ZURICH – Have you ever heard of The Four? Not the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Not the “Fab Four.” Not even the Three Musketeers and D’Artagnan.
The Four is a ministry branch of Campus Crusade of Switzerland (Campus für Christus Schweiz) under the umbrella of Agape Europe and in association with the international ministry of Cru.
“help fulfill Christ’s Great Commission in our time through socially relevant strategies that approach people with respect and recognize their need.”
They do so by serving in churches and communities to share the Gospel through personal evangelism and discipleship. These have always been at the heart of the original Campus Crusade since its founding in 1951 by Bill Bright. From the beginning, the ministry was designed to evangelize and disciple “through a variety of creative ways.”
The Four Spiritual Laws
Those old enough to remember will recall that the cornerstone Campus Crusade was The Four Spiritual Laws – a simple way of “organizing the important information in the Gospel into four parts.” The Four Spiritual Laws are centered on God’s wonderful plan for our lives.
- God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life.
- Humanity is tainted by sin and is, therefore, separated from God. As a result, we cannot know God’s wonderful plan for our lives.
- Jesus Christ is God’s only provision for our sin. Through Jesus Christ, we can have our sins forgiven and restore a right relationship with God.
- We must place our faith in Jesus Christ as Savior in order to receive the gift of salvation and know God’s wonderful plan for our lives.
Are you beginning to see where we are going here?
The Four
The Four is a reconstruction of the Four Spiritual Laws, shared in ways that are particularly suited and relevant to this generation. The statement of the laws has been condensed to The Four.
- God loves me. “He is real, and He wants nothing more than for you to experience His love personally and to discover the purpose of your life in your relationship with Him.”
- I live apart from God. “Sin damages and destroys our relationships with others. Sin keeps us from living the fulfilling life that God intends for us.”
- Jesus gave everything for me. “Jesus Christ and gave His life for us. He took our place on the cross, bearing all the consequences of sin Himself. Jesus died – but He rose to life again. Through faith in Jesus, we can experience God’s love daily, discover our purpose, and have eternal life after death.”
- Will I choose to follow Jesus? “We can choose to live with God by trusting Jesus Christ from now on. How will you decide?”
The Creative Methods
The “REACHOUT” page of The Four website lists more than 30 different ways to open a conversation of relevance to other individuals who may not have a relationship with Jesus. The methods appear under four categories that include Attractions & Flash Mobs, Conversation & Prayer, Give-Aways, and Without Words. Here are a few examples of how The Four might be introduced.
- A Message from God – Fill a glass with scripture verse “scrolls.” Approach people on the street and ask them if they would like a personal message from God. Let them choose the roll of their choice.
- The Surprise Box – Available from the ministry, this wooden box is inscribed on the lid with the words, “What does God love the most?” When the recipient opens the box, they are looking into a mirror – and they see the first of The Four points.
- Post-It – Approach someone you encounter. Ask them if they would like to win a prize by playing a game of Post-It with you. Both people are to write someone’s name on a Post-It note. Each person puts the other’s sticker on their own forehead, then take turns asking yes-or-no questions to see who can guess the name on their forehead first. It doesn’t matter what name they write. You write, “Jesus.” When they guess correctly, the door is open.
- Tattoos – The ministry has several removable tattoos available. Affix one to your arm. Approach someone with a tattoo and ask them what their tattoo means. Look for the opportunity to show them your tattoo and explain what it means.
The Four is a ministry abundant with ideas of how to approach and engage others in a friendly manner to create an opportunity to share the Gospel with them. Now, the question might be, “Why am I not doing something like this?” After all, “I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ.” Or am I?
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Sources:
- TheFour, Official Website
- Agape International, Official Website