Evangelism: A Different Mindset

WWoman At The Well Model:

Prophetic Evangelism

I have often read the account of Jesus with the woman at the well, and it has been a model for evangelism for years. I would like to look at it from four steps:

1. Jesus met the woman and dealt “One-On-One” with her. His disciples were not present, there was no mass evangelistic effort, just Jesus and her. A Jew talking to a non-Jew was taboo, and talking to a woman who was not Jewish was beyond taboo, but that is not the reason for his talking to her privately.

2. He met with her privately because he had a “prophetic” insight into her life he wanted to share. He read her private mail: she had five husbands in the past, and the current man she was living with was not one of them. Not only did he break the social taboos of his time, but the personal taboo of dealing with a non-Jewish woman at a personal level. Because of this she perceives he is a prophet.

3. He then goes beyond her perception of who she thinks he is, but reveals that He is the Messiah, not to his disciples or even a Jewish gathering, but to a non-Jewish, adulterous Arab woman! With the knowledge of knowing who Jesus is, for she had personally met him, she runs back to her town and tells her story.

4. The town responds by having Jesus stay for a few days as revival breaks out. Results: (paraphrased) “Wow, her testimony was great, but since we have seen Him and personally heard him, we too believe.”

Group evangelism can be spawned through personal evangelism. The fruit of one on one contact can bring powerful group evangelism results. Again, how does the model work:

1. One-On-One Contact: Personal evangelism is usually the most effective way to minister the gift of salvation.

2. Minister Prophetically: Allowing the Holy Spirit to use you through personal prophetic words, reveals the power of God in your life and in theirs, complementing step one as God being personal to each individual.

3. Let Jesus Reveal Himself to the person. Teach them early that when in the Presence of God, He will reveal himself to you. Jesus certainly did that to the Samaritan woman in revealing Himself as the Messiah while in her presence.

4. Respond to the Leading of the Holy Spirit: If the Lord takes you beyond the initial personal contact to minister to others do it! They too need to know for themselves of His reality!

So, maybe we should look at the possibility of prophetic evangelism as a new mind set for the Church. It certainly is not new to Jesus who effectively did it at the well to the Samaritan woman. It was an effective method for him; thus it should be an effective method for you and me.

Spirit of Evangelism: Massive Men

Promise Seekers/Standing In The Gap Event

Standing In The Gap, Washington, DCI remember sitting in a huge circus like tent at Jesus 76, an outdoor Jesus Rally in Lancaster Country in 1976. Ern Baxter had announced that if there were any young men who “aspired some day to become an elder” they were welcome to come to this tent for what had previously been advertized as a pastors, youth pastors, leadership seminar during the noon hour. He was speechless when he found the tent not only filled but six deep around the outside perimeters of those who accepted his challenge.

Sitting there, I asked the Lord to reveal to me what was happening. The still small voice assured me that these men sitting here would be men of God, raising up godly families, being a fulfillment to their godly wives, and would be the back bone of many a local church for their generation.

Twenty years later another evangelistic movement, The Promise Keepers, would target men. Founded by a college football coach, Promise Keepers would pack out football stadiums and arenas throughout the United States and other Countries, as all speakers, music etc. became an evangelistic endeavor to lead men into the saving grace of Jesus Christ and impact their lives and the lives of their families.

One of the most impressive events that I have ever attended was the Standing In The Gap event, sponsored by the Promise Keepers in Washington, D.C. on a Saturday. Parking far out of the city limits, my two sons and I took the subway in to the Mall Area of the Capital. Even though it was still early morning, I could only find a small patch of dirt for my one son and myself to sit upon near the old Smithsonian building while my other son and a friend tried to get closer to the front stage. By noon there was not an inch of exposed dirt left for one to sit upon in the Mall, as the wall of male humanity reigned clear to the Washington Monument.

I will never forget when every man knelt, face down in the grass, backsides raised, while in pure silence for quite a period of time of prayer. With hundreds of thousands of men present, you could still hear the pigeons fly, sirens in the distance, cars driving by the perimeter of the event. A Holy Hush prevailed as the united effort of hundreds of thousands of men prayed for their families, churches, and country. Words cannot really express that moment.

Not everyone gets the opportunity to see the seeds of hope become fulfillment in the magnitude I witnessed. Men jammed in and beyond a circus tent wanting to live godly lives, nurture godly marriages, and raise godly families had a generation later, approx. 20 years, the opportunity to bring their sons to see hundreds of thousands of men fill every inch of ground at the nations Mall to again pray for their lives, their marriage, and their families to be or remain godly.

I must admit that Standing In The Gap will probably be the most impressive mass evangelistic meeting that I will ever be a part of in my life time. Thank you Promise Keepers for having the vision to reach out to thousands of men, filling football stadiums for men cheering something than their idol, sports.  Hearing a stadium roar for Jesus is incredible. 

Spirit of Evangelism: A Messiah

Street Evangelism One-On-One

Jews For Jesus

God chose the Jewish race as the race to which His Son, Jesus, would be born into. He would be the fulfillment of their dream for a Messiah as prophesied by Isaiah and other Jewish prophets, yet this Jesus would be the very person the Jewish race would reject.

I was shocked when viewing a bulletin board inside a Jewish Community Center at the activities offered, many centered around Eastern religion which was never questioned, but don’t bring Jesus into the Jewish picture. I know personally Jews who have been shunned by their families after proclaiming Jesus as their Messiah, Savior, and Lord.

I became introduced with Jews for Jesus back in 1974 when attending Jesus 74, an outdoor Jesus Rally in Western, PA. I had a small tape recorder, and taped when Jews for Jesus did their skits on stage. For years I listened to that tape. There was such simplicity yet truth in each skit they did. Periodically I would catch an evening of one of their conferences held at Messiah College in Grantham, PA, and enjoy the richness of the fellowship.

Over the years I have admired the boldness of the Jews for Jesus organization who have boldly proclaimed the gospel in spite of opposition they have received. They are not afraid to do street evangelism, theater, dance, and one on one sharing. I wish we gentiles who know Jesus would have as much enthusiasm as they do.

To learn more about Jews for Jesus, check out their website at http://jewsforjesus.org/

Spirit of Evangelism: Getting "The Word Out"

 

Flying High While Translating

Two organizations that have taken the Great Commission seriously have been the Wycliffe Bible Translators, Mission Aviation Fellowship, and Jungle Aviation and Air Service whose goal is to spread the gospel to all the ends of the earth and translate every tongue so that they can read the Bible themselves.

 As a public school teacher, I know the importance of reading and its impact. Guttenburg’s invention of the printing press took the world out of the Dark Ages into the world of Enlightenment. The importance of each individual being able to read is extremely important. When a person can read the Bible in his own language, and allow the Holy Spirit to be his teacher, the Kingdom of God moves forward.

I cannot stress enough the importance of each believer individually reading their Bible. If each person in a church would spend time alone with their Bible daily, reading a few chapters a day and allowing the Holy Spirit to teach its meaning, it would change the face of how we do Church and how we worship, as I will share in later blogs.

I would also like to salute my two cousins, one who has flown for Mission Aviation Fellowship in Guatemala and Peru, dodging mountains and steep terrain while landing on miniscule landing strips on mountain sides, and the other who just left to help build a complex in Pappa New Guinea for Wycliffe Bible Translators who are reaching the unknown tribes and translate their language.

Bottom Line: We who have the Bible so readily available take it for granted, slouching off from reading it daily, yet there are many who prize holding the first book written in their language in their hand, and learning how to read on their own.

Church factions cannot effectively preach their dogma and doctrines when common people read for themselves the truth in the most publicized book ever written, the Bible. Thanks Marie and Neal!

Spirit of Evangelism: There's Something Wrong With This!

 

Sent Out Or Come In: I Am Confused!

"Have all the world come into your house of worship and preach the good news to all creation." Executeus 15:15.

    

I may have it wrong, but I do believe that the Great Commission is for the Church TO GO OUT to the world, not trick the world to come into the church.  Where has this mentality come from that you have "to invite people to your church building" so they hear the gospel. What does this say about those who attend that church regularly?  Don't they know how to lead someone to the Lord? Can't they share the gospel?  Where is the "sent out" part in all this?  This is the same christian group that claims "apostle" means "one who is sent out", like a missionary they say.  Yet this group also boasts that there are no longer apostles because they all died out when the Cannon, or Written Word, the Bible, came into being.

They may be right for they aren't "sending anyone out", only inviting "outsiders" in.  "Insider" and "outsider" mentality can become very dangerous, and the unchurched sense that mentality very quickly. What inside a church will attract a person to come in? A free newspaper and a clean car?  Shows how cheap we can be! How about throwing in a free "Starbuck's" coffee from the church's coffee shop, and a free book from their book store! Ooops, that means I would have to come inside to get them too!

"Hey, how about if I invite you to Starbucks to get a coffee and a pastry? I'll buy. Throw in a paper if you wish. Let's sit on the couch by the window. I have a personal story from my life's experiences that I would like to share with you. I know it makes me vulnerable, but I will take the risk. By the way, I want to hear your story too if you wish to share it with me!" (See my previous blog.)

Spirit of Evangelism: Tell Your Story

Where Do You Stand?

We have all have experienced life's journey.  Each journey is unique and personal.  Many have the mind set that it is also very private, thus they refuse to share it.  What a shame.  When someone has had an enriched full life, they should share it, for it could aide others.

My parents have a close friend who past away recently who hen survived the beaches of Normandy and fought the whole way to Berlin in World War II.  When watching warm films, he would comment quietly that he had been there.  Although his story is filled with pain, agony, the hell of War, it is rich with history.  Rather than keeping the pain quiet and allowing patriotism and Hollywood glamorize the War, the new generation of grand children look at the event only as history, not as reality.  His telling the story brings reality!

Funerals can be a time of celebration or a time of severe mourning.  When faced with the death, many question what next.  Where one stands spiritually can bring comfort.  Is death the end of life?  Or "Death, where is your sting?"  Christianity offers triumph over death and the grave, and offers eternal life through Jesus Christ.  Unfortunately, I have been at funerals where the deceased was a christian, but mourners wondered because they never shared their "faith stories and journey" with anyone.

If you are a parent, share your story of how you met Jesus personally.  It helps you activate the Great Commission in your life as well as bring comfort to you family when you pass on to glory.  If you are a son or daughter, share it with you parents.  Everyone should share it with their friends unoffensively, for it is your story.

I once was asked by a lady if I knew what Styx was?  I told her it was the river that divided the living from the dead; it was the river that flowed through Hades in Greek mythology. Then I asked why?  She told me that the last words her daughter said before she died was, "I see the river Styx before me."  I did not know what to tell her, for I had no comforting words to offer.

Share your story!  Share it with the ones you love!  Share it with the ones who need to know it!  Share it, because it it your story, your unique story.

Spirit of Evangelism: Evangelistic Meetings

Special Evangelistic Meetings At The Local Church

      The church where I grew up had “Revival Meetings” twice a year which basically were a week of special church services where a visiting Evangelist would come and preach. Often many of the 12-13 year olds would come forward to accept Jesus Christ. The kids who had been raised in the church called it “joining church”. After the week of meetings, and after the evangelist left to go home, special classes were given to teach basically denominational doctrine, then the “candidate” was baptized in water as an outward sign for what had happened inwardly. The last Sunday of the week of services was usually a big deal with a congregational dinner following the service.

Two things stick out in my memory about these services:

1) Although attending dozens of them, I did not accept Jesus at any of them. I accepted Jesus while sitting in the lounge chair in our living room at home, as the sun peered through the front window. In the warmth of that moment, somehow, I knew God was real, and made a life changing commitment. My parents never understood what had happened because I never “went forward” to the altar at one of these services. Later I would discover that John Wesley wrote about his conversion, “I was strangely warmed”, and I know that is what I had also experienced.

2) I know of a person who “joined church” but did not accept Jesus as their Savior. When taking communion, they would actually get ill. I had an opportunity to lead that person into the kingdom of God, introducing them to Jesus as the Lord and Savior, and they have been enjoying communion ever since.

But again, an evangelist is brought in for a series of meetings or services, only to leave when the event is completed. Most of Christianity looks at the evangelist as a parachurch ministry rather than an extension of the local church. At least that is the current mindset in most churches. That needs to change, which we will examine in future blogs.

Spirit of Evangelism: Radio & Televangelist

From The Airwaves To The Receivers

I remember clearly listening as a kid to WGCB-Red Lion who featured a new radio preacher every every fifteen minutes.  Often the doctrines between the back to back programs were the opposite, one right wing conservative preacher speaking against tongues, followed by Jimmy Swiegart preaching the Baptism of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of tongues.  It was quite confusing to me as a church kid. I can imagine what a nonbeliever thought if he accidently had it cross his dial.

With the dawn of television came an onslought of televangelists who now had the capability to preach to millions of people.  Pat Robertson founded CBN, Jim and Tammy Baker started PTL, Paul Crouch of TBN, and now Roy and Wendy Alec of GodTV. These networks can feature 24-7 televangelists and telepreachers.  Many of the names of preachers on these networks have become house hold names to both the christian and nonchristian.  The fall of Jim Baker, the crying of Jimmy Sweigart pleading, "I have sinned", the recent fall of Todd Bently with the Lakeland, Florida revival are landmarks in chrisitian television history.  Just as in the days of the huge mega-Crusades, the world of television preachers and evangelists is seeking accountability to give its medium credibility. 

What can we learn from the televangelist's journey?  Television costs millions of dollars, and the lavish lifestyles of the televangelist has always been what is questioned, not his evangelistic message.  His prosperity message is hammered by the press, but the truth of the simple salvation message, the basis of evangelism, has never been questioned. As Billy Graham has brought accountability to the Crusade movement, Pat Robinson has brought through his Christian Broadcast Network.  

     I was once at an evangelistic meeting where the speaker asked for a raise of hands of those who had been lead to the Lord through television.  Only a hand full of hands were raised.  When asked how may through a Crusade, a few more hands were raised.  When asked how many were lead by one on one discussion with a person, almost 85% of the hands were raised.  What does that tell us?   

Spirit of Evangelism: Billy Graham Crusades

Stability & Expansion

History has proven, that when ministries expand, budgets become huge, and staff increases, the Press invades asking where all the money has come from and where it is going. The same was true to the big Crusades as their staffs lived well while draining local ministries financially and physically. Along came a young evangelist from North Carolina who would bring accountability back into Crusade ministry, Billy Graham, for he created the Billy Graham Evangelist Association. Now salaries were fixed, budgets set, and many different parts of accountability were put in place. Billy Graham's life has always been placed under a microscope by the Press and believers alike, always proving flawless. He alone brought accountability and respectability back into the Crusade movements. Because of his impeccable reputation he has even flirted with being a personal spiritual advisor to several Presidents, all whom respect him no matter what party affiliation.

History also has proven that when there is a "birth" in new technology, there is also a "birth" in the way evangelism is promoted. Billy started in a Tent Ministry that was popular at that time, and allowed his association to move forward to not only do City Wide Crusades across America, but throughout the world, filling stadiums and arenas no matter where he preached. He is also instrumental in launching television evangelism, for he would broadcast his message when abroad back to America to be seen nationally. Although his three point sermon is a stable classic imitated by many, people still tune him in on their television for "Billy Graham Specials" viewed yet today.

I have had the privilege to attend one of his Crusades in Baltimore, Md. where he was revered as a hero, something that concerned him, for he joked with the Press, "When Jesus was greeted with palm branches, the same group yelled 'Crucify Him' only a week later."  Even today, many question who will be his predecessor, or is the day of the Big City Wide, Watched World Wide Crusade on the brink of history.

As technology changes, so will the approaches to evangelism.  Today with Blogs, Twitter, Facebook, My Space, Streaming, Social Networking, the Internet as a whole, new ways to present the gospel to the four corners of the world will be tried in an attempt to fulfill the Great Commission.  Hopefully there will also be future Billy Grahams to bring stability, accountability, and dependability. 

Spirit of Evangelism: City Wide Crusades

They Come And They Go

In the early 20th Century, City Wide Evangelistic Crusades became very popular. An "Evangelist" and his "Team" would come into town, set up a tent, and hold a Crusade.  Each well known evangelist had his own special singer and a staff to support his endeavors.  Churches in a town would unite to bring the well known evangelist to town, hold meetings for a designated period of time.  After the Crusade, the evangelist and his team moved on as the local churches shared the "new converts", the fruit of the Crusade.

Personally, I had the privilege of being part of Crusade 77 in York, PA during the summer of 1977.  This monumental event was the only time in the history of York County that 350 different local congregations worked together in unity for the purpose of evangelism.  An executive committee of 36 lead all the planning for a solid year in preparation.  Myron Augsburger, an Anabaptist, Mennonite Evangelist, was hired to lead the Crusade and preach. There were only two laity on the committee, me being one of them, leading Youth Activities.  The seven day event, held at the Grandstand at the York Fair Grounds that seated thousands was packed every evening.  Hundreds made decisions for Christ that week.  They had me sit on stage Friday night, Youth Night, and watching hundreds come forward at the altar call will be something I will never forget.  I have nothing but good memories about the planning and implementing of the event which left its spiritual impact on York County for years.  It was also a testimony to the "unity of the Body of Christ" which I have never experienced since. 

Evangelism is the only thrust the entire Body of Christ would stand behind; the only time each factionwas willing to day down their doctrinal differences.  Theology and doctrine divide, but the simple truth of salvation, the accepting of Jesus Christ into one's heart as your Savior, became the unifying factor.  

As we will see in a later blog, evangelism also means "birthing".  Not only were individuals "birthed" into the Kingdom of God those evening (our current mind set of evangelism), but an evangelistic spirit was "birthed" in York Country as well as a spirit of "unity" unmatched in the history of our area.  If God is to move in a city, a city wide crusade has proven to be a tool to help augment it.

Unfortunately, like his predecessor, the Circuit Preacher and the Tent Revivalist, the evangelist, being a parachurch ministry left town.  The Body of Christ since then has not functioned as a body but as factions.  Maybe a new "spirit" needs to again be "birthed", because that is what always happened using City Wide Crusades.  There was always a need to have another one later.  We need to have a different mind set of what an evangelist is, so that he won't abandon a project that he has "birthed" it, and he won't leave town!

Spirit of Evangelism: Tent Meetings

 

Tent Meetings: A Ministry On The Move

In 1739 with the closing to two churches, George Whitefield at Kingston, Bristol, England, decided to have an "open air" meeting in the fields of Manham Mount  to 250 coal miners.  The first open air "evangelistic crusade" was birthed.  John and Charles Wesley, of Methodist fame, were at first reluctant to the idea, but eventually fully embraced it and became one of the greatest open air evangelist of his time. By the early 1800's Camp Meeting were everywhere.  By the 1900's Tent Meetings sprung up everywhere across America.

I have a friend who as a child in the 1950's attended Oral Robert's Healing Services in his Tent Meeting.  Billy Graham "was discovered" conducting a Tent Meeting on the west coast in the 60's.  I attended Jesus Festivals in Pennsylvania in the '70's where there were three tents: one for salvation, another for those seeking "the baptism in the Holy Spirit", and a third for healing and deliverance while all other activities were held in the open air stage on the grounds of a farmer's field and later at Agape Camp Farm in central, PA.  My local church, CityView Community Church, perched on top of a hill over looking York, PA in the valley below, rented a tent, which when lit up inside could be seen for miles drawing curiosity seekers to its meetings.  In the past decade the "Newsboys" an Aussie Christian Band, did a tour in an inflated structure; I guess the modern version of a tent.

  Tents are biblical.  God never asked for an immobile structure to have His Presence reside; he chose a tent, the Tent of Meeting, as it was called. David wanted a permanent structure that glorified more grandeur than the palace in which he lived. Tents are mobile, and so is the Spirit of God. Temples and church structures are fixed, stationary, unmovable. I guess we can learn from the Circuit Riders and Tents that the Spirit of Evangelism is a mobile spirit, and both existed outside physical "church building structures".

Spirit of Evangelism: The Circuit Rider

America's First Evangelists:

     America was known for its Frontier which was vast in size, small in population, yet there emerged a brand of Christian whose passion was to win the lost no matter where in the wooded mountains or grassland parries they inhabited.  Colonial America featured professional clergy who fretted this new breed of "uneducated" "itinerant" preachers trained in "Log College" in the woodlands of Pennsylvania.  This new breed of Christian would ride anywhere in any weather to propagate the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Their initial visits to the frontier were a forerunner for all the little white churches with steeples that would become the tapestry of early America.

     These were the first Americans willing to leave the comfort and confines of their "houses of worship" to follow the Great Commission to "be sent out", thus changing the face of America as well as its cultural soul.  How easy is it to "camp" and get established in our "houses of worship", "churches" as most call them, wanting the lost to "come in" to our "house" rather than those in the "house" being sent out to the lost world. 

     It is scary leaving the safety of our religious confines. Once a Christian Counselor had a prophetic vision about me personally.  He said that he "saw me in a cage with its door wide open, but I did not chose to jump out of it."  For the longest time we prayed about the meaning of his vision until one day its meaning became crystal clear.  My whole life I had been caged in "church", being a good Christian Church kid, then adult.  My religious training molded me into the cage of my church's denominational mentality.  There was safety staying within the religious confines of my youth.  

     I was petrified of doing street evangelism, or even talk one-on-one with someone about Jesus.  I could talk generally about God, but Jesus.  I boasted that my lifestyle was my witness, while my tongue remained silent. The first time I ever verbally shared the salvation message to an individual was to a Hispanic boy on his bike, who said nothing, nodded his head, and rode off. I wonder if he knew English! That moment was more for me than him.  Since then I have opted to jump out of my cage in freedom. My tongue has been set free.

     I need to free the Evangelistic Spirit in my own life, become a Circuit Rider, going outside the confines of "the house of worship", in any weather, down any street, in any town that the Holy Spirit leads me.  We so bad want "revival" to hit our "churches", but are unwilling to leave our "churches" to bring "revival".  The cage door is open. Circuit Riders were never promised safety from the elements of weather or the hostility of a disagreeing mob or the criticism from the established Church.  Take the risk, jump out that open door, ride the ride of 'faith" and enjoy a journey that you will share with your grandchildren later in life.

     I salute the Circuit Riders of yesteryear, and those who are willing to be this centuries Circuit Riders.

Current Mindset: What is an Evangelist

Promise Keepers "Standing In The Gap" Men's Rally in Washington, D.C.Church's Current Mind Set Toward Evangelism:

     Evangelism's goal is to wins souls, wins souls, win souls. In case you missed it, and evangelist is a soul winner.

Some Current Forms of Evangelism That Has Been Effective:

• Tent Revivals, Camp Meetings
• City Wide Crusades
• Mass Crusades: ie. Billy Graham Association
• Televangelist on Television
• Local Church's Revival Meetings
• Street Evangelism
• Rescue Missions
• Wycliffe Bible Translators
• Mission Aviation Fellowship
• Jews for Jesus
• Promise Keepers

     Evangelism's goal is birth, birth, and rebirth. As Jesus told Nicodemus, "You must be born again."

Some Different Forms of Evangelism That Has Been Effective:

• Women at the Well Model: One on one prophetic ministry leading to community revival
• Nicodemus Model: Born Again message to people in and out of Church
• Loafs and Fishes Model: Group evangelism while meeting physical needs 
• Attacking the Occult: Prophetic Presbyteries, "Psalm Readings" instead of palm readings
• Within the Church Itself: Birthing new ideas, visions, programs, ministries, etc.

What Is An Evangelist: Definition

Webster's Definition:

Merriam Webster Dictionary defines it this way:

Main Entry: evan·ge·list

Pronunciation: \i-ˈvan-jə-list\

Function:noun

Date:13th century

Definition: 1 often capitalized : a writer of any of the four Gospels 2 : a person who evangelizes; specifically : a Protestant minister or layman who preaches at special services 3 : an enthusiastic advocate <an evangelist for physical fitness>

Acknowledgement: (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/evangelist)

     This definition is so sterile, for there is so much more to evangelism today, and what makes an evangelist.  In my next series of blogs I hope to look at the "Current Mind Sets" of the 20th century Church towards evangelism, the pinnacles and pitfalls.  Then look ahead at what this century might hold if we have a "different" mindset toward how we, the Church, do evangelism.  I will welcome your comments on what has and hasn't worked in your lifetime.  Share with me by what method you came to the Lord.  Then feel free when we get to the "different mind set" section the ways or avenues that are unique that the Holy Spirit is currently showing you as forms of evangelism, or better yet, new ways you are practicing it!  Your comments far out way those of the author of this blog, so feel free to comment and share as we move along on this journey.

Embracing the "Evangelistic Spirit"

  Where''s the Father?"Scrubs: From Delivery To The O.R.

Scrubs: From The Birthing Room To The O.R.

My father rushed his pregnant wife to the hospital, only to be banned from the birthing room. A doctor sensing his fatigue hid him in a different room to sleep. When I came into the world, no one could find the father who was lost in sleep. Only after the momentous event of my birth could he be summoned.

 A generation later, I found myself being a “coach” at child birth classes, going through the C-section class only to face that situation in real life in less than 24 hours. Changing “scrubs” from the birthing room to the Operating Room, I found myself breaking new ground. Two children later, with fathers in the birthing room now a common practice, I find myself pushing the limits wanting to be in the recovery room with my wife.

 I am so grateful that the medical profession has “allowed” fathers to be part of the birthing process. Words can never express the emotions felt during the birth of one’s child.

The “evangelist” loves the birthing process, but so often the Church has not left the Dark Ages, not allowing its believers to be part of the process unless they were clergy. Many today have the “passion” to win the lost, to “birth” newborns spiritually, to “birth” new ideas and “passions” in the Church, but who, like my Father, are prohibited from participating in those births.

The medical profession in my day was willing to break through those barriers, willing to “birth” or “try” new ideas, new “mindsets”, like Fathers in the O.R. The Church, on the other hand, when willing to allow “breakthroughs” in previously established “mind sets”, have discovered that their release of the “evangelistic spirit” allowed for even greater breakthroughs, or birthings.

To experience a revival or reformation,  the “evangelistic spirit” must be released to birth new ideas, new models, new systems, new forms of life within the living organism called “The Church”, allowing its members to become part of the “recovery”. We will have to examine this spirit and its ramifications.

The Birth Of Judah Cash McKennan Kurtz

Judah Cash McKeenan Kurtz

Biological Evangelism:

Congratulations to Kristy and Steve Kurtz on the birth of their son Judah Cash McKennan Kurtz on Wednesday, Aug. 12th, the youngest of four Kurtz children, the other three being "older" sisters!  Does "Cash" have a challenging life a head of him?

Cash is a 8 pounds, 21 inch long seedling beginning his journey in life.  Someday he may be a 225 pounds, 75 inch long male specimen with abs, muscles, a mustache, deep dark eyes, a real heart throb that any girl in her late teens or early twenties admires. 

Wednesday was a day of rejoicing, of hope, of dreams, of pride for little Cash and his parents.  Will those little hands one day palm a basketball or those little feet kick field goals?  Will that little heart that beats life some day be a big heart for God?  Will he have his mother's nose, or his father's receding hair line?  Only time will tell.  Will the name "Cash" mean comfort from his family, or acceptance from his friends, but "Judah Cash McKennan Kurtz" mean he is in hot water with his mother who is angry with him for being mischevious like his mother and father when they were his age?

All of that doesn't matter, for right now is a time of rejoicing, a celebration of new life. "Evangelism" is all about birthing: the birthing of dreams, hopes, aspirations, goals, .... of life.  An "Evangelist" only revels in the birthing process, leaving the changing of diapers and daily feedings to a shepherd, the education to a teacher, the spiritual growth to a prophetic spiritual father, and the over all oversight to an apostle.

Little Cash will have his diapers changed by who ever is near at the time, will be taught by instructors in a Children's Church and a k-12 secular setting, lead forward spiritually by loving grandparents,  and will have proper oversight by Kristy and Steve. There will be shepherds, teachers, prophets, and apostles in Cash's life, but today we herald the evangelist, because we celebrate a birth.

Today we celebrate BIOLOGICAL EVANGELISM!  The Kurtz family is now 1/2 dozen strong: mom, pop, three sisters, and Cash!  Four Kids!  Steve & Kristy, you sure do know how BIOLOGICAL EVANGELISM works!

New Beginnings

New Beginnings Can Dirty One's Hands!This morning old things were sold cheaply at the Condo Assoc.'s Yard Sale where I live.  For some, what I sold as junk became someone else's treasures.  My real treasures I did not put up for sale, for they shall not be reduced to junk. I hope to share those treasures with you.  They are not cheap, for they came with a price.  In fact, they are priceless.  Reading my blogs will cost you nothing, but putting those treasure into practice may cost you everything. "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:21) To share with you my treasure, I must share with you my heart which makes me very vulnerable.

You see, Evangelism is all about birthing, and being the first blog of this web site it is appropriate to honor the evangelist, for he/she majors in birthing.  This is the birth of a new web site, one dedicated at revealing "fives", usually the five fold ministry as well as other concepts.  

This project is a seed of faith to "reveal" the "five fold" of Ephesian 4 as "passions" and "Points of View" rather than "offices".  It is a project to expose to every believer in Jesus Christ that they are a"priest in the Order of Melchizadek", and can flow and use these passions and points of view as an evangelist, teacher, shepherd, prophet, or apostle.  Hopefully, it will be a challenge to the "religious mind sets" we have established, and will offer some fresh "points of view" while examining Ephesian 4.  

What will the plant look like once broth forth from this seed, watered, and nurtured?  I am not sure, but I do give the Holy Spirit permission to take you and me on a journey that will glorify Jesus Christ while bringing unity in the Body of Christ. This journey should be interesting and unique, and I invite you to join me.