GYC 2007: Be

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Generation. Youth. Christ. (GYC)

Bob Folkenberg, Jr. - Evangeliving: The Great Commission in Action

Bob Folkenberg

What is Evangelism, Really?

Before we begin, let's have a word of prayer.

Ask the Lord to be with us, to guide us in our discussion.

Lord in heaven, we thank you for this new day.

We thank you more than anything for the joy and the peace that we have in Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Thank you that we also have the privilege as you have given us to share this gospel of Christ with others.

Bless us now as we open your word as we discuss what evangelism really is in this seminar and I pray that you will guide us and more than just become something that we understand intellectually help us Lord to to flush it out help us to because of your Holy Spirit living in us to be active in a lifestyle of evangelism we pray this in Jesus name Amen.

Welcome to Evangeliving, the great commission in action today.

Like they say on the airlines, if this is not the destination that you are supposed to be going to, this is the time to get out.

We're going to, today specifically, in this first seminar, try to define evangelism maybe a little differently than you have heard it before, but I feel it is very biblical and founded on some very clear principles in the spirit of prophecy.

So what we want to do today is talk about what evangelism really is in terms of what does it mean when we say we need to be doing evangelism.

What does it mean when we talk about, hey, our church needs to do more evangelism.

And the next seminar we're going to be looking at is God's Marine Corps and you talking about the importance of evangelism not as a lone ranger kind of approach but rather working together as a team, as a group in a local church and Cher Him is developing these in local churches, we call them outreach teams, outreach leadership teams, we're going to talk about those.

And then we're going to talk about the important work of sowing in the cycle of evangelism.

But today, right now, we're going to talk about what is evangelism really.

19, I'm trying to think here, it was 19 like 1993, 92 in October, I got a phone call from the Trans-European Division and they invited me to go to a little country called Albania.

Enver Hoxha, who was the dictator, had just been overthrown about 8 months earlier, and they were wanting to send in evangelists to do meetings and to do evangelism in Albania.

I was excited about the opportunity, and so off we went to the To southern Albania to the city of Korca where for 6 weeks We preached we worked we visited we We rented a theater cold theater, and it was filled every night we would have a drunk guy standing up and challenging and cursing at me in the middle of the meetings we would have all kinds of things happening it was a very exciting time at the end of those meetings we had a baptism in a hotel.

It was the only place we could find that had any body of water.

It was a fish tank about this deep underneath the stairs.

And we sat the people down and we baptized them like this.

I was on my knees, but that's the only amount of water we could find because it was the dead of winter.

15 people, we started the church there in Korcha, it was exciting, it was wonderful, but was that evangelism?

About 3 weeks ago or so, no about a month ago, I was in Oregon.

And when I travel I often stop and I love to read I love reading and I pulled out my book at a Taco Bell and as I was eating my bean burrito this is my time I want you understand I like eating and reading it's a beautiful combination I'm eating my bean burrito reading a book called the language of God and it's written by a scientist on why he believes that there is a God it was I was just devouring it enjoying it and all of a sudden a guy next to me pops up and says sir what is the language of God Now what am I supposed to do?

But I sensed God leading and he read the front of the book and we spent another half an hour talking about God and about Christ and about salvation in Christ.

Okay, you all feel more comfortable with that, to say that's evangelism, don't you?

I would say that that is evangelism and I would say that evangelism in Albania We could also say is a kind of evangelism, right?

But let me ask you a question Let's go back to that first gospel commission written there in Matthew chapter 28 verse 18 and 20 to begin our definition of what evangelism is.

Then Jesus came and he spoke to them saying, if you have your Bibles look it up, Matthew 28 verse 18 to 20, He spoke to them saying, all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.

Go therefore and make disciples of most nations depending on the political circumstances.

All nations and then Baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded You and lo I am with you always even to the end of the age you realize I just want to make a little a note here this great gospel commission Begins with the assurance Let me go back.

What does it say right at the beginning of verse 18?

It says, then Jesus came and spoke to them, all authority in heaven, what?

Has been given to me on heaven and on earth.

In other words, before he tells us what we need to do, he tells us, I just want you to know that I have authority to make this happen.

And then he ends the gospel commission by saying what?

He says, and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the age.

When it comes to the work of evangelism, taking the gospel of Christ to others, He will never leave us, He will never forsake us, and He will give us the power to accomplish it.

We also have heard of the text, have we not, that says, and this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the what?

All the world as a witness to all the nations and then the end will come.

Let me tell you a little bit about myself so you know where I'm coming from.

I work with a ministry called ShareHim, which is involved in mobilizing and encouraging lay evangelism around the world.

Before that, though, we spent 9 years, my family and I, as missionaries to the Chinese world.

We spent in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and before that I was pastoring in Florida.

And so when we talk about all the world, I believe that God wants this message to be preached to all the world, even in communist China.

And then we have this promise in Matthew 24, 14, and this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world.

Okay, there is a gospel The reality is that we're not having to invent what we have to say We're not having to construct, you know a great proposition to share with somebody else.

There is a gospel in fact God has I believe instituted the church created the church for it to serve as the conduit for this gospel of Christ to be preached to the whole world.

He knew that we needed to preach the Gospel of Christ.

He knew we needed it for our own spiritual well-being.

Because you know, there isn't any such thing as a non-witnessing Christian.

Christians are Christians because they talk about Christ and because they reflect Christ to others.

And so here in this promise that this gospel will be preached to all the world, first of all you have a promise that there is a gospel.

We have just been invited to expand that kingdom.

Number 3, this gospel of the kingdom will be preached to all the world.

And you know, all the world includes your city.

Sometimes we think of all the world, well yes, the gospel will go to Indonesia.

And praise the Lord, it's going to Africa.

And what about our next door neighbors right next to us?

God’s Marine Corps and You

This is a seminar, number 2, on a series called Evangeliving the Great Commission in Action Today.

What we're trying to do is talk very practically about what is evangelism.

That's what we spent time doing the first seminar.

And we defined evangelism very simply from the Bible and the spirit of prophecy as not an event, in other words a campaign.

Evangelism is not just a campaign, it's not just a chip program, it's not just a cooking school.

Evangelism is not even Bible studies on its own, or handing out literature at the corner, or that is not evangelism, cannot be defined as any 1 of those things in and of itself, but evangelism rather should be described as a lifestyle committed to the sharing of your personal Savior Jesus Christ with others.

We then took it to the next step and said evangelism is a lifestyle that if you were to look at it would be divided into 3 areas.

A lifestyle made up of sowing activities, sowing, a lifestyle that will have reaping as a part of that lifestyle, as well as retaining.

Sowing, meaning developing those relationships, growing that trust, reaping, presenting the message of Jesus Christ, and at the last seminar we talked about the importance of message to evangelism.

We talked about the reality that many people look at evangelism as being a feeling or as being a program instead of it being message centered and at the heart of the message is Jesus Christ and the heart of the Seventh-day Adventist remnant message is the proclamation of the 3 angels message it's what gives us our identity is what gives us our focus it is what gives us our reason for existence god has called this church into existence to preach the 3 angels message which in a nutshell We talked at the last seminar is the message of Amos But now at the end of time prepare to meet your God that's what it's about and When we try as a Seventh-day Adventist Church to be like the math Methodist so we try to be like the Baptists or the Church of God, we are messing up, we are giving up on what God has called us to do as a church.

And that's the priesthood 3 angels message.

And so evangelism is a lifestyle that is characterized by sowing reaping and retaining we finished by asking I think a very good question and that is well That's good.

If we were to characterize evangelism as being a lifestyle or a culture, we could call it a culture, evangelism is a culture, How would you describe your culture?

Would your culture be 1 that is saturated, expressed daily in a desire to lead other people to Christ and prepare to meet Him very soon?

And now mind you, you are busy, I am busy, some of you are in school, some of you are working, whew, there's a lot of work to be done, isn't there?

So how do we stay focused on a lifestyle of evangelism?

When we are constantly being pulled this way and that way to pay bills or to be on time for this project or to get ready for that test or to spend time with our girlfriend or boyfriend or wife, husband, children, whatever, how does it happen?

Well, what I want to talk to you about today, And I only talk about this right now based on the reality that we have clearly defined evangelism Okay in evangelism being a lifestyle Because so many people say evangelism doesn't work Now, what are they saying when they say that?

This is they're basically saying God is dead Yeah, God is dead because hey Jesus said to go forth and preach this gospel to every kindred tongue and nation and then the end will come, Matthew 24, But now basically we're saying it can't be done.

It's impossible to accomplish Evangelism does work.

What doesn't work is what what doesn't work oftentimes is you and me We're not involved in a lifestyle of evangelism We're not involved in preaching this gospel of Jesus Christ in Connecting with lost people.

We don't get our hands dirty with the lost people.

I Mean tell you folks every time you get involved in sharing your faith You have got to to do like Jesus did remember we looked at the if those of you who are last seminar We said Christ method alone brings true success in reaching people.

And basically won their trust, their confidence, Selwyn White says.

And then, and then comes the message, he said, follow me.

So folks, what I'm about ready to say is based squarely on the foundation that evangelism is a lifestyle that God is calling you to be involved in, not just professional evangelists, not just Doug Batchelor, not just a conference president, not just your pastor.

He is calling all of us, and we looked at a quotation, and you can get that there on seminar 1 handout where Ellen White says this is the greatest and the highest work that we need to be involved in now.

So I come back to you and I said folks don't leave GYC or these seminars saying well That was a nice message Boy, that was cool.

I feel so close to God folks God is calling you to get radical in who you are as a Christian.

And you are called as a Christian to proclaim Christ, to finish the work, which I still believe can be finished.

Can you just turn on your LCD screen in your brain and can you see lay people, an army of youth, involved in a lifestyle of evangelism in churches all across this world, tell me if it would not make a difference?

Absolutely, it would make a difference, huge difference.

So what I'm what we're going to talk about now is how do we organize this army.

I would like to suggest to you that Ellen White and the Bible have given us clear principles how to take the reality of the Gospel commission that all of us should be involved in a lifestyle of evangelism, that all of us as Christians need to be talking about Christ and she has given us principles to organize ourselves to maintain a focus on a lifestyle Of evangelism I call it God's Marine Corps and you That's what we're going to talk about Let's just say your church is finishing evangelistic series Okay, you finish it.

I you've been going out every single night for 3 weeks and it's finished now you say I Can rest I can plop my feet up watch my favorite program for 2 weeks in a row and not feel guilty for not going to church We finished evangelism now what?

Let me ask you a question in in most churches in most churches that hold an evangelistic event, a campaign, you might have maybe 10 to 15, 20% participation max to start with.

But is evangelism, Has evangelism finished just because you finished a campaign?

Can you prop your feet up, flip off your shoes and just relax?

Folks, I have been in churches where they have said, we're done with that, now we can wait a couple of years until we do it again.

I've even been to churches that have never had a weeping event for 30 years.

They want to wait every 30 years they want to have 1.

In most churches the answer would be yes, we will rest a while, maybe a couple years before we quote on quote do evangelism again.

We're going to just rest a while until we do evangelism again.

In other churches many say evangelism doesn't work.

What they're saying is that we don't work.

Is God now not involved in the work of evangelism?

What it means is that they are not working in a lifestyle of evangelism.

In fact, I have seen churches take the work of evangelism and give it to the United States Postal Service or the Canadian Postal Service.

They take the work of evangelism and assign it to Uncle Sam and say we're gonna send out 20, 000 brochures and it's gonna cost us a penny and then when very few people come we sit back and we say oh see Evangelism doesn't work Or then we look at like I said to you all in the first seminar, we look at the brochures with the image or a beast on it and we say, see, it's these crazy beasts, they're scaring everybody away.

The membership is not involved in a lifestyle of evangelism.

How can we sustain this lifestyle of evangelism?

The answer I would like to suggest to you today and what we're going to talk about the rest of this hour is the way to maintain the focus, the way to maintain this lifestyle of evangelism in your local church where you're at is through voluntary communities committed to evangel living.

Voluntary communities committed to evangel living.

Evangelism according to the Bible and the spirit of prophecy is best lived out in the context of a community, a focused and well-disciplined team that works together to maintain this focus on evangelism.

I Just want to make sure, if you just came in, there are handouts for this seminar over here next to the door on my left, your right, just to let you know.

Well disciplined team that is focused on this concept called, this reality called evangel living.

In other words, you have to join God's marine corps that's what it's what we're saying and it's based on biblical principles let me share with you first of all mark chapter 6 verse 7 look at what it says mark 6 if you have your bibles verse 7 those of you who don't I have it up here on the screen, and he called the 12 to him and began to send them out 1 by 1 saying unto them, go be a lone ranger for me is that what it says no he sent them out what 2 by 2 and gave them power over unclean spirits in acts chapter 12 verse 25 it says in Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their ministry and they also took with them John whose surname was Mark now who do you see here you have Paul and who?

Barnabas and you have another guy called John Mark.

Now he didn't turn out too well at the beginning.

He kind of got homesick, didn't like the food, didn't appreciate where they were sleeping, ended up going back, but then later on, He came back and apologized and wanted to be a part of evangelism again and then Paul wouldn't have any time of day for him so Barnabas took him under his wing and then who did Paul go off with?

I think it was Silas at that point and they began but it was never Paul, Paul's out there, Go Paul!

It was always Paul and Barnabas, Paul and Silas.

And then you have Luke in there somewhere in the mix.

And if you read, you always see a team of people who surrounded Paul as a team.

And then you have the disciples going out 2 by 2.

Folks there is there is a principle here that evangelism is not something we do on our own by ourselves without proper support and encouragement.

Have any of you been on a Share Him International evangelistic trip?

When we get together we have our devotional and we have our team meeting, remember that?

Where we review, we talk about what's happening in different spots.

Because there is spiritual strength and support when we come together and pray.

Preparing for the Harvest Now

Before I begin, let me share with you a quotation from the first session that I didn't even have time to get to that I really think synthesizes what we are about.

And please remind me to tell folks who come in to pick up the material for this seminar.

If you're just coming in, pick up the material for the seminar and come sit towards the front so I don't have to...

I just feel so far and high up there, I'd just rather be closer here.

This is a quotation from the ninth volume of the Testimonies, which is literally a vision that Ellen White saw of what the church would look like at the end of time.

A snapshot, like a video or a picture of what the church will look like right before the second coming.

She says this, In visions of the night, representations passed before me of a great reformatory movement among God's people.

The sick were healed and other miracles were wrought.

A spirit of intercession was seen, even as was manifest before the great day of Pentecost.

Hundreds and thousands were seen visiting families and opening before them the Word of God.

Hearts were convicted by the Holy Spirit and a spirit of genuine conversion was manifested.

On every side, doors were thrown open to the proclamation of the truth.

The world seemed to be lighted with the heavenly influence Great blessing were received by the true and humble people of God.

You see a church that is on its knees Confessing their sin, but yet out living a life of evangelism with their neighbors and people they contact with.

And God was with them in not only protecting them, but also giving them the Holy Spirit to make it effective.

I believe God is talking to us to be a part of that movement now, don't you?

Around the world in your neighborhood to be involved in this great light that is supposed to encompass the world.

GYC, We're also here in this seminar to talk about this whole idea of evangelism being more than just a campaign for 2 weeks or whatever.

It is a lifestyle that should encompass the culture that we live every day.

But before we begin right now's presentation, let's pray.

Lord in heaven, again we invite You to be here.

We realize that spiritual things must be spiritually discerned and we need Your Holy Spirit to guide us.

We want to be challenged by Your Spirit to help us become more like Jesus and His disciples who turned that world upside down.

Use us and equip us, We pray in Jesus' name, Amen.

Let me say that the process by which a person goes from unbelief to belief is best described as a journey.

In this journey, the Lord has, I believe, ordained man, ordained his body, the church, to serve as his hands, to serve as his feet, to guide and to lead and to touch and to encourage lost souls towards that living faith in Jesus Christ.

Very rarely do you even have an experience where, like Saul of Tarsus, when he was going to Damascus, and boom, a light shines, And he is converted.

He comes face to face with the man he was persecuting, Jesus Christ.

And sometimes people say, well that's how conversion is like.

It's all about bells and whistles and lights and it's just this wonderful feeling.

But I would suggest to you, if you look at the life of Paul That the Lord was already moving him along the journey before he was he took that trip to Damascus He was seeing the faith of Peter and John.

He was seeing the faith of Stephen as he was being stoned.

He was working on him through the Holy Spirit.

It's a process, it's a journey, and he does not often call upon the angels to help in that process.

He calls upon his body, the church, to be a part of that process.

Remember like Andrew, remember when he led Peter to Jesus saying, you know, we have found the Messiah?

We are called to lead others to that same source of life and that same source of hope.

We have talked about the last couple of sessions that the reality is that in today's society, in the last 20 or 30 years, there has been a tremendous specialization in the Adventist church Where when we talk about evangelism, we think about the professional evangelist.

Or we think about, well, it's those only who have been ordained the pastors.

And this has hurt our church greatly, because when you look at the places in the world where the church is truly growing, it is where lay men and women own the message and the mission.

They realize that they are the ones called by God to take this last day message and share it with their neighbors, share it with their family, share it with their co-workers.

It's everyone's responsibility, but too often, more often than not I should say, people will follow us to Jesus only if they trust us.

Only if we have a real relationship with them.

When I first met my wife, I was, I think I shared this earlier, previous session, I was on my second date with her literally just getting to know her and I knew That this was the woman that I wanted to marry.

I just knew it So on my second date question that I invite her ask her to please marry me Did I invite her to marry me on my second date?

If I knew this was the 1 for me and I just knew it.

I said, hey, it's not a matter of who now, it's a matter of when.

Because she did not, I mean, we had not developed any trust.

Do you think if I invited her to marry me on our second date to Taco Bell, she was going to say yes?

You know, in a book called The Externally Focused Church, which I highly recommend, the author, Rick Rousaw, says this, to tell the truth, we must show the truth.

Can you imagine somebody coming to you and talking about the love of Jesus in 1 minute and the next minute, boom, they're talking about they're cussing and they're, you know, gossiping and they're doing all kinds of unloving, unthoughtful things.

So in order to tell the truth, which we believe that there needs to be truth, we must show the truth.

Jesus said it this way, he said, by this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for 1 another.

I mean it's so logical when you think about it.

If I tell my wife as I was courting her that I love her and I love her but I treat her in a way that does not show that truth of my love.

And so, what I'm getting at is that in the journey of faith, God is using you and me to show the truth, as well as tell the truth, to connect with people, to build that relationship with people.

Remember what Sister White said about Jesus' way of doing evangelism.

Christ's method alone, she says, will give true success in reaching the people.

She goes on to say, the Savior mingled with men as 1 who desired their good.

There is something here you need to keep in mind.

When you are living a lifestyle of evangelism, you cannot live in a fortress on top of a mountain.

In other words, Jesus went out and mingled with men, He mingled with women.

And He showed His sympathy for them, and ministered to their needs, and then he won their confidence.

You see this is that relationship, this is that journey of trust.

Series

Bob Folkenberg, Jr. - Evangeliving: The Great Commission in Action

God’s Marine Corps and You

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