Thursday, March 19, 2020

GOSPEL OF JOHN INTIATIVE


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ATTENTION ALLEN HEIGHTS BAPTIST CHURCH MEMBERS, VISITORS AND GUESTS;
We are launching the Gospel of JOHN initiative today.

WHAT WE ARE ASKING YOU TO DO:
1. Read the sections in John from the Reading Plan. It’s dated.

2. Discuss with someone. Journal your thoughts in a notebook. Use the HEAR journaling method included on the reading plan. Meet as a family and read it together. Couples spend a few moments to read and discuss. If you are by yourself, read together on the phone and discuss.

3. There will be daily videos posted by Pastor Brian to share some important points from the daily readings.

4. Take prayer requests and pray together.

5. Please note that we are all reading together even though we can’t meet together.

This is a great time to have a devoted time to dig into God’s Word every day.
Please let me know if you have any questions, brianeverett@allenheightsbc.org or call me at 972-727-9136. Thanks and God Bless, Pastor Brian

WEEK ONE
q  Thursday, March 19                   John 1:1-28        
q  Friday, March 20                       John 1:29-51      
q  Saturday. March 21                   John 2:1-25        

WEEK TWO
q   Sunday, March 22                   John 3:1-21
q  Monday, March 23                   John 3:22-36     
q  Tuesday, March 24                   John 4:1-42        
q  Wednesday, March 25              John 4:43-54      
q  Thursday, March 26                 John 5:1-15
q  Friday, March 27                      John 5:16-47
q  Saturday, March 28                  John 6:1-21

Friday, February 7, 2020

The Antioch Effect: Fields Are Ripe For the Harvest


Image result for harvest

I am sure that most people that grew up in church were used to the old visitation night or we put on an evangelistic/outreach events such as a 5th quarter for youth or Vacation Bible School.  Most of these efforts usually create lots of work and prayerfully we get to see a few salvations from them.  in most urban/suburban southern areas of the US, the typical bible believing church is down the block and has been there for decades.  In rural settings, that one single church exists that everyone is aware of in the area and has been there for 50 to 100 years or more. 

Hemphill shares that 28 percent of adults believe it is their responsibility to share their religious beliefs with others.  25 percent strongly feel they have no such responsibility.  In Matthew 9, Jesus uses the term harvest to explain the condition of the fields that are ready to be worked.  The harvest.  The people all around us.  Our neighbors.  The folks standing next to us in line at Wal Mart or Target.  The ones who are in the booth next to us in the restaurant.  Our family.  "Jesus referred to the many souls needing to be brought to repentance and faith as a harvest waiting to be realized."  (gotquestions.org)

Jesus states in Matthew 9:37 that the problem is "the workers are few."  In other words, the lack of salvations and baptisms are due to the fact that aren't enough disciples going into the harvest, a field ripe and ready to be cultivated, to share the gospel.  We have read this passage of Scripture.  We have heard a lesson or sermon about it, yet, we don't want to be obedient to what Jesus is obviously pointing out.  Let's add the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20 and Acts 1:8 on top of that. 

If it's a command of Christ, then why aren't we going into the harvest?  Jesus said the harvest is ready.  So, you are either the "few" workers or you're not.  We complain that the pastor is not good enough to bring people into the body of Christ or attend the worship service.  He hasn't worked hard enough when it's EVERY believers responsibility to share the gospel.  To go into the HARVEST to work!  "People don't want to hear that" or "people aren't responsive" is not going to cut it on Judgment Day I'm afraid.   

Wednesday, January 29, 2020

The Antioch Effect: Christ is the ONLY WAY!

Point #2:  We must believe that Christ provides the only access to the Father. 

TRUTH:  Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. John 14:6
TRUTH:  And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.  Acts 4:12.

Hemphill writes in The Antioch Effect that if we believe this, with conviction we must share Christ with others.  The statistics show that there is a low percentage of Christians sharing their faith.  Worse than that, fewer Christians know what the Great Commission is and what it means.  Church, what is our responsibility to share?  Where is our conviction for the truth?  And where is our passion to share the gospel - the good news?

We have been complacent and comfortable for TOO LONG.  Most older churches in America are dying a slow death because of the Holy Huddle they are participating in every week.  Attendance is declining and even worse the number of baptisms go down every year in our denomination.  New church plants across North America are seeing explosive numbers of people confessing and believing in Jesus because they start with a passion of sharing the gospel.  The Great Commission is very real to them and they see the need to share.  

Are we willing to surrender to the command of the Great Commission?  Are we willing to give up our comfort and quit being ruled by our calendar to share the gospel with our friends and neighbors?
What say YOU?

Monday, January 20, 2020

The Antioch Effect: Building Blocks For Evangelism

The Antioch Effect written by Ken Hemphill gives good insight on the chapter "Passion for the Lost" and developing a solid theological foundation for evangelism in the local church.  I want to look at all 8 of them as the review will be good for me too....so here it goes:

Point #1:  We must understand the condition of the lost. 
Hemphill writes:   "Without Christ there is neither life, nor hope."  In most evangelical circles, we hear of the saved and the lost, believer or unbeliever, etc. to be able to identify what group you are part of when you are presented the gospel.  Preachers wind it up during the worship service so that with the invitation at the end of the service, you are challenged to identify what group you're in so that you can respond according to the invitation instructions.   If you're lost, you're invited to place your faith in Jesus Christ.  If you are saved, you should invite the Holy Spirit to revive/renew you or challenge you as the Scripture leads.  There are other invitation instructions, but what I speak of are the basic ones.  Because, without Christ there is neither life, nor hope. 

Hemphill writes about having a biblical understanding of the condition of the lost.  Do we truly know what Scripture says about rejecting Christ and the consequences of that rejection?  The best place for this is Romans 1-3, where it is very descriptive of the practice of one who rejects Christ.  Hemphill states the need for this understanding for the believer to be "moved" to do something about lostness because we have the message to share.  (2 Cor. 5 - the ministry of reconciliation)  Rejecting Christ is a crisis in our community, so then, how will God's people respond to this crisis? 

Will we stand by and let lost people, who don't know Jesus, die without the opportunity to hear the gospel?  Have we gotten too comfortable in our buildings with padded pews that our holy huddle has become what Christianity is all about?  Does this lost condition in our community/city cause us grief and anguish to be moved to do something?  Hemphill suggests that since the lost are not seeking God based upon what we read in Romans 3:11, we must become the seekers.

What will you/I do?