Description: People matter to God. That bedrock truth is the foundation of everything that the Willow Creek Community Church in Illinois does, and it is the foundation of this book as well. When people matter to us as much as they matter to God, we will not be able to keep ourselves from reaching out.

Bill Hybels and Mark Mittelberg remind us that Jesus did not come for the healthy, but for the sick. His ministry was focused on the lost and he urged his disciples to have that same focus. But somewhere along the line, most churches seemed to lose that focus, and we began to expend more energy on self-preservation than on church growth through evangelism.

But this small book can change that. In it, the authors focus on several very important issues regarding evangelism, including: why one should become a contagious Christian; how attractive authenticity, compassion and sacrifice are to people; the evangelistic effectiveness of close relationships; the power of clear communication; and how to have the maximum impact on our community and surroundings. Sound too good to be true? Willow Creek is world famous for its seeker sensitivity (its ability to attract non-Christians). This book explains why, and will teach your church to do the same.

Hybels and Mittelberg do not shy away from the potential costs of what should be termed relationship evangelism. They are upfront about what people may have to give up, but they feel the benefits far outweigh the costs. They remind us that evangelism not only helps the new convert (saving them from sin and hell), but helps the evangelist as well, particularly in the realm of spiritual growth. As people get excited about sharing the gospel, their desire to understand the Gospel increases, which causes them to spend more time reading God's word and spending time with God. Thus, current believers will grow closer to God, and new believers get to come close to God for perhaps the first time. Truly, a win-win situation. 

The video curriculum provides a practical method. Each session's exercises, discussions, self-assessments, and video vignettes offer step-by-step guidance to help you effectively communicate the good news of Christ. Ideal for small and large groups, the curriculum includes a 60-minute videocassette, leader's guide, participant's guide, and a set of overheads.

Order:
[Video Curriculum] Becoming a Contagious Christian: Video Curriculum
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[Book] Becoming a Contagious Christian

Description: When Lee Strobel's wife became a Christian, he found that the positive changes in her were too noticeable to ignore. Since he had a law background (Yale Law School), and was an investigative reporter, Strobel decided to subject the claims of Christianity to the type of scrutiny he used in reporting on legal cases for a major newspaper. The result: The Case for Christ, a book which chronicles Strobel's journey from atheist to Christian, and offers a compelling argument for the veracity of the Christian faith.

To answer his questions, Strobel decided to seek out the experts. He was hoping to learn whether the evidence we have about Jesus in the Bible was reliable and accurate. He picked the brains of the following thirteen experts: Dr. Craig Blomberg (eyewitness evidence); Dr. Bruce Metzger (documentary evidence); Dr. Edwin Yamauchi (corroborating evidence); Dr. John McRay (scientific/archaeological evidence); Dr. Gregory Boyd (rebuttal evidence); Dr. Ben Witherington III (identity evidence); Dr. Gary Collins (psychological evidence); Dr. D.A. Carson (profile evidence); Louis Lapides, M.Div., Th.M. (fingerprint evidence); Dr. Alexander Metherell (medical evidence); Dr. William Lane Craig (evidence of the missing body); Dr. Gary Habermas (evidence of appearances); Dr. J.P. Moreland (circumstantial evidence).

After having all his questions answered, Strobel pulls the evidence together and presents the verdict. Not surprisingly, the verdict, based on legal rules for evidence, pointed to Jesus being exactly who the Bible sayshe is. The evidence overwhelmingly points to Jesus being the son of God, who died on the cross and rose three days later. So if you have questions about the truth of the Christian claims, or know someone who does, this book is the best place to start. Written by someone who knew which questions to ask (because he had them too), this book presents logical, rational answers that can help.

Order: The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus