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Authentic Evangelism: Eat. Pray. Go

1/23/2017

Evangelism is so important to life.   I started to say “evangelism is important to the church” or “evangelism is important to our faith,” but it goes so much deeper than that. The message of the gospel is important to life.   It saves lives (both naturally and spiritually), it gives people hope, and it shares the love of God our father to a dying world. This message of authentic evangelism is the bedrock of our faith. Without evangelism there is no growth in Christianity…and we are seeing the first fruits and emergence of this in today’s society.
Truth be told, Christians don’t evangelize anymore. Instead we try to bring people to church in hopes that the pastor or preacher will evangelize them. When we do invite someone to church, it’s usually someone who as already accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of his or her life. As we studied Thom Rainer's “I Will” in bible study, we had the opportunity to discuss this same exact point. We, you and I, have a whole lot of undercover Christians on our jobs AND we are empowered when we meet one.   Once we find out that one of our co-workers is a Christian, we feel like we could do cartwheels.   A sense of excitement swells up inside of us that is near impossible to contain. We think to ourselves, "musician, cue the music...I feel a shout coming on." Yet, somehow, we contain our selves. After all, we are professionals. I mean, we could literally stand at the water cooler or snack machine share Christ "with another Christian" all day long. We even lose track of time and have to rush off to our next assignment because we’ve been so enamored with our newfound knowledge.   I woud even venture to say that this “new knowledge” is so exciting that we can’t wait to home to tell our families about the events at the water cooler.
On the other hand, we would hardly open our mouths to share Christ with someone we are certain doesn’t know Christ.
Why is that?
When we offer Christ, we are offering life, and hope, and joy, and peace…Literally.   Personally, I just couldn't do life without Christ.   He is my LIFE. We have something that the world needs to live in this life and after.
The church should be filled with evangelist.   Everyone is an evangelist. I feel like Oprah. You’re an evangelist, you’re an evangelist, you’re an evangelist, EVERYBODY IS AN EVANGELIST!   Wait, but why isn’t everyone excited?
Walk with me through this analogy of the church as our campaign headquarters. This is where you come to get fed…motivated…updated…encouraged…this is where you plan, collaborate, strategize, and prepare for the mission.   At the campaign headquarters, everyone knows the mission and the focus. Get our candidate elected.   The questions loom in everyone’s mind “how we are going to win over those undecided, those who are our opponents, what is it going to take to win this election?” This is where you get your assignment. Are you going to be answering calls? Are you going to be knocking on doors? Are you the spokesperson?
Are you following the analogy? The church is where the sheep gets fed for the purpose of going into the harvest.   Sadly, we have a whole lot of plump sheep while the harvest rots. In Luke 9:1-2, Jesus did a few things:

He called His disciples (the sheep)
He fed them (gave them power and authority over all devils and to cure diseases)
Give them their assignment (Preach the kingdom of God)
Sent them out

Check it out for yourself: “Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick. And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing every where.” In Luke 9:1-2; 9:6
Jesus purpose for calling the twelve was to prepare them to do ministry. Jesus was about thirty years old when he began his public ministry. His disciples were with him for much of that time. They had seen enough and had been fed enough. It was time for them to begin their internship. It was time for them to put into practice what they had seen and heard during their time with Christ. So it is with us. We have to get out their and share our faith. We cannot complain about the decline in Christianity if we are not doing our part.

What hinders you from sharing your faith?
Eat (come and be fed). Pray (for those that God will send in your path). Go (share your faith)

Let’s start an evangelism movement. Eat. Pray. Go

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I am NOT alone!

1/1/2017

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Happy New Year!

I think what makes today, New Year's Day, so special is that we all get to begin a new year together. We don't have a say in whether or not we want it to be 2017. In fact, as sure at the clock struck 12:00a.m. it became 2017- like it or not. You don't get to say, "I think I’m just gonna stay right here in 2016, ya'll go on without me." As long as you are alive, as long as you have breath in your body, you roll with the tide and enter into the new year.
New Year's doesn't always happen at the same that time for everyone. Here's what I mean. New Year's by definition is the first day of a new year. So, who decides what is the first day of a new year? We do. Think about it. Every year around the mid to the end of August the school system decides when the NEW school year is going to begin and thus, we all (parents, grandparents, students, teachers, stores, community, etc..) embark upon a new school year. New year's are dates on a calendar that change the trajectory of our lives. Not only do you have a say in when YOUR new year will be, you also have it say in its trajectory.
On December 14, 2002 I became Mrs. Gia Roberts. Yes! I was the happiest girl you ever did see. I flipped the pages of my life's calendar and landed on a new year. Nope, it wasn't January, but I decided that December 14, 2002 was the first day of a new start for me...and so it was.
Let’s take September 11th for example. Even though it was a tragic day in the history of The United State of America, it was also a New Year's day that unified us. It unified us because we were all aware of the fact that OUR collective lives would never be the same again. Together, we flipped the pages of our calendar and landed on a new year that was very different from any year we had ever experienced.
After Jesus' death the disciples faced a NEW YEAR...things were most definitely going to be different for them--forever. Their leader, friend, Lord, teacher, and comforter was gone. They watched him ascend right before their eyes. What were they to do? How were they to carry on? How were they to continue this work? Of themselves they had no power. In the midst of this despair, they went to a familiar place -The Upper Room. The Upper Room was a place where they had met with Jesus in times past. The Upper Room was a place where they ate with him, communed with him, and sat with him as he told them about his purpose. It was a place of familiarity. They could probably imagine him sitting amongst them. His words resounding in their hearts, “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever;” John 14:16.
Here's the meat and potatoes of it all. You are not alone. REPEAT after me: "I am not alone." Say it with conviction: "I am NOT alone." January 1, 2017 might be a collective new year that means very little to you right now. But here is some encouragement for YOUR personal new year's days that is sure to come. Your help cometh. "...wait for the promise of the Father, which saith he, ye have heard of me." Acts 1:4 I find solace in the words of Christ which tell me that no matter what the new year brings, I am not alone.

"Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." Deuteronomy 31:6

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Authentic Evangelism: Eat. Pray. Go

I am NOT alone!

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