PRAYing! CARing! SHARing! - the sequence...

I want you to think about the sequence of outreach introduced here. If you share without caring, will people care to listen? Would you even bother sharing the good news if you wouldn’t care for them? Some may, because they care for their own benefits. Apostle Paul cautioned the Church in Philippi that some indeed preach Christ out of envy or rivalry, some out of selfish ambition, not sincerely…but what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. (Philippians 1: 15-18) Sharing Christ is or goal. Yet, how much more effective would be our sharing if we would sincerely care!
Caring is “joined at the hip” with prayer. Could you really care for someone without praying for them? Just stop here and think for a moment: how would it sound “I care for you but I don’t care enough to pray for you…” Ha?! In fact prayer is at the foundation of caring. Imagine how different our church, our family, our relationships would be if we would pray for each other. If you care about someone, or something – pray for them first before confronting them with your care… I don’t need to even prove my point here – bible simply says “pray without ceasing! (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
Considering the upcoming evangelistic opportunities this fall – Doug Bachelor’s “Most Amazing Prophecies” & Shawn Boonstra’s “Sanctuary Presence” pray that God would remove indifference and apathy from among us, pray that god would make us truly caring, and as we carefully and caringly consider people we know we would care enough to share with them our blessed hope of Jesus’ soon return. Care enough to share about the fellowship of faith we have here in church. Care enough to share the invitation to the Evangelistic events.
Remember that Evangelism (SHARE!) works in churches that rank high in Loving Relationships (CARE) and Passionate Spirituality (PRAY!). To start – PRAY for each other, CARE one for another, and SHARE with others the blessing and grace that God has given you.

PRAY! CARE! SHARE!

The “lighthouse movement” that started in 1999 had coined this terminology to describe their approach to evangelism. I don’t think there is more fitting description of how practical evangelism works.
As I watched the final game of the soccer World Cup, Sunday two weeks ago (I still feel the French should have carried the trophy), I also wondered which qualifying group will my motherland Ukraine will be placed into for the 2010 cup. See, significant events that take place every 4 years, like Word Cups, Continental Cups, Olympic Games, are preceded by a long process of preparation, called “qualifying.” Any significant event is just a apex of a long process. So is successful evangelism.
I heard your dreams of seeing a large evangelistic reaping event that would bring some one like Shawn Boonstra, or Doug Bachelor to our London grounds. A year ago I talked with It Is Written leaders and London was tentatively placed on the schedule for 2010. Yet, for us to get there a long process of becoming an Evangelistic Church must commence. Praying is our primary weapon in the spiritual warfare. Prayer is where Evangelism begins. Someone commented that “in the days of Apostles they prayed 10 days, preached 10 minutes and baptized 3000, now days we pray 10 minutes, preach 10 days and baptize 3.” If we to ever succeed in Evangelism we must begin with prayer.
The church that prays can and will begin to care. Various ministries must be developed where through caring for the needs of community we would gain people’s confidence. Through mingling with people, desiring their good, serving their needs, solving their problems we would gain their trust. Only then our sharing of the Gospel would fall on prepared ground. Only then sharing becomes efficient and effective.
Research shows that Evangelism (SHARE!) works in churches that rank high in Passionate Spirituality (PRAY!) and Loving Relationships (CARE). So, may our light so shine before all people, that they may see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)

Campmeeting Challenge

You may have noticed many members of our congregation missing today – they are feasting at the annual convocation, the Campmeeting. Our annual camp-meetings are of great importance, and all who possibly can should attend them. Since the beginning of our revival movement Campmeetings were always high points of Church Growth. In the words of one of our pioneers, sister White we “should feel that the Lord requires this of us.” The object of these holy convocation meetings is that the brethren may be separated from business cares and burdens, and devote a few days exclusively to seeking the Lord. The common duties of life are all-absorbing, and often it is inconvenient to leave our homes. Yet, in the words of our pioneers, we all need to arise and recognize the responsibility that is laid on us in seeking the perishing ones and leading souls to Christ.
For the second night Ted Jones is preaching “There is a God!” reminding all that the Remnant claim is not just a cute name for a special people, but God-given call to mission, God-given responsibility to proclaim the Three Angels Message of the eternal gospel to the world in these last days.
As our Conference grows larger, currently numbering over 25,000 members, plus family, friends and adherents – our annual meetings give birth to regional meetings in order to serve people in all areas. Those who come to the meeting leave with a deeper religious experience than they had when they came.
But the main purpose of it remains the same – to focus all people on our mission – Evangelism, to empower all people to do the Great Commission – Evangelism, to challenge all people for Evangeliving.
The success of our meetings, our ministry, our church depends largely upon ourselves. The minds and hearts of all people need to be enlisted in the work. All must be taught what they must do to open the door of the heart to Jesus, to receive Him gladly, and to lead other to Him, or simply put – every believer is a minister. Just as apostle Peter had restated God’s prophetic Vision for His Church: “A chosen race, a kingdom of priests, a holy nation, a people to be a personal possession to sing the praises of God who called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.” (1^st Peter 2:9 cf. Exodus 19:6)

Insiders or Outsiders

As we begin a new Sabbath School quarter we are invited to consider our purpose in context of the time in which we live, in the context of the pre-Advent judgment, in the context of living in the closing days of earth’s history.
In the course of my reading I run across a few shocking passages that I would like to share with you this morning. These come from the pen of inspiration, from the pen of sister E.G.White:
“The professed followers of Christ are on trial before the heavenly universe; but the coldness of their zeal and the feebleness of their efforts in God's service mark them as unfaithful. If what they are doing were the best they could do, condemnation would not rest upon them; but were their hearts enlisted in the work, they could do much more. They know and the world knows that they have to a great degree lost the spirit of self-denial and cross bearing. Many there are against whose names will be found written in the books of heaven not “producers,” but “consumers.” There are many whose names are on the church books, but who are not under Christ's rule. They are not heeding His instruction or doing His work. Therefore they are under the control of the enemy. They are doing no positive good; therefore they are doing incalculable harm. Because their influence is not a savor of life unto life, it is a savor of death unto death.” (Christ’s Object Lessons, p.304)
“It is a solemn statement that I make to the church, that not one in twenty whose names are registered upon the church books are prepared to close their earthly history, and would be as verily without God and without hope in the world as the common sinner. They are professedly serving God, but they are more earnestly serving mammon. This half-and-half work is a constant denying of Christ, rather than a confessing of Christ. So many have brought into the church their own unsubdued spirit, unrefined; their spiritual taste is perverted by their own immoral, debasing corruptions, symbolizing the world in spirit, in heart, in purpose, confirming themselves in lustful practices, and are full of deception through and through in their professed Christian life. Living as sinners, claiming to be Christians!”. . . General Conference Bulletin, 1893, pp. 132 (Christian Service, 41)
Salvation is not to be baptized, not to have our names upon the church books, not to preach the truth. But it is a living union with Jesus Christ to be renewed in heart, doing the works of Christ in faith and labor of love, in patience, meekness, and hope. Every soul united to Christ will be a living missionary to all around him. --Letter 55, 1886. (Evangelism, 319)
And all I can add to this is “I concur” Do you?