The Plain Talk On Evangelism

The Plain Talk on Evangelism

HHM Pastor Jim Parisi Aug 4, 2002 Communion Sunday

With our 911 Program coming up in a few weeks we need to prepare for the event to the best of our ability

One as a group or a Church…. and two as individuals

We need to prepare our hearts and our minds

There is great need in the world today for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

We the Church of the living God have a great responsibility to get the gospel out… into the earth

Our mission field is right here…. in our own back yard

The call of Harvest House is to go into our community and the surrounding areas

and let those out there know that we are the church who is here to serve.

We are the church who cares

We are the church who is going to make a difference

They will say to you….. I have seen this before prove it to me

My feeling is … that’s just fine with me

The scripture tells us in John 15: 7-8 If we live by this gospel that if it becomes part of our lives …. We will bear much from it

John 15: 7&8 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

They will know us by our fruit… they will see the difference in our lives

the way we live and what we do with our time and recourses

Our countless hours of effort for the 911 event will be planted in our community as a multitude of seeds spread into fertile ground

We are to get ready to anticipate a HARVEST

Other events that we as a church participate in

the fairs & festivals the we help we give to man booths in support of our town

How did they know Jesus back then .. He walked amongst them

HE SPENT TIME IN THEIR COMMUNITIES

He fellowshipped and ate with them

We are called and commissioned by the Lord to go into the world and preach the Gospel.

Mark 16:15-18 15 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they F86 will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

Beloved this… is the day for churches like Harvest House

Churches with a sense of Community a sense of belonging

We go in with our best … to give them our best

Who would accept second best for their own life?

So our first part was to strategize and plan

Get our game plan down.. it has to be the best because God has given it to us

Look how doors are opening because we are in the will of God

We are moving in the Spirit

Planning is good it gives everyone a direction to follow

The next step is education

Not only how to do it but also how it works

That’s why today’s message…..

The TEN essential habits help a church reach and keep unchurched people?

1. Desire to reach the lost & unchurched

You got to want to do it

You have to have this burning feeling inside

You have to know this is why we are here

2. High expectations for new members

Plainly you have to believe they are coming and want them to enter those doors

Who wants to be in a place that the people are unfriendly?

Who wants to be in a place where they are Unkind?

Who wants to be in a place that no one even knows you are there?

There should be an excitement like a new birth ….with all the joys it will brings

John 16:21

A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.

We forget all the hard work and pain after someone accepts Christ

for another human being has accepted Christ

To see the new faces and souls here makes we want to do it again and again

Your heart has to jump at the thought of new souls brought into the Kingdome aided by your efforts