The Ripple Effect
2025 Edition
Introduction
Thank you for your commitment to the gospel. For your time, energy, prayer, effort, so that others might know Jesus. So disciples can be built. And nations reached. Thank you!
In so many ways, the Internet, social media, and AI have changed our world…how we shop, get information, connect with each other, plan trips, do business, etc.
You likely are missing some very simple, very impactful ways to help people know and follow Jesus.
In this ebook, I hope to shed light on how you can expand your ministry effectiveness in exciting ways.
Many Christian organizations and churches are struggling to recognize what is impacting them. They see the decline or flat-lined growth, but not sure what actions to take.
In this ebook, I hope to shed light on what’s changed, and show you some easy, small tweaks to your current approach that can expand your ministry effectiveness in exciting ways.
I hope this infuses in you a new joy, a greater excitement to do what God has called you to do.
I don’t have all the answers. But the few ideas I have, I hope to present clearly and easily for you.
I hope this infuses in you a new joy, a greater excitement to do what God has called you to do.
Thank you for your heart,
Marilyn Adamson
founder/director of EveryStudent.com
EveryPerson.com
StartingwithGod.com
EveryStudent.info
Author bio
I was an atheist for years, until I met an impressive Christian. Nearly every day for a year and a half, I challenged her with my questions. She patiently researched answers for me, until I could escape God no longer.
He deeply changed my life. I came on staff with a Christian organization named Cru with one hope…to use media to reach as many people as possible.
From that desire, EveryStudent.com was launched. It has gone through many tweaks, design and content changes. But the purpose has always remained the same: to give nonbelievers persuasive reasons to begin a relationship with God.
The site is now available under two names: EveryStudent.com and EveryPerson.com. It’s the same site, so use whichever name you'd like.
This site for nonbelievers is also available in 50 languages. It was visited by over 75 million people last year.
Even more exciting, more than 4,000 people every day tell us they asked Jesus into their lives while on the site.
My first passion is assisting nonbelievers in their journey toward God. Second is to help you see greater ministry results with less effort.
~ Chapter 1 ~
God Speaking to Nonbelievers
While people are on EveryStudent.com, God is moving in people’s hearts, speaking to them about who he is and what he is offering them.
The site is filled with Scripture and persuasive reasons to believe. And God is leading many into a relationship with himself.
Here are just a few examples.
"I gave my life to Christ on 5/21 and He turned my world upside down in the most beautiful way :)"
“This is the start of my new beginning! JI have invited him in J*Knock, Knock* Please come in… J”
"Thank you so much for posting all of this, it's been so nice how much sense it makes. It helped me find Jesus/God/Our Lord. I am new to it (I used to be Agnostic). Your website has provided believable proof and such eye opening material."
“I just don’t know how to explain what GOD has done to me...everything about me has changed, fear has left me, panic has left me, i always enjoy the presence of God.”
“I am very glad. My mind is free after reading the articles about God, sexuality... I suffered from pornography but now no more! I feel free... Thank you for creating such a wonderful website!”
“I visited your website last year and it has been a life changing experience. I came to know about the love of God and the relationship we can have with him. I do not have words to explain the joy I am experiencing today."
Not only are people coming to Christ, but we immediately help them grow in their new relationship with God, through another site we built for new believers: StartingwithGod.com.
In this ebook, I want to show you how these sites can be useful to you…how you can enjoy the thrill of seeing God work through your life on a regular basis to help others…and without it requiring a lot of time and energy on your part.
Churches and whole organizations can also use this to see greater reach and growth.
We’ve always seen a direct correlation…the more people who come to EveryStudent.com, the more who receive Christ.
Now let me show you how you can experience greater freedom and joy in personal conversations with those people who are yet to know Jesus.
~ Chapter 2 ~
Talk About God: Three Examples
When you think of sharing the gospel with someone, what comes to your mind?
If you’re like many Christians, stress might first come to mind. You don’t want to hurt your relationship with the person. Especially if it’s a close friend, family member, coworker.
Even with someone you just met, you might be concerned that they’ll be offended. And you want to avoid any conversation that might quickly turn awkward.
You might also wonder if they’re going to ask you a question you can’t answer….like, “Ok, explain to me how people are starving through droughts, children abducted for sex, earthquakes killing thousands.”
Not only can those kinds of questions rattle your faith, but you also feel bad that you haven’t been able to help the person much. It’s a horrible feeling.
This is where EveryStudent.com can be so helpful. Let me show you.
Here are real conversations I've had with three people recently.
PERSON #1 - Tom
We are seated next to each other on a two-hour flight. Tom asks what I do.
I said (and you can say the same thing), "I am connected to a website that seeks to answer people's questions about life and God, like how do you know God exists?” (It's a great conversation starter.)
Tom started asking me all sorts of questions about God. He told me that for years, a friend had been trying to persuade him to believe in Jesus.
I asked him, “What are your hesitations?” We talked about God the entire two hours of the flight.
During the conversation, I knew that I had a website that could help him immensely.
It's like knowing you have a car full of groceries and you just met a homeless person who is very hungry. I knew the website answered so many of the questions he was asking!
At the end of the flight I said,
"Tom, you can’t become a Christian just because you friend wants you to. You need to do your research. Here is a site that answers the very questions you are asking. It will give you reasons to believe in God, why Jesus and not other religions, and why the Bible is reliable. Spend some time on it and make a decision. You’ve been dragging this out for too long."
And I handed him a card with “EveryStudent.com” on it. He was genuinely grateful.
PERSON #2 - Bob
Three of us were sharing a taxi ride from the airport to the same location. Two of us were Christians. Bob quickly identified himself an atheist.
My Christian friend in the taxi tried to engage Bob in some reasons to believe in God.
As a former atheist, I knew that there was probably nothing my Christian friend could say in that 10-minute taxi ride that would convince Bob (though God can do anything).
I listened to Bob's objections about God. Then I asked him, "Would you be open to believing in God if you saw sufficient evidence?"
After he said yes, I said, "Then I'd like to ask you to try something. Go to EveryStudent.com and sign up for a free email series called 'The Spiritual Adventure Pack.' It is 7 emails, automatically sent to you every two days.
There is a link at the bottom of each email that you can click to cancel. The series explains how a rational person can arrive at faith. It gives logical and scientific evidence for God. It also covers damaging evidence against God, and if it’s possible to personally experience God’s love.”
Bob said he’d try it. That meant Bob was letting someone speak to him about God seven times over the course of the next two weeks. God could speak to him.
I told Bob that along the way, if he had questions, he could anonymously email the site and someone will reply to him. Or, he was welcome to email me, if he’d rather. On the EveryStudent.com business card, I wrote, “The Spiritual Adventure Pack” and my email address.
Is it possible to help change a person’s life when you just met them, and you only have ten minutes in a taxi with them?
Yes.
Why? Because in those 10 minutes, I was able to give Bob a website he already had in his possession. I just needed to point it out. I didn’t need hours of face-to-face time with Bob. In fact, I’m pretty sure that would be less effective.
I know what is in “The Spiritual Adventure Pack.” It will give Bob logical, persuasive reasons to believe in God, written specifically for atheists.
I loved being able to invite Bob into this spiritual adventure.
Let me give you one more illustration of how a short conversation can have a major impact in someone’s life.
PERSONS # 3 – Two women
I’m on a flight. The two young women sitting next to me are both obviously bored.
One is flipping through the flight magazine (a definite sign of boredom). The other is periodically staring out the window. They tell me with dread that they have another 10-hour flight after this one!
So as we are landing, I said, “I have something that will make your next flight way more interesting! I know of an app, it’s free on Android and iOS.
It takes on all the hard questions about life, relationships, and God. It covers things like, “Why is life so hard?” “How do you know God exists?” “What about relationships?” You’ll love it. It’s called: Every Student.
They said, “Oh my gosh. It sounds great!” They had it installed on their phones before we arrived at the gate.
This app is available in iOS and Android. Here’s more information about it, with links to download it: https://www.everystudent.info/c/app.html
I will share with you more conversations with people who don’t yet know God later in this ebook. But right now, I want to talk about our current culture.
~ Chapter 3 ~
The Culture Has Shifted. How To Catch Up.
Our culture has shifted to the person being in control, not the institution. Privacy has become important. Many people want to be able to order products or gather information on their own, at the moment they want. And the Internet has ushered in this radical change.
Allow me to explain.
When Amazon first began, books were their only product.
Soon, while Barnes and Noble bookstores were trying to entice customers into their stores, Amazon was sending books to millions of customers’ homes.
People enjoyed the convenience, speed, selection from Amazon, and especially that it required no effort on their part.
No longer did the person have to go to the product. Now, the product could come to the person.
Uber is the same thing. The person says, “I want a ride. I want it right now. You come to me.”
Long ago, Blockbuster stores rented movies (that you had to physically pick up and return). They went out of business in 2010.
Now with a simple click on Netflix, Apple +, Hulu, etc. we bring movies to us. All without effort. All under our control.
Since Covid hit the world, the convenience of “you bring it to me” escalated even further not only product delivery from stores, but also restaurants.
Fully prepared meals from restaurants you like, sent to the comfort of your home. No fighting traffic or weather. You come to me.
Speed. Convenience. Ease. Under my control. Privately.
How does this relate to ministry?
We might need to adjust our approach.
In addition to presenting the gospel in a church service, in a Bible study, in an evangelistic event, we might need to also offer people an option like EveryStudent.com, where they can conveniently explore their questions about God on their own.
It is a shift from always trying to bring people to us, to offering people the option of hearing the gospel in ways that fit their lifestyle.
We need to accommodate them. Make it easy for them to be in control. Help them find answers to their questions the way they prefer, that fits their schedule.
EveryStudent.com is fast. It’s at their moment of need. There’s no effort. And it’s private, under one’s control. No risk of debate or embarrassing questions.
This allows us to offer people a way to explore their questions about God in a way that feels familiar to them...on their mobile device. They already carry the gospel with them, we simply need to point out where to look.
EveryStudent.com addresses many questions, with reasons to begin a relationship with God. It’s an easy, convenient way for them to receive the message of Jesus…just like Amazon, Uber, Netflix, restaurants…
...and the Apostle Paul.
Paul read his audience well, entered their world and delivered his message in a way they could understand it and receive it:
“To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews.
To those under the law I became as one under the law…
To those outside the law I became as one outside the law…
To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak.
I have become all things to all people that by all means I might save some.” 1Cor 9:20-22
If people will come to church, or a Bible study, or meet for a conversation, great! But if we limit people to only those options—to them coming to us—are we restricting their hearing the gospel to how we like to do ministry?
How can we bring Jesus to more people? Can we bring Jesus to people who are searching without requiring much of them?
Without asking them to drive to a building. And be willing to be among strangers. Or ask them to sit quietly in an unfamiliar, high-risk environment?
I personally know people who would have to be in a state of personal desperation before they would ever show up at a church. In their mind, just showing up, acknowledging their openness, their possible desire to know God, would make them way too exposed. Way too vulnerable.
To them, walking into church is the same as walking the aisle. It is not a casual decision. If they are at the beginning of their search for God, it is simply too big a step to take.
Yes, if someone invites them, that helps reduce the fear. But many would rather not admit their openness.
When I was an atheist asking questions of my close friend, I never let her know that I was open. For a year and a half I asked her questions, and she willingly researched answers for me. Yet all that time, she never thought I would ever believe in God.
Can we be intricately involved in helping them find Jesus without asking them to take big risks? Without demanding that they show up? Without asking a lot from them?
Yes. Definitely!
EveryStudent.com will help you expand the number of nonbelievers you can help.
It is an incredible way to increase the number of personal conversations about God you can have with people, increase your impact in people’s lives…by a lot!
It opens up opportunities for conversations that are socially appropriate, comfortable and enjoyable, for both you and the other person.
——
SPECIAL: Let me invite you right now to a free email series I wrote that will show you how to have easy, short conversations with nonbelievers…where they usually thank you for talking with them!
In fact, I believe that when you’re equipped, God simply brings people your way. So I called this email series, Conversations God Starts.
Here is where you can request it. It’s free. We never share email addresses. And you will not receive anything besides this. Give it a try.
An unsubscribe link is at the end of each email if you don’t enjoy it.
~ Chapter 4 ~
What Holds Us Back?
I was in Austin, speaking to a group of Christians who love God and really want people to hear the gospel. Here is what I heard from three gentlemen:
- “I love Jesus but every time I try to talk to someone about Him, I feel like I’m stumbling through some sort of sales pitch, trying to convince someone of something.”
- “Man, can I relate and hence, why I almost never broach the topic.”
- “I wrote in my journal to Jesus two weeks ago, ‘I’m sorry that I hate evangelism so much. Can you please fix this?’”
All three men told me that what I shared with them completely changed everything. They felt a new freedom to talk to others about Jesus. One was so relieved he had tears in his eyes.
Instead of the Internet holding us back, it can propel us into very exciting interactions with people…helping people begin a relationship with God and grow in that relationship.
When people have questions about God, many are very open to being given a resource that they can check out on their own time, in private.
Online is comfortable. Safe. The person’s in control. No one is challenging them. Defenses can come down. They can be honest. It’s a perfect environment for God to speak to them.
A person candidly emailed us this question:
“If your God exists, I wonder if he would care about me. I’ve done some pretty stupid stuff in my life. My thoughts are that he would look my way in disdain and complete and utter disappointment.”
Who would say that in a personal, live setting?
Online, they can be honest about their real questions, failures. They can feel free to search for answers to their lives. Face their doubts about God or if Jesus is real. And why God seems so distant to them. And best of all…find solutions! Find a relationship with God.
~ Chapter 5 ~
Picture Yourself Helpful!
Here is why EveryStudent.com can be so valuable to you in your ministry to others.
EveryStudent.com is written directly to nonbelievers. It’s not like an apologetic site written to Christians, and they you have to figure out how to say it differently.
One Christian said, “What I love about the site is that I can send someone to it, and not worry if they’ll come across something off-putting, like they might on an apologetic or denomination site.”
You can send nonbelievers straight to it.
It’s as simple as saying…
“I know a great site that takes on the hard questions about life and God.
In a respectful way, it answers the most important questions they have about life and God, such as:
- How do you know God exists?
- Does God answer prayers?
- Why is life so hard?
- I’m gay, does God accept me?
- In hard situations what exactly can I count on God for?
EveryStudent.com doesn’t just give them information. The articles and videos seek to persuade them, giving them reasons to begin a relationship with God, with an opportunity to do so.
EveryStudent.com has no ads.
Doesn’t sell anything.
Doesn’t mention any church or organization.
And it has always completely respected a person’s privacy.
Every page helps them understand who God is or what it might be like to know God.
The site has persuasive podcasts, videos and articles. Will people today read articles?
People will read something if it’s interesting and takes no effort. Articles on EveryStudent.com are written much like advertising copy. Short sentences for quick, easy reading.
Though it includes a lot of Scripture, the site does not feel religious or theological.
People find themselves drawn in. Like this person who saw this article on our site that gives evidence for God’s existence:
She wrote on her blog:
“…the funniest thing happened when I read the first paragraph of the article…I wanted to read the next…and when I did…I wanted to read the next, and the next.
(you should all look at this article: https://www.everystudent.com/features/isthere.html)
Something made me want to believe again. I mean Believe.
Just reading the intro to the article gave me a new-found respect for Christian Thought. I’d been looking for a reason not to be disgusted by Christians I didn’t know.
I’ve taken another step closer. I read that article, and I saw God coming to me from a place outside myself, that is, revealing Himself to me from the actions of others. The faith I had that He existed was suddenly renewed.”
~ Chapter 6 ~
For Millions of People
the Search for God Starts at Google
Throughout the world, in multiple languages, people are typing into Google questions like these:
need god
how to find god
how to become a Christian
who is jesus
is christianity true
how to believe in god
etc.
EveryStudent.com is there to answer their search. Through Google advertising we can speak directly to nonbelievers, reaching people that others are not reaching.
EveryStudent.com is in 50 languages. We are advertising 14 of those language sites, speaking to people in: Arabic, English, French, German, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Turkish.
People are coming to Christ throughout the world, including millions of people in countries like these, where it is not easy to speak openly about Jesus:
Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Indonesia and more. “Closed countries” has become an outdated term.
Each year, we’ve been able to reach more people, more people tell us they’ve asked Jesus into their lives while on the site. Here is what we’ve seen over the years, up to 2024:
We work hard to present the gospel carefully, with articles and videos that stay true to the Bible’s message and accurately describe the life that Jesus offers them.
It is only God who draws people to himself. It is only God who brings someone to EveryStudent.com and speaks to their heart and mind.
You and I have the privilege of simply being his ambassadors, “God making his appeal through us…” 2Cor 5:18-20
Seeing so many lives changed, I can only believe that God has his hand on this strategy.
Just during 2024, over 75 million people came to our sites (in various languages) and for less than 4¢ a person.
Imagine if missionaries or churches could speak to searching people for only 4¢ a person. It’s a remarkable opportunity.
Further, in 2024, more than 1.5 million of those people told us they asked Jesus into their lives. (That’s more than 4,000 new believers every day.)
The cost? Less than $4.00 for each person that started a life-changing relationship with God.
Many times you give to Christian causes, hoping good will come from it. This strategy has a proven ROI, usually unheard of in missions.
If you choose to partner with us to reach people throughout the world:
Every $100 given, likely means that 25 people will begin a relationship with God.
And this is scalable.
$1,000 given means 250 people come to Christ.
$10,000 means 2,500 new believers.
$100,000 means 25,000 new believers.
Did you ever think in your lifetime, you could help that many people begin a relationship with Jesus?
It’s not just numbers.
We hear from new believers regularly:
“Never thought I’d come to know God like I have.” ~Jade
“As a Muslim, it has removed blindness from my eyes! I am using the site now and seeing many Muslims come to Jesus!” ~Mulugeta
“I came across your site by searching ‘is there a god’? and sure enough your site popped up. From that day I have come a long way. I’m in love with Jesus.” ~Antoinette
We also have a full growth path in place for new believers, to help them grow to maturity in Christ, and go on to reach others also. (I’ll tell you about that a little later.)
When people come to Christ, we don’t start charging them a fee for discipleship materials or start asking for donations. We don’t do that.
EveryStudent.com is funded by donors who partner with us to reach others.
That allows us to always keep the gospel and discipleship free for the millions of people God brings our way. And I love that.
I believe we could bring the gospel to twice as many searching people throughout the world as we currently are able. Our only limitation is funding.
Google tells us that our ads are being taken down early each day for lack of funds. A notice shows: “Your ads stopped running on your busiest days.”
I don’t know how long we’ll have this opportunity. I get a little nervous watching country leaders get more restrictive allowing Christian messages in their country. I personally feel an urgency to do what we can, now.
Would you like to help reach hundreds or thousands of people through EveryStudent.com, for only 4¢ a person who comes, and only $4.00 to see someone receive Christ?
Your donation is tax deductible. EveryStudent.com is part of Cru, a 501c3.
You can give to EveryStudent.com right now by clicking that blue button. It will take you to a secure page on Cru.org.
Or mail a check, payable to Cru, to:
Global EveryStudent.com – 0892325
Cru – donations
100 Lake Hart Drive
Orlando, FL 32832-0100
If you have questions or would like to talk, please email me, and I’ll personally respond to you: Marilyn.Adamson@cru.org
In this ebook, while helping you reach and disciple people you know and meet, I simply wanted to provide this giving opportunity where you can help reach thousands throughout the world, with results we’ve consistently seen for years. Thank you for considering it.
---
Now, moving back to conversations you might have with people who don’t yet know Jesus, you might be wondering…
~ Chapter 7 ~
What’s On EveryStudent.com?
Here are some of the topics addressed on EveryStudent.com:
How to Know God Personally – the gospel
Is There a God? – 6 reasons God exists
What’s It Like to Know God? – a description & testimonies
Beyond Blind Faith – why Jesus is God
Find God’s Help in Any Situation – short video
Peace of Mind in an Unstable World – why God is our rock
Where is God in the Midst of Tragedy? – what God offers us
Is God Good? – 2-min video addresses suffering
Be Amazed by the Kindness of God – experiencing God’s kindness
Sex & the Search for Intimacy – love defined by God
LGBTQ and God’s Love – how to know God’s love
Is There Hope for a Lasting Marriage? – yes, here’s why
Also…
Solution to racism
Heroin addiction / binge drinking
Purpose in life
How to find faith
Does God answer prayer?
Qs Muslims ask about Jesus
…and much more.
The search box on EveryStudent.com is great. It’s better than Google’s.
Type in a few words, such as Islam or Muslim.
Up pops a list of the best articles or videos in priority order for that topic.
Spend a few minutes on the site so you can see what’s there. Read some articles. Watch some videos.
I want you to review the site so you have confidence in its quality. Once you do, you’ll become freer to talk to people about Jesus.
People’s challenging questions that would have held you back are no longer a problem. Confrontational atheists, Muslims, people with no religious background at all…you can help them all.
No longer do you need to leave a conversation with that sinking feeling that you really haven’t helped the person much.
Earlier I mentioned the email series on the site that I wrote for atheists called “The Spiritual Adventure Pack.”
Caroline, from the UK signed up for it and wrote me…
“Although you don’t know me I feel that you’ve taken my hand and led me on a very special journey these last few weeks. Like you, I am the kind of person who questions everything and have a deep need to understand. The information you provided has answered many of my questions.
The evidence you give to demonstrate His presence and power, and the life, death and resurrection of His son, Jesus Christ was sufficient to convince this 33 year old, life-long atheist; not an easy challenge.
Thank you again for all you have done for me and, I imagine, millions like me around the world who are querying their beliefs or seeking Him but are unsure how to go about it. I wish you every happiness, you have given me so much.” ~Caroline
Atheists or people of other religions don’t need to rattle you. EveryStudent.com gives you a safety net. You can always say, “There is a great website that addresses many hard questions about life and God…like why is life so hard, and how do you know God exists? Here, let me give you a card to it.”
People usually respond, “Thanks very much!”
Cards for EveryStudent.com (and our other language sites) are already designed. Just give this jpg file to your printer.
One time, after I spoke at a conference, a Christian came up to me and said, “I took 3 cards today, and I shared with 3 people. It was so easy!!”
Also a Christian organization on campus showed the site to the students involved with them. These believers found a whole new excitement in ministry.
Christians began thinking and praying for others to come to know Jesus. They engaged in personal conversations about God much more often. It became part of their regular ministry. They began to enjoy evangelism.
~ Chapter 8 ~
50 Languages!
You Can Help Nearly Anyone
In 1999, when we started building EveryStudent.com, we thought it would be one site in English. God had other plans.
Christians in other countries started becoming aware of the site and asked if we would help them build it in their language. French, then Arabic, then many others, all at the request of believers who wanted to reach people in their countries.
We created each site with their own URL for that language. Faithful believers reply to visitors’ questions sent to their site.
You can find the list of URLs and languages by scrolling down the home page of EveryStudent.com to this word cloud:
Click on it, and it will take you to this page listing the languages like this:
Sometimes I’ll be talking with a person whose first language is not English.
If they happen to mention the country of origin, I’ll often say, “Hey, I actually know a website in your language. Let me write it down for you. I think you’ll like it. It takes on the hard questions about life and God, with some encouraging content.”
Just write down the URL, such as “everyarabstudent.com.”
They appreciate hearing of a site in their language that you think is good!
Next, how to recognize when God brings people your way…
~ Chapter 9 ~
Notice What God Arranges
I find that God simply brings people your way when you’re equipped to help them. Let me give you some examples.
A quick story…
I was standing outside a Walmart when a guy pulled up in a car. The bumper sticker read, “Born Again Pagan.” Here was part of our brief conversation:
“Excuse me. I just have to ask you about your bumper sticker.”
“Oh yeah. Greatest thing that’s ever happened to me.”
“You mean worshipping the god of wind, fire, rain, etc. Right?”
“Yeah. My brother turned me on to it. It’s changed my life!”
“Well, I don’t know a lot about paganism, but I used to be an atheist. And I studied various existential philosophers looking for a philosophy of life that I could always count on. Then a friend told me how I could know the God who created the universe. And when I asked Jesus into my life, my search ended.”
He said, “That’s me. I’m searching.”
That’s what I’ve found over and over. They can even have a bumper sticker saying one thing, but until they find Jesus, they are still searching. They are simply giving it their best shot.
Everything on EveryStudent.com tries to help someone understand who God is or what it might be like to know God.
We need to answer their questions. Serve them well. Help them understand the value of knowing God.
Here’s another instance of God just arranging the conversation.
I’m on a college campus in their student union, standing in a long fast-food line. As I looked up from my phone, the student in front of me did the same thing. And he started politely talking to me. I asked about his major. It was computer science.
So we talked about web servers and other technical stuff for a while. Then I told him about EveryStudent.com.
Daniel said, “I’m agnostic. But my fiancé is a Christian.”
So I asked him, “If you saw sufficient evidence for God, would you want to know God?”
He said, “Yes!” So I handed him my phone on the invitation page for a series I wrote for atheists, called Spiritual Adventure Pack, and invited him to sign up for it, which he gladly did.
What struck me most about our conversation is that three times during our short conversation, Daniel grabbed my hand to shake it and thank me for talking to him.
(I’m absolutely convinced, when you’re equipped to help someone, God will simply bring people your way.)
Here’s another occasion where God just arranged it.
I’m standing in a hotel lobby and a woman next to me asks, “Are you with our convention?”
I said, “No, I’m with website that takes on the hard questions about life and God, like why is life so hard and how do you know God exists?”
She said, “I’m an atheist, but I’m searching.”
I said, “You will love this website because it will give you reasons to believe in God and show you how you can begin that relationship with him today.”
She had tears in her eyes as I handed her a card to the site.
Here’s one more…I was at a bank, closing a checking account. I sat for over 30 minutes across the desk from the bank associate. He was on the phone, on hold with the corporate office to find out how to best close the account.
Without malice, I matter-of-factly said to him, “You know it shouldn’t be this hard to close an account. It shouldn’t take this long.”
As soon as those words left my mouth, I realized there might be a bigger reason for the delay. So I asked him, “Are you allowed to pull up a website on your business computer?” I had him enter EveryStudent.com. Then I told him, “This is a site to help answer people’s questions about life and God, like how do you know God exists.”
I shared a little of my testimony, emphasizing my search through philosophy. He said to me, “It’s funny you would be talking to me about this, because my dad and I just had a long conversation about various philosophers.”
I said, “Philosophers asks all the right questions about life. But they don’t have satisfying answers. Only God provides those. This site will show you some of God’s answers to those big questions.” I gave him a business card to the site, so he’d have it.
That took about 4 or 5 minutes. He appreciated it and I didn’t overstep his time while at work.
The site made that conversation possible. Get some cards from EveryStudent.info. Be ready for the people God brings your way.
Again, let me offer to you (or for you to send this link to people you might be discipling): Conversations God Starts – a free email series
~ Chapter 10 ~
Jesus Changes Lives
EveryStudent.com seeks to share God’s truth with nonbelievers, so they might know God’s heart of love, his desire to lead them, to provide a peace that they won’t find in the world, and to experience a friendship with God that he created them to know.
We explain Jesus’ death on the cross for their behalf and his resurrection, and his gift of eternal life for all who will believe in him. There is a lot of Scripture included.
Even with our efforts, we are very aware that it is the Holy Spirit who draws people to the site and who speaks to their hearts and minds. God alone is our Savior and Lord who brings us new life.
People regularly share with us what God did in their lives.
Here are just a few examples:
“I was an atheist and did not know Christ until about 6 weeks ago or until I was 29 years of age, but my relationship with him is amazing and growing. I have had so many burdens lifted and I have never been happier in my life, for God is faithful and continues to prove his love for me.” ~Hong
Another person, Patrick, said each morning, he would use just enough drugs to keep himself from killing himself that day.
He sent me this message:
“I’ve always been the sort of guy who ‘got through’ life without much stress. I guess living a life without serious challenges left me unprepared for the last few years.
Being sent to Methodist church as a child gave me an awareness of God, but a notable failure to recognize why I should ever consider looking into it in greater depth. It also meant that I was sort of immune to ‘religion.’
I got married 4 years ago (to a lovely girl whose only desire in life was to settle down and start a family) and boy did things change!! [He goes on to describe health problems, in-law problems, financial problems.]
Over the past 4 years I have slowly been broken down to a level where I could no longer cope. I pushed my marriage to the breaking point and reached a stage earlier this year where I was considering suicide as the only option left.
I was angry and confused at how I could have let my life get so far out of control…..after all, I was the average, decent guy who ‘got by.’ How could things have spiraled so desperately out of control?
One day I went to my computer and googled ‘starting a new life with god.’ No idea why that phrase, but it led me to your site on the first link. What I read makes the most perfect sense.
In a life trampled by confusion, it seemed to offer the most ridiculously obvious clarity I have ever imagined. It made the information available in a way that a complete novice like me could understand. You don’t realize how much this has impacted my life.” ~Patrick
Rachel thought New Age Chakra Healing might have the answer.
She wrote:
“I struggled with a lot of loneliness and anxiety through my undergrad years. I finally got to a point of really wanting out of the cycle of negativity, and I dove into many self-help articles on happiness, Buddhism/zen, yoga, and the "New Age" stuff - trying out meditation, crystal/energy healing, and finally, Chakra healing.
I knew God existed, I think I was just purposely denying Him. Replacing the name of God with "Universe" felt so much easier.
The last straw was when I paid nearly $200 for an online chakra healing program that PROMISED happiness, forever. As you can see, I was desperate. I was alone in my room, putting all my hope into this program, and about to watch a live introductory seminar. A 10-second countdown began, and suddenly, so clearly in my heart I heard, ‘You don't need this, turn it off.’ And I did.
I got to your website with a question I typed into Google. Once I found it, I was stuck on it. I spent a couple of days on it. Finally I could understand who Jesus is and how He fits into the past, present, and future. I felt so invited by Him through your site to be in a relationship with Him, and I was really excited, knowing my desperate search for healing and happiness was over, and that I was covered in His love.
I prayed a prayer of salvation on my knees in my room after reading one of your articles, and I have been changing ever since. I am so thankful for getting to know Jesus and for the way I am changing/growing. Thank you for making Him understandable to begin with. I am loving my journey.” ~Rachel
I have literally hundreds of examples like this. Why? People want answers to their questions. When they come to the site, God speaks to them. God wants to draw people to himself.
Imagine if the people you encounter could know about it.
Encourage them to see the site and then ask them about it. “Hey, I’m wondering if you looked at that website I told you about. What did you think of it?” Very easy.
It gives you a second opportunity to have a conversation.
And if it is someone you meet in a taxi or flight, and it’s unlikely you will ever see the person again, you might have changed their life for all of eternity, simply by saying a few words and handing them a card or writing it down for them.
~ Chapter 11 ~
Your Personal Life Message About God
Let’s get personal.
If you are a believer, God has built a personal message into your life.
My relationship with God is not the same as yours. God is the same, but I believe he relates to us as individuals.
You have had life experiences, moments where you learned something about God.
Philemon verse 6 in the RSV says, “And I pray that the sharing of your faith may promote the knowledge of all the good that is ours in Christ.”
And that is exactly what nonbelievers want to know. They want to know, “In your daily life, why does it matter that you have this faith? What does it do for you?”
Our answer to that will vary.
For example, one believer might say, “I know that God hears me when I talk to him, because I see him answer prayers for me all the time.”
Somebody else might say, “When I’m in really confusing situations, and I don’t know what to do, I don’t know how to approach it...when I go to the Bible, God speaks to me. And he gives me exactly the answer that I needed.”
Someone else might say, “God freed me from an addiction and changed my life.”
For me, when I’ve been in really pivotal decision points in my life, I’ve seen God give amazing clarity and guidance in what I should do.
So what I’m suggesting to you is that you take some time alone with God, and think through what experiences you’ve had with God, where you really saw God show up. And where you have learned, “This is true about God. I know this is how God is, because I’ve seen him do this in my life.”
That is your life message.
And it would be good if you could list three things that you’ve come to know about God. Now you have those truths about God to draw on when you’re in a conversation with someone.
Here’s how you can use your life message.
Let’s say you are talking to someone who is telling you about something stressful happening in their life. You can say…
“You know when I’ve been in hard situations like that, I’ve seen God give me peace in that. I’ve been able to trust God because I know he can enter into that situation and actually do something about it and help me. And so he gives me peace in that.
And you can know God’s peace like this. You can have a relationship with God like this. I don’t know if anyone has shared with you how you can. May I give you a website where you can explore your questions about God? It will show you how you can begin a relationship with God like this.”
And you might hand them a card to EveryStudent.com.
It is the combination of your life message with the site that so deeply helps someone.
If you only shared what you experience about God, that doesn’t help them a great deal. A testimony is good, but it is insufficient.
The amount of time you have or the situation might not be right for you to explain the full gospel to them. But if you can offer them the site, you are significantly moving them ahead.
Your brief testimony about God plus the site is a powerful combination.
(What I just shared in this chapter is available in a 6-min video, if you want to share it with others. There is also a little more coaching on that page.)
Let me give you a few more examples of real conversations I’ve had with people.
~ Chapter 12 ~
What Can Happen In Short Conversations
On an international flight, the girl next to me opened an enormous, hardbound book of Horoscopes.
(And I had just finished telling God that I was tired, and if it was ok with him, I’d rather not talk to anyone. But that I was willing if he really wanted me to.)
Before I could decide whether to talk to her, she took the book, put it in my lap, and started this conversation:
Astrology Girl: "Which sign are you?"
Me: "Well, I'm a cancer." (She immediately flipped to that page and we started reading together.)
Me: "Ok, yes this is true of me, and this, and this. Oh gee, not this one at all.
You know, here's the thing about this. Some of this fits and some doesn't. But when it comes to my life, I want something I can fully count on, all the time.
God knows me completely, because he created me. He knows everything that's true about me. And even better, he offers to guide me in life. He offers to guide anyone who will begin a relationship with him.
He gives insights and his wisdom for some major areas of our lives. And he's fully reliable. Here's a website that explains how you can have a relationship with God like that." I write down, EveryStudent.com.
Astrology Girl: "Thanks very much. I really appreciate that. I'll take a look at it."
In this conversation I sincerely shared with them something I believed to be true of God. You can say it quickly.
This is appropriate on a subway, in a grocery store, on a soccer field, in a dorm room, or as God leads you in your daily interaction with people. You can impact many lives, even when you have only a very few minutes with them.
God speaks to people while on the site. More than 4,000 people a day begin a relationship with God while on EveryStudent.com.
I’ve known God for a few months now, and have never experienced anything like it. It’s a constant adventure. Despite my surroundings being the same, I’m more hopeful, happy, purposeful and fulfilled. He’s definitely made some drastic changes to how I perceive life.” ~Holly
I’d like to tell you one additional benefit to someone becoming a believer on the site…they already know how to share Jesus with someone else!
We’re in a culture where people readily share what they like. Social media is built on this. And it is especially true that people share something that has had a profound impact on their life.
What happens when someone begins a relationship with God on EveryStudent.com? They share it with friends, family, coworkers, and people they meet.
That means as you share the site with someone, you might be impacting hundreds of lives. Here’s just one example.
~ Chapter 13 ~
One Person Becomes Many!
There is a grad student in the Middle East, whom I've met. I'm going to call him Ahmed. Muslim background. He went to an Internet cafe to look for scholarships for his PhD. He entered "arab student" into Google and landed on EveryArabStudent.com.
He told me, "Though I am a Muslim, I'm reading article after article, and I can only think, 'This is true! This is true!'"
He wanted to share EveryArabStudent.com with his Muslim friends.
"I shared with them the way God spoke to me. I emailed each one of them with a link to the site. As you all know, our society doesn’t usually prefer the face-to-face meeting while talking about these topics.
I wanted them to know more about God’s kindness, so I sent an email to each one of them and added a link to EveryArabStudent.com in the email. I prayed that when they click on the link that the Lord would touch their hearts.
I thank the Lord because many of my friends who received my email are now spiritual leaders who lead many people to Christ. And even those people have multiple disciples.”
People that Ahmed led to the Lord, shared the same with others, and those new believers shared with others, who reached others. Five generations of former Muslims who are now following Jesus.
Spiritual multiplication can happen quickly, because people know what to do with a website. They know how to reach their friends online. The same thing way that God spoke to them, they can immediately share with others.
That is why I titled this ebook, “The Ripple Effect.” Give one person an online resource, and it can lead to having an impact in many, many lives.
~ Chapter 14 ~
Make Your Evangelistic Events
Count More
What happens when people receive Christ at your church or at an evangelistic event?
Sometimes this is a lost opportunity. Some churches and Christian organizations are happy to see 5 or 10% of those who receive Christ actually continue to grow.
I personally watched a mega church host an evangelistic event. Afterwards they had a list of 300 names to contact, who received Christ!
People from the church started calling them over the next week or two to invite them to join a follow-up Bible study they were forming. (Can you imagine trying to call 300 people?)
I knew one of the callers and was curious what results he would find. I had a hunch. It was unfortunately confirmed.
Of all the people he called, six people said they wanted to join the Bible study. All six agreed to a set time, Monday night, at the church. Yet only one showed up. The next week, no one.
After an evangelistic event, the new believer gets involved in their daily life again. Busy schedule. They begin to wonder if that was just a blip, an emotional experience? Life moves on.
The other problem is the effort involved in showing up at a location, with people you don’t know, to go through material that you wonder why it couldn’t be sent to you online.
It’s asking a lot of people in today’s busy lifestyle.
It’s great if you can get them to come into your fellowship. But there is a way to make it an easier for them. Why not ask less of them, build their trust, minister deeply to them, so that they want to be with you?
From your evangelistic event, there are two categories of new believers:
- those who received Christ and told you,
- and those who did not tell you.
You can help both of them begin to grow that same night.
Toward the end of the event, have someone on stage say:
“You might still have questions about God. This event might have brought to mind questions that you’ve had for years. There is a website where you can explore these spiritual questions on your own. It’s called EveryStudent.com.
If you who asked Jesus into your life tonight, please visit StartingwithGod.com.
At the exit door, you’ll be handed a card with both of these websites on it.”
This is the front of the card:
And the back of the card simply reads:
To grow in your relationship with God, please see:
StartingwithGod.com
We have it ready for you to print from our resource site: https://www.everystudent.info/c/business1.html.
You can add your contact information on the back of the card if you’d like.
Also helpful...on the screen up front, show the URLs, EveryStudent.com and StartingwithGod.com. You could show:
Questions about life & God? EveryStudent.com
To grow in your relationship with God? StartingwithGod.com
Many people in the audience will immediately type the URL into their phones.
~ Chapter 15 ~
Be Sociable And Sow Broadly
How would you like to personally impact thousands of people in less than a minute?
The opportunities are pretty exciting.
It is common in social media to paste a link to something that you think your friends would enjoy or find interesting.
Here is a post seen by over 7,800 people. We chose the option Facebook gave us to “boost” the post in Facebook.
There are so many topics on EveryStudent.com, you could share a new link, on a new topic every few days.
We have prepared for you more than 50 potential posts:
https://www.everystudent.info/fb/twitter.html
Each contains a short message with a link.
Choose the same day each week and pick one from the list. Then copy and paste in Facebook, or any social media place you choose. Easy.
Pray> Copy> Paste.
Could you also ask God to bring to mind a friend that you can send a link to in a text message.
We have coded EveryStudent.com so that all you need to do is copy the page URL at the top of the article or video page and paste it into your social media.
The article photo and heading will automatically appear, along with the description below the heading.
Pretty easy!
You are also welcome to share from our EveryStudent pages:
https://facebook.com/EveryStudent
https://twitter.com/everystudent
https://instagram.com/everystudentcounts
https://youtube.com/c/EveryStudentcom
https://pinterest.com/everystudent
---
NOTE: The rest of this ebook is going to focus on great ways to help new believers grow to maturity in Christ and help them know how to reach and disciple others.
~ Chapter 16 ~
How to Help a New Believer
What happens when someone becomes a believer? What comes next?
If you are good friends, you can help that person grow. (I’ll give you some ways in a minute.)
However, what if you just met this person and helped them become a Christian? Let’s call this new believer, Josh.
You might say, “Josh, I really want to help you grow in this new relationship with Jesus. I have some important things to share with you. Let’s pick a time to get together again.”
If Josh will meet again, that’s great.
However, let’s have a moment of honesty, transparency. Did you know (and this is common in any Christian organization worldwide) that only a small percentage of these new believers will actually meet a second time? Typically, less than one-third. Why?
Likely, it is for the same reasons I have already mentioned.
It feels high-risk to the new believer. Josh just began a relationship with God. Already you are asking him to commit to meeting with you. He knows there are lots of weird, controlling groups out there. Further, he is genuinely busy, and he’s not sure he wants to carve out time.
However, this might be the greatest reason: it probably feels unnecessary. He can’t figure out why he would need to meet with someone again in order to gain some “helpful information.”
Nothing else in his life is that way.
He is likely thinking, “Isn’t it online? Couldn’t they just give me something to download or a website to go to? Can’t you just give me a link to it now?”
In today’s world, our main strategy of trying to meet together in order to give them information seems odd to them. And it is not working. How can we justify letting more than two-thirds of new believers disappear without helping them know Jesus better?
You wouldn’t want to hold back someone’s growth, if you had another way. Now you do.
We created a site purely for new believers. It’s called StartingwithGod.com.
You can simply point them to the site and they will find immensely helpful input for their new relationship with God.
Take a look at the home page. You’ll see this message:
Congratulations on your decision to ask Jesus Christ into your life.
What now?
If this were a religion, you could expect someone to give you all sorts of Rules. Rituals. Requirements. And maybe a lot of stuff to buy!
But when you asked Jesus into your life, you did not join a religion.
Instead, you began a relationship. With God.
You might be wondering, how do you get to know God better?
And then we invite this new believer to a free, special series for them called The Spiritual Starter Kit.
You could say…
“Josh, I want to help you grow in your new relationship with God. There is an email series, called The Spiritual Starter Kit. It’s completely free. It is a series of 12 emails. Each email helps you understand something important about your new relationship with God.
They don’t ever try to sell you anything. It’s just very helpful information. And you’ll only receive this series you asked for, nothing else.
In fact, pull out your phone right now. Go to this site, StartingwithGod.com. Now click on, The Spiritual Starter Kit. Just enter your first name and email address, and you’ll get the first email two minutes later.”
~ Chapter 17 ~
What Makes This
Follow-up So Unique?
The Spiritual Starter Kit is unique.
It is not just delivering “follow-up content” for a new believer. It is a personal email to a new believer. They will feel that this is from someone who sincerely cares about them and wants to help them grow, which is true.
(I wrote it, and I do care. Though they are given a link on EveryStudent.com where they can ask a question, sometimes they’ll ask me. I’ll always personally respond.)
The first email in the series reads like this:
The Spiritual Starter Kit
# 1 - Is God in my life now?
Hi,
Welcome to your first email, in this 7-part series.
Congratulations, by the way, on beginning a relationship with God. When you asked Jesus into your life, you began the most valuable relationship a person could have.
The night that I asked Jesus into my life, I knew it was a big decision. I had been a skeptic/atheist for years. To speak out loud, into the air, and talk to God felt monumental.
It also seemed absolutely right to do.
My prayer was brief. "Ok, you win. I ask you to come into my life. You may do with it whatever you want."
In my mind, I was simply acknowledging God's existence. As God, it seemed to me, he had a right to influence my life.
Here's the first thing I noticed about God:
God is invisible. (Impressed, aren't you?) But actually, this was an issue.
I mean, when you asked Jesus to come into your life, how do you really know that he's there? You can't see him.
How do you know that he really entered your life?
Does it rely on your sincerity? Or what you said in your prayer? Or how you feel?
No. None of these.
You have a relationship with God now, because he offered it to you. You simply responded to him.
This article will explain how you can be sure that Jesus is in your life -- and what that means!
(You might want to write down one or two of the sentences from the Bible that are mentioned in this article. And maybe put that paper on your desk or nightstand to look at again later.)
If you have any questions, we are happy to chat with you. Just email us here: https://www.everystudent.com/contact.php
Sincerely,
Marilyn Adamson
director of EveryStudent.com
and StartingwithGod.com
---
When the person clicks on that article link, it takes them to this article on StartingwithGod.com, that reviews the gospel, and helps them know what is now true of their new relationship with God…
Through that article, they will learn that they are now at peace with God, forgiven, a child of God, no longer living in darkness, able to experience God’s love, sealed with the Holy Spirit, given eternal life. It contains a lot of Scripture.
The next day the new believer will receive an email helping them see that it was God who drew them to himself. It contains a short Bible study.
The third email is about God’s unconditional love.
The fourth why their relationship with God is secure, and God will never leave them.
The fifth on the importance of fellowship.
The sixth what it means to trust God.
The seventh is, “What if I sin, does God still forgive me?”
Etc.
Each one is a personal message from me and a link to an article on StartingwithGod.com. Each email from me is warm, kind and talks to a new believer just like you would in person.
Later in the week, after they have received a few emails, you might contact the person and ask if they have any questions or if they’d like to get together.
Likely, they will now feel more comfortable saying yes.
Here are some comments from a few new believers:
“Thank you for the information you sent me today, I have not been able to stop reading it.”
“I just wanted to say thank you for being a part of my new journey. I love how it is called The Spiritual Starter Kit, I always saw myself as more of a spiritual person. Never thought I’d come to know God like I have. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!”
“Until you came along, I was going to do something that I would have regretted for the rest of my life. I want to thank you. Not only has it opened my eyes, but my heart as well. It is amazing the way I see things now, as opposed to the way I did a few weeks ago. If you knew me personally, you would be amazed at the changes in me. Thank you very much.”
“I just wanted to let you know how much I am enjoying your Spiritual Starter Kit. After each one I can’t wait for the next one. They are so down to earth. I never realized Christians could be so cool.”
“As a teenager, I feel like there is all this focus on getting saved and following thousands of rules, but I was never given any guidance after accepting Christ….For months I just went through the motions…One night, after once again hopelessly trying to understand, I came across this. Thank you, I never would be where I am in my relationship today if God hadn’t led me to this!”
You are giving new believers something immediately accessible and free that will help them grow in significant ways.
But not only that! When they help someone else begin a relationship with Jesus, they immediately know how to help that person grow.
No special discipleship training required. They simply encourage them to sign up for The Spiritual Starter Kit.
People pass on what has had an impact in their lives. The Ripple Effect.
Key point: You should go to StartingwithGod.com and sign up for The Spiritual Starter Kit so you can review it and personally experience it. To do ministry in new ways, you have to actually try it.
I’d like to share a personal story that will show you another great benefit to this!
While visiting Chicago, I had coffee with a good friend in a Starbucks. In the course of our conversation I shared the gospel and she received Christ.
I encouraged her to sign up for The Spiritual Starter Kit, which she did.
I then asked her if she had any friends that she thought might be a Christian. One came to mind. She described her friend and I agreed that she sounded like a solid believer.
So I said, “See if you can get together with your friend. Tell her that you have become a Christian. Ask her to also sign up for The Spiritual Starter Kit and you two can discuss it together.”
I received a text message from her later that day, “Thanks for talking with me about God.”
I replied, “I’ve been smiling all day.” She replied, “Me too!”
She had lunch with her friend the next day, and her friend signed up for it also. And they went through it together, and she told me later how much it helped both of them.
You’ve heard me say that when we’re equipped, God just brings people our way. Here’s another example of that.
I met Cindy while we were both running through the airport, late for the same connecting flight. Fortunately that flight also was late. At the gate we chatted a little.
She asked what I did for an occupation. I told her, “I’m connected to a website that seeks to answers people’s questions about life and God. It’s from a Christian perspective.”
She said, “WAIT!” She reached into her briefcase and pulled out a very large Bible! She said, "I am a recovering alcoholic and a new Christian. I bought this Bible, but I have no idea what to do with it!"
We only had a few minutes to talk. I said, “I have something great that will help you grow in your new relationship with Jesus. Pull out your phone. Type in StartingwithGod.com. Now click on The Spiritual Starter Kit and enter your email address.”
In just those few minutes, I started her on a solid path for growth. Cindy and I were both grateful that I could help her like this. And we both knew God arranged it.
You can have the same joy of helping others like this!
There’s more.
~ Chapter 18 ~
Growth Over Months and Years
When people get to the end of The Spiritual Starter Kit, I thought, “Now what do they need?” And I remembered how, as a new believer, I started feeling a lot of pressure.
I remember thinking, “Now that I know that God exists, I should be reading the Bible more. I should be praying more. I should be talking to people about Jesus more.”
Not only that, but as I started seeing all sorts of commands in the Bible and certain behaviors defined as sin that surprised me. I thought, “Whoa, it was way easier being an atheist!”
Fortunately, I came to understand that God wants us to live under his grace, and rely on the Holy Spirit to sanctify us, and that God wanted us to trust him rather than try hard to perform for him.
So I wrote another series, free of course, called Skip the Stress.
If you know believers who are not sure about their relationship with God, or are struggling with sin, or feeling they are disappointing God, encourage them to sign up for this series, Skip the Stress.
(By the way, people need to sign up for each series they want. We only send the series a person requests. We like to leave the person in control.)
At the end of that series, I thought, “Now what do they need?” By now they know their relationship with God is secure, that he unconditionally loves them and will never leave them. They know to rest under God’s grace and trust him as they follow him.
And I thought, “I really don’t know how much they know about Jesus or if they know anything about how to read the Bible and notice what it’s saying.”
So I wrote another email series (all are always free) called, Knowing God Better through the Gospel of John.
It’s a free series, 36 emails, that takes someone through the Gospel of John. It’s their own exploration. Nothing to turn in. Not every verse is included, but it does go in chapter order.
Within the email are the verses written out, with questions about the verses. It’s to help them build a habit of simply noticing what Scripture is saying.
The series mainly helps new or mature believers love and appreciate Jesus even more.
Many have said, “I never thought I could know God like this.” Pastors are taking their churches through it. Some people have enjoyed it so much, they’ve asked if they could unsubscribe and go through it again.
It’s written in such a way that people who know nothing about the Bible or Christianity come to know God through it. We also offer it on EveryStudent.com.
Give it a try. It’s free, of course. Sign up here.
To recap...a new believer now understands their relationship with God is secure, they are to live by faith in God (not in themselves), they know how to properly read Scripture.
But then I received an email from a new believer who asked, “How do I explain Jesus to someone without sounding like a psycho?”
I thought it was a great question, so I wrote the series, Conversations God Starts. It is about how to have comfortable conversations about God with nonbelievers.
And there is another series that’s offered on StartingwithGod.com, that provides various strategies.
How to Talk about God gives all sorts of ways of reaching nonbelievers…at large events, on social media, to reach people on college campuses or in cities, etc. Various approaches.
Many Christians have sent notes of thanks for this one. Give it a try.
Then finally...
There is one more email series. This one is unique.
It is a special online community, called The Findables. The Findables are believers who are committed to helping make Jesus “findable” to millions of others.
There are currently about 6,400 Findables located in more than 170 countries throughout the world.
I write them every 10 days and I pay great attention to anything they write to me. We’re committed to each other.
I would love for you to join The Findables!
Sign up here: https://www.startingwithgod.com/findables. You’ll find it motivating.
~ Chapter 19 ~
Summary
You can help people know God, grow, and share Jesus with others…to more people, faster and with less effort. You can see your ministry expand in exponential ways.
Whether with nonbelievers or new or struggling believers, you have a new way to help them. And do so in whatever language they speak. You are now equipped. And you’ll see God simply bring people your way.
If you are discipling or leading other Christians, pass along to them this free ebook, The Ripple Effect.
And if you’d like to financially give to help hundreds or thousands of searching people find a relationship with God, your gift will be immediately put to use.
For those who receive Christ, they can begin growing right away, and continue for months or years, their lives changed forever.
Every individual action on your part…can start a Ripple Effect.
In closing, let me share this.
Laszlo Bacynski, a director for a Christian organization in Hungary made this comment about the value of their Hungarian EveryStudent.com site:
“Astonished! That is the word that first comes to mind as I think back on the past year's experience with everystudent.hu. In a culture that is fairly reserved when it comes to discussing deeper layers of our life experiences - such as faith, values, relationships, trust, etc. - it came as a great surprise how this environment helped people to cross some lines in opening up to God.
It seems the hunger is there. We just could not tap into it so far on this deeper level.
I could begin to list quotes from the many conversations happening daily. People from all kinds of walks of lives, all kinds of interest levels, all kinds of questions. There is this lively, "noisy" conversation happening even as I write. With the limited resources and manpower capacity we have we are reaching 5% of the population annually.
Astonished by how this strategy is taking the Gospel to people we could in no other way reach!
What excites me the most? I think that the goal of reaching this nation with the Gospel of Jesus Christ became a real possibility, not just a hoped for dream!!”
Questions?
founder/director of EveryStudent.com and StartingwithGod.com
Bonus Section:
Special Note: ALL of these email series (except for The Findables) are in the Every Student app. A person just taps on a check mark, and each message comes to their phone over time, with an app notification. Download the Every Student app now!
AND many of these email series are available in multiple languages. You’ll find them listed on our resource site, EveryStudent.info, on this page.
A Full Growth Path
Helping someone come to Christ > grow > reach others.
You will enjoy this remarkable story of a Muslim from Ethiopia.
He came to Christ on our English site. Then as he signed up for each of these email series, he emailed me his heartfelt comments:
A short 5-min video. You’ll never forget this story:
https://www.everystudent.info/r/yared.html