Several years ago I was in Tulsa Oklahoma on Business. I had heard on Christian Radio that Rodney Howard Browne, a South African Evangelist, was going to be in Broken Arrow at Rhema Church.
I had been in some other Browne Meetings and wanted to go. I decided to make the trip.
For you who don’t know who Rodney Howard Browne is you may remember him as the Laughing Evangelist. Well, he didn’t laugh much. He pretty much was droll. But his meetings always included outrageous outbreaks of laughter. Why? I don’t know. Joy in the Holy Ghost I guess.
What I do know is in those meetings people responded. I went to two of the nights he was there.
The second night was on a Wednesday. People were howling with Holy Laughter. He was preaching as best he could. It seemed out of order but in a real way it was more orderly than any liturgical service I had ever attended in my younger days. To say you hadda been there is an understatement. And to say that Rodney Howard Browne’s ministry is or has been controversial is also gross understatement.
In fairness I will post an article that will be very critical. I know what people say. But, I always watch for fruit not form. I have seen lots of fruit (even in my own life, I was deeply touched in a Browne meeting when I was Slain in the Spirit for over 90 Minutes). I have never ever been the same. So, when I see and read these critical things I just smile and turn the page. My experience trumps your theology all day long.
When the altar call came, several hardened prostitutes came forward. Several drug addicts and dealers. And some others who would never have darkened the conventional church door or sung a hymn. They needed something real. They needed something that would touch the lostness of their soul.
The pregnant irregular atmosphere of joy in the Holy Ghost during that meeting spoke to the hungry place of sorrow in their lives and they responded with turning from sin and repenting. I know this seems out of line to the people who insist on telling God how to do what he does. They would be offended by Jesus making a mudpie of spit and dirt and smearing on some poor blind man. Sorry Jack. Jesus isn’t impressed by your need for conformity or conventionality.
And it wasn’t what brother Browne said. I don’t know for sure if he spoke or not. I only know that when the power of the Holy Ghost was strongest he gave the call to the altar and people RAN. RAN. RAN. No need for 5 choruses of “Just as I am”. They RAN.
What was that? The Holy Ghost atmosphere was doing the evangelizing. They had all heard it before but not with the permeation of the Joy of the Lord.
One other story. My Son, Tim, lived in Sacramento California for several years. During that time he was invited by some men from a bible study to come to Rock Church with Pastor Nathanial Wilson. The music was good, even great. The preaching was good, maybe even exceptional. People were friendly. That’s true of most decent churches today.
What was different about this was a spirit of expectancy and joy. He (Tim) said that during the singing, during the preaching, during the testimony times on a Sunday Morning or Night people would get up and shout. Some would sit on the edge of their chairs and cheer the preacher or choir or band on. And some would just get up and run a couple laps around the church.
He said that not everyone did this, but some did. He mentioned one, Tom, who was so excited. He had been in horrible sin. Repented and was so completely sold out that he couldn’t contain himself.
Tom, now 15 years later is a pastor of a large church in Washington State. I’ll bet that’s a happening place.
Tim said that every Sunday some of the most hopeless people would come to church. The music would play, the preacher would preach and BEFORE the end of the service people would RUN to the altar and repent. They would baptize them on the spot.
What made the difference? The Holy Ghost Atmosphere. People were hungry, thirsty, wounded and believed that there was an answer in Jesus. When the atmosphere was just so, they would respond.
This isn’t anything you can create or plan for this You can however squelch or stop it’s flow. The key to doing this is having someone fully sold out and able to flow in the Holy Ghost leading the direction of the meeting. If they are there things happen. If a reserved controlled and timid person is leading or trying to lead nothing will happen. So these things are rare.
This is not emotionalism, although it causes people sometimes to become emotional, this is not manipulation, even if one tried it would fail, it is not only among the down and out, I have seen this reaction with millionaires and CEO’s of large companies and leaders of cities. This is what happens when man gets out of the way and the flow of the Holy Ghost begins to happen. It changes people. No one can be in the presence of the Lord and remain the same. Isaiah didn’t. Jacob didn’t.
A powerful move of the Holy Spirit in an atmosphere of expectation and freedom will cause sinners to repent. That’s true Holy Ghost Evangelism. Not by power, not by might but by My Spirit saith the Lord.
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Consensus
Lovie Smith and Tony Dungy are supposed to have similar leadership styles. They are friends and learn from each other.
They are in stark opposition to the style of leadership Mike Ditka or Bill Clinton had.
Smith and Dungy are makers of Consensus. They create an atmosphere where people follow because they believe. Because they believe they win.
Ditka had people who followed because he said so. If you disagreed you were out.
Bill Clinton surveyed and governed by poll results. No real convictions. Just whatever people wanted. That kind leadership got Jesus crucified, Hitler elected and Jews killed. No one can govern by polls and winds of opinion. The rabble is nearly always wrong.
Smith and Dungy happen to be black. I don't know if it's true but perhaps they are taking to heart what Martin Luther King once said:
A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a maker of consensus.
That's why I appreciate George Bush. He doesn't see which way the wind blows and then decide, he makes a decision based on core convictions and then tries (and sometimes fails) to make consensus. I would rather follow that kind of leader than one who is uncertain in the sounding of his trumpet.
Before the outbreak of WWII Neville Chamberlain met with Hitler and essentially gave him Czechoslovakia. "Peace in our Time" was his battle cry. Now his name is a synonym with failed pacifism, appeasement, and an unwillingness to face the enemy with resultant horrible consequence.
We have people who in 50 years time will have the same ring of failure when their names are pronounced. Murtha, Durbin, and others. Failures because they believe there is something other than clear and decisive leadership, that negotiating and compromising with the sworn enemies of our country will lead to anything other than delayed and more deadly warfare.
We have a 2008 election coming up. How about a Smith - Dungy ticket, or a Dungy - Smith. I think it would work.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
The ONLY Real Evangelist - The Holy Spirit
When do people become Christians? How are they converted? Some say that for people born and baptised by their parents in the church there is no real need for evangelism. That they have always been born again (or were when they were baptised).
Then what of repentance? What of those who are drawn, convicted of their sin and come to repentance. This happens when they are aware of the lostness of their state. Something made them aware of being lost, something drew them to Jesus. A baby can't repent, be drawn or convicted. This happens only when the Holy Spirit draws them. Usually at a moment of crisis. A moment when a person is open. Holy Spirit driven evangelism takes place when people are ready and being drawn to Jesus by Him. We waste our time trying to evangelise people outside of that circumstance.
Let's go back to the Bible. Jesus was dealing with some cranky disciples in John 6 after having fed 5000 people. He says to a mass of followers:
John 6:44 For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up.
He was saying, what called you, what makes you think you are or can be saved? A person cannot be saved unless the Holy Spirit in a given moment is in that moment drawing, convicting, and convincing a person of salvation in Christ and God’s desire for that individual to be saved (which is, in fact, saving “faith”). A person cannot be saved at any given moment, but only in those moments when God’s grace, the work of the Spirit drawing, convicting, convincing, is happening. If the Spirit is not doing this work, a person cannot come to Christ. Then as the Holy Spirit opens the door faith must arise. It's a gift from God.
Then there is the passage that we all know so well:
Ephesians 2: 8-10
8For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. New American Standard
8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. New Living Translation
But grace is “resistible”—a person can either receive or resist the grace that creates conviction, repentance, and faith. As moments of opportunity to “believe” happen as people are placed (or place themselves) in the means of grace, and the Spirit of God brings conviction, repentance, and is creating faith—people can choose to cooperate with what God is doing or not. However, if they choose not to cooperate in that given moment, there is no guarantee another moment—the moment in which God is drawing, convicting and convincing—will happen again.
This is the act of obedience by a person to the call and prompting of the Holy Ghost. To resist is commmitting the sin Against the Holy Ghost so many fear. This cannot be the result of some act of parents on a child's behalf. This can only be a continuing progressive working out of our salvation thru fear and trembling as we obey. We must walk a road and make choices. WE walk the road, no one can walk it for us.
"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
Matt 7:13-14
The danger is teaching people that they are "OK" because they were baptised or confirmed or made a decision for Jesus at some crusade or signed a card in the back of a Bible Tract or prayed a sinners prayer on with Brother Buddy on TV. It is a narrow gate of grace and must be entered thru repentance after the Spirit brings conviction. Jesus warned about these kind of deceptive teachings of false salvation:
"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. Matt 7:15-20
Even those who look Godly, even those who accomplish the very highest works of God are subject to being deceived. It takes humility and a fear of God driven by a consequence of an eternity without him to keep our spiritual eyes open. This is not light loving. Repentance and conviction of sin must cause every man no matter how high and mighty his calling to tremble before God in fear of slipping into ease and comfort without even as a minister of God.
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' Matt 7:21-23
Of course some would use this verse to say that Prophesy, Casting out Demons, and Miracles are not desired by God. The opposite is true. The Lord uses them as examples because in his eyes they are things that he wants his servants to be doing as he did.
Jesus did exactly that when he was on this earth.
"And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him". Acts 10:38
Devil Oppression means sickness, poverty, despair, trouble, pain, demon pressures, and the need for a miracle. That's what Jesus did. That's the answer to the little Wristband that says, WWJD. That's what we are supposed to do. We must do it in purity and by the anointing empowerment of the Holy Ghost as God is With US.
If we find a person who is in pain, let the Holy Ghost call them, then help them find the solution to the problems they are having by finding Jesus. Lead them, do a prophetic act, cause them to start down the narrow way to salvation. Don't let them have any hope in anything other than the shed blood of Jesus. Don't let them depend on traditions, baptism, confirmation, communion, the sinners prayer, or anything except REPENTANCE; a turning around and turning toward Jesus. Then get them Baptised in Water and filled with the power of the Holy Ghost. Disciple them, teach them well, help them find the way. That is the great commission in action. There is power in the truth of God's mighty word but it falls on dead ears unless the Holy Spirit first opens them to hear----
----the Evangelistic Power of the Holy Spirit.
Then what of repentance? What of those who are drawn, convicted of their sin and come to repentance. This happens when they are aware of the lostness of their state. Something made them aware of being lost, something drew them to Jesus. A baby can't repent, be drawn or convicted. This happens only when the Holy Spirit draws them. Usually at a moment of crisis. A moment when a person is open. Holy Spirit driven evangelism takes place when people are ready and being drawn to Jesus by Him. We waste our time trying to evangelise people outside of that circumstance.
Let's go back to the Bible. Jesus was dealing with some cranky disciples in John 6 after having fed 5000 people. He says to a mass of followers:
John 6:44 For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up.
He was saying, what called you, what makes you think you are or can be saved? A person cannot be saved unless the Holy Spirit in a given moment is in that moment drawing, convicting, and convincing a person of salvation in Christ and God’s desire for that individual to be saved (which is, in fact, saving “faith”). A person cannot be saved at any given moment, but only in those moments when God’s grace, the work of the Spirit drawing, convicting, convincing, is happening. If the Spirit is not doing this work, a person cannot come to Christ. Then as the Holy Spirit opens the door faith must arise. It's a gift from God.
Then there is the passage that we all know so well:
Ephesians 2: 8-10
8For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. New American Standard
8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. New Living Translation
But grace is “resistible”—a person can either receive or resist the grace that creates conviction, repentance, and faith. As moments of opportunity to “believe” happen as people are placed (or place themselves) in the means of grace, and the Spirit of God brings conviction, repentance, and is creating faith—people can choose to cooperate with what God is doing or not. However, if they choose not to cooperate in that given moment, there is no guarantee another moment—the moment in which God is drawing, convicting and convincing—will happen again.
This is the act of obedience by a person to the call and prompting of the Holy Ghost. To resist is commmitting the sin Against the Holy Ghost so many fear. This cannot be the result of some act of parents on a child's behalf. This can only be a continuing progressive working out of our salvation thru fear and trembling as we obey. We must walk a road and make choices. WE walk the road, no one can walk it for us.
"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
Matt 7:13-14
The danger is teaching people that they are "OK" because they were baptised or confirmed or made a decision for Jesus at some crusade or signed a card in the back of a Bible Tract or prayed a sinners prayer on with Brother Buddy on TV. It is a narrow gate of grace and must be entered thru repentance after the Spirit brings conviction. Jesus warned about these kind of deceptive teachings of false salvation:
"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. Matt 7:15-20
Even those who look Godly, even those who accomplish the very highest works of God are subject to being deceived. It takes humility and a fear of God driven by a consequence of an eternity without him to keep our spiritual eyes open. This is not light loving. Repentance and conviction of sin must cause every man no matter how high and mighty his calling to tremble before God in fear of slipping into ease and comfort without even as a minister of God.
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' Matt 7:21-23
Of course some would use this verse to say that Prophesy, Casting out Demons, and Miracles are not desired by God. The opposite is true. The Lord uses them as examples because in his eyes they are things that he wants his servants to be doing as he did.
Jesus did exactly that when he was on this earth.
"And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him". Acts 10:38
Devil Oppression means sickness, poverty, despair, trouble, pain, demon pressures, and the need for a miracle. That's what Jesus did. That's the answer to the little Wristband that says, WWJD. That's what we are supposed to do. We must do it in purity and by the anointing empowerment of the Holy Ghost as God is With US.
If we find a person who is in pain, let the Holy Ghost call them, then help them find the solution to the problems they are having by finding Jesus. Lead them, do a prophetic act, cause them to start down the narrow way to salvation. Don't let them have any hope in anything other than the shed blood of Jesus. Don't let them depend on traditions, baptism, confirmation, communion, the sinners prayer, or anything except REPENTANCE; a turning around and turning toward Jesus. Then get them Baptised in Water and filled with the power of the Holy Ghost. Disciple them, teach them well, help them find the way. That is the great commission in action. There is power in the truth of God's mighty word but it falls on dead ears unless the Holy Spirit first opens them to hear----
----the Evangelistic Power of the Holy Spirit.
Angels and Prophets
Ron MacKinzie of Blessed Economist wrote this last night. It blessed me. It's so true. I hope it blesses you. Be bold, be strong for the Lord thy God is with YOU!
Angels are ministering spirits sent to serve God's children (Heb 1:14). They are sent by God. They serve God's people.
The LORD has established His throne in heaven,
And His kingdom rules over all.
Bless the LORD, you His angels,
Who excel in strength,
who do His word,
Heeding the voice of His word.
Bless the LORD, all you His hosts,
You ministers of His,
who do His pleasure. (Psalm 103:19-21).
Angels are created for obedience. They do not have the friendship with God that is opened up to us through the presence of the Holy Spirit. Angels often do not know as much about what is on the Father's heart as we do. They often "excel in strength", far more than they excel in wisdom and decision making.
Angels move between heaven and earth. When they are in heaven, they know what God is doing, because his Kingdom is established there. When they are on earth, they are dependent on other messengers from heaven to keep them up-to-date with what God is doing.
Angels are sent to earth to serve us, but as events change develop, they often do not know what to do next. They sometimes have to wait for our prophetic declarations before they know what to do. When they hear the Holy Spirit's word through us, they do it. They recognise his voice and obey it. They listen to a prophetic word and work to accomplish it. That is one reason why God does nothing without first revealing his plan to his servants the prophets (Amos 3:7).
Speaking in the language of angels is good (1 Cor 13:1), because it helps the angels to hear what the Holy Spirit is saying.
I believe if I read my Bible correctly, that would be the Gift of Tounges.
You can check me out on that.
Angels are ministering spirits sent to serve God's children (Heb 1:14). They are sent by God. They serve God's people.
The LORD has established His throne in heaven,
And His kingdom rules over all.
Bless the LORD, you His angels,
Who excel in strength,
who do His word,
Heeding the voice of His word.
Bless the LORD, all you His hosts,
You ministers of His,
who do His pleasure. (Psalm 103:19-21).
Angels are created for obedience. They do not have the friendship with God that is opened up to us through the presence of the Holy Spirit. Angels often do not know as much about what is on the Father's heart as we do. They often "excel in strength", far more than they excel in wisdom and decision making.
Angels move between heaven and earth. When they are in heaven, they know what God is doing, because his Kingdom is established there. When they are on earth, they are dependent on other messengers from heaven to keep them up-to-date with what God is doing.
Angels are sent to earth to serve us, but as events change develop, they often do not know what to do next. They sometimes have to wait for our prophetic declarations before they know what to do. When they hear the Holy Spirit's word through us, they do it. They recognise his voice and obey it. They listen to a prophetic word and work to accomplish it. That is one reason why God does nothing without first revealing his plan to his servants the prophets (Amos 3:7).
Speaking in the language of angels is good (1 Cor 13:1), because it helps the angels to hear what the Holy Spirit is saying.
I believe if I read my Bible correctly, that would be the Gift of Tounges.
You can check me out on that.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Maybe if we hide our heads under the covers it'll go away
George Barna has published the 12 most significant findings from 2006. He did surveys of people in and out of the Church at large. Here is one that should concern every parent and every church leader:
We do a pitiful job as a church in preparing our young people for the invasion of the supernatural in their lives. We should be helping them understand and experience the reality of the supernatural by an encounter with the miraculous.
That won't happen in most churches. Churches for the most part hope the supernatural will stay outside. But, our teenagers WILL find a way to tap into it. Sadly, they will be vulnerable to the occult if they haven't been taught and exposed to the real thing thru the manifestations of the Spirit of God.
The result of this avoidance is the counterfeit world of the supernatural looks more real to them than the real world of a supernatural Jesus.
It's no wonder that so many of our churches are tepid. Form of religion, denying the power thereof. We hide our head under the covers and pray it all goes away.
The bad news is, it's not going to. The supernatural is real. We are either going to have a flow of the power of the living God with the manifestations of the Holy Ghost or we are going to have tarot cards, palm readers and Ouija boards invading our young peoples lives. We make that choice for them. Just telling them about it won't get it. They must experience it for real.
Time to get off the fence.
Three out of every four teenagers have engaged in at least one type of psychic or witchcraft-related activity. Among the most common of those endeavors are using a Ouija board, reading books about witchcraft or Wicca, playing games involving sorcery or witchcraft, having a “professional” do a palm reading or having their fortune told. Conversely, during the past year fewer than three out of every 10 churched teenagers had received any teaching from their church about elements of the supernatural.
We do a pitiful job as a church in preparing our young people for the invasion of the supernatural in their lives. We should be helping them understand and experience the reality of the supernatural by an encounter with the miraculous.
That won't happen in most churches. Churches for the most part hope the supernatural will stay outside. But, our teenagers WILL find a way to tap into it. Sadly, they will be vulnerable to the occult if they haven't been taught and exposed to the real thing thru the manifestations of the Spirit of God.
The result of this avoidance is the counterfeit world of the supernatural looks more real to them than the real world of a supernatural Jesus.
It's no wonder that so many of our churches are tepid. Form of religion, denying the power thereof. We hide our head under the covers and pray it all goes away.
The bad news is, it's not going to. The supernatural is real. We are either going to have a flow of the power of the living God with the manifestations of the Holy Ghost or we are going to have tarot cards, palm readers and Ouija boards invading our young peoples lives. We make that choice for them. Just telling them about it won't get it. They must experience it for real.
Time to get off the fence.
I love it When it Happens, I just hope it all doesn't
On January 1 when the Word of the Lord for 2007 was published the weather was 50 degrees. Warmest December ever. Everyone in the global warming community was saying that we were in for a warm winter. Cherry Blossoms were blooming in New York. The consensus was, this would be a winter without winter.
Flying in the face of this generally accepted reality was this part of the Word given that I transcribed:
Now this news report comes out with this excerpt:
God will freeze us out til we come in from the cold? I don't know. I'm just the prophet, interpretation is partly your responsibility.
Flying in the face of this generally accepted reality was this part of the Word given that I transcribed:
Natural Disasters
2007 started off with warm weather. Predictors say it will be warm the rest of the year. As a poke in the ribs to worldly prognosticators, it will be very cold in latter part January and early February. This will cause people to puzzle. There will be a late spring as a result. The words, “How could it have started out so nice and turned so cold”. There is a prophetic meaning in all this.
Now this news report comes out with this excerpt:
Cold weather expected to hit the U.S. Midwest between Jan. 28 and Feb. 1 will now persist longer than previously expected. One model run by meteorologists at MDA's EarthSat Weather Group in Rockville, Md., forecasts "the coldest outbreak in years" for large parts of the U.S. between Feb. 2-6.I'm thrilled when God's Word proves itself over and over and over and over again. I wonder what prophetic meaning we are supposed to get from this?
God will freeze us out til we come in from the cold? I don't know. I'm just the prophet, interpretation is partly your responsibility.
The Best Thing I Ever Learned
Years ago when I was leading a fellowship one of the men who was a key part of that Church said, "If you want to know if you are a leader, look around and see if anyone is following you, If they're not you are just taking a walk".
That didn't sit right with me. I couldn't put my finger on it at the time but it seemed like one of those things you might read in a bad "Motivational" book. I have for better or worse in corporate America found myself in a place of leadership. I have for better or worse found myself in leadership at most Churches and organizations I have ever been part of.
The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers. Cults have followers. I didn't make that one up, that's a quote from Ralph Nader. Not all that christian but pretty good.
A real leader doesn't always scramble to be the leader. Instead real leaders are always working on launching others in life, church and business. Others. They are secure and not ever threatened by the forward motion of those they lead. They lift them up and give them a hand. They push, pull, and help the ones they lead to do better than they imagined they could have done on their own.
The pride of leadership comes in other people achieving. Proud of people as you give them a hand, proud of people when they advance. Leaders know they were there giving a hand of encouragement in helping someone along the way.
A friend of mine, Larry, from Fargo was on the radio with Jack Sunday, a radio announcer with a talk show. The discussion was about Larry's successful career. My son called the station during the show and mentioned my name to them. They both reacted positively. Larry who had been business partner of mine, said something to this effect, "Gene is a part of the reason I have had whatever success I have ever had".
Larry has had substantial success. If I lent a hand, if I led by encouragement I am PROUD to have done so.
So, to the man who said, ".....If no one is following, you are just taking a walk". I say, that's not leadership, that's domination and intimidation.
Leadership is finding the right people, preparing them and if they will do what they must to become what they can, giving them a hand to help them become everything they were created to be by God.
That, my Minister readers is what Ephesians 4 is all about. Not creating blind followers, creating leaders.
Be a real leader, build leaders.
Monday, January 22, 2007
Out of Town - Do The Homework or Don't Evangelize
I will be traveling for the next few days, So, posting will be light.
I have written enough on evangelism to choke a pony up till now. This is worthwhile and challenging reading. The work is only half done. More when I get back.
If you are going to be fair to yourself, you would do well to read all the chapters. Then, as we bring this discussion in for a landing you will be ready to either argue the point or open a new vista of evangelism for your Church and ministry.
Thanks for the nice comments I have received via email and phone so far. This has been breakthrough in revelation for me. This is what true prophetic teaching looks like. To the one who said, "I have read your blog for years and this is the best work you have done to date". I say thanks and thanks be to God who causes this to happen.
Here are the chapters on Evangelism thus far in order:
Getting it Wrong
Net Results
Greater Light
Chickens and Eagles
Love Driven
Key to Lost Heart
Brother Burnout
I have written enough on evangelism to choke a pony up till now. This is worthwhile and challenging reading. The work is only half done. More when I get back.
If you are going to be fair to yourself, you would do well to read all the chapters. Then, as we bring this discussion in for a landing you will be ready to either argue the point or open a new vista of evangelism for your Church and ministry.
Thanks for the nice comments I have received via email and phone so far. This has been breakthrough in revelation for me. This is what true prophetic teaching looks like. To the one who said, "I have read your blog for years and this is the best work you have done to date". I say thanks and thanks be to God who causes this to happen.
Here are the chapters on Evangelism thus far in order:
Getting it Wrong
Net Results
Greater Light
Chickens and Eagles
Love Driven
Key to Lost Heart
Brother Burnout
Dave Libby Writes about the C hurch, OUCH
Dave Libby is a pastor (Wheaton) friend of mine for several years. We don't see each other very often but he's always good at cutting thru the theological crap and telling it as it is. He did so in an email I got this morning. This is not for the faint of heart. Read it only if you have courage.
Before the USA was established pre-1776 – Churches were tax funded entities and ministers were supported by the taxes of the gov't – and commissioned to be a moral guide and educator for the colonies.
About 100 years ago, with service decline on the rise, some reformers suggested to make the services free of admission or pew rent. This was embraced over time and then the offerings slid more and more to support the services as a result. The down side was that the losers in the equation were the poor and the real missionaries or apostles (meaning those who go out to "become all things to all men").
As the concept of giving slid into just support for the services of the congregation, indulgence became as masquerade for the body of Christ and this is the condition we find ourselves in today. On the other side society could not tolerate a totally blind eye to the poor and so it gave the track for the government programs to be established to at least provide some sense of societal response to the issues that emerged over the last 100 years. People sometimes lament saying 100 years ago the church was care taker of the welfare, and seem to suggest that if we would just go back to the good old days…
Ministers are today set up to be essentially appeasers of congregations of like people who come to them by being sold the product of their preaching or ideology and the children's ministry. This is particularly targeted towards the "women folk" who like to have the stability of a perceived better spiritual head than their husband that that pastor represents and the opportunity to have a break from their children for the 2 hours on Sunday so they can get "fed". The result of this kind of almost seductive paradigm is that the Christian divorce rate is passing that of the world.
Consider:
1.2 billion are overweight
300 million are obese
The most devastating part is the condition of the women who are being overwhelmed with the expectations all around them and the need to keep up, and this is dramatically impacting marriages and the very things that hold us together.
Dave's indictment is worth considering. Can we change it? I don't know. I will do what I can. So will Dave. Maybe after we are both gone and in heaven with Jesus some radical reform will bring the Church in America back to it's purpose. That is if Man and Denominations can stay out of the way.
MILESTONES
We used to play a game called Milleborne. Milestones. One of the cards you drew was "Rollez". GO. The object of the game was to navigate obsticles along life's path to the end goal.
Life is like that. There are milleborne all along the way. They tell you how far you have come. How much distance and time have passed. They also give you a clue how far it is to the goal. Two just jumped up.
First Milleborne: a few months ago, the man who was my father for most of my life after my dad died, Earl Redlin, fell down and broke his hip. At his age this was not a light event.
The healing from the hip replacement surgery has been slow and painful. Being 90 didn't help. I mention that because he came home from the nursing home this last weekend.
It has been painful for the family and a bit divisive. That's normal. In my ministry work I have been involved in helping people thru this kind of thing when families go thru crisis and people are hurt.
This is no different even if its your own family. No one is exempt. I have more than once set myself down and counseled myself on how to deal with all this as I would have counseled anyone else. I hope I gave myself good counsel.
Now he's home. Things will be different. Probably difficult. But, this is a milestone.
Second Milleborne: Watching the Bears game Sunday afternoon as they beat the Saints to go on to Superbowl 41 made me realize, wait, we were HERE in IL for Superbowl 20. We have been married 40 1/2 years. We have lived in Illinois longer as a couple than we ever lived anywhere else. We aren't from anywhere else now. We are Illinois folks.
Somehow that milestone came as a shock to me. Not the math, the reality.
Where did the time go, what about all those mileposts along the way?
Seize the Day. Here comes another milestone.
There is only today. Today has enough troubles of it's own without borrowing from tomorrow. No one is guaranteed tomorrow or even the next minute.
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Evangelism - Brother Burnout
Up until now we have talked a great deal about Loving people into the Kingdom. How Agape love is the kind that reaches people; non threatening wide open accepting love. There are worldly patterns to follow. If you want to understand the word Brother or Brethren as used in the bible watch Animal House the movie, Fraternity Brothers (Brethren). Or when George Bush says, My fellow Americans, (Brothers Brethren), Or when Mark Anthony says, Friends Romans Countrymen, lend me your ears, (Brothers). It's an affiliation relational inclusion and not an intimated blood brotherhood. Unfortunately it has been polluted in meaning over the centuries and is an obstacle to evangelism.
Everything the Church has tried to do in the last 20 years probably could be best described as wasted effort in evangelism. The old ways just don't work any more. We used to hand out tracts when giving someone a piece of paper with writing on it was something unique. Today it's junk mail. We are buried in paper. Try handing out tracts on Michigan Ave in Chicago. You'll be arrested for littering as people throw it on the street.
We used to reach people by conducting Bible Studies. People were interested in hearing things they hadn't heard before. This was before 150 channels on TV, and now anyone can be a greater expert than you or me in 20 minutes using Google on the Internet. They might be misled but there is no shortage of explanations or information. People are in info overload.
We used to do it by having crusades. Events. Something that would attract the lost out of curiosity. Some of our forefathers used tents. People came because there was nothing else to do. That doesn't get it anymore. People hardly have enough time to watch American Idol, go shopping for shoes, to the movies, out to dinner or to the club. Mass crusades aren't of much interest to the lost any more. Oh, its ok for reaffirming the backslider but believe me, the lost ain't coming.
Bible Studies, Handing out tracts on the 4 spiritual laws, and having a famous "Evangelist" show up in town is akin to tossing a gospel grenade and hoping for the best. You know the Gospel Grenade: lean back, pull the pin and toss it into a crowd of sinners yelling, "GET SAVED". Or we pull the pin and heave it hollering, "REPENT OR BURN IN HELL". We do this all the time. It explodes. Now and then it gets a tiny result. So we believe that it works. That might have worked a hundred years ago. The Devil has equipped the lost with flack jackets. They aren't as easy as they used to be.
So how do we win the lost? There's only one way left: Stealth, Infiltration. Sleeper Cell Christians. We have to sneak up on them. They aren't going to come to us. We have to get next to them and bring them into the fellowship of believers and only then they will come to Church. We jump the gun on this one badly.
There is a danger in all this: we believe that we have to go out and become buddies with the world to lead them to Jesus. We think we have to become a guy's "best friend" to win him. That is a recipe for disaster. Think I'm all wet? OK, "buddy", What are you gonna do when the Sinner you have decided to get next to so you can earn the right to share the gospel with him wants to go out and chase whores and smoke dope? I mean you're his buddy now. Right? You should go along. Right? Chasing whores and smokin dope for JESUS. Wrong. You have to love him with the exact kind of Love God loves us with. Nothing else. Nothing less.
That's the problem with evangelism strategies that requires us to get next to someone on a friend level to share Jesus most of the time gets to be a case of who's zoomin who. Who's leading who where. Unless you know and understand this truth if you go out to infiltrate the world they will infiltrate you. I have known Good Christian Men and Women led into backsliding sin by trying to lead a sinner out and getting sucked back into the world.
Here's where the rubber meets the road. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BECOME SOMEONE'S BEST FRIEND TO SHARE JESUS WITH THEM.
Wow, I can hear you say, that's heresy. OK, is it? The principle is I can love you as a brother in the sense of a fraternity brother and NOT be your friend in the way most of the world thinks you should be. I can be friendly, but true friendship is rare and should only be given carefully.
In a prior post I talked about the need to love the lost and those in the church unconditionally with agape love. I gave a great number of examples.
The problem is that Christians impose on themselves the burden of thinking they have to love sinners and even one another with Philial (Brotherly) love that is equivalent to being a blood brother born of the same mother and father. That is impossible and not scriptural. Spiritually it works. Spiritually when we are born again we become brothers.
First, lets talk about IN the Church. One of the reasons burnout among pastors is so high in this day and age is that they try hard to be everybody's friend. Go to dinner. Go out, wash their car, fix their plumbing etc. If you are a pastor and you are in this trap I can help.
God has put you in the place of an under shepherd. You have seen a border collie that nips around with the sheep on TV. The Over shepherd tells him, go there, do that and he does. But the over shepherd doesn't expect the collie to befriend the sheep.
That doesn't mean he can't have a sheepling for a friend but few. That's why I said earlier, we should be careful who we call "Brother". Yes, it's true, that we are brothers positionally with Jesus and with each other. But, if you take the word Brother and do the research most of the time it is a warning about someone who calls themselves a brother. There is little scriptural mandate for treating a fellow believer as a brother.
I think the catholic church and the whole monastic environment has caused many people in the protestant church to think we should be like that. Live in unity and brotherhood without any dynamics of relationship. Somehow anything that is less than smiley faces all the time is sin. I don't read that in my Bible. Neither do you.
Oh, and by the way, I have spent time in Monasteries. They don't get along all the time either. Not everyone of the brothers likes each other. It's not sin.
I have a brother. I speak into his life. He speaks into mine. I get upset and impatient with him. He does the same with me because he knows we are devoted to one another. Our love for one another is unconditional and irrevocable. If you choose to have me as your brother or be my sister in Jesus, I will speak into your life, let you speak into mine, get impatient with you and even holler at you. If you become upset and push me away you weren't really ever my brother. I will still love you with the Agape love of God. I must and he empowers me to do so. But I must protect my heart with most of the brethren. Even the word brethren is badly translated here.
So, stop thinking evangelism is tossing gospel grenades. They don't work. Start thinking of evangelism as infiltrating the culture and earning the right out of respect and acceptance of unbelievers without endorsing or participating in the lifestyle they have to lead them to Jesus when they ask. They will.
As a pastor, if you want to avoid being burned out, love all of your congregation with the Love of God (Agape) and have a very few true spiritually blood brothers. Those must be ones you would trust with your very life. Because you are. They will watch out for you and you must watch out for them.
More tomorrow.
Everything the Church has tried to do in the last 20 years probably could be best described as wasted effort in evangelism. The old ways just don't work any more. We used to hand out tracts when giving someone a piece of paper with writing on it was something unique. Today it's junk mail. We are buried in paper. Try handing out tracts on Michigan Ave in Chicago. You'll be arrested for littering as people throw it on the street.
We used to reach people by conducting Bible Studies. People were interested in hearing things they hadn't heard before. This was before 150 channels on TV, and now anyone can be a greater expert than you or me in 20 minutes using Google on the Internet. They might be misled but there is no shortage of explanations or information. People are in info overload.
We used to do it by having crusades. Events. Something that would attract the lost out of curiosity. Some of our forefathers used tents. People came because there was nothing else to do. That doesn't get it anymore. People hardly have enough time to watch American Idol, go shopping for shoes, to the movies, out to dinner or to the club. Mass crusades aren't of much interest to the lost any more. Oh, its ok for reaffirming the backslider but believe me, the lost ain't coming.
Bible Studies, Handing out tracts on the 4 spiritual laws, and having a famous "Evangelist" show up in town is akin to tossing a gospel grenade and hoping for the best. You know the Gospel Grenade: lean back, pull the pin and toss it into a crowd of sinners yelling, "GET SAVED". Or we pull the pin and heave it hollering, "REPENT OR BURN IN HELL". We do this all the time. It explodes. Now and then it gets a tiny result. So we believe that it works. That might have worked a hundred years ago. The Devil has equipped the lost with flack jackets. They aren't as easy as they used to be.
So how do we win the lost? There's only one way left: Stealth, Infiltration. Sleeper Cell Christians. We have to sneak up on them. They aren't going to come to us. We have to get next to them and bring them into the fellowship of believers and only then they will come to Church. We jump the gun on this one badly.
There is a danger in all this: we believe that we have to go out and become buddies with the world to lead them to Jesus. We think we have to become a guy's "best friend" to win him. That is a recipe for disaster. Think I'm all wet? OK, "buddy", What are you gonna do when the Sinner you have decided to get next to so you can earn the right to share the gospel with him wants to go out and chase whores and smoke dope? I mean you're his buddy now. Right? You should go along. Right? Chasing whores and smokin dope for JESUS. Wrong. You have to love him with the exact kind of Love God loves us with. Nothing else. Nothing less.
That's the problem with evangelism strategies that requires us to get next to someone on a friend level to share Jesus most of the time gets to be a case of who's zoomin who. Who's leading who where. Unless you know and understand this truth if you go out to infiltrate the world they will infiltrate you. I have known Good Christian Men and Women led into backsliding sin by trying to lead a sinner out and getting sucked back into the world.
Here's where the rubber meets the road. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BECOME SOMEONE'S BEST FRIEND TO SHARE JESUS WITH THEM.
Wow, I can hear you say, that's heresy. OK, is it? The principle is I can love you as a brother in the sense of a fraternity brother and NOT be your friend in the way most of the world thinks you should be. I can be friendly, but true friendship is rare and should only be given carefully.
In a prior post I talked about the need to love the lost and those in the church unconditionally with agape love. I gave a great number of examples.
The problem is that Christians impose on themselves the burden of thinking they have to love sinners and even one another with Philial (Brotherly) love that is equivalent to being a blood brother born of the same mother and father. That is impossible and not scriptural. Spiritually it works. Spiritually when we are born again we become brothers.
First, lets talk about IN the Church. One of the reasons burnout among pastors is so high in this day and age is that they try hard to be everybody's friend. Go to dinner. Go out, wash their car, fix their plumbing etc. If you are a pastor and you are in this trap I can help.
God has put you in the place of an under shepherd. You have seen a border collie that nips around with the sheep on TV. The Over shepherd tells him, go there, do that and he does. But the over shepherd doesn't expect the collie to befriend the sheep.
That doesn't mean he can't have a sheepling for a friend but few. That's why I said earlier, we should be careful who we call "Brother". Yes, it's true, that we are brothers positionally with Jesus and with each other. But, if you take the word Brother and do the research most of the time it is a warning about someone who calls themselves a brother. There is little scriptural mandate for treating a fellow believer as a brother.
I think the catholic church and the whole monastic environment has caused many people in the protestant church to think we should be like that. Live in unity and brotherhood without any dynamics of relationship. Somehow anything that is less than smiley faces all the time is sin. I don't read that in my Bible. Neither do you.
Oh, and by the way, I have spent time in Monasteries. They don't get along all the time either. Not everyone of the brothers likes each other. It's not sin.
I have a brother. I speak into his life. He speaks into mine. I get upset and impatient with him. He does the same with me because he knows we are devoted to one another. Our love for one another is unconditional and irrevocable. If you choose to have me as your brother or be my sister in Jesus, I will speak into your life, let you speak into mine, get impatient with you and even holler at you. If you become upset and push me away you weren't really ever my brother. I will still love you with the Agape love of God. I must and he empowers me to do so. But I must protect my heart with most of the brethren. Even the word brethren is badly translated here.
So, stop thinking evangelism is tossing gospel grenades. They don't work. Start thinking of evangelism as infiltrating the culture and earning the right out of respect and acceptance of unbelievers without endorsing or participating in the lifestyle they have to lead them to Jesus when they ask. They will.
As a pastor, if you want to avoid being burned out, love all of your congregation with the Love of God (Agape) and have a very few true spiritually blood brothers. Those must be ones you would trust with your very life. Because you are. They will watch out for you and you must watch out for them.
More tomorrow.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Evangelism, The Key to the Lost Heart
When I used to travel around the country as a public speaker and Dale Carnegie instructor I had a trainer who often would challenge my style, my approach and my coaching of others with this question, "How much do you love them". When sometimes I would become frustrated with the reticence of someone in a program, an employee, or even an outside critic, he would ask, "Do you love them enough to make this work in spite of that problem".
Since the last post had to do with what kinds of love we are to have toward one another to be effective in evangelism the valid question is, what kind of Love was my trainer encouraging me to show? More important is what kind of love is required of me to be the leader and cause them to become what they asked me to help them become?
The love needed is still Agape. Not brotherly love, I'm not the class members buddy, I'm not their brother (yet). And, I'm not in "LOVE" (Eros) with them.
I must approach them with care, acceptance, embracing, non judgemental, wide open to them, folded in and part of the program.
If you read the previous post you will see all this pretty well wrung out there.
So, what kind of LOVE does the Father in Heaven, Thru Jesus, Shed Abroad in our hearts by the Power of the Holy Spirit have for us? Eros, NO. There is a place for an understanding of how Jesus views his bride. How intimate he is with us. How much we are on his mind. How much he desires fellowship with his creation. Our value. But it's not Eros. It's passion. It's the answer to the question I was asked, "How much do you love them?" Jesus spread his arms and said "this much". But although some could badly interpret the love as bordering on Eros, It's passionate Agape.
Or is the Love of God toward us Philial. Brotherly love. Again, it certainly is that as we understand all the dimensions of God's love toward us. I have a brother. I love my brother. I would do anything for my brother. I know he would for me. But we are brothers. When I am born again, Jesus becomes my brother. My veins flow with his blood of his Holy Ghost. That's another theological bunny trail I won't take right here. I am grafted in. We are blood. There is a danger in all this as well, Brother, Friend, Buddy, Jesus is one of my Peeps. He is a good friend at the expense of being transcendent God. So, while I love the old Hymn, "What a Friend we have in Jesus" I think we need to see that the Love of God toward the lost probably doesn't include a Philial dimension initially. They are lost, in the world, outside of the covenant. Like you were once. They can't respond to a brother Jesus. It doesn't compute. Even if it's true at several levels.
That brings us back to Agape. God loves us without qualifications. He loves the Satanist Crack Dealing Child Molester as completely as he loves you. Oh, they are enemies of God, but God made peace thru Jesus on the Cross with them. So they are fighting a battle that was already won. It's a one way war, Them against God. I have a feeling I know who wins.
They are still outside the covenant, but loved. To a worldly mind that seems a contradiction. To the lost it makes all kinds of sense.
The key to the Lost Heart is the Love of God shed abroad in OUR hearts so it's shed abroad in theirs. In the end there is only ONE evangelistic power in the universe. The POWER of the Holy Ghost. If a person is ready to come to Jesus because of Trouble, because of pain, because of lostness, because of Marriage problems, the Holy Ghost is calling them.
I know a man, Manny Mill who is one of the few true evangelists I know. Oh, he has a ministry organization that takes him away from his ministry gifting. He spends too much time administering, raising money, running around speaking to churches, to exercise the Gift God Placed in him. I have known Manny off and on for nearly 10 years. When I described the Brighter Light in an earlier post to outshine and attract, Manny Mills is that. I have seen him in small groups and he lights up the room. He probably thinks that's him. It's the power of God lighting him up and he lets it shine. It's attractive. He draws all men to Jesus by the light. Manny has chosen to let his light shine in a dark place, Prison. There he goes as an eagle to people who are eagles under the chicken feathers they think they are tarred with.
He tells them they were meant to soar.
Everything Manny does under the anointing of God, passionately, leading men to Jesus, letting his light shine is a wonderful gift as part of the 5 fold ministry. Everything he does outside of his gifting like trying to build, manage, and direct a national ministry is like an 8 cylinder engine in a fully loaded pickup truck hitting on 3 cylinders.
I know what that's like. When I'm doing what I'm anointed to do Prophesy and Teach I hit on all 8. When I do things outside of my Ministry gifting you have to pull a few sparkplug wires. Do what you do do well the old song says.
Manny operates from love. Manny shines from love. He really flows at his peak in those times. My hope (even prayer) for Manny is that he finds more opportunity to do what he does so well and less time to do what his anointing doesn't touch.
I have touched on it, but tomorrow, the Genuine Evangelist, The Holy Spirit of God. He gets so little credit but without him no evangelism happens at all.
Since the last post had to do with what kinds of love we are to have toward one another to be effective in evangelism the valid question is, what kind of Love was my trainer encouraging me to show? More important is what kind of love is required of me to be the leader and cause them to become what they asked me to help them become?
The love needed is still Agape. Not brotherly love, I'm not the class members buddy, I'm not their brother (yet). And, I'm not in "LOVE" (Eros) with them.
I must approach them with care, acceptance, embracing, non judgemental, wide open to them, folded in and part of the program.
If you read the previous post you will see all this pretty well wrung out there.
So, what kind of LOVE does the Father in Heaven, Thru Jesus, Shed Abroad in our hearts by the Power of the Holy Spirit have for us? Eros, NO. There is a place for an understanding of how Jesus views his bride. How intimate he is with us. How much we are on his mind. How much he desires fellowship with his creation. Our value. But it's not Eros. It's passion. It's the answer to the question I was asked, "How much do you love them?" Jesus spread his arms and said "this much". But although some could badly interpret the love as bordering on Eros, It's passionate Agape.
Or is the Love of God toward us Philial. Brotherly love. Again, it certainly is that as we understand all the dimensions of God's love toward us. I have a brother. I love my brother. I would do anything for my brother. I know he would for me. But we are brothers. When I am born again, Jesus becomes my brother. My veins flow with his blood of his Holy Ghost. That's another theological bunny trail I won't take right here. I am grafted in. We are blood. There is a danger in all this as well, Brother, Friend, Buddy, Jesus is one of my Peeps. He is a good friend at the expense of being transcendent God. So, while I love the old Hymn, "What a Friend we have in Jesus" I think we need to see that the Love of God toward the lost probably doesn't include a Philial dimension initially. They are lost, in the world, outside of the covenant. Like you were once. They can't respond to a brother Jesus. It doesn't compute. Even if it's true at several levels.
That brings us back to Agape. God loves us without qualifications. He loves the Satanist Crack Dealing Child Molester as completely as he loves you. Oh, they are enemies of God, but God made peace thru Jesus on the Cross with them. So they are fighting a battle that was already won. It's a one way war, Them against God. I have a feeling I know who wins.
They are still outside the covenant, but loved. To a worldly mind that seems a contradiction. To the lost it makes all kinds of sense.
The key to the Lost Heart is the Love of God shed abroad in OUR hearts so it's shed abroad in theirs. In the end there is only ONE evangelistic power in the universe. The POWER of the Holy Ghost. If a person is ready to come to Jesus because of Trouble, because of pain, because of lostness, because of Marriage problems, the Holy Ghost is calling them.
I know a man, Manny Mill who is one of the few true evangelists I know. Oh, he has a ministry organization that takes him away from his ministry gifting. He spends too much time administering, raising money, running around speaking to churches, to exercise the Gift God Placed in him. I have known Manny off and on for nearly 10 years. When I described the Brighter Light in an earlier post to outshine and attract, Manny Mills is that. I have seen him in small groups and he lights up the room. He probably thinks that's him. It's the power of God lighting him up and he lets it shine. It's attractive. He draws all men to Jesus by the light. Manny has chosen to let his light shine in a dark place, Prison. There he goes as an eagle to people who are eagles under the chicken feathers they think they are tarred with.
He tells them they were meant to soar.
Everything Manny does under the anointing of God, passionately, leading men to Jesus, letting his light shine is a wonderful gift as part of the 5 fold ministry. Everything he does outside of his gifting like trying to build, manage, and direct a national ministry is like an 8 cylinder engine in a fully loaded pickup truck hitting on 3 cylinders.
I know what that's like. When I'm doing what I'm anointed to do Prophesy and Teach I hit on all 8. When I do things outside of my Ministry gifting you have to pull a few sparkplug wires. Do what you do do well the old song says.
Manny operates from love. Manny shines from love. He really flows at his peak in those times. My hope (even prayer) for Manny is that he finds more opportunity to do what he does so well and less time to do what his anointing doesn't touch.
I have touched on it, but tomorrow, the Genuine Evangelist, The Holy Spirit of God. He gets so little credit but without him no evangelism happens at all.
Friday, January 19, 2007
Love Driven Evangelism - 2 out of 3 ain't bad
We are taught in churches (mostly as a guilt trip) that we should be more loving toward one another. That they will know we are disciples by our love. That love toward the brethren was a sign of a good church.
My son, Tim, as I was having a discussion about evangelism with him told me that what impressed him about the Church he is a part of, what attracted him was the love.
When I say that, I hear all the pastors out there saying, "Yes and Amen, that's the problem". We don’t show enough LOVE in this Church.
Well here comes old bubble buster Gene. We might be showing the wrong kind. Let me give you a metaphor from real life.
This Sunday the Bears are going to beat the N/O Saints (We walk by faith and not by sight) on the road to the superbowl. I'm a Bear fan. I have a jersey and a tee shirt that says bears. I will wear both on Sunday afternoon and Pray as Grossman throws the ball. Very spiritual stuff.
I can't afford to go to the game. But I watch the fans on TV.
They have a good time. They pass the beers without taking a sip (manlaw), do the wave, sing the fight song (Bear down Chicago Bears, Rah Rah Rah) and when the Bears do something right the give each other high fives, cheer, yell, stand up, give each other hugs, head butt, and generally have a great time. They have in common the victory of a team they are jointly attached to, they honor, have fun with, accept, and generally treat each other as Buddy for the whole game. They don't know if the guy next to them is a gangster, truck driver, bum, or bank president. The concentration is on the Bears. They don't know if the woman next to them is a crack whore, waitress, housewife or the CEO of a major corporation. It's not about them; it's about the Bears.
A Bears game is exactly the kind of Love Jesus was talking about when he told his disciples in the most misunderstood verse of the Bible: By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another John 13:35
The word Love in this badly understood verse is Agape. Not Philia, Not Eros.
Jesus was saying, Love each other like the Bears Fans Love each other and you will "Get it". People will know you are mine as you Agape one another.
In good Bars and Bears Games true Agape is expressed. It's 1 Corinthians 13 Love, it's a Love Feast. If I were to go to a Bears game and get in the middle of the crowd I would be enjoying the fellowship and the game, FEASTING on it. I would want to go again. That’s why tickets are sooooo expensive and always sold out. It’s not always about who wins. It’s group focus. Being part of something bigger than themselves.
Now of course after the game is done if these people saw each other on the elevator, on the street, even in Church and were reminded how WIDE OPEN (another definition of Agape) they were at that game they might be embarrassed to admit that in the real world they don't love each other like they did at the game or half in the bag at the bar. For a few moments in time they were agape-ed at the game. It felt good. They wish it could be like that again. They certainly don’t become “Best Friends” because they go to the same game. The pressure for that level of friendship in the Church is huge. It’s not scriptural. Say with me three times, Agape, Agape, Agape. Besides you should only golf with sinners.
The real definition of Agape according to Zodiates in the Greek form is: Respect, acceptance, no judgment, honor, and esteem, received without qualification.
Sounds like a pretty good Church. Sorry to say it's not the Church you attend. I wish it were.
I wish Real Church could look like a Bears Game. Jesus is the focus. We sing the fight songs. We stand up, we wave our hands, punch the air, give each other high fives and pass the drinks and hotdogs in communion. Everyone is focused on Jesus. It’s exciting, there’s a sense that someone could take a kick and run it back for a touchdown from the one yard line. Anticipation.
It’s our love for Him that drives an Agape love for each other.
What if such a place existed? What if people could come just as they are? What if people were accepted, received, respected, even esteemed them without judgment? Would the Church have any trouble getting people to come back? I think I would even go back.
Love is the key component in Evangelism. I don't call many people Brother, Philia. I call some. You know who you are. I want to be more Agape towards others than I am towards the smaller group I consider brother or sister. I won’t cheapen the appellation as some have. My Eros love is restricted to one person, My Wife.
If you want to try to prove me wrong, I took Mr Strong’s BIG old concordance out this morning and looked up the New Testament verses regarding love. The focus overwhelmingly is that we should Love God as he Loves us. In fact we can't love God unless he empowers us to do so first. We can love one another only in the Love of Christ. The love defined between each other in the Church biblically is almost exclusively Agape in nature.
I have a confession. Not a bad confession. I am part of a smaller fellowship in the Chicagoland region. I have been there since it was formed. It is a diverse group of people. I have an agape love toward them all. I really love them in that way. I know they love me the same. I feel accepted and embraced when I am there.
But there are people in that fellowship that on a friendship basis I don't want to know better. Like at a Bears game. Not everyone in the stands is someone I want to hang out with. In fact, despite the Agape Love I have for these people at this fellowship we have fights. We argue. We don't LIKE each other sometimes. Agape isn't about liking someone. I can have an agape love toward you and not like you. Look back at the description. That was true in the early church. The Apostles fought like cats and dogs and even didn't really like each other all that much sometimes. But they loved each other in the Love of Christ. Agape.
In fact even Eros love doesn't work unless we love Jesus first. But that's a topic for another book.
Love is the answer but it must be the right kind of love to be effective in evangelism. 2 out of 3 are wrong to guilt the congregation with. They are only required to Agape. IF they did, the lost that might visit would stay.
Evangelism Should be driven by Agape Love.
That's the way it's supposed to work.
Tomorrow: The KEY to the heart of the lost, How much do you LOVE THEM?
My son, Tim, as I was having a discussion about evangelism with him told me that what impressed him about the Church he is a part of, what attracted him was the love.
When I say that, I hear all the pastors out there saying, "Yes and Amen, that's the problem". We don’t show enough LOVE in this Church.
Well here comes old bubble buster Gene. We might be showing the wrong kind. Let me give you a metaphor from real life.
This Sunday the Bears are going to beat the N/O Saints (We walk by faith and not by sight) on the road to the superbowl. I'm a Bear fan. I have a jersey and a tee shirt that says bears. I will wear both on Sunday afternoon and Pray as Grossman throws the ball. Very spiritual stuff.
I can't afford to go to the game. But I watch the fans on TV.
They have a good time. They pass the beers without taking a sip (manlaw), do the wave, sing the fight song (Bear down Chicago Bears, Rah Rah Rah) and when the Bears do something right the give each other high fives, cheer, yell, stand up, give each other hugs, head butt, and generally have a great time. They have in common the victory of a team they are jointly attached to, they honor, have fun with, accept, and generally treat each other as Buddy for the whole game. They don't know if the guy next to them is a gangster, truck driver, bum, or bank president. The concentration is on the Bears. They don't know if the woman next to them is a crack whore, waitress, housewife or the CEO of a major corporation. It's not about them; it's about the Bears.
A Bears game is exactly the kind of Love Jesus was talking about when he told his disciples in the most misunderstood verse of the Bible: By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another John 13:35
The word Love in this badly understood verse is Agape. Not Philia, Not Eros.
Jesus was saying, Love each other like the Bears Fans Love each other and you will "Get it". People will know you are mine as you Agape one another.
In good Bars and Bears Games true Agape is expressed. It's 1 Corinthians 13 Love, it's a Love Feast. If I were to go to a Bears game and get in the middle of the crowd I would be enjoying the fellowship and the game, FEASTING on it. I would want to go again. That’s why tickets are sooooo expensive and always sold out. It’s not always about who wins. It’s group focus. Being part of something bigger than themselves.
Now of course after the game is done if these people saw each other on the elevator, on the street, even in Church and were reminded how WIDE OPEN (another definition of Agape) they were at that game they might be embarrassed to admit that in the real world they don't love each other like they did at the game or half in the bag at the bar. For a few moments in time they were agape-ed at the game. It felt good. They wish it could be like that again. They certainly don’t become “Best Friends” because they go to the same game. The pressure for that level of friendship in the Church is huge. It’s not scriptural. Say with me three times, Agape, Agape, Agape. Besides you should only golf with sinners.
The real definition of Agape according to Zodiates in the Greek form is: Respect, acceptance, no judgment, honor, and esteem, received without qualification.
Sounds like a pretty good Church. Sorry to say it's not the Church you attend. I wish it were.
I wish Real Church could look like a Bears Game. Jesus is the focus. We sing the fight songs. We stand up, we wave our hands, punch the air, give each other high fives and pass the drinks and hotdogs in communion. Everyone is focused on Jesus. It’s exciting, there’s a sense that someone could take a kick and run it back for a touchdown from the one yard line. Anticipation.
It’s our love for Him that drives an Agape love for each other.
What if such a place existed? What if people could come just as they are? What if people were accepted, received, respected, even esteemed them without judgment? Would the Church have any trouble getting people to come back? I think I would even go back.
Love is the key component in Evangelism. I don't call many people Brother, Philia. I call some. You know who you are. I want to be more Agape towards others than I am towards the smaller group I consider brother or sister. I won’t cheapen the appellation as some have. My Eros love is restricted to one person, My Wife.
If you want to try to prove me wrong, I took Mr Strong’s BIG old concordance out this morning and looked up the New Testament verses regarding love. The focus overwhelmingly is that we should Love God as he Loves us. In fact we can't love God unless he empowers us to do so first. We can love one another only in the Love of Christ. The love defined between each other in the Church biblically is almost exclusively Agape in nature.
I have a confession. Not a bad confession. I am part of a smaller fellowship in the Chicagoland region. I have been there since it was formed. It is a diverse group of people. I have an agape love toward them all. I really love them in that way. I know they love me the same. I feel accepted and embraced when I am there.
But there are people in that fellowship that on a friendship basis I don't want to know better. Like at a Bears game. Not everyone in the stands is someone I want to hang out with. In fact, despite the Agape Love I have for these people at this fellowship we have fights. We argue. We don't LIKE each other sometimes. Agape isn't about liking someone. I can have an agape love toward you and not like you. Look back at the description. That was true in the early church. The Apostles fought like cats and dogs and even didn't really like each other all that much sometimes. But they loved each other in the Love of Christ. Agape.
In fact even Eros love doesn't work unless we love Jesus first. But that's a topic for another book.
Love is the answer but it must be the right kind of love to be effective in evangelism. 2 out of 3 are wrong to guilt the congregation with. They are only required to Agape. IF they did, the lost that might visit would stay.
Evangelism Should be driven by Agape Love.
That's the way it's supposed to work.
Tomorrow: The KEY to the heart of the lost, How much do you LOVE THEM?
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Eagles Evangelize Chickens, not the other way around
There is a motivational story about an eagle raised by a flock of chickens. I know you've heard it. The Chicken-Eagle is visited one day in the Chicken Yard by a wild adult Eagle. The Adult Eagle asks "Why are you here, Why aren't you up soaring with the other Eagles?". The young chicken-eagle says, "Soaring is only for eagles". "I'm a chicken". The Adult eagle remands, "No my young friend, you were created to soar, your destiny is to fly high". With much persuasion the wild Eagle with a mirror and demonstration builds enough longing and desire in the Chicken-Eagle who begins to believe. He tries, fumbles, tries again and in a few hours is soaring high above his former home. Oh, his foster chickens, his brother chickens, his friend chickens all said, "this isn't right, soaring is not for us".
What they didn't know is several of the chickens left in the yard were actually young eagles and could soar as mightily as their brother up in the clouds. But fear and tradition kept them grounded.
Learning to soar for the young chicken-eagle was a born again experience.
To an observer of the fowl religion, all these birds had feathers, beaks, flapped their wings, some of the chickens could actually take flight for short distances. Some were quite beautiful. So, when the young Chicken-Eagle took off there was some huffiness as in "We are as good as that young eagle, we just don't do that HERE". "We practice all the same fowl sacraments other birds do. We just don't soar".
Oh, there were some who watched this all happen. Who would tell others of the young eagle from the chicken pen who left and soared. Others who said they wish they could be like that. Some others who told grand stories of eagles who had left the pen and had mighty conquests. A few went to those Chickens who looked a little different and encouraged them to try soaring. They gave them books on soaring. In fact some even tried to offer a weak attempt on what soaring might look like. They were Chickens trying to convince others who had the potential to soar but couldn't because the ones trying to convince the little chicken eagles weren't able to soar themselves.
Without the capacity to believe they could soar themselves, without the capacity to demonstrate and show what it all meant to soar, it was good theology but without any power.
That is what is wrong with most evangelistic efforts in most churches. Mostly Theory without Practice.
If you don't have the light to outshine the worlds light you will be ineffective at reaching people for Jesus. People are attracted to what will open a door to soar for them. They don't want another sad tale, they want someone to offer them hope.
Then most Christians come along, head hung down, sad, frowning, looking defeated saying, "Wouldn't you like to have what I have? I'm Saved, I'm on my way to heaven" No thanks is the unspoken reply. Our words are right, but our light isn't on. Dim bulb in a bright blinding world.
These lost souls are eagles under the skin and they see us as clucking chickens unable to do more than talk and go thru the motions of flapping and pecking.
I know this seems harsh but I'm not the first to see this. Charles Finney over a hundred years ago saw what I see today. So does Andrew Strom.
These Excerpts (which I did edit) are from a piece by him:
So any discussion about those in the church evangelizing others outside the church is a moot point if the person in the church is not born again. If both the lost soul and the allegedly saved (but lost) soul are blind, one will lead another into the ditch. Most of the time it will be the lost soul leading the poor weak "believer" back into sin. I have seen it too many times, so have you. The Church of Jesus needs to become a place of real light so that others are drawn to the city on the hill. That starts with true conversion of those who ARE the church and not some nominal membership, and worse even leadership by people who to a Charles Finney would be prime evangilistic target material.
I know this part of my thesis seems a little harsh, maybe even judgmental. But, we don't have revival of those IN the church, we won't affect the world, we won't have any power, and we won't reach the lost because we have lied to each other and to ourselves about what a Christian really is. In my observation, RARE is the nomenclature I would put on it.
Last Sunday in our Church the Young Pastor had an altar call for salvation after a pretty effective presentaion of the Gospel. I was there for the altar calls. NO ONE came forward. No one repented. Yet, I know full well that there is a large portion of the Church asleep in the light. This is going to take a jolt. God has a Jolt coming.
True evangelism comes by people who desire to reach others getting saved first. You can't impart what you don't possess. You can't introduce people to someone you don't know, (Like Jesus). How can you introduce others to Him if you don't know Him?
Lovie Smith is the Coach of the Chicago Bears. I'm a bears fan.
I know about Lovie Smith, I have seen lots of interviews with Lovie. I read the sports section about Lovie. I admire Lovie. But, unless I actually KNOW Lovie my introduction of YOU to HIM will be empty and meaningless. I haven't earned the right. I'm not in the place where I can introduce you to Lovie. I don't KNOW him.
Now, you might decide to pursue meeting Lovie Smith on your own, partially based on my interest in Lovie that captured your imagination. As a result you might put yourself in a place where you might actually get to know him. Then, if I asked you to introduce me to him, who's his friend and who's an outsider?
That's the way most of the Church of Today is. Outsiders.
NEXT: The Power of Love in Evangelism (It's not what you think). You don't have to love others to reach them for Jesus. It's not about you. You do have to be head over heels in Love with Jesus however to make it all work. More later. I've beat you up pretty bad today. I love you, I just want to see you come into a genuine realationship with Him. You were created to soar!
What they didn't know is several of the chickens left in the yard were actually young eagles and could soar as mightily as their brother up in the clouds. But fear and tradition kept them grounded.
Learning to soar for the young chicken-eagle was a born again experience.
To an observer of the fowl religion, all these birds had feathers, beaks, flapped their wings, some of the chickens could actually take flight for short distances. Some were quite beautiful. So, when the young Chicken-Eagle took off there was some huffiness as in "We are as good as that young eagle, we just don't do that HERE". "We practice all the same fowl sacraments other birds do. We just don't soar".
Oh, there were some who watched this all happen. Who would tell others of the young eagle from the chicken pen who left and soared. Others who said they wish they could be like that. Some others who told grand stories of eagles who had left the pen and had mighty conquests. A few went to those Chickens who looked a little different and encouraged them to try soaring. They gave them books on soaring. In fact some even tried to offer a weak attempt on what soaring might look like. They were Chickens trying to convince others who had the potential to soar but couldn't because the ones trying to convince the little chicken eagles weren't able to soar themselves.
Without the capacity to believe they could soar themselves, without the capacity to demonstrate and show what it all meant to soar, it was good theology but without any power.
That is what is wrong with most evangelistic efforts in most churches. Mostly Theory without Practice.
If you don't have the light to outshine the worlds light you will be ineffective at reaching people for Jesus. People are attracted to what will open a door to soar for them. They don't want another sad tale, they want someone to offer them hope.
Then most Christians come along, head hung down, sad, frowning, looking defeated saying, "Wouldn't you like to have what I have? I'm Saved, I'm on my way to heaven" No thanks is the unspoken reply. Our words are right, but our light isn't on. Dim bulb in a bright blinding world.
These lost souls are eagles under the skin and they see us as clucking chickens unable to do more than talk and go thru the motions of flapping and pecking.
I know this seems harsh but I'm not the first to see this. Charles Finney over a hundred years ago saw what I see today. So does Andrew Strom.
These Excerpts (which I did edit) are from a piece by him:
Charles Finney spent his entire ministry preaching to professing Christians. And yet he was called one of the greatest 'evangelists'! What he was doing was evangelizing the church people? Because he found that most of them were not living in a state of true salvation at all. Most of the church was 'unsaved'!
Actually, you see this pattern in most Revivals down the centuries. In many cases, what Revival was actually the church coming into true SALVATION for the first time. They THOUGHT they were saved before, but they had been under a delusion. When the 'Revivalist' arrived and preached to them, suddenly they saw that they were undone and in a lost state, and multitudes were converted. Revival almost always begins with the church.
That's the way it is today in America. That's why the American Church is so impotent. It's a holding pen for the Dammed. People are preached to in Churches that they are 'OK', when in reality they are headed for destruction.
Today we see exactly the same thing in the West as Finney saw in his day. We see a church that is very largely UNSAVED. A truly "saved" church (in the New Testament sense) behaves and looks and sounds utterly different to what we have today.
Even in Pentecostal/Charismatic circles we often find many "previously-saved-but-no-longer-walking-in-it" believers.
The doctrine of "Asking Jesus into your heart" does not exist in the Bible. I would come very close to calling it a lie from the pit of hell, because it falsely assures people that they are "saved" just because they have 'prayed a little prayer'. It is very dishonest and totally unscriptural.
According to what I know about it, a basic "New Testament Christian" is someone who has:
(1) Repented (real change) Then,
(2) Been Baptized in water, and
(3) Been filled with the Holy Spirit
I am convinced that the coming harvest will BEGIN IN THE CHURCH. It will begin with converting the "CHRISTIANS". -This has always been God's order. "First in Jerusalem, then in Judea...."
I am deeply burdened for the church in the West. Let the new "Charles Finneys" arise. Let the trumpet sound go forth. The message of PIERCING REPENTANCE must be heard in the land once again. And the idol of "Mammon" must surely be one of it's key targets.
I am convinced that the prophets must arise for Revival to come to the West in these days. "For the word of God is quick and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword." -May this mighty sword be brought to bear on the walls of Religion and false 'assurance' in these days.
So any discussion about those in the church evangelizing others outside the church is a moot point if the person in the church is not born again. If both the lost soul and the allegedly saved (but lost) soul are blind, one will lead another into the ditch. Most of the time it will be the lost soul leading the poor weak "believer" back into sin. I have seen it too many times, so have you. The Church of Jesus needs to become a place of real light so that others are drawn to the city on the hill. That starts with true conversion of those who ARE the church and not some nominal membership, and worse even leadership by people who to a Charles Finney would be prime evangilistic target material.
I know this part of my thesis seems a little harsh, maybe even judgmental. But, we don't have revival of those IN the church, we won't affect the world, we won't have any power, and we won't reach the lost because we have lied to each other and to ourselves about what a Christian really is. In my observation, RARE is the nomenclature I would put on it.
Last Sunday in our Church the Young Pastor had an altar call for salvation after a pretty effective presentaion of the Gospel. I was there for the altar calls. NO ONE came forward. No one repented. Yet, I know full well that there is a large portion of the Church asleep in the light. This is going to take a jolt. God has a Jolt coming.
True evangelism comes by people who desire to reach others getting saved first. You can't impart what you don't possess. You can't introduce people to someone you don't know, (Like Jesus). How can you introduce others to Him if you don't know Him?
Lovie Smith is the Coach of the Chicago Bears. I'm a bears fan.
I know about Lovie Smith, I have seen lots of interviews with Lovie. I read the sports section about Lovie. I admire Lovie. But, unless I actually KNOW Lovie my introduction of YOU to HIM will be empty and meaningless. I haven't earned the right. I'm not in the place where I can introduce you to Lovie. I don't KNOW him.
Now, you might decide to pursue meeting Lovie Smith on your own, partially based on my interest in Lovie that captured your imagination. As a result you might put yourself in a place where you might actually get to know him. Then, if I asked you to introduce me to him, who's his friend and who's an outsider?
That's the way most of the Church of Today is. Outsiders.
NEXT: The Power of Love in Evangelism (It's not what you think). You don't have to love others to reach them for Jesus. It's not about you. You do have to be head over heels in Love with Jesus however to make it all work. More later. I've beat you up pretty bad today. I love you, I just want to see you come into a genuine realationship with Him. You were created to soar!
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
The Essence of Evangelism – Greater Light
We have so far explored the question of what evangelism is or isn’t. We have asked the question of how does one know that an evangelist is doing what he is called to do.
Now, it’s time to get down to brass tacks. What does true versus false evangelism look like?
I have a few biblical foundational verses for you. First let's just be radical for a moment and see what JESUS says about who he wants to concentrate on:
Now, it’s time to get down to brass tacks. What does true versus false evangelism look like?
I have a few biblical foundational verses for you. First let's just be radical for a moment and see what JESUS says about who he wants to concentrate on:
- Matthew 19:14 - But Jesus said, Let the little children come to me, and do not forbid them: for to such as these belongs the kingdom of heaven.
- Mark 10:14 - But when Jesus saw it, he was very displeased, and said to them, Let the little children come to me, and do not forbid them: for to such belongs the kingdom of God.
- Luke 18:16 - But Jesus called them to him, and said, Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them: for to such belongs the kingdom of God.
- Matthew 21:16 - And said to him, Do you hear what these say? And Jesus said to them, Yes; have you never read, Out of the mouths of children and nursing infants you have brought perfect praise?
- Matthew 18:5 - And whoever shall receive one such little child in my name receives me.
- Mark 9:37 - Whoever shall receive one child such as this in my name, receives me: and whoever shall receive me, does not receive me, but him who sent me.
- Luke 9:48 - And said to them, Whoever shall receive this child in my name receives me: and whoever shall receive me receives him who sent me: for he who is least among you, that one shall be great.
- Matthew 18:6 - But whoever shall cause one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him that a great millstone be hung around his neck, and that he be drowned in the depths of the sea.
- Mark 9:42 - And whoever shall offend one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for him that a millstone were hung about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.
- Matthew 18:10 - Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I say to you, That in heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven.
- Matthew 18:14 - In the same way, it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.
- Matthew 18:3 - And said, Truly I say to you, Unless you are converted, and become like little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
- Matthew 18:4 - Therefore, whoever shall humble himself as this little child, he is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
- Mark 10:15 - Truly I say to you, Whoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall not enter it at all.
- Luke 18:17 - Truly I say to you, Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall by no means enter it.
Evangelism is best exercised and most effective when the children are reached young. The world ,the flesh and the devil are doing all they can to evangelize the little ones via the media, advertising, public school and music. The church owes nothing less than all it can give in effort toward bringing little children to Jesus. I won’t rehearse all the statistics about a child coming to Jesus, or Bible passages about raising up a child etc. I will say this, that unless the passion of a Church and of a Christian is any less than working hard and harder to see to it little children get grounded and sealed at the earliest age possible everything else we do as Christians is doubly difficult, expensive and mostly ineffective.
Then, once we have done what we can till the child is 10-13 years old, we must do what we can to disciple them, ground them, fire them for Jesus, see them filled with the Holy Spirit. We must do everything possible to see to it the great commission takes place in the lives of these young ones the Devil is trying to strip away from Jesus.
By the time that child grows to 18 or 20 years old the pattern of the next several years of that child’s life is set, for good or bad; Toward or away from Jesus.
They go away to College or work, get married, try to fit in, party down, and find it hard to become the man or woman of God they hoped to become. Unless they go off into this battle with the full armor of God they will go naked and are beaten in the battle.
True evangelism must focus primarily on the young. When I see the budget of a ministry I have a measurement I make, unless the bulk of the ministry money is being spent for children and youth, it’s wasted. Sorry to be blunt, it’s the truth. I think you knew that. It’s just not popular.
I have become close personal friends with some powerful men of God who led great Churches. Every one in reflecting on what has happened in the years previous has at one time or another said, "I wish we had invested more in youth and Children than we did". I never ever have heard ONE say, "I regret what we spent on Children and Youth. It was a waste of time and money".
After adulthood reaching people for Jesus is a losing crap game at best. Oh a few come in but the bulk of the people coming to Jesus are people coming back who were once discipled as children. So in reality, we are reclaiming the evangelistic efforts expended years before.
I have worked Billy Graham crusades. The bulk of the responders are moderate backsliders looking for fresh assurance of salvation.
That means, in a world of pagans, sinners, atheists, agnostics, and just plain passive unbelievers not practicing any faith, real conversions from that point are few and far between. Sadly this means that the bulk of money spent on trying to reach the lost in adulthood is a waste of time, energy and money. I’m not saying give up. I am saying, in resource allocation this is a new perspective. Reaching the lost is a one on one exercise in adult evangelism. More on that later.
There is one opportunity, when a couple has children and that couple was raised in some form of Christianity (early evangelism paying back again), there is a guilt complex that causes them to seek a little Christianity for the kids. If they come and bring the kids to church and Sunday school MAYBE they might stick. One can only hope.
Otherwise, the idea that an unchurched couple are going to come to church just because OK, Because of, of, of, WHAT? To join Club Jesus? Not too likely.
There is only ONE reason that anyone comes to Jesus as an adult. I'm talking about someone who doesn’t know Him now. They come because someone they knew personally was lost and destroyed, came to faith in Jesus, life got better, the light went on and the person watching all this said to themselves, “I would like to have what they have”. When they saw this light come on in the other person’s life they said, “I want what he has”.
Hence the question, “how many evangelists does it take to change a light bulb”. Answer, “Only one, but the light bulb must WANT to be changed and the wattage the Evangelist is offering must always be brighter”. If you have a working but dim lighted bulb, why would you put another in just as dim, or dimmer? You would always want to see things more clearly, more light, more wattage.
Men are like moths, given a choice they are drawn to the light. Conversion as the result of proper evangelism is always showing the light you have and then leading people to want more. Evangelism is showing the light:
“I have made you a light to the nations, a means of salvation to the ends of the earth” (Acts 26:17-18)
Jesus tells us to take the light in us and place it on a tabletop, “so that those entering the room can see” (Luke 11:33) Like a city on the mountaintop, shining like a beacon light at sea, leading people to the safe harbor, Jesus Christ.
In the heavenly Jerusalem, where “there will be no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God gave it light and the light was the Lamb and the nations shall walk by that light” (Revelation 21:23).
“Always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15). Do you know what hope means? It means I’m going to have a great tomorrow. I am walking in greater light. I have HOPE. LIGHT!
Isaiah 9:2 will come to pass as we let the light shine out of us: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. And on those who live in the shadow of death, light has shined.”
We are light bearers. Light is the essence of true evangelism for reaching adults. We know how to do this for little children. They are open, hungry and ready. We can almost not do it wrong. But with adults it is infinitely more difficult; we must let our light so shine before men that when they see the Good Works God does thru us they will Glorify HIM.
Church Hopping is off limits for both hoppers and church outreach efforts. Much of what we call evangelism is nothing more than borrowing sheep till they get frustrated and move on to another pasture. I believe Christians must commit to a body they can treat as a ministry and exercise the gift God put in them until they are no longer able to do so. That excercise will cease only with death and darkness on the part of the person or on the part of the Church. The only reason for anyone to ever leave a Church that has died or gone dark is for more light. Greater Light must always be the goal. The only reason to leave a dark and sinful life is for more light, greater light. The Church of 2007 must meet the culture with relevance. That's what this series is all about. Things are about to change, I'm preparing you.
Tomorrow: Shining the Light - a HOW-TO Primer
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