Dr. Larry Moyer - Grace Conference

Dr. Larry Moyer has a burden that the church today will not be known as a church that talks about the lost, but rather it will be known as a church that talks to the lost. Recently, Dr. Moyer spoke at the Grace Conference in Chicago, Illinois. His message was a challenge to church leaders to have God’s heart for lost people. Dr. Moyer made it clear that if a church is going to be evangelistic, then the church leaders must be evangelistic. God is not saying bring the lost to Christ - God is saying bring Christ to the lost. If you do the presenting, then he will do the persuading. And the power is in the message, not in the messenger. Churches that operate from that conviction will be churches committed to declaring the Gospel of Grace worldwide. Listen as Dr. Larry Moyer encourages over 450 pastors at the Grace Conference in Chicago, Illinois.

The Compassion of Jesus

Let’s look for a moment at Christ’s life. Beyond the disciples, who did He spend His time with? Tax collectors and sinners. He had a heart and a compassion for those who were lost. His time was not only spent behind the walls of the local synagogue or temple, but was spent out where the people were. His attitude was not “come and get it”, it was “go get them!” He went where the lost were because He had compassion for them and, as a good shepherd, did not want them to be without the directions to find Him.

Do we truly have compassion for our friends and neighbors and relatives? Compassion enough that we are willing to risk fear, rejection, being misunderstood, and having the tough discussions? Do we see them as Paul did in Ephesians 2:1 where he described them as literally “walking corpses.”

A friend of mine told the story of a conversation he was having one day at a table with another Christian friend and a mutual friend who was not a believer. The discussion was rousing and pointed at Christianity, when the unbeliever turned to my friend and said this about the other Christian. “Do you know what my friend here thinks about me? He thinks I am in a burning building and he wants nothing more than to show me the way to safety. Though I disagree with him, it means a lot to me that he cares that much about me.”

The compassion of Christ says we see our friends as they truly are and want desperately for them not to stay in that condition any longer. If we lose sight of the fact that they are still in a burning building, then we lose the compassion for them that motivates us to share the exit map. The old saying is true, “They don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. No matter how they might view you, compassion says, “Go get them” and show them the way to Christ.

by: Mark Rae

What is the Gospel?

The Gospel - the Good News of Christ - is that Christ died for our sins and rose from the dead. Paul defines the Gospel in I Corinthians 15:3-5: “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve.” The facts concerning Christ are conveyed by four prominent verbs.

Christ Died
Paul said, “Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures” (I Cor. 15:3). Christ died as our substitute. Had he not taken our punishment, we would all bear it ourselves. Christ died as my substitute and yours. Isaiah, seven hundred years before Christ, prophesied His death when he said, “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities” (Isa. 53:5).

Christ Was Buried
The second verb Paul used concerning Christ is that ” He was buried” (I Cor. 15:4). Since Paul did not repeat the phrase “according to the Scriptures,” it is likely that he mentioned Christ’s burial simply as a proof that HE died. The proof of death is burial.

Christ Rose
The third verb Paul used is that “He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (I Cor. 15:4). This is the second time Paul used the phrase “according to the Scriptures.” He wanted his readers to know that, just as Christ’s crucifixion was not a surprise, neither was His resurrection. David predicted the resurrection of Christ when he said, “For you will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption: (Ps. 16:10).

Christ Was Seen
The fourth verb Paul used is “seen”: “he was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve” (I Cor. 15:5). Notice again that Paul did not repeat the phrase “according to the Scriptures.” It is likely that just as Paul mentioned Christ’s burial as proof that He died, he mentioned that Christ was seen as proof that He arose.

The Gospel - the Good News of Christ - is that Christ died for our sins and rose from the dead. His burial is proof that he died. The fact that He was seen is proof that he arose. The clearest way to present the Gospel is to give the historical facts as they are given in the New Testament. The Good News we are privileged to announce is that Christ died for our sins and rose from the dead.

We Must See People the Way God Sees Them

In Matthew 9:36, the observation is made concerning Christ, “But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.” The New Testament speaks of Christ being moved or filled with pity eight times. He looked beyond people’s faults and saw their need - they were like sheep without a shepherd.

Many times Christians feel that being around non-Christians is an unpleasant experience. Some believers are very self-centered and their language can be less than desirable. We forget, though, that the problem is not what they do, it’s who they are - individuals who have never met the Savior. As Christ looked beyond the person’s actions and saw the problem, we are to do the same. We must have a heart of compassion toward non-Christians and see them the way Christ does. His practice is to be our pattern.

Church Growth by Conversion Instead of Transfer

EvanTell has a unique plan for helping churches actually grow by conversion instead of transfer! Flying Strong is a two-year mentoring program that helps a church go from an inward ministry focus (it’s all about us), to an outward mission focus (it’s all about them). Changing the culture in a church doesn’t happen overnight- or even in a few months, so Flying Strong is a partnership that builds over time. It begins with two days of training for the church’s leadership team then for the next two years the experienced Ministry Team of EvanTell mentors the church through the challenges and victories along the way. Eventually the church becomes a community that is passionate about reaching those outside the church – those who don’t yet know the Savior. This is the opportunity for your church to get truly excited about evangelism. If your church has become inward focused and lost her burden for reaching lost people, check out EvanTell’s Flying Strong mentoring program for churches.

Trials Rightly Faced Make Us Better, Not Bitter

What impresses non-Christians immensely are those believers who are standing right side up when their world turns upside down - a rather severe health problem, a car accident, insufficient funds to meet unexpected bills, or a layoff at work. It is those times when we keep our chins up in spite of what is happening that causes others to say, “Whatever you’ve got, I need it.”

James is addressing people going through trials. These early believers had lost their possessions and been separated from their loved ones as they were scattered throughout Asia Minor during a time of persecution. They were tempted to get bitter and rebel against God and others. James is to the point. “Count it all joy when you fall into various trials.”

Why joy? The reason is rather simple: “knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.” Patience is an essential characteristic of Christlikeness. Without patience, we can never be mature and complete in terms of our spiritual growth. The only way patience can be produced is to go through trials. So James encourages them and writes, “Let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” Trials rightly faced are harmless and are designed to make us better, not bitter.

People whose lives become contagious are not those who always have the right things happen to them, but those who have the right response when the wrong things happen. Take a moment and thank God for the hard moments you’ve experienced in life. If you’ve allowed bitterness of any kind to come into your life towards God or towards others, confess that to Him as sin and ask Him to forgive you.

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” James 1:2-4

The Gospel at Work

On an average weekday, full-time employees in America spend more time working than participating in any other activity – even sleep! Thus, it is no surprise that studies reveal the workplace is where non-Christians form their relationships. The people they interact with daily at work have an integral part in shaping their lives. For this reason, the workplace is full of opportunities for Christians to share the gospel, but most are too nervous to do it. No one has ever shown them how they can evangelize in the context of the workplace. This is truly a place where the harvest is ready but the laborers are few.

Through The Gospel @ Work, Mary Margaret Gibson will show working believers how they can share the gospel in their offices. Let her be your guide for workplace ministry and you will help Christians take the greatest news in the world to the place where non-Christians may need it the most. The workplace is where the gospel is desperately needed. We want every Christian in the workplace to be able to clearly tell anyone, anywhere how to spend eternity with God.

Redeeming the Culture

Redeeming the Culture is not about affecting change through social programs, governance or radical activity. Rather, it is a desire to see individuals exercise leadership within their own sphere of influence to change hearts and minds one at a time…

On the Redeeming the Culture blog, A.J. Rinaldi will survey any issue from the controversial to the mundane and discuss how Christians can be relevant participants by not only interpreting our culture through a Biblical Worldview, but putting into practical application that which we believe can affect positive change within our society.

Worldwide Hope

For 35 years, EvanTell has impacted lives in over 70 foreign locations through the gospel, the good news of eternal life through Jesus Christ alone. EvanTell’s mission is to declare the gospel, clearly and simply; activate believers around the world; and prepare the next generation to reach the lost. Director of International Ministries, David Souther, follows a strategic plan to train and equip believers to share Christ in their own region, and as a result we are rapidly spreading of the gospel throughout the world.

Global Distribution
Our global distribution centers are located in strategic places around the world. They produce and distribute tools for evangelistist outreach, training, and follow-up. EvanTell’s desire is to launch a distribution center in every major section of the world, empowering nationals to evangelize within their own culture at a fraction of current costs.

Translations
Hearing the gospel in one’s native language can be life changing. EvanTell’s International Ministry is translating our evangelistic tracts, books, and follow-up material so more people around the world will be introduced to the gospel of Jesus Christ in their own languages.

Training
EvanTell provides seminary-quality education to native and foreign missionaries, empowering them to present the gospel at every opportunity and to equip other believers to do the same.

Partnerships
God has ministries in place around the world that are specifically called to reach target people groups. EvanTell partners with these ministries to train them to effectively share the gospel wherever God has called them to minister.

On the Worldwide Hope blog, David will share his passion for seeing the gospel of grace taken to the “ends of the earth.”

“Lord, I Believe in You!”

Last Friday night as I was going to Mountain State University in Beckley, West Virginia, a couple of my buddies were with me and we saw one young man come around the corner sounding like he was rapping or something. I figured he would like someone to talk to (since he was talking to himself). As I approached him I introduced myself and asked him if anyone had ever taken a Bible and shown him how he could know for sure that he was going to heaven. He thought for a minute and said “no”, to which I replied “may I”. As I began going through the Gospel with him he did not know really who Jesus was so I walked him through scripture to allow God to reveal His Son to him. The next surprise was that Jesus rose from the dead. He didn’t know that and had never heard that before. Here I am in the middle of the Bible Belt and this guy didn’t know Jesus rose from the grave. After walking him through I Corinthians 15 we discussed the terms “according to Scripture” and explained the importance of the resurrection. He asked me how can I be saved, so I showed him how God said he had to be saved. He took his hat off and looked up to the sky and said, “Lord I believe in you,” and then looked at me and said is that it? I explained the difference between believing and trusting gave him an illustration regarding saving faith and he trusted Christ alone as his personal Savior. He immediately shouted and said “I’m saved” (it actually startled me). As my buddies came over and I introduced them to him, he said to them “Justin just shared the gift of eternal life with me” and my buddy replied - “Yes, and what does that mean?” He said to him “I’m saved”. We welcomed him to the family and talked to him about growing in Christ and living a thank you life. He hugged me and my friends and left there knowing true forgiveness for the first time. It’s an awesome thing to watch the Lord snatch a lost sinner out of that horrible pit and place their feet on solid ground. The amazing part of the whole thing is that He allows us the privilege to be apart of it all! His name is Lee, if you think of him please pray for him. Thank you again for your prayers!

Justin

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