Jim Singleton on Evangelism (Part 1 of 2)
These are my notes from the 2011 MoRanch Conference near Hunt, Texas. Our keynote speaker this year is Jim Singleton from 1st Presbyterian Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado. These are notes from Jim’s opening message on April 29, 2011.
http://www.first-pres.org
http://www.moranch.com Westminster encampment near Shriner (story of Jim’s father hearing God’s call on his life to full time, professional ministry) Evangelism has been on my heart for 30 years Matthew 9:35-38
Then Jesus made a circuit of all the towns and villages. He taught in their meeting places, reported kingdom news, and healed their diseased bodies, healed their bruised and hurt lives. When he looked out over the crowds, his heart broke. So confused and aimless they were, like sheep with no shepherd. “What a huge harvest!” he said to his disciples. “How few workers!” On your knees and pray for harvest hands!” See it at YouVersion.com:
http://bible.us/Matt9.37.MSG Dwight Moody was very odd
– he tried to stir up conversations with people about Jesus 1871 event affected him dramatically
– the great Chicago fire Remember singing that song! What is our way of doing evangelism?
– story of Dwight Moody asking a lady who said she didnt like his method of evangelism Notice the eyes of Jesus: He saw the crowds
– we have to start by noticing who does not know Jesus Christ We do know people who aren’t Christians, but many of us don’t notice them Between 120 and 150 million “functionally secular” people (may drop by a church a few times for the occasional funeral) 4% of students at UT are near a church on Sundays Do we see how remarkably our culture has changed? 75% of the builder generation today are connected to a church
Baby boomers GenX is 21% churched
Millenials are somewhere in the low teens Do you see these trends?
Do you have the eyes of Jesus June 6, 1946 parade in Prospect Park in Brooklyn, New York
90,000 kids were out of school
117th annual Sunday School Parade Are you noticing who is not yet in Christ? Do you notice many people who are not living the best years of their lives, being apart from Christ Story of hitchhiking college student running into a Jesus freak twice Note the compassion of Jesus
– we must have compassion first to move forward in evangelism Do you see the plentiful possibilities? In Colorado we have more people looking for life We have fewer people in church in Colorado Springs than in Boulder, Co Until 1925 Presbyterian elders had to answer a list of questions
– one was has their been an outpouring of the Holy Spirit which has resulted in conversations? 1905-1915: Southern Presbyterian Church was the fasted growing denomination Till 1952 we had more adult baptisms than infant baptisms THIS MAKES ME THINK OF GEORGE BARNA STATS, AND THE IDEA THAT WE CAN OR SHOULD JUST GIVE UP ON EVANGELISM FOR ADULTS 85% of mainline congregations today are flat or declining, most who grow are growing because of the circulation of the saints Presbyterians on average share their faith once every 15 years Soren Kirkegard parable: shop window sign, “pants pressed here”
– clerk said we just paint signs here For average person to come to Christ: 4 years
– they will hear parts of the gospel from five people Are we willing to share it
Jesus’ plan is not to form a committee
He plan is ask the Lord of the Harvest to send out workers
We need to pray Sent from my iPad
http://www.first-pres.org
http://www.moranch.com Westminster encampment near Shriner (story of Jim’s father hearing God’s call on his life to full time, professional ministry) Evangelism has been on my heart for 30 years Matthew 9:35-38
Then Jesus made a circuit of all the towns and villages. He taught in their meeting places, reported kingdom news, and healed their diseased bodies, healed their bruised and hurt lives. When he looked out over the crowds, his heart broke. So confused and aimless they were, like sheep with no shepherd. “What a huge harvest!” he said to his disciples. “How few workers!” On your knees and pray for harvest hands!” See it at YouVersion.com:
http://bible.us/Matt9.37.MSG Dwight Moody was very odd
– he tried to stir up conversations with people about Jesus 1871 event affected him dramatically
– the great Chicago fire Remember singing that song! What is our way of doing evangelism?
– story of Dwight Moody asking a lady who said she didnt like his method of evangelism Notice the eyes of Jesus: He saw the crowds
– we have to start by noticing who does not know Jesus Christ We do know people who aren’t Christians, but many of us don’t notice them Between 120 and 150 million “functionally secular” people (may drop by a church a few times for the occasional funeral) 4% of students at UT are near a church on Sundays Do we see how remarkably our culture has changed? 75% of the builder generation today are connected to a church
Baby boomers GenX is 21% churched
Millenials are somewhere in the low teens Do you see these trends?
Do you have the eyes of Jesus June 6, 1946 parade in Prospect Park in Brooklyn, New York
90,000 kids were out of school
117th annual Sunday School Parade Are you noticing who is not yet in Christ? Do you notice many people who are not living the best years of their lives, being apart from Christ Story of hitchhiking college student running into a Jesus freak twice Note the compassion of Jesus
– we must have compassion first to move forward in evangelism Do you see the plentiful possibilities? In Colorado we have more people looking for life We have fewer people in church in Colorado Springs than in Boulder, Co Until 1925 Presbyterian elders had to answer a list of questions
– one was has their been an outpouring of the Holy Spirit which has resulted in conversations? 1905-1915: Southern Presbyterian Church was the fasted growing denomination Till 1952 we had more adult baptisms than infant baptisms THIS MAKES ME THINK OF GEORGE BARNA STATS, AND THE IDEA THAT WE CAN OR SHOULD JUST GIVE UP ON EVANGELISM FOR ADULTS 85% of mainline congregations today are flat or declining, most who grow are growing because of the circulation of the saints Presbyterians on average share their faith once every 15 years Soren Kirkegard parable: shop window sign, “pants pressed here”
– clerk said we just paint signs here For average person to come to Christ: 4 years
– they will hear parts of the gospel from five people Are we willing to share it
Jesus’ plan is not to form a committee
He plan is ask the Lord of the Harvest to send out workers
We need to pray Sent from my iPad