EVANGELIVING UPDATE

This week our church family said “good bye” to sister Mary Reeve, who for more than a half a century served our children, teaching, helping, being there faithfully every Sabbath for Adventurers and Sabbath School.  Preparing for the sermon I listen to her sister Viola sharing her life, spoke with the family, and listened to testimonies.  Earlier this year as we started Spirituality Class we looked at 10 diagnostic questions of person’s spiritual growth: Mary displayed them.  Here I will list a few:

·   Governed increasingly by God’s Word.  Just this year alone she read the Bible twice.

·   Having a growing concern for the spiritual and temporal needs of others.  Bill Dowdell shared that Mary was instrumental in leading his parents to Christ.  She was an evangelist in their lives.

·   Delighting in the Bride of Christ, the Church.  Closer you are to the Lord, closer you will be to believers, willing to endure all things for the sake of the elect.  Mary never missed church when her health permitted.

·   Being more loving.  Kids testify to her kindness.

·   Yearning for Holiness of Heaven and to be with Jesus, wishing he would come soon.  That was Mary’s talk and song.

The list can go on.  My point – I wish everyone in our congregation would be an evangelist, leading others to Christ, spending time in God’s Word and serving others.

Last November we had introduced a Master Plan Evangelism, a process to engage all members in soul winning.  We started with the Month of Prayer, inviting people to seek God’s directions in choosing who to pray for, and who to invest in leading to Jesus this year.  If you aim nowhere, you’ll get there.  To bring even one person to Christ you must be certain and intentional about it.  So, in December we encouraged you to show genuine love to those you have selected to pray for and to lead to Christ.  Through winter months the intent was to boost the friendship through acts of kindness and hospitality.  In March we provided resources and opportunities for you to give spiritual gifts to your friends, books, DVDs, to show that you are interested in their spirituality.  This month the focus is on personal witness.  You actually taking a time and sharing with your friend your faith, your conviction.

Starting in May it’s time to invite your friends to church, to events, to demonstrate who we are as a family of faith, as we are preparing for fall harvest program, when your friends would be invited also to make commitments.

Let people know you want to see them in eternity with Jesus!