Workshop Growing Heart Evangelism
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Welcome
Welcome
Intro: Introduce 1) Names, 2) What Brought You Here
Sportscast:
Outreach Toolbox Class:
the purpose is to equip and encourage our people to share Christ—removing the obstacles of awkwardness, fear, and discomfort.
Opening Session Today:
- Growing a Heart for Evangelism
February 4: Becoming a Witness in the Workplace (Barry Slabaugh)
February 11: Preparing 3 Big Questions (Chuck Keenon)
(Plug for Brent Houlding ’s class as well during 10:45am - attend on Saturdays!) **confirm still happening
Opening Prayer: Rev 7:9-12/1 Cor 3/13
After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”
Our Vision and Ultimate Goal.
Your Heart for ALL Peoples to Become Ours!
Our Topic this morning—cultivating a HEART, a LOVE for evangelism--more than a “skill” to put in your outreach toolbox,
is a FOUNDATIONAL part
of flourishing as a life-long Christian witness.
I want to begin with some interactive questions:
Q: What is the aim of a Christian’s sanctification, their journey of increasing spiritual growth? The purpose of our Christian journey?
[Full conformity/likeness to Jesus, perfection, HOLY as He is holy, free from sin and death]
Q: What was the purpose of God in sending Christ to earth?
[Ransom people from every tribe, nation; Redeem His people; Take away the sins of the world.]
What is the Greatest Commandment (2 Parts)?
Love God/Neighbor
What do you love?
The answer to this question will affect every area of your Christian obedience, not just evangelism.
That which you TREASURE, will have a critical effect on your evangelistic fervor and effectiveness.
Out of the Abundance of the Heart, the mouth Speaks
This morning we will cover 6 ways to GROW your HEART for evangelism.
1) Gaze Upon God’s Heart
1) Gaze Upon God’s Heart
a) His Benevolent Heart
But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
1 Timothy 2:3–5 (ESV)
This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all...
b) His Compassionate Heart
How can I give you up, O Ephraim?
How can I hand you over, O Israel?
How can I make you like Admah?
How can I treat you like Zeboiim?
My heart recoils within me;
my compassion grows warm and tender.
I will not execute my burning anger;
I will not again destroy Ephraim;
for I am God and not a man,
the Holy One in your midst,
and I will not come in wrath.
Jesus looking upon the crowds as sheep without a shepherd, having compassion on them.
Jesus looking upon the lepers, the sick, the blind, the poor with pity and compassion.
c) His Broken Heart
then those of you who escape will remember me among the nations where they are carried captive, how I have been broken over their whoring heart that has departed from me and over their eyes that go whoring after their idols. And they will be loathsome in their own sight for the evils that they have committed, for all their abominations.
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!
d) His Displeased Heart
For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; so turn, and live.”
Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?
2. Pray God’s Word
2. Pray God’s Word
A) Evangelistic Prayers
To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Psalm. A Song.
May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face to shine upon us, Selah
that your way may be known on earth,
your saving power among all nations.
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!
Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you judge the peoples with equity
and guide the nations upon earth. Selah
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!
The earth has yielded its increase;
God, our God, shall bless us.
God shall bless us;
let all the ends of the earth fear him!
therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
Paul’s Prayers
praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.
Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.
Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.
Paul’s regular request for prayer pertained to evangelism and open doors!!!!
B) Promises
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”
3) Ponder Hell’s Severity
3) Ponder Hell’s Severity
Jesus on soul and body destroyed in hell, where the fire is not quenched, the worm does not die, weeping and gnashing of teeth, with no end, no rest or relief, in the wrathful, dreadful opposing presence of the Lamb and the holy angels.
And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.”
4) Keep Your Eyes On Examples
4) Keep Your Eyes On Examples
Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.
Biblical Examples
Moses: wishing to be cursed for Israel’s salvation sake… Ex 33, 34
Psalmists:
Asaph
Fill their faces with shame,
that they may seek your name, O Lord.
Let them be put to shame and dismayed forever;
let them perish in disgrace,
that they may know that you alone,
whose name is the Lord,
are the Most High over all the earth.
Anon
It is time for the Lord to act,
for your law has been broken.
My eyes shed streams of tears,
because people do not keep your law.
My zeal consumes me,
because my foes forget your words.
David
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit.
Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will return to you.
Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,
O God of my salvation,
and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
One generation shall commend your works to another,
and shall declare your mighty acts.
On the glorious splendor of your majesty,
and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.
They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds,
and I will declare your greatness.
They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness
and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.
Jeremiah and his fire in his bones...
Paul
I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit— that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh.
Heart of great sorrow and unceasing anguish for the perishing; feeling that you could perish in their stead if only they be saved…
For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.
Jesus
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Samaritan woman.
Zaccheus
Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”
Extra-biblical examples
Spurgeon/Hudson Taylor**
Elliots
Aylward
Brainerd**
5) Let Go of Self-Consciousness
5) Let Go of Self-Consciousness
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,
Have the mind of Christ
The Love of Christ controlling you…
Paul’s “becoming a slave to all...”; Jesus teaching on being the servant of all as the key to greatness!
Servants are thinking about others…
We get stuck in our heads, overthink… doubt, fear, worry…
God wants us to walk in FREEDOM. In confidence, with a lightness to our step… holy cheerfulness…
My sinful compulsion…
Self-consciousness is really just self-centeredness… focus on self. NOT the mind of Christ.
“For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ.
6. Purge All Weight And Sin
6. Purge All Weight And Sin
One of the KEYS to being filled with the Holy Spirit, led by, moved by, and prompted by Him
Not quenching His fire, stopping His water-flow, or blocking his wind...
Fanning into flame the fire within you, the gifts within you… USING them
With these 6 ways,
Your heart will begin to be more free to catch fire from the White-Hot Blaze of Heaven’s Heart for Sinners, for the elect of God yet lost in the world, awaiting our faithful casting of nets and drawing them in.