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Posts Tagged ‘decisions’

WILL YOU CHANGE THE WORLD?

Posted in Church, Preaching messages, Soul Winning, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on September 30, 2012| Leave a Comment »

WILL I BE THE ONE TO CHANGE THE WORLD?

Sept 30, 2012 6pm Service

IF YOU SAVE ONE LIFE, YOU HAVE CHANGED THE WORLD ENTIRELY

Leo Tolstoy:

“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but nobody thinks of changing themselves.”

Inside each person lies the desire to be significant.

To make any contribution that changes the world for the better, no matter how small that change maybe.

Little boys dream of becoming superheroes, little girls dream of their knight rescuing them and taking them away ….. to change the world of course!

IF YOU SAVE ONE LIFE, YOU HAVE CHANGED THE WORLD ENTIRELY

The older we get, the more life seems to transition from wondering how we can make a difference; to surviving and maintaining. The dreams for some people get covered by the humdrum and monotony of life.

Meeting Jesus changes everything.

Becoming a Christian means you have entered into the eternal plan of God. There are no exceptions, no limitations, nor mistakes. Your life is planned from before time and now you get to live it out under His direction.

Eph 1:4  Even as [in His love] He chose us [actually picked us out for Himself as His own] in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and blameless in His sight, even above reproach, before Him in love.

Eph 1:5  For He foreordained us (destined us, planned in love for us) to be adopted (revealed) as His own children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the purpose of His will [because it pleased Him and was His kind intent]—[AMP]

Furthermore we enter into His purpose for divine outcomes.

 Eph 3:10  [The purpose is] that through the church the complicated, many-sided wisdom of God in all its infinite variety and innumerable aspects might now be made known to the angelic rulers and authorities (principalities and powers) in the heavenly sphere.

Eph 3:11  This is in accordance with the terms of the eternal and timeless purpose which He has realized and carried into effect in [the person of] Christ Jesus our Lord, [AMP]

IF YOU SAVE ONE LIFE, YOU HAVE CHANGED THE WORLD ENTIRELY

You see, when you enter into relationship with Jesus Christ you enter that plan He has for you since the beginning of time.

You don’t have to worry about what it is I am supposed to do or become, just obey the voice of God. It’s automatic; you will change the world if you follow His commands.

Peter asked Jesus about what should happen to someone else, and Jesus replied What ever I choose for them is for me to decide – I’m asking you to follow me.

Joh 21:20  But Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved, following–the one who also had leaned back on His breast at the supper and had said, Lord, who is it that is going to betray You?

Joh 21:21  When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, Lord, what about this man?

Joh 21:22  Jesus said to him, If I want him to stay (survive, live) until I come, what is that to you? [What concern is it of yours?] You follow Me! [AMP]

If you change yourself – you have changed the world.

IF YOU SAVE ONE LIFE, YOU HAVE CHANGED THE WORLD ENTIRELY

Changing just one life can make an enormous difference

In Science the Chaos theory has led to the butterfly effect proposition.

In chaos theory, the butterfly effect is the sensitive dependence on initial conditions, where a small change at one place in a deterministic nonlinear system can result in large differences to a later state. The name of the effect, coined by Edward Lorenz, is derived from the theoretical example of a hurricane’s formation being contingent on whether or not a distant butterfly had flapped its wings several weeks before.

Although the butterfly effect may appear to be an esoteric and unlikely behaviour, it is exhibited by very simple systems: for example, a ball placed at the crest of a hill may roll into any of several valleys depending on, among other things, slight differences in initial position. – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfly_effect

Similarly in God’s kingdom everything is planned and under his guidance. Nothing escapes His notice. The smallest most inconsequential change is all part of His divine plan.

 Mat 10:29  Are not two little sparrows sold for a penny? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father’s leave (consent) and notice.

Mat 10:30  But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. [AMP]

Your choice is to obey or not – God’s plan.

Choose to obey or not.

My story of not witnessing to Peter’s dad

Choose to obey

My pick up of a new convert Maurice Ritchie

 

 

A clip from Schindler’s List – The background to the story is during the second world war, Jews were being exterminated by the millions. One man, a Check, by the name of Oskar Schindler set up businesses and employed Jews and endeavoured to keep them safe from the German extermination. By the end of the war he saved 1100 Jews.

http://www.wingclips.com/movie-clips/schindlers-list/one-more-person

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oskar_Schindler

It’s that little thing that counts…

IF YOU SAVE ONE LIFE, YOU HAVE CHANGED THE WORLD ENTIRELY

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URBAN CONNECT GROUP LEADERS TRAINING No. 2

Posted in Preaching messages, tagged , , , , , , , on August 8, 2012| Leave a Comment »

URBAN CONNECT GROUP LEADERS TRAINING

JULY-AUGUST 2012            WEEK 2

The main thing is the main thing – soul winning.

What we believe in this church:

  • The power of an invitation
  • Go into all the world – reaching demographic groups
  • Discipling lost people to become disciple makers.

The Main thing is the Main thing.

This is now a famous quote from Ps David McDonald our National Chairman.

It reflects the main mission of the COC movement in Australia and around the world.

Soul winning – leading people to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ is the most important thing we do.

For us and for most denominations the fire of soul winning is the first fire to go out when a church or movement stops putting the Great Commission first.

What did Jesus really mean when he said…

Mat 28:18  Jesus approached and, breaking the silence, said to them, All authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.

Mat 28:19  Go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Mat 28:20  Teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you all the days (perpetually, uniformly, and on every occasion), to the [very] close and consummation of the age. Amen (so let it be).

BRAINSTORM

What does this scripture/commandment mean to you?

Does this commandment apply equally to all Christians?

Are there some who are called to do this work of making disciples more than others?

Passion for souls

Are people really going to Hell?

What is Hell really like?

Joh 3:3  Jesus answered him, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that unless a person is born again (anew, from above), he cannot ever see (know, be acquainted with, and experience) the kingdom of God.

 

Rev 14:11  And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no respite (no pause, no intermission, no rest, no peace) day or night–these who pay homage to the beast and to his image and whoever receives the stamp of his name upon him. [Isa. 34:10.]

BRAIN STORM

Who is going to hell?

Is there any way to get to heaven except by becoming a Christian?

Are you sure there is no other way?

What is hell really like?

Who do you know that’s going there?

Making Disciples or Getting decisions.

One of the strongest messages that is being spoken around the world right now is about the importance of making disciples. This is contrasted to the practice of getting decisions.

What’s the difference?

BRAINSTORM

What happens when we make disciples?

What happens when we get decisions?

Disciple making

Discipleship is relationship.

It begins when relationship begins.

Disciple means learner.

Discipleship is meeting with someone or a group and doing life with them. Jesus did it 24/7 for three years. Mostly we can’t do that because we have to go to work, school, uni etc. so it may take a little longer!

Discipleship is leading people to Jesus through the embracing the word of God and also through the experience of life.

The discipler hasn’t got all the answers because no one does. The discipler leads the disciple to Jesus. Keep pointing the disciple to Jesus for the answers, but also share how that looked for you. Share your story, your struggles and your victories.

It can begin long before the potential disciple is saved. If they are willing to do the journey then go there with them. You can disciple them 1 to 1 or in a group. You can have an unsaved person in your discipleship group; no problems.

When a disciple goes through an experience – make it a learning experience. Ask questions…. What does the bible say about that? What would Jesus do if He were in your shoes? Do you need support and prayer in this situation.

As a discipler you provide love confidence and support. Maybe you don’t have all the answers but you can pray for God to do miracles in this circumstance. When you have the answer, don’t be too quick to TELL all the time. Be like a coach and ask great questions. People learn faster when they are searching their own hart and the word for the answer, by doing that you are making them Jesus dependent and not you dependent.

Making decisions

When people make a decision to follow Jesus, either in a one to one situation, or in a church service or Youth Meeting etc. that’s great; but if they are not connected to an Urban Connect group straight away then that young Christian may not keep going.

A decision is only a beginning. It’s like having a baby and then not caring for it. No milk, no food, no love, no protection, no clothes etc.

Can we as a church ensure that every person who visits our church has an opportunity to enter a discipling relationship?

BRAINSTORM

What could we do to make that happen? For us a church team to ensure that every person who visits our church has an opportunity to enter into to a discipling relationship?

Our Church methodology – How we do all this in PVC?

What we believe in this church:

  • The power of an invitation
  • Go into all the world – reaching demographic groups
  • Discipling lost people to become disciple makers.

The power of an Invitation

We believe in constantly asking people to come. Andrew asked Simon Peter to come. He also asked Phillip to come. The woman at the well inn John 6 asked the whole town to come. Ask lots of people, ask hundreds, somewhere someone is hungry and they will come. When people come to church, OR you OR Feast (Young Adults) OR Urban Connect OR Young Mums etc etc etc…… Then begin to disciple them if they are willing.

Go into all the world

We believe in GO! Go into all the world. We are not only sitting here in church and expecting people to come to us. That’s a come message…. Jesus gave us a GO message. So we go to the fishing pools where people are.

  1. Craig – to the Police station
  2. Chris & Tim – to the Primary School
  3. Youth – To the high school
  4. Feast – to the Uni – Red Frogs
  5. Alex and his team – The needy people who come to community kitchen

We will develop other fishing pools over time as we get larger. This is where we contact people outside the arena of church and serve them and love them and share the gospel with them.

Discipling lost people to become disciple makers.

This is the most powerful engine of growth and community impact, but it is very slow, it can take years of planting and sowing and working on changing culture so that the UC leaders and their groups focus on the work of discipling lost people.

For most churches in Australia the work of small groups does not include soul winning – and making disciples. Why? Because they have no passion for souls.

If we have no soul winning in our church or urban connect groups then we msut Pary and intercede and call on God for his mercy to touch peoples lives. Do we consider their plight? Can we go the extra mile and keep on reaching out to lost people? Will you as an Urban Connect Leader spur your group onto winning lost people?

  1. Have each member write down a harvest list
  2. Pray for the lost friends and relatives EVERY Meeting
  3. Share how you have been witnessing to others, be an example
  4. Encourage others to share who they are reaching out to
  5. Champion those who reach out.
  6. Create events to bring unsaved along to.
  7. When a new person comes to you r group make them feel welcome. Pray for them, meet their needs.

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