Witnessing / Evangelism

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  Defining Evangelism and
  Witnessing


  Sabbath Afternoon				 Read for This Week’s Study: Acts 4:33, 13:48, 1 John   1:3, Acts 13:1–49, 22:2–21, 1 Pet. 3:15.

  A
          n employee often is given a job description. It’s a detailed
          account of expected duties.
             The Bible also speaks about a job description, and in this
  case it’s one for God’s people. In 1 Corinthians 15:58 (NKJV), the
  apostle Paul admonishes the Corinthian believers to “always [abound]
  in the work of the Lord.” While Paul does not specify the work to
  which he is referring, a similar phrase is used in 1 Corinthians 16:10,
  with reference to the work of the Lord done by Timothy and Paul in
  evangelism and witnessing about Jesus Christ and the plan of salva-
  tion. Thus, Paul’s admonition in chapter 15 certainly included the
  work of spreading the gospel.
     This week we will explore what evangelism and witnessing actually
  are; in other words, we’ll seek to uncover our biblical “job descrip-
  tion.”		

 Evangelism Is . . .?
    We get a clear picture of what evangelism is as we review the
 activities of the first evangelists. Regardless of the major differences
 between their world and ours, both worlds were (and are) sinful,
 fallen, and in disrepair—thus in need of hope and salvation. More
 than a century ago, German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer some-
 what exaggeratedly (he wasn’t known as “the philosopher of pessimism”
 for nothing) expressed the human condition like this: “No one has ever
 lived who has not more than once wished that he did not have to live
 through the following day.”—The World as Will and Idea: Abridged in
 One Volume (London: Everyman, Orion Publishing. Vermont: Tuttle
 Publishing, 2001), p. 204. Little has changed since the apostle’s time, or
 Schopenhauer’s, or during ours. Thus, the main points of the first century
 evangelistic preaching also should be the main points of ours today.

    To be an evangelist in any sense of the word, one must have per-
 sonal understanding and experience of “the everlasting gospel.” It
 is this gospel that ultimately brings belief, confession, conversion,
 baptism and discipleship, and the promise of eternal life.
    The Jewish leaders saw something in the boldness of the apostles
 that convinced them that the apostles had been with Jesus (see Acts
 4:13). Most likely the leaders formed this conclusion because they
 were confronted with a group of men who seemed unable to talk
 about anything other than Jesus’ life and teachings. Evangelism and
 witnessing surely have to do with speaking about the life and teach-
 ings of Jesus, the difference those teachings and beliefs have made
 in the individual believer’s life, and the difference Jesus can make in
 anyone’s life if He is accepted as Lord and Savior.
    It is important to view evangelism and witnessing as a continual pro-
 cess rather than as a single program or event. A vital part of the process
 is establishment and nurture. The word steadfastly in Acts 2:42 indicates
 a strong commitment on the part of the new believers to an ongoing strat-
 egy for their spiritual nurture. Clearly, the early church saw evangelism
 as much more than just the preaching of a message. Their evangelistic
 process was not complete until people had become disciples and were
 thoroughly incorporated into the local group of believers.

  Of all the gospel promises, which one offers you the most hope?
  How can you learn to cling to that promise and make it your
  own, no matter how difficult your circumstances?
                                                                         7

 Witnessing Is . . .?
   A witness is one who gives a testimony, one who attests to some-
 thing that he or she knows from personal experience. A Christian’s
 personal testimony regarding the work of God in his or her life can
 be very powerful. On one occasion Jesus healed a demon-possessed
 man (see Mark 5:1–19). When the healed man wanted to follow Jesus,
 Jesus told him to “ ‘go home to your friends, and tell them what great
 things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on
 you’ ” (Mark 5:19, NKJV).
   Without question, the short time that Jesus spent with this man
 was insufficient to tutor him in the art of teaching or preaching.
 Nevertheless, Jesus told the healed man to witness about what he
 knew. That is why Jesus said to him, “ ‘Go . . . and tell.’ ”

    God has given us the responsibility of sharing the ways in which He
 has changed our lives, just as He did to the formerly demon-possessed
 man at Gadara and to His other followers.
    Witnessing, that is, sharing one’s personal experience of God—all
 with the intention of encouraging others to accept Christ—is not nec-
 essarily as organized or as intentional as radio, television, or crusade
 evangelism. Being a witness can be very spontaneous given that the
 opportunity to share the good news about Jesus can arise anywhere at
 any time with anyone. We must, therefore, be ever alert for opportuni-
 ties to share our knowledge and experience.
    As to the relationship between witnessing and evangelism, we can
 say that they are each essentially different strategies for reaching the
 goal of winning souls for Christ. Witnessing is more spontaneous and
 short term, while evangelism tends to be more long term and inten-
 tional. Sometimes planned evangelism is enhanced by the personal
 witnessing of those involved, and sometimes spontaneous witnessing
 leads people into a more planned program. However it happens, both
 are vital components in the overall process. When we share what
 Jesus has done for us, those who are open to the leading of the Holy
 Spirit will want to know more. Also, it’s a lot easier for people to
 argue against your doctrine, your theology, your beliefs. It’s not, how-
 ever, so easy for them to argue against your own personal testimony.

  When was the last time you had a chance to witness to someone
  about what Christ has done for you? What was the reaction?
  How has Christ changed your life? What is there in your life
  that would make someone want to learn more about Jesus? 8

 The Biblical Evidence
    The early believers, no doubt, had obstacles to overcome as they
 committed themselves to spreading the good news about Jesus. Not
 the least of these obstacles would have been that most were untrained
 in the religious schools of the day, and, therefore, would have had
 little or no credibility in the eyes of the established church.
    Nevertheless, in spite of all obstacles, the apostles and other
 believers felt strongly called by God to continue in evangelism and
 witnessing. The blessings of forgiveness and assurance that they had
 personally experienced compelled them to share. Witnessing was a
 natural result of conversion.

 ________________________________________________________

    The “Word of God” that was preached everywhere most cer-
 tainly included the messianic passages of the Old Testament. Those
 Scriptures that foretold the death and resurrection of the Savior, and
 His consequent forgiveness and justification of sinners, were pre-
 sented as being fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth.
    The New Testament clearly reveals that the early believers committed
 themselves to preaching and sharing. Among their regularly emphasized
 main points were: Jesus as Lord and Christ, salvation through His righ-
 teousness, the coming kingdom of God, and the promise of eternal life.

 ________________________________________________________

   Many people believed in Jesus and accepted Him as their personal
 Savior because of the testimonies of believers who had shared their
 own life-changing experiences and not simply because people had
 observed miraculous events.

  However powerful and compelling the testimonies and witness
  of these first evangelists, these people were constantly referring
  to the Scriptures. That is, they were using the Bible to interpret
  their experiences. How well do you know the Bible, and how
  can you get grounded in it to such an extent that you can use it
  in your own witnessing?

                                                                      9

  Telling Our Stories
    As stated earlier, the most powerful witnessing that a believer can
  do for Jesus is to share his or her personal testimony. That is, the shar-
  ing of what God has done for me and how He has affected my life and
  experience. Usually a personal testimony is expressed in three distinct
  sections. The first part is a short review of the believer’s life before
  accepting Jesus as personal Savior. The second part is an explanation
  of how the person met the Lord. The third is a declaration of the life
  experience after getting to know Jesus.

  His life before he knew the Lord Jesus (vss. 3–5):
  How he met the Lord (vss. 6–16):
  His life experience after his conversion (vss. 17–21):

  My life before I knew the Lord Jesus (or before I made a commit-
  ment to Him):
  How I met Jesus (or what influenced my commitment to Him):
  My life after I accepted Jesus as my personal Savior:

     A personal testimony should not be a long and detailed autobiogra-
  phy. We mentioned earlier that witnessing is a more spontaneous way
  of sharing Jesus than is a planned evangelistic approach. Christians
  should be able to give their testimony in a short space of time, because
  we don’t know when the opportunity may arise to speak of Jesus. It
  could be in any number of unplanned situations. It may be on a plane
  or at a bus stop. It may be during a short telephone call. However the
  situation arises, we should be ready and willing to speak about what
  the Lord has done for us, what reasons we have for our faith, and the
  hope that God offers not just to us but to others.

   Consider the eternal difference between the lost and the saved,
   between eternal death and eternal life. In the long run, what
   else really matters?

 Our Job Description Read 1 Peter 3:15. What is this text teaching us about witnessing?
 How does it fit in with that which we have been looking at so far?

 ________________________________________________________

   By now we have considered evangelism and witnessing sufficiently
 in order to be able to suggest what we deem as an adequate biblical
 job description. We don’t need to create a definition of evangelism
 and witnessing that everyone agrees with in every detail, but we must
 make sure that any definition that we accept includes the essential
 ingredients of sharing the truth about Jesus and what He offers the
 world.

 ________________________________________________________

    While a definition of a task is not necessarily a detailed job descrip-
 tion, it does give some overall guidance. Of course, when it comes to
 witnessing, the individual situation and the believer’s own experience
 with God will determine the approach. However, an understanding of
 God’s desire to reach a lost world through His church will cause us to
 consider a planned approach to witnessing and evangelism.
    The rapid growth of the early church was due in no small part to the
 conviction and commitment of its members. This in turn was based
 upon their personal experiences with Jesus and the special empower-
 ing outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The teachings of Jesus Christ and
 the influence of the Holy Spirit remain basic and crucial to all wit-
 nessing and evangelism.
    “Thousands can be reached in the most simple, humble way. The
 most intellectual, those who are looked upon as the world’s most
 gifted men and women, are often refreshed by the simple words of
 one who loves God, and who can speak of that love as naturally as
 the worldling speaks of the things that interest him most deeply. Often
 the words well prepared and studied have but little influence. But the
 true, honest expression of a son or daughter of God, spoken in natural
 simplicity, has power to open the door to hearts that have long been
 closed against Christ and His love.”—Ellen G. White, The Colporteur
 Evangelist, p. 38.
                                                                       11

Further Study: Think about your personal testimony and make sure
     that you are able to give it when the opportunity arises.
        Take some time to sit quietly and consider what areas of church
     life you enjoy being involved in or the areas that you would consider
     being involved in if you were asked. Write them down. You may be
     interested in evangelistic areas in which your church is not currently
     involved. List these areas too.
        Begin to consider the ways in which you can become involved in
     an evangelistic ministry in your church. If you are already involved
     in a ministry and desire to stay there, pray that God will continue to
     bless that ministry. If you are not presently involved, pray that God 1        will reveal to you where He wants you to work for Him.

Discussion Questions:
      l1 In the gospel commission of Matthew 28:19, 20, there are
      four action verbs: go, make disciples, baptize, and teach. The
      commands to go, baptize, and teach are all subordinate to the 2
      imperative that says, “make disciples.” Considering this clear
      emphasis, discuss what it means to be a disciple and how dis-
      ciples are made.

      l2 Consider the following quote and then discuss the question,
      How do we as individuals and as a church group become a part
      of God’s channel of communication to a lost world? “As His rep-
      resentatives among men, Christ does not choose angels who have 3
      never fallen, but human beings, men of like passions with those
      they seek to save. Christ took upon Himself humanity, that He
      might reach humanity. Divinity needed humanity, for it required
      both the divine and the human to bring salvation to the world.
      Divinity needed humanity that humanity might afford a channel
      of communication between God and man.”—Ellen G. White,
      The Desire of Ages, p. 296.					

      l3 Take a look at your own life. What kind of example do you
      present to the world? In what ways do your words, actions,
      dress, demeanor, and attitude impact those around you? In
      short, what kind of witness do you present to the world, even
      when you are not actively “witnessing”? In which areas can you
      definitely improve?




12

  Every
   			
        Member Ministry




  Sabbath Afternoon				 Read for This Week’s Study: Eph. 4:12, 2 Cor. 5:15–20,
  John 4:35–41, 1 Thess. 1:5–8, Acts 14:27.

  A
          ccording to Peter, God’s people are chosen, called to be a “royal
          priesthood.” Because the priests were given a ministry, it follows
          that if we are called to the “priesthood,” then we have a ministry,
  as well. We must understand, however, that we are not called merely in
  order to perform a ministry. First and foremost, God is calling us into a
  relationship with Himself, and it is out of that relationship that we are
  compelled to share with others the great things that God has done, and is
  doing, for us. This is at the heart and soul of personal witness.
     Each of us, therefore, has a personal ministry to perform, and it involves
  proclaiming the praises of Him who has called us “out of darkness into
  His marvelous light.”
     This week we will explore the concept of “every member ministry”
  and see how each individual experience contributes to the church’s cor-
  porate ministry. The point is that each of us has a role to play in the work
  of outreach and evangelism.

 Every Member Ministry		
   Too often we hear Christians lament that they are not talented
 enough to do anything significant for God. While the devil would
 certainly like us to think this way, the Bible tells us that all Christians
 have a God-given ministry. We need to know what it is and then
 determine by God’s grace how to use it for His glory.

 _______________________________________________________

 _______________________________________________________

    Paul clearly says that the saints are to be equipped for a ministry.
 Everyone who has been reconciled to God through the sacrifice of Jesus
 is given the ministry of reconciliation and is an ambassador for Christ.
 An ambassador is one who personally represents a sovereign or head of
 state. This concept emphasizes the personal relationship between Christ
 and all who have been reconciled as they carry the message of His love
 and grace into the world.
    There is much confusion over the word ministry. Today ministry is
 seen to be something that the pastor does; after all, he or she is “in the
 ministry.” Although some engaged in pastoral ministry do have certain
 special areas of work and expertise, Scripture is adamant that part of the
 work of the pastor is to equip the members for a personal ministry.
    The New Testament gives evidence that the early believers under-
 stood the concept of every member ministry. Wherever they went and
 in whatever circumstances they found themselves, they all preached
 about the Lord Jesus (see Acts 8:1–4).
    There is another way in which Jesus shows that we all have a special
 ministry to perform. He clearly stated that He did not come to be served
 but to serve (see Matt. 20:28, Luke 22:27). He also clearly said that His
 followers are to be servants also (see Matt. 23:11; 20:26, 27). If that’s
 not ministry, true ministry, then what is?
    Jesus is not simply ordering us to be servants; He is leading us to
 understand that a servant ministry is a result of our connectedness with
 Him. These verses describe the life of the person who has fellowship
 with the Suffering Servant Jesus Christ. They also affirm that to be in
 Christ is to continue His ministry.

  How willing are you to serve others? Is it your natural inclina-
  tion, or do you tend to try to get from others rather than to
  give? How can you further acquire the attitude of service?

                                                                         15

  The Need for Laborers
     Sometimes we are sent to reap where others have turned the soil,
  sown the seed, and watered the crop. Although there may be the rare
  occasion when one person digs, sows, waters, and reaps all in one
  field, this is certainly not the rule. In our fast-paced modern world,
  people move into and out of our sphere of influence, and we must be
  ready to build upon the evangelistic work that others have begun.

  ________________________________________________________

     Usually when we refer to reaping, we are specifying a certain time
  of year when the crops are ready to be harvested. For most crops there
  is a specific reaping season. In the spiritual realm, however, there is
  no set time for reaping. Jesus makes this point strongly in John 4:35.
  In agricultural terms, the harvest may well have been four months
  away, but in regard to those who are ready to accept Jesus, some part
  of the field is ever ripe for harvest.
     At Jacob’s well, Jesus sowed the gospel seed in the heart of the
  Samaritan woman. She, in turn, sowed the seed among the people of
  Sychar, and now the Samaritans walk toward Jesus past unripe grain
  fields. As it was with the disciples, the Lord encourages us to be ready
  to reap from the continually ripening field of the world.

  ________________________________________________________

    It is because of God’s great love and compassion for humankind
  that He desires laborers to go into the harvest (see Matt. 9:36–38). As
  we consider the world field today, the harvest still seems great and
  the laborers few. The disciples were told to pray that reapers would
  be sent out into the harvest. As we modern-day disciples pray for
  laborers, the Holy Spirit will open the way for us to do that which He
  has called us to do.

   Think over the past few days. How many chances did you have
   to witness for your faith, to plant a few seeds that could one day
   reap a harvest? How many of those times did you do it? How
   many opportunities did you pass up?

 Individuals but Together
   The local church is not simply a number of disconnected people
 who sit in the same building for a couple of hours once a week.
 According to Scripture, the church is a group of people who are as
 closely joined as are the parts of a human body. The possibility does
 exist, however, that people can meet together regularly without being
 a part of the body in a biblical sense. Although this unfortunate fact
 can be true in many areas of church life, we are focusing on the need
 to be united in the areas of evangelism and witnessing.

   The apostle Paul says that a church body grows when all of the
 members do their share. What does this say about churches that are not
 growing? Our first reaction might be to blame those whom we consider
 to not be doing their share. That might be true, but think about this:
 how often do churches deprive members of an opportunity to contrib-
 ute to the body? If church leaders don’t understand the ministry of
 all believers principle, they will not intentionally work for maximum
 involvement of the membership in church life and ministries.

    The church at Thessalonica is an example of a church that received
 the gospel and passed it on. It is still God’s will that His church func-
 tion in this manner.
    The blessings received when each individual member works within
 a planned church evangelistic strategy are many. We will focus here
 on the important areas of encouragement and accountability. Working
 as a team enables us to consider these areas seriously. A lack of team
 encouragement has been the death of many a worthwhile lay minis-
 try. While individuals may possess special talents and gifts, working
 toward common goals through corporate strategies is still the ideal.
 Likewise, the group dynamic encourages accountability, not in the
 sense of judgment but in the sense of review and evaluation.

  In what ways could you work more closely with church mem-
  bers in the effort of reaching out to others? Why is it so easy to
  get complacent, sleepy, and inward focused?

                                                                      17

 Working Together, With God
    Yesterday we noted the importance of working together evange-
 listically as a church. We must also understand that we are working
 together to accomplish a divine objective. Therefore, when a church
 considers witnessing and evangelistic strategies, members must feel
 strongly that they are working together with God, who motivates,
 directs, empowers, and gives the increase.

 ________________________________________________________

 ________________________________________________________

   The Scriptures abound with evidence of God’s love for the crown-
 ing act of His creation: human beings. It is not surprising, therefore,
 that He has taken the initiative in the salvation of humankind. In truth,
 the Cross alone provides all the proof we would ever need regard-
 ing how much God loves us and how much He wants us to be in
 His eternal kingdom. The Lord has, indeed, reached out and blessed
 us through His grace; and this amazing grace, as revealed through
 the Cross, creates in us a desire to share that which we have freely
 received (see Matt. 10:8).
   Although sometimes the disciples tried to work alone (see Matt.
 17:14–21), for the most part their experience was one in which the
 divine and human worked together.
   Jesus called the first disciples and promised to make them fishers of
 men. He taught and equipped them, and through their ministry many
 others became believers. However, there was still another divine
 aspect that they would need after Jesus had returned to heaven. That
 was, of course, the Holy Spirit, who would empower the early church
 in its witnessing and evangelism mission.
   Those who become involved in evangelism today are still co-
 laborers with God for the salvation of others. We must pray that the
 Holy Spirit will teach us how to present God’s love and provision in
 ways that will reach the hearts of those in need of the Savior. We need
 to be aware that we cannot do anything apart from the Lord and that
 only by an attitude of faith, submission, humility, and willingness to
 die to self and to serve others can we be the most effective witnesses
 in God’s hands. Self must be put aside in order for the Lord to use us
 as effectively as possible. 18

  Reporting to the Church
    This week we have noted some important aspects of a believer’s
  work for God. We now can touch on the topic of “reporting” (we will
  look at this in more detail in week 12). Reporting to the church on wit-
  nessing and evangelism activities builds a climate of encouragement
  and blessing. Those reporting can receive the encouragement of the
  church membership, and those hearing the reports are blessed as they
  realize what God is accomplishing through His people.

  ________________________________________________________

    A reading of the context of the above verses reveals that reports
  were brought into the church after some extended period of cross-
  cultural evangelistic preaching. These reporting sessions show the
  church’s interest in, and support for, spreading the gospel.
    The whole book of Acts is a report of the early church’s missionary
  endeavors, and it is filled with lessons for the modern-day church. The
  importance of reporting is underscored as we imagine what it would do to
  the book of Acts if all reports of evangelistic activity were removed.

  ________________________________________________________

     While it is true that there is personal witnessing and evangelism that
  happens spontaneously, it is also true that the church as a whole must
  have an intentional planned approach. Working with an overall church
  strategy helps to maintain focus and the logical progression of activities.
  It also brings regular opportunities to evaluate and report. Reporting is not
  simply listing the things we have done. Through reporting, the church and
  those witnessing can again see that they are co-workers with the Lord.
     Some people are hesitant to turn in reports because they wonder if
  it is a form of boasting in human achievement; however, by our faithful
  reporting, God is glorified, and His church is strengthened in faith.
  The early Christians glorified God when they heard the missionary
  reports of the apostle Paul (see Acts 21:19, 20).

   If you were to report to the church your most recent evange-
   listic efforts, what would you say? What does your answer say
   about yourself, and what about it, perhaps, might need some
   changing?
                                                                           19

Further Study: Choosing a Ministry in Which to Become Involved In.

       Last week you were encouraged to consider all of the witnessing
     and evangelistic areas of church life in which you like being involved
     or in which you would become involved if asked. The challenge this
     week is for you to decide upon an evangelistic activity and to become
     involved in it. The following are this week’s key areas of focus:

     1. Review the list of evangelistic activities in which you could pos-
     sibly become involved. Shorten your list to two or three evangelistic 1
     ministry areas by considering where you feel that your talents lie and
     to which area of ministry you feel that God is calling you.

     2. Further reduce your list by considering the amount of time you
     will be able to regularly devote to a ministry. Also consider being
     committed to a ministry that will continue for twelve months so that 2
     you will be able to move through the planning, implementation, and
     evaluation stages.

     3. Choose a ministry and inform your pastor and personal ministries
     leader of your desire to become involved in your preferred area.
     Request a meeting with them to share your ideas and dreams. Inquire
     about their plans for the church’s evangelism and determine how you
     can get involved or where your preferred ministry can complement 3
     whatever plans (if any) that the church already has in place.

     4. Humbly ask your pastor and personal ministries leader to share their
     thoughts on your suitability for the ministry you have chosen. They will
     want you to be successful in whatever area of witnessing and evange-
     lism you choose; therefore, their counsel will be invaluable.

Discussion Questions:
      l
      1 How does the following quote relate to the biblical truth of
      the priesthood of all believers? How does it support the need for
      every member to work together? “The work of God in this earth
      can never be finished until the men and women comprising our
      church membership rally to the work, and unite their efforts
      with those of ministers and church officers.”—Ellen G. White,
      Gospel Workers, p. 352.

      l
      2 As a class, discuss what strategies your church could put in
      place that will help members to understand that they are impor-
      tant to the church’s witnessing and evangelism. How best can
      you work toward maximum participation of members?


20

  Spiritual Gifts for Evangelism
  and Witnessing




  Sabbath Afternoon				 Read for This Week’s Study: 1 Pet. 4:10; John 16:8,
  13; 1 Cor. 12:28–31; Acts 2:40–47; 13:4, 5.

  A
          s a church we have rightly emphasized the spiritual gift of
          prophecy, but we have not always stressed the importance of
          other spiritual gifts for ministry. Yet, it’s important that we
  do so. It’s a clear biblical doctrine; thus, as a church, we need to take
  these gifts seriously in order that members can become comfortable
  with receiving and exercising those gifts.
    It is unfortunate that many church members do not take advan-
  tage of the gifts they have been given. There are many reasons for
  this lack. Sometimes the fault lies with the members themselves.
  Sometimes, perhaps, more could be done to encourage members to
  discover their gifts and then use these gifts in ministry and outreach
  under the direction of the Holy Spirit. What a waste to have a gift and
  never use it for that which it was intended.

 Gifted Believers
   If you asked the members of your church, many of them would
 have to think long and hard before they could conclude that they
 had any spiritual gift that the Bible lists, even though many of these
 people have probably already been exercising a spiritual gift. They
 have just not consciously recognized it as such. A number of people
 who have not formally sought to discover their giftedness do expert
 ministry in areas to which they feel called, and their church affirms
 them. Very often a spiritual gifts discovery seminar simply confirms
 the gifts already manifested in a ministry. It is clearly possible, there-
 fore, that people can exercise a spiritual gift under the leadership of
 the Holy Spirit without formally discovering and naming that gift. At
 the other end of the spectrum there are those who find it difficult to
 become involved anywhere in the church because they don’t consider
 themselves gifted in any way. It is important to encourage them to
 discover their giftedness and intentionally seek to work within it.

 ________________________________________________________

 ________________________________________________________
 									
 We have already seen that every believer has a ministry, so it should
 come as no surprise that God will equip us to perform it. Therefore,
 everyone who takes the great gospel commission as a personal evan-
 gelistic mandate from God will be equipped by the Spirit to become
 involved. Regarding the church’s soul-saving work, God knows what
 is needed in what place and at what time.
    Read 1 Corinthians 12:11. It reveals that the bestowal of spiritual
 gifts to believers is a part of the Holy Spirit’s work of equipping the
 saints for every good work (see Eph. 2:10). Not only does the Holy
 Spirit distribute spiritual gifts among believers but, also, as Acts 1:8
 reveals, He empowers us to use our gifts.
    None of the Bible passages that list spiritual gifts are identical. This
 suggests that the lists of gifts given are not complete; that is, there
 might be other gifts as well that could be added to the list.

  Think about the word gift or gifts. What does the word imply?
  What does it tell you about your responsibility to use that which
  has been freely given you for the work of the Lord (as opposed
  to only for some other purpose)?
  _______________________________________________________
                                                                        23

  The Spirit and His Gifts
     To a certain extent a person’s spiritual gifts define his or her place in
  the local church. In other words, to discover spiritual gifts is to discover
  where the Lord wants you to function in the body. Have you ever been
  asked to be involved in an area for which you just had no passion or
  interest? Do you know people who have accepted church positions only
  to resign partway through the church year because they feel that they are
  the wrong person for the job? Most likely in these situations, people have
  been asked to undertake, and in some instances have tried to become
  involved in, a church ministry that they are neither called to nor gifted for.
  Though this does happen, it doesn’t have to be the norm.

  ________________________________________________________

     It is significant that the Holy Spirit is the one who calls us to min-
  ister for God. Barnabas and Saul were called and equipped by the
  same Spirit. Verse 2 gives us some important information. It reveals
  that Barnabas and Saul were already involved in ministering for the
  Lord before they were called for a specific ministry. We know that it
  was a specific ministry because Simeon and Manaen were not called
  at this time.
     Just before Jesus left the earth, He promised that the Holy Spirit
  would come to be our Helper. Part of the Spirit’s work is to equip
  us to spread the gospel. If, therefore, He gives us gifts to accomplish
  the evangelistic task, then they are surely important, and we need to
  exercise them.

  ________________________________________________________

    When we understand why the Spirit gives spiritual gifts, we see
  how vital they are to the salvation of those we are to reach for
  Christ. Through the Holy Spirit’s calling and gifting, each believer is
  involved to varying degrees, and in diverse ways, in the great work of
  spreading the gospel.
    Although we may designate some gifts as important or special, in
  reality all gifts are crucial to the life and mission of the church. While
  we sometimes place a gifted evangelist, preacher, or teacher on a ped-
  estal, those with gifts that nurture and disciple are just as crucial.

  Discovering Our Gifts
     Discovering our gifts is not difficult. You will be able to recognize
  quickly the gifted ministry areas of your pastor and other key leaders in
  your church. All you have to do is observe what they are doing and notice
  how people respond to their ministry. However, it is another matter when
  it comes to considering what one’s own spiritual gifts might be.
     The process of discovering an individual’s spiritual gifts has some-
  times been presented as rather simplistic: fill out an inventory, apply
  a formula, and your gift is discovered. Many church members have
  attempted to discover their spiritual gifts through this avenue but have
  been disappointed when their local church does not place them in
  positions where they can exercise their gifts within the body.
     An appropriate spiritual gifts seminar is perhaps the easiest way to
  begin to discover your spiritual gifts. However, it is wise to consider
  the seminar as only the beginning of the search, as, indeed, most pre-
  pared seminars point out.

  ________________________________________________________

     These verses are not directing us all to desire one or two gifts that
  are commonly thought to be the best. In this passage Paul shows that
  spiritual gifts are distributed according to the needs of particular situa-
  tions facing any church in any place at any time. The best gifts would
  be those that would empower members of the local church.
     When seriously considering your possible gifts, don’t underestimate
  what other church members say. When members sit on the nominat-
  ing committee to choose the various leaders and support teams for the
  coming church year, they look for people who have already exhibited
  an interest and ability in certain ministries. Even though the commit-
  tee may not understand or intentionally consider spiritual gifts, they
  are in fact looking for people gifted in specific areas of ministry.
     When someone shares his or her belief that you would be really
  effective in a certain ministry position, it may well be a confirmation
  of your gifts. It would be wise to listen and pray about it.
     The results of a spiritual gifts seminar—coupled with the affirma-
  tion of fellow believers and the results of a trial period in a particular
  ministry field—would be a clear indication of what the Lord has
  called and gifted you for.

   What do you think your own gifts are, and why?

   _______________________________________________________
                                                                         25

  Other Gifts
    When we think of spiritual gifts and witnessing and evangelism, we
  tend mostly to focus on the gifts of evangelism, preaching, and teach-
  ing. Though not all gifts are overtly evangelistic, if ministered within
  the church body they will have varying degrees of impact upon the
  church’s evangelistic mission.

     The newly elected deacons were contributing to the overall evangelis-
  tic program of the early church by freeing up the disciples to be engaged
  full time in evangelism and preaching. So while we may not consider the
  actions of the deacons as gifts that would equip them for the evangelistic
  front line, they did have evangelistic impact behind the scenes. Of course,
  it is quite possible that the deacons’ ministry of distributing aid to needy
  widows rendered people more ready to listen to the gospel when it was
  preached. God alone knows the good these people did in their roles.
     For a church to function, leaders and administrators are necessary in
  the areas of organization, finances, and so forth. Those who serve their
  Lord in these varied capacities must understand that they are part of a
  team and that their contribution is essential to the church’s overall evan-
  gelistic thrust.

     The word added in Acts 2:47 is used in the sense of incorpora-
  tion into a society. While the new converts were certainly added to
  the church, they were also brought into fellowship and cared for.
  Therefore, we can conclude that spiritual gifts in the areas of admin-
  istration, leadership, hospitality, pastoral ministry, and service would
  be among those present. This is a good example of the exercising of
  individual spiritual gifts to benefit the whole church through support-
  ing the evangelistic ministry of others.

   Think of your own part, your own role, your own ministry in
   the church. Where does it fit in with the mission of the church
   as a whole?
   _______________________________________________________ 26

 Gifts and Christian Responsibility
    Spiritual gifts are not discovered just to satisfy our curiosity but rather
 to indicate that which the Lord would have us do and to show where we
 fit into the church body. This, of course, brings great responsibility as
 we seek to fulfill that for which God has especially equipped us.

 ________________________________________________________

   It is significant that the three main chapters that list spiritual gifts all
 do so in the context of the church body. This shows that although an
 individual may be involved in a witnessing or evangelism event on a
 personal level, as with Philip and the Ethiopian treasurer (Acts 8), we
 each have the responsibility to exercise our gifts through the church.
   As we have seen already, whatever the church does, it must do
 under the authority and direction of the Holy Spirit. It is our responsi-
 bility to seek the will of God and to work in harmony with that which
 the Spirit reveals. We must not fall into the trap of making plans and
 then seeking divine approval. Often we ask, “What can our church do
 for God?” We would do better to discover and get involved with what
 God is already doing among His people.

 ________________________________________________________

   The disciples allowed the all-knowing Holy Spirit to direct their
 ministry. Sometimes they tried to enter a field of labor and were
 prevented by the Holy Spirit. Most probably Paul received a vision in
 which the Holy Spirit gave him specific instructions as to where the
 disciples were to work (see Acts 16:9, 10).
   Spiritual gifts must be used responsibly, and the best way to ensure
 this is for the receiver of a gift to maintain an open communication
 channel with the Spirit. We have a responsibility to maintain the unity
 of the church. If we are Spirit-led, there will be the desired unity. The
 Spirit directs individuals, and He directs the church. The direction He
 gives to one member, He gives to the whole church. The Spirit does
 not lead individuals away from the body.
   When we have committed ourselves to the service of Christ, we can
 expect great things to happen as the Holy Spirit is poured out upon us.
 The key is for us, as individuals and as a church, to be ready to receive
 that which the Spirit gives.
                                                                           27

Further Study: Discover or Organize Local Training Opportunities.

       If you have decided upon an area of witnessing and evangelism and
     have discussed it with your pastor and evangelism leaders, it is time to
     consider your readiness for the task. You will want the best possible
     chance of influencing people for Jesus; thus, training is important.
     Remember, working as a team rather than individually will ensure
     encouragement, support, and success. The following are this week’s
     key areas of focus:

     3. While you are undergoing training for your chosen area of witness-
     ing and evangelism, consider what resources are available. Becoming 3        familiar with resources, and how to use them, forms an important part
     of preparation for your ministry.

     4. Crucial to your outreach and evangelism ministry is personal spiri-
     tual preparation. You will become increasingly aware of your personal
     spiritual needs as you begin to serve God. As you then request and
     receive a greater infilling of the Holy Spirit, you will be empowered
     for greater service. Pray for the Holy Spirit to direct and use you.

Discussion Questions:			
      l1 “God has set in the church different gifts. These are precious in
      their proper places, and all may act a part in the work of prepar-
      ing a people for Christ’s soon coming.”—Ellen G. White, Gospel
      Workers, p. 481. Consider to what extent spiritual gifts are empha-
      sized in your local church. What can you do to raise their profiles?

      l
      2 “All men do not receive the same gifts, but to every servant of
      the Master some gift of the Spirit is promised.”—Ellen G. White,
      Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 327. How can we encourage all church
      members to discover, develop, and use their spiritual gifts? Why
      is it important that we do so?

      28

  Evangelism and Witnessing
  as a Lifestyle




  Sabbath Afternoon				 Read for This Week’s Study: 2 Cor. 3:2, 3; Matt. 9:36–38;
  1 Cor. 9:20–22; Mark 5:1–19; John 17:11–19.

  I
       t has often been said that Christianity is not just an adherence to
       a set of beliefs; it is also a way of life, a lifestyle. After all, what
       we believe will, ultimately, impact the choices we make and the
  kind of lives we live.
     It is also true that those who claim to be Christians are keenly
  observed by others who are looking to see whether their lives match
  their professed beliefs. Even if we don’t intend it, those who watch us
  do learn from us. So, the important question is not, “Are we influenc-
  ing other people and passing things on to them?” but rather, “How are
  we influencing other people, and what are we passing on to them?”
     While we should always remember the importance of our uninten-
  tional influence on those around us, we must also intentionally plan
  to help people to make a connection between faith and lifestyle. This
  week we will study how the Christian’s lifestyle can demonstrate the
  relevance of faith in everyday existence.

  Silent Sermons
     How would you have recognized the followers of Jesus back in the
  first century? You could recognize the priests and the Pharisees by
  the way they dressed. Likewise, you would recognize a fisherman, a
  peasant, or a Roman soldier by their clothes. But, again, how would
  you recognize a Christian?

  ________________________________________________________

    Jesus said that if we love one another, others will know that we are
  His disciples. How will they know? Because love in action will con-
  vince them. The love we have for Jesus and for fellow believers will
  determine how we respond to God’s will and, in turn, how we treat
  one another. Furthermore, the love and concern that we have for those
  outside of God’s fold will determine how we treat them too. This is
  the sermon that they will see and observe, and it speaks louder than
  anything you could ever say. Many parents have noticed that very
  early in life their children develop an internal “hypocrisy detector”
  that becomes enhanced and fine-tuned as they grow older. We must
  be aware, therefore, that many of the people we associate with, and
  witness to, also have a highly developed ability to recognize the dif-
  ference between a genuine spiritual experience and a mere profession
  of spirituality.

  ________________________________________________________

     We must not underestimate both our intentional and unintentional
  influences on those around us. The Christian’s life is to be like a letter
  sent from Jesus Christ to the world. From a heart that is renewed by
  divine grace, this letter will demonstrate the power of the gospel to
  transform lives and thereby will witness for the Lord.

   How have you been affected by those whose actions matched
   their profession? How have you been affected by those whose
   actions didn’t match their profession? What will help you to
   always remember that your actions will influence others, one
   way or another?
   _______________________________________________________
                                                                         31

 Having Compassion for People
    Each day we all fleetingly brush past people we don’t know. We
 pass them on the street, sit near them in cafés, and wait with them in
 lines. Sometimes we even acknowledge their presence with a nod or
 a smile as we move past them. Although we could never personally
 contact each person we see each day, God’s desire is for all these
 people to accept Him into their lives. For someone, somewhere, we
 can be a part of God’s plan to save him or her.

    The multitude that Jesus saw on this occasion was troubled and
 distressed. The people were so downcast that they had all but given
 up on any remnants of a religious experience they had left. Those
 whom God had placed in charge of the spiritual welfare of His people
 had neglected their duty. Consequently the people were scattered and
 disheartened. Jesus had compassion for them because He knew that
 they needed a spiritual shepherd.
    Among the masses of people with whom we mingle, many are com-
 mitted to Jesus Christ. But many more also desperately need the Good
 Shepherd. Somehow they must be reached for Christ.
    Jesus, the disciples, and a few other followers had been engaged in
 the gospel harvest, but as the harvest grew, so did the need for more
 laborers. Although Jesus’ invitation to pray for more reapers was
 probably also calculated to get some followers to consider their own
 call to the harvest field, it also promises that God understands the
 need for more workers and will supply them.
    Most churches are surrounded by such a large harvest field that it
 is not practical to leave the reaping up to a few members. When we
 have compassion for the people who live around our churches and our
 homes, in some cases numbered in the thousands, we again will sense
 the need to pray that the Lord of the harvest will send out workers, and
 perhaps, in turn, we will realize our potential as laborers for the Lord.
    As we focus on outreach and evangelism, it is important that we
 continually review our potential local harvests. These local people,
 many of whom are already seeking God, will be impacted for good
 by the compassion we show them.

  Discuss what the word compassion means. How can you learn
  from your own suffering and your own need for compassion?
  How can you be more compassionate to those around you? 32

 Walking in Their Shoes
   Here’s an important point: rather than providing what we think
 people need, we must learn to recognize what they see as important
 priorities. What are they concerned about? What are their problems?
 What do they feel that they need?

 ________________________________________________________

 ________________________________________________________

 ________________________________________________________

    Without compromising on matters of principle, the apostle Paul
 was willing to go anywhere and do anything he could to be in a better
 position to convince people of the truth of the gospel. In other words,
 he was willing to walk in their shoes in an attempt to understand them
 and to determine the best way to reach them for Jesus Christ.
    The point is that often we try to provide what we think people need.
 Yet, we should seek first to understand what they see as their needs.
 To walk in the shoes of another means that we attempt to understand
 life and all its intricacies and issues from their perspective; it is to
 try to understand their hurts and joys. In other words, to meet them
 where they are.
    Of course, this is what Jesus did. His earthly life was one of iden-
 tifying with those He came to save. He can understand our struggles
 and pain because He experienced the same. He had great disappoint-
 ments, endured false accusations, rejection, and unfair punishment.
 He was “God with us” in the fullest sense of entering into our lives.
    Furthermore, because He entered into our experiences, He can meet
 people where they are. As we read through the Gospels we discover
 that Jesus did not have just one method of evangelism and witness-
 ing. He reached out to people in their own life context. When He met
 the woman at Jacob’s well, He spoke about living water. To farmers,
 He told stories about sowing seeds, harvest time, and the weather. To
 fishermen, He spoke about fish, nets, and storms. Jesus had a wonder-
 ful way of presenting great spiritual truths as He identified with the
 normal issues of daily life, and those who listened learned about the
 water of life and the need to sow the gospel seed. Many of them even
 became fishers of men.
                                                                     33

 A Hospitable Lifestyle
    There is a saying that is often voiced when we speak of reaching
 people for Christ. “People don’t care how much we know until they
 know how much we care.” The point is that we can teach and preach
 all we want, but if people feel misunderstood, unloved, and unac-
 cepted, then our witness will be severely hampered, no matter how
 eloquent our preaching or how reasonable and true our teachings.
    This leads to the simple idea of hospitality. Hospitality includes the
 areas of acceptance, welcoming, openness, caring, generosity, kind-
 ness, and friendship. These qualities all have to do with the way that
 God would have Christians relate both to one another and to those
 whom they seek to reach for the Lord.

 ________________________________________________________

 ________________________________________________________

 ________________________________________________________

    Jesus could have directed this man to go back to his town and tell
 everyone about his healing experience. The fact that the Lord specifi-
 cally directed him to seek out his friends underscores the truth that
 those with whom we already have relationships are the most receptive
 to the good news that we want to share about His love, grace, and
 deliverance. Those friends would then share the exciting news with
 their other friends, and so the gospel message goes forward.
    Important to this whole process is that we have friendships outside
 of our circle of believers. Because many work out in the world, they
 will naturally have many acquaintances, but acquaintances are not
 close friends. However, acquaintances can become friends through
 what has been called hospitality evangelism, and hospitality evan-
 gelism flows out of a hospitable lifestyle. In other words, hospitality
 evangelism is not something that is turned off on occasion; rather, it
 is the way we live. See also Luke 14:12–14.

  In what ways could you be more hospitable to those around
  you? How can you learn to be more willing to give of yourself
  in order to meet the needs of those whom you are seeking to
  reach? 34

 Widening Your Friendship Circle
    While a searching soul occasionally may approach a Christian and
 ask, “What must I do to be saved?” for the most part believers must go
 out in search of the lost sheep. Some suggest that the church acts too
 much like a fortress from which a few people go out on a campaign
 or mission in order to collect some converts who are then admonished
 not to get too close to the world from which they have been saved.
 Whether this is true or just a perception is not the point. The point
 is that many Seventh-day Adventists have few, or no, meaningful
 relationships outside of the fellowship. Though it is important for us
 to avoid unholy influences, there is a degree to which such isolation
 detracts from our ability to reach people with the gospel message.

 ________________________________________________________

   From these verses we can extract the following truths about Jesus’
 disciples and the world:
   They are in the world (vs. 11).
   They are not of the world (vss. 14, 16).
   They are not yet to be taken out of the world (vs. 15).
   Jesus sent them into the world (vs. 18).

    We are all born into this world. While we are here, God also has a
 work for us to do in it. Just as with His first disciples, Jesus has sent us
 into the world to introduce whomever we can to Him and the promise
 of salvation that He offers all humanity.
    The challenge for each one of us is to intentionally expand our
 personal mission field. This may mean adjusting our lifestyle in order
 to rub shoulders with more unchurched people. This is not to say that
 we compromise principles, convictions, and values, but, rather, that
 we look for opportunities where we can, in clear conscience, interact
 with others in a way that will allow us to become both friends and, as
 a result, channels of God’s truth.
    Often we excel in sending out invitations for the people to come to
 us. Yet, Jesus actually told us to go to them. Thus, we need to ask our-
 selves if we have withdrawn too much from the world and therefore
 have lost some of our evangelistic effectiveness.

  Look at yourself: do you tend to be too insular, too remote from
  the world? Or, perhaps, are you too cozy with the world? How
  can you better learn to be in the world (and thus witness to
  others) and yet not be “of it”?
                                                                         35

Further Study: Discover Where Your Ministry Fits Into Your
     Church’s Overall Plans.

       While most local church departments may have a well-organized
     program and be quite busy, the chances are that those involved in each
     department may not know much about what is happening in other
     areas of church life. Furthermore, there may not be an overall church
     evangelistic plan of which each department group is aware and,
     therefore, can contribute toward. For the purposes of encouragement,
     support, and effective evaluation, it is best that your evangelism and
     witnessing ministry be a part of an overall church strategy. To achieve 1        this, the following suggestions are important:

     1. Meet with your pastor, elders, or evangelism leaders to understand
     what, if any, evangelism and witnessing goals are in place and what
     strategies are being followed to reach these goals. Remember, you
     are trying to discover where your chosen evangelism and witness- 2        ing activities will fit with the church’s plans and help to reach their
     goals.

     2. You may discover that although there is much evangelistic activity
     in your church, there are no documented goals or strategies. If this is
     the case, then request a meeting with the pastor, elders, or evangelism
     leaders, and ask them what their personal goals for evangelism are.
     Take some notes during your discussions. You are building up a pic- 3        ture of your leadership’s evangelistic vision that will help to suggest
     goals and ways of reaching others.

     3. At this stage you may decide to join with an already established
     evangelistic ministry. If, however, your chosen ministry is in a new
     area of evangelism or witnessing, you will need to gather a small
     group of people who share your vision. Document your goals and the
     strategies you will employ to reach those goals.

Discussion Questions:
      l
      1 “Too often the influence of the sermon preached from the
      pulpit is counteracted by the sermon preached in the lives of
      those who claim to be advocates of truth.”—Ellen G. White,
      Testimonies for the Church, vol. 9, p. 21. What kind of witness
      does your life, as opposed to your words or profession, reveal?

      l2 Think about your church as a whole. How integrated into the
      community is it? If your church vanished tomorrow, how much
      difference to the community would that make? Would it make
      any difference at all?

36

  Sequential Evangelism and
  Witnessing


  Sabbath Afternoon				 Read for This Week’s Study: Matt. 25:35–40, 1 Cor. 3:1–3,   1 Pet. 2:2, John 6:54–66, Luke 8:4–15.

  S
         equential evangelism is a strategy based on the understanding
         that people will move from one church program to another when
         the programs are arranged in the right sequence. This, however,
  has to be done correctly or else it can do more harm than good.
    Our key text shows how Paul understood the fact that we can undo
  by overdoing. We can deliver so much complex material, and in the
  wrong order, that the receiver either chokes on the volume, fails to
  grasp the depth of meaning, or is reluctant to apply personally what is
  learned. Just as a baby’s diet begins with milk and gradually comes to
  include solid food, babes in Christ must receive spiritual food so that
  their developing spiritual understanding can assimilate.
    This week we will explore how evangelism and witnessing strate-
  gies and programs blend and how they build on, and support, each
  other throughout the church’s sequential evangelistic year.

  Sequential Evangelism and Felt Needs
     As we have already noted in earlier weeks, the discovery of individual
  or community felt needs will influence how we approach people and the
  programs and services that we make available to them. As we under-
  stand felt needs, we are better able to plan a sequence of programs that
  meets those basic needs, whether for an individual or a community.

  ________________________________________________________

  ________________________________________________________

     No doubt many who came to Jesus were primarily focused on His
  ability to relieve physical suffering. Jesus would help them physically,
  of course, but He would also address a need that perhaps was not keenly
  felt by each person—the need for spiritual healing.
     While God’s people today are active in meeting people’s personal
  or community needs, they must follow Jesus’ example and somehow
  help to turn minds to eternal issues.

  ________________________________________________________

  ________________________________________________________

     Ministering in any way to those whom Jesus loves and for whom
  He gave His life is ministering to Jesus Himself. This demonstrates
  just how closely related Jesus is with His creation. When any are
  hurting, He is concerned for them and sympathizes with them; we
  must do the same. Matthew 25:35–40 indicates that meeting felt needs
  does not always have to be a part of a fixed church strategy. When
  needs are discovered, they must be met, no matter where a church is
  in its sequential strategy. While many people will move along from
  program to program as their spiritual interests develop, others will
  need spiritual nourishment right away. A church need not abandon
  its planned sequence of programs and events, but it must be able to
  respond to any eventuality by having trained personnel and adequate
  resources available at all times.
                                                                       39

 Milk and Solid Food

 ________________________________________________________

    Evidently the members of the church at Corinth had not progressed
 very far in their spiritual development after Paul had established the
 group. Consequently, when he preached to them, his message was an
 appeal for them to surrender themselves to God and grow in spiritual-
 ity to the extent that they could grasp the deep truths of the gospel. His
 preaching at this time would have been evangelistic rather than edify-
 ing. Paul would not preach on the deeper themes while the people were
 not spiritually mature enough to understand and respond to them.
    As we reach out to people today, we must be ever mindful of Paul’s
 strategy. We must lead people to surrender to Christ before we expect
 them to accept the deep, life-changing truths of His Written Word.
    When we speak of an evangelistic sequence, it can refer to a long strat-
 egy or a short process. When people have progressed through a sequence
 of programs to the place where they are open to God’s call, they can
 be led through a full evangelistic series or begin a personal Bible study
 series. Whatever the program the principle is still the same: first the milk
 (simple gospel themes to begin a relationship) and then the solid food
 (deeper and more testing truths leading to firm commitment).

 ________________________________________________________

   A new Seventh-day Adventist was so excited about the truth he
 had learned that he wanted to tell everyone. Often, the first thing he
 wanted to share with others was all about “the mark of the beast.”
 However well-meaning, he was a prime example of how truth needs
 to be presented in a sequential manner.

  Think about some Bible truth that you struggled with at first
  that you found hard to accept. Over time, how did you eventu-
  ally settle into that truth? What did you learn from this experi-
  ence that could help you to be more sensitive in your outreach
  to others? 40

 Testing Truths
   A testing truth is a biblical teaching that, once understood, chal-
 lenges the individual to make significant changes in his or her per-
 sonal beliefs or lifestyle. Some testing truths, such as seventh-day
 Sabbath observance and the avoidance of unclean foods, impact both
 belief and lifestyle. This underscores once again the necessity of lead-
 ing people to accept Christ before urging them to do things for Him.

    Many who had witnessed, and benefited from, the feast on the
 mountainside the previous day followed Jesus in order to be fed again.
 As Jesus attempted to turn their minds to spiritual things by using the
 illustration of His body and blood, many turned away. It wasn’t that
 they could not grasp the truth of salvation through Christ alone; it was
 that they refused to accept it. It was a testing time, and when their
 personal wants were not met, they chose to walk away.

    Here is a challenge for those who claim to love Jesus to consider
 seriously their commitment to Him. Sooner or later the time will come
 when a professed belief will be tested by the call to action. The reality
 is that sometimes, at any stage in the evangelism process, people turn
 aside when faced with testing truths. Experience has shown, however,
 that people respond more easily and positively to a testing truth when
 a love relationship with the Savior has been cultivated. In other words,
 it is still true that the right sequence brings the best results.
    Jesus had many things that He wanted to tell the disciples, but He
 knew that they would not understand them yet (see John 16:12). His
 promise that the Holy Spirit would guide them into all truth (John
 16:13) is a promise that extends to our time, to us, and to those we
 seek to lead to Christ.

  However free the gift of grace is, the commitment that results
  from accepting that gift can, at times, be very costly. How can
  you help someone struggling with this cost, whatever the specifics?
  What have you learned about the cost of commitment that you
  could share with someone who is facing the same challenge?
                                                                      41

 Measuring Spiritual Growth
    Just because we deliver biblical information through a public lec-
 ture, seminar, or Bible study, there is no guarantee that we have influ-
 enced those present in a spiritual way. Many people have attended an
 evangelistic series, a Revelation seminar, a Bible study, or maybe all
 of the above. Though they might have gained an intellectual under-
 standing of Bible truth, this doesn’t mean that they have integrated
 these truths into their lives.
    How, then, can we better determine that people who hear what we
 have to say are being impacted by truth in a life-changing way?
    One important way in which we can measure people’s spiritual
 growth is by asking questions. Asking questions is a good way to
 gauge a person’s spiritual understanding and growth. It is best to ask
 open-ended questions. These are questions that encourage an informa-
 tive answer and that cannot be answered simply by yes or no.
    Some typical questions might be, What do you think these verses
 are saying to us today? How would you share this Bible truth with a
 friend? How do you feel about God’s promise to you? What changes
 do you think you need to make in your life, in your attitude toward
 others, and in how you live in general, because of what you have been
 studying? How do these truths help you to love Jesus more? Of all the
 things you have been learning, what impresses you the most? What
 gives you the most hope? The most fear?
    Bible studies, as well as other evangelistic presentations, should be
 arranged in a logical and orderly sequence. That is, the more simple
 and easy-to-understand studies are presented first, while more com-
 plex studies are presented later in the series when the Bible student’s
 understanding has grown. It is important that searching questions be
 asked throughout each study to gauge spiritual understanding and
 growth.

 ________________________________________________________

 ________________________________________________________

 ________________________________________________________

 ________________________________________________________

 Preparing a Harvest
    Leading a person along in his or her spiritual journey is like prepar-
 ing for a harvest. Anyone who has worked a vegetable garden knows
 that there is a definite time frame and sequence of steps to follow if
 the desired harvest is to be realized. We must dig in the soil, remove
 the weeds, plant the seeds, and water the garden. It is also necessary
 to create the right environment for the plants; some may require full
 sunlight, while others may need some shade. Furthermore, it is neces-
 sary to protect the plants from birds and other garden pests. In other
 words, plants in a garden must be nurtured from seeds to fruitful and
 mature plants. For people on the spiritual journey, a similar process
 begins before they are baptized, and it must continue afterward, as
 well. Ideally a person is nurtured along until he or she is able to start
 nurturing others. This truth again underscores the vital nature of a
 planned sequence that provides the right time frames, takes the right
 steps, and creates the best nurturing and protective environment.

 ________________________________________________________

 ________________________________________________________
 		
 ________________________________________________________
 				
   Jesus’ explanation of the parable reveals some interesting facts.
 Verse 12 suggests that some people began to believe but were sidetracked
 by the devil before their belief was firmly established. Verse 13 describes
 some who received the word with joy. They believed for a while, but,
 when tempted, they chose another direction. Verse 14 mentions another
 group who heard but did not go on to Christian maturity. Most of the
 people started on the journey toward Christ and His kingdom, but things
 happened at various stages along the way that prevented their growth
 progress.
   Simply sowing the seed is rarely enough to bring about a good
 harvest. Our challenge as a church, and as individuals, is to sow the
 gospel seed and then sequentially nurture to maturity all those who
 begin the journey.

  What part of the parable best describes your own spiritual
  experience? What choices can you make that can improve your
  situation?
                                                                        43

Further Study: Finding a Target Audience

        By now you will have discovered that the evangelism strategy
     we are following week to week will take longer than one quarter to
     achieve. For instance, we would not expect that the local evangelis-
     tic training opportunities mentioned in Lesson 3 will be discovered,
     planned, and attended in just one week. However, while you are con- 1
     sidering training and where your ministry will fit into your church’s
     overall plans, it is important that you consider your target audience.
        The following points are worth considering:
     1. In consultation with your pastor, elders, and evangelism leaders,
     decide upon your witnessing and evangelism programs and target
     audiences. Considering your target audience will help you to focus 2        on all aspects of the process. For instance, with a children’s program,
     it will be better to advertise in schools and in neighborhoods that
     contain young families. Other target audiences may be the retired, the
     unemployed, students, and so on.
     2. Focusing on a target audience will help you to choose the best
     personnel, location, time, and follow-up strategies. It will also help
     in effective evaluation at the conclusion of your program, as well as 3        providing you with a specific prayer focus.
     3. You may not have to look further than your church to select a target
     group. Consider people who attend church but are not baptized, or the
     church’s unbaptized young people, or people who regularly attend
     special church or church-school programs.

Discussion Questions:
      l
      1 “One truth received into the heart will make room for still
      another truth.”—Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol.
      6, p. 449. In what sequence should the truths we hold be presented
      in order to increase the effectiveness in our outreach? Why should
      Christ’s substitutionary death always be at the forefront of all that
      we teach?

      l
      2 “Christ drew the hearts of His hearers to Him by the manifesta-
      tion of His love, and then, little by little, as they were able to bear
      it, He unfolded to them the great truths of the kingdom. We also
      must learn to adapt our labors to the condition of the people—to
      meet men where they are.”—Ellen G. White, Evangelism, p. 57.
      How should love for those to whom we are speaking to about God’s
      Word temper the way we present Bible truth, especially points of
      doctrine that might challenge a person’s existing beliefs, or do we
      need to?


44

  Personal Evangelism and
  Witnessing


  Sabbath Afternoon				 Read for This Week’s Study: Acts 4:13, 14; John 1:37–50;
  Psalm 139; 1 Pet. 3:1–15; John 4:37, 38.

  A
           lthough many people will hear the good news about Jesus
           through a church’s witnessing and evangelism endeavors,
           there is a special sense in which the individual’s influence
  contributes significantly to the success of the corporate church pro-
  gram. Over the last few decades, surveys have shown that friends,
  relatives, neighbors, or acquaintances (all under the power of the
  Holy Spirit) were the most influential factors in leading people to give
  their hearts to Christ. Research has shown that up to 83 percent of
  new members surveyed stated the influence of their church-member
  friends, relatives, and acquaintances as being significant. Of those
  who attended some form of public evangelistic meetings before join-
  ing the church, 64 percent attended at the invitation of someone in
  their close-people network.
     This week we will review some biblical examples of networking
  and consider our connectedness to Jesus and our personal influence
  on those close to us.

 My God and Me		
    Our personal relationship with Jesus will have a direct bearing
 upon our success in witnessing for Him. It is so easy to learn some
 witnessing and evangelism formulas and then rally forth in our own
 assumed wisdom and strength. While God can still bless our efforts,
 we must ever remind ourselves that it is His work, and we accomplish
 it through His power. Do we want to merely impart knowledge (albeit
 important knowledge), or do we want to encourage a vital spiritual
 relationship? And how can we pass on to others what we don’t have
 in and of ourselves?
    Of course, there are always examples of people—however weak in
 faith themselves, however close to tottering on the edge of apostasy
 and backsliding—who nevertheless are used by God to lead others to
 Jesus. In a large city a number of years ago, a young woman, having
 joined the Seventh-day Adventist Church, worked tirelessly to reach
 her brother. After years, the brother was baptized. One month later,
 the sister left the faith and, as of now, still renounces it. Although
 cases like this happen, the fact is that the stronger our own connection
 with Jesus, the more powerful a witness we will be.

 ________________________________________________________

 ________________________________________________________

 ________________________________________________________

 ________________________________________________________

   The lesson in God’s Word is pretty clear. As we think about our
 personal mission fields, as we assess the ripeness of the grain and the
 urgent need of laborers, we need to allow the Lord to draw us into a
 close and powerful relationship with Him; a relationship that will give
 us power that, otherwise, we wouldn’t have.

  How is your own personal relationship with the Lord? How
  does your mere presence, the way you talk, act, and treat peo-
  ple, reveal your relationship with God? Be as painfully honest
  with yourself as you possibly can.
                                                                     47

 My Personal Mission Field
   When Jesus looked at the crowds of people, He was filled with
 compassion (see Matt. 9:36). Sometimes we may think that Jesus sim-
 ply saw the crowd, but, in reality, He saw each individual that made
 up the crowd. In the same way, we should be aware of the individuals
 in the crowds through which we walk and those in which we live.
 Our church can be aware of individuals in the crowd only if church
 members interact on an individual basis with those who are in their
 sphere of influence.
   Those with whom we personally interact on various levels of
 intimacy are, in reality, our personal mission field. From our closest
 family relationships we can move outward to other relatives, friends,
 and acquaintances. Occasionally others may fleetingly move in and
 out of our sphere of influence and, for a brief time, become a part of
 our personal mission field.

    Andrew had been a disciple of John the Baptist, and as John’s min-
 istry was to prepare the way for Jesus, it is understandable that some
 disciples made the transition to following Jesus. Andrew’s conversa-
 tion with Jesus excited him so much that he immediately went looking
 for the person closest to him, the brother with whom he had spent
 many long nights fishing on the Sea of Galilee.

 ________________________________________________________
 								
 ________________________________________________________

    The early movement to follow Jesus seems to have gained momen-
 tum through social networking in the Capernaum and Bethsaida areas.
 Notice that Philip does not argue when Nathanael has doubts that the
 Messiah would come from a small, insignificant, rural village. He just
 issues a simple invitation, “Come and see.”
  How much self-sacrifice will it take on your part for you to be
  a better witness to those in your vicinity? 48

                                                               49

 The Witness of a Righteous Life
    Do actions really speak louder than words? Yes, immensely so. It is
 true, therefore, that while a message can be given through actions without
 words, an equally strong message can be given through words without
 actions. There is something very powerful about a message that incor-
 porates both actions and words that are in agreement. To profess to love
 God and then act as if you don’t is hypocrisy, and the worst witness that
 can be given is profession and action that are not in harmony.
    Consistency speaks loudly. While your family and friends may not
 seem to be listening to what you say, they are watching to see if it is
 in harmony with what you do and how you live.

 ________________________________________________________

 ________________________________________________________

 ________________________________________________________

    We can imagine the strife that could have arisen when a pagan
 woman accepted Jesus as her Savior while her husband remained in
 paganism. Her burden for his salvation could lead her to exhibit an
 argumentative and nagging spirit as she considered him to be part of her
 personal mission field. On the other hand, as Peter suggests, she could
 be faithful to her God and hope and pray that her godly life would win
 her unbelieving husband to the Master. In other words, she could let the
 actions of her daily life be a constant and powerful witness.
    Letting our light shine incorporates all the possibilities of influenc-
 ing lost men and women for the kingdom. Those around us must not
 only hear our good words, they must also see our good works, for in
 so doing they will see the power of God working through us, and the
 Spirit will challenge them to recognize the possibility and blessing
 of God’s presence in human lives. People must be convinced that
 Christianity is not only a title that we claim but also an empowering
 relationship that we enjoy. Using examples is an important method of
 teaching, and Christians are examples, whether intentionally or unin-
 tentionally. We witness by what we do and who we are even more
 than by what we say or profess to believe. If that’s a scary thought,
 it ought to be. 50

  My Contribution to the Whole
     This week we have been considering our personal mission field and
  our witnessing and evangelism potential. It is also important to grasp
  the truth that, because the church consists of all the members, each
  one’s individual effort contributes to the church’s overall corporate
  evangelism. Are you aware of what strategies your church has in place
  in its work to lead people to Jesus? You may be able to invite people
  from your personal mission field to attend church functions and pro-
  grams. On the other hand, are your church’s evangelism leaders aware
  of what you are doing in your personal mission field? They may be able
  to support you through prayer and with specific resources.

  ________________________________________________________

  ________________________________________________________
  									
  It is very probable that on this occasion Jesus was making reference to
  the gospel seed sown by Himself, John the Baptist, and the Samaritan
  woman. The disciples were reaping where others had sown, and the time
  had indeed arrived when sowers and reapers were rejoicing together.
     When Jesus said “ ‘ “One sows and another reaps,” ’ ” He was not
  saying that, as individuals, we are either sowers or reapers. Although our
  churches have probably put more emphasis upon the reapers, it is true
  that, were there no sowers, the reapers would wait in vain for a harvest.
  We are all called to sow and to reap, and in any local church scene there
  are many combinations of sowing and reaping activities. It may be that
  your sowing in your personal mission field will be reaped at a corporate
  church reaping process. It may also be that the seeds that others have
  sown will be reaped as people come into your personal mission field.
     As we consider the ways in which each individual contributes to
  the whole (see 1 Cor. 12:12–27), the farming process reminds us that
  even before the seed is sown, someone else has cleared the ground
  and ploughed the soil.
     Clearly the sowing and reaping are parts of a process that continues
  after a person has joined the body. The harvest must not be left in the
  fields but gathered into the barn.

   How can you be more involved in the sowing and reaping pro-
   cess in your church? In what ways have you discovered that by
   working for the salvation of others, your own faith is strength-
   ened? Why do you think that is so?
                                                                        51

Further Study: Spiritual Preparation for a Personal Ministry

       While we would not deny the importance of Bible knowledge and
     the proven procedures of witnessing and evangelism, we must be
     careful not to neglect an emphasis on personal spiritual preparation. 1
     The essential ingredient in personal spiritual growth is, of course, the
     Holy Spirit, and to experience the Holy Spirit’s power for evangelism
     we must give Him access to our lives.
       As Christians begin to serve their God, they become more aware of
     personal spiritual needs. As they then request, and receive, a greater
     indwelling of the Holy Spirit, they are empowered for a continuing 2        ministry.
       The key is a daily surrendering of our will to God, a daily willing-
     ness to die to self, a daily keeping of the grace of Christ before us, a
     daily remembrance of what we have been given in Christ and what He
     asks of us in response to that gift.

Discussion Questions:
      l1 In regard to winning souls, Ellen G. White wrote this chal- 3         lenging statement: “Your success will not depend so much upon
      your knowledge and accomplishments, as upon your ability to
      find your way to the heart.”—Gospel Workers, p. 193. What
      important point is she making here? After all, how often do we
      see people turn away from the powerful and convincing evidence
      for our message? So often doctrine itself—no matter how bibli-
      cal, logical, uplifting, and sensible—will not impact a person
      with a closed heart. How, then, do we reach the heart? In this
      context, how much more important is it to live out what we pro-
      fess rather than just profess it?

      l
      2 Ponder the following statement as you consider the ways in
      which you can share your personal experience with others: “The
      last rays of merciful light, the last message of mercy to be given
      to the world, is a revelation of His character of love. The children
      of God are to manifest His glory. In their own life and character
      they are to reveal what the grace of God has done for them.”
      —Ellen G. White, Christ’s Object Lessons, pp. 415, 416. The
      question is, How do we in a daily and practical way “manifest
      His glory”? How often in the past 24 hours have you manifested
      God’s glory in your life? What kind of witness for your faith
      does your lifestyle reveal? How can your local church as a whole
      “manifest His glory”?




52

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                            15590489

  Corporate Evangelism and
  Witnessing


  Sabbath Afternoon				 Read for This Week’s Study: Eccles. 4:9–12; Psalm 37;   Phil. 1:5–18; Eph. 4:15, 16; Col. 1:28, 29.

  A
           s we have seen, it is important that all believers recognize
           their God-given potential. Scripture gives many examples
           where believers used their gifts while working with appointed
  leaders in an evangelistic team ministry.
    In Acts 13:13, Luke’s reference to “Paul and his party” suggests
  that the apostle Paul was the recognized leader of a missionary group
  that included Barnabas (vs. 1). Luke tells us that sometimes the mis-
  sionary work of Paul and Barnabas showed that they worked together
  (Acts 13:50, 14:1).
    Sometimes it is difficult for someone to become involved in local
  church witnessing and evangelism because leaders are not constantly
  looking for gifted people to incorporate into that work.
    Last week we looked at the contributions of individual members in
  relation to the church’s witnessing and evangelism. This week we will
  look at some aspects of the church’s corporate strategies and the way
  in which individuals can become involved.

  Letting the Left and Right Hand Know
    Most people in the church are busy; others, for various reasons, do
  comparatively little. Either way, people often are not aware of what
  their church as a whole is planning or working toward; consequently,
  they don’t see how the activities in which they may be involved are
  contributing to the church’s overall goals.

     These verses describe the benefits of mutual help, support, and care,
  whatever the situation. What is true for two or three people is also true for
  the local church. For the blessings described in Ecclesiastes 4:9–12 to be
  realized, each person must be aware of the activities of the others. If one
  person is not aware of what the others are doing or planning, how can they
  know what support is needed, and when? If we consider these points with
  our local church’s witnessing and evangelism in mind, we see again that
  if most members are unaware of what their church is involved in, they are
  not able to give support and assistance when needed. Sadly, because of a
  lack of support, those who are on the front line of witnessing and evan-
  gelism sometimes feel that no one cares about this vital ministry when
  it simply may be the case that others just don’t know what is going on.

    What may at first seem to have nothing to do with the church’s
  witnessing and evangelism strategies will, upon further consideration,
  be revealed as being vital to the whole process. Those who provide
  food and lodging for the visiting evangelist play as vital a part as those
  who welcome the public to the program. Many church members will
  volunteer to support when they are aware of the program and what is
  needed and when they are assured that their contribution is an integral
  part of the whole church program. In this context, it is important to let
  the right hand know what the left hand is doing.

   Take a few moments to reflect upon your church’s evangelism
   and witnessing activities. Are you aware of the corporate church
   goals and strategies? Do you know at what stage the church is in
   this year’s program? How could you become more involved in
   your church’s attempts to fulfill the gospel commission?
                                                                           57

 Planning Together					
 		
    Often, when it comes to the planning of witnessing and evangelism
 goals and strategies, only a very few people are involved. Then when
 plans have been decided, those few people set about the task of trying
 to get others involved in the implementation stages. It is much better
 to get a larger group involved right from the start. This is why the
 Seventh-day Adventist Church Manual states that a chief concern of
 the church board is the work of planning and fostering evangelism in
 all of its phases.

 ________________________________________________________

   There are a number of mistakes that churches can make when con-
 sidering their involvement in witnessing and evangelism. They can
 set goals but then neglect to introduce strategies necessary to reaching
 them; they can try to work on some strategies without setting any firm
 goals; or they can attempt either of the above without considering a
 process of evaluation. Goals and plans go hand in hand, but goals
 always come first so that plans that enable the goals to be reached can
 be laid. Furthermore, it is the process of evaluation that helps to keep
 the church on track and measures progress toward its goals.
   Every church should be aware of the concept of goal ownership.
 Those who set goals and are involved in strategic planning are
 typically the ones who buy into the whole direction and process. It is
 important, therefore, that as many people as possible have some input
 into all phases of the planning so that they, too, have a sense of own-
 ership. If this does not happen, then, most likely, the long-term plans
 will become the property of a select few who will struggle to fulfill
 those plans. In this case, success is unlikely.

  Read Psalm 37. What assurance can we gain from this text in
  relation to the success of our witnessing and evangelism activi-
  ties (as well as a host of other things)? What principles and
  promises can we take from this passage?

  ______________________________________________________

  ______________________________________________________

  ______________________________________________________

 Working in Teams
   It is logical to think that there were times when each of the disciples
 would have shared their faith on a one-to-one basis, but for the most
 part we see them in a shared ministry with fellow disciples and being
 supported by other believers. There is something special about work-
 ing on an overall plan and receiving support and encouragement from
 others on the team.
   The Bible provides us with a blueprint for effective witnessing and
 evangelism, and it should not surprise us that, even today, when God
 raises up someone for a significant responsibility, He inspires a team
 to gather around the leader.

 ________________________________________________________

    Without question, the early believers worked together in groups. It
 makes a lot of sense. Besides each one having specific gifts and talents
 that others don’t, there’s also protection in numbers. There’s a sense
 of accountability: others are watching you, others can help guide you,
 others can help to protect you from wandering into directions that
 tragically might lead you astray. A solid team of faithful brothers and
 sisters, each one looking out for the other, yet all with the common
 goal of soul-winning, presents the ideal way of doing outreach.

 ________________________________________________________

    At the beginning of his letter to the Philippians, Paul speaks of their
 fellowship (partnership, NIV) in the gospel (vs. 5). They had defended
 and confirmed the gospel (vs. 7) and had spoken the word of God
 without fear (vs. 14). He also shares his joy because Christ is continu-
 ally preached (vss. 15–18). Remember, Paul is writing to the church,
 not to individuals. Of course, it would have been individuals who
 preached Christ, but the fact that Paul commends the church reveals
 that this evangelistic preaching was a corporate strategy.

  Eager to witness, have you ever found yourself tempted in ways
  that being in a group could have protected you from? Why is it
  important to cultivate an attitude of humility and accountabil-
  ity if you are going to work with others in a group?
                                                                       59

 Every Part Does Its Share
    When a unified church is focused upon the evangelistic task at hand,
 the Lord will bless its combined efforts. A careful study of the Bible
 will reveal how much of the New Testament was written to show
 Christians how to live and work together in harmony. “One another”
 passages are scattered thickly throughout its pages. We are commanded
 to love one another (John 15:12), forgive one another (Eph. 4:32), pray
 for one another (James 5:16), to mention just a few. Besides the “one
 another” passages, many scriptures relate to the corporate church, the
 work that it does, and the corresponding growth.

 ________________________________________________________

 ________________________________________________________

 ________________________________________________________

    Paul tells us that it is God’s will that we grow into Jesus Christ.
 This shows that we are all on a spiritual journey, and, to a degree,
 it is our own spiritual journey. However, the text explains that each
 individual’s growth will affect the growth of the body both numeri-
 cally and spiritually.
    As believers grow up into Christ, something happens that is won-
 derful, even supernatural. They are “joined and knit together” through
 their personal contributions to the church as a whole. Optimum effec-
 tiveness of any church is achieved when every part does its share.
 According to Acts 1:12–14, what did the early believers do while they
 waited in Jerusalem for the promised Holy Spirit? The answer should
 tell us a lot about what corporate worship meant. Indeed, it wasn’t
 until the Holy Spirit had come upon the early believers that they were
 ready for the task of fulfilling the gospel commission. This group,
 numbering about a hundred and twenty, were united in prayer and
 continued in prayer. No doubt it was Jesus’ promise of the Holy Spirit
 that united them and constantly brought them together for prayer as
 they waited for the power that would enable them to do the Lord’s
 bidding. We, as a church, should be doing the same.

  As you think about your local church, ask yourself this ques-
  tion: How much time and effort does your church, as a corpo-
  rate whole, spend in outreach, witnessing, and evangelism in
  contrast to the time it spends over internal issues, everything
  from liturgy, worship format to music, and so on? Discuss the
  answer on Sabbath. 60

 The Need for Corporate Unity
   It has been well said that a Christianity that does not begin with
 the individual does not begin, but a Christianity that ends with the
 individual ends. This statement underscores the importance of every
 new believer being incorporated into the body of believers. As with
 witnessing and evangelism, it is also true that incorporation cannot
 be left to certain individuals in the fellowship. Incorporation is the
 responsibility of the entire church.

 ________________________________________________________

    The Christian’s maturity, growing into the fullness of Christ (Eph.
 3:19), is the proper goal of the local congregation. Working for the matu-
 rity of new converts is just as important as working to get them to accept
 Christ and to join His church. In fact, the church’s work of incorporation
 will help to ensure that their evangelistic efforts will not become a waste
 of time. Usually, before any witnessing and evangelism project gets
 under way, there is a time of preparing the church. This is a time when we
 focus on transportation, child care, greeters, prayer teams, and visitation
 teams. The apostle Paul would have us focus on incorporation as another
 important part of church preparation. Consider the following question:

    Often we see the work of follow-up and incorporation as the work
 of the one who has led the person to Jesus Christ. We only have to
 realize how impossible it would have been for the apostle Paul to
 nurture all who believed through his ministry in order to see that this
 is not the biblical way. Follow-up is not just the work of one or two
 designated leaders, it is the work of the whole church.
    Too often we lament the fact that new people come in the front door
 and leave by the back door soon after. This is a tragedy of eternal
 consequence.

  Think about new members in your local church. How can
  you—not the pastor or the elder, but you—get involved in help-
  ing them to become solidly grounded in the church community
  and its teachings?
                                                                        61

Further Study: Setting Realistic Evangelism Goals

        Both as a church and as a smaller ministry team, we must make sure
     that all witnessing and evangelistic goals are realistic. The following
     are some key areas to consider.
        Affordable. Finances play a big part in many church strategies
     today. Consider the costs of advertising, transportation, resources,
     postage, venue hire, refreshments, to mention just a few of the
     expenses incurred in evangelistic activities. 1           Achievable. Are the set goals realistically achievable? Do we
     really have the money, time, support, facilities, and personnel needed
     to achieve the planned outcomes? It is better to start small and build
     into a larger project as others join the team and key support is given
     in other important areas.
        Sustainable. If a witnessing and evangelism ministry is successful, 2        it is surely worth repeating. It may also be that your ministry is part
     of an ongoing strategy, in which case you will need to keep looking
     ahead in order to organize what is needed to sustain the ministry.
        Able to be evaluated. Be sure that you evaluate all aspects of the min-
     istry: personnel, finances, training, results, to name just a few. For
     ongoing ministries, definite and regular evaluation times must be set
     and adhered 10. Also be sure to examine how this venture contributed
     toward the church’s overall strategic plans for evangelism. 3

Discussion Questions:
      l
      1 Go over your answer to Wednesday’s question as a class. Why
      is it that churches busy fighting internally rarely do outreach?
      In contrast, how could outreach unify a church that’s otherwise
      preoccupied with internal strife? How can you help your church
      to move away from preoccupation with itself and get busy with
      the work of outreach? Why is that so important?

      l
      2 As you consider the following quotation, think about your
      local church. To what extent are the members involved in
      witnessing and evangelism teams? What part can you play in
      organizing team-training events? What is your personal attitude
      toward working in teams? “In laboring where there are already
      some in the faith, the minister should at first seek not so much to
      convert unbelievers, as to train the church members for accept-
      able co-operation.”—Ellen G. White, Gospel Workers, p. 196.
      How many members of your church have even the slightest idea
      of how to work for the conversion of souls? If not many, how can
      that situation be changed?



62

  Equipping for Evangelism
  and Witnessing




  Sabbath Afternoon				 Read for This Week’s Study: Matt. 4:19, 11:1–11, 10:1–14,
  1 Pet. 5:8, 2 Pet. 3:9.

  I
      t is highly unlikely that a person who has no personal assurance
      of salvation will be able to lead another into an intimate saving
      relationship with Jesus (although it does happen). They might be
  able to convince others to believe some Bible doctrines and some
  facts, biblical dates, and charts. Such convictions and beliefs may
  even cause people to make significant lifestyle changes. However,
  because good deeds can be performed apart from Jesus Christ, it is
  imperative that any witnessing and evangelistic training feature both
  the doctrinal and the spiritual. To be a true evangelist, one must have a
  firm grasp and experience of “the everlasting gospel.” It is this gospel
  that ultimately brings belief, confession, conversion, assurance, and
  discipleship.
     This week we will see that spiritually and skillfully equipping
  people for evangelism and witnessing is indeed a biblical principle
  and that we need to encourage people to make this a reality in their
  local church.

 The Need for Training
    In Matthew 9:37 Jesus told the disciples that the harvest was plen-
 tiful but the laborers few. Today the harvest is infinitely larger and
 the laborers are still relatively few. There is a great need to send out
 harvest workers who are thoroughly trained and equipped. While it
 ever remains true that the Holy Spirit’s influence is the major factor
 in the success of witnessing and evangelism, it is still important that
 those whom God calls to service be trained through formal instruc-
 tion, observation, and participation. According to Ephesians 4:11, 12,
 there should be a definite endeavour to equip people for the many and
 varied aspects of ministry and service.
    God has promised to bless leaders with certain gifts that will help
 them to function as leaders and trainers for ministry. We can’t stress
 enough, however, that evangelists, pastors, and teachers are not fol-
 lowing scriptural guidelines if they are doing all the work themselves
 and are not equipping others for service. Everyone who is training for
 witnessing and evangelism work must be brought to the strong con-
 viction that it is indeed God’s will that the world be saved from sin,
 that the God-given work of the church is to reach out to a lost world,
 and that it is God’s will that His church in the world will grow.

 ________________________________________________________

 ________________________________________________________

   It is significant that Jesus did not simply call the disciples to be fish-
 ers of men. He did not say “Follow Me, and be fishers of men.” He said,
 “ ‘Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men’ ” (ital. supplied).
 Right at the beginning of their formal association with Jesus these men
 understood that they were embarking upon important training. Jesus
 called them into a learning environment where they would be trained
 for the task to which He had called them. The disciples would learn
 much through watching and doing. Only when they had learned, on the
 local scene, what to do and how to do it would Jesus issue to them a
 worldwide commission. Without the appropriate training, instruction,
 and personal spiritual development of workers, the task of taking the
 gospel to our neighborhoods would seem impossible.
                                                                         65

  Learning by Observing
    There are two aspects to learning for those who wish to serve the
  Lord, and one leads to the other. First there is learning to know Jesus;
  then comes learning how to share Him and what He offers to the
  whole fallen human race.

  ________________________________________________________

    How exciting not only to listen to the greatest preacher but to
  observe His presentation as He preached about the kingdom of God
  (Luke 9:11) in a way that would have created a desire for the kingdom
  in every heart.
    The principle of learning through observation is applicable to
  everyone. Book learning, or listening to instruction, must always be
  built upon through observation and involvement. Jesus expected the
  disciples of John the Baptist to learn from what they had observed.

  ________________________________________________________

     John the Baptist had previously presented Jesus as the Lamb of God
  who takes away the sin of the world. But then John was imprisoned
  with no opportunity to preach, and he heard only secondhand reports of
  Jesus’ ministry. It seems that his prison experience caused some doubts
  to surface in his mind regarding Jesus. When doubts arise we should go
  to Jesus, and that is exactly what John did. Jesus sent John’s disciples
  back to tell him what they had heard and seen. As their reports encour-
  aged John, we are left to wonder how the things that they had seen
  impacted their own witnessing and evangelistic ministry.

   In most cases we can’t do the kind of miracles performed by
   Jesus. But with a willingness to die to self and live for others,
   what can we do in our own sphere that reflects the kind of work
   that Jesus did when here? 66

 Learning by Doing
   No matter how many books people read about their favorite sport,
 and no matter how many games are watched, if they want to be a player
 they have to put their boots on and get out on the field. We call it hands-
 on experience, learning by doing, and without it a person is simply not
 equipped for the task. This universal truth even applies to the Christian’s
 witnessing and evangelism. Sometimes we hear people say that they
 don’t want to get involved because they are not completely ready. They
 must understand that active participation is a vital part of becoming
 ready. Starting small, step by step, building up, is the way to go. As the
 Holy Spirit leads us, our skills, experience, and confidence increases.

    Jesus had taught the disciples “in the classroom,” so to speak. He had
 also taken them out into the field where they learned by observing what
 He did. Then after Jesus had equipped them with power to heal the sick,
 raise the dead, and cast out demons (vs. 8), He sent them out without
 Him. But notice the amount of instruction He gave as He sent them out.
 Jesus instructed them about what to preach, what miracles to perform,
 what not to take with them, with whom to lodge, and when to leave an
 unfruitful field of labor. We can safely assume that they received other
 instructions, as well. Only through this interaction with people would
 many important lessons be learned. This passage shows on-the-job
 training at its best. They couldn’t minister to those with whom they
 didn’t come into contact; this is a point we must never forget.

   Although initially Jesus sent the 70 into places where He intended
 to shortly go Himself (vs. 1), He knew what the disciples and other
 missionaries would encounter as they attempted to spread the gospel
 after His ascension when they were on their own. The instructions
 given to the seventy disciples as they were sent out indicates that
 Jesus was preparing them for what lay ahead.

  How many excuses do you manage to find to not witness for your
  faith when the opportunity arises? What’s your usual one?
  ______________________________________________________
                                                                        67

 Learning Through Failure
    Sometimes we may fail to reach all of the goals that have been set
 for a particular evangelism activity. Does this mean that we have totally
 failed? Of course not. Regardless of the strategy we employ in our search
 to win the lost, we will have both successes and failures. We may even set
 the bar too high. For instance, if we fail to reach set baptismal goals, we
 may have set unrealistic goals; or this activity may have been more of a
 seed-sowing venture than a reaping program. In short, however much we
 might think the harvest is ready for reaping, it might still only be sowing
 time. We aren’t always in a position to know.

   In all of our attempts to win souls, we are up against a supernatural
 foe that is very active to influence people against the gospel. Sometimes
 when we let go of the hand of the Lord, the evil one can cause some
 problems with our efforts to work for God. Our only defense is the
 complete surrender to Christ every moment of our lives.
   As with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, failure may some-
 times cause us to play the blame game, one of Satan’s most successful
 tools for bringing disharmony among God’s people. Rather than look-
 ing for people to blame, we would do better to undertake serious, hon-
 est, and intensive evaluation, remembering that even Jesus, the greatest
 Preacher/Evangelist, did not win everyone to whom He appealed.

   Rather than give in to despair over our perceived failures, we can
 learn from the disciples again. Even though they had been given the
 power over evil spirits and had indeed been successful in casting them
 out, it is evident that sometimes they failed to accomplish that for
 which Jesus had gifted them. On such occasions they came to Jesus
 and asked Him to explain what was happening and why (see Matt.
 17:19). Here is a principle that we would do well to note; an important
 part of our search for reasons for failure, and how to do better, is to
 take our witnessing and evangelism situations to the Lord.

  What have you learned from your failed attempts at witnessing
  to others that can help you in future attempts? How often does
  fear of rejection hold you back? 68

 Learning Through Success
    There are two areas in which we can learn through success: the area
 that can be called practical/procedural and the area that can be called
 spiritual cooperation. Although it can be rightly argued that there is
 a spiritual aspect to both areas, we will deal with them separately in
 order to better highlight what can be learned from success.
    The practical/procedural is where we learn from what we actually
 do. For instance, we learn the most acceptable sequence in which to
 present Bible studies in our area. We learn which preaching venue is
 best, which advertising draws the most people, and a host of other
 practical and procedural choices that best fit our particular location.
    Spiritual cooperation is an emphasis upon the fact that God is inti-
 mately involved in the believer’s witnessing and evangelism. After
 all, it is God’s will that everyone be saved.

 ________________________________________________________

 ________________________________________________________

    It is no use planting if no one is going to water the seeds. Likewise,
 it is no use watering if you don’t put the water where the seeds are
 planted. And even if the sower and the one who waters get it all right,
 there is still no increase unless given by God. As we see the blessing
 of God bringing success to our humble efforts, we learn. We learn the
 extent to which God is, and wants to be, involved in our endeavors.
 We learn to trust Him more. We learn the importance of a close spiri-
 tual cooperation with God as we strive to reach the souls for whom
 Christ died because there isn’t a person you witness to for whom
 Christ has not died and whom He doesn’t want to see saved. How
 important it is that we never forget this crucial truth.

  How do we take the words of Jesus in John 15:5 and make
  them practical and real in our lives, particularly in our work of
  witnessing and evangelism? How can we as individuals or as a
  team ministry truly experience what Christ tells us in this text?
  What things must we change in order to have that kind of con-
  nection with Him?
  ______________________________________________________

  ______________________________________________________

                                                                      69

Further Study: Formulate Evangelistic Strategies.

        As your church seeks to do its part in outreach, keep the following
     points in mind:
      • At the very least, involve all of the witnessing or evangelism team
        in the strategic planning process. Ideally the whole congregation
        will be involved in the church’s setting of goals and direction.

      • Initially plan for the next church year. A 12-month strategy is long 1
        enough to start with. Later, you can add more plans and strategies
        that will continue beyond the initial period.

      • Give great attention to helping strategic personnel know exactly
        what is expected of them and at what time. When people are not
        sure of what to do or when and how to do it, a church’s strategic 2
        momentum toward its goals may be slowed or halted.

Discussion Questions:
      l
      1 “Every church should be a training school for Christian
      workers.”—Ellen G. White, The Ministry of Healing, p. 149. How
      well does your local church fare in this area? If not very well,
      what can be done to bring about the needed changes?

      l
      3 In class, talk about someone or some church evangelistic proj-
      ect that has been successful as a whole. What can you learn from
      that person or project? How can you adapt what you have learned
      to the work in your area, realizing that every situation is different
      and what works in one place might not work in another?

70

  Releasing Into Ministry




  Sabbath Afternoon				 Read for This Week’s Study: Exod. 18:13–26; Matt. 7:17,
  18; Acts 6:1–8; John 4:36; Acts 15:36–40.

  M
             any church members lament the fact that although they are
             prepared to attend witnessing and evangelism training semi-
             nars, they are not encouraged to become involved when they
  return to their home church. Consequently, many churches that are not
  very active in witnessing and evangelistic activities are unaware of the
  well-trained people in their midst. Occasionally some people will volun-
  tarily offer their services, but many others conclude that they are either
  not needed or not wanted. The most successful way to stifle member
  involvement in any church activity is to deny them involvement in areas
  in which they are equipped to function. It is the responsibility of every
  local church to discover where, and how, each member can contribute
  to the witnessing and evangelism strategies of the church. All who are
  willing do have a place. The key is to find that place.
     This week we will explore the concept of intentionally sending out gos-
  pel workers and the ways in which maximum member involvement con-
  tributes to overall church harmony and spiritual and numerical growth.

 Shared Responsibility
    Many a dedicated church leader has cut short, or at best diminished, his
 or her effectiveness by unwillingness to share the ministry load with oth-
 ers. This is not a new problem generated by our fast-paced modern world.
 Even the great Old Testament leader Moses needed some help in order
 to see the big picture of shared leadership. We can learn much from his
 experience and the good advice received from his father-in-law, Jethro.

 ________________________________________________________

 ________________________________________________________

   We can only guess at how long Moses would have been able to
 keep up his unrealistic work schedule. Likewise, we can only surmise
 as to what extent Moses was aware of the availability of capable help-
 ers. What the story does reveal, however, is that there were many who
 were able and willing to help. Moses would need to let them become
 involved, delegating certain duties of leadership to them.
   The ministry that church leaders must willingly share includes witness-
 ing and evangelism. The principles of properly organized and shared
 responsibility that we glean from Moses’ experience are invaluable to
 our efforts to win souls for the kingdom.

 ________________________________________________________

 ________________________________________________________

   It was probably the intense spiritual nature of the task of speaking
 for God that made Moses reticent to share his responsibilities. We, too,
 sense the awesome responsibility of talking to people about God and
 speaking for God. Our witnessing and evangelism is serious business.
 We are mindful that eternal lives are at stake. And while this would,
 and should, cause us to be careful as to how we proceed, we must be
 ever willing to involve everyone in outreach and evangelism.
   Read again Exodus 18:21, 22. Notice that the newly appointed leader-
 ship made their ministry of the leaders available at all times. Thus, we
 should always be ready to give an answer for the hope that is within us.
                                                                        73

 Risking for Success
    Members of Seventh-day Adventist churches have tremendous
 ministry potential. Many are enthusiastic about involvement in their
 church’s evangelism strategies; however, those in leadership are
 sometimes reticent to let them get involved. Behind this “only profes-
 sionals can do it” mind-set is the fear that church members may do
 or say something wrong, causing people to turn away from Christ
 and His church. Sadly, this resistance to member involvement is so
 ingrained that it prevails even when people have been adequately
 trained for a ministry. The Holy Spirit and the promises He brings
 aren’t just for the leaders; they are for all who are willing to surrender
 in faith and submission to the Lord, for all who are willing to deny
 self and work for the salvation of others.

 ________________________________________________________

 ________________________________________________________

 ________________________________________________________

    If every sound tree bears good fruit, church leaders should focus
 on growing sound trees. As with everything that has to do with our
 response to the gospel call, we must first be someone for Jesus before
 we can successfully do things for Him. If we give adequate attention
 to the leading of people into a meaningful and deepening relationship
 with Jesus, the Holy Spirit will ensure that they bear the right fruit.
 Our part is to lead, teach, and train. God’s part is to bless their minis-
 try. We need to trust them and God. If we give adequate attention to
 spiritual growth and practical skills, we can trust people to produce
 the right fruit of evangelistic success. Certainly, there may be an ele-
 ment of risk depending on the ministry undertaken and the level of
 training, but we must remember that even the disciples, who had the
 greatest Teacher ever, never won every soul to whom they appealed.

  Have you ever felt that your gifts and talents were not appreci-
  ated? What might be the cause? Look inside yourself and see
  if, perhaps, the fault might lie there with you and some of your
  own attitudes (pride, and so on) instead of somewhere else?
  ______________________________________________________ 74

 Matching the Laborers With the Harvest
    When people show an interest in learning more about God and His
 church, we must choose carefully the ones who will be given the task
 of witnessing to them. In a multicultural society, we would do well to
 assign someone of the same nationality and language as the inquirer and
 possibly someone of a similar age group. Furthermore, we would con-
 sider the spiritual maturity, biblical knowledge, communication skills,
 and salvation experience of the worker. In other words, we should take
 seriously the matching of the laborer to those with whom he or she will
 be working.
    When it comes to witnessing and evangelism, there is no such thing
 as one size fits all. There is uniqueness to everyone’s life journey
 and uniqueness to each one’s spiritual journey. However, while this
 uniqueness exists, there are also similarities in people’s experiences,
 and it makes good sense to match as well as possible the experiences
 of the believer and the seeker.

 ________________________________________________________

 ________________________________________________________

    Notice the progression of these events: the disciples were made
 aware of a pressing problem. The disciples asked the believers to find
 seven men to address the problem. The believers brought their selec-
 tion to the disciples. The disciples appointed them with the laying on of
 hands, and the number of disciples multiplied greatly.
    Although Stephen and the other six appointees were to “serve tables,”
 the qualification for this task did not seem to be that they had the ability
 to organize and distribute food. The believers still looked for spirit-
 filled men because their ministry to the Greek-speaking Jewish widows
 would also be a witnessing and evangelism work. Thus, we see that the
 newly appointed men were crucial to the evangelism of the early church
 in that they freed up the frontline evangelists and also actively sup-
 ported their work (see vs. 8). Again we can affirm that any ministry that
 church members get involved in will directly or indirectly contribute to,
 and support, witnessing and evangelism endeavors of a church.
     Although natural talents, spiritual gifts, and specific training are
 important to a successful church ministry, personal attitudes are, per-
 haps, even more important. Notice that in Acts 16:1–5 and Acts 4:36,
 37, both Timothy and Barnabas had the attitude of doing whatever it
 took to support this gospel ministry. Barnabas would give of his per-
 sonal means, and Timothy would submit to circumcision so as not to
 offend some Jews. The lessons for us are, indeed, obvious.
                                                                         75

  Spiritual Growth Through Ministry
  Involvement
    Spiritual growth comes only as we connect with Jesus. It cannot
  be produced by human beings simply performing specific tasks, even
  witnessing and evangelism tasks. A church cannot “program” spiri-
  tuality into its members. However, it is a great truth that as believers
  respond to God’s call to be disciples, their personal walk with the
  Lord deepens and strengthens. Although we should not engage in
  witnessing and evangelism solely in an attempt to grow spiritually,
  when undertaken with a genuine love for God and for the lost, these
  activities bring numerous spiritual blessings to all involved.

     A valid question is, “How can a person seeking truth be sure when the
  genuine has been found?” In verse 17 Jesus presents a truth that will help
  all who want to follow Him. Those who are willing to do God’s will can
  know if a doctrine is, or is not, of God. How can this be? Clearly there
  is spiritual growth through connectedness. Jesus is saying that those who
  are living up to received Bible truth will receive greater light.
     There is a strong connection between hearing and doing (see
  Rev. 1:3). Those who do God’s will, however little of His will they
  know, will be blessed with a deepening Christian relationship which,
  coupled with prayerful Bible study, will lead to greater revelations of
  truth and exciting spiritual growth.

    Many commentators suggest that the disciples were reaping where
  John the Baptist and Jesus had sown. The Samaritan woman herself
  had clearly planted some gospel seed among the people of her town.
  How they must have rejoiced together as the ripened spiritual harvest
  was gathered into the kingdom. Success through working together
  in witnessing and evangelism creates a bond between God and us
  and between us as fellow believers. As we respond to God’s call to
  be involved in soul winning, this bond, this spiritual closeness and
  growth, blossoms as a natural result of being on God’s team.

   How has your own faith been strengthened through your own
   personal witness, both from success and failures? How does
   witnessing impact your relationship with the Lord? 76

 Bringing Harmony
 Through Involvement
    There is a phenomenon that is sometimes difficult to explain but can
 best be described as “circular influence.” Concerning harmony and
 involvement, circular influence goes like this: by getting people involved
 you promote harmony, which in turn encourages people to become
 involved, which in turn promotes harmony. You can see the circular-
 influence principle at work. It is clearly demonstrated in the old saying
 that those who are pulling on the oars don’t have time to rock the boat.
    There were some key decisions made in the development of the
 early church’s organization that could have caused major conflict, but
 the personal preferences of the believers were submitted to what was
 best for the task that their Lord had given them.

    Of course, whenever human beings are working together, there is
 the potential for conflict. We would be right in assuming that the evil
 one is working to undermine the effectiveness of believers. It is only
 fair, then, that we briefly review an incident in the evangelistic min-
 istry of the early church where the conflict was real.

   On a previous missionary trip, John Mark had left Paul and his
 other companions and returned to Jerusalem. It seems that this inci-
 dent (see Acts 13:13) made Paul reluctant to take John Mark along on
 this current trip. But Barnabas saw it would benefit both John Mark
 and the venture to take John Mark along. Consequently, while Paul
 chose Silas to accompany him, Barnabas traveled with John Mark.
   There was no argument regarding what missionary work should be
 done, and rather than let personal differences overshadow the evan-
 gelistic task, they sent out two witnessing groups. Although Paul and
 John did work profitably together again (see 2 Tim. 4:11), their differ-
 ences at this time were not allowed to interfere with their mission.

  Think of someone with whom you might be struggling now in
  church. How much humility, death to self, and willingness to
  forgive and to turn the other cheek will you need in order to
  bring reconciliation?
                                                                       77

Further Study: Setting Realistic Ministry Time Frames

       As mentioned in last Friday’s Further Study section, 12 months is a
     good length of time to plan ahead. Depending on what witnessing and
     evangelism program you are planning, specific time frames will vary
     with different goal strategies and priorities. However, there are some
     general points to consider.
       1. Document what you aim to achieve throughout these next 12
     months. Specify desires in terms of people and discipleship, not just
     the completion of programs. 1
        2. Write out a procedural time line. This can be as detailed as you
     like, but make sure that it is not too brief. It should include major train-
     ing times, program start and finish dates, and set evaluation times.

        3. As you document major stages of the program, make sure that you 2        also specify which individuals or teams are responsible at those times.

        4. Document how your program strategies integrate with the overall
     witnessing and evangelism program of the church. Specify where and
     how other church strategies will support yours and where yours will
     strengthen those of the church. This will help you to remember that
     you are a part of a larger team and of the need to work together.

Discussion Questions:
      l1 The following statements reveal that God has expectations of
      every believer and that He has appointed a work for each one.
      What do you think God expects of His church regarding the
      equipment of and the organization of their involvement in witness-
      ing and soul winning? What can a church do to help members to
      understand the expectations of God? As you dwell on the quotes
      below, ask yourself how they apply to you personally.
        “God expects personal service from everyone to whom He has
      entrusted a knowledge of the truth for this time. Not all can go as
      missionaries to foreign lands, but all can be home missionaries in
      their families and neighborhoods.”—Ellen G. White, Testimonies
      for the Church, vol. 9, p. 30.
        “To everyone who becomes a partaker of His grace, the Lord
      appoints a work for others. Individually we are to stand in our
      lot, saying, ‘Here am I; send me.’ ”—Ellen G. White, Prophets
      and Kings, p. 222.
78

  Sabbath Afternoon				

  A
            lthough our memory text is most often considered to refer to
            the Ten Commandments, there are other commandments, as
            well, not the least being “ ‘Go therefore and make disciples of
  all the nations’ ” (Matt. 28:19, 20, NKJV).
     Our motivation for witnessing and evangelism should be primarily
  God’s grace to us and not a sense of guilt, mere obligation, or debt.
  One doesn’t need to be a behavioral psychologist to know that pretty
  much everything we do as humans is in response to something. This
  is true also of our involvement in witnessing and evangelism. We can
  discover our motivation simply by asking why we do what we do.
  Why do we become involved in the church’s witnessing and evange-
  listic strategies? Or indeed, why don’t we?
     This week we will explore the right motivation for getting involved
  in the Lord’s work and also expose the dangers of working with
  the wrong motivations, such as obligation, guilt, or shame. We will
  explore why evangelism and witnessing should be our love response
  to God’s gift of salvation to us.

 Motivated by Love
    Have you ever wondered why often it seems difficult to motivate
 people to make long-term commitments in church projects? Perhaps
 the answer can be found as we think of some other situations where a
 very high degree of motivation and commitment are evident. What is
 it that motivates a parent to donate a kidney to save the life of his or
 her child? Why do moms and dads spend a small fortune to provide
 the best possible education for their children? Are these things done
 because the parents would feel guilty if they didn’t? Do they think that
 they owe their children these things? Of course not.
    While parents do have a sense of responsibility for the welfare of their
 children, love is surely the major motivating force. They do what they do
 because they love. We cannot spell this out enough times: we do things
 for God because we love Him and because we know He loves us.

    Our love for God must be rooted in His love for us. God existed
 before we did, and He has loved us supremely from the creation of
 humankind. Love can come only as a result of, and in response to, love.
 Obedience to the great gospel commission for any other reason than the
 fact that we love is all but fruitless. This is why spiritual preparation is
 vital as we seek to become involved in witnessing and evangelism.
    Our love for God and our willingness to work with Him in the sav-
 ing of souls is dependent upon our knowing Him. It is not usual that
 we love people whom we don’t know. Therefore, it is vital that to
 obey God out of love, we must know Him personally.

   Love and obedience are inseparable as long as they occur in
 that order. True love for God will always result in obedience to
 His revealed will, but obedience will not necessarily lead to love
 (although it can). If we want people to work for Jesus, we must help
 them to create a loving connection with Him.

  How much does your love for God motivate what you do? Does
  it motivate you at all? What does your answer say about your
  relationship with Him and what needs to change?
  ______________________________________________________
                                                                         81

 Not by Guilt
    Over the centuries guilt has been used to motivate people to action.
 Evangelism leaders have often reminded us that God has given us respon-
 sibility and that we must use our God-given talents and gifts. We are told
 that God or the church is depending on us. If God has done so much to
 save us, how can we remain evangelistically inactive? All these attempts
 to call us to action, delivered, no doubt, with the best intentions, subtly
 appeal to our sense of guilt and indebtedness to God. Motivation always
 seems to become counterproductive when we remove the emphasis from
 what God has done and place it onto what we must do.

   The way that Paul uses the word guilty in this passage communicates
 the sense of accountability. He has already stated in Romans 3:10 that
 “ ‘there is none righteous, no, not one’ ” (NKJV), and in verse 19 he
 confirms that the law makes “all the world” guilty before God.
   The law’s function has often been likened to a mirror that reveals
 our sinful condition but which cannot provide the cleansing soap and
 water. Looking into God’s law, we become aware of our sinfulness and
 are driven to the Savior to receive His free pardon and cleansing.
   After we come to Christ, we are no longer motivated by guilt,
 because the guilt has been washed away, covered by the righteousness
 of Jesus. We stand in Him, perfect and guiltless and forgiven. Yes, we
 are sinners, but we have been forgiven, our guilt has been atoned for;
 now—based on the salvation that is ours through Christ—we are moti-
 vated to witness to others about that which Christ has done for us.

   The fact that an offense on one point makes one guilty of defying
 the God who commanded the whole law underscores the futility of
 the attempt to gain favor in God’s sight through law keeping. Law
 breaking, even to a small degree, reveals an underlying desire to do
 our own will rather than God’s.

  While acknowledging your wrongs you have to surrender them
  to Jesus, claiming His righteousness, His forgiveness, His grace,
  regardless of how unworthy you are. And lest you be mistaken,
  you are unworthy, more than you could imagine. If not, the sal-
  vation offered to you wouldn’t be from grace but from a debt
  God owes you (see Rom. 4:1–4), and do you really think that
  God owes you anything? 82

  Motivated to Serve
    What would you think of someone who constantly and loudly
  declared that he or she was motivated and yet attempted nothing?
  What about someone who claimed to be dedicated yet never revealed
  to what, or to whom, he or she was dedicated? As we have seen,
  love is a most powerful motivator; but to only declare our love, even
  our love for God, means nothing unless we act on that love. In other
  words, we expect love to be revealed through actions. In this sense
  love is an active word as it reveals itself through loving actions.

    What a wonderful Savior is He who deliberately and willingly gave
  His life because of His great love for us. Here is the ultimate example
  of where the one who loves is compelled to act for those who are
  loved. What if Jesus had pledged His love for us and remained in
  heaven? What if He had declared His love but made no promises to
  us or provisions for us?

  ________________________________________________________

     We are not just talking about love here; we are talking about a lov-
  ing relationship. In any loving relationship our motivation is to please
  the one who is the object of our love. Jesus’ decisive saving act on
  our behalf was motivated only by His love for a race that had broken
  its connectedness to God. Anything that we do for God that does not
  come from a similar motive suggests that we do not really understand
  what it is to have a love relationship with God. God doesn’t want us
  to be involved in witnessing and evangelism because we think we
  owe Him. Rather, He desires our connectedness to Him be such that
  it compels us to do the things that please Him and to be in tune with
  things that matter to Him. God wants us to love Him so much that we
  will reach out to the people whom He loves.

   How can we be sure that we do things for God with the right
   motivation? Can we be a blessing to others even if we are wrongly
   motivated in our action? If so, in what way? Are right actions for
   the wrong reason good actions anyway? Whatever your answer,
   bring it to class on Sabbath and discuss.
                                                                      83

 The Legalism Trap
   There’s an English expression that says, “There is no such thing as
 a free lunch”—the idea that if you receive something free, it really
 isn’t free because somewhere, somehow, sometime, you will have
 to pay or repay. The theory that nothing is ever really free has subtly
 infiltrated Christian thinking to the extent that many try to be deserv-
 ing of God’s salvation through obedience to His will.
   Legalism in the Christian vocabulary describes the attitude of those
 who believe that their obedience to God will somehow cause Him to
 justify them in His sight. Of course, although God’s grace does not
 negate His expectation of obedience, salvation is based solely on this
 grace and nothing else, certainly nothing else that we could do.

 Rom. 10:1–4 _____________________________________________

 ________________________________________________________

 Rom. 11:5, 6 _____________________________________________

 ________________________________________________________

 Gal. 2:16 ________________________________________________

 ________________________________________________________

   A legalistic religion causes the individual to focus upon personal
 performance (and often on the performance of others) rather than on the
 gospel commission. Legalistic attitudes can lead to pride and arrogance
 on the part of those who are so blind that they actually deem themselves
 holy enough to be saved. Or, just as bad, legalistic attitudes can lead
 to discouragement and despair for those who realize just how far they
 are from the divine standard. Either way, it’s a trap that needs to be
 avoided, especially by a church such as ours where obedience to law is
 so central to our understanding of what the gospel is all about.

  Read John 6:28, 29. How does Jesus reveal the truth of salva-
  tion by faith in these verses? What, though, does it mean to
  believe in “him whom he hath sent”? How should that belief be
  manifested in our lives? How well do you manifest that belief,
  especially when no one is looking? 84

  Free to Be a Slave
    The Bible makes it clear that we were once slaves to sin, but through
  Christ we have been released (Rom. 6:6), set free (Gal. 5:1), delivered
  (1 Thess. 1:10), adopted (Rom. 8:15), and born again (1 Pet. 1:23).
    The effective worker for God is the one who has given the past to
  Him and has accepted His power to work in the present and the future.
  In other words, those who have been delivered by Christ are able to
  be His slaves. If we don’t understand this truth, it may seem strange
  that deliverance leads to slavery, but it is as true as the sayings, “To
  be spiritually filled we must continually empty ourselves” and “The
  way to victory is constant surrender.”

  ________________________________________________________

     Usually bondservants, or slaves, would be owned by and compelled
  to work under a master. To work for the Master in the Christian sense
  is a totally voluntary choice. God loves us too much to force our will.
  When Timothy, James, and Simon Peter used these words, they were
  indicating their entire identification with Christ and His cause. They
  were declaring their unreserved service to Him as their Lord. They
  were renouncing their self-importance so that others would focus
  only upon Jesus. In this picture of slavery we see dedicated followers
  pledging their loyalty and devotion through selfless service.

  ________________________________________________________

     Jesus’ hearers knew full well that slaves had no security. They could
  be sold at the whim of the master, while the son of the master was
  always secure in the household. Here Jesus uses the contemporary slave
  situation to impart a vital spiritual truth. If the Son of God makes you
  spiritually free from slavery to sin, you will be free indeed. It would be
  unusual for literal freed slaves to voluntarily place themselves back in
  bondage, but, spiritually, this is what happens when we are freed from
  the slavery to sin and become slaves of Christ (Rom. 6:17, 18). If we
  are free from the things that make us focus upon ourselves, we are free
  to consider others and what we have that can benefit them. Herein lies
  the key to a life of service.
                                                                        85

Further Study: Keeping on Track.

       Just as any good motor vehicle will ultimately break down as a
     result of a lack of regular maintenance, so many good and worthwhile
     church ministries have fallen by the wayside because of a lack of
     regular intentional maintenance.
       To keep your ministry healthy and on track, consider the following 1
     maintenance checklist:

       1. Maintain your personal connection. Remind yourself often that
     you are in a partnership ministry with the Lord.

       2. Maintain your personal vision. Do you still sense the impor- 2        tance of your ministry? Are your goals as clear and as strong as they
     were when you became involved in this ministry?

        3. Maintain your communication. Regular reporting is important
     to continued support. People are busy, and they need to be reminded of
     how this ministry is going and also of how they can become involved.

       4. Maintain your enthusiasm. It is a true saying that “Nothing 3
     breeds enthusiasm like enthusiasm.” Show your continued excitement
     about your ministry, and others will become excited too.

       5. Maintain your focus. Don’t get sidetracked with other duties
     or programs that will prevent you from spending the time and energy
     that your current ministry needs to survive and grow.

Discussion Questions:
      l
      1 In class, go over your answer to Tuesday’s final question.


      l
      2 What insights does the following quotation give into the
      relationship between love for God and service for Him? “The
      watchful Christian is a working Christian, seeking zealously to
      do all in his power for the advancement of the gospel. As love
      for his Redeemer increases, so also does love for his fellow men.”
      —Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 261.

      l
      3 “Those who have never experienced the tender, winning love
      of Christ cannot lead others to the fountain of life. His love in the
      heart is a constraining power, which leads men to reveal Him in the
      conversation, in the tender, pitiful spirit, in the uplifting of the lives
      of those with whom they associate. Christian workers who succeed
      in their efforts must know Christ; and in order to know Him, they
      must know His love.”—Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, pp.
      550, 551. In class, share your own personal experiences of God’s
      love and how you have come to know it for yourself.
86

  Sabbath Afternoon				 Read for This Week’s Study: Acts 4:1–31, 21:19–25,
  1 Cor. 9:19–23, Num. 13:17–33, Acts 11:1–18.

  T
         he incredible growth of the early church has caused many to
         study the book of Acts. Consequently, many areas of church
         life have been examined in the light of the book—areas such as
  church growth, foreign missions, church administration, and evange-
  lism. Though much has been gleaned from Acts on these topics, there
  are other areas, such as reporting, that have not received the attention
  they deserve.
     Reporting in the book of Acts builds upon the reporting in the
  Gospels and shows that this important activity of church life has a
  significant impact upon the success of witnessing and evangelism.
  Quite simply, we need to know what is going on, what works, and
  what doesn’t.
     This week we will examine how the early evangelists reported to
  their leaders and to the church as a whole. The aim is to understand
  the importance of reporting and to see where it can positively enhance
  the witnessing and evangelism strategies of a local church.

 A Biblical Principle
    As soon as someone mentions reports, you may imagine reams
 of paper filled with facts and statistics that will probably do little
 more than gather dust. However, reporting is not a modern invention
 designed to frustrate those involved in witnessing and evangelism. It
 is a biblical principle. As our memory text for this week reveals, when
 the disciples returned from a missionary tour, they reported to Jesus
 all that they had done and taught. This seems to be a central part of
 the work of the gospel.
    While we cannot point to one specific Bible text that says, “You
 must report because,” there is ample evidence that reporting was
 important in both the Old and New Testaments. Reporting is an activ-
 ity in a chain of events. That is, someone prepares a report, someone
 receives the report, the report is evaluated, and then decisions are
 made and actions are planned in response to what was reported.

 ________________________________________________________

 ________________________________________________________

 ________________________________________________________

    Consider that without newspapers, radios, or satellite television, word
 of mouth was the primary way of spreading the good news about Jesus.
 If these early believers had given in to the threats made against them,
 their influence for God would have been severely curtailed. So, they
 gathered together, listened to the reports, and then decided upon a strat-
 egy that would enable them to be true to their evangelistic calling.
    Central to it all, of course, was their praying and their reading of
 Scripture. If we take nothing else from this story, we can see how
 important prayer and reliance on the Word of God was to them. It
 shouldn’t be any different for us today.
    Although we don’t have details of what they might have planned,
 verse 29 shows that in spite of the threats made against them, they
 were going to continue to speak about Jesus.

  John and Peter quoted Scripture before both the leaders in
  Israel and the other Jewish believers, showing how crucial it
  was to their faith and their witness. How central and crucial is
  Scripture in your own life? (Hint: you can discover the answer
  by asking yourself how much time you spend with it.)
                                                                       89

 “What God Had Done”
    We are continually reminded that in most areas of life, effective com-
 munication is the key to understanding and harmony. As we consider the
 church family we see that the reporting of activities and their results is
 a vital part of internal communication. In many churches there is much
 activity, but only those involved in each ministry know what is happen-
 ing there. Because of this, there is a corresponding feeling among those
 who lead ministries that there is not much interest in what they are doing.
 These feelings are not surprising if leaders never share their goals and
 strategies with the church and never report their activities and results.

 ________________________________________________________

 ________________________________________________________

 ________________________________________________________

   Returning to Jerusalem from a missionary journey, Paul reported to
 James and all the elders of how God had blessed his ministry among
 the Gentiles. As Paul related one by one the many gospel advances, the
 church leaders responded with spontaneous and genuine praise to God.
   At the same time, however, evidence of division and confusion
 existed, even amid the good news of Paul’s witnessing.
     “Many of the Jews who had accepted the gospel still cherished a
 regard for the ceremonial law and were only too willing to make unwise
 concessions, hoping thus to gain the confidence of their countrymen, to
 remove their prejudice, and to win them to faith in Christ as the world’s
 Redeemer. Paul realized that so long as many of the leading members
 of the church at Jerusalem should continue to cherish prejudice against
 him, they would work constantly to counteract his influence. He felt
 that if by any reasonable concession he could win them to the truth
 he would remove a great obstacle to the success of the gospel in other
 places. But he was not authorized of God to concede as much as they
 asked.”—Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 405.

  Today we also struggle with division among us as to how to
  best reach souls. What are some of the struggles particular to
  the church in your part of the world, and how can you help to
  bring about resolution? 90

  The Importance of Reporting
      The importance of reporting evangelism and witnessing activi-
  ties and their results has not always been seen and consequently not
  always undertaken. In all areas of our modern busy lives, importance
  is placed upon things in proportion to their perceived value. Things
  that are seen as a waste of time and effort generally don’t receive a
  lot of our time and attention. Therefore, the importance of reporting
  needs to be demonstrated. That is, the church members need to see
  what any evaluation of reports is achieving.
     A difference exists between the simple reporting of cold hard facts
  and the sharing of how the activities that these facts represent are a
  successful part of the church’s endeavors to reach people for Christ. It
  is the responsibility of those reporting to make sure that they convey
  the excitement and joy of success that come from being involved in
  the reported ministry.

     The amazing church growth that is reported in the book of Acts did
  not simply happen. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, and remember-
  ing Jesus’ promise of success, the believers engaged in activities that
  brought about these results. They were focused on what they wanted
  to achieve and on how best to achieve it. It is reported that through
  the preaching of the gospel, multitudes of men and women turned
  to the Lord and were baptized as part of their discipleship process.
  This again underscores the importance of reporting the results and
  the activities in as much detail as possible. In fact, the Bible records
  the results of the witnessing and evangelism activities more than the
  details of the activities themselves.
     Those very early missionaries went everywhere they possibly could,
  preaching about Jesus and His kingdom. Because of the reported and
  recorded results, we can assume that they also issued powerful invita-
  tions to their hearers. This continual preaching and appealing caused
  the dramatic results in church growth recorded in the book of Acts.

   It is, of course, encouraging when we hear stories of successful
   evangelistic efforts. How do we respond, however, when things
   don’t go so well, when our plans seem to fail, when our efforts
   appear to do no good at all? What should our response be?
   Discuss your answer in class on Sabbath.
                                                                      91

 Reporting and Motivation
   When we speak of motivation, we are referring to the deep-seated
 reasons for why we believe or do things. This is also true of reporting.
 When we report, we do so for a reason or for reasons. Our reasons
 could simply be an attempt to convince a committee to continue
 funding. Or we could report in a way that will convince people to
 discontinue a program or change leadership personnel. If selected
 information is reported or emphasized, then perhaps decisions made
 on the evaluation of such reporting may not be the best. Hence, our
 reporting needs to be honest and fair.

 ________________________________________________________

   God had promised that the children of Israel could certainly take
 the land. Joshua and Caleb gave a good report of the land and sug-
 gested that they go at once to possess it (vs. 30). Others who were with
 them when they spied out the land gave a bad report, emphasizing the
 obstacles to possessing it and suggesting that they return to Egypt.
   As we formulate reports, we must do so with thought to the revealed
 will of God and in the light of His blessings. We will not just report
 on how well we are doing but how well we are doing the will of God
 (see Matt. 7:21). There is always the potential to get caught up in
 the latest models of evangelistic ministry and measure our successes
 by how well we are implementing the principles in comparison with
 other churches. As we report on our apparent successes, we may be
 more interested in appearing successful than in seeking God’s will for
 our church and pursuing that by His grace.
   This is a challenge to our churches today as we seem to be bombarded
 by never-ending “better” ways of outreach. In the report of the spies,
 Joshua and Caleb surely also saw the obstacles to taking the land, but
 they also knew God’s will. Therefore, an important part of their report
 assured the people that possessing the land was surely possible. On
 the other hand, those spies whose thinking did not include reflections
 on God’s will brought back a completely negative report calculated to
 convince the people that returning to Egypt was a better option.

  How do we strike a harmony between living by faith, claiming
  God’s promises, and acting on them—as opposed to living by
  presumption and doing things that might not be the wisest but
  utilizing dubious claims of God’s “leading” in order to justify
  them? How can we do the first and avoid the latter? 92

 Giving Him the Glory
    Some people are hesitant to turn in successful reports because they
 wonder if it is a form of boasting in human achievement. In reality,
 however, God is glorified by faithful reporting, and His church is
 strengthened in the faith and resolve to continue working for Him.
 While it is true that occasionally someone may report with less than
 honorable motivation, this should not stop humble believers from
 sharing the mighty things that God has wrought through them as He
 has empowered them to be witnesses and evangelists for Him. If done
 with humility, enthusiasm, and a love for souls, reporting can greatly
 encourage other church members also to get involved in the work of
 evangelism and soul-winning.

 ________________________________________________________

 ________________________________________________________

    There had been criticism of Peter and the others who had ventured
 to witness and evangelize outside of Jewish circles; then, however, as
 a result of Peter’s report to the Jerusalem church, the criticism ceased
 and the other Jewish believers glorified God.
    From our perspective today, it’s not easy to understand the issues
 at stake then. Of course, the gospel is to go to everyone, Jew and
 Gentile—even if to “the Jew first” (Rom. 1:16). Everyone knows
 that. Yet, in the context of the book of Acts, the idea of the covenant
 promises extending to the Gentiles would have required a major shift
 in Jewish thinking. However, because of the reports of God’s activ-
 ity and blessing, the church members gained a new understanding of
 God’s desire to save all people everywhere, even though it had always
 been God’s plan from the start to save everyone who would be saved
 (Eph. 1:1–4, Isa. 53:6, Heb. 2:9).
    For the average reader, it will probably take less than two minutes
 to read Peter’s report in Acts 11:1–18. We can safely assume that his
 report, and the ensuing questions and further report responses, would
 have taken considerably longer. Furthermore, although Peter refers
 to himself throughout the report, and although some members would
 surely have said, “Well done, Peter,” all the glory was given to God,
 and the church leaders were encouraged as they understood better that
 the gospel commission to the entire world could become a reality.

                                                                     93

Further Study: Reporting Your Ministry

        As we have seen this week, others need to know what you are
     doing. Specific reports such as attendance figures and financial state-
     ments are certainly necessary. It is also important that you present
     reports at church evangelism councils and church boards. While a
     verbal report may touch briefly on the main points, you should hand
     in a written report that contains as much detail as possible. 1
        Not only will this information keep people interested in your min-
     istry and make it easier to encourage involvement, it will directly
     enhance evaluation and future planning and direction.
        Make sure that your reports are given with reference to the overall
     evangelism plans of the church. Explain how your ministry is part of
     a strategy that is contributing to the achievement of church goals. 2
        Challenge yourself regarding your motivation for reporting. To
     what extent are you focused on both the will of God for your church
     and the saving of souls?
        				
Discussion Questions:
      l1 Go back to the last question on Tuesday. How do we report
      “bad news”? It’s only natural that we talk about the successes 3         we experience. People do that even in the mundane things of life.
      But what about in the work of evangelism? What do we do if a
      church program isn’t working? How should it be discussed and
      reviewed in ways that will bring about needed changes? Also,
      discuss this question: If we attribute success in evangelism to the
      Lord, whom do we blame if things aren’t going so well?

      l
      2 Think about the change in attitude that the Jewish believers
      needed in regard to the work among the Gentiles. Look around
      at your own church, culture, and society. However much we
      might dogmatically assert our belief that the gospel is for all the
      world, in what ways might our own cultural and social preju-
      dices need the same kind of shift as the one experienced by these
      early Jewish believers?

      l3 Although this week’s context was about reporting evangelis-
      tic activities, think about the whole concept of giving any kind
      of report in any kind of situation. How can we make sure that
      we are always honest and truthful and not dishonestly slanting
      information in ways that will give us what we want, regardless of
      how skewed our words are? Why is that so easy to do, and why
      is it so easy to fool ourselves as we do it?



94

  Sabbath Afternoon				 Read for This Week’s Study: 2 Cor. 13:5, 6; Heb. 10:24,
  25; Deut. 10:12, 13; Matt. 23:15; Rev. 14:6, 7.

  T
          oo often we are satisfied with minimal results through evange-
          lism when we could have had greater impact and significantly
          better success if we had evaluated previous witnessing and
  evangelistic endeavors and allowed our findings to influence future
  direction and strategy.
     Sometimes large sums of money are spent on witnessing and evan-
  gelism ministries that give minimal results. This has led to suggested
  changes in budget allocations and/or procedures. If done with a non-
  critical spirit, these questions can be a part of valid evaluation. We
  must quickly add, however, that we really don’t know the full results
  of any specific program because we can focus only upon the tangible
  results (such as the number of people being baptized) and are unaware
  as to what extent gospel seeds have been sown. Nevertheless, there is
  still the need to evaluate in a way that involves making judgments but
  abstains from being judgmental.
     This week we will consider evaluation as a biblical principle and
  explore its value as an ongoing procedure in local church life today.

 Why Evaluate?
    Evaluation will take place whether we realize it or not. Evaluation is
 being undertaken every Sabbath and at every public meeting. People
 evaluate the content, clarity, and even the length of the sermon, and
 those who attend public meetings expect a high level of professional-
 ism. Wherever and whenever people have expectations there will be
 evaluation. Although we cannot point to a text where formal evalua-
 tion was carried out, it is evident that evaluation was a serious part of
 early church life.

 ________________________________________________________

 ________________________________________________________

    When God’s Word sets a standard, expects or prescribes specific
 actions, or issues a command, our responses are open to evaluation.
 Evaluation asks very important questions: “How are we doing in this
 particular ministry?” “How can we be more effective?”
    The fact that Paul gave certain qualifications for deacons and elders
 shows that some kind of evaluation was to take place. This would be
 evaluation of fitness for the position and also an evaluation of effec-
 tiveness in that ministry.

 ________________________________________________________

 ________________________________________________________

   As God’s servants we are entrusted with the immeasurably valuable
 gospel truth. Considering that this gospel message is to go to all the
 world, it should not surprise us that God also has an evaluative pro-
 cess. God is interested in the progress of the work that is entrusted to
 those who have responded to His call to be co-laborers for souls.

  Read again 2 Corinthians 13:5. What does the text say to you
  personally? How can you apply it to yourself? What evidence
  do you have that “Jesus Christ is in you”?
  ______________________________________________________
                                                                      97

 Evaluate Kindly
    While there are many benefits to evaluation, there are some pitfalls
 that we must be aware of and avoid. If we are overly active in evalua-
 tion and focus mostly on the negatives, there is the potential to create
 a critical environment that will discourage and decrease your pool of
 volunteers. To avoid evaluation being perceived as criticism, it must be
 accompanied by genuine affirmation. Indeed, most often we forget to
 affirm our workers, particularly those who have served in their chosen
 ministry for a considerable time. They are always there and always do
 the job, and we come to expect that they always will be there to do the
 job. Evaluation will give you the opportunity to affirm them.

   On many occasions the apostle Paul had to set the church or indi-
 viduals straight in matters of attitude, behavior, or doctrine. This shows
 that some evaluation had taken place. Whenever he could, Paul also
 affirmed people for their support of Him personally or for their faithful-
 ness to God or for the faithful performance of a specific ministry.
   To be fair in evaluation, we must evaluate not only the outcomes
 but also the processes. Outcome evaluation asks whether a program
 achieved its planned results. Process evaluation reviews internal project
 management.

 ________________________________________________________

   These verses are more than a suggestion. They strongly admonish
 us to take the spiritual growth and development of one another seri-
 ously. If we are to consider what God requires in our Christian lives
 and also fulfill a need to consider the point at which each of us is at
 in our experience, then it also follows that appropriate evaluation will
 be undertaken as we “consider one another.”

  Think about how encouraging it is when someone affirms you
  for either simply who you are as a person and/or your minis-
  try. It’s amazing how just a few simple words can do so much!
  What’s your general attitude toward others? Do you tend
  toward criticism or toward affirmation? If the former, how can
  you change this destructive character trait?

  What the Lord Asks Read the following verses and then, keeping in mind the context of this
  week (the whole quarter, actually), answer the questions that follow:
  “ ‘And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but
  to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to
  serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul,
  and to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes which I
  command you today for your good?’ ” (Deut. 10:12, 13, NKJV).

  ________________________________________________________

  ________________________________________________________

  ________________________________________________________

  ________________________________________________________

  ________________________________________________________

  ________________________________________________________

     In Matthew 23:15, Jesus gave the scribes and the Pharisees a
  stern evaluation of their “witnessing” and “evangelism” outreach
  toward the Gentiles. Thus, in a well-meaning quest to fulfill the gos-
  pel commission, we must always keep the deep truths expressed in
  Deuteronomy 10:12 and 13 before us. After all, with all our outreach
  efforts, the last thing we want to do is create more “son[s] of hell.”


                                                                    99

  Evaluating for Spiritual Growth
    “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or
  at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord
  does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appear-
  ance, but the Lord looks at the heart’ ” (1 Sam. 16:7, NKJV).

     Previously in this study guide we have noted that any goals set by
  individuals or churches must be able to be evaluated. While it is rela-
  tively easy to monitor and evaluate numerical growth, it is true that
  there is more to church than numbers.
     It’s obvious (or should be, anyway) that we don’t simply want to
  fill the church with people. We want to fill it with people who are
  growing in their relationship with Jesus, who love the Lord, and who
  express that love in obedience to His commandments. The last thing
  we want to do is what Jesus said the scribes and Pharisees did: to
  “ ‘travel land and sea’ ” (that is, engage in missionary efforts) to make
  a new convert and make him “ ‘twice as much a son of hell as your-
  selves’ ” (Matt. 23:15, NKJV). That strong rebuke of their “outreach
  efforts” shows us how important it is that we give attention to the
  evaluation of spiritual growth, not only of those whom we bring into
  the church but, even more so, of ourselves.

  ________________________________________________________

  ________________________________________________________

  ________________________________________________________

    How do we, as sinners in need of divine grace ourselves, evaluate
  something as “intangible” as the spirituality of others? The fact is that
  there is no documented spirituality scale against which we can evaluate
  personal spirituality. It is therefore more appropriate and profitable to
  consider whether each believer is on a spiritual journey, rather than to
  determine at what point he or she is on that journey. Indications of a spiri-
  tual journey are the spiritual disciplines in which we become involved.
  The things listed in the verses above certainly are indicators; yet, we
  always need to be careful regarding how we judge the experience of oth-
  ers. At the same time, especially if we are dealing with new members,
  we should—in a kind and loving way—help them to understand how
  important things such as prayer, Bible study, and obedience are to their
  spiritual growth. 100

 Evaluating for Church Growth
    The very reason why our church exists is the reason why we evaluate.
 We believe that the Seventh-day Adventist Church has been raised up at
 this particular time in earth’s history as part of God’s plan to take the gos-
 pel to the world. In other words, we exist to win souls for the kingdom.

 ________________________________________________________

 ________________________________________________________

    Evaluating how we are doing is a method of keeping true to the task
 in the most effective way possible. Any evaluation of what the church
 does should be an assessment of how the evangelism and witnessing
 strategies are affecting church growth. How is that in which we are
 involved helping us to reach the goal?

 ________________________________________________________

 ________________________________________________________

    The record of Jesus’ ministry on earth contains numerous refer-
 ences to preaching as a way of winning souls to the kingdom of God.
 Jesus preached that the kingdom of God was at hand. He chastised
 the religious leaders for shutting up the kingdom of God and making
 it difficult for people to enter. He sent His disciples out to preach the
 kingdom of God. Clearly, the overriding goal of Jesus, the apostles,
 and the church was the winning of people for the kingdom.
    The reports of the numbers of people who were added to the church
 at various times, and the reports of churches being established among
 the Gentiles, are evidence that evaluation was being carried out in
 regard to how the church was reaching the goal of kingdom growth.

  Jesus made a very powerful and blunt statement that if you are
  not with Him, you are against Him (Matt. 12:30), that if you
  are not gathering with Him, you are scattering. Put aside your
  profession of faith or your name on a church book. Are you
  gathering or scattering? How do you justify your answer?
                                                                         101

Further Study: Inviting Others to Join Your Ministry

        Have you ever heard of a one-man band? This is a band in which one
      person plays all the instruments. The drum is strapped to his back and
      operated by a foot pedal; cymbals are strapped between the knees and
      so on. In the metaphorical sense, a one-person band is one in which one
      individual plays all parts.
        One-person bands have the potential to burn out because they have no
      physical or emotional team support. One-person bands sometimes com-
      plain about the lack of church support, but the congregation has probably 1         not been asked to be involved in any way other than financially.
        Whether you are just beginning a ministry or evaluating an existing
      one, the following are some suggestions regarding ways in which to
      multiply your ministry by getting others involved:

        1. Review what is involved in every aspect of the ministry you are 2         undertaking and see how many people could take part.

        2. Decide on the areas where significant help is needed and look for
      key people to fill these major roles. Think about some team leaders.

         3. Prepare a fairly detailed written outline of all aspects of the min-
      istry. This will be useful when talking to prospective team members.
      They will be able to understand exactly what is required of them. 3
        4. Report regularly to the whole church. This will let everyone see
      that your ministry is a part of the local church’s overall witnessing and
      evangelism strategy, and they will be more likely to get involved.

        5. Have regular team meetings. Affirm team members and review
      progress. Ask the questions, “How have we done?” “How are we
      doing?” and, “Where do we go from here?”

Discussion Questions:
       l
       1 When and how do you cross the line between evaluation and
       the kind of judgment that we are warned against in Scripture?

       l
       2 Dwell more on the words of Jesus in Matthew 23:15. How can
       we, as a church, prevent this from happening, especially when
       new converts are so often full of zeal? How can we make sure
       that zeal is focused in the right direction so that we don’t create
       more “ ‘son[s] of hell’ ” in our midst?

       l
       3 Consider a current ministry in your church and suggest a
       good evaluation process of the program, the process, and the
       personnel.

102

  Sabbath Afternoon				 Read for This Week’s Study: John 4:7–30, Acts 2:42,
  11:19–23, 2 Tim. 2:1–7, 2 Cor. 5:18–20.

  Y
           ou may have heard it said—you may even have said it
           yourself—“I have done my bit; I will now leave it to the
           younger people.” Or, “I have been evangelism leader for years,
  let some of the new people take over now.”
     In one sense these kinds of statements are understandable. People get
  older, sometimes their health fails, or other life circumstances prevent
  them from maintaining their leadership in church ministries. Sometimes
  people just burn themselves out and need a break. Some may believe the
  Lord requires them to fulfill His will in other areas of church work.
     There is, however, a great difference between changing ministry
  emphasis and ceasing to minister; as long as we have breath we should,
  in one capacity or another, continue to minister.
      This week we will focus on our need to stay involved in witnessing
  and evangelism ministries. No matter what our role is in the church,
  there are always going to be opportunities for us to minister.

 Never-ending Witnessing and
 Evangelism
   It must be emphasized again that witnessing and evangelism must
 continue as long as there are people who need salvation. It is God’s
 plan to save as many people as possible. Meanwhile, those who have
 accepted Jesus as their personal Savior are called upon to work with
 God in this soul-saving work. No matter who we are, where we are,
 and in what situations we find ourselves, if our hearts are tuned to
 Christ, if we have a deep-seated appreciation for what He has done
 for us and for what He asks us to do in response, we will always have
 opportunity for witness and ministry.

 ________________________________________________________

    It seems that Jesus followed a simple “formula” when He spoke to the
 woman of Samaria. (1) He arrested her attention: “ ‘Give Me a drink’ ”
 (vs. 7, NKJV); (2) He secured her interest: “ ‘How is it that You, being a
 Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?’ ” (vss. 9, 10, NKJV); (3)
 He created a desire: “ ‘Sir, give me this water’ ” (vs. 15, NKJV); (4) He
 brought a conviction: “ ‘Sir, I perceive that You are a Prophet’ ” (vs. 19,
 NKJV); and (5) actions followed: “ ‘Come, see a Man who told me all
 things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?’ ” (vs. 29, NKJV).
    These five stages of evangelism do not necessarily need to take place
 all in one meeting as they did with Jesus and the woman at Jacob’s well.
 They may happen over a period of time as you continue to witness to
 someone. The situations will vary greatly, but the principles seen in this
 passage can be broadly applied to our attempts to reach souls.
    In addition, although the initial conversation is concerned with literal
 water, Jesus’ goal is to create in the Samaritan woman a desire to drink
 the Water of Life. In the end, although we are called to help people in
 whatever situation we find them, and to minister to their needs however
 we can, we must never forget that their greatest need is salvation in Jesus.

  How often do you take advantage of opportunities to witness or
  to minister? Isn’t it true that so often we go about our lives, meet-
  ing people who—despite their interaction with us—have no idea
  of what we believe, what we stand for, or the hope that we have?
  How can we change so that we can be better witnesses?

                                                                        105

  A Nurturing Environment
     A vital part of evangelism takes place in church every week. This
  aspect of evangelism is called “nurture” and “incorporation.” We have
  been very good at inviting people to our churches, but we have not
  always done so well in the creation of an environment that will encour-
  age them to return and settle into the fellowship. If we are to make
  disciples, we must give attention to the establishment and nurture of
  every new Christian.
     What does this mean? “Establishment” gives the idea of setting
  something up on a firm and permanent basis. It is to help provide
  them with a foundation of faith and fellowship. To “nurture” is usually
  explained by concepts such as “to rear,” “to bring up,” “to care for,” “to
  foster,” “to train,” and “to educate.” When someone accepts the Lord
  Jesus as his or her personal Savior, all of these areas of establishment
  and nurture must be applied spiritually and socially within the Christian
  fellowship. In other words, a new Christian needs to be brought up,
  cared for, fostered, trained, and educated in the ways of the Lord.
     Fellowship is key. This is how lives touch and affect one another.
  People who join a church must be cared for through spiritual fellowship.

  ________________________________________________________

  ________________________________________________________

     The word we in 1 John 1:7 impresses upon us that, although we are
  to walk in the light as individuals, we are to walk in the light together.
  If believers walk in the light, there will be fellowship and unity.
  Consequently, there will be a nurturing environment where people are
  focused both upon God’s will for their lives and the encouragement of
  one another along the Christian path. While it is important to help new
  members be happy and contented in church, it is also important to
  lead them to become disciples in the fullest sense of the word, which
  includes developing the ability to lead others into a saving relation-
  ship with the Lord Jesus.

   Does your church have an intentional focus on establishing new
   members in their faith? How can you become better involved in
   helping to nurture new members (or even “old” ones, for that
   matter)? 106

 Training Trainers					
   We live in a world where people are highly mobile. Local churches
 seem to regularly process transfers out and transfers in and often
 lament the loss of capable members who have been involved in
 significant ministries. Because of this potential transfer of skills,
 and because the local church’s evangelism and witnessing ministry
 should continue expanding, there is a great need to multiply these
 ministries.

 ________________________________________________________

 ________________________________________________________

 ________________________________________________________
 			
    Paul communicates to Timothy the importance of seeing the big
 picture of the church’s work, both regarding extent and duration. The
 pastoral and teaching ministries are not to be centered in just one
 man. They are to be the work of a multiplied number of witnesses and
 evangelists in the church. Primarily, Paul is telling Timothy to train
 up others for leadership in the church because, eventually, the older
 generation of leaders will have passed on. Implicit in this instruction
 to Timothy is that those he instructs will also, in turn, teach others,
 thereby ensuring that the church’s mission in the world will be con-
 tinuous and expansive. This process is in harmony with Jesus’ call for
 more laborers for the harvest.
    It has been said, “Give a man a fish, and you will feed him for a day;
 teach him how to fish, and you will feed him and his family for as long
 as he lives.” The problem is that if the man does not pass his fishing skill
 on to his children, the next generation will go hungry. Perhaps the saying
 should be modified to say, “Give a man a fish, and you will feed him for a
 day; teach a man to fish and to pass on his knowledge and techniques, and
 untold numbers of people will continue to be fed.” This is the difference
 between training someone and training them to be trainers.

  Think through your experience in our church. Has anyone ever
  taught you how to witness to others? Have you ever asked to
  be trained to witness to others? Discuss your answer in class
  on Sabbath.
                                                                        107

  Reclaiming Former Members
     Backslider is a word we wish did not exist in the Christian vocabu-
  lary. It is a fact, however, that many people slide away from church
  and from a saving relationship with the Lord. Although people do, at
  times, leave us over doctrine, most of the time they leave over other
  things, usually personal disputes and so forth. Whatever the reasons,
  we need to do all that we can to create a loving and nurturing environ-
  ment that will help those who join us want to stay among us, despite
  whatever personal issues inevitably arise.
     At the same time, we should have a ministry to former and non-
  attending members as an intentional part of our witnessing and evange-
  lism program. A quick look at the various churches’ lists of members will
  likely reveal that there are many more names listed there than those who
  attend worship each Sabbath. These names could form the beginnings of a
  special ministry to people whom God has never ceased to love supremely.

  ________________________________________________________

  ________________________________________________________

  ________________________________________________________

    Reclaiming former members is a special ministry. Furthermore, this
  ministry is as evangelistic as when we reach out to people who have
  never accepted Christ before. The very word reconciliation implies
  that there was a former unity and fellowship between humankind and
  God that has now been restored through Jesus Christ. Furthermore, we
  are now given a ministry of reconciliation that includes reaching out
  to those who once worshiped with us.
    In fact, one could argue that in Matthew 10:5, 6, Jesus sent His
  disciples to win back members of the Jewish nation who had fallen
  away from a saving relationship with their Lord. Thus, it is entirely
  appropriate that we today also enter into a work for those people who
  have a special history with God and His church.

   Think about those who have left the church and the reason
   why they did. Is there any one person with whom you could re-
   establish contact and resume friendship—ministering to them
   and seeking to reconnect them with the church? Pray about
   how you could go about doing this. 108

 The Back Door
   Have you ever noticed that people often lament the fact that mem-
 bers slip out “the back door”? They even state firmly that the church’s
 back door needs to be closed but fail to tell us how to close the door
 or even the location of the door. Some growing churches may think
 that their back door is closed, but in reality it may be simply that more
 people are coming in the front door than are going out the back. And
 while that is better than more going out the back than coming in the
 front (which is true in some places), we still want to do what we can
 to retain our members.
   Discovering the back door and attempting to close it will take strat-
 egies that are indeed evangelistic given that our mandate is not simply
 to win people for God but to hold them.

 ________________________________________________________

    The decision to leave the fellowship is usually not a sudden one.
 Rather, most people go through a process of quietly leaving. Just as
 coming to Christ and His church was a journey, the process of leaving
 is a journey. Most often for those who leave, this is not a consciously
 planned strategy. They just start to slowly get disconnected, disen-
 chanted, and dissatisfied with things in the church. Maybe, even in
 some cases, justifiably so. We should, therefore, seek to be aware of
 the journey of those around us at church.

 ________________________________________________________

  A caring church, one that continues to care, is a place where each
 individual is focused upon his or her personal relationship with Jesus.
 They have a clear concept of the value that Jesus places upon each
 individual. Closing the back door involves getting close to people,
 discovering their needs as they are willing to share, and meeting those
 needs when appropriate. This is something no church program can
 provide. Only loving, caring individuals can.

                                                                     109

Further Study: Planning to Continue and Grow Your Ministry

        Everyone involved in a witnessing and evangelism ministry should
      give attention to how he or she can ensure that it will continue rather
      than be a one-time event. There are many things we can do to ensure
      this. We will review a few of the vital ones.

        1. Be comfortable with sharing leadership rather than being a one- 1
      person band. Maintain a team approach where both the work and the
      affirmation are shared.

        2. Do whatever you can to keep the importance of your team’s
      ministry before the church. This will include regular reports to major
      evangelism committees, bulletin inserts, newsletters, notice board
      posters, and requests for budgets. 2
        3. Be on the constant lookout for people you can invite to join your
      team or to form another team. If someone volunteers to join your team
      as a result of your activities and reports, that is fine; however, it will
      be better to personally invite people instead of sending out a general
      invitation for volunteers.

        4. Regular training events are a must, especially concerning wit- 3         nessing and evangelism activities.

Discussion Questions:
       l
       1 In class, go over your answers to Tuesday’s final question.


       l
       2 “We are to be channels through which the Lord can send light
       and grace to the world. Backsliders are to be reclaimed. We are
       to put away our sins, by confession and repentance humbling
       our proud hearts before God. Floods of spiritual power are to
       be poured forth upon those prepared to receive it.”—Ellen G.
       White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 8, p. 46. What is needed,
       and why, to help bring people back into this church and the
       wonderful “present truth” message that, in fact, no one else is
       preaching to the world?

       l
       3 When people leave, let’s love them, let’s keep in touch, let’s
       not judge and call them “apostates,” or, even worse, let’s not
       hurl at them Ellen White quotes about people falling away.
       Instead, let’s use these sad experiences, as Paul said, to “examine
       yourselves, whether ye be in the faith” (2 Cor. 13:5) and ask what
       we might’ve done differently, if anything, that could have helped
       to keep these souls among us. Most important, let’s not do any-
       thing that would make it harder for them to come back should
       they change their minds. How can we as a church apply these
       principles toward those who, for whatever reason, have left us?
110

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