Session 4: Inviting Others to Encounter God By Ken Kessler

Transcription

1 By Ken Kessler The Invite Component As we discussed in the last three sessions, the evangelism strategy presented in this class entitled Community Connection contains three components: 1) pray, 2) connect, and 3) invite. By way of review, the following is our definition of the Pray-Connect-Invite strategy that was presented in Session 1. The first step is to pray. The process of connecting with your community begins with prayer. The strategy encourages you to pray for the harvest; pray for divine opportunities to talk to people about Jesus; pray for boldness to speak the good news of Jesus plainly and simply; and to pray by name for people the Holy Spirit has placed on your heart. Some people have more time to pray than others; but, whatever time you have include a prayer to be used of God to advance His kingdom. Step two is to connect. The process continues with encouragement to connect with people in need of an encounter with God. The strategy asks you as you go through your day to be sensitive to opportunities to speak to people about the Lord, about how He has worked in your life, and about your church, its ministries and any upcoming events that might be of help to those to whom you are speaking. The final step of the process is to invite those to whom God has connected you to an encounter with God. This session addresses the invite component of the three steps of the Pray-Connect-Invite strategy. The invite dimension of the strategy encourages you to invite people into an encounter with God. The encounter may be to invite the person with whom you have connected into the kingdom of God or it may be to invite them to a ministry event at your church during which you believe they will be impacted by the gospel in a meaningful way. To help us understand how we are to invite people to an encounter with God, let s first take a deeper look at the gospel. Five Dimensions of the Gospel The New Testament calls the church to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ the good news to all the world. As we are very well aware, there are several scriptural passages which exhort us to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with others. Even though most of us are very familiar with this mandate from the Lord, a review of some of the key passages will refresh our memory. And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation (Mark 16:15).

2 So, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome (Rom. 1:15). But now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher (2 Tim. 1:10-11). Remembering the gospel means good news. We often interpret our mandate to share the gospel as a call to share the good news of salvation that comes only through Christ. We very often limit our definition of the gospel to the gospel of salvation. Most certainly this is the most foundational and most important aspect of the gospel. Only through the acceptance of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord that is, receiving the gospel of salvation is one is saved from the wrath of God, eternal judgment, and eternal separation from God in hell. It is only through acceptance of Christ Jesus as Savior and Lord do people enter the kingdom of heaven and spend eternity with Jesus. However, as essential as the gospel of salvation is, as you dig a little deeper into the Scriptures you quickly realize that the gospel is good news, not only about salvation, but also about other facets of our relationship with Jesus. As witnesses, our call is to be prepared and alert to sharing the good news not only of salvation but also of all dimensions of the good news of the kingdom. So, as we prepare ourselves to invite people into an encounter with God, let s examine our call to be a witness to all dimensions of the gospel. Even though we already mentioned the gospel of salvation, we will begin with this dimension of the good news of Jesus. The first and most foundational message salvation. of the gospel is the gospel of The Scriptures speak not only about the gospel in a general sense, they also refer specifically to the gospel of salvation. Note several instances where the Scriptures refer explicitly to the gospel as the good news of salvation. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek (Rom. 1:16). Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Co.r 15:1-4). In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of 2

3 promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory (Eph. 1:13-14). Just as Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Jesus died for our sins according to the Scriptures, He was buried, and was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. This is the gospel of salvation that must be received into our hearts through repentance and faith in Jesus work on the cross to save us from our sin. Foundational to our witness is the sharing of the truth that Jesus is the way to salvation and that only by accepting Him as Savior and Lord are people transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light, and only through Jesus do people go to heaven when they die. In addition to this essential aspect of the gospel, the New Testament also refers to other dimensions of the gospel. To fully understand the next two dimensions, let s pause for a moment to explain the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is God s rule and reign in the hearts and lives of believers and in the nations of the earth. The kingdom of God is the place where Jesus rules as King. The kingdom of God begins in the hearts of believers (Luke 17:21) and it expands to all who will receive Jesus and the fullness of His promises to man. It is growing and will continue to grow even if imperceptibly until one day following Jesus second coming it will fill the entire earth. Thus, the good news of the kingdom is the good news of God s rule and reign in our lives and in the world. It has already begun but it has not yet come in its fullness. The fullness of the kingdom will come when Jesus sets up His throne and rules from Jerusalem. Jesus told His followers to proclaim the gospel of the kingdom. The Scriptures speak not only of the gospel as the good news of salvation, they also refer to the gospel as the good news of the kingdom of God. And these passages state that the gospel of the kingdom must be proclaimed throughout the earth before Jesus returns. Observe the following passages, Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people. The news about Him spread throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all who were ill, those suffering with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, paralytics; and He healed them (Matt. 4:23-24). Whatever city you enter and they receive you, eat what is set before you; and heal those in it who are sick, and say to them, The kingdom of God has come near to you (Luke 10:8-9). 3

4 This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come (Matt. 24:14). Our understanding of the kingdom of God now leads us to additional dimensions of the gospel which must be shared as a witness. The second dimension of the gospel is the good news of Jesus resurrection power. The gospel of the kingdom includes the good news of Jesus resurrection power and consequently His rule over disease, sickness, and demonic oppression. Note one more passage from Jesus earthly ministry, Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness. Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, " The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest" (Matt. 9:35-38). And another very familiar passage from the Book of Acts, But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth (Acts 1:8). Finally, one passage from Paul s ministry, For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction (1 Thess. 1:5). Both Jesus and the New Testament church proclaimed the gospel of the kingdom and then they demonstrated it by releasing the power of God into people s lives, healing sicknesses, diseases, and setting people free from oppression. Therefore, another dimension of the gospel is the good news of the power of God to touch lives in every area of oppression and disease. The gospel of the kingdom is a gospel of power the power of Jesus to heal and deliver from the work of the devil. The third dimension of the gospel is the good news of the coming kingdom of God. As previously noted, Matthew 24:14 states that the gospel of the kingdom must be shared throughout the whole world and then the end will come. As you quickly observe, the context of this verse of scripture is the second coming of Jesus and the fullness of His kingdom coming to earth. Therefore, the third dimension of the gospel is the good news that Jesus is coming again as Bridegroom, King, and Judge. It is the message that this world will soon be changed and life as we know it will be much different. It is a message that both darkness and glory will fill the earth in our life time, and we must make ourselves 4

5 ready for it. It is the gospel of eternal rewards and of the invitation to become the eternal wife of the Lamb. Thus, the gospel of the kingdom includes the truths associated with Jesus second coming and His establishment of His kingdom on the earth. These truths must be shared by the Lord s end-time church. The fourth dimension of the gospel is the good news of a life characterized by the truth of God s Word. To a large degree, the church has been guilty of preaching a gospel that suggests a decision to accept Jesus is all that is required to be in right position with God. As a result, many are trusting in a decision they made years ago with no fruit in their life since. We all hope those who are trusting in this type of response to the gospel have made a sufficient surrender of their life to go to heaven when they die because we do not want anyone to perish. However, the Scriptures present a much different picture of what is required to become a follower of Jesus. The Scriptures equate accepting the gospel message of Jesus as Savior as the beginning of a new way of living. The Scriptures call for those who accept Jesus to begin a journey of living a life of truth based on the Word of God and they refer to this as an aspect of the gospel! Read these Scriptures, especially noting the italized words, which connect living a life of truth with a dimension of the gospel, For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? AND IF IT IS WITH DIFFICULTY THAT THE RIGHTEOUS IS SAVED,WHAT WILL BECOME OF THE GODLESS MAN AND THE SINNER? Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right (1 Peter 4:17-19). Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. So then, you will know them by their fruits. Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS (Matt. 7:13-23). The fourth dimension of the gospel is the good news that God wants His followers to develop a nature like His by believing and obeying truth. The fifth dimension of the gospel is the good news that God has great mysteries that have been kept from His church but now in our day are being revealed to His people. 5

6 Note these two passages from Paul s writings, For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace which was given to me for you; that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief. By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit (Eph. 3:1-5). And pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel (Eph. 6:19). The great mystery being unveiled in the days of the New Testament church was that Jesus is the Messiah and that salvation is available to both Jews and Gentiles that salvation comes through Jesus and is available to all. Moreover, there are also mysteries being unveiled to today s church. Paul states in Ephesian 5 that the church as Christ s bride is a mystery. It is a mystery that is being opened to the church in our generation. The mystery of the end times is being clarified in our day to the end-time church like never before. The mystery of the spirit and power of Elijah is being unveiled to those who have eyes to see and ears to hear. There are many truths that have been hidden for centuries that are now being unfolded. The unfolding of these mysteries comprise the fifth and final dimension of the gospel that the Holy Spirit desires to be shared with believers and unbelievers alike. Summarizing, we have described five different dimensions of the gospel. These five dimensions in aggregate comprise the full gospel of Jesus Christ and offer opportunities to which people can be invited to an encounter with God. In the next section, we address the invite component of the Pray-Connect-Invite Community Connection strategy by exlaining how we can invite people to encounter God in one of these five dimensions of the gospel. Inviting People to Encounter God If we define the gospel to mean more than the good news of salvation but also to include all five dimensions of the gospel, then everyone we know or meet is a candidate for an encounter with God. Do not overlook the fact that everyone in your extended family, all of your work associates, those you connect with through your childrens activities, or those you might meet along your way all need an encounter with God in one or more of the five dimensions of the gospel message. Thus, everyone you know is a candidate for the gospel. Believe it because it is true. Yes, the fields are white unto harvest. The harvest is plentiful, and God is waiting on us to pray, connect, and invite those in our community to an encounter with Him. 6

7 So, how do we go about inviting people to an encounter with God. Let s explain how to do it first if we are using the go and tell approach to sharing the gospel. Utilizing the go and tell approach, as the opportunity arises, share the gospel. Let s assume you have begun your day by praying through the Prayer Guide we have provided for you. As you go your way, you meet someone whether it is someone you know well or a stranger. Drawing from the connect strategy presented in Session 2 you have begun a conversation with the person and successfully transitioned the conversation from the natural to the spiritual. As you have done this, you now have a good assessment in your mind of where the person stands spiritually and what their needs are. You now have an idea of what dimension of the gospel they need. So, your next step is to share the gospel with them. Remember we are illustrating the go and tell approach to sharing the gospel. If you determine that they are not born again, then the next step is to share the gospel with them hoping to lead them to pray with you to receive Christ as Savior. If you realize that they have a need in their life a sickness, marriage problem, an issue with a child, or a stronghold you pray with them for God s power to be released to meet them at their point of need. If you realize that the person you have engaged is not ready for the second coming of Jesus and end-time events, then you share with them about the tribulation, the need to get ready, or the triumphant, glorious end-time church. If you sense that the person has made a decision for Christ but not living for Jesus in truth, then you share with them about the need to surrender fully to the Lordship of Christ and to live by the truth of God s Word. If you conclude the person you have met has no understanding of some of the mysteries that God is unveiling in our generation such as the believer as the bride of Christ, the church as a partner with Israel in the last days, forerunners in the spirit and power of Elijah, or the arising of the one new man comprised of Jew and Gentile in Christ then share with them about one or more of these mysteries. Be sure to conclude your discussion by inviting the person to whom you have talked to come to church. Remember, what we have just spoken is based on the go and tell approach to sharing the gospel. Now, let s offer an example of inviting someone to encounter God utilizing the come and see approach. Utilizing the come and see approach to sharing the gospel, invite them to an encounter with God at your church. 7

8 What we discussed in the previous section can be very exciting when God allows you to minister as we just explained. But many times sharing like this is hard and circumstances don t always allow for it. But there is another way to invite people to encounter God. You can use the come and see approach and invite them to church or a church event during which you believe they will have an opportunity to encounter God. For example, if they need salvation, invite them to a church service or a home group; that is, invite them to an event at which they can hear the Word and have oppportunity to respond to it. If they need the power of God in their life, invite them to a church service where they can be prayed for or to a special healing or prophetic service where the theme of the entire service will be focused on meeting the needs of the people. If they don t understand the end times and the events that are soon coming to the earth, invite them to be discipled in these things through the church s discipleship program Lifeschool or to a teaching opportunity at which the end times will be discussed. Utilizing this approach, the basic action is to invite people to church or to a church event believing that if they come into the presence of God through worship, encounter the anointed word of God, and receive the ministry of the Holy Spirit, they will encounter God in a way that will transform them forever. Church leadership will help you by organizing events to which you can invite people. Even though we mentioned this in an earlier session, it is worth noting again. The events we are speaking of are not events like carnivals, free car washes, or movie nights. Rather, the events that will be planned are activities that will offer people an opportunity to encounter the manifest presence of God in truth and power. An example of events that will be planned are: specific four to six week teaching series that focus on issues that meet the needs of people; set times of prophetic intercession during which times people can receive prayer and ministry from prophetic ministry teams; a deliverance seminar during which people who struggle with strongholds can receive teaching and deliverance ministry; or regular monthly home groups and relationship building events like picnics and fun activities. As you can see, the types of events are endless, but they will be events that will be easy for you to reach out and tell people to come and see that they might encounter Jesus. The church leadership will also provide for you tools and resources to help you reach out to others. Simple tools will be available for you. Things like business card size invitation cards will be available. 8

9 Promotional flyers will be available for special teaching series and ministry events that you can use as you invite people. Videos might also be developed that communicate specific points about upcoming opportunities. Remain alert to what the church is offering so you will know what is coming up at church. What a hard word! Listen to the announcements. Be aware of the teaching series that are coming. Know what special events are set and when they are coming. As you remain aware and alert to what events are coming, you will be ready when the opportunity arises to invite someone to encounter God. So, let s do it. Let s first pray as we start each day. Let s attempt to connect with people for the sake of the gospel. And finally let s invite them to an encounter with God. Let s implement the Community Connection Strategy. Let s pray-connectinvite! 9