Am I praying, preparing, passing on the Gospel?

Over last four weeks I've passed out handouts and bulletin inserts and we've had discussions on the question, "how to share the gospel with others."

Have we studied the Scriptures of the “Romans Road,” or the “ABC's of the kingdom”?

Have we thought about or had any discussion, or practiced our testimony or how we might start a conversation with someone, or even prayed with someone?

Do we know the Gospel? Do we believe it? Do we live by it?

Most conversations won't lead to someone committing their life to follow Christ in that moment, but we have talked about how each conversation, each act of kindness, and each prayer that we pray privately and specifically for others can help them be a step closer for them to eternity in union with God through Christ. Do we believe that?

If we do then we will pray, prepare, and pass on the gospel.

Questions, Questions, Questions?

Too busy?

Just not motivated?

Are we just plain lazy?

Do we realize we are engaged in a spiritual war and are we doing battle on our knees so to speak?

The motivation question: fear of God and love of God.

The “love quotient: Have we been forgiven much and do we love much? Have we freely received and therefore freely give?

The fear of God component:  Have we given serious thought about giving an account to God for our own obedience or disobedience to share the gospel and be and make disciples?

If our hesitancy to share is because we still feel unprepared then let's earnestly prepare and pray so that we can be as Paul wrote to Timothy, "a workman who needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of God."

Do we really care about people's souls? Do I love?

That's why I wrote that we need to be filled with God's word, and filled with the Holy Spirit, and most of all we need filled with God's love.

Am I “over the Holy Spirit” or seeking to be filled?

I can count on God to manifest spiritual graces and gifts through me if I ask (1 Cor 14:1 love motivates me to earnestly desire spiritual gifts). God will give me words of wisdom and prophetic words of encouragement and words of knowledge that can open people's hearts to repent and believe the gospel. But Paul also wrote in 1 Cor: 13 that even if I prophesy and have all wisdom and have all faith, if I have not love I'm just a clanging cymbal.

So maybe the real question is, do I love? Do I love God more than myself, do I love others more than myself, or at least do I love others as much as I love myself? If I have repented and placed my faith in God, it is because others prayed and shared the gospel with me, and I will desire to share the gospel and pray for others.

The less experience we have we will tend to be more self-conscious, nervous, focused on how I am doing, or my fears, or I may talk too much and not listen well.

But with prayerful experience I will be less focused on me and on the results, on trying to be “successful” or do it well.

Over time I will be more focused on Christ’s love, on Father’s ultimate purpose.

That brings us to the Gospel itself-the power of God for salvation.

Knowing the story is more than just topics or verses in a formula.  

It begins with God, with His desire in creation, his image in the man he formed and his purpose for the man and woman he said were “very good.”

So, witnessing is not just about dealing with the fall and sin issue and forgiveness or going to heaven.

It is about God and his story, his heart, his image.

WHAT IS THE GOSPEL?  (Good News-evangel)

Is the whole or full gospel about my being forgiven and me going to heaven?

Is it about me being baptized and filled with Holy Spirit and spiritual gifts?

Is it about God’s kingdom and me getting my life in order to serve the King?

All of these are true but are they the whole truth????

What about God’s plan and purpose before Adam and Eve fell and what about his eternal and ultimate purpose in the new heaven and earth in Christ, and the church being in union with God?

Would you have said something like the following?

The gospel is that God himself has come to rescue

and renew creation

in and through the the work of Jesus Christ on our behalf.

We have a good future and a hope and we can commit to the welfare of our city by being filled with the love of God and building the altar, temple and walls as a holy habitation for God and light to the world for all people, hastening His return and the restoration of all things in the wonderful new heaven and earth.

Maybe, if we ask God to fill us with his love, His Word, His Spirit and His holy fear (the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom), we will repent of not being gospel focused, missional communities, and we be “joyful for a change.”

Those who go, bearing precious seed, weeping, will doubtless come again, rejoicing, bringing their sheaves with them. Ps 126

I am asking all of us not just to be in a small group-but to be in a gospel focused, missional group, with others who see the need to become more obedient as disciples.

We can be a family of missionary servants, being and making disciples together, for the glory of God and furtherance of his kingdom in all the earth.

LET THE CHILDREN COME TO ME

LET THE CHILDREN COME TO ME

By Dwight Cunkle

This last Friday I ended four weeks (20 days) of teaching a sixth grade class at Kaiser Public School. They didn't have a teacher hired so asked me to come in for the first day, then tried to get me emergency certification to be able to teach  the rest of the year, but were unsuccessful. While I was there I was shocked at the needs of families, teachers and the challenges to our inner city school systems. It almost seems as if an enemy has stacked the deck against broad success for our children. Any wonder parents and teachers who are able to make the sacrifice and adjust their lifestyles resort to homeschooling and private schools. As parents our mandate is to teach and train our children. Unfortunately, many are stuck in the public (or "government run") school system. How do you feel about that? Many Christian teachers are doing all they can to help these children and families. It is a Godly calling and they need our prayers and support. It is much easier to criticize than get involved and help. We must act on the words of Jesus, "Whoever receives one of these little ones receives me." What do we believe and why and how do we live it and share it and what difference does it make?

Karen Gale has lead our Whiz Kid program for 18 years and our congregation has often helped Kaiser school. Karen believes the schools provide the key to reformation and revival in our community. Could the Holy Spirit move within that struggling institution? If God can move hearts in the church He can certainly be at work in the world. The reality is God works where there is hunger and need. That's why Jesus said that the Good Shepherd leaves the ninety-nine in the wilderness and goes after the one sheep that went astray.

Our family has had the privilege of being involved in education for generations: teaching in and sending our children to both public and Christian schools, homeschooling our children, involved in co-2ops, even using a Catholic High School. I don't know what is next for us as a family or church but like Karen I am deeply involved in our Whiz Kid program and praying for God's kingdom to come in all our schools and families. Karen believes everyone can be involved in some way to help bring the love and wisdom of God through education. How does that make you feel?  

Let us pray and obey and see what God will do. But let us not be content to remain alone in the wilderness of religious life.

An Example of Family

Greeting from Pastor Dennis and Sheila Cole family (and from conference KMI pastors and many friends from other covenant churches)

Example of family
Dennis (my pastor who also pastors in Newport KY, Lifegate Church) often sends you his greetings. While we talked last weekend he  encouraged me to thank you for your prayers for their family. Please receive his and Sheila’s love for you. Though we only see him a few times a year we have a real sense of koinonia (fellowship, community  and covenant relationship).

They still need to sell their old house (in which currently lives their youngest daughter and husband, and their son Elijah), while his father and Sheila’s mother share living space in their new home. In addition their oldest son and another daughter and their families live within a few hundred yards of them.

Family is hard work but has great reward. The Coles are a good example as they work hard to build spiritual community with their family and in the Church to demonstrate to the world the love and unity of the trinity. Whether we are first generation, or crying out to God for prodigals, let your faith be encouraged to keep on praying and building koinonia.

Building Spiritual Family and when possible in the natural
Dennis’ family usually has four generations in worship together. They have many years of shared multi-generational ministry. Desmond Cole transitioned the church to Dennis’ leadership 25 years ago, similar to how Richard McAfee did here with me (nearly 16 years ago). Dennis’s son Jeremiah (who has ministered here several times) is now one of the elders there and he actually led the Gatekeepers conference which is completely hosted by the next generation.

This conference reinforces our values of covenant relationship, seeking God’s kingdom, practicing discipleship and joining the generations (both spiritual and natural). Jeremiah and others thanked us for making the 14 hour trip. Our CLC group and MC graduates filled three rows and are a model of the vision of building by uniting people of many different ages, in kingdom of God, covenant and discipleship.

By the way, Jordan Marlowe announced his engagement at the conference. He proposed to his fiancee while there, sharing that joy with MC friends. Hannah, Sarah, Melissa, Levi, and Ryan all sent their love to you as well.

Loving Family Reforms Culture spiritually and naturally

The more the nuclear family bears the image of Holy Three in One God, it becomes a source of reformation not only in the church but to the congregation and the community at large.

The Family of God confronts and overcomes demonic evil

We also must resist the demonic warfare and cultural negativity against building as spiritual and natural family (lies like don’t have too many children; marriage isn’t important; go find your own way and life instead of first inheriting the heart and learning the ways of your natural parents if possible, as well as that of your spiritual leaders; mom and dad be independent; kids be peer oriented, etc...)

The warfare makes it even harder yet more worthwhile and critical that we reform the earth in God’s image by building in koinonia. This will attract those who want to be saved. It is God’s will that all be saved and those who feel solitary know his joining in his family.

May God bless Pastor Dennis and Sheila and their example and may we be encouraged in the pattern of the love and unity of the Holy Trinity, in both our natural and spiritual family.

Eph 2:18-19  For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.  So then you are...members of the household of God,

3:20-21   Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,  to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever.  Amen.

-PD