SHARE THE GOSPEL…
EVERY MEMBER
Our 2026 focus is to equip every person who calls Forest Baptist Church home to know “The Four” and share with four.
WHAT IS THE FOUR?
GOD LOVES US
God made you and loves you! His love is boundless and unconditional.
God is real, and He wants you to personally experience His love and discover His purpose of your life through a relationship with Him.
The Bible says...
“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” – Genesis 1:27
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16
“So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” – 1 John 4:16
MAN SINNED AGAINST GOD
We selfishly insist on doing things our own way. The Bible calls this sin. We all sin and distort the original design.
Sin damages your relationships with other people and with God. It keeps us from experiencing the fulfilling life that God intends for us. The result: you are eternally separated from God.
The Bible says...
“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” – Romans 3:23
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 6:23
“Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.” – Isaiah 59:1-2
CHRIST CAME TO SAVE US
Because of God's great love, He became a human being in Jesus Christ and gave His life for you. At the cross, Jesus took your place and paid the penalty of death that you deserve for your sins.
Jesus died, but He rose to life again. Jesus offers you peace with God and a personal relationship with Him. Through faith in Jesus, you can experience God's love daily, discover your purpose and have eternal life after death.
The Bible says...
“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteousness, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,” – 1 Peter 3:18
“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas then to the twelve.” – 1 Corinthians 15:3-5
“but God shows his love for us that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8
HOW WILL YOU RESPOND?
The person of Christ demands us to respond. Either by denying Him or believing that He is God, lived a perfect life, died for our sins, and rose again three days later.
God's Word tells us to believe in Christ and repent, or turn from, of our sins.
The Bible says...
“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,” – John 1:12
“And Peter said to them, 'Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” – Acts 2:38
“because, if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, 'Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.'” – Romans 10:9-11
WHO ARE YOUR FOUR?
MAP YOUR “OIKOS”
The term oikos means “household” in Greek. One of the ways the Gospel spread in the New Testament was through entire households hearing the Gospel and believing.
The Oikos Map is a way to identify and pray for nonbelievers in your network who need to hear about Jesus.
If you need help thinking through people in your network, try thinking through the acronym “FRANC”: friends, relatives, acquaintances, neighbors and coworkers!
If you want a printable version of the Oikos Map, click here!
WHAT’S NEXT?
Now that you’ve mapped your relational network, you may be wondering how you can lovingly pursue your friends and seek to share the Gospel with them.
The acronym “BLESS” can help you think through next steps with those you’ve written down in the Oikos Map.
Begin with prayer.
Start by praying for the people you have identified on your Oikos Map. Pray that God would provide different opportunities for you to pursue your friend and family and share the Good News with them.
Listen.
As you have conversations with the friends and family in your life, genuinely listen to them and care for them as people. Hear their beliefs, doubts, struggles, and needs. Give them space to share what they think and be cautious not to dominate every conversation with your beliefs.
Eat.
Sharing meals is a great way to show hospitality and get time with people! Cooking meals with and for people can be a great way to care for them. Over shared meals, the Lord may also provide opportunities to share Christ with people.
Serve.
As you see needs and opportunities, a practical way to represent Christ is by serving others. This can look many different ways, but by serving people and meeting practical needs God may open hearts to Christ, who came not to “be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28)
Share.
As God opens doors to conversations, be ready to share the Gospel and your testimony with others!
