Will

A young man comes running up to me from across the cafe.  "I never thought I would get to meet you. You're the guy in the video," he exclaimed!  "Have we met?  Do i know you? What video?"  Turns ought his name is Will.  He came to one of the  staff members at our  church concerned about his grandpa.  Evidently, he was in the hospital, very ill.  Will was afraid he might die without placing his faith in Christ.  The pastor directed him to an online video that we made last fall to "train" growth group leaders how to share their faith.  Will said, " I watched the video, and shared the gospel with my grandpa. He prayed to receive Christ."  Will told me that previously he wouldn't even pray in public and now he was sharing the gospel with his grandpa with three or four other family members looking on.

What would cause a young man  to suddenly have an intense desire to learn how to share his faith?  Why the urgency?  What gave Will the confidence to overcome his fears and reservations?  The answer, I think is obvious, Will loves his grandpa! 

His love for his grandpa led him to get prepared, it escalated his learning curve and enabled him to overcome his fear of praying in public.  It gave him the courage to share the gospel with his grandpa, even with family members looking on.

As Will and I parted, I thought, it doesn't take much preparation when you are properly motivated.  "Love casts out fear!"  I thought, maybe, just maybe, that's the reason more of us aren't prepared and more willing to share our faith; we don't really love the lost!

Will's grandpa died three days later!

Gospel Video

EE Year End Matching Grant

One of our donors has promised to match dollar for dollar up to $100k, if given before June 30, 2011.  As Evangelism Explosion approaches the end of its fiscal year there is critical need that we raise $70k by the end of June.  EE  does two things that are close to the heart of God.  It does these two things efficiently and effectively.  It does these two things on a shoestring.  First, It works exclusively in and through the local church strengthening it and building it.  It is not a para-church organization.  When you give to EE you are giving to the local church! EE also reaches lost people with the gospel.  EE shares the gospel, teaches others how to share the gospel and teaches others how to teach others to share the gospel.  We don't often evaluate Christian mission organizations in terms of outcomes, but EE is different.  It is effective and efficient.  For every two dollars that is donated to EE one person is led to Christ.  No other Christian agency, organization or denomination can even come close to making such a claim.

You can contribute through our website at eeworks.org.  Thank you for your prayers and support for this ministry!

Akward!

Link >>>>   Akward!

Do I exhibit the kind of faith that causes God to marvel?

Luke 7:9
Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled at him, and turned and said to the crowd that was following Him, "I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith."

Dear Father God, forgive me for my lack of faith.  Help me, dear God, to realize that the problems, struggles, and obstacles in my life are the fertile soil out of which great faith grows.   I am a desperate man, in desperate need of your blessing upon my life and ministry – I have heard of your marvelous provision in the lives of others. I remember a time when you worked in my life and through me.  I have read in your Word how you use the most unlikely people, in the most unlikely circumstances, to bring about the most extraordinary results.  I know that I do not have, because I do not ask. I understand that I must take the initiative, stepping out by faith in obedience if I am going to see your power unleashed in my life. I do not even consider myself worthy to come to You, but just say the word. Lord, I believe; help my unbelief! Lord, I pray that I might have the kind of faith that causes even the Son of Man to marvel!  Amen! 

Pastor Randy Bowman

Is God Glad UBL is dead? - John Piper

Very provocative and insightful article on how God views the death of the wicked.  Stands in contrast to the way most of us are responding to his death.  I'd be interested in your thoughts.

Is God Glad UBL is dead?

Seinfeld: Puddy is a Chrsitian

How embedded is this image in our psychic that it prevents us from sharing our faith.  This irreverent portrayal may reflect the attitude of some but totally ignores those who  have a hunger for God as a result of the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit.
Tell us what you think!

Puddy is a Christian

Hell: The Subject we must not avoid!

Here is another earlier article by Dan Kimball on the subject of hell - let me know what you think.

Dan Kimball:  "Hell, the subject we must not avoid."

Heaven, Hell & Evangelism

Here is provocative article written by one of the pioneers (Dan Kimball) in the Emerging church movement.  Universalism in its various forms is, in my opinion, one of the primary reasons for the decline in personal evangelism, missions and giving to missions.  Read this article and the other one by Kimball I have posted and let us know your thoughts on this vital topic.

A Caution on “Being Missional”

A Caution on “Being Missional” (Dr. Charles Arn)

As an instructor at Wesley Seminary (Marion, IN), I teach a class called “The Missional Church.”  It is a joy to see “lights go on” in the hearts of students when they consider the priority of believers to share the message—and experience—of God’s love beyond the walls of their church.  The “missional movement” is bringing many church leaders to the important realization that Christians are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus in their world.

I have observed, however, that after reading books by missional authors and viewing videos of missional teachers, some students seem to throw the baby out with the bathwater.  That is, they conclude that the ultimate goal of a “missional church” is to go into the community to do good works in the name of Christ and the expansion of “the Kingdom.”  And whether these needy folks ever come to faith, and membership in a local church, is not a criteria to define “success” in their missional endeavors.

For example, a missionally inclined blogger recently lit into Andy Stanley’s “5 million dollar bridge.”  North Point Community Church, a church known for its commitment to outreach and evangelism, has grown to the point where parking has become problematic.  Stanley told his parishioners of the need to ease traffic congestion by constructing a bridge off of the main thoroughfare into the church.  His letter to members included the following paragraph: Is it [the bridge] worth it?  It all depends.  If our mission is to be a church that’s perfectly designed for the people who already attend, then we don’t need a bridge.  But if we want to continue to be a church unchurched people love to attend, then yes, it’s worth it.  From my perspective, this is not a “nice to have” option.  Honestly, I don’t want to raise money for, or give money to, something that’s not mission critical.  I believe creating a second access point allows us to stay on mission. [i]

It seems obvious that Stanley’s commitment, as pastor, is to make disciples and assimilate them into the local church.  But the missional blogger responds: This makes me sick.  This is completely un-missional.  Missional churches are not attractional churches.  Missional churches send out their parishioners as missionaries to the world, not bring them to church over a five million dollar edifice set up to speed up their exit and entry.[ii]

In their zeal to create the Kingdom of God in the world, some who “buy into” the missional movement seem to have (or develop) a bias against the established church.  Their commitment is to “bring the Kingdom of God into the community.”  But, the success of those kingdom-building efforts does not seem to be evaluated on whether those who are exposed to “the Kingdom” are ever reached and assimilated into active membership and participation in a local church.

A commitment to the great commission (Mt. 28:19-20) demands a “high view” of the church—that the church is absolutely essential.  It is not a Body of Christ; it is the Body of Christ.  Not just a bride, but the bride of Christ. The Church is held to be the central part of God’s plan for the salvation and discipling of people and nations.  New converts must not only believe in Jesus Christ, but must become responsible members of the Church.  If the Bible is to be taken seriously, we cannot hold any other point of view.  Becoming a Christian means becoming a part of the Body.  In fact, unless non-Christians believe and become part of the Church, personified through the local congregation, the ultimate value of our “missional” activities must be questioned.  This is the high view of the Church.  A low view of the Church is that whether or not you belong to the Church is more or less a matter of choice.  If you like it, you belong; if you don’t, you don’t. As we lead our congregations forward in a re-commitment to focusing beyond the walls of our churches, I hope we will keep a balanced notion of Christ’s ultimate objective, and thus ours: to seek and to save those who are lost (Lk. 19:10), and to be an instrument of Christ in building His Church (Mt. 16:18).

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[i] http://letsbuildabridge.com/note-from-Andy.pdf

[ii] http://everydayliturgy.com/being-missional-build-a-five-million-dollar-bridge/

EV2

Here is a synopsis of the EV2 Equipping ministry.

We’re excited because God is still opening doors for pastors and lay people to not only witness to their family, friends, and neighbors, but also to effectively train others to do the same.

Evangelism Explosion has maintained all its core values and quality of materials while reducing the training semesters from 13 weeks to 7 weeks. EV2 Leadership Training begins with a Share Your Faith Workshop, followed by seven sessions that include preparatory devotions, classroom instruction, and Scripture verses that strengthen the ability of believers to communicate the Gospel message.

There is now new training material to help pastors and lay people alike, move from casual conversation to meaningful dialogue, to spiritual questions and discussion, allowing believers to gently lead others to Christ through easy comfortable conversation.
On-the-Job Training (OJT), that has always been the hallmark of Evangelism Explosion, continues to set it apart from all other equipping ministries. The EV2 Leadership Training Launch offers 4 OJT's, and is designed to have brand new recruits sharing the Gospel on their very first OJT activity! The materials are designed with a "kick-off" Share Your Faith Workshop followed by a 7-week EV2 semester. For more information, please call 954-465-2236 and ask for Susan.

Also check out EV2 at www.eeworks.org

Every nation equipping every people group and every age group to witness to every person.