I Want My Name Back

"I want My name Back"

The title of my message is: "I want My name Back."

There are things we can learn from the business world, that apply themselves to the church.

I went to a 4 year Bible college, of which there are very few remaining. After having been in the ministry many years now, there are a couple of classes I wish I had taken, besides all my bible and ministry classes.

For examply Donald Trump has a book entitled, "The Art of Closing the Deal."

Seems like that would have practical applications in evangelism.

Some fish will jump in the boat.

Some fish will get caught in your net.

Some fish have to be coaxed in. I am not trying to minimize the work of the Holy Spirit but just saying there are skills in persuasion it would be good if pastor's were trained in them.

The Apostle Paul believed that, he said to the Jew I became a Jew...

PPT 1

I did a search a couple of years ago on what were the top buisness books and was surprised to see on many of the lists a book called, "The Art of War," by Sun Tzu, written between 700 - 400 BC. I wondered what business people wanted to learn about the art of war, so I bought it, it didn't take me long to find out. In the first several pages Sun Tzu lays out that you need to know the condition and morale of your troops, the efficiency of your supply lines, the climate and topography of the battlefield conditions. The strength and mindset of your opponents. He taught that a leader has to balance discipline and rewards with his workers. If he is too harsh they will not serve him when things get hard, and if he over rewards them they will not want to serve when things get hard.A very good book for business people, and for pastors.

They story is told of how he became a general. He had written his war book and Ho Lu the King of Wu...

I never took a marketing class, but if I did I think one of the biggest lessons would be:

Get your name out there.

Get your name out there in a positive light.

Get your name out there in a way that it draws people to it.

Text:

John 12:20 Now there were certain Greeks among those who were going up to worship at the feast;

John 12:21 these therefore came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and [began to] ask him, saying, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus."

How did these men from Greece become interested in meeting and knowing Jesus?

What made them attracted to Him?

Last week I started a short series of messages on being an attractive church. I began with a message about being a church that is attractive to God.

God is looking for places to bring the weight of His glory. Next week I will be bringing a message on what it was in Elisha that led to his double portion anointing, anbody in here want a double portion from God? (Many are called few are chosen)

Before Elijah the prophet was taken to heaven, he asked his trainee Elisha what he wanted, and Elisha asked for a double portion of Elijah's spirit, to which Elijah responed, "thou has asked a hard thing." What made it hard? God's ability to give or man's ability to receive?

You can't put a billion volts through door bell wire. The message will be about God making us a bigger wire.

Today I want to continue talking about an attractive church, last week we talked about a church that is attractive to God, today I want to talk about a church that is attractive to the lost. You see a church that is attractive to the lost, is also attractive to God.

That is why I began this message talking about marketing.

Jesus was attractive, and that was His plan for us also. You are the light of the world.

The best marketing strategy a church can have is to be on fire for God.

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If I were the devil... I would get you to where no one would believe a word that comes out of your mouth.

In other words I would ruin your testimony, your reputation, your name would be dirt.

Let's start with a question:

If you ask the world "What do you think about Jesus:"

Kind man

Teacher

Miracle Worker

God's Son

A gentle man

PPT 3 (Pictures of Jonesboro Baptist protest)

If you ask the world what they think of Christian's they will say:

Angry

Mean spirited

bigoted

Full of hate speech

God says, "I want my Name back."