Lead Like Christ - Week 6 - Come and See Evangelism

07/29/24 • 30 min

Come and Become Evangelism

Understanding Evangelism Beyond the Pulpit

In the book of Acts, the focus often lands on the apostles who preached and performed miracles, but what about the regular church members? Their contributions, though less documented, were pivotal in growing the church. Most people in the church today will not receive a vocational calling to ministry or become pastors, yet their role in evangelism remains crucial.

Shifting Focus from the Pulpit to the People

The church often seeks out rare talents for leadership roles, but there's more to ministry than just having a select few on staff. The work of growing the church isn't solely the responsibility of pastors. Everyone in the church has a part to play. This brings us to a critical concept: Come and Become Evangelism.

Come and Become Evangelism

Evangelism is about inviting others to follow Jesus. "Come and Become Evangelism" involves Christians inviting others to church, forming the primary strategy for growth. This approach has three main benefits:

1. Time to Consider the Cost and Consequences

Inviting someone to church allows them to connect with a community where they can wrestle with questions and grow gradually. Instant decisions are rarely lasting; true discipleship involves a series of encounters with Jesus. Lasting conversions typically take multiple encounters, emphasizing that discipleship is about introducing people to Jesus and supporting them as they grow.

"Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.'" - Matthew 16:24 (NLT)

2. Instant and Natural Follow-Up

This strategy ensures that new attendees are immediately connected and can start growing within the community. Everyone plays a role in welcoming and integrating newcomers. The goal of evangelism isn't merely to elicit a prayer but to foster ongoing discipleship. Church involvement provides the support necessary for new believers to continue their journey of faith.

"So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing." - 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NLT)

3. Accessibility for All Christians

Evangelism becomes a natural part of a Christian's life. How one lives reflects their faith, influencing their ability to evangelize. Everyone is on a mission to grow the church, embodying the invitation to others. Jesus made it clear that there is plenty of room in His Father’s house, encouraging believers to invite others to join the family of faith.

"There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?" - John 14:2 (NLT)

The Messiness of Growth

Inviting others into the church means welcoming diverse and sometimes messy lives. The early church dealt with a range of issues, and so will today's church. But this messiness is a sign of life and growth.

"For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.” - Matthew 18:20 (NLT)

The Urgency of Evangelism

Jesus' return is imminent, and this urgency compels believers to show others the way to God. If the sole purpose of faith was personal salvation, God would take believers to Heaven immediately upon conversion. Instead, He leaves them with a mission: to evangelize and expand the Kingdom of God.

"Jesus told him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.'" - John 14:6 (NLT)

Stories of Come and Become Evangelism

Philip and Nathanael

"The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, 'Come, follow me.' Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathanael and told him, 'We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.' 'Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?' Nathanael asked. 'Come and see,' said Philip." - John 1:43-46 (NIV)

Philip invited Nathanael to meet Jesus without arguing or persuading. He simply extended an invitation, and Jesus took care of the rest.

The Samaritan Woman

Scripture Reference: "Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and ...

Come and Become Evangelism

Understanding Evangelism Beyond the Pulpit

Shifting Focus from the Pulpit to the People

Come and Become Evangelism

1. Time to Consider the Cost and Consequences

"Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.'" - Matthew 16:24 (NLT)

2. Instant and Natural Follow-Up

"So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing." - 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NLT)

3. Accessibility for All Christians

"There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?" - John 14:2 (NLT)

The Messiness of Growth

"For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.” - Matthew 18:20 (NLT)

The Urgency of Evangelism

"Jesus told him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.'" - John 14:6 (NLT)

Stories of Come and Become Evangelism

Philip and Nathanael

Philip invited Nathanael to meet Jesus without arguing or persuading. He simply extended an invitation, and Jesus took care of the rest.

The Samaritan Woman

Scripture Reference: "Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and ...

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Lead Like Christ - Week 5 - Humility

Defining Humility

Richard starts by defining humility, emphasizing that while social media often showcases pride and arrogance, true humility is rarely celebrated. He cites Rick Warren’s quote: “Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.” This perspective shifts the focus from false modesty, where individuals downplay their abilities, to a genuine self-assessment in relation to God and others.

C.S. Lewis adds to this understanding, suggesting that a truly humble person doesn’t think about humility or themselves at all but instead takes a genuine interest in others.

Biblical Aspects of Humility

The Bible offers extensive insights into humility, which Richard categorizes into three main aspects:

Low Esteem: This form of humility places an individual at the bottom of the societal hierarchy. Romans 12:16 encourages believers to live in harmony and associate with the lowly, while Psalm 95:6 calls for worship and bowing down before God, emphasizing that in His presence, humans are on the ground, acknowledging His greatness.
Not Demanding Perks: Richard contrasts worldly desires for perks with Jesus’ example. Despite being entitled to the best of everything, Jesus chose a humble path. Philippians 2:5-8 describes how Jesus gave up divine privileges and lived humbly, even to the point of dying on a cross. Jesus’ life exemplifies not demanding special treatment but serving others, as highlighted in Matthew 8:20, where He states, “Foxes have dens... but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
Occupying God-Given Space: True humility involves recognizing and occupying the space God has created for each individual. Romans 12:3 advises believers to measure themselves honestly by the faith God has given. Psalm 149:4 reveals that the Lord delights in His people and crowns the humble with victory, affirming that God honors those who humbly occupy their designated roles.

Jesus as the Ultimate Example

Richard illustrates Jesus’ humility through the act of washing the disciples’ feet, a task reserved for the lowliest of servants. This powerful gesture, described in John 13:1-17, shows Jesus’ willingness to humble Himself for others, setting a profound example for His followers.

Leadership and Humility

Drawing from the book "Good to Great," Richard introduces the concept of the "window and the mirror." Great leaders attribute success to their team (the window) and take personal responsibility for failures (the mirror). Jesus embodied this leadership style, sending out His disciples to perform miracles and promising they would do even greater things (John 14:12). Ultimately, He took humanity’s failures upon Himself on the cross, offering redemption.

The Significance of Humility

Humility is vital because it aligns believers with God’s will, allowing Him to work through them. David’s story from 1 Samuel 24 exemplifies this, where despite being anointed as the next king, David refrains from killing Saul, respecting God’s timing and authority.

Psalm 25:9 highlights that God leads the humble in doing right and teaches them His way. A humble heart is open to learning from anyone, recognizing that God’s lessons can come from unexpected sources.

The Humility Challenge

Richard challenges the congregation to live out humility, reminding them of the insignificance of human boasting. Proverbs 27:2 advises letting others praise you instead of self-promotion. He underscores this with a photo of Earth from space, illustrating humanity’s smallness in the universe.

Despite this, God’s love remains perfect and unfailing. 2 Peter 3:9 emphasizes God’s patience, wanting everyone to repent. Understanding that every person is a beloved child of God should change how believers interact with others, as

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Acts: Life On Mission - Week 1 - Three Stepping Stones

Acts: Life on Mission - Week 1: "Three Stepping Stones"

As we embark on our journey through the book of Acts, it's essential to remember that the early Christians were known as "Followers of the Way." This term isn’t just a label; it encapsulates the essence of what it means to live a life centered on Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself made an exclusive claim that He is the only way to Heaven (John 14:6). This claim, while challenging to the world’s desire for relativism, remains the cornerstone of our faith.

The Apostle Paul, facing persecution for his faith, boldly declared, "I admit that I follow the Way, which they call a cult. I worship the God of our ancestors" (Acts 24:14). Paul’s words echo through the ages, reminding us that following Jesus often means standing against the tide of popular opinion. In a world that often seeks to find its own path, the call to follow Jesus as "the Way" requires us to step onto a path that Jesus Himself laid out.

The Way: A Path of Stepping Stones

Imagine "The Way" as a path with three significant stepping stones that every follower of Jesus must walk on. These stepping stones represent the journey Jesus invites us to take, a journey that reshapes our lives and reorients our priorities.

Stepping Stone 1: "I’m a Sinner"

The first stepping stone is the recognition of our own sinfulness. As G.K. Chesterton once wrote, "We’re all in the same boat, but we are all seasick." We are all sinners, unable to save ourselves because we are all in need of rescue. But what does it mean to acknowledge our sin?

The world often associates sainthood with moral perfection, but Chesterton also pointed out that "a saint only means a man who knows he is a sinner." This awareness of our sinfulness is crucial because it drives us to seek God. The law given to the Israelites served to reveal their sins, and in the new covenant, God gives us a conscience that convicts us of our sins.

Thomas Aquinas captured this truth when he said, "The heart is restless until it rests in God." In our restlessness, we often turn to substitutes for a relationship with God—wealth, pleasure, power, and honor. These pursuits are ultimately sinful because they center our lives on ourselves rather than on God.

St. John of the Cross described our desires as "an infinite cavern that can only be filled by God." When we try to fill this cavern with anything other than God, we fall into sin. Jesus, in His conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well, said, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life" (John 4:13-14). This teaches us that no earthly pursuit can satisfy the deep longing in our souls—only God can.

So, the first step on "The Way" is to recognize our sin, name the vices that lead us astray, and understand that only God can truly satisfy our deepest desires.

Stepping Stone 2: "Jesus Is the Center"

The second stepping stone is making Jesus the center of our lives. During a visit to Christ Church in Oxford, known for its breathtaking architecture and historical significance, I noticed a recurring theme in the design of many ancient churches. In these churches, the rose window—a circular stained glass window—depicts Jesus at the center, surrounded by His followers.

This design isn’t merely decorative; it’s deeply symbolic. When Jesus is at the center, everything else falls into place. When we make mistakes, it’s often because we’ve allowed something other than Jesus to occupy the center of our lives.

When Jesus is at the center, He makes our lives better, and He makes us better at life. The imagery of a convoy of ships or the precision of the Blue Angels, who must maintain perfect alignment, illustrates this point. Just as one ship or one jet out of alignment can cause chaos, so too can one area of our lives out of alignment with Jesus disrupt everything.

Consider the story of Mary and Martha (Luke 10:39-42). Martha, overwhelmed by the demands of preparing a meal, complained to Jesus that her sister Mary wasn’t helping. But Jesus gently reminded her that "few things are needed—or indeed only one." Mary had chosen to center herself on Jesus, which was the better choice. This story isn’t about the virtues of contemplation versus hard work; it’s about focus and priority. When Jesus is the center, everything else falls into its proper place.

The Gospels also recount stories of people possessed...