The Commission

And Jesus came and said to them (the eleven disciples), “All authority in heaven and earth has been given to Me. 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, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age” Matthew 28:18-20

Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved: but he who does not believe will be condemned. “And these signs will follow those who believe: in My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” Mark 16:15-18

Then He opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in His name to all nations, beginning form Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And see I am sending upon you what My Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high. Luke 24:45-49

Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, so I send you.” When He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them, if you retain the sins of any, they are retained”. John 20:21-23

The word evangel means ‘good tidings’ or ‘good news’.

It refers to the Good news that Jesus proclaimed

It refers to the Good news that Jesus embodied

The Great Commission is always in the context of the disciples’ experience of Jesus’ Resurrection—our personal experience of His powerful resurrection provides the framework for our going forth and sharing the gospel-good news

By closer examination of the Great Commission we find that evangelism is done through:

Matthew account- baptism and teaching

Disciple means learner-pupil

It is more than doctrinal instruction-it is word and deed-evangelism is proclamation and demonstration

Mark account-proclamation and ministry of deliverance

Luke account-proclamation and witness

Personal testimonials

Shepherds do not make sheep; sheep make sheep.

Foundation for the Great Commission

The Great Commandment

Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest? (Christ) said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Matthew 22:36-40

Evangelism is not a program of the church it is the essential work of the church.

Evangelism is a measure of our commitment to Jesus Christ and to God’s commandments.

Evangelism is God’s work but our responsibility.

Our love for God and our love for neighbor impel us to share our story and faith.

The church is the child of evangelism. It is a way of life.

Evangelism is not merely a means of spreading the good news; it is the very means of living the good news and incorporating the good news into daily life.

It is knowing, becoming and doing the will of God.

Discipleship and Evangelism cannot be divorced from one another.

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, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.

The mission of the church is the restoration of all people to unity (right relationship) with God and each other (community of faith) in Christ.

A driving force of evangelism must be the life and resurrection of Christ

Christ’s life began with a miracle and ended with a miracle, and in every sense of the word it was a miracle. It should not be surprising, therefore, that miracles are a natural part of the Christian life, even in the twenty-first century. Christians pray to invoke miracles, and they pray to thank God for miracles. When Christians follow the will of God, they have a right to expect miracles in their lives.

A community of miraculous expectation comes alive with the Presence and Power of Christ.

Expectation is the right of every believer.-expectation of miracles, blessings, strength, power, and personal growth.

A community of miraculous expectation contains 3 promises to the spiritually hungry: a sense of community with God and others, the expectation of miracles, and personal transformation.

We are to embrace the power of prayer and divine involvement, encounters the holy in daily life, and is confident of miracles.

Benefits of Evangelism

Once we took our eyes off ourselves and centered them on the needs of those not within our doors, we prospered.

Style of Evangelism

The Big Story

The Pentecostal Story

The Park West Church Story

What is Your Story?

The Hourglass Model of Evangelism

Attraction Worship Discovery Initiation Assimilation Discipleship

Attraction-Who, Why, How

Who would be attracted?

Unchurched non-Christians

Unchurched Christians

Why would they be attracted?

Our deep commitment

Our deep love for them and God

How will they be attracted?

Early Christianity grew at 40% per decade

Mormon missionaries have one in one thousand conversion rate by ‘cold calls’

However, if they make contact in the home of a person that is a friend or relative of a Mormon, they have a 50 % conversion rate.

People do not seek a specific faith; they encounter one through their ties to other people who already accept this faith.

The basis for successful conversion movements is growth through social networks, through a structure of direct and intimate interpersonal attachments (meaningful relationships).

Christians are called to live their faith.

Share faith by living it and inviting others to experience faith with others

Live in such a way that we state to family and friends:

1. I have a faith by which I live.

2. I am a part of a community of faith.

3. I am proud of my community of faith and believe that you could benefit from being part of it.

Luke 9:1-2

Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

Acts 1:8

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

Acts 2:38-39

Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”

Acts 3:19-21

Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.

Times of refreshing are times of personal transformation and miraculous expectation.

EPIC LIVES for EPIC MINISTRIES in an EPIC CULTURE

E: Experiential

P: Participatory

I: Image-Driven (Interactive)

C: Connectedness (Community)

Pentecostal worship is poised to offer people the Presence and Power of God within many contexts. How are we living experiential lives to touch an experientially based culture?

Pentecostal worship is positioned to offer people the opportunity to participate and actually determine the outcome of the worship service. (Raising hands, clapping, praying, praising, etc.) How are we living lives that invite others to participate with our destinations and invite them to do the same within their own lives?

We think a thought every 1.44 seconds-what thoughts are you thinking, what ways can you (we) help change the image-scape of our culture?

The Pentecostal worshiper is not only reading or singing about the Exodus, they actually participate and own the story as their own experience.

Truth is not contained in a formula nor is it encountered in a document-truth is a Person namely Jesus Christ and He is to be experienced. How are we living lives that invite others to see the images within Scripture as their own story?

Pentecostalism historically is a community of believers sharing and caring for one another’s needs. Acts 2:38-42. How are we living lives that invite others to connect and share with us?