Dr. Duane E.

Brown Georgetown Wesleyan College January 2012 A Sent Church: Blessing All Families of the Earth with the Gospel Group Exercise: Divide into groups and identify and discuss the scriptures, truths and Wesleyan teachings that should guide how we think about and practice evangelism and church multiplication. Come back together and report your findings to the class. DEFINING TERMS 1. Evangelism A. Lausanne Covenant stated to evangelize is to spread the good news that Jesus Christ died for our sins and was raised from the dead according to the Scriptures, and that as the reigning Lord he now offers the forgiveness of sins and the liberating gifts of the Spirit to all who repent and believe. B. Meaning/Scripture: 1. Evangel Matthew 9: 35 Idea of Communicating Good News 2. Herald declaring an event. Often the same as Evangel 3. Witness/Testify Acts 4:20 Disciples before the Sanhedrin 4. Telling Acts 8:35 Phillip sat down and told him the good news about Jesus. Older translations mask this understanding, leaving it to preachers/proclaimers to carry on the work 2. Church Growth 1. all that is involved in bringing men and women who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ into fellowship with Him and into responsible church membership. Peter Wagner as quoted by Gary McIntosh, Biblical Church Growth, p. 18. 2. Consider Acts 2:41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. 3. Church Multiplication A movement of starting and growing new churches, in response to Jesus command to go and make disciples of all nations.

Biblical and Theological Insights

Insight #1 A Sent Church Follows God the Originator of Mission John Stott The Living God is a Missionary God God blessed all the families of the earth through Abraham. We need to become global Christians because we have a global God (p. 9). Luke 15 - These parables demonstrate for us the passion of God for finding lost people. Jesus said in Luke 19: 10 that he had come to seek and save that which was lost. Romans remind us that at just the right time, Christ came and died for the ungodly. God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit has been on mission to reach and redeem a lost, corrupted creation. Jrgen Moltmann, author of The Church in the Power of the Spirit, writes, It is not the church that has a mission of salvation to fulfill in the world; it is the mission of the Son and the Spirit through the Father that includes the church, creating a church as it goes on its way. Effective Evangelism and Church Multiplication begins and ends with the God who sends his servants as partners in His mission of establishing His Kingdom and Reconciling Lost People. As the Church reaches out with the gospel we understand that God by His Spirit has gone ahead of us, working in the hearts of people. We know the Gospel is already there; we must find out how to communicate in a way that makes sense to the hearers. Wesleyans teach prevenient grace the grace that goes before. God is working in people lives in multiple ways to save them, even before we communicate to them the Gospel. God promises to give us his Power and presence. So, being effective in evangelism begins with developing a heart of love and a passionate commitment for lost people. Remember Co-mission greatness of Commission is different from Comission. Churches must become more aware: Glory sightings places were we've seen God at work to remind us of his wonder. Hope Encounters 1 Pet 3:15. Where have you had a hope encounter not just observing it? We need to tell our stories What difference does this truth make in our lives? We dont dream our dreams and make our plans apart from God and then ask him to bless them. We seek to partner with God as

Biblical and Theological Insights

his ambassadors or agents for his purposes. We remain humble and teachable before God who leads us into mission. We are servants, followers, students, seekers. It means we go after people, seeking them out with the good news. It doesnt mean we wait for them to come to us. We are orderly and purposeful with our work. Stott adds that history is not random because God works toward an orderly flow. We should do the same. Our churches will work much better and I think be more effective in mission when we take planning and organization for mission seriously.

2. A Sent Church on Mission with God is Committed to the Authority and Power of the Bible The Bible is our source for truth and eternal salvation and is an important guide for how the church grows and participates in Kingdom living on earth. It is authoritative. The scriptures represent a great resource for studying the missionary practices of the early Church and henceforth informing the contemporary churchs witness. Galatians 3:8 The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: All nations will be blessed through you. John 1:14 The word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. See Chapter 3, Biblical Church Growth, p. 45. Relate teachings from Graphic and teachings on passion. Insight #3 A Sent Church on Mission With God Endures through Godly People Joseph and Potiphars wife: Genesis 39: 8-10. As a God-fearing man in charge of a perhaps a small thing, he knew the precipice he stood upon and the destruction that awaited him. He chose to honor God and run from sin. Eventually, God blessed his faithfulness and he was put in charge of a very large organization. Could God do the same with us in growing our churches if we remain faithful to him in the small things? Illustration: Bob was a dynamic evangelist and church growth pastor. But he was living an ungodly life behind the scenes. Eventually he was found out and is not longer a pastor

Biblical and Theological Insights

Jesus said, Let Your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify God. Jesus promises us that his presence would be with us - always. Our job is to learn out how to remain in his presence. Wesleyans know that holy living and effective mission go together. We proclaim a message of sanctification, whereby God purifies and empowers his servant for effective service. We cannot have real church multiplication without real holiness.