How to Convince or Persuade People 
to Receive a Bible Study
By James Jackson

I. Introduction

	The Bible says in Luke 14:23, "And the Lord said unto the servant, 'Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.' The word "compel" means to bring them in by persuasion. In order to get people to commit to a bible study, we must convince them that a bible study is in their best interest and that it will be a benefit and blessing to their life and walk with God.

	Sometimes convincing and persuading people to receive a Bible Study is not as easy as it sounds. We are going to discuss some of the different techniques to obtain a Bible Study.

II. Prayer and Fasting

	One of the quickest ways to obtain a Bible Study is through prayer and fasting! During your prayer and fasting you must ask God in faith and believe that he will put someone in your path. When God answers your prayer and puts someone in your path, you must open your mouth and speak!

	A pastor by the name of John Wolfram once challenged his church congregation to win a soul within a year. He asked the question, "Who can win one within six months?" and then said. "Who could win one within three months?"

	I took this as a personal challenge and I prayed every day asking God to help me win someone to the Lord before the year was up. I was a new convert; I had been in church for only about two years. I had never taught a Bible Study before, I did not know what a Bible Study chart even looked like. But I prayed earnestly that God would help me to win someone to God.

	I purchased two bible studies and began to study them. It seemed like out of nowhere people began to cross my path and would ask me about God. So I began to ask them would they be interested in a Bible Study, and the response from most of them was "yes" my first Bible study, I had three families in that study. I made a lot of mistakes trying to teach that Bible Study and I did not win one person out of that Bible Study. But I did not quit, I started another Bible Study with two families and eventually with God's help won both of those families. How did it come about? Because of prayer and fasting.

•	According to Mark 11:24, the Bible says, "What things what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them."

	Prayer and fasting is one of the main keys of obtaining people to teach Bible Studies to.
In April of 2004 my wife and I went into a season of fasting and praying for about 25 days. At the end of my fast, the Lord spoke to me and impressed me to go and witness to my boss. At that particular time, he had just started to go to a church that he really enjoyed. But I obeyed the voice of the Lord and witnessed to my boss that morning and he agreed to have a Bible Study.

This is how the conversation went:

	When we both arrived at work that morning, I said, "Sergeant Woodfork, I have something to tell you," and he said, "What's that Sergeant Jackson?" I said, "Sergeant Woodfork, I know you go to church and that you are happy where you are going, but God has more for you, and if I don't tell you, God will hold me accountable." Sgt Woodfork replied, "If God has more for me, I want to know," and that's when I scheduled the Bible Study. 

	He came to my house on Saturday and I taught him a Bible Study. He came to church Sunday and was baptized in Jesus' name and received the Holy Ghost. He then started bringing people to my house for a Bible Study. By the end of 1994, my wife and I won thirty families to the Lord by teaching Home Bible Studies. How did it happen? Through prayer and fasting!

III. Establishing Bible Studies from Church Visions

	Church visitors are some of the easiest people to get a commitment from to teach a Bible Study. There are two ways to approach the visitors seeking a Bible Study.

A. During the Altar Call

	When a visitor responds to the pull and tugging of the Holy Ghost and comes to the altar, that is the time when their heart is tender and open to God. Once they are finished praying or seeking for the Holy Ghost that is a good time to talk to them about receiving a Bible Study. You should approach them something similar to this:

	Brother or Sister, I just want to tell you that God is pleased with the way that you have reached out to Him. God also has more for you, and the only way to find out about everything that God has for you is by learning more about His word. I'm willing to sit down with you at your convenience, once a week to show you in God's word what more He has in store for you.
                    
	The majority of the time you will end up with a Bible Study commitment.	

B. Talking to a visitor after a church service

	Approaching a visitor after church service that does not respond to the altar call is a delicate situation and must be handled the proper way. First, thank them for being at your church and then tell them that you hope they will come back and visit, and if you can, assist them in any way that you are available to. After you thank them for attending service, this is the time to approach them about a Bible Study. Ask them if they would be interested in knowing more about everything that God has for them. If they say yes, set up the Bible Study. If they hesitate, I will sometimes go and get a small Bible Study flip chart, and flip through some of the pages and explain to them some of the things they will be learning. Most of the time, I will get a Bible Study commitment. Visitors are some of the easiest because they are already there. Reach for your visitors.

IV. Surveys

	Door to door surveys are another effective way to receive Bible Study commitments. There is a Quest survey that can be easily modified to fit your church's desired questions to ask people trying to get a Bible Study commitment. Listed below is an example of the survey. (Feel free to modify this survey to your advantage).  Be sure to ask the ‘why’ questions.  You want them to interact with you, not just answer yes or no.

Quest Survey

Hello...I'm	                              , and I'm here representing_________________________                                                                                                  

	We are in your area taking a survey today and would like your opinion about a few matters concerning problems in your community and God's solution to them. Would you have a minute right now to answer a few questions?

1.) Do you believe in God? Yes / No
2.) Do you consider yourself a Christian? Yes / No
3.) Do you believe the Bible is God's Word?	Yes / No  Why do you believe this?
4.) Do you believe God still speaks and works with his people? Yes / No
5.) Do you think God has anything to say concerning terrorism plaguing our nation? Yes / No
6.) The Bible says that in the last days God will pour out his Spirit upon all flesh. Do you feel that we are in the last days?	Yes / No  Why do you believe this?
7.) Do you believe that God is pouring out His Holy Spirit upon all who want it today? Yes / No
8.) Do you believe in divine miracles and healing today? Yes / No  Why do you believe this?
9.) Do you believe that if someone wanted God to deliver them from alcohol, drugs, smoking, or     depression that he could? Yes / No
10.) If God was to come today would you be ready to meet him? Yes / No
11.) Have you ever felt a desire to know more about God's Word and His will for your life?
Yes / No  Why?
12.) What are you looking for in a church? (Ex. Sunday School, Choir, presence of God, etc.)

	This is the end of the quest survey. Thank you very much for your cooperation. We would also like to let you know that we are offering the folks in this area the opportunity to have a free Bible Study course right in the privacy in your own homes. It is free and non-denominational, and you don't have to join a church. Would you be interested in such a study?

	Additional notes: (trained instructors; in person or on video; from 1 to 12 lessons.) Our desire is to provide an opportunity to study god's Word.

Name: ____________________	 
Phone #____________________	
Address: ____________________	

V. Marriage Counseling

	I any talking about people who do not have the Holy Ghost, this one is not for everyone, but only for those that have been approved by the pastor. If your pastor gives you permission to do marriage counseling, when the opportunity presents itself you should offer them a Home Bible Study. Here is a suggestion on what you can say if you are doing marriage counseling:
Brother and Sister Smith, I will teach you about many of the things that can help your marriage, but without the Holy Ghost it might not last. Can I teach you a Bible Study on receiving the Holy Ghost?

	Every time I used this approach during marriage counseling, I was able to teach a Bible Study and win them to the Lord.

Additional Recommended Resources:

	Dawn Kurtz, Soul Winner, Pentecostal Publishing House

From: Apostolic Training Institute International: Soul Winning Teacher’s Manual