Crown Him with many crowns
The Lamb upon His throne;
Hark how the heavenly anthem drowns
All music but its own.
Awake, my soul, and sing
Of Him who died for thee
And hail Him as thy matchless King
Through all eternity.
Crown Him the Virgin's Son,
The God incarnate born,
Whose arm those crimson trophies won
Which now His brow adorn;
Fruit of the mystic rose,
As of that rose the stem;
The root whence mercy ever flows,
The Babe of Bethlehem.
Crown Him the Lord of Love.
Behold His hands and side,
Rich wounds, yet visible above,
In beauty glorified.
No angel in the sky
Can fully bear that sight,
But downward bends his wondering eye
At mysteries so bright!
Crown Him the Lord of Life
Who triumphed o'er the grave
And rose victorious in the strife
For those He came to save.
His glories now we sing
Who died and rose on high,
Who died eternal life to bring
And lives that death may die.
Crown Him the Lord of Heaven,
Enthroned in worlds above,
Crown Him the King to whom is given
The wondrous name of Love.
Crown Him with many crowns
As thrones before Him fall;
Crown Him, ye kings, with many crowns
For He is King of all.
Matthew Bridges
30 November 2010
26 November 2010
Oh what a night!
God is good.
For my readers:
Please know that what you are about to read has not been wrote with prideful intentions or self elevation in mind. I always struggle with writing about my evangelism experiences and how they may be perceived by those who don't know me personally. Sometimes the written word does not fully reflect the attitude and the intent of the writer no matter how hard he/she tries to make a point or illustrate the story. Sometimes words that are meant to encourage fellow evangelists fall woefully short and are mistaken for prideful exploitations of the writer.
It is my sole desire that you find encouragement through my evangelism experience last night.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For the last couple of weeks I had greatly anticipated the arrival of Black Friday 2010. I had printed out local store opening times and arranged them in an order for the best use of time and energy. I ordered 500 Christmas themed million dollar bill gospel tracts and constantly prayed that God would use me greatly to preach His Word after I handed out the tracts at the various store locations.
With my list, tracts and a preaching box (foldable stool) I left my house at 10:30 pm last night and headed to the Old Navy store in Woodstock for their midnight opening. When I got there the line was already wrapped around the building. I got out a pack of 100 tracts and proceeded to hand out every one of them. That kind of math is easy....100 tracts handed out...everyone took a tract...must be 100 people in line. I walked back to my car and got out my stool. Went to the location that I thought would be perfect for everyone to hear me and set the stool down and took a deep breath.
Three minutes later I was still standing there looking at the crowd. Having not said a word yet all these thoughts started coming into my head. Thoughts like: "Everyone already has a tract, the gospel is on it...just go on over to Kohl's".
To my disbelief I was picking up my stool and heading back to the car without ever uttering a word. Once back in the car I just sat there and watched another 100 people or so get in the line. The cars just kept coming and here I was sitting in the car. I kept telling myself to get out of the car and go back to that spot. My mind was willing but my flesh was weak.
My mind was racing 100 mph. My legs felt like they weighed a 1000 pounds.
Then I thought about a conversation I had earlier in the day with my brother in Christ from Canada; Paul Latour. Paul, from The Word Street Journal, had called me to encourage and mentor me for my upcoming Black Friday endeavor. Paul knew that I was going out there solo and had great pearls of godly wisdom drawn from his experiences as a fellow laborer in the field to impart on me.
Remembering that conversation and knowing that he and his wife would be praying for me at the very hour I would be at my first store was giving me the strength I needed at just the right time. But not only Paul and his wife, I thought about a brother in Pennsylvania I had talked to just a short while ago who was up praying for me. I thought of another brother in Canton who was up praying for me. My wife was back home praying for me. I looked down at my wrist and saw my wrist band I got from the Ambassador's Academy that said, "Don't quit" imprinted on it. I heard Tony Miano in that loving Drill Sergeant voice yelling at me to "not quit".
I said to myself, "Ok God, I am relying on you" and got out of the car and walked back to the same spot I was before.
I set up my stool again, opened my mouth, and the Holy Spirit spoke through me for about 5 or 6 minutes.
With knees still shaking and sweat pouring off me I got off the box and started walking away to the car. Some people clapped...some wished me a Merry Christmas and some shouted God bless. I didn't respond to any of it (although it was very encouraging, I can easily see how pride could creep in through the accolades of man) and got in my car and drove towards the next place.
I had a couple hours to kill before I went to Kohl's, Target and Best Buy so I went to a Waffle House for a couple eggs and coffee. While sitting there eating my food, a dear brother in Christ came in and sat down with me.
I love it when God gives you what you need in the moment you need it!
He said he heard I might be at the Waffle House. He and his family had been out of state visiting family and wanted to hang out with me for a couple hours.
After we ate we headed over to the shopping center that held all three of the places I wanted to tract and open air at.
We went to Target first and I spent the first few minutes handing out tracts. I then set up my stool directly in front of the people and let God take over again. I think I went again for 5 or 6 minutes with the same type preaching structure I used at Old Navy.
At each place I open aired I made sure I got the full gospel in.
I talked about the wide road and the narrow path. I opened up the mighty Law of God and showed the crowd how they had all violated God's perfect standard. I explained what sin was and told them of their terrible fate if they died in those sins and stood before God on Judgment Day. I used an analogy that showed how they were all waiting in line to buy the perfect gift at the right price for the one they love and compared that to the love that God had for the world when He gave the perfect Gift at a price that was unmeasurable 2000 years ago. I magnified the cross and tried to make much of Christ as much as I could humanly do. I begged them to repent of their sins against God and put their faith alone in Christ alone to save them from God's wrath.
After Target, we moved a hundred feet or so and did the same thing at Kohl's. After Kohl's we crossed over to the other side of the shopping center and did the same thing at Best Buy.
I only had two hecklers; one at Best Buy and one at Belk's. The one at Best Buy didn't raise his voice too much and all I really remember him saying was for me to "shut up" or "be quiet". I don't really remember what it was he was saying.
After Best Buy my brother in Christ went on back home to get some sleep before some of his family came in. What a blessing and comfort it was to have him by my side during that time.
My next to last stop was at Belk's.
I waited to about 3:30 am before starting at Belk's so the line of the crowd could get a little longer.
There were about 50-60 folks there when I started tracting the line. After a few minutes of preaching, a very vocal woman told me to shut up. I didn't pay it no mind. Then she got more vocal and told me to go to Wal-Mart. I told her I had already been there and now it was her turn to hear me. I had been at Wal-Mart right before I went to eat at the Waffle House just to tract the folks going in and out of the store in a great haste.
That was all she said to me and I finished up there right as the rain started pouring down. I told everyone "God bless" and to have a "Merry Christmas" and then I picked up my stool and headed for the car. The folks started clapping and wishing me a Merry Christmas. Again, I just ignored it and praised God while I got in my car.
Just as I was about to back up and drive over to K-Mart for their 5 am opening, I saw a man coming quickly to my car. I couldn't tell if he was angry or not. As he approached my car I rolled down the window and he proceeded to thank me and shook my hand for taking a stand for Christ. After he left a lady came over and did the same thing. Now at this time it is pouring down rain and these folks were not wearing a rain coat or using an umbrella. Just as the lady left another woman and her teen-aged son came over and blessed me with more encouragement and was apologizing for the woman who was heckling me!
I just started praising God and giving Him all the glory for everything that was happening!!
The pouring rain kept me from hitting my last stop at K-Mart. It started raining so hard the store must have felt sorry for the folks in line and went ahead and let them in very early. That's Ok...God had me where He wanted me all night long!!
All in all, about 450 tracts were handed out and about that many heard the gospel preached to them.
What an amazing and humbling night.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.
See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
His dying crimson, like a robe,
Spreads o’er His body on the tree;
Then I am dead to all the globe,
And all the globe is dead to me.
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
Isaac Watts
For my readers:
Please know that what you are about to read has not been wrote with prideful intentions or self elevation in mind. I always struggle with writing about my evangelism experiences and how they may be perceived by those who don't know me personally. Sometimes the written word does not fully reflect the attitude and the intent of the writer no matter how hard he/she tries to make a point or illustrate the story. Sometimes words that are meant to encourage fellow evangelists fall woefully short and are mistaken for prideful exploitations of the writer.
It is my sole desire that you find encouragement through my evangelism experience last night.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For the last couple of weeks I had greatly anticipated the arrival of Black Friday 2010. I had printed out local store opening times and arranged them in an order for the best use of time and energy. I ordered 500 Christmas themed million dollar bill gospel tracts and constantly prayed that God would use me greatly to preach His Word after I handed out the tracts at the various store locations.
With my list, tracts and a preaching box (foldable stool) I left my house at 10:30 pm last night and headed to the Old Navy store in Woodstock for their midnight opening. When I got there the line was already wrapped around the building. I got out a pack of 100 tracts and proceeded to hand out every one of them. That kind of math is easy....100 tracts handed out...everyone took a tract...must be 100 people in line. I walked back to my car and got out my stool. Went to the location that I thought would be perfect for everyone to hear me and set the stool down and took a deep breath.
Three minutes later I was still standing there looking at the crowd. Having not said a word yet all these thoughts started coming into my head. Thoughts like: "Everyone already has a tract, the gospel is on it...just go on over to Kohl's".
To my disbelief I was picking up my stool and heading back to the car without ever uttering a word. Once back in the car I just sat there and watched another 100 people or so get in the line. The cars just kept coming and here I was sitting in the car. I kept telling myself to get out of the car and go back to that spot. My mind was willing but my flesh was weak.
My mind was racing 100 mph. My legs felt like they weighed a 1000 pounds.
Then I thought about a conversation I had earlier in the day with my brother in Christ from Canada; Paul Latour. Paul, from The Word Street Journal, had called me to encourage and mentor me for my upcoming Black Friday endeavor. Paul knew that I was going out there solo and had great pearls of godly wisdom drawn from his experiences as a fellow laborer in the field to impart on me.
Remembering that conversation and knowing that he and his wife would be praying for me at the very hour I would be at my first store was giving me the strength I needed at just the right time. But not only Paul and his wife, I thought about a brother in Pennsylvania I had talked to just a short while ago who was up praying for me. I thought of another brother in Canton who was up praying for me. My wife was back home praying for me. I looked down at my wrist and saw my wrist band I got from the Ambassador's Academy that said, "Don't quit" imprinted on it. I heard Tony Miano in that loving Drill Sergeant voice yelling at me to "not quit".
I said to myself, "Ok God, I am relying on you" and got out of the car and walked back to the same spot I was before.
I set up my stool again, opened my mouth, and the Holy Spirit spoke through me for about 5 or 6 minutes.
With knees still shaking and sweat pouring off me I got off the box and started walking away to the car. Some people clapped...some wished me a Merry Christmas and some shouted God bless. I didn't respond to any of it (although it was very encouraging, I can easily see how pride could creep in through the accolades of man) and got in my car and drove towards the next place.
I had a couple hours to kill before I went to Kohl's, Target and Best Buy so I went to a Waffle House for a couple eggs and coffee. While sitting there eating my food, a dear brother in Christ came in and sat down with me.
I love it when God gives you what you need in the moment you need it!
He said he heard I might be at the Waffle House. He and his family had been out of state visiting family and wanted to hang out with me for a couple hours.
After we ate we headed over to the shopping center that held all three of the places I wanted to tract and open air at.
We went to Target first and I spent the first few minutes handing out tracts. I then set up my stool directly in front of the people and let God take over again. I think I went again for 5 or 6 minutes with the same type preaching structure I used at Old Navy.
At each place I open aired I made sure I got the full gospel in.
I talked about the wide road and the narrow path. I opened up the mighty Law of God and showed the crowd how they had all violated God's perfect standard. I explained what sin was and told them of their terrible fate if they died in those sins and stood before God on Judgment Day. I used an analogy that showed how they were all waiting in line to buy the perfect gift at the right price for the one they love and compared that to the love that God had for the world when He gave the perfect Gift at a price that was unmeasurable 2000 years ago. I magnified the cross and tried to make much of Christ as much as I could humanly do. I begged them to repent of their sins against God and put their faith alone in Christ alone to save them from God's wrath.
After Target, we moved a hundred feet or so and did the same thing at Kohl's. After Kohl's we crossed over to the other side of the shopping center and did the same thing at Best Buy.
I only had two hecklers; one at Best Buy and one at Belk's. The one at Best Buy didn't raise his voice too much and all I really remember him saying was for me to "shut up" or "be quiet". I don't really remember what it was he was saying.
After Best Buy my brother in Christ went on back home to get some sleep before some of his family came in. What a blessing and comfort it was to have him by my side during that time.
My next to last stop was at Belk's.
I waited to about 3:30 am before starting at Belk's so the line of the crowd could get a little longer.
There were about 50-60 folks there when I started tracting the line. After a few minutes of preaching, a very vocal woman told me to shut up. I didn't pay it no mind. Then she got more vocal and told me to go to Wal-Mart. I told her I had already been there and now it was her turn to hear me. I had been at Wal-Mart right before I went to eat at the Waffle House just to tract the folks going in and out of the store in a great haste.
That was all she said to me and I finished up there right as the rain started pouring down. I told everyone "God bless" and to have a "Merry Christmas" and then I picked up my stool and headed for the car. The folks started clapping and wishing me a Merry Christmas. Again, I just ignored it and praised God while I got in my car.
Just as I was about to back up and drive over to K-Mart for their 5 am opening, I saw a man coming quickly to my car. I couldn't tell if he was angry or not. As he approached my car I rolled down the window and he proceeded to thank me and shook my hand for taking a stand for Christ. After he left a lady came over and did the same thing. Now at this time it is pouring down rain and these folks were not wearing a rain coat or using an umbrella. Just as the lady left another woman and her teen-aged son came over and blessed me with more encouragement and was apologizing for the woman who was heckling me!
I just started praising God and giving Him all the glory for everything that was happening!!
The pouring rain kept me from hitting my last stop at K-Mart. It started raining so hard the store must have felt sorry for the folks in line and went ahead and let them in very early. That's Ok...God had me where He wanted me all night long!!
All in all, about 450 tracts were handed out and about that many heard the gospel preached to them.
What an amazing and humbling night.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.
See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
His dying crimson, like a robe,
Spreads o’er His body on the tree;
Then I am dead to all the globe,
And all the globe is dead to me.
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
Isaac Watts
24 November 2010
Black Friday Plans
My ministry partner will not be able to help me with Black Friday tracting and witnessing this year due to his work schedule.
If anyone is willing to help hand out tracts starting around 2:30am at Kohls and then moving on to Target, Belks and Best Buy as the different stores open their doors, I would greatly appreciate it!
If you're not able to participate with me this year, would you please commit to praying for me as I make my way through the night handing out tracts and doing a little open air witnessing?
If you can help out, please email me at Hisfeet@tds.net
Thank you and God bless!
19 November 2010
Black Friday is coming!
Ok, maybe the crowd at the local Kohls' and Target won't look anything like the picture above. In fact, it just may be 50 people or maybe 20 people standing and waiting for the doors to open at 3am or 4am to get the deal of the day. But they are standing and waiting nonetheless!
Next Friday is said to be the biggest shopping day of the year and people are looking for bargains. What a perfect opportunity to reach the lost!!
While people are waiting in line to score the perfect gift we can tell them about the priceless gift God gave to mankind.
His Feet on the Street plans to tract, witness and do some open air next Friday at different locations starting at 3am and going until we give out.
More details to follow as we get closer to the big day.
16 November 2010
The worlds largest gospel tract?
Could this be the worlds largest gospel tract?
See the Facebook page for all the info on the Mission Ball!
14 November 2010
13 November 2010
Interview on abortion
If while witnessing (or in a general discussion) you have run into a pro-abortionist, here is a great analogy to use.
11 November 2010
Draw me nearer
I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice,
And it told Thy love to me;
But I long to rise in the arms of faith
And be closer drawn to Thee.
Refrain:
Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To the cross where Thou hast died;
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To Thy precious, bleeding side.
Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord,
By the pow’r of grace divine;
Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,
And my will be lost in Thine.
Oh, the pure delight of a single hour
That before Thy throne I spend,
When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God
I commune as friend with friend!
There are depths of love that I cannot know
Till I cross the narrow sea;
There are heights of joy that I may not reach
Till I rest in peace with Thee.
Frances J. Crosby
And it told Thy love to me;
But I long to rise in the arms of faith
And be closer drawn to Thee.
Refrain:
Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To the cross where Thou hast died;
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To Thy precious, bleeding side.
Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord,
By the pow’r of grace divine;
Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,
And my will be lost in Thine.
Oh, the pure delight of a single hour
That before Thy throne I spend,
When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God
I commune as friend with friend!
There are depths of love that I cannot know
Till I cross the narrow sea;
There are heights of joy that I may not reach
Till I rest in peace with Thee.
Frances J. Crosby
10 November 2010
A CLOUD ON THE HORIZON
HOPE FOR BIBLICAL REVIVAL IN OUR TIME?
In 1 Kings 18:44 the servant of Elijah reported to the prophet that "a cloud as small as a man's hand" was rising in the western sky. Elijah sent a message to nearby King Ahab to hurry away in his chariot lest the storm overtake him. "In a little while the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy shower" ending a long drought.
I see a small cloud on the horizon of evangelicalism. If it continues to grow, the Holy Spirit could turn it into a cloudburst of reformation and revival. That cloud is the widespread interest in recovering the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
I am seeing this movement in print, hearing it in sermons and conferences, and observing it in churches throughout the land.
Off the top of my head I can quickly list several examples (in no particular order):
* Mark Dever's highly commended new book, The Gospel and Personal Evangelism, with its emphasis on "What is the Gospel?" in chapter two, the longest chapter.
* The interdenominational unity seen in the "Together for the Gospel" conference, with thousands of registrations nationally and internationally pushing it to relocate to one of the largest venues in Louisville.
* A manuscript I reviewed on a forthcoming book by Elyse Fitzpatrick on believers staying in love with the Gospel and learning to apply it to all of life.
*A recent sermon by John MacArthur on www.SermonAudio.com that focused on the importance of clarity on the Gospel as crucial for evangelism, and which became one of the most popular sermons on the website.
* Another widely-publicized new book, In Christ Alone: Living the Gospel Centered Life, by Sinclair Ferguson.
Very little time and research could turn up many other examples of Christian leaders who are calling upon believers to confirm and clarify their understanding of the Gospel.
Note that this emphasis is not just a fresh call to evangelism, but rather a recovery of the evangel itself. How great is this need? Let me suggest an experiment to determine the need in your own ministry setting. Pass around a sheet of paper in your church/class/small group, and then ask, "How many times do you think you've heard the Gospel in your life?" Some, especially those who are lifelong churchgoers, may roll their eyes and say, "Oh, probably thousands of times." Heads will nod in agreement.
Then say, "Good! Since you know it so well, please write the Gospel on this sheet of paper." Then watch people stare at you in stunned silence.
"You've heard it thousands of times, right?" And to become Christians you had to understand the Gospel before you could believe it, right? So just take a paragraph or so and write that Gospel you believed."
Now they avert their eyes and shift in their seats.
"And remember," you continue, "the Gospel is not, 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.' No, that is not the Gospel; that is the appropriate response to the Gospel. Write the Gospel that people must hear, understand, and believe in order to be right with God. Surely you'd agree that we need to be more clear on the one and only message by which we get to Heaven than on our Social Security number, phone number, or computer password."
What does it reveal about the condition of even the liveliest churches if the members who have heard the Gospel countless times and who also claim to have believed it cannot write out the Gospel? Beyond that, if people are tentative about the Gospel in the supportive surroundings of their own church, can we expect them to confidently share the Gospel with an unbeliever in the hostile environment of the world?
How could the recovery of the Gospel possibly lead to a rain of revival upon our churches? For starters, many church members might understand the Gospel for the first time and be converted. Next, it would be preached and taught more clearly in our churches thus children, regular attenders, and guests might be saved. Third, our church members would become better witnesses in the world because they would gain confidence in sharing the Gospel. The role of the Holy Spirit, said Jesus in John 16:14, is "He will glorify Me." When can we ever expect the Holy Spirit to come upon us with more power (as in revival) than when we are clearly declaring the Gospel of Jesus?
The Gospel in one word is Jesus. In a phrase, the Gospel is the life and work of Jesus. But without a biblical understanding of who Jesus is and what He has done, it does little good to say, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved." People must be told of the just and holy God whose law they have willingly broken countless times. This guilt places them under the wrath of God and will condemn them when they give account for their lives at the Judgment. But in His love, God sent His Son Jesus to rescue sinners. Jesus lived a sinless life, a life that earned Heaven. But He was willing to take the wrath of God in the place of those who had broken God's law and disqualified themselves from Heaven. So He allowed Himself to be executed on a Roman cross outside Jerusalem in the place of the guilty, that He might bear both their sins and their punishment, and transfer to them the credit for His righteous life. As the Bible puts it in 2 Corinthians 5:21, God "made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."
The evidence that God accepted Jesus' sacrifice is found in the historical fact of Jesus' bodily resurrection three days after His crucifixion. Five weeks later He ascended to Heaven where He sits as King over all, and from where He has promised to return bodily and then welcome people to eternal joy with Him in Heaven or consign them to eternal torment in Hell. According to Jesus, the only appropriate response to this offer of forgiveness and eternal life is to "repent and believe in the gospel" (Mark 1:15).
Don't take for granted that the unbelievers you know have ever heard this message. Don't take for granted that those in the circle of your ministry influence could demonstrate an unambiguous grasp of this message of salvation. Don't take for granted that your own family members clearly understand the Gospel. Are you clear on the Gospel yourself?
Can we expect our churches to thrive if we are unclear on the church's most basic message? Conversely, can't we expect the Lord to pour out His blessings on us when we are most faithful to the message that glorifies His Son?
The Bible assures us that someday, in some way, "the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea" (Isaiah 11:9; Habakkuk 2:14). Perhaps the waters of this knowledge will begin with a heavenly rain that falls from a storm which develops from a small cloud. Perhaps that cloud is on the horizon of evangelicalism today.
Don Whitney - BiblicalSpirituality.org
In 1 Kings 18:44 the servant of Elijah reported to the prophet that "a cloud as small as a man's hand" was rising in the western sky. Elijah sent a message to nearby King Ahab to hurry away in his chariot lest the storm overtake him. "In a little while the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy shower" ending a long drought.
I see a small cloud on the horizon of evangelicalism. If it continues to grow, the Holy Spirit could turn it into a cloudburst of reformation and revival. That cloud is the widespread interest in recovering the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
I am seeing this movement in print, hearing it in sermons and conferences, and observing it in churches throughout the land.
Off the top of my head I can quickly list several examples (in no particular order):
* Mark Dever's highly commended new book, The Gospel and Personal Evangelism, with its emphasis on "What is the Gospel?" in chapter two, the longest chapter.
* The interdenominational unity seen in the "Together for the Gospel" conference, with thousands of registrations nationally and internationally pushing it to relocate to one of the largest venues in Louisville.
* A manuscript I reviewed on a forthcoming book by Elyse Fitzpatrick on believers staying in love with the Gospel and learning to apply it to all of life.
*A recent sermon by John MacArthur on www.SermonAudio.com that focused on the importance of clarity on the Gospel as crucial for evangelism, and which became one of the most popular sermons on the website.
* Another widely-publicized new book, In Christ Alone: Living the Gospel Centered Life, by Sinclair Ferguson.
Very little time and research could turn up many other examples of Christian leaders who are calling upon believers to confirm and clarify their understanding of the Gospel.
Note that this emphasis is not just a fresh call to evangelism, but rather a recovery of the evangel itself. How great is this need? Let me suggest an experiment to determine the need in your own ministry setting. Pass around a sheet of paper in your church/class/small group, and then ask, "How many times do you think you've heard the Gospel in your life?" Some, especially those who are lifelong churchgoers, may roll their eyes and say, "Oh, probably thousands of times." Heads will nod in agreement.
Then say, "Good! Since you know it so well, please write the Gospel on this sheet of paper." Then watch people stare at you in stunned silence.
"You've heard it thousands of times, right?" And to become Christians you had to understand the Gospel before you could believe it, right? So just take a paragraph or so and write that Gospel you believed."
Now they avert their eyes and shift in their seats.
"And remember," you continue, "the Gospel is not, 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.' No, that is not the Gospel; that is the appropriate response to the Gospel. Write the Gospel that people must hear, understand, and believe in order to be right with God. Surely you'd agree that we need to be more clear on the one and only message by which we get to Heaven than on our Social Security number, phone number, or computer password."
What does it reveal about the condition of even the liveliest churches if the members who have heard the Gospel countless times and who also claim to have believed it cannot write out the Gospel? Beyond that, if people are tentative about the Gospel in the supportive surroundings of their own church, can we expect them to confidently share the Gospel with an unbeliever in the hostile environment of the world?
How could the recovery of the Gospel possibly lead to a rain of revival upon our churches? For starters, many church members might understand the Gospel for the first time and be converted. Next, it would be preached and taught more clearly in our churches thus children, regular attenders, and guests might be saved. Third, our church members would become better witnesses in the world because they would gain confidence in sharing the Gospel. The role of the Holy Spirit, said Jesus in John 16:14, is "He will glorify Me." When can we ever expect the Holy Spirit to come upon us with more power (as in revival) than when we are clearly declaring the Gospel of Jesus?
The Gospel in one word is Jesus. In a phrase, the Gospel is the life and work of Jesus. But without a biblical understanding of who Jesus is and what He has done, it does little good to say, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved." People must be told of the just and holy God whose law they have willingly broken countless times. This guilt places them under the wrath of God and will condemn them when they give account for their lives at the Judgment. But in His love, God sent His Son Jesus to rescue sinners. Jesus lived a sinless life, a life that earned Heaven. But He was willing to take the wrath of God in the place of those who had broken God's law and disqualified themselves from Heaven. So He allowed Himself to be executed on a Roman cross outside Jerusalem in the place of the guilty, that He might bear both their sins and their punishment, and transfer to them the credit for His righteous life. As the Bible puts it in 2 Corinthians 5:21, God "made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."
The evidence that God accepted Jesus' sacrifice is found in the historical fact of Jesus' bodily resurrection three days after His crucifixion. Five weeks later He ascended to Heaven where He sits as King over all, and from where He has promised to return bodily and then welcome people to eternal joy with Him in Heaven or consign them to eternal torment in Hell. According to Jesus, the only appropriate response to this offer of forgiveness and eternal life is to "repent and believe in the gospel" (Mark 1:15).
Don't take for granted that the unbelievers you know have ever heard this message. Don't take for granted that those in the circle of your ministry influence could demonstrate an unambiguous grasp of this message of salvation. Don't take for granted that your own family members clearly understand the Gospel. Are you clear on the Gospel yourself?
Can we expect our churches to thrive if we are unclear on the church's most basic message? Conversely, can't we expect the Lord to pour out His blessings on us when we are most faithful to the message that glorifies His Son?
The Bible assures us that someday, in some way, "the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea" (Isaiah 11:9; Habakkuk 2:14). Perhaps the waters of this knowledge will begin with a heavenly rain that falls from a storm which develops from a small cloud. Perhaps that cloud is on the horizon of evangelicalism today.
Don Whitney - BiblicalSpirituality.org
09 November 2010
Oh that God would make us dangerous!
"We are so utterly ordinary, so commonplace, while we
profess to know a Power the Twentieth Century does not reckon
with. But we are "harmless," and therefore unharmed. We are
spiritual pacifists, non-militants, conscientious objectors in
this battle-to-the-death with principalities and powers in high
places.
Meekness must be had for contact with men, but brass,
outspoken boldness is required to take part in the comradeship
of the Cross. We are "sideliners"--coaching and criticizing the
real wrestlers while content to sit by and leave the enemies of
God unchallenged.
The world cannot hate us, we are too much
like its own. Oh that God would make us dangerous!"
Jim Elliot (1927-1956)
profess to know a Power the Twentieth Century does not reckon
with. But we are "harmless," and therefore unharmed. We are
spiritual pacifists, non-militants, conscientious objectors in
this battle-to-the-death with principalities and powers in high
places.
Meekness must be had for contact with men, but brass,
outspoken boldness is required to take part in the comradeship
of the Cross. We are "sideliners"--coaching and criticizing the
real wrestlers while content to sit by and leave the enemies of
God unchallenged.
The world cannot hate us, we are too much
like its own. Oh that God would make us dangerous!"
Jim Elliot (1927-1956)
07 November 2010
04 November 2010
01 November 2010
Halloween Evangelism
This past Saturday night was the preferred night to Trick-or-Treat in our sub-division so I thought I would do something a little different this year.
Last year, as the kids walked up the driveway, I had candy in one hand and tracts in the other. This worked fine for awhile until the kids starting coming in very large groups and I couldn’t keep up in time and lots of kids never got a gospel tract.
New plan.
I set up a table on the drive way and placed lighted jack-o-lanterns on either side of the table and displayed between them several different types of tracts that would be appealing to all the age groups.
As the children arrived I handed out the candy and then directed them to the table to pick out which ever tract they desired.
Big Hit!
All in all we gave out four large bowls of candy and kids took well over 250 tracts. Some of them thanked me very much for the tracts and others tried to read them right there on the spot. Even some parents came over to take tracts as well.
For some reason the Obama Million Dollar Bills were the first to go. I had a brand new stack of 100 Obama’s (I normally couldn’t give those away no matter how hard I tried up here in the most conservative part of North Georgia) and put those in the center of the table. Kids mostly took those because it had the president’s picture on it.
Lighting the yard for the first time this year was my “Are You Ready” cross.
There were several parents that expressed their approval of the cross. I didn’t hear a single negative word about the cross but got a few, “ready for what?” questions when folks walked up to the table.
That's a great question! :)
Last year, as the kids walked up the driveway, I had candy in one hand and tracts in the other. This worked fine for awhile until the kids starting coming in very large groups and I couldn’t keep up in time and lots of kids never got a gospel tract.
New plan.
I set up a table on the drive way and placed lighted jack-o-lanterns on either side of the table and displayed between them several different types of tracts that would be appealing to all the age groups.
As the children arrived I handed out the candy and then directed them to the table to pick out which ever tract they desired.
Big Hit!
All in all we gave out four large bowls of candy and kids took well over 250 tracts. Some of them thanked me very much for the tracts and others tried to read them right there on the spot. Even some parents came over to take tracts as well.
For some reason the Obama Million Dollar Bills were the first to go. I had a brand new stack of 100 Obama’s (I normally couldn’t give those away no matter how hard I tried up here in the most conservative part of North Georgia) and put those in the center of the table. Kids mostly took those because it had the president’s picture on it.
Lighting the yard for the first time this year was my “Are You Ready” cross.
There were several parents that expressed their approval of the cross. I didn’t hear a single negative word about the cross but got a few, “ready for what?” questions when folks walked up to the table.
That's a great question! :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)