EVANGELISM! NO TURNING BACK!

This coming Friday we begin the Evangelistic outreach in the city. For three weeks you have been inviting people you know with postcards. Estimated 6,000 postcards had been distributed by church members alone. If you tune in Sunday 11:30 am to the GraceFM 105.9 you will hear the It Is Written broadcast with an invitation to the upcoming meetings, and a sample of the music, Marian Kossovan singing. The program is in place. Presenters, singers and prayer support are ready. We are praying for the Holy Spirit to empower everyone involved. We are praying that this event would literally turn our churches, and the city upside down.

Last week I shared the format of programming for every night, inviting you to read, visualize, and pray about it. There have been contributions made which already improved the programming. We are expecting live praise music from Indonesian and Filipino groups 15 minutes before the beginning of the program. Come early, for 6:45 not to miss the inspiring praise.

At 7 pm Mike Keim will come out and welcome the audience, helping people to connect with each other and build the climate of friendliness and participation.

From 7:05 to 7:15 every night a unique need will be addressed and a prayer offered for people experiencing these needs. Just to give you a foretaste – Wanito Bernadin from St.Catharines church will speak about tensions in the Youth Culture today; Zak Abdel Sayed will speak three different nights about dealing with pain, surviving economic meltdown, and parenting problems; Gord & Kathy Rayner will address issues of depression, addictions; Jovin Mwizerwa from Rwanda will speak on Forgiveness.

7:15 we will be graced by a musical number, after which there will be a time for Question & Answer period, addressing questions from the previous presentation, ending with a prayer. Each night one of our London elders will pray interceding for the conversion work of the Holy Spirit.

At 7:35 the second musical item will lead into the feature presentation of the evening.

At 8:20 the presentation will end with a closing song and an appeal. By 8:30pm the program will be completed. We invite you not to rush out, to take your time and mingle with people, building relationships, encouraging their questions. At that time there will be spiritually charged environment where convictions are readied. Be sensitive to people searching God and answers to their life.

The need right now is for 24 committed persons/teams to serve as row-hosts, registering people, handing out pens, cards, materials, and collecting correspondence back for the registration team. Please speak directly to pastor Alex if this is your area of interest.

Let’s remember that Evangelism is about imparting to people what Jesus imparted to us: life, joy, peace, hope, love. And Above All – the Holy Spirit! Pray that you will have Him to give. We give from what we have. Pray to be filled abundantly, that from your overflow of blessings others would be blessed.

EVANGELISM, IMPARTING THE HOLY SPIRIT!

The countdown is 2 weeks to our opening of the Evangelistic outreach in the city. You have the postcards to invite people you know. Remember the personal invitation, you bringing a friend, and praying for speaker and other people involved that they would be used by God, for the sake of your friend – is the first ingredient of success.

I would like to share the proposed format of programming for every night. Please read, visualize, pray about, and if you see how the program could be more effective, speak to me directly.

1. Welcome/announcements/MC connecting with the audience, helping people to connect with each other and build the climate of friendliness and participation. 5 min

2. Ministry presentation: health/parenting/finances/family, specifically selected for each nightly topic, presented by guest speakers. 5 min

3. During these presentations the Evangelist (pastor Alex) will ask the audience to write their prayer requests, and to come for the prayer on related needs. For example, if the presentation is on parenting – asking families who need help with parenting, who’s got troubles in their family to come for prayer. When health is addressed – inviting people with those problems to come for prayer. Evangelist Omar Palmer from Toronto will visit with us twice for the special prayer for healing. 5 min

4. Children Story time à parable/metaphor/image to illustrate the message, and to connect with all ages. Done by puppet theatre, by storytellers, and other groups. 7 min

5. Special Musical selection. 5 min

6. Prayer for the Spiritual blessing. Each night an elder from our local churches will pray. 3 min

7. Musical selection. 5 min

8. Presentation/Conversation with Evangelist – Alex Golovenko. 45 minutes

9. Musical selection. 5 min

10. An appeal and closing prayer by Evangelist.

Let me remember that Evangelism is about imparting to people what Jesus imparted to us: life, joy, peace, hope, love. And Above All – the Holy Spirit. Pray that you will have it to give. We give from what we have. Pray to be filled abundantly, that from your overflow of blessings others would be blessed.

EVANGELISM, BY ALL BELIEVERS!

The countdown is 3 weeks to our opening of the Evangelistic outreach in the city. You have the postcards to invite people you know. Remember the personal invitation, you bringing a friend, and praying for speaker and other people involved that they would be used by God, for the sake of your friend – is the first ingredient of success.

Remember that we must leave the consequences up to God. it is his work. I am reflecting again on words penned by Ellen G. White. “When your mind is brought into conformity to the will of God, to obey His commandments, think you that the Lord will not have a care for you and your temporal interests? ….God's claims are to be your first consideration. Obedience to God is your first duty. You are to leave all the consequences in His hands.” (Evangelism 243)

A church member sent me an email with a link to an article in USAtoday stating that the Southern Baptist Convention is launching a new national campaign to bring unbelievers to Jesus, and they see their major obstacle in motivating its own members to evangelize. They recognize that the only effective way to reach people is by personal witnessing. The survey was conducted and found only two ways most people said they were somewhat or very willing to "receive information" about Jesus: 63% would hear it in a "personal conversation with a family member," or with a friend or neighbor from the church (56%). Compare this with our own survey, showing that 70% of people in church today not because of what pastor did, or because of a TV effort, but because a friend or a relative invited them in. As a communicator I do my part to bring conviction, but it is part of every believer to invite their friends.

“Priesthood of all believers” is about Evangelism by all believers!”

April 4^th – two weeks to the opening weekend I expect to see all who will volunteer and help out with the program to come for the day of fasting at the south Church, as we will also offer training.

Remember, this is just a beginning of our church turning around and getting into evangeliving, into lifestyle of Evangelism. We are here with a single responsibility – to lead others to discover Jesus, the only truth, the Way, and the Life.

Come to Jesus and live. Lead others to Jesus, and let them live!

EVANGELISM, GOD’S DOING

The countdown is 4 weeks to our opening of the Evangelistic outreach in the city. As all preparations are put in place I worry, as a leader responsible for the outcome. How many people would come? How many would respond and consecrate their lives to follow Jesus? What would it mean to our churches in London? Will we start 3^rd congregation in the city? After all, investing some $12,000 into this program has to be justified by results.

As I was listening the Spirit of Prophecy narrated as I travelled this week a few statements caught my attention, penned by Ellen G. White. “When your mind is brought into conformity to the will of God, to obey His commandments, think you that the Lord will not have a care for you and your temporal interests? ….God's claims are to be your first consideration. Obedience to God is your first duty. You are to leave all the consequences in His hands.” (Evangelism 243)

I got home that evening, and start reading more. She writes in the great Controversy, p.460: “We should choose the right because it is right, and leave consequences with God. To men of principle, faith, and daring, the world is indebted for its great reforms. By such men the work of reform for this time must be carried forward.”

I am inviting you to go forward by faith, that God has people ready for His Harvest, ripe spiritually to advance to a higher level of knowing Him. Will we go forward and trust God to take care of results?

Even as we move forward to the event already unusual things are happening. Wednesday I got a phone-call from George Perez who is facilitating printing postcards and advertisement: “printers caught a mistake in spelling!” Whoa! What’s the chance that printers would care to proof-read after jpeg image has been submitted? Yet, total stranger already had been moved by God to assist toward better consequences.

Currently there is indication that some 80+ people will attended by being personally invited by our church members. Over the next two weeks 10,000 homes will receive invitational postcards by mail. Two newspapers will carry our advertisement, as well as the GraceFM radio.

As Todor began meetings this weekend in St.Thomas, pray for people attending there, and for him as a speaker. I will take a week off to prepare my script and programming. Pray for extra unction of the Spirit, and safety as I will travel to Mt.Aetna retreat in Hagerstown, Maryland. Pray for singers who are preparing to participate.

April 4^th – two weeks to the opening weekend I expect to see all who will volunteer and help out with the program come for the day of fasting at the south Church, as we will also offer training.

FIVE PURPOSES OF GOD FOR OUR CHURCH

…and every follower of Christ.

Even as we gear toward more active involvement in Evangelism, and fulfilling the Great Commission of Jesus by sharing the Gospel (not gossip) with people, we are at risk of developing busy Christians rather than fully devoted followers of Christ. I had been thinking over the last week as I visited some very busy people, who cannot add yet another thing to their “plate” – “there is more to life than doing church!” I am serious! If we are DOING church instead of BEING church, then we are doing too much.

Could it be that many a church goers just follow the rules, with their heart not in it? I wonder how many people coming to church on Sabbath are connected to the pastor, to the elders of the church? How many people really do come to hear the directions and instructions from leaders? Why do we come to church?

Let’s examine ourselves by looking at five purposes God has for us:

WORSHIP – Romans 12:1-2 à worship is not a mid-day liturgical service, but giving our lives as a living offering of service. It is not about showing up for an hour to pay duty for sake of appearances and participate in a ritual, but is about a daily life devoted to God. Are you worshipping by your living? When you come to participate in the corporate expression of worship do you bring praise and testimony?

FELLOWSHIP – are you connected in growing and healthy relationship? Are you a member of the Body of Christ, being joined by baptism to the local church Body? God does not do “common-law cohabiting.” He cares for His church, and blesses those committed to a relationship. Membership is not about “being on the books” it’s about affirming relationship and belonging to the specific family

MATURITY – are you growing “from glory to glory”? (2^nd Cor.3:16-18) Are you taking the “next step’ daily? Faith is not about memorizing list of rules, it is about looking at jesus and being transformed in His Image day by day, having more and more His Mind, His Attitude, His Love.

EVANGELISM – are continually build relationships to lead people to Christ? Are you discipling and mentoring others? It’s not about how many “pagans” you told that you are an Adventist, it’s about how many “Zaccheus” you dined with, how many people you associated with to impart Christ in you into their lives.

MINSITRY – is not about how much time you spend in church every week. N Have you discovered how God ‘wired” you? Are you making a difference in peoples’ lives? Are you serving others?

In our church we believe that every member is called to ministry, every individual who entered into spiritual relationship with Jesus receives the Spiritual Gift for the good of the Body, for edification of the whole church, for building up the Kingdom of God.

After all – it’s about your heart, not just “activities”.