Carriers of The Encounter

Acts 1:8 ESV

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Milt Hughes

Accepted Christ at 9 or 10 in Kentucky.

Elected to be president of the young peoples group his senior year.

One of the principles was Daily Bible reading.

Somehow he started keeping a notebook (Feb 23 1948) and Acts 1:8 was his verse.

He wrote that down and it was “like a new flash of light to me, like a new revelation.” And he thought, “this is powerful stuff, I want to give my life to this.” That fall he went to college at Georgetown in Kentucky. God began working in powerful ways.

In college: witnessing experiences, interactions

Feb 1949 in his freshman year there was a campus revival.

It was like a huge revival.

He was a part of a revival of about 200 students who committed to give their lives to missions.

He later went to seminary at Southern and counted 125 students who came out of his college.

The week after the revival was his break, the students scattered and shared about the revival. Milt shared at his home church and gave an invitation and students flooded down the isle.

That was a part of a Spiritual Movement that was happening across the Nation.

Jess Moody was involved in the youth revival in Texas.

That fall the asbury revival took place.

That fall, Billy Graham’s breakthrough happened in 1949. A newspaper reporter told people to publicize Graham.

That revival has remained a part of his life provided zeal and passion ever since.

Milt went on to invest his life in mentoring young people and teaching them to follow Jesus

Harold Bullock: a six pack of beer and a King James Bible.

Harold started Hope church:

Training leaders since the 70’s.

One of those guys was my father in law and my mother in law.

At least sent out 100 people to start churches. Likely closer to 200.

Neil Walker: Has been raising up leaders of College students for decades. Impacted thousands for Christ

John Worcester: 20,000+ people

Paul Worcester:

Started Challenge at Chico.

Is now leading a network of hundreds of campus ministry leaders to train them to make disciples of Jesus.

Andy Worcester:

Gave a flyer to a girl named Putti - She was a militant athiest. Now one of the best personal evangelists. Now training others.

Was my mentor who inspired me to use my life for making disciples.

Now a Missionary in Taiwan. God has given him a huge influence. Over 45K youtube subscribers.

Joseph

Missionary in East Asia before the pandemic. Started an organization to get Christians over to East Asai.

Just moved to Indonesia to reach people for Christ.

David Worcester

Started Challenge in 2009

Faithfully making disciples.

Started Compass Church.

Trained me in ministry

Milt is a Carrier of the Encounter.

He encountered God’s Grace

He encountered God’s Word

He encountered God’s Presence.

He encountered God’s Plan

He has encountered God’s Provision

He has been a faithful carrier of the encounter. We will never know the extent of his impact until we get to eternity. I’ve only traced the spiritual family tree down one branch. That was just part of the impact of one of the guys he had invested in, Harold.

I think of Matt. 13:23

Matthew 13:23 ESV

As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

The Word of God took root in his life, and it changed him.

Many of you would never even have heard of him if I hadn’t told you about him.

His life is not flashy.

He has just been faithfully toiling away at making disciples for over 70 years.

He does not lead a big ministry. Many of you don’t even know this, but there is another challenge college ministry in San Diego county. It’s just really small. And Milt leads it, even though he’s over 90 years old. He has not retired.

The Revival Study Bible Acts

The Church will be on fire, burning with a desire to serve Him. Christians will be compelled to bring others to know Him. There will be a new missionary emphasis in the Church. We will turn our eyes to a world that is lost, dying and going to hell because these souls have not accepted God’s plan. Prayer meetings will be jammed, people will love the hour of prayer and spend time in communion with God. The Church will add new members.…

-Billy Graham

You have access to the Power of the Holy Spirit

Acts 1:8 (ESV)

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you....

John 14:16 ESV

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,

John 15:26 ESV

“But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.

You are called to be his witnesses.

Acts 1:8 (ESV)

... and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

The gospel spreads mainly through regular followers of Jesus, not through professional ministers.

Acts 8:1 ESV

And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

Acts 8:4 ESV

Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.

You can have a multiplying impact

Matthew 28:19–20 ESV

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Training people to follow Jesus, who will train others to follow Jesus.

Lead a person to Jesus

Train them to obey Jesus

Help them learn to do that with someone else

You need to prioritize getting training.

“We are reaching internationals. But in the last few years, American students haven’t been willing to pay the price.”

Luke 14:28–33 ESV

For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.

Wow, I’m glad Jesus said it and not me. Jesus is saying there is a price to be paid to follow

Salvation is free, but discipleship will cost you your life

- Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Challenge Mission:

“To help students discover Jesus, learn to live like him and change the world the way that Jesus did.”

Next Steps

I would like more info about what it means to follow Jesus.

I would like help crafting a personal growth plan for following Jesus.

I would like to receive training in how to make Disciples of Jesus.

I would like guidance in reaching my friend group for Christ.