Archive for Evangelism – Page 3

Sunday School, Disciplemaking, and the Great Commission

As we conclude our theme of “Making Disciples” for this year, let’s take another look at the Great Commission. We understand that we are to make disciples. We know that this can be done through Sunday School, preaching, and other means of teaching and expounding upon God’s Word. A disciple is made when he or she is engaged in making more disciples. So what keeps us from doing the work of disciple-making? Yes, it is work. It takes time, resources, and an investment from our lives into the lives of others.

When looking at the Great Commission, we need to understand that not everyone is on board with the idea of making disciples. Yes, many will go about the routines of church without engaging in the work of making disciples. Sometimes churches continue the weekly routine and have no evidence of persons growing in their faith to the point of helping others to grow in theirs.

In Matthew 28:16, the scripture tells us that not everyone will be on board. Jesus said that there were those who doubted even after they had seen His miracles and heard His teaching. They still did not worship Him. Jesus saw those sitting on the sidelines and addressed them by giving them and us the charge of the Great Commission.

Regardless of those who are not willing to do the work of disciple-making, we must move forward with those who are willing. We must be one who is willing. It is a personal decision to make disciples. Waiting for everyone else will keep us from making disciples with anyone. Who are you discipling? We need to lead those in our group to be disciple-makers. You need to do this as you teach, but you also need to have those you are working with on a personal level as well.

Disciples are “made” according to Matthew 28:19. Coming to know Christ as Savior indicates a choice to be a disciple. When we fail to follow through with disciple-making, it drastically reduces our capacity to reach more with the gospel. Those who have been discipled well will want to share their faith with others. It is part of who they are as disciples of Christ.

Here are some simple steps that can help you become a better disciple-maker with your group.

• Prepare and teach your group as if everyone in the room will one day become a disciple-maker.
• Walk with individuals in your group through the struggles and celebrations of life while pointing them to Christ.
• Understand that not everyone will be willing to be discipled. Disciple-making is a personal decision and not everyone will respond to that call upon their lives.
• Pray about who God would have you disciple. Just because a person has been a good attender in your group or is a church member does not mean that someone has personally invested in him or her.
• Practice evangelism from the perspective of disciple-making as Jesus did. Lead people to Christ. Share life with them. Show them the importance of leading others to faith as well.

Removing the Wall Between Disciplemaking and Evangelism

Making Disciples is our calling; our purpose. Sharing the gospel, leading people to Christ, baptizing people, discipling them in their faith–is what we do to make disciples.
Too often we tend to gravitate towards either evangelism or discipleship. It takes courage to share the gospel. It takes time to disciple someone. God has called us to do both. The command to make disciples includes evangelism and discipleship. It’s not an either/or proposition. It is a both/and.
For me, discipleship was always easier. I love people. I love getting to know people and spending time with them. I enjoy teaching and serving. Sharing the gospel with someone was always difficult. And to be honest, it still is. I have to work hard at putting myself in situations where I can share the gospel with lost people.
The story of Paul and Barnabas tell an interesting story. When Saul encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus, it was Barnabas that welcomed him and discipled him in his new faith. Barnabas “the encourager” spent a lot of time with Saul who became known as Paul. They even went on their first missionary journey together. They invited John Mark to join them. At some point, John Mark left the group. When Paul and Barnabas planned their next trip, Barnabas wanted John Mark to come as well. But Paul refused. They argued and the decision was to travel separately. Barnabas would take John Mark and Paul would take Silas.
Paul and Barnabas, two godly men, that God chose to use to make disciples on their journeys. They differed in their approach. Paul put his focus first on the mission of traveling to new places and sharing the gospel. Barnabas focused on people first as they traveled to new places and shared the gospel. They had two very different perspectives and methodologies but they shared a common objective—making disciples.
Both teams shared the gospel and saw people come to Christ in almost every city. But then, they stayed and taught them in their new born faith. Paul and Barnabas knew that evangelism and discipleship are inseparable. To do one without the other would weaken the church and the movement around the globe in sharing the good news.
Using a sports analogy, teams compete to win the game. Each team has their own unique plan to accomplish their objective. Both teams need an offense and a defense. To neglect either of these is to damage their prospects for victory.
Jesus’ plan to make disciples of all the nations demands that we do both evangelism and discipleship. They are not two separate programs. They are the same program and the same objective.
The questions is not “if” we will share the gospel or “if” we will disciple someone. The real question is who will you disciple and how will you accomplish your mission.
Sean Keith is the Sunday School/Discipleship Strategist for the Louisiana Baptist Convention. Sean has free resources available at www.louisianabaptists.org/churchgrowth and www.revseankeith.com. Follow me on twitter @revseankeith.

Sharing the Story: Sharing Personal Testimonies in the Group

One of the best ways to really get to know each other in your group is to share a short testimony each Sunday before your group starts. I have found that people who have studied God’s Word together each week for years really do not know each other. I have heard incredible testimonies of how people have been saved or blessed.

It is important lay some ground rules.

  1. People are experts on their lives and can share for an hour at the blink of an eye. Limit them to 3 minutes. Not 5 minutes as that means 10-15 minutes for some people. You have seen the speed limit sign of 17 MPH.
  2. Start by letting people sign up for the week they are willing to share.
  3. Do not assign people to share as they may not be able or willing. Let them volunteer.
  4. Keep on Theme. Start with how they got saved. Later you can have them share testimonies of how they shared Jesus with someone, how God answered a prayer for them, or how God has worked in a mighty way in their lives.

These 3 minutes each week can become a highlight and will help your class focus on each other. I have also had members come up and share that they do not have a salvation testimony like the ones they have heard and want to get right with God. It is exciting when someone hears these stories and gets saved then shares with the class that reason they got saved was because members had shared their stories.

Dr. Mark Yoakum is the Director of Church Ministries for the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention.

How to Build Relationships with People

Several years ago as I was mapping the steps of discipleship and the things that our church did to help people go to the next level in their spiritual walk. I realized that our church did little to help our members build relationships with unchurched people.

This was made even clearer to me when I asked the members of our church to write down the names of unchurched people in our area that we could begin praying for their salvation. Many members confessed that they did not know of anyone locally. It seems in our churches that we focus on building a strong fellowship in our classes that we forget the main reason God has for our church is to reach out into the lost world and touch lives. Jesus said that He would make us “Fishers of Men”

Here are four ways to build a relationship with unchurched people:

  1. Invite them to your house for dinner.
  2. Invite them to go to a ball game with you.
  3. Find out what they like to do and go do that with them.
    1. I had a neighbor who loved to fish. He had a boat and He longed for company to go fishing with him.
    2. I went to a college baseball game one day because the guy I was trying to develop a relationship loved college baseball.   It gave us hours to sit and talk.
  4. Have an outdoor BBQ and invite several couples including some that are unchurched.

Dr. Mark Yoakum is the Director of Church Ministries for the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. He has served as Minister of Youth, Minister of Music, Minister of Education and Executive Pastor in churches in Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas.

The Work (Involve the Guest in Group Ministry)

Nothing makes someone feel more a part of a group than being involved in shared experiences.  Ministering to others should be part of your group’s mission, but a great byproduct is helping a guest feel more connected.  Make sure the guest is aware of opportunities to serve and all the details.  Have a member offer to drive the guest to the ministry location or offer to meet them at a specific spot.

Ask staff members what needs there may be in the church.  Your group could organize, restock, and refurbish a Children’s Resource Room or other Children’s Space.  You could help with Senior Adult Ministry or offer child-care for a Young Adult Event.  Have your members make cards that can be used in multiple ministries.

Look outside the church for ways to minister as well. Is there a local food bank where you could go to help pack boxes or an Assisted Living Home where you could go to sing hymns, play games, or just sit and talk with the residents?  Find homeless shelters and offer to minister or talk with a local high school and offer to work the concession stand so that parents can watch their own children play at athletic events.  Offer to build wheel-chair ramps to those who may suddenly need them.

Simply gathering items to be given to a ministry doesn’t help a guest be a part of a shared experience so be sure you’re truly ministering and not just “gathering” items so that someone else can minister. Use the ministry as an opportunity to have gospel conversations with those you encounter.

Jenni Carter is a State Missionary at the Georgia Baptist Mission Board.