Evangelism - the heartbeat of the Church

Recently Mark Finley, the Vice President of our Global Church was interviewed about church initiatives and directives for the future. Mark will be leading another NET satellite program in November and in his message to the local church leaders he made an observation that healthy growing churches display following five characteristics:

1. Churches grow when there is a spiritual renewal. Prayer bands, prayer for individual people’s needs are key for revival. Some churches have daily prayer meetings, where people come before going to work, just to spend time together in a corporate prayer.

2. Churches grow when members are equipped and trained for service. Every member needs to know his/her gifts and discover God’s calling. Spirit of prophecy says that “the very first impulse of the renewed heart is to bring others also to the Saviour” (Great Controversy, p.70). Our churches are to be training schools for ministry.

3. Churches grow when there is a multifaceted community outreach is– small groups, Bible studies, seminars, health ministry, family life, community outreach – different offers for different needs. All events that impact community are to culminate in the invitation.

4. Churches grow when there’s a harvest reaping event. Commitments are to be harvested through proclamation.

5. Churches grow when there is nurture applied aftermath.

As we plan for evangelistic work we are to consider all those who we influence daily – every non-Adventist spouse, young people who are not in the church, recipients of our church community programs, friends, neighbours – visit them and pray for them intentionally, to show interest in the Biblical teachings.

Evangelism has never been “the number game,” it’s not about manipulating people into baptism. Real Evangelism comes from the heart filled with the good joyous testimony of God’s power of transforming lives. Revival of godliness within our families, groups, churches will inevitably result in sharing our passion about soon coming of Jesus.

As we begin the 3 month-long Bible study of God’s Great missionaries, let’s not only admire Biblical heroes, but consider how we may, in our context, be all things to all people to win some. Mission is our calling.

As a pastor I focus on finding and giving at least 6 Bible Studies every week. The work is not rapid, but results are showing and will be showing more in the future. I appeal to every believing Adventist – find at least one person this year, and engage in giving a Bible study at least once a week. Within a year you will save one life, and your own spirituality will be renewed. Be creative. Your unbelieving spouse can be your next Bible study. Invite your spouse to study Bible one evening together. You children, your in-laws, your neighbour, your co-worker. Tell London, by telling one person that Jesus is coming soon.

Empowered by the Holy Spirit, hunger for more

We have completed our Prayer month focus on the Holy Spirit. I wanted you to know that there are groups of people in our church who agreed to pray for the Holy Spirit first, before any other request. Knowing the time, we pray for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Zachariah 10:1).

We recognize that the Holy Spirit is not a power or influence that we may possess, but He is the Persona of the Godhead, who possesses us, who governs individuals that submit to Him. To be baptized by fire, is to be immersed in the Holy Spirit of God’s Presence, it is to see the Face of God in our life continually and constantly.

The deception is offered today where emotionalism is substituted as the promised power. Churches are falling into emotionalism of feelings, where the enthusiasm of firsthand experience wanders away from the basic text of spirituality – the Bible. We recognize that the prerequisite for being filled with the Spirit is to saturate our mind with the Word of God and being committed to give all glory to God the Father, being obedient to His Will and Commands.

When you consider the promise in Joel 2:23 then the experience of the original Pentecost is only “moderate.” Our dreams and expectations of the latter rain should be “extreme,” meaning much greater. 3,000 in a day is small compared to what God is about to do, with us or in-spite of us.

I encourage you to go home today and read the Chapter 27 in the Great Controversy, where the Spirit of Prophecy presents the truth about the Final Revival. “Before the final visitation of God's judgments upon the earth there will be among the people of the Lord such a revival of primitive godliness as has not been witnessed since apostolic times. The Spirit and power of God will be poured out upon His children. At that time many will separate themselves from those churches in which the love of this world has supplanted love for God and His word. Many, both of ministers and people, will gladly accept those great truths which God has caused to be proclaimed at this time to prepare a people for the Lord's second coming.” (p.464)

Next Tuesday night we will meet together to pray for the Evangelistic Revival among us.

Claim the Promise!!! Ask for the Gift of the Holy Spirit!!!

Empowered by the Spirit continues

The prayer emphasis on receiving the Holy Spirit continues. Next week is the final presentation “End Time symbols of the Spirit”

We’ve been reminded than unless the Spirit is what we ask for, He will not be given or taken for granted. Prophet Zachariah says that we must ask the Lord for rain in the time of the latter rain (10:1) Just because it’s time it does not mean it would be given. Asking is important.

At the Prayer Vespers last Sabbath we looked at 5 prerequisites to receiving the Holy Spirit:

1. Praying and asking during the time when it should be given.

2. Undivided heart’s desire to please God, to give Him glory.

3. Saturating our mind with the Word of God.

4. Putting away all the dissension and strife from among us.

5. Working actively for salvation of others.

When God looks at your wish list, is the Holy Spirit request is the top? What if Christians today are not receiving because they do not really want the Holy Spirit? People pray for all kind of needs: financial breakthrough, children, health, work, conflict resolutions, but where is the ardent simple prayer “Father please give me the Holy Spirit! There is nothing I want more than your Spirit to dwell in me!” Make this your prayer and all the rest will become incidental.

When you pray for the Holy Spirit you must also recognize that He is God. You are not praying for a power to possess it. Prayer for the Holy Spirit is an invitation for God to dwell in you. In the Gospel of John chapters 14-16 the personal pronoun HE is used 24 times identifying the Spirit.

The pen of inspiration tells us “Plead for the Holy Spirit. God stands back of every promise He has made. With your Bible in your hands say, I have done as Thou hast said. I present Thy promise, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." We must not only pray in Christ's name, but by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. (Christ Object Lessons, p.147) May your prayers be in the Name of Jesus praying by the Holy Spirit.

One more session will be held at the church: Tuesday at 7 pm June 24: “ End Time symbols of the Spirit.” Do not miss these opportunities for Prayer and learning more about the Holy Spirit. Claim this promise!!! Ask for the Gift!!!

Empowered by the Holy Spirit

This month we started a prayer emphasis on receiving the Holy Spirit. Three Prayer Vespers had been dedicated to praying for the Holy Spirit. A statement from the pen of inspiration says “If all were willing, all would be filled with the Spirit. Wherever the need of the Holy Spirit is a matter little thought of, there is seen spiritual drought, spiritual darkness, spiritual declension and death. Whenever minor matters occupy the attention, the divine power which is necessary for the growth and prosperity of the church, and which would bring all other blessings in its train, is lacking, though offered in infinite plenitude.” (Acts of Apostles, p.50)

As I attend and watch our people pray, I see how urgent this matter is to our church. We do not ask for the Holy Spirit. Jesus told as in Luke 11;13 that if we in our corrupt human nature know how to give good gifts to our children, how much more is God willing to give us His Gift, the Promise, the Holy Spirit indwelling. If you have a gift for someone, and then learn that the person you is not interested, does not want the gift, will you still give it? When God looks at your wish list, is the Holy Spirit request is the top? What if Christians today are not receiving because they do not really want the Holy Spirit? People pray for all kind of needs: financial breakthrough, children, health, work, conflict resolutions, but where is the ardent simple prayer “Father please give me the Holy Spirit! There is nothing I want more than your Spirit to dwell in me!” Make this your prayer and all the rest will become incidental.

When you pray for the Holy Spirit you must also recognize that He is God. You are not praying for a power to possess it. Prayer for the Holy Spirit is an invitation for God to dwell in you. And there is no such a thing as a partial indwelling. Either Holy Spirit lives in you, or He does not.

Interesting detail regarding the Power of the Holy Spirit is given by the prophet Joel (2:23) He speaks that the early rain was moderate compared to the latter rain. Just imagine that Peter’s sermon and the conversion of 3,000 people in one day was moderate! The last day events will see greater manifestations of the Holy Spirit power.

Two more sessions will be held at the church: Tuesdays at 7 pm June 17 & 24: Pentecost repeated, and End Time symbols of the Spirit. Do not miss these opportunities for Prayer and learning more about the Holy Spirit. Claim this promise!!! Ask for the Gift!!!

Holy Spirit Has no Grandchildren

I say a couple of weeks ago at Mayor’s prayer Breakfast listening to Serge LeClerc’s testimony. He is the Elected Member of the Legislative Assembly, serving as the Secretary for Corrections in Saskatchewan. Formerly known as a Canada Most Wanted he is a product of rape born in an abandoned building to a teenage girl, moving from a poverty-stricken inner-city youth to a young offender, a runaway street kid, a gang leader and a drug king-pin who served a total of 21 years in some of Canada's toughest prisons while battling a twenty-year drug addiction. He found Christ in jail. Christ changed His life. His book “Untwisted” gives powerful testimony to the personal experience of transforming power of Christ.

Serge spoke about the “stupid middle class families” who pursue their careers, and dish out cash to their kids as a substitute for their time away. Their kids in turn go and buy pleasures the wicked one provides to destroy them. Then the parents cry for the problems in society.

Recently we completed “Celebrating Life in Recovery” evangelistic meetings. One night we watched a testimony from Clifford Harris who for twenty years “danced with death” – unable to snap the chains of drug addiction that imprisoned him. Twenty years of servitude to the inner demons that drove him from his home, his family, and himself. Until he found Christ’s love himself. Cliff was raised third generation Adventist, his cousins are church leaders all over USA. But he himself never discovered Christ personally, until after the mess.

As we are focusing on Family life, on reaching out to youth and children we must understand that our experience has only exemplary value to others. Unless each person, young and old, personally, individually discovers the merit of relationship with Christ they cannot benefit redemption. I am talking about Risen Christ, not just a historical figure of 2000 years old narratives. I am talking about Christ Who is Alive in the World today through the Holy Spirit, not a doctrinal definition of Who He was and What He did.

In redemption the Holy Spirit has no grandchildren. Everyone has to be born again directly, not second hand by a virtue of parents, or relatives, or friends. Have you had your experience with Christ? Are you in relationship with Christ? Do you speak to your children about their discovery of Christ? Do you challenge your friends about their walk in relationship with Saviour?

The frustration many teenagers experience with the Church is precisely in the fact that their expectation of meeting Christ was not fulfilled. And they are not interested in substitutes of religious rituals and legalistic promises. Church! I appeal to you, Fathers, Mothers, Mature Christians, help everyone to meet Lord Jesus now!