The Route to Revival: Personal Evangelism and Discipleship

Text

Matthew 28:16–20 KJV 1900

16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. 17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

I want to talk to you about your calling tonight.

There is potential, I know, because the Holy Ghost told me so… that if somebody would really get ahold of what I’m talking about tonight, there would be something unlocked that would pour out mighty revival.

Intro

“Turned the World Upside Down”

I have struggled with what “turned the world upside down” fully means.

In Acts 1:8-9, Jesus tells the apostles that the power of the Holy Ghost will come upon them so they could be His witnesses in cities and regions. What ensued was so dynamic that the unbelievers described the apostles as those who turned the world upside down (Acts 17:6).

So, what did that look like?

Were people missing appointments? (elaborate)

Were people Missing In Action? (elaborate)

Were they emptying out places that promoted sin?

Were they converting people who everyone thought would never be here?

Certainly people were speaking in other languages. And they were doing what Jesus did on an even larger scale.

And we want to see our world turned upside down. I would say today, that if you are not on board with seeing our community fundamentally, spiritually changed, you are not aligned with our mission.

New Life Rector mission statement: SHARING new life in Christ, GROWING as disciples of Christ, EQUIPPING for the work of Christ. That’s who we are.

So, if you are on board with the following things and you desire them, I want you to respond passionately tonight:

We want to see people receive the Holy Ghost evidenced by speaking in other tongues.

We want to see people baptized in Jesus name.

We want to see people get the revelation that there’s one God.

We want to see people learn how to live a holy lifestyle.

We want to see the miracles, signs, and wonders that the Word of God says will follow those who believe.

We want to see your family saved!

We want to see your coworkers on the pew next to you!

WE WANT TO SEE THE WORLD TURNED UPSIDE DOWN.

WE WANT TO SEE REVIVAL.

I believe you believe that. But I want to say, with conviction and with certainty, that if we want our world turned upside down as it was for the apostles, IT WILL COME BY THE SAME METHODS.

I’m not going to hide the ball today. The way it happened for them, and the way it will happen for us is: PERSONAL EVANGELISM AND DISCIPLESHIP.

Evangelism and Discipleship

Why Evangelism?

14,265 souls hanging in the balance. That’s the most recent count of how many people live in Clay County alone.

It can become very easy to see people as necessary acquaintances and relationships for you to get through life. But in your daily walk, you need to be able to see people and opportunities through a lens of evangelism.

evangelize - to preach the gospel to someone who hasn’t applied it.

Often, this word is only associated with the evangeLIST. But evangelism is a charge to all the saints of God.

Matthew 28:19–20 KJV 1900

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

The Great Omission

To be Apostolic is to take this Great Commission seriously. It was a directive. A command to the Church.

Naturally, in our flesh, we are very self-centered. And it’s also possible for a church to become self-centered. Consumerism. But the altar is not where we come to get - it’s where we come to GIVE!

And we don’t want to be a self-centered people. There is a lost and dying world!

The reason many churches die or are dying is because the Great Commission has for them become the Great Omission.

Pastor’s quotes

“Evangelism is finding a way to connect those people out there to us and this in here.

Giving and faithful attendance alone is not going to cut it.

There will be no harvest if we don’t make a way to reach people regularly.”

Pastor Phil LaRue

Intentionality

Of course, we don’t witness and evangelize out of a sense of guilt. It is a discipline. We do it because it is what we’re called to and because people need what we have.

And being Apostolic means being a people of action. And actively reaching out in faith will begin to raise up things that are dormant in the Spirit. There are things that God would unleash and allow to flood in the person who “stirs up the gift within you.”

Letting the light shine:

Matthew 5:16 KJV 1900

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Why Discipleship?

We do not only evangelize - we disciple. We must make disciples. This is our route to revival.

The Great Commission did not say that we baptize them alone. But to TEACH. And to MAKE DISCIPLES.

How does that happen?

Releasing the Beast of Burden

Practical Helps

The Champion: Bible Studies

I believe that bible studies are an EXTREMELY powerful tool to reach people. And ANYONE can do it! YOU can do it!

Buy Their Lunch

This might sound a little different, but buy their lunch. Not to buy them. But to let your light shine. Give a little bit. Invest in them! You’d be surprised at what that might do.

And even within our church… new people that are coming - take them out to eat some time. Or at least offer!

Listen!

Let people feel heard! Then, let God use you to minister.

They don’t care what you know until they know that you care!

Share Your Testimony

The final chapter of Life’s Healing Choices: “Recycling Pain - The Sharing Choice.”

Revelation 12:11 KJV 1900

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

Your testimony is far too powerful to be unheard!

Make People Laugh

The Bible says that laughter is like medicine! If they can laugh with you, they can cry with you!

Talk About What Happens HERE Every Week!

What amazing things we see all of the time! You experience it with me! Let’s tell about it! At some point, they’ll have to come and find out!

Send Sermons/Songs

“Hey, I heard this sermon the other day that I knew you’d be interested in!”

Allow the Fruit of the Spirit to Flow

If you’re full of the Holy Ghost, then the fruit of the Spirit should be on display! That fruit works wonders in reaching people!

Fruits…

Love

Joy

Peace

Longsuffering

Gentleness

Goodness

Faith

Meekness

Temperance

Use What We Have at the Church to Your Advantage

MadeNew Recovery

Special events/services

Men/women/youth/kids events

LIFEGROUPS ARE A GREAT AVENUE!

New Life Class

Common Objections

“I’m timid, though.”

Pray, “Spring up, oh well, spring up!”

I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ!

2 Corinthians 4:3–4 KJV 1900

But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

“I have fear of rejection.”

Matthew 10:14 KJV 1900

And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.

FOCUS ON THE HUNGRY.

Resources

“Into His Marvelous Light”

Church Cards

Win Your World

I want you to take some time this week to visit winyourworld.com.

This is a website created by the Youth Department and the North American Missions Department. And the whole point of this site is to equip you to teach a bible study.

Bible studies for purchase

Help videos to help your approach

Strategies for getting bible studies started with people

Conclusion

Supernatural Evangelism

The Ethiopian eunuch - conferences are great, but we need more bible studies!

Acts 8:26–39 KJV 1900

And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.

The last part of the Great Commission: “I am with you alway”

Prayer

Lord, remind me that I am to be a Great Commission Christian in a Great Commission church. Remind me that, in Your strength, I am to do whatever it takes to reach out into my community with the transforming power of the gospel.