EVANGELISM SEMINAR

We just conducted this past weekend an evangelism seminar with Steve Crane, evangelist for Eagle Christian church. Steve started a few years ago with a handful of Christians in his livingroom and the Lord has grown that church to over 2,000 every weekend in 6 assemblies. This is the second seminar Steve has presented since my arrival this past August. In November he helped us work through some things in a "church health" seminar. The premise of this seminar is that growth is a natural result of a church health. If a church is not growing or is decline, there is a health issue.
One of the things that came out of the first seminar is that an unhealthy condition exists in our church body. We had grown more focused inward into a more closed system attending to our own needs, creating great times of fellowship but doing very little in reaching out to the community. While there are numerous reasons for this (not the least of which being that this church had just come through a painful split and was/is needing time to heal), none of them are acceptable to take our eyes off the vision Jesus cast for us - "seek and save the lost", "go make disciples of nations", "as the Father sent me, I am sending you". It's nearly impossible to move forward and do/be what and who Christ has created us to do/be when our eyes are tied to our own bellybuttons.
Steve trained us to be aware of everyday situations and relationships we already are in and how to develop opportunities to communicate Jesus. He helped us see that we didn't have to go far outside our comfort zone - it's all about relationships.
That really is what Jesus says in Matt. 28:18-20. Most translations say, "Therefore, go, make disciples of all disciples . . ." This begins with a participle and should be translated, "Therefore, while going, make disciples . . ." The command is not "You go!" but rather "While going, you make!" The going is understood. While you are going about your everyday, normal, natural lives, MAKE DISCIPLES. So the key is to learn how to turn our everyday activities with others into opportunities to tell help others become followers of Jesus.
Two observations: I am thankful to be a part of church that is open to use a minister of an Independent Christian church to teach us how to become move effective communicators of the good news. Many acapella churches of Christ don't even recognize members of instrumental churches of Christ as Christians. Or they consider them to be "erring brethren" (as if there were any other kind!)
Observation 2 - I am grateful to be a part of a church family that really wants to change and grow. We recognize that we cannot continue to do things as we have always done them and expect different results. I am excited to be a part of a movement of God to reverse the decline and near death of a church body into a vibrant body of faith and hope where people can find a place to start over! Praise God for the tremendous power of the good news of Jesus and His Holy Spirit who strengthens us to be and do all He desires as we trust Him!