ECYC 2012

ECYC 2012: Bible Boot Camp

Jean Ross

Eastern Canada Youth Conference

The Evangelism Cycle

Let's go ahead and begin with a little word of prayer and then we'll get into what we're gonna be talking about.

Dear Father in heaven, once again we thank you that we're able to be here.

Thank you for the opportunity for us to share ideas and study together and learn ways in which we can be more effective in doing the greatest work that can ever be done, that is seeking souls for the kingdom.

So we ask your blessing upon our time together.

Together give us wisdom and understanding for we ask this in Jesus' name, amen.

Okay, this morning we're going to be talking about the evangelism cycle, a practical way of organizing, outreach, and evangelism in your local church.

Now, I'm sure all of us are connected with some kind of a local Adventist church.

What can we do in a practical way to really make a difference?

Those are some of the things we're gonna look at.

Now, You've probably heard this statement before.

It says, Christ's method alone will give true success in reaching the people.

How many methods, according to this quote, will give true success in evangelism?

So if we can figure out what Christ's method of evangelism is and if we would do that, we would have true success in reaching the people.

The Savior mingled with men as 1 who desired their good.

He ministered to their needs and he won their confidence.

So if we take Christ's method and we put it together on a chart, There are 3 main areas that we want to think about.

How did Jesus often win their confidence?

He fed 5, 000 people, but what was it that He did more than any other?

That's following Christ's method to win people's confidence.

And once He won their confidence, then he was able to share the word.

Now out of these 3, making friends, winning people's confidence, and sharing the word, where do you think we as Adventists typically are the strongest out of these 3 areas?

Making friends, winning confidence, or sharing the Word?

I've had an opportunity to travel all over the place and do the same presentation, always ask the same question here, and we always get the same response, sharing the word.

How important is it for us to effectively share the word?

Now how do you think we as Adventists share the word?

What are some of the things we do or some of the things that we have to help us effectively share the Word?

What are some of the resources that we make available?

All right, we have all kinds of books, so there's literature outreach.

Oh, we got television, we got radio, we got media, we got the internet, what else do we do?

Is that an effective means of sharing the word?

I'll be sharing with you later on this afternoon some very powerful quotes with reference to public evangelism and its significance and its importance.

Are there resources available to help us in our Bible studies?

Yes, there are all kinds of Bible studies and resources.

And I think that's good and we want to keep working towards being as effective as we can in sharing the word.

There is power in the preaching of the word.

My wife had a co-worker, she's a nurse, and it was somebody that she was working with who showed an interest in spiritual things, but she was very skeptical.

She would be the kind that would ask questions like, well, if God's so big and so powerful, if he's all powerful, is it possible for God to create a rock that is so big that he can't pick it up?

Have you heard that kind of reasoning before?

Or where did God come from if he made everything?

Anyway, we were going to have a Bible study with her.

My wife had set it all up, so we got together and we started doing the Bible study and she came up with all of these kinds of questions.

And so anyway, in our Bible study, we were looking at the passage of Scripture where God appeared to Moses in the burning bush.

And we read the story how that Moses was leading the sheep in the wilderness and he saw this strange sight, a bush that was burning that was not being consumed.

And Moses went over to the bush and God spoke to Moses and said, take your sandals off your feet for the place where you are standing is Holy ground.

And then God said, I've heard the cry of my people Israel, go bring them out of Egypt.

And Moses says, I can't go, I can't speak.

And then he said, but when I go, the people will say, well, who sent you?

And Moses responded and said, or God responded to Moses and said, tell them that the I am that I am has sent you.

Now we're going through, we're reading through the story with her and we read that verse where Moses comes up with all of the excuses and then God just says tell them the I am that I am has sent you and he's quiet she just listens she begins thinking finally she responds and she says why didn't you show me this verse first because if you had showed me this verse first I wouldn't have asked all of those silly questions.

God doesn't always give reasons, he just says I am that I am and there is power in that.

So there's power in sharing the word, power in sharing the word.

So we want to do preaching, teaching, Bible studies as effectively, evangelism as effectively as it can.

All right, out of the other 2, making friends or winning people's confidence, where do you think we are typically the weakest now?

Making friends or winning people's confidence?

How many of you think making friends, that's kind of where we're weak.

All right, what about winning people's confidence?

Okay, now it's probably close, but my leaning is more to winning people's confidence, and here's why, because I think most of us have somebody that we know, maybe a family member, maybe a neighbor, maybe a work colleague that's not an Adventist, and they're good friends, we're good friends with them, but they're not interested in spiritual things.

How do you awaken an interest in spiritual things?

How do you win somebody's confidence so that you can begin to share with them the Word of God?

I'll give you an illustration of how we can do this.

We had just moved to a new home in Sacramento and a few houses down from where we were staying, there was a family, Nick and his wife, and their children were, let's see, they were at upper high school, and we struck up a friendship.

Characteristics of a Healthy Church, Part 1

Well good, we're going to go ahead and get started with our afternoon.

We've got a number of interesting things that we're going to be looking at.

Just before we get started, let's bow our heads with a level word of prayer.

Father once again we thank you that we're able to be here.

Thank you for this opportunity to learn and we do pray that we'll be able to apply the things that we've learned to make a difference for your kingdom and for our own personal spiritual growth.

This afternoon we're going to be looking at some characteristics that make for a healthy church.

Now what's interesting about this is these characteristics are not only true for churches but they're also very true for individuals.

What makes us a healthy Christian, a healthy Adventist Christian?

There are these 10 characteristics that we're going to be looking at.

The first characteristic is this, we need to have a clear identity.

Characteristic number 1, we need to have a clear identity.

Revelation chapter 12 verse 7, these are familiar words, and the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the remnant or the rest of offspring who keep the commandments of God and they have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Dragon is Satan right and he's off to make war with the woman.

Why is it that in prophecy a woman represents a church?

Why does a woman in Bible prophecy represent a church?

Yes, Paul speaks of Christ as being the groom and the church as being the bride.

And you can find that theme several times in scripture all the way back to the Old Testament where God speaks to Israel and saying I'm your husband and you've left me type thing.

Now something else about the idea of a church representing a woman, of course in Revelation you've got 2 women described.

The 1 is in Revelation chapter 12, the same chapter.

Early on in the chapter it describes a woman standing upon the moon clothed in white.

Now who does that woman represent in chapter 12?

The 1 standing upon the moon represents the pure church, right?

What do the 12 stars in her crown represent?

The number 12 is significant in prophecy.

Leaders, the church, you've got the 12 tribes of the Old Testament, you've got the 12 apostles of the New Testament.

So the woman has a crown of 12 stars representing God's true church.

In the Old Testament era, it would be the 12 tribes.

In the New Testament era, it would be the 12 apostles.

Now what's the significance of a garment?

Being clothed, a garment, she's clothed in the sun.

What do you think the significance of that could be?

The Old Testament says the sun, S-U-N, shall arise with healing in his wings, speaking of Christ.

What do you think the moon would represent in Revelation 12?

And if the sun is Jesus, where do we find the clearest reflection of Jesus?

You can get a reflection of Christ, but where would you find the clearest?

So the clearest reflection of Jesus is found in his word, and what is the woman standing upon?

It's the Word of God, where we find Christ reflected.

Okay, something else interesting about woman in prophecy, it's all over the place, even in the New Testament, especially in the New Testament, you find a number of interesting points here.

If you look in Luke, Luke chapter I believe it's 17, yes, Luke chapter 17, and if you look at verse 34, Luke 17 verse 34, we're still talking about the church representing, or the woman representing the church.

Luke chapter 17 verse 34, would someone read that verse for us?

Okay, now what is Jesus talking about here in this parable?

What event is he describing or speaking of?

And Jesus says it's going to be like it was in the days of Lot And then he goes on and he says, in that night there will be 2 men in 1 bed, the 1 will be taken, the other will be left.

How many of you have heard this verse used to support the idea of a secret rapture?

Okay, this is 1 of the favorite verses that's been used.

But if you just take a little step further and think about it, what does sleep in the Bible often represent?

There are 2 men asleep, the one's taken, the other's left.

What event do you think has been highlighted in that verse?

The 1 will be taken, the other will be left.

And in the second example that Jesus used in verse 35, there are 2 women grinding at the mill, the ones taken, the others left.

In Bible prophecy, What does a woman represent?

So there's 2 kinds of churches when Jesus comes.

What does the grinding at the mill represent?

So there's 2 groups of churches, 2 churches both claiming to be preaching the Word of God, but Jesus says the 1 will be ready and will be taken, the other will be lost.

And then the third example that Jesus used, verse 36, 2 men will be in the field.

The field represents the world, the 1 is taken and the other is lost.

So Jesus is emphasizing that at the second coming there are these 2 distinct groups.

Something else that's interesting still on the theme of a woman representing a church in the gospel of Mark you have the story of a man by the name of Jairus who comes to Jesus 1 day and he says please come with me my little girl is at the point of death.

So Jesus says, okay, I'm going to come with you.

So Jesus is on his way, and there's a big crowd of people around Jesus, and they're all bumping into him and they're pressing up against Christ.

And while he's traveling to Jairus' house, there is another woman, or there's a woman, that comes to Jesus who has a flowing of blood.

Characteristics of a Healthy Church, Part 2

Okay, let's bow our heads and we'll open with a word of prayer and we'll keep going.

Father in heaven, once again we thank you that we're able to be here.

Thank you for the opportunity to open up your Word and study together and see what it is you want us to be and what you want us to do.

So we pray for your continued guidance in Jesus' name, Amen.

Now we're talking about characteristics of a healthy Adventist church and also characteristics that we need as Adventists, as Christians, things that we want to have a clear understanding on.

So our first characteristic we spoke about a few moments ago is having a clear identity, right?

The second thing we're talking about now is having an urgent message.

We are looking in Revelation 10 verse 11.

We are going back and getting a little bit of the context in Revelation 10.

So if you have your Bibles, you can go to Revelation 10.

We have this description of an angel coming down out of heaven, sets his 1 foot upon the earth and his other foot upon the sea.

He has a little book that's open in his hand.

But then I want to draw your attention to here in verse 3.

He had a little book open in his hand, verse 3, and he cried with a loud voice as when a lion roars.

In the book of Revelation, who is the voice of a lion?

Who is described as a lion in Revelation?

And when the Lion roars, and when he cried out, 7 thunders uttered their voices.

And then verse 4 says, now when the 7 thunders uttered their voices, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, seal up the things which the 7 thunders uttered and do not write them.

In vision John is about to write something that he hears and then God says no, don't write it down.

So it's as if something is revealed but it's not fully understood, as if something is concealed or something is held back.

We'll come back to that a little later on.

And then verse 5, then the angel whom I saw stand upon the sea and upon the land raised his hand toward heaven.

What does it mean to raise your hand toward heaven?

In court, when you promise to tell the truth and nothing but the truth, you raise your hand towards heaven.

So this is an oath, verse 6, And swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created the heaven and the things that are therein, the earth and the things that are therein, and the sea and the things that are therein.

Worship Him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and the springs that are therein.

And verse 7, but in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God shall be finished as he has declared unto his servants the prophets." So there is this mystery connected with this little book that's opening the hand of the angel, but the mystery will be revealed, or it would be understood when the seventh angel begins to sound.

Now what is Revelation chapter 10 describing?

It's describing the experience of the early advent believers, right?

They were studying the little book of Daniel and in particular there was a time prophecy, the 2300 days.

Now the 2300 days then the sanctuary shall be cleansed.

And there was something about that they couldn't quite understand.

What was it that they didn't understand about the verse?

But what was the part of the verse, Daniel 8, 14, that they got wrong?

Now, they thought the sanctuary was the earth and the cleansing of the sanctuary would be by fire at the second coming of Christ.

So there was something about this little prophetic book that was not fully understood, like those 7 thunders that uttered their voice and he's about to write and then God says don't write it.

And we can see the same experience with the disciples.

Did Jesus tell his disciples before his crucifixion that he was going to be crucified and was going to be buried, but then that he would rise again?

Did Jesus tell the disciples that before the crucifixion at some point in his ministry?

But when Jesus was actually crucified, were the disciples discouraged?

Were they bitterly disappointed when Jesus was crucified?

Yes, it was as if something was not fully understood.

It wasn't until after the fact, after the resurrection that they really began to understand what it is that Jesus was trying to tell them.

So it was with the early Advent believers.

They were studying the little book of Daniel and based upon their study, they came to the conclusion that at the end of the 2300 days in 1844, Jesus would come.

But there was something about that they didn't understand, the sanctuary.

And so they were bitterly disappointed when Jesus didn't come.

But God was still leading them through this.

Now the point that you need to note here, We're going to come back to verse 7 in just a minute.

Verse 8, Then the voice which I heard from heaven spake to me again, and said, Go take the little book, which is open in the hand of the angel, who stands on the sea and upon the earth.

So I went to the angel and said unto him, Give me the little book.

It will be in your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth.

So the little book is sweet in their mouth, but bitter in their stomach.

Jeremiah chapter 15, 16 says, Thy words were found and I did eat them, and they were unto me the joy and the rejoicing of my heart.

So they were studying the little book of Daniel, they ate it up, it was sweet in their mouth.

But when Jesus didn't come, what was their experience?

So that's why the angel says to John, eat it up, it's sweet in your mouth, this is verse 9, but it will make your stomach bitter.

Then I took the little book out of the angel's hand and I ate it.

And it was in my mouth as sweet as honey, but when I had eaten it, my stomach was bitter." So here John is playing the part of the early Advent believers.

Verse 7 says, But in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when it shall begin to sound, then the mystery of God will be finished.

Now what do we know about the seventh trumpet, the sounding of the seventh angel, the seventh trumpet?

And how did that help those Advent believers understand what the 2, 300 year prophecy was all about and the cleansing of the sanctuary.

Well to understand that go to Revelation chapter 11 and in verse 15 you have the sounding of the seventh trumpet.

Revelation chapter 11 starting in verse 15.

Then the seventh angel sounded, and there was loud voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ and He shall reign forever and ever.

When the seventh trumpet begins to sound, there's voices heard in heaven that say the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and he will reign forever and ever.

Now to understand what that's about, you have to go to the little book of Daniel.

Just to get a quick overview, what's Daniel chapter 2 about?

Daniel chapter 2, Nebuchadnezzar's dream, remember that?

Being Effective in Evangelism

Father, once again, we do pray that you continue to give us wisdom and guidance as we talk about how we can be more effective to do the work you've called us to do.

This is 1 of my favorite passages as it relates to evangelism.

Back to Menu

All Teachings

The Evangelism Cycle

1h

Characteristics of a Healthy Church, Part 1

46m

Characteristics of a Healthy Church, Part 2

1h 17m

Being Effective in Evangelism

31m

Three Essentials of Christian Leadership

35m

Preaching for Decisions

53m

Life is a Mission, Not a Trip

43m

The Blue Stone

53m

The Mind of a Servant

55m

Carried Away

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Messenger Without a Message

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Jesus is Knocking

50m

Sound Doctrine