Evangelism

Church Planting Discipleship Evangelism Missions

3 Things That Increase Bold Evangelism

By on Sunday, June 4, 2023
bold evangelism

“I have tried and tried to get the believers in our fellowship to share the gospel, but they are fearful, shy and just don’t seem able to witness. Bold evangelism just isn’t happening!”

This is not unusual to hear from the church planters I am coaching. What can we do to increase boldness and help the disciples we work with to overcome their fears?

3 Things That Increase Bold Evangelism

1. Receiving the Holy Spirit

The classic biblical example is Peter in Acts Chapter 2. When Jesus was being tried, three times he denied even knowing Him. He certainly wasn’t witnessing at that point! But after he received the power of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, he stood in front of thousands and boldly proclaimed the gospel with authority and conviction. If your church members aren’t witnessing, pray for them to receive the power of the Holy Spirit. It will make a world of difference.

2. Practicing

Many people lack confidence to witness. They are embarrassed when they stumble over their words or don’t know what to say, how to answer questions, etc. After teaching them how to share their testimony, make sure to take time practicing it in a safe environment with other believers. Let them share it several times and get feedback. Do the same when training people to share a Creation to Christ story. Practice builds confidence and helps them to overcome fear of failure. read more

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Discipleship Evangelism Strategy

4 Considerations About the Effectiveness of Preaching in Disciple-Making Movement Efforts

By on Sunday, April 30, 2023
preaching in DMMs

Are those who promote a DMM strategy for disciple-making and church planting opposed to preaching? Is it ever appropriate to preach to those you disciple? When is it not helpful to preach? These questions have come up in conversations with those I’ve trained recently. They are important questions to ask.

The Apostle Paul said in Romans 15:20 that he had endeavored to preach the gospel where Christ was not known. There are many biblical references to preaching. In DMMs, there is a place for it. It is important, however, that we understand what that word means in Greek. We should not automatically think it refers to what happens on Sunday mornings from a platform.

In this article, we will look at what that word means in its context. We will discuss the times when preaching (or proclamation) is helpful or necessary. It’s also important to look at when it could cause barriers to reproducibility or adult learning. We will also consider the power of story-telling and see in Scripture that this was Jesus’ primary method of communicating truth. read more

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Church Planting Evangelism Missions

3 Keys to Finding a Person of Peace

By on Sunday, February 26, 2023
person of peace

Were you ever lost in the woods and couldn’t find your way out? Maybe you’ve played a video game and were stuck in a room (in the game). You couldn’t find the door to get to the next passageway or level. That is a difficult place to be! You wander around not making progress, getting more frustrated each moment; searching, searching, searching. Disciple making among the unreached can feel similar! “Where is that key person?” we wonder. Finding the Person of Peace is important to starting a Disciple Making Movement. It takes you to the next level.

A Person of Peace acts much like a doorway. They open the community to you and your message. They are a key influencers God has chosen. You work through them to reach the area. There are important points to remember when trying to find a Person of Peace.

The Person Of Peace Isn’t Always Who You Think They Will Be

We were working in a slum community. We wanted to find people of influence there. The head of the municipality was the natural one to approach. We asked him who the various leaders were in his area. He specifically directed us to a woman who was in charge of the women’s committee.

I immediately liked her. She was smart, about my age, and had obvious leadership giftings. She was very happy to meet us. Right away, she invited us into her home for tea. A few days later, she welcomed us for a delicious curry meal. She even called some of the other leaders to come and join us for food as well.

person of peace

“She must be a woman of peace!” I thought to myself.

Over the following months, our friendship developed. I continued to visit her often. We discussed the needs of the community and various possible projects. I shared the gospel and began to share Bible stories with her. She was open, always willing to listen. As the months went by, she heard many stories. She liked Jesus but was not willing to commit to following Him.

I knew that though she was a good friend and a helpful person to know there, she was not the Woman of Peace I was looking for. I had to keep sharing with others until I found that person. Key principles were learned through that process.

“When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ If someone who promotes peace is there, your peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to you. Stay there, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house.” Luke 10:5-7 NIV

3 Keys To Finding A Person Of Peace

1. A Person of Peace welcomes both you and your message.

There is a common mistake we make in trying to find the Person of Peace. We think if someone receives us and welcomes us into their home, they are the Person of Peace. This is sometimes true, but like in my example above, it is not always the case.

They are only a Person of Peace if they also welcome your message. read more

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Church Planting Evangelism

10 Important Things To Do In Pursuing A DMM

By on Sunday, January 22, 2023
start a DMM

“Is there a clear pathway to follow in starting to pursue DMMs?” one of my readers asked. It is a hard question to answer. There are no magic formulas! I would hate to give the impression that if you follow these steps, Voila! You will end up with a multiplying movement and thousands of disciples of Jesus. That is simply not true.

DMMs are a move of God among a population segment or people group. They don’t happen by just following a few steps, or by applying a particular strategy or formula.

There are, however, some key things we can do that make it much more likely that a DMM will happen. These are proven fruitful practices of those who’ve seen Disciple Making Movements take off. I recommend them with confidence, along with the disclaimer that there are no guarantees. Movements are not something we as humans produce apart from God’s sovereign work.

Important Steps To Take

If you are further down the DMM road, look at these steps and make sure you’ve been active in each. Over the next few months, I will be writing more about these as we walk through this together. read more

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Advent Evangelism

Who Will You Tell the Greatest Story to This Christmas?

By on Sunday, December 25, 2022
greatest story

There is no time like Christmas to share the story of Jesus! A few days ago, a pastor friend asked in a group of pastors “How will you keep Christ at the center of your Christmas celebrations?” My response flew immediately to my fingers (and keyboard). The best way to keep Jesus central is to share His story with those waiting to hear it!

I realize this can be easier said than done. Not everyone wants to hear the message. Some feel they’ve heard it before and are not interested. Others, though, are longing…waiting for someone to point them toward the only One who can turn their darkness into light.

Who will you share His story with this season?

For many years, I’ve sought God’s leading in December. How can I share His story with those around me? It’s easy to get busy with Christmas programs, parties with friends…all the things that pull at our attention during this season.

This Season Is About Him

I’m asking. I’m seeking. Lord Jesus, this season is about you. How do you want to use me this year? read more

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Discipleship Evangelism Facing Obstacles Inspiration

When On-line Simple Church Spills Over

By on Monday, August 8, 2022
online simple church

A fresh wave of regulations and lock-down orders has hit many nations. It can feel discouraging.  How do we continue our disciple making efforts in times like these?  A week or so ago, I interviewed a leader from South Asia who recently tried something new.  His on-line simple church efforts rapidly multiplied. They spilled over to many in-person groups also beginning across the region.

WATCH THE FULL 9 MINUTE INTERVIEW 

What stood out as you watched?

Here are a few things to consider:

  • when we do what we CAN do, God does what we CANNOT.
  • creativity and innovative efforts led to fruitfulness.
  • the standstill was not accepted but they sought God for solutions.
  • the mission to start movements wasn’t hindered but advanced because of the difficulties.

Learn more about how to start a Disciple Making Movement and on-line simple church groups that multiply in the course Getting Started in Disciple Making Movements. A new cohort will open in early January.

Refuse to stop making disciples and obeying Christ’s command. No matter what comes by virus, war, or persecution we continue to obey. Ask God for new and creative ways to move forward in this time. He promises to guide as you seek His face.

What new way of reaching out could you try this week? read more

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Evangelism Strategy

Two Hungry Men: Keeping the Least Reached a Primary Focus

By on Tuesday, June 21, 2022
unreached

“All men are equally lost, but not all men are equally needy.” Do you agree? Dr. Ralph Winter, a missionary pioneer, and one of the founders of the modern frontier missions movement made this claim. The assertion that unreached peoples must receive greater focus sparked debate. It also brought a new emphasis for many agencies. YWAM was touched by Winter’s trumpet call to the unreached. YWAM Frontier Missions is part of the result.

Are DMMs Reaching the Least Reached?

Yet still today, many decades later, much of our focus in evangelism remains on those who already have an opportunity to hear. Should they choose to. As Disciple Making Movements continue to grow around the world, we must continue to champion the cause of the unreached. DMMs that start, must be missional in nature. They need to have a clear focus not only on the lost, but on the least reached lost around them.

Two Hungry Men

Let us go back to Winter’s statement. Are all people the same as far as their spiritual needs? To understand this, let’s return to the metaphor. read more

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Church Planting Discipleship Evangelism

Practice Disciple Making Skills? It’s What Jesus & Paul Both Said To Do

By on Tuesday, June 21, 2022
practice disciple-making

Practice. Practice. Practice. “But I don’t like to practice, I like to play.” When I was a teenager, I played on a basketball team. I hated practices. We would dribble the ball up and down the court and shoot layups for hours. It was tiring and boring. I preferred the games. They were fun! Without practice though, we didn’t win games. Practicing disciple making skills is no different.

For some reason, we think that doing things like evangelism and disciple making shouldn’t need practice. It should flow out of us without any training or effort. This is not actually what either Jesus or Paul said. They used the word practice to describe the learning and applying process.

Evangelism Isn’t Natural For Me

I’ll be vulnerable and confess. Evangelism doesn’t come naturally to me. I’m an introvert, and talking to strangers is not at all “natural.” Sharing with my friends and family can be troublesome too. Yet I want to be obedient to Jesus’ command to make disciples. What do I need to do?

I need to practice. Without practice, I’d never share the gospel story with anyone. I practice sharing out loud at home, I practice it with someone in my neighborhood. Sometimes I fail. My efforts flop. It’s only about the fifth time I share the God story with someone in a taxi or at a park that it flows out naturally. Why is it now natural? Because I have practiced it. read more

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Discipleship Evangelism

Re-aligning Our Priorities

By on Tuesday, June 21, 2022
priorities

If you had to choose between building relationships with lost people and going to church, which one would you do? Seriously.  Most would answer, “Go to church, obviously.”  Going to church is what “good” Christians do.

True. It’s a worthy thing to do, especially if being part of that church community is causing you to grow as a disciple. So often, though, there is a big difference between being a Christian and being a disciple. 

What do “good” disciples do? I believe that engaging with, befriending, and loving on lost people and sharing the good news with them, is what disciples do.  It’s what Jesus did. He hung out with lost people a lot more than he went to synagogue meetings and conferences right?

Are Our Priorities, His Priorities?

I wonder sometimes why attending church weekly has become such a highly critical component of our “following Jesus” while making disciples is not.  Jesus never once commanded us to “go to church every week.”  He repeatedly told His disciples to “go and make disciples.” read more

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Church Planting Evangelism Faith

How to Cooperate With God and Release Miracles

By on Tuesday, June 21, 2022
miracles

A Disciple Making Movement trainer I know uses this question with potential seekers. “If God were to do a miracle for you today, what would it be?” Let them answer, then pray for whatever they said. Watch and see what God will do. This simple evangelism strategy makes room for God to show off His power and tremendous love.

It’s a somewhat scary strategy for some.

When we pray for a miracle, we can feel like we will be evaluated based on what happens. If God does something unusual, great. If not, then we wonder if we will be discredited somehow. People might think we are dishonest, fraudulent promoters of kooky religious ideas. Or they may reject us as just plain weird. Others might feel we are trying to be someone great, but aren’t able to deliver the goods.

These concerns can prevent us from boldly asking God for miracles.

How do miracles work? Why does God seem to answer some people’s prayers but not others? Is this an issue of spiritual gifting? How do you know if you have that gift or not? You may have asked some of these questions. read more

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