What is the goal of evangelism? Give me a one word or one phrase answer–quickly! What do you think? The movie, Stolen Summer, is the story of a boy who wants everyone to go to heaven. As a result, he tries to convert his friend, the son of a Jewish rabbi. The story revolves around …
Category Archives: Evangelism
Evangelism
A few years ago, I preached a sermon that recounted numerous evangelistic stories from the life and ministry Jan and I have shared. One person described the sermon as “your life in less than 30 minutes.” God marvelously blessed us with 20 years of local church ministry in two evangelistic, rapidly growing churches. Later, we …
One Measures What Matters
Among the most important things a church does: it learns who it is, and it learns what is God’s purpose for the church. Leaders must work constantly to focus the identity of the church. It is the responsibility of leaders to remind the church of its purpose. Jan and I were in Fort Gibson Sunday, …
Developing Missionary Churches
In our mission work, we often talk about the goal of developing missionary churches. What do we mean by a missionary church? A missionary church can be developed in various ways, but the normal process is that (1) a church is planted or established with intense, focused evangelistic efforts, followed by (2) a continuing process …
An Evangelistic Church: Sharing the Good News
One can say it in many ways–a church that walks in and shares the story of God, a church that tells the Good News, a church that reaches out, a church that touches hearts and transforms lives, an evangelistic church. In my mission work, I outline and guide churches through steps for the development of …
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Will We Share the Gospel?
I am thinking this morning about how much our world has changed from the 1950s world I knew as a boy. If you had told my grandmother, or even my mother, about the possibilities we enjoy today in a constantly shrinking world with almost unlimited opportunities for travel, they would hardly have believed it. The ability …
Evangelism and Prayer
I love memorable phrases. They stick in the mind, they are hard to let go of, they come back again and again effortlessly, with no conscious effort to remember them. In Sunday’s sermon, Mitch reminded us that we must talk to Jesus about people AND talk to people about Jesus. Effective evangelism involves both. Evangelism …
Ministers! Are you doing the things that will grow the church?
Today I share some thoughts from “Introduction to Ministry” class. Churches of different sizes have different needs. Churches of different sizes organize themselves differently, with different centers and different challenges. Miinisters must recognize the dynamics of the churches with which they minister. Some smaller churches are organized like bigger churches, often because the church has …
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Just Thinking…about Others
It’s that time of year! Our hearts are more inclined to turn to the needs of others at this season. We have multiplied opportunities for giving to the poor and needy. We also find joy in giving to those we love and those who dearest to us. Question! As you consider the needs of other …
Unhinderedly [Acts 28:31]
Acts 28:31 ESV says, “…proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.” There it is! The last word of the last verse of the last chapter of Acts. A Greek word which I translate “unhinderedly.” The ESV gets the flavor and significance of the Greek …