the Quran
• Attend the Willow Creek Leadership Summit

Books:

• Decision Points
• Bill Bryson
• 3 Missions Books

When God is at work in the lives of people, its awe-inspiring to watch. It’s impact is more powerful in my life than most sermons. The post below is a God-encounter that my old home church in Atlanta celebrated on Sunday. If you’re ready for a God-encounter, read this blog post about one couple’s journey back to God, and then watch the video from Buckhead Church this past Sunday, as they share their stories with their home church.

I especially love the part where he writes:

“It seems like a crime not to tell others how I’ve been changed. How I’ve been taken over by the Holy spirit and how I literally can’t stop thinking and talking to God now.”

Jason and Samantha Davenport Baptisms from buckheadchurch on Vimeo.