 hopefulness and confidence about the future successful outcome of something.
 a disposition or tendency to look on the more favorable side of events and to expect the most favorable outcome.

 the tendency to believe that the worst will happen
 the tendency to see, anticipate, or emphasize only bad or undesirable outcomes, results

OPTIMISM IN
CONVERTING OTHERS
IS THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN OPTIMISM AND PESSIMISM

The Pessimist Says:

How can I convert anyone? The world is
SO sinful, becoming more sinful everyday.

Shoe salesmen go to a remote island
They find that everyone is barefoot
1 st salesmen: I’m coming home. No one here wears shoes!
2 nd salesmen: Send more shoes. No one here wears shoes!

OPTIMISM IN
CONVERTING OTHERS
Men Need the Gospel!

Sheep without a shepherd Mk 6:31-34

Fields are white for harvest Jn 4:35; Mt 9:36-38

The Pessimist Says:
I’ve taught the gospel before, most never obeyed those that did obeyed fell away; what the use?

OPTIMISM IN
CONVERTING OTHERS
Gospel Will Find Good Ground
MK 4:14-20

Found by scattering everywhere, not by picking the “most likely” person.

Can’t focus on the results from the poor soil!

The Pessimist Says:
No one listens to me, why should I try? I’m just not very good at presenting the gospel.

OPTIMISM IN
CONVERTING OTHERS
There is power in the gospel
1 Pet 1:23-25, Rom 1:16-17; Heb 4:12
Conversion is all about the working of
THE WORD OF GOD
Acts 2:41; 6:7; 8:14; 11:1; 12:24; 13:48; 19:18-20

OPTIMISM IN
CONVERTING OTHERS
There is Power in the Gospel
“For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe”- 1 Thess 2:13

OPTIMISM IN
CONVERTING OTHERS
There is Power in the Gospel
“I did not come with excellency of speech or of wisdom , proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and in trembling , and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom , but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men , but on the power of God.”
1 Cor 2:1-5

The Pessimist Says:
No one has responded to me (or not enough people have responded to me);
I am failure; I give up.

OPTIMISM IN
CONVERTING OTHERS
God Will Do His Part
1 Cor 3:5-9

Do our part: plant and water

God will cause the growth

We are rewarded for the labor, not the growth

OPTIMISM IN
CONVERTING OTHERS
Do We Have Faith That:

Men need the gospel?

The gospel will find good ground?

There is power in the gospel?

God will do His part?
We will teach with optimismwith hopefulness and confidence, expecting the future successful outcome of our work.

OPTIMISM IN
CONVERTING OTHERS
FAITH WILL KEEP US OPTIMISTIC;
IF WE ARE OPTIMISTIC,