Knowing and Doing

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 ne...

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 t...

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 ...