Engage Community   

Session 1  (Led by Pastor Steve L.)    9-11-13

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We started our “Engage” series in our church. This first night was engaging our community. The follow is some notes I took and some handouts given to the attendees.

Matthew 6:25-33, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? ²⁷ And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?^{[ 28} And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, ²⁹ yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ³⁰ But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? ³¹ Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. ³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (ESV)

What do we usually think about when we pray? We think about our daily struggles, health, things we need for our daily lives. These are tangible things. Praying for such things is good and necessary, but there are things that we must pray for that are intangible. We should not just seek tangible things but intangible things such as the the kingdom of God. Seek those things!

When we do this then there is a promise. Matt 6:33. “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” All these things (the tangible things) will be given to you as well when you put top priority on seeking the intangible things like the Kingdom of God.

This not a class about evangelizing per say…it is more about making Christ known. We need to have a balance. God has called us to be salt and light. This involves living our lives in front of this people.

Sometimes we think that we can not live with this intensity of missional engagement. It is hard to do so. Surviving in this world drains us. Making Christ known may drain you in a different way. But it is worth it. If you need to “dial it back” once and a while, then you need to dial it back, but you are out there. You are an engaged Christian in all spheres of your life.

Think about the praying for intangible things. Let’s think about praying for a  person named Jim. We can pray. “Lord, Give Jim a heart of love, widen his eyes to see God’s work. Help Jim to find his place in your church, Help develop such love that the gospel may shine through him.” We can include the character of God and the mission of God in our prayer life. When we pray these things and God works, then automatically he will work hard and things will be provided.

Handout: Precept of “Go to” ministry Sycamore profile. This is advertising data on communities for advertisers. The owner is Christian and he provides it for churches.  This is data to see what people are thinking and feeling. By analyzing it we can know what their fears are. We can go deeper in prayer for them. Go into a “kingdom-righteousness” type prayer.

It is located in the suburban Midwest. Largest group is the Millennial group born 1980-2003. They are 20-35 year olds. Safety and security and fears of losing their security are top fears.

From this data we can focus in on a non-believer and how could we pray for them. That they may…

–          Find real security on the Lord.

–          Know the creator Lord. Knowing the Creator, the Lord, the Protector.

–          Value identity in Christ, verses physical security.

–          To know Jesus the foundation of marriage.

–          To see their need.

–          To know God and this holiness.

–          See God.

–          Laborers to meet show and tell the gospel.

–          Let them see the glory of God.

–          Help them to know Jesus.

It is important to not create a church around our fears and anxieties. We should not create a church around alleviating those fears, but we should know the character of the people whom we serve.. But we can reveal those gospels through those prayers. Ex. a couple has marriage problems. We need to guide them to Jesus. We cannot help them to live in their problem and but we can help them to go to a higher level.  To see Christ in the church and then their marriage can be fixed ion Jesus. Move them past the culture and their immediate need, to Jesus.

Walk them though the anxiety to the cross. Help people to see that the anxiety is not really the issue. Meet people in their need and lead them to the gospel. Bring them through their need and show them that their need is not the ultimate need. The need is a symptom of something greater. Ex. A pregnancy center. The answer is deeper. They must ask deeper questions such as “What is love? What are you using your body in such a way?”

Start with what they love and cycle the whole thing around to the cross. Don’t be drawn into a debate. They must know your heart. “I want to know you and lead you to the gospel and the cross.” We are not changing the gospel message. We are seeking to know the person and leading that person to the gospel.

Be wise. Know who you are talking to. Know where you are going. We are on this planet to make Christ known and as we grow in this truth we, as a church can make Christ known throughout the world.

The Various Charts:

Mission Trajectory Chart

Population verses diversity.

Magnet/mission/ town/regional

The Hughes scale

Content and culture.

Quad a-D    Anglican vs. Mega church (get rid of the crosses and church art) There are churches who do not reach out. They preach and think God will bring whom he brings.

Quad B is the key. Keep the gospel in all of its content and glory and also be culturally relevant. The gospel unpacked in all of its purpose will save suburbanite and the paroled criminal.

Do not drop the content

It is time to build up the theology of this.

Colossians. 1:13-14, “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, ¹⁴ in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins”

1.   How does this passage define salvation?

Defines the power of darkness. A person may be in bondage and not even know it. Paul likes to define sin as a whole domain. “as you used to live in ..” Ephesians 2 describes our condition before Jesus saved us. You were walking after evil and following demons and you were destined tor the wrath of God.

We were transferred to another realm. We are no longer in the evil domain. Jesus purchased us by his shed blood on the cross. When Paul engages the gospel he talks to the people. He finds an engaging element.

 The Spectrum of Engagement.

You have a spectrum.  We reflect on what we have been missing. Pre-evangelism is meaningful conversation. Make contact. Have meaningful conversations with them. Share the gospel with them. God’s in his sovereignty and his time will transfer them. God will work in them and they will be disciples of Jesus. We can pray for people and encourage them to mature in Christ.  Have contact with them; talk to them. Pray for them and help them as they mature. Let’s not stop at conversion. God make the converts…now go and make contact.

The whole strategy is to pray for people to help them to mature in Christ.

 Chart: Evangelism / edification.

Can you sit down and make a list of what you can do in your life, to raise awareness to make contact and engage in evangelism. What is your example?

Here is handout on how to do a food drive…not just for the sake of food but to get to know your neighbor.

Next  session:   Some of the complexities of sharing the gospel.