EV-500 Evangelism, Church Growth, and World Missions. session one notes

-Goal of this course-

1) Learn the Biblical/Patristic Gospel message.
2) To reaffirm in your heart the vision of the ICCEC.
3) To develop Evangelism skills.

We live in a ‘post-Christian society’ where Christianity no longer affects every person in their daily lives, it no longer fully permeates our society, our language is unaffected by Christian theology. The average person in our society does not understand even the basic tenets of our faith, they assume how Christianity should be from outside Christian sources, terms such as Eucharist, Nicene Creed, Constantine, and are lost on today’s western populace. Society is steadily disenchanted with Christianity-

Yet a ‘Post-Christian Society’ is more like the early church-

Commonalities between Rome and Today’s society are:

Negative:
Pluralism,
Intolerance for a ’set way’ of belief,
Intellectualism,
In Rome was the practice of Deity Worship; this would be Authoritarianism today; many, many people look to the governments of the world for their salvation, rescue, and provender.
We ‘amuse ourselves to death’ with instant gratification, sporting events, and war.

Positive:
Commonality of language,
Ease of travel- no or few restrictions on travel.
Pax Romana and the relative world peace that exists today thru might or right.

3 reasons that people are converted thru the Gospel message.

1)Rational Questions-
Are the gospels reliable?
Why is Jesus (Yashua) the only way?

2) Emotional Issues-Need to develop relationships
Suffering/hurt
Angry at God (YHWH)
-More than ever people are coming to Christ thru relationships as ‘Paul Planted, Apollos watered’.
Depression is prevalent and is medicated instead of dealt with.

3) Spiritual Need-
‘a hole in our hearts that is God shaped’- St. Augustine
We long for:
to be healed,
intimacy,
loved,
appreciated,
companionship,

Biblical Soteriology:

Evangelism: Is the Good News of Christ, He came to earth to pay the debt of my sin and pay the price of my sin; freeing me from my sin.
To tell the story of Jesus’ (Yashua) life death and resurrection.
It is my job as a Christian to tell the message and the job of the Holy Spirit to call them to come to Him.

Church Growth: God (YHWH) does not concern Himself with numbers; He concerns himself with the character of the person’s heart.

The concept of “Church Growth” was first bridged by Donald McGavin in his books ‘Bridge of God’-1955 and ‘Understanding Church Growth’ Where he divers cash flow to the places where growth is the most. Defined as people movement, or homogenous unit principle, target audience.

A positive definition might be- insight from the Holy Spirit concerning the health, expansion, of the church catholic in fulfilling the Great Commission(an evaluation process)
There is no formula for church growth it is dependant upon the Holy Spirit.

World Missions: Taking the Gospel by the power of the Holy Spirit to those who have never been reached before. We must adapt the Gospel to their culture; and not adapt their culture to our perception of civilization. (the Argentinean model used by Fr. Pierre-Jean De Smet)

‘Silence’- Shusaku Endo on the persecution of the early church in Japan.



The “10-40 window” is the largest unreached area in the world where the Gospel has not been spread.


There are two church approaches to seeking the lost.

Seeker Sensitive
Prefer less symbols
Less relgious talk
Focus on the visual arts
Anonymous
Non-confrontational
Small groups
Intimacy
No theological sermons
Preach to felt needs
Heart for the lost

We will fill your needs. Changing message to a changing culture.

Anchiet Future, Anchient Evangelical, Catholic, Anchient faith church
Goal to develop mature belivers
Commitment
Passion
Attitude
People hungry for stability
The need for a foundation in the truth of 200 years
Architecture designed to point to Christ
Service is based around Christ and the Cross
The Table
Theological Content

Seeker does not know what he wants (that is why he is here) they are lost so through the power of the Holy Spirit we will provide the need. Unchanging message to a changing culture.

No comments: