Participants:
Series Code: TDYL
Program Code: TDYL220016A
|
00:06 >> I want ♪
00:55 ♪ ♪ >> friends and welcome to 3 a 01:09 bit today live on Thursday night. It is all the way live here at 3ABN, I'm so glad that 01:15 you have taken the time to join us this program is one that you want to hit the 01:19 record button right now. I'm encouraged because it is relevant all the way across 01:23 the board. Whether you are a member, a pastor, what you just got You've been in the 01:28 church for a number of decades. This is the ultimate call on everyone's life. And 01:34 you'll find out what I mean. It's just a moment. As I introduce my guests in just a 01:38 moment. But I want to thank you for your prayers and your financial support of this 01:42 worldwide ministry. As we continue going and growing, getting ready for the most 01:47 awesome event of the ages. The coming of chases 3ABN is committed to producing 01:52 programming. As our founder Good friend of mine, Danny Shelton, a said we are 01:59 preaching that 3 angels messages and on diluted 3 in just a message is one that 02:03 will counteract the counterfeit and we are committed to evangelism. But 02:05 tonight we're talking about. >> Evangelism. What is that? Is it relevant today want to 02:12 find out and all the answers to that. And I'm going to let you know, my guess is after 02:18 the song, we have some beautiful music today. My good friend Jamie George is going 02:23 to bless us with a song. I know it's going to to touch your heart. It is entitled L 02:28 Should Die. And right after that, we'll dive into a prominent life changing 02:32 powerful program. Stay with us. 02:46 >> Okay. If you clapped, you have to say. >> we'll 02:54 >> Well, you on >> 2. to >> and 03:22 ♪ ♪ ♪ 03:37 ♪ ♪ ♪ 04:05 ♪ ♪ ♪ 04:21 ♪ ♪ ♪ 04:41 >> you >> may clean. I'm Christ. Disney. 04:50 >> The 2 to >> The >> All to 05:11 ♪ ♪ ♪ 05:30 ♪ ♪ ♪ 05:43 ♪ ♪ ♪ 05:57 ♪ ♪ ♪ 06:12 >> thank >> you so much, Jamie, for that. Very well known song 06:14 else. Should I a lot of our lives. Thank you so much for that. I think it lays the 06:20 foundation wonderfully for what we're talking about tonight. And without further 06:24 ado, let me introduce you to our guests tonight, Pastor Cameron Division. Good to have 06:28 you here. Thank you so much. Good to be here. Yes, I know. I'm just excited when I heard 06:33 that. You're going to be our guest tonight. I thought, wow, I'm glad I was asked to host 06:38 this program because I've been following you through the years. Understand your 06:41 ministry have seen caught using young, powerful ways. But there's some people that 06:45 are watching and maybe listening by radio that may not even know who you are. So 06:50 just Yes. Just give us an overview of you are, what you do and it will be back on. And 06:55 you're like, sure, I am currently my position is the director of Sabha school and 07:00 personal ministries in the Michigan Conference of 7 >> And recently that has also 07:04 come to include public evangelism coordination for the Michigan Conference. And 07:08 so along with my associate director Pastor Mark Howard, who's also been here at the 07:11 3ABN family from to time where we the and his wife as our secretary. Well, basically 07:18 make the person mistress team has responsibility for as in the name implies Sabha school, 07:23 which of course, is part of every local church to try and personal ministries, which 07:30 should be part of every individual members experience. And now public evangelism. so 07:35 basically most of what we do is work with lay people and help them to see that their 07:41 job isn't just merely to be members of the church, but to be missionaries for Jesus 07:44 Christ. Wow, it's like the Ephesians 2.10, We liked by Grace. Always safe to faith. 07:50 It's a gift of God not of works, but then ephesians 2.10, full. We are as 07:54 workmanship created in Christ. Jesus for good works exactly when I say by good works. But 07:58 we are safe for good works. If that's wonderful. Now. Let's get a little background 08:05 Married yes, I am married to Emily we have 3 children. Henry Edward and Molly. Well, 08:12 all of them just keep growing when the 7, 9, 11 there 2 years apart. And so we the 7, 08:17 9.11 phase of life right now. And it takes it's exciting. Every day's a new day. It's 08:21 it's frustrating. It's great for all of our characters, but Kerry. But we're very happy. 08:29 Well, and thank you for your ministry to. We've been blessed here. 3 ABN. You've 08:33 been here for a camp meetings and having spoken a number of occasions and we look forward 08:37 to any future contacts with 3 ABN. Thank you, Pastor. Well, I appreciate you guys in your 08:41 ministry, too. You know, because coming from the denominational side of Lake 08:45 domination, employment and supporting ministries like 3ABN, there's the cooperation 08:49 that that is essential in the Lord has each in its place. And I really appreciate the 08:53 collaboration we have and as pastors were in the same union Union Lake Union, correct? 08:59 Yes, and I'm also because I mean Illinois, confident, OK? All right. So in the same 09:04 union, yes, indeed, been here 19 years and so praise the Lord for that. Except let me 09:08 get back to you now because Ellen just dive into this very significant question because 09:12 people say, okay, we're talking about evangelism and we remind our viewers and 09:16 listeners that tonight for the second hour, we're going to be taking questions. You may be a 09:21 church member that says our church does not have evangelism. We don't even know 09:25 what that is. We haven't had for many, many years. You may want to call and ask 09:29 questions. Let me give you that information tonight or you may want to find out how 09:32 you can be more involved in the process evangelism. If you want to send in a question by 09:37 text, send it to 6, 1, 8, 228-3975, at 6, 1, 8, 2 to 8, 39. 75. That's how you text 09:46 your question. But if you want to e-mail those that's live at 3 ABN Dot TV. Now I ve at 3ABN 09:54 OTT TV for any questions and will take those in the second hour. Don't don't be afraid to 09:59 send the questions because we just give you encouragement. There is no such thing as a 10:03 ridiculous question. If it requires an answer. Very quickly, pastor, what is 10:07 evangelism? Well, that's it really quickly. That's a huge broad thing. But you look at 10:13 the great commission, you look at the book of Revelation, you look at so many different 10:17 passages of Scripture. Evangelism. Is that work of sharing the good news, the 10:21 Gospel with others. So that by God's grace, Jesus comes, we won't be going home alone 10:27 trying take people with us. And so we want to be so winners. And that's what 10:30 evangelism really is that hope process of winning souls giving the gospel the world by 10:38 God's Grace, hastening the coming of Jesus. So, yeah, it's not just a thing. Some 10:43 churches do or specialist might take care of on occasion. It's supposed to be 10:47 the driving focus of every local church of every conference of every individual 10:52 member to not only be a part of the body of Christ, but be an active dynamic. So winner 10:57 and his her, his or her own right. You know, this woman put people think about 11:02 evangelism and think we'll have evangelist come Help me with that. Well, even when you 11:07 prompted just for a second ago with those questions, you know, people, people, the 11:11 cape's of questions you mentioned just kind of euphemistically there are we 11:14 hear a lot like we did evangelism and the talk about 2, 3, years ago as though it 11:20 were an event, right, or we got an evangelist as though to specialty and so we put those 11:27 things together in a lot of people have the misconception that evangelism is a an event. 11:32 And B, it's only done by professionals like a pastor or an evangelist proper when the 11:39 reality is both of those things, those 2 misconceptions. Probably a 11:44 host of others to put those particular too, are really. Really detrimental to the work 11:50 that the Lords called us to do because we have to realize number one, evangelism is not 11:56 an event. It is a process. It is an ongoing continuing cycle of work that never has the 12:03 start never has a finish now. Public evangelism is typically what people are thinking, 12:09 right? When they say we did evangelism or we're going to do evangelist what they mean. 12:12 Typically. On the calendar. We're going to set a few weeks apart and we're going to 12:19 announce to the world that we've got a special series of meetings, Ryan, we by God's 12:24 Grace. We'll see people attend those meetings and then make decisions for Jesus and have a 12:28 harvest event. And all of those elements are good. But when we come to think of 12:35 evangelism in its entirety is limited to just that one idea. Well, no wonder we're having 12:42 trouble with evangelism these days because that's not the way that scripture describes 12:46 the work of. So winning is a one off event by specialist here and there. So we can get 12:50 into some of that tonight. But we were going to trust some of those evangelism myths and 12:55 misconceptions. I think the Lord has good answers for his word evangelism myths and 13:00 misconceptions. it's really good. It's a good way of looking at it because there's 13:04 some things that if you get rid of the meth in the truth, if it comes to the certainly 13:07 the other thing about this. And I think that one of the reasons why let's talk about 13:11 what is a minister and that's another misconception, too, because I many years somebody 13:17 tell me visit came to the church considers the minister in town. Is that no, he's out 13:21 of town. Sometimes people don't see themselves as ministers absent. I don't I 13:31 think sometimes is is as probably underselling it a little bit. I think that 13:33 there's often times that. Members see ministry as a minister's job and it all the 13:40 work of the church or most of it or at least the past oral and certainly the evangelistic 13:43 labor of the church that is hit. In fact, that's why we return tides and we give to 13:52 church budget. So quite lot of times people think of it, quote, unquote. That's what 13:55 the thinking is right. And oftentimes we think of either foreign as mission work is 14:00 foreign. An evangelist IQ work is for professionals. And so the members job must be to 14:06 simply pray for and pay for their good works as a very good approach. But the reality 14:13 is. We need we need to shift the mind-set that every member has to recognize that that 14:20 great commission is for them to try even if there wasn't a global church, even if there 14:24 wasn't a local church, even if there wasn't a minister in the picture, if I have a 14:28 relationship with Jesus Christ, I am not only 2 maintain it for myself, but I 14:34 have a duty. I have a God given burden to share that truth with others and grow his 14:41 kingdom. So this the we've got deconstruct some of mental obstacles. They're hindering 14:48 the working on now in this distracted world, we're living in a society that 2030, 40 14:52 years ago. The challenges world quite a You know what the social media challenge, 14:59 the mindset that people can listen for more than 20 minutes the fast moving 15:05 television commercials. 4 things on the screen at the same time. What's coming up? 15:09 What's playing? What's going to be next TikTok Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and all the 15:14 other. It. >> Things that are out there challenging. How do you 15:18 maintain? I want to get to some of these questions about the church's focus on shared 15:20 and isn't it? How do you maintain evangelism in a distracted society? 15:28 >> Well, again, with when you say maintain evangelism, are you talking about maintain an 15:33 audience for a series of meetings? That's one aspect of it. But what we really does 15:38 route back into that misconception of what evangelism even OK, it's OK, 15:42 because I want to start to the root of this a little bit, OK, evangelism is process with 15:48 multiple phases. And Ken, too agriculture all throughout scripture, especially in 15:53 Christ Ministry, OK, you know, he's always talking about plants. Now he does mention 15:59 fish in nets and coins here and there. But his repeated motif that he keeps employing 16:06 is agriculture, U 2 seeds and soil. And and corning grain crop of harvest over and over. 16:12 And the reason he's talking about plants so much is yes, it was an agrarian society and 16:15 it's something related. Bull. But there's a deeper truth in that is that? A process akin 16:23 to agriculture is how the Lord intends his word to spread throughout the So in, for 16:29 instance, Isaiah chapter, 61 in verse 11, he talks about how as the soil causes, the 16:35 things that are grown and it took so. And as the earth causes, the things that 16:39 started to grow. So the Lord will cause righteousness, putting forth ball nations 16:43 that there's this concept that in the same way that a farmer so seed and over time through 16:51 working process gets a harvest. The same things expected in the work of so 16:55 many of vandalism. And when we talk about public evangelism, we're often times preaching 17:03 clear straight messages, doctrinal straight from the Bible, calling for decisions, 17:06 making commitments and hopefully seeing some baptisms to the glory of God. But 17:11 that's only one phase. So if if we were to extend the metaphor a little farther? If 17:16 you talk to a farmer and he adjusts owed seed in his field. Would you say he has 17:24 now farmed? No, no, but he is far meaning right? Right. And so the same thing with tilling 17:29 the soil, the same thing was going to see the same thing with cultivating watering 17:32 weeding all of those difficult things. All of that together is farming, right? Right. In 17:39 the same way that evangelism starts not when the public meetings begin in the fall of 17:44 6 way back when we start making friendships with people, we start building 17:47 bridges and building confidence in showing sympathy for people meeting their needs 17:53 and demonstrating the character of Christ. And then when we prepare the soil of a 17:58 heart that we start to sow the seed, which is the word of God and we can cultivate it 18:02 through ongoing Bible study for preparation so that when we get to the evangelist a 18:07 campaign, it's actually a harvest, right in softened already. Exactly. And I think 18:12 a lot of times we have jettisoned all those essential other components of the 18:18 evangelism cycle. And focused exclusively or at least primarily on the public 18:23 evangelist series. And we're expecting in a few weeks time for the soil to be prepared 18:31 for the seed to be known for the cultivation happen. If the decision to call for people be 18:33 ready for nominating committee 3 weeks. Notice it. It's just not possible. It's not even on 18:38 the radar and praise the Lord. Not only is it not something that works. It's not something 18:42 we should be aiming for anyway. We should have a more comprehensive, holistic view 18:49 of this work of evangelism, try to help people understand what it even entails. It's 18:53 very, very good. Like first Quentin Street for 6. You know, Paul says I plan Apollo 19:00 swatted, but God gave the increase That's process. You're talking about a 19:04 >> is the church too focused on evangelism. Is that something that could happen? I 19:07 can. I can imagine someone asking. >> Our church week or in our 19:12 conference or whatever their contacts for churches. They let's say we just do so much 19:18 all ever hear about vandalism. This adventure that we're too focused on the pages. First of 19:21 all, if that's your primary function, I don't know how you can be too focused on it. I 19:26 don't know. I don't know that Nike ever complains about too focused on shoes or Apple 19:31 being too focused on iPhones and MacBooks. You that's thing. The church is God's 19:36 appointed agency for the Salvation of souls. It was established for this very 19:40 work, right is great commission. So to say that you guys are about our father's 19:45 business too much. There's no such thing there. You could compare. So so when you start 19:50 to think about it that way. >> If the main thing, the main commission we've been given as 19:55 to give the gospel to the world. Is there any way we can accidently do it too much? No, 20:01 I think most churches would actually look if you to say what we spend the most time on 20:06 what we spend most money on. Where are most of our people focused on in our church? Is 20:13 it, you know, sharing the gospel is holding meetings giving Bible. Studies is 20:17 calling for decisions. Is it so winning labor or is it ministry of important things, 20:24 you know, bullet to maintain maintenance, all of which that's not to denigrate that 20:28 write it's all necessary. But is the administration and continuance of programming and 20:36 facilities. Is that our number one priority or is that supposed to be a vehicle for 20:41 doing our number one priority, which is giving the gospel to the world? 20:45 >> Well, I like the way you put that in that comparison, Nike iPhone, anything that 20:49 people, you know, and when we look at the consumer market, people are always looking for 20:52 something new. What's coming up next was coming on and how beautiful that would be. If we 20:56 had the same aspirations towards Seoul. can we get next? Yeah. Always necks in 21:04 you your past. You know you when you look at when you look at a visitor who is coming to 21:08 the church are some new person who's walked to the door or an acquaintance or friendship. 21:10 >> You already thinking? All right. I'm going to test the soil where where are they 21:16 spear? Chile and what's the next thing they need to? They need an invitation to a to a 21:20 church services. They need a Bible study. Did they need? Are they ready for a 21:22 commitment? You know, and we need to start viewing the world around us through the 21:28 lens of Christ and his his perception of things and say. You know, I'm not just in 21:35 church on Sabbath and then I go about my other 6 days. I'm going to be a worker for 21:39 Christ all throughout my life and evangelism becomes a lens through which you view the 21:46 world and we need to have that. I said of the Holy Spirit to start seeing the 21:49 opportunities around us as the Lord opens doors. I didn't I mentioned earlier about these 21:54 different mediums. His social media true. True evangelism. Does it ignore those mediums 22:00 that doesn't include those me? >> Well, I wish I wish we could just ignore. And 22:05 throughout all the text of the great. But that's just not the reality. We're not going go 22:07 and a famous bank robber was one time interviewed by paper. They asked this really probing 22:16 question. Why do you Rob Banks? and his answer was simple. Well, that's where the 22:24 money is. Okay. And I if they put it somewhere else, I go there right? And I don't 22:29 believe that churches should be chasing social media presence just to be another. 22:32 You know, another noise on bank. But if that's where the people are, then we got to go 22:37 get it right. So if they're in it. And so when we go to to talking about advertising 22:41 offers for Bible study or upcoming events are invitations to whatever things 22:45 were holding. We need to yes, put up the billboards into the mailers, those kind of things. 22:50 But social media is part of that, too. But the thing we're calling them to is not just 22:56 another like quick little tick tock flick on the screen. You know why we're trying to use 23:02 that and leverage it to bring them into an authentic. Genuine experience between 23:07 them and the word of God. And their creator who built them for better than just a passing 23:14 blip on the screen. But intentionality, yes, you've been to Napa Valley before. 23:18 Probably, yes, okay. My life. I lived in that area and that message and that valley but 23:22 Northern California from that area, you can look at the intentionality with which the 23:26 venue to lined up. Yes. So let's talk about the intentionality of evangelists 23:31 because a lot of times people tell told I've even been guilty of that. You know, 23:35 share your faith. Talk to some of the about Christ Gibson literature. It's like, you 23:42 know, get some seated. Just got side 3rd in the vineyards and just see what happens in 6 23:46 months. Talk about the intentionality. Let us please do Scituate tells us that 23:53 success in any effort requires Okay. And I'm I'm uses referenced several times but 23:59 people want to see things in buzzwords and society. Organic is one of those people love. 24:04 all just happened organically. If you think about that means I think that they're using 24:09 that as a substitute for spontaneity. But if you look at the plant, okay, and going 24:14 back to agriculture motif, the reason it grow so well is because of how it's organized. 24:21 It's got cellular structure and it's got, you know, maybe you know, there's there's that 24:26 the the photosynthesis process and how interacts with the soil and dirt. That's not an 24:30 accident. That's not spontaneous. It's highly organized to try. It leads to 24:34 organic growth in the same way. I think that people think that. Spirituality. Height is 24:42 spontaneous. And we'll talk about that when we talk about doing good deeds for others 24:47 will talk about random acts of kindness, OK? Now I know that not everybody's going to want 24:53 to hear this. I think we should be kind to everyone. I think we should But as an 25:01 evangelistic strategy, we should take out the random. substitute with some 25:06 intentionality like if I have a conversation with this person, I'm trying to 25:11 ascertain something which will lead me to the next things like what would be the right 25:14 response? How can I draw something into this conversation would be a 25:18 blessing to them and help them to the next step. Right? And we view the working of the 25:23 Gospel as a step by step process. Much like a farmer would view if he takes an open 25:30 field. What I have to do to transfer this bare patch of ground into a rich harvest. It 25:34 right. Will their steps. I can take it. Prepare the soil of the heart or the farmers case 25:39 is just the soil. The ground right? And I so the right seed and I got to. You know, 25:45 cultivated I got a wee bit water and I got end it over time. And then when you get a 25:50 harvest and then went to Harvard, by the way, just growing the vegetable, you've 25:53 got to do something with it. Got to put it to use, right? So he's got all of this in 25:57 mind what he sees a barren field. He's imagining this step will lead to this step to 26:01 lead to the step. And that's the harvest. Try when Jesus looked people he referred to 26:07 the harvest. He looked the harvest ready. Talk about sowing seed in the different 26:12 conditions of the heart. She viewed people as potential citizens of his kingdom and 26:18 said that's the end goal. We're going to get to how do we get them? was a very good 26:23 point because people thought about harvesting at a specific time. He said you say there 26:27 yet 4 but I say the hardest. Why that's a great harvest is look all around. And we know 26:34 the example in the book evangelism. I talked about this going out into the venue 26:40 with a cart and people jumped out of the car and went way into the venue. She said, 26:42 wait, what about this? What about the grapes right here right next to the cart. And I 26:48 don't go back to what you said initially because lot of times people think evangelism for 26:52 the professionals and missionary for only overseas. That's right. So when 26:57 missionaries come back, we say, well, you know, when to wherever we went to whatever 26:59 the country I want highlight any particular country. But you hit a nerve. When you said 27:04 we think of missions overseas. To me as an American as a person living here in North 27:11 America. This to me is one of the largest mission field. Absolutely. Because you either 27:17 a missionary for a part of the mission field. That's so true. So so that's advantage of. So 27:22 so when you talk about that, do you motivate them by? >> How do you most that? How 27:27 do you motivate them? Make them feel Guild? What do you do to motivate members to 27:32 witness? Well, let's say, first of all, I don't want to guilt anybody about anything, 27:35 but if there is a feeling of guilt and it's if you know, you're supposed to be doing 27:38 something and you're not doing it. >> I'm not kill to you. The 27:42 Holy Spirit might be part of a heart and moving you along and and I'm not going to interfere 27:44 with that. And I don't want it. I don't want to add to anyone's bad feelings. But the 27:48 same time if the Holy Spirit is pricking your heart, I don't want to soften that blow 27:52 and make someone not feel. So I just want to lay out. Here's what the Lord has said in his 27:57 word. And if we're doing what we should be doing, praise look kuz. then just once 28:02 rightly said, there's a direct correlation between feeling guilty and being guilty, OK, I 28:10 like a so. So if you're feeling guilty about something, if you're reading 28:12 through God's word and you're not keeping the Sabbath is you should you're not being 28:16 whatever the thing is right. You don't necessarily need some outside of you. Explain 28:21 it. It's self evidently clear between you and the holy Spirit. You know this on that. 28:25 And when we talk about the work of evangelism, when we get into scripture, start to 28:27 see. Just all the examples in all the encouragement and counsel and instruction we've 28:33 been given about it to not be about our father's business when we know that's what he 28:38 wants us to be doing, comes with a certain amount of guilt. But your question is, 28:41 how do we so I want to wag the finger toe the guilt. That's between you and the Lord, 28:47 right? Right. But I do think that we can do some things to help people see the blessings 28:53 of service for God, the requirement of service for God and the people's capacity for 28:59 service forgot. I think there's a and a good number of people out there who may not 29:02 even recognize they can do anything. And so what am I supposed to do, right? So, for 29:09 example, in Sabha school time like to talk about, we've got to put, by the way, mission 29:12 back in Sabha school. A lot schools jump straight to this study of this lesson. Praise 29:19 the Lord. It's always going to be the big rock in the jar, but we need a laser-like focus 29:22 on mission right. And if you think about it like a funnel, there's a global mission. What 29:27 they're doing over there. There's the local mission of the local church, a local 29:32 conference. And that's what we're doing around here. And there's that personal mission 29:35 of what am I doing here in my son to me kind of thing. And so as you start to be inspired 29:41 by the stories of the foreign missionaries, you can participate in some of the 29:46 corporate activities. The new realizing that men, it's not just for them and it's not 29:50 even just for us. Have a calling on my life from the Lord himself a burden he's 29:57 laid on me to lead souls into this precious message. So that since comes from the Lord, 30:01 when you're in the work, when you see it from scripture, spite of those testimonies, 30:05 there's going to be a natural, hopefully not guilt but may be a motivating factor to get out 30:11 to participate in the mission. But I want to come some of significant question ship. It 30:15 undermined audience. Our listeners and viewers. If you want to send your questions 30:18 and you can text them to 6, 1, 8, 2, 2, 8, 3, 9, 7, 5, at 6, 1, 8, 2, 2, 8, 39. 75 to text 30:26 your questions right from your smartphone. Well, if you want to e-mail those, send them to 30:30 live at TV. We want to be able to answer your questions because you might say and this 30:36 is what I've been waiting for. I want to get involved. I want to be involved and I have 30:41 learned involvement is something that it's kind of like riding a wave. If the if 30:46 the Lourdes impress you like past 2 just said don't quiet that and you might even be 30:50 feeling well, I need to do more. The law does impress you to do that. We want to just be 30:56 able to answer some of those questions. That may be a roadblock or hindrance to 30:59 taking you to the ultimate level that God has feel got as a God has a plan for all of 31:05 our lives. And, you know, he says that John tend to John, 10, 10, I've come to you might 31:09 have life and have more abundantly. Fit evangelism into that because I've said to 31:14 people before I want to take the thunder here, but you'll be able to build on this and 31:18 once you leave one person to Christ and your life will never be the same again. Talk 31:23 about that. Yeah. What you see that person comes from. Beginning to all that is was 31:27 like it does something to you. It should do something to you. If you're part your your co 31:32 labor with Jesus Christ. I know he's the one who said we've been given this Ministry 31:37 of Reconciliation that we Udders for Christ and it's one thing like you said to see it 31:42 on paper or even hear sermon about it or even hear someone else's testimony about it. But 31:47 when you're in the work yourself and you see the results of the labor and you 31:50 can see the working of the Holy Spirit in someone else's life. It does something for 31:54 you. We know it stirs life in you and there's there's nothing so exciting as your 32:00 own story to tell. Right. And so when. With someone else, when someone comes into the 32:08 knowledge of the word of God and the love for Jesus and takes a stand for the truth. 32:12 And you've been a contributor to that. Now there's that one test move that person. But you 32:18 got a testimony to share too. So you're excited about them. You're excited with the Lord's 32:23 doing you and you can't wait to get the next one. And so evangelism has to be woven 32:29 into our lifestyle has to be part of part and parcel of what it means to be a 32:32 Christian. If we're going to be if we're going to take that name of Christ, we better be 32:37 about the work of Christ because we're like you and winter before we were built 32:43 for good works that exactly. What got to list is for called going back to the 32:47 intentionality of evangelism let's talk about it. There's a question here and that ought 32:53 to be out what about people that say? Well, how much? His evangelism going to cost only 33:03 just all right. I know a a how much, you know, people people put about this when you might 33:08 say it. It's too expensive. Okay? I because that that the sweet ways like no one of the 33:16 budget implications of this new probe, what they're really saying is, do we have to spend 33:19 this much money? There's one way to look at, say of inches and is free. Just you go share 33:28 your faith and that's what and there's an element that even if you had no money, no church 33:33 support, no nothing. You can still go when sold right? Having said that. The reason 33:39 we do have a corporate body of crisis to do more than we could if we were just on our 33:43 own. And so when we collaborate together, there's a reason we take up combined 33:46 budget in the local church and it's not just to keep a collection is not to maintain 33:52 a nice bank accounts were safe from a it's to be put to use, right. So what is the purpose 33:59 of funs in the local church once we pay off our minimum necessity for the bills in 34:03 the, know, all the utilities and what not. What is the church All right. Well, as to 34:09 when souls that right. So if you look at your church budget and you realize, you know, 34:14 only 5% is actually going to do like to go back to Nike again, if only 5% was going 34:20 into a peril someone would have to be called answer for it right. And if we go to the 34:25 local church, what is it? We spend our money on. Why do we collect offerings? Why do we 34:30 hold events? Why do we do anything? Well, those events are going to cost, especially 34:35 if you look into advertising and preparation. If you want to rent a hall. So for 34:38 instance, let's take one handbills. Let's say you want to mail out some handle flyers 34:46 to do some social media advertising. Well, you can pay some money for And people say, 34:52 well, we're only getting one person to come to the meeting for every 1000. So it's too 34:55 expensive. Let's cut back. But my thing is, wait a minute. So that means we need to invest 35:02 more. Let's get that up to to listen now to 1000. Next time we get a second person a day 35:06 so we can look at the cost say it's too expensive. And I'm saying regardless of the cost, 35:11 it's a duty we have to do so. If again, if Nike found out that this is how much you 35:19 know, shoelaces Costa, whatever we got to do it because that's where that's 35:21 our mission statement. That's what we're all about. Okay. So so my intention for the 35:26 question and the kind of threw it in a side question in there about the evangelism comes 35:35 with a heavy costs. Yes, something in Matthew 16, 24 because a lot of time does the 35:40 difference between a person saying him him or herself as a member? was a Now membership. 35:46 Is a mandatory thing. You join the church to remember that disciple ship is optional. If 35:52 anyone will be my disciple. I think that and just so you talk to this. Would it make a 35:59 difference? A person sees him or herself as a disciple rather just the church member 36:03 with it. But it changed their attitude toward evangelism. I I would have to imagine it 36:08 would. I think it's a it's a challenging thing to say. You can be a member but not a 36:15 disciple. Because by definition, that's what we've been called to do is go and 36:22 make disciples collecting members on paper or even in the pews. That's not a 36:30 disciple of cipel. By definition. As you're saying, someone who chooses to follow 36:33 Jesus and it's going to cost something right. You you have to deny yourself and 36:38 everything, right. You and you're going to not yourself take across part it's I talked 36:42 about there being a large. She said it is evident that all the sermons preached have not 36:48 produced a large class of self denying workers. And that's what a disciple is a new look 36:54 and cheeses. He denied himself and he went to work and then he says you can follow me and 36:59 I'll make you fishers of men. The implication all make you like me right? And so if we're 37:07 truly following Jesus as the book of revelations as following the land where ever 37:12 he going to go and he goes out on mission work. How in the world can we be a member of 37:15 the body of Christ? We're not doing the work of Christ. Try Santa so I would love to see 37:20 the gap. 2 nonexistence between membership and disciple ship, right. I love 37:28 to see those terms become synonymous in the 7 Devon District that if you're a 37:32 member, that means your about your father's business. You understand what you're called 37:36 to do. You're doing it diligently and faithfully. And that is a 5th. That's a 37:41 mindset. I think that we have to break is that there shouldn't be a gap between 37:44 membership in disciple ship. We should all simply be disciples of Jesus who happen 37:48 to be members of this nomination, a body, you know, sitting here thinking of the 37:51 way to merge those 2 words, you know, D I S C and the N B this sounded it. Although it 38:00 does start a you know that. it is true. I think that a lot of times this this comfort to 38:07 becoming a the excitement of the Day Baptist, company covered up becoming a member 38:11 and not diving into. Going to the next level, finding out how I could be of service and 38:18 in a particular local church. Well, and I would if I may win it, people come to the church. 38:21 If you've ever met a new 7 damaged O or maybe even been But you know, those people 38:28 who've been for 6 weeks, they just hawking excited. They're trying to faith there over the 38:33 place right? People come up to then work at the water cooler and they want to talk about 38:37 the game. They like get the game. Let me talk about the mark of the beast in the 38:40 Sunday. Whatever the thing is right. And maybe have to contain that may be at the 38:45 heart But that's praise. The Lord that desire is there. 6 months later. There's there's 38:50 still interest in the good but gift kind of calm down a little bit. 6 years later. If 38:55 they're still there at all. They've learned. To be just another member. This one even 39:03 talks about how she says if members. Trained or taught at to be useless, inefficient 39:12 members And that's how such a harsh thing, but then and on issues that they have to be 39:16 taught that good to be trained to do that. It doesn't come naturally to the. someone who 39:24 is new in their walk with Christ. They just made that commitment. Your your first 39:29 impulse is to go share with someone else. Look at the woman at the well, look at 39:33 anyone who's had a genuine encounter with Jesus in. The first thing they're doing is 39:37 telling people, in fact, there were times Jesus told people now don't mention who did. 39:39 They couldn't shut up but they couldn't stop. We've got to we've got to help people 39:47 understand, especially in those earliest days. Put to use that zeal for God and to 39:52 harness it for his glory. And so we need to do more disciple ship training after Baptist 39:59 because baptism shouldn't be the ultimate goal disciple ship. You know, taking that 40:05 love of Christ is sharing with someone else and continuing that cycle. That's where we've 40:08 got to be a me I want to I want to kind of dive into the media side of the bench isn't 40:12 just a moment, let's include some scriptures hid data may come to your mind about. Ways 40:19 that evangelism. Has propagated in and proliferated throughout scripture. We know 40:26 some phenomenal stories I mentioned before. You know, Paul says I planted Alice, 40:33 what God gave the increase and you have the Matthew 20 commission goal. And then, you 40:37 know, Shelton offices did 2 things in the works, come up to me and then type of all 40:42 nations was the 2 words that really come out. But sometimes we take evangelism. Talk about 40:47 the tools now. Okay. Now and remind our viewers, we're looking for your questions in 40:50 the second hour given information very quickly. If you want exit 6, 1, 8, 2 to 8, 40:57 39. 75. That's if you want to text the question. If you want to send an e-mail that live at 41:02 3 ABN DOT TV live at TV. What I want to get into is the relevance of advertising, OK? 41:13 Because advertising. We have to recognize and I know, you know, as pastors are on the 41:19 frontline and as you can you know, one of my functions here not only pastor the church, 41:24 but director of the World evangelism, OK? So you have to kind of keep in mind. The the 41:31 the the Fisher heaters efficient. On one side. The Lord says the fish out there 41:37 put you on the wrong side of the boat. How do we become? How do we design our bait? For 41:46 this society, something we can ignore. I think that there are to go back to your point. You 41:53 know, if if social media is where people at, I think we've got to meet them on the media 41:57 where they are, I get that. So if they're driving by put up a billboard, if they're looking 42:02 at yard signs, look at yard signs, bumper stickers, you know, those kind of things are 42:04 out there. But I would push back a little bit and say that this generation needs 42:10 something that a previous generation didn't. For instance, will have people 42:14 say, why are we always taking prophetic images and like the beasts there, too. Scary, 42:19 Well. For the first of all, like the that imagery. No, there wasn't a committee at a 42:27 church board somewhere said, you know what? We need pictures of beasts. We know. 42:31 Where did those images come? They come from the word itself, right? Right. And end. 42:36 You look at the properties of Daniel and revelation and you're going to see those 42:39 things. And by the way, those are the very parts of scripture that most churches 42:45 aren't talking about, OK, and so there they know what's in there. Yeah, there's that last 42:49 book of the Bible that no one ever opens because I mean, can you believe there? There are 42:52 people who believe that to seal book, right? You can't understand we should that 42:56 somehow God put in his word something called the revelation of Jesus Christ and 43:02 then close it up and said, oh, look, of course, not right. But there are people, you 43:08 know, you've heard of the mark of the beast. You hear these images. You hear that these 43:10 bases, it different, whatever elements that Battle of Armageddon, you name it. Well, 43:17 that imagery was put there not by the church into the Bible. It was God who inspired that. 43:22 And clearly it stirs something in people's I hope that I'll be able to come up with in a 43:28 second, but this is a it's just wake Some fascinating council. You'll find it. 43:35 Manuscript release is Volume 19 O K, She talks about how. These messages, you know, that 43:41 were given to especially in time messages of Daniel Revelation, John, on Patmos. 43:43 She said. They contain messages that will stir the people that right in ways that 43:51 other with the she says the messages that are preached by most a preachers of other 43:55 denominations will not move them right. But this is arresting people's attention 44:00 and you can bear that out. We've had decades now. Different varieties of let's 44:04 try something more more wind. Some or let starling less alarming. Let's OK, well, 44:13 friendship eventually whatever. And by the way, I'm a big fan of being friendly, 44:16 right and friendship leading to a bench. I get that. But when it comes to preaching the 44:22 distinctive messages, if we just say the same thing, every other denominations saying 44:26 then why are we even holding the meeting right? But God has a present truth message. Those 44:31 precious 3 angels messages and all attached to them that we have a responsibility to share 44:37 with the world in the images in the advertising for it. As we've been talking about here 44:42 is derived directly from the word out for. And so if God thought it was wise enough to 44:45 put it in there, I'm not going to try to out think God and say, well, I think on this one 44:51 all truck Hughes, what he's given and see how he blesses. Thank you for bringing that 44:54 point up because a lot of times people think, well, this generation doesn't need those 44:58 images God is way, way ahead of all of us. And he put them there for a particular 45:08 purpose. Absolute. I mean, if you knew that a storm was coming, you didn't tell anyone 45:11 that's able to meet you. The meteorologists you knew that this ferocious storms on the 45:16 way and you didn't tell anybody because he didn't want to alarm This ideology. And 45:20 you speak to this in a moment evangelism has a number of functions. I think one has to 45:26 wake us up. Second is to get a stop. And the 3rd one is, as I've said, Cod works on you 45:36 that he works in you that he works through So this world needs to be awaken. And I 45:41 believe that revelation is the book that awakens them. That's why now we talk about these 45:45 images. Thank you for bringing that out to the from forefront because people say, you know, 45:49 when you see these bees in these marks. That is in fact, what tells them we need to go 45:55 in a different direction in the world is actually leading them to going. Yes. so the 46:01 advertising is not irrelevant, but it's derived from cars were absolutely in. So me in 46:05 people have tried other things. But it doesn't bring out people as much as those 46:12 cutting present truth, relevant messages, right? It's the same way the signs of the 46:14 times are put in the scriptures. You know, it used to be difficult to preach the 46:18 signs of the times like, oh, what about certain elements with right now if you or get 46:24 up somewhere, talk about wars and rumors of wars gay people's attention or how 46:27 about pestilences people would be tuned in. Right and God knew ahead of time. He put it 46:34 there as the thing to beat. This is to be relevant in the letter last days of history. 46:38 So for us to turn our back on the very thing you gave us for just such a time as this would 46:41 be folly. Pastor Division, here's another one because evangelism, we tend to limit 46:48 evangelists. And I want talk about broadening evangelism. >> Because there's this 46:52 misconception that people that are very well off people that have good means people that 46:54 the wealthy really don't pay attention to evangelism or it's not relevant to them. 47:01 Talk about how relevant and how much more there sometimes need for that in in the upper 47:06 echelon communities. something just MOMA. >> I think it's even the 47:10 dialogue we're having right We seem to categorize people, it's like, well, you know how 47:16 young people are they different approach you rich people are they need a 47:19 different Can you know how poor? But they have a different we need a different 47:23 message in a different method. Not know if you notice something in crisis story of 47:28 the the parable of the Sower, right, right. He didn't have a different so with a different 47:35 technique with a different bag, a seat for each different type of soil. But he had same 47:38 sower, same technique in the same seat. But they were vastly different outcomes. 47:43 That right. The difference that was the difference in the outcome. Was the condition of 47:51 the soil itself, which is a representation of the heart rate. And so whether you're 47:56 young or old, rich or poor, you know, whatever your socio, economic, racial, whatever 48:01 your background thing is. The one thing you have in common is that Christ method alone 48:05 will bring true success. That right. And that means we need to walk through. I don't think 48:10 we've done this year. So if you allow me for just a minute, those stats cycle 48:13 evangelism. It starts with Preparing the soil of the heart. Okay. If you look at 48:22 the parable of the Sower we just referenced, let's go to that. Let's look 13 or let's 48:29 go to Matthew 30. We go to them which one you would have what I was headed for. Luke, 48:31 if want to go to Matthew, OK, let's since you're the guest that will go. Let's go to 48:34 live. I appreciate that. Thank you very much. But it looked after 8 starts in verse 4. He 48:43 says in verse for the spoke by a parable and it says Verse So I went out to so his seat and 48:48 as he sowed some fell by the wayside and was trampled down. And the bird to that aired 48:53 about it, some felon Rock. And as soon as this spring up with a way because it lacked 48:56 moisture and some fall among foreigners in the foreign spring up with it and choked 49:00 it. But others felon, good ground. Spring up a new little crop, a hundredfold and that's 49:04 essentially the into the parable when he goes on to explain it just a few verses 49:10 later, 11 ISIS. Now the parable is this. Now we should pay attention. Not only the 49:14 parables because they're inherently good, but when Christ Deciphers them and says 49:18 it is this, this is what it is, what it is. The seed is the word of God. Wow. So I 49:24 hear people say, no, we don't. We just loved him in church or they love music. That's great 49:28 for music is great for fellowship, but everyone who comes to knowledge of Jesus 49:34 Christ is one through the word of God and Bible study where that's public evangelist 49:39 preaching whether you're watching on YouTube ever. But you have to have. 49:45 Confrontation, if you will, with your. You are sinful fallen self and the word of 49:52 God and be transformed into his image like that. The word of God is that seed the that 49:58 produces all the growth that's going to come later. Powerful. you know, the point you just 50:03 made, it won't just piggybacking ate it is hate. Music is very powerful and 50:09 relevant friendship. Evangelism, very powerful and relevant, vital. But you're 50:11 not going to get. The life that you're living. You can't ignore. The. The living to get 50:22 it to have a relationship of the living word. You cannot ignore our relationship with 50:28 the written word. That's right. OK, and by by holding to become changed, right to 50:32 look at this word. See Jesus. So he says the parables that the seat not right. Verse 12, 50:36 then those by the wayside want to hear them. The devil comes and takes away the word out of 50:41 their hearts less they should believe in be So they only here, but there's no roof. No 50:46 application is essentially in one ear out the next first 13. But the ones on the rocks are 50:51 those. When they hear received the word with Joyce right. And these have no route who 50:58 believe for a while. And in time of temptation fall away. So they have an I'm excited. 51:01 It's great. It's exciting. And that's not to discredit that. But it didn't go anywhere 51:05 else. And it when tough times came out too verse 14. Now the ones that fell among foreign 51:13 to those who when they heard go out choked with cares, riches and pleasures of life 51:17 and bring no fruit to maturity. Not passing on the koam notice. That's now the 51:24 first ones didn't have any route. Second once had some route. But with the way, hard 51:26 times the next one. Apparently had route, but no fruit, right? So they? I would dare 51:34 say. But these folks are members of the church in many and look at all the categories 51:40 that challenge. But you notice the one thing they're not doing as being fruitful, 51:43 they're not being useful. Not doing anything else to just exist. So I grew to maturity, 51:48 right? Very good. But the ones first 15 that fell on the good ground are those who haven't 51:53 heard the word with a noble and good heart. So notice the parallel, the condition, the 51:57 soil of the ground is the is the condition of the heart rate. Keep it and bear fruit 52:04 with patients. Now, roll out a couple of lessons from this if we could for just a moment. 52:08 Sure. First of all. People might say, well, why don't get a lot of return when I try to 52:14 get Bible study is not a lot of people are interested. We Angeles means not many people 52:17 came out. Look at what she says is staying here. Therefore, different soil 52:23 types represented and only one ended up bearing fruit. That right, Jesus own explanation 52:29 of it. 75% didn't yield a crop. That's right. And that should be I don't know if it's 52:35 encouraging or not, but it should be at least. We don't have to have the pressure that 52:41 the one way we know works is if everyone you talk to is going to give their life to 52:45 Jesus, just not going to be the case in Jesus. Didn't have that in his own ministry. So 52:47 we need to recognize that. We can do everything just right in still people have their own 52:54 choices to make and they may not take the word of God into their life and become changed. 52:58 That's on them. So that's one lesson draw out in. The second thing is, as I was alluding to 53:05 earlier, you have the same, see the same. So the same technique, the only issue that 53:11 makes any difference here in the parable is the condition of the heart, which should 53:13 tell us. If I want to see harvest crop. I need to start working on the soil. And any 53:20 goods. Any good farmer. It's going to is the first thing we're going to look at the 53:25 condition of the soil. Is it to Sandy? Is it to clay is a to something we need to work 53:30 that So it's ready for the seed, right? And that's where in the cycle of evangelism, 53:36 the very first thing you do is you start working on the soil by by intentional, not random 53:43 accident, but intentionally for being friendly and sociable and winning their 53:48 confidence showing sympathy for them. Right? But this is that Christ method alone. The 53:51 first steps of that is to meet their need to start to communicate with them, 53:54 demonstrating the EU care for them just as people but in disinterested benevolence as 54:01 we like. That's the word. And that's a good phrase, disinterested, not sensing 54:04 debt. You're doing this with some ulterior motive as people can read that strength, a 54:10 sense that you really genuinely concerned about him and they say, wow, you 54:14 developing relationships and that's the planting Look, and that's what we're getting, 54:18 too. Because. Let's take that term disinterested. You're absolute, right. I'm not doing 54:25 this for personal gain on not doing I want money out of you or try to, you know, try you 54:31 know, leverage our friendship for some other benefit to me, right? I want you to have good 54:35 things than I praise the Lord that you're blessed. Too often. I think we've taken 54:42 disinterested the Netherlands and assume that means an interested, OK? All right. I 54:46 am highly interested not only in the temporal needs, but their spiritual needs as well. 54:54 And so it is not a bait and switch to say like, oh, now I bet you want me to study the 54:57 Bible. You're absolutely right. I want study the Bible and I want you to come. I want 55:01 to be intentional about that because I care for your soul. Not because I care for my 55:06 church growth. I want you to be in the kingdom of God. So a lot more than just this world. 55:11 I want you the next world for you, too. And so you move to the next phase of like once of 55:16 established that friendship work, that friendship evangelism, then you start to 55:20 sow the seed. You look for opportunities to invite to offer Bible studies to share 55:25 your personal testimony to instant to, to, to weave in the spiritual into that 55:30 temporal. You've got and look for those responses of people and say Lakeland, when you 55:35 offer some Bible study. They are they interested? Would they like to follow that with 55:41 a light to come? Visit your church is what start to ascertain the spiritual aspect 55:45 of their life. And you're moving now from. Pairing the soil to sowing the seed, which 55:52 is the word of God that right. And I have some significant questions. Some of Nash in the 55:57 second hour. But I would just reiterate to our viewers in our listeners, evangelism. Has 56:03 not the law has not rescinded the commission. He didn't say well, now things are 56:09 different. Let's just try different method because I love that the word hasn't 56:14 changed the The soil is the condition of the human heart. That varies from persons, 56:21 whether they have Cushman. So and our life wherever they see themselves, that's the could 56:26 just condition of the human heart. But we have to, as I reiterate you that we have to 56:30 be intentional. Yes, disinterested doesn't mean an interested. So let's not look 56:38 at the 2. That means we're not ulterior motive. From the word go, we let the person know. 56:43 Hey, I'm your friend because I just I genuinely want to be a friend. But I do have a desire 56:46 that your life becomes better. Amen. >> And God works that process 56:49 when we are intentional. And the other thing about I love which talked about the images 56:54 in the Bible. You know, when you see Beeston dragons in sick, sick, sick son, wars and 57:00 rumors of wars, these are images put in the Bible by God self the word of God 57:05 accomplishes what the seed. And that's a part of the it's all winning our job. Yes, Hot 57:16 online. Yes, it's everybody's job. Well, you know, we have a lot more to cover the second. 57:19 I want to remind you again, if you want to send your questions in, send them into 57:25 618-228-3975. What techs those to live at 3 ABN DOT TV. And in the second now we're going 57:30 to talk about a question. Is it deceptive to hide our denominational identity to be 57:40 successful in evangelism? Should I tell people who I am? Come right back. We'll answer 57:43 that question. ♪ ♪ |
Revised 2022-04-30