Evangelism That Works Every Time

“Then Jesus said to the lawyer, ‘GO AND DO LIKEWISE.’” Luke 10:37

If Jesus was living in America today, who would He intentionally pursue? To whom would He go out of His way to reveal His kindness? I think we all know the answer: the outcasts, the poor and needy, the hurting, and those that society rejects as unimportant.

A lawyer was testing Jesus by asking how he could be sure he could go to heaven. Jesus responded by saying, “Love God with all your heart, and love your neighbor as yourself.” The lawyer then said, “Who is my neighbor?” hoping to justify himself as a pretty good guy. Jesus proceeds to tell us the well-known story of the Good Samaritan, who found a half-dead man who had been robbed and beaten and left on the road to die.

Here’s where it gets interesting! This man took this stranger and bandaged his wounds, put him up in a hotel and arranged for continued care until he was better... all at his own expense. The story gives us no indication that he joined their church or ever put something in the offering plate. Perhaps he was never seen again. But it was ‘love in action’! Effective evangelism will cost us. It must intentionally pursue the outcasts of our neighborhoods. It won’t be cheap, and it won’t be inside our comfort zone... BUT IT WORKS EVERY TIME!

Intentional for souls,

Tom Elie
Evangelists/President
Oasis World Ministries

FREE Sofa Evangelism

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify you Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16).

My wife decided to get rid of a used sofa in our storage room. So instead of trying to sell it, she thought she would try to give it away to someone in need. It was a little ragged, but it could still be a blessing to someone just starting out.

We advertised it in a free internet site. She received only one call. After some time, this woman arranged to come to our house and pick it up. I told her to be sure to bring a friend to help move it. So when her friend and I were done loading it into her truck, I was prayed up and ready to see how I could share my faith with them before they left.

I asked them if I could share with them the greatest thing that had EVER happened to me. (It's always good to ask for permission to share first.) They said sure, and were all ears! I said something like this...

You know, I used to be searching, lonely, and depressed. I wondered what purpose MY life had, if any. But one day someone told me I could have a living relationship with Jesus Christ. Not just dead ritual... but a best friend who would never leave me. I invited Jesus to forgive me and be in the driver's seat of my life. And do you know what happened? He did... He forgave me, He gave me new purpose and new hope! So I just wanted to share this with you before you left today. By the way, who is in the driver's seat of your life?

Well, I call it Good Works Evangelism. You see, people ought to be able to see something in your behavior that attracts them to the Jesus in you. What can we do for people out of love for Jesus? When you are done doing the good works, then pray if God will eventually give you an opportunity to tell them why you love to do GOOD WORKS. Enjoy the journey!

Tom Elie
Evangelist/President
Oasis World Ministries

I Can't Wait!

"God has set eternity in the hearts of men." Ecclesiastes 3:11

We recently flew into the Minneapolis airport during a rain storm. Because it was also lighting, the outside ramp crews were prohibited from servicing the planes. We taxied within 200 feet of our gate. We could see the empty gate. We could've walked there in 60 seconds if they allowed it. But, the pilots were prohibited from parking the jet because there were no service personnel available while it was lightning.

So there we sat… longing for something that was temporarily unreachable.

That's how God made us. We all have a deep longing for the perfect No matter how great the vacation, the night-on-the-town, the job promotion or the earthly accomplishment, it never brings the lasting joy for which we had hoped. Tomorrow always has new challenges.

According to author Mark Buchanan in his book, "Things Unseen", this is not a flaw. "God made us this way. He made us to yearn- to always be hungry for something we can't get, to always be missing something we can’t find, to always be disappointed with what we receive, to always have an insatiable emptiness that no thing can fill and an untamable restlessness that no discovery can still. It's not the wanting that corrupts us. What corrupts us is the wanting that's misplaced, set on the wrong thing."

What can I see in the distance, but can't obtain?

HEAVEN! We all have a longing to live life to it's fullest. But the only time and place it will ever happen is in heaven! Our life here can either frustrate us, or remind us that I am only experiencing life half-way on this earth. We often have a homesick feeling. Someday soon the dream will be a reality. Let's stay focused on the stuff that matters for eternity… SOULS!


Living intentionally for souls,
Tom Elie
Evangelist/President
Oasis World Ministries

May I see Your Papers, Please?

"Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant…"

Every time I get on the airplane, I have to show my driver's license and ticket to at least two different people. When they look at my picture ID, I tell them that it really isn't my best photo. They usually laugh and agree!

Doctors have medical degrees, the clergy has ministerial credentials, and electricians have to pull a permit to do their work. Even your high school gave you a diploma. How about Christians?

Do I need a special, signed edict from heaven to share my faith? What if I really blow it? What if the conversation is more confusing than helpful? What if I don't live a perfect life in front of my family? Maybe I should let the "professionals" handle this witnessing thing.

Let's get one thing real clear. GOD is the one who saved us, called us and commissioned us to be His witness. HE will show us what to say. He will help us prepare "to give an answer to every one who asks us a reason of the hope that is in us."

I'm not 'smarter than the average bear'. But I find that He will help me grow in the knowledge of Him as far as I want to grow. Every witnessing experience is part of my schooling.

We are in His continual 'School Of Evangelism'… on-the-job-training is part of His curriculum. Do you feel unqualified to share your faith? Let's stop leaning on OUR OWN credentials.

OUR SUFFICIENCY IS FROM HIM. (thank God!)

Living intentionally for souls,
Tom Elie
Evangelist/President
Oasis World Ministries

Don't Keep The Faith

“Pray for me also, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should” (Ephesians 6:19).

My wife and I were checking out of a Florida hotel early one morning. I had prayed that God would use me today to talk to someone about His great love.

Then something both exciting and scary happened. While I was riding the elevator down to the lobby, God began to put a holy desire within me. "I want you to talk to the clerk at the front desk,” said God.

Immediately my flesh began to give me several good reasons why God's plan would not work. After all, the lobby would be packed with customers in a hurry to check out, the man would be busy, and I surely wouldn’t have time to say very much at all.

But as the elevator doors opened onto the lobby area, I had shock and awe!

Not one customer was anywhere in sight. Here stood the lone clerk at the front desk, just waiting for me! Now my spiritual knees were quivering, and I knew I had once more heard from God.

I slowly walked over to this huge, expansive counter, wondering what in the world I would say. I decided to begin our conversation talking about the weather.

But I could already tell I was in trouble as I had begun listening to my fears.

I knew I had to take a bold step of faith, or I would miss this divine appointment.

I began to 'hem and haw’; talking about everything except what God had put in my heart. If you delay long enough, which I did, you will lose the holy moment God made for you. I did. Soon the lobby was crowded with other customers, and I had blown it.

As I was backing my car out of the parking lot, tears were falling down my cheeks. I prayed, “God, please send another faithful servant to talk to this hurting man. And God, please let me NEVER FORGET this moment. If I am weeping, how much more do you weep for your lost children?”

Our greatest joy comes from SHARING the faith, not KEEPING it.

Intentional for souls,

Tom Elie
Evangelist/President
Oasis World Ministries

Retire Rich

"Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together" (John 4:36).

Enter "how to be a millionaire" on Google, and you will get 27,900 opportunities to become a millionaire… most of them bogus. "Get rich quick" schemes abound, and the crooks are almost as many.

There are three problems: 1. A million bucks doesn't go near as far as it used to, 2. We can't take dollar number one with us when we die. 3. We might die today.

Nothing is guaranteed… except the risk.

However, God's word gives us a sure-fire, no-risk formula for "retiring rich".

When we invest our resources, time and talents into helping others find Christ as their Savior, then we will have a "retirement party" of new believers welcoming us into heaven. When we walk through the pearly gates, people of all races, nations and colors will run to us with glad faces. "Thank you, thank you, thank you for helping me find Christ and gain heaven", they will cry.

These are TRUE RICHES… guaranteed not to ever shrink in value. You will have eternal friendships because of your shrewd and strategic investments in souls. Think of it, you and I help determine a person's eternal destiny.

No one will stand in heaven wishing they invested less… I guarantee it!

Living intentionally for souls,

Tom Elie
Evangelist/President
Oasis World Ministries

Almost Saved

"For we are to God the fragrance of Christ, among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing" (II Corinthians 2:15).

Some days I hate computers! They lure me into tediously and thoughtfully entering all my creativity, and then with one missed keystroke, I can erase it ALL!

What happened? I FORGOT TO SAVE MY WORK!

What's the solution, you ask? I must continually SAVE my work every so often, thus limiting my exposure and loss potential.

There are many people in our lives who are IN THE PROCESS OF BEING SAVED. God is often dealing with them. You and I are regularly loving them.

And before long, they WILL be saved!

My attitude and approach can either ERASE much of what others have sowed into their lives, or it can BUILD on what others have sown. I wonder whom God will bring into our path today who is in the process of being saved. You and I can help them get ONE STEP CLOSER to their decision to surrender to God.

Success is not winning someone to Christ, but bringing them one step closer!

Living intentionally for souls,

Tom Elie
Evangelist/President
Oasis World Ministries

State of the World Evangelism Report

Ever wonder how we’re doing at fulfilling the Great Commission?

Are we really reaching our world for Christ? Yes… by God's grace, we are!

GlobalChristianity.org tells us that by AD 1900, 45.69% of our world was evangelized. In only the next 100 years, more than 73% of our world had heard the gospel. Yet still today, over 1.8 billion people still have not heard of Christ.

Every time we go to India we preach ‘Jesus’ to thousands of people who are hearing the gospel for the first time. What a privilege. Yet I have a surprising story for you.

A few years ago we were going door-to-door in Minneapolis asking people what “Easter” meant to them. A 25 year-old Spanish lady answered the door. After some initial conversation, we posed the question to her, “ma’am, what does Easter mean to you?” Her reply stunned me.

“What is Easter” she asked? I stumbled out an answer about it telling the story of Jesus' death and resurrection. And she said, “Who is Jesus?”

Here was a young lady on my home-turf that did not know a thing about Jesus. The unchurched are increasing in America. BUT, they are spiritually open!

The late Bill Bright said he believed that 50% of Americans would turn their lives over to Jesus Christ if the gospel was lovingly presented to them by someone they trusted.

We are God's “A-Team” in bringing the gospel to our world, There is no

“B-Team”. Let's make 2006 count in a big way by building bridges of friendship

to people who need Christ. All of heaven is cheering for us!

Intentional more than ever for souls,

Tom Elie
Evangelist/President
Oasis World Ministries