Group items tagged

Discerning the will of Christ for world evangelization

Unreached and unengaged peoples

thousands of people groups around the world for whom such access has not yet been made available through Christian witness

Five Alternatives to Monologue If there is a key to good communication, it is to remain involved with people’s lives, keep the flow of communication going in both directions between teachers and learners, using many forms of expression. Several alternatives to an exclusive use of monologue can be gleaned from both the New Testament and reproductive church movements.

Dialogue. (Acts 17:2; 20:7; 17:11; 24:25) The apostles preferred to “dialogue” with both seekers and believers, both individuals and groups. Dialogue, conversations with a purpose, allow a teacher to answer folk’s questions, allay their fears, inform their ignorance, appeal to their conscience, and help them choose what they will do. Believers are to teach and instruct “one another” (Col. 3:16; Rom 15:14). Dialogue is easier to do in small groups than in big congregations. Since most folks already know how to dialogue with their friends and relatives, doing so is a superior way to share about Jesus and the way of life that He calls everyone to follow. Gifts of the Spirit. (1 Cor 12:7; 14:24-26) A primary task of those who shepherd flocks is to ensure that all the believers have time and opportunity to serve one another. In doing so, their gifts of the Spirit will “manifest” and many will be helped and strengthened. In fact, as all the believers share one with another, even unsaved folks who listen to them will see their own need and turn to Jesus. Gifts of the Spirit manifest more readily in small groups where believers see each other face-to-face and have freedom to speak one to another.

Demonstrations of power. (1 Cor 2:1-5; 1 Thes 1:4-6) The reality and truth of the Word of God are learned more from experience than by listening to logical discourses. One of the main tasks of those who shepherd flocks is to ensure that all the believers have time and opportunity to pray for one another, and to show love within their worship. As they do so, the Holy Spirit will work many miracles of healing and deliverance. Drama and role play. Drama and story-telling remain universally appealing to all classes of society, and are a preferred leaning style in many of the more neglected societies. Men and women, young and old, can act out Bible stories that illustrate every major doctrine of Christianity. So doing also allows children to participate actively in worship. Brief role plays, presented with little preparation and without costumes, can prove both entertaining and evocative. A skit, followed by reading a Bible text, can open up discussion and help folks to apply truth to their lives and work. Furthermore, even the newest believers can participate. Questions and answers. Folks have genuine questions and issues for which they seek help and answers. If we cannot answer a question, then let us admit so and promise to find answers.

Generally, what I find is that the ordinary people who come to church are basically running their lives on their own, utilizing 'the arm of the flesh' - their natural abilities - to negotiate their way," he says. "They believe there is a God and they need to check in with him. But they don't have any sense that he is an active agent in their lives. As a result, they don't become disciples of Jesus.

We must never forget that God's speaking to us, however we experience it in our initial encounter, is intended to develop into a intelligent, freely cooperative relationship between mature people who love each other with the richness of genuine agape love. We must therefore make it our primary goal not just to hear the voice of God but to be mature people in a loving relationship with him.

Only broken people are truly honest. By nature you and I are full of erroneous judgments... It is only after God has shaken our natural foundation to pieces... only when all our illusions are raised and we have lost the remainder of our inborn self-confidence... only when we see we have misjudgment concerning ourselves... then do we begin to be honorable. Revelation has its price.

Navigators are people who love Jesus Christ and desire to help others know and grow in Him as they "navigate" through life. We are a community of hundreds of thousands of everyday people who impact others for God's glory in our normal pathways of life—where we study, live, work, and play. Navigators are characterized by an eagerness to introduce Jesus to those who don't know Him, a passion to see those who do know Jesus deepen their relationship with Him, and a commitment to training Jesus followers to continue this nurturing process among the people they know.

Navigators are people who love Jesus Christ and desire to help others know and grow in Him as they "navigate" through life.

The unprecedented harvest of new believers continues across Africa, Asia and Latin America, in contrast to the relative stagnation or decline in the rest of the world.

Christians living and fellowshipping in every country on earth. World mission, globalization and high migration rates have dispersed the Church into every corner of the world, both to previously unevangelized areas and back to traditionally Christian regions where the Church is in sharp decline.

hundreds of millions heard the good news for the first time in the past century. It is also an indication that the missionary efforts of the past 200 years have borne incredible fruit, though at times it was slow in coming. Years and generations of prayer and faithful service to the unevangelized world by both missionaries and indigenous Christians have not been in vain.

The increase in the number of Muslim Background Believers (MBBs). The hatred and violence of Islamist extremists most likely contribute to many Muslims’ disillusion and greater openness to the gospel. While there are pockets of particularly momentous change, the inflow of Muslims into the Kingdom of God is indeed happening through much of the Muslim world, albeit under the radar and on a modest level in many areas. Dreams and visions from the Lord, combined with encounters with Scripture and demonstrations of God’s love, play a large role in many of these testimonies. Other major factors include specific and sustained intercession for the Muslim world, increased efforts to reach them, more sensitive cultural approaches and the widespread use of media – satellite television programmes, radio and film/video. The impact of the Internet in communicating the gospel, leading Muslims to faith in Jesus and discipling new believers cannot be overstated.

Missions vision. The vast majority of Kingdom increase in this region is through the faithful witness of indigenous believers sharing the good news village by village and town by town. But the gospel has rarely jumped across ethno-linguistic or caste boundaries. This is changing as the South Asian Church increasingly commits to reach the least reached groups in its region – of which there are literally thousands.

Stories can get past "watchful dragons"; that is, they can penetrate the resistance put up by rationalized bad behavior; they can pierce the heart and gain a hearing even when ears might otherwise be dull.

At times, she embodies the approach of the prophet Nathan, who was assigned to deliver God's message to David after he had committed adultery and murder. It was story that breached the barrier, penetrated the heart, and led to David's repentance.

communicating the gospel by unashamedly proclaiming the true story of the Bible