Evangelism – It’s What We Do!
The Importance of Outreach
The Martins move into my neighborhood every spring. They show up about the middle of March and spend the summer with me. I enjoy having them around.
They make a long trip you know? They fly in from South America. Spend the summer up here and fly back South before winter hits. They have been doing this for centuries. They come north for one reason – to build a family. Of course what I am talking about are Purple Martins. The Purple Martins are a bird that will fly thousands of miles each year to ensure the health and growth of the family unit. To the Martins – the health and growth of the next generation is a matter of life or death of the species. Ensuring the health and growth of the church is a matter of life and death also.
To ensure the health and growth of this church, a couple years ago our church came up with a purpose statement. Do you remember what it is?
OUR PURPOSE STATEMENT
Love GOD, Love PEOPLE.
Our Purpose Statement comes from the Great Commandment which says:
’You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ’You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Matthew 22:37-39 (NKJV)
Our purpose statement answers the question: Why are we here? We are here to love God and to love People. Our vision statement explains how we are to show our love to both God and to people. Do you remember what our vision statement is?
OUR VISION STATEMENT
BRING them in, BUILD them up, TRAIN them up, SEND them out.
As we bring people into the fellowship, as we build people up through discipleship, as we train people to use their gifts, talents and personality in service to God through ministry and as we send people to witness to non-Christians we express our love for God and for people. We become “doers” of the Word and not just hearers.
Our Vision Statement comes from the Great Commission which says:
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:19-20 (NKJV)
Within the Great Commandment and the Great Commission you find the five functions of the church.
Worship, Fellowship, Discipleship, Ministry and Evangelism.
As we fulfill these five functions, we express our love for God and our love for people.
We become:
CLEARER by Worship
CLOSEER by Fellowship
PURER by Discipleship
STRONGER by Ministry
LARGER by Outreach
My vision for this church is for the people of God to gather weekly for corporate worship, to get to know each other better through fellowship of small groups, become more like Christ through Bible study, prayer, tithing and having a personal quite time, to use our gifts and talents to help each other and those around us through ministry, and to reach out to others with love, acceptance and forgiveness through evangelism.
Today I want to focus in on the importance of outreach. Outreach is vital for the health and growth of the church.
In a recent surrey of church members 89% of them said that the number one purpose of the church is to “take care of my needs and those of my family.” Only 11% said, “The purpose of the church is to win the world for Jesus Christ.” But Jesus Himself gave us the Great Commandment and the Great Commission to motivate the church to outreach. We must reach out to the world around us if we are going to remain healthy and grow. We must help people understand the saving power of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. We must proclaim the transforming power of Jesus. If we don’t we become self centered and maintenance minded. We will stop growing and eventually die. So today I want to give three reasons:
WHY SHOULD WE BE CONCERNED ABOUT OUTREACH?
1. Because God LOVES PEOPLE
“The Lord...is patient, not wanting anyone to perish, but wants everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9
God never wants to see anyone die. God never wants anyone to go to Hell. It was never God’s intention for that to happen. The scripture tells us that Hell was created for the Devil and his angles – it was not created for man. (Matthew 25:41) In fact God loves people and wants to see everyone saved. That’s the good news!
But I have to give you some bad news. If you do nothing you are destined to go to Hell. We live in a world were people sin. We are surrounded by it every day. Our friends sins, our families sin and we sin – and the Bible says that sinners will not be accepted into Heaven. In Romans 3:23 we find:
“all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:23
We are drowning in a world of sin. But God sent a rescuer – a savior – to help keep us from drowning – to keep us from dying. That savior is Jesus Christ. Why did God send Him? Because He loves us.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16 (NKJV)
God loves people and He wants to see everyone saved. He has placed us on this earth so we can make a decision for Him. The problem is we are on a sinking ship. We can either accept His help or we can drown in our sin. The choice is ours.
What would you think of a person who was taking a trip across the ocean and in the middle of the ocean the ship sinks. People are drowning all around but all of a sudden a raft shows up. A rescuer has arrived. He offers to pull us aboard – to save our lives. Would you say, “No thanks I think I can make it on my own? It’s only two thousand miles from shore. I think I can swim that far.” How insane that would be! But that is just exactly what some people do. They think they can save themselves. But that is not true. Only Jesus can save you. He has come to save us – because we can’t save ourselves. We must believe in Him – we must accept His help – we must trust Him if we are to live. We are drowning in our sin – and unless we accept His help WE WILL DIE.
God loves us and does not want us die. He loves your neighbors – He loves your family – He loves your friends – He loves you and He does not want to see you or anyone else die. But you must accept His help. If we get on the raft we will live. If you get on the raft you will be saved. But that’s not all. Once we are on the raft we can help pull people on the raft too. You can help save people. You can help pull people aboard. You can help keep people from drowning. That’s the first reason we must be involved in outreach – because God loves people and He does not want to see anyone die. We need to be involved in outreach to help keep people from dieing. The second reason we need to be concerned about outreach is:
2. Because Jesus commands us to REACH OUT
“Go out into the country...and urge anyone you find to come in, so that My House will be full.” Luke 14:23 (LB)
“...you will be my witnesses...” Acts 1:8
The Great Commandment and the Great Commission are not suggestions – they are commandments. Once we are on board with Him – He tells us to help Him. Jesus tells us that we are to reach out – if we don’t reach out we are disobedient. We are sinning.
How many of you like it when someone ignores you? How many of you like it someone doesn’t listen to you? Well how do you think Jesus feels when we don’t do what He has asked us to do?
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:19-20 (NKJV)
Go, make, baptize, and teach are not suggestions. These are commandments. We have to do what Jesus has called us to do. Bring them in, build them up, train them up, send them out is what we have been commanded to do – it is not optional. Jesus tells us to reach out and if we do we are obedient to Him.
The third reason we need to be involved in outreach is:
3. Because church growth is GOD’S WILL
“Under Christ’s control, the whole Body is nourished...and grows as God wants it to grow.” Colossians 2:19 (GN)
“(Jesus) I will build my church.” Matthew 16:18
I watched a documentary a few weeks ago about Wal-Mart. I found something very interest out about Sam Walton the founder of Wal-Mart. He had one vision – one goal. You know what that vision was – to capture the consumer market of America. Let me ask you – how many of you have ever shopped at a Wal-Mart or Sam’s Club? (In our church I expect it to be 100 %.)
Now Sam’s vision just did not happen. He came up with a plan. He opened his first Wal-Mart in 1962 in Roger, Arkansas. By 1967 he had 24 stores in Arkansas. The sales that year had reached $12.6 million dollars. By 2005 sales had reached $312 billion dollars with 3,200 stores in America and just as many around the world. It took hard work – it took effort – it took long hours – but just look at the results. Everyone in this room has shopped at Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart’s vision has now changed – they now want to capture the consumer market of the world.
God has a vision also. God intends His church to grow. He has a plan – He has a strategy for church growth. In case you missed it here it is again:
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:19-20 (NKJV)
God intends for His people to be involved in evangelism.
Bring them in, build them up, train them up, and send them out - is what we are to be doing.
How large will His church grow? How strong? Only God knows that – but our job is to tell people about the love of Jesus – to bring them into the family – to teach them about God’s love – to show them how to live a victorious Christian life – and to send them out to tell others about the salvation we have in Jesus. It’s not our job to grow the church – that’s what God does – but it is our job to share the transforming story of Jesus with those around us. That brings us to the next point.
WHERE DOES OUTREACH TAKE PLACE?
Here is an insight for you:
*You are already in YOUR MISSION FIELD.
I want you to know a very simple secret this morning. Most of us will not be called to become a missionary in some foreign country. Some of you may – but we each have a mission. He expects you to be a missionary where you are.
In the world in which we live we are surrounded by both Christians and non-Christians every day. Some people know Jesus – some people don’t. In this sense America is no different then India, China, or Africa. In fact any place you go in the world you will find two types of people. Those who know Christ and those who don’t. Our mission is simple – it is to help people know Jesus. Did you know that you have several advantages to reach this mission field in America?
You already know the language – you already know the culture – you already know some of the people you are trying to reach and you don’t have to travel half way around the world to get there.
Most people think that a mission field is in some foreign land – it’s not. It’s right where you are. The first phrase of Matthew 28:19 says this – follow along with me.
“Go therefore and make disciples” Matthew 28:19 (NKJV)
You know that phrase “go therefore” could also read “As you are going.” In other words – as you are going about your daily business – as you are going to school – as you are going to work – as you are going to the doctor – as you are going to buy groceries – as you are going to get gas – as you are going to visit relatives – as you are going on vacation – as you are going to the ball game – as you are going out to eat – as you are going wherever you are going - you are going into your mission field. I like the way the Message Bible puts it.
“Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life,” Matthew 28:19 (MSG)
Our mission field is right here – where we are. If God has me in Budapest or Burlingame that is my mission field. If God has me in Havana or Harveyville that is my mission field. If I’m in Oskaloosa or Osage City that is my mission field. Wherever I go – that is my mission field. Wherever you go that is your mission field. God has a great plan for this world – that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16 (NKJV)
Did I tell you that the Martins move into my neighborhood every spring? They make a long trip you know? They fly in from South America. They will fly thousands of miles each year to ensure the health and growth of their family. To the Martins – ensuring the health and growth of the next generation is a matter of life or death of the species. Ensuring the health and growth of the church is a matter of life and death also. You can be a part of God’s plan.
Here is what I want you to do this morning. I want you to commit to reaching out to the people around you this week. I want you to be sensitive to other people’s needs this coming week. Can you do that? Can you commit to sharing God’s love and forgiveness to someone around you this week? Will you commit to tell someone this week that God loves them? If you will commit to that pray with me.
“Father this week I ask that you will make me more sensitive to the needs that are around me. I ask Lord that as I go about my business this week that I would be open to the opportunities to share Your love with the people I come in contact with. Give me the boldness to speak up and the wisdom to know what to say. And may you make people’s hearts receptive to the good news. Amen.”
