Category: Great Commission

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Great Commission Next Generation Ministry

Exciting Announcement!

I am thrilled to announce the release of 2 new books!

In Next Generation Ministry and Discipleship, you will learn

-What next generation ministry is and how it differs from traditional children, youth, and family ministry.

-What a M.A.P. is and how it works.

-What a M.A.P.’s Journal is and how you can get it.

-What a Discipleship Group (D-group) is and how to have a meeting.

-How parents and leaders can disciple the next generation for real-life.

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The M.A.P.’s Journal is designed for students to use in D-groups.

Currently, you may only purchase these books in print. Click on the title link to order from Amazon.

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Students are returning to school now! Students are also returning to church. Leaders, as you launch your fall groups and studies, remember The M.A.P.’s Journal. This is the perfect resource for scripture memorization, spiritual development, and developing student leaders. I would have loved to offer M.A.P.’s for less than $9.99, but if I did, I wouldn’t be making anything. For those of you who don’t know, most authors don’t make much from their books. I have done M.A.P.’s as a service to you and not to make money. Look at it this way: D-groups are smaller than life groups, so you won’t have to order as many!

For those who are not familiar with the new model of student ministry called Next Generation Ministry, I would highly encourage you to buy Next Generation Ministry and Discipleship. Contrary to what many churches advertise on job boards, etc., next generation ministry is not the same as family ministry. And it is not your traditional children’s or youth ministry. Buying the book also brings you an extra benefit in that you will learn about practical discipleship, an area I think too many ministry leaders are ignoring. The M.A.P.’s Journal is also explained and only in Next Generation Ministry and Discipleship can D-group leaders get the Scripture passage that goes along with the M.A.P.’s weekly Scripture verse.

The M.A.P.’s Journal is the companion book to Next Generation Ministry and Discipleship.

I hope both books will benefit you and your ministry. Even more, I hope both books will benefit the Kingdom. Praise Jesus!

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Great Commission

NGM in 3D

Today’s post is special because I am writing it in 3D! No, you do not have to put 3D glasses on to be able to read it, but you do need to visualize the subject of next generation ministry (NGM) from the vantage point of three different dimensions: globalization (the third world), technology (the third wave), and motivation (the third drive). Our world is vastly changing so try to keep up! I will first explain each dimension in 3.0 form. Then I will conclude by taking all three dimensions and integrating them into the subject at hand: next generation ministry.

Thomas Friedman who wrote The World is Flat: 3.0 writes, “Globalization 3.0 (which started around 2000) is shrinking the world from a size small to a size tiny and flattening the playing field at the same time” and that the dynamic force behind the globalization movement is “individuals and small groups” who have been empowered. Friedman says that Globalization 3.0 is going to be driven by “a much more diverse — non-Western, nonwhite – group of individuals.”

Steve Case, inventor of AOL, describes The Third Wave (what I call Technology 3.0) as being “where entrepreneurs will use technology to revolutionize major real world sectors – including healthcare, education, transportation, energy, and food – and in the process transform the way we live.” The internet will no longer be an “Internet of Things” such as apps, social media sites, search engines, etc., but will become an “Internet of Everything” that will disrupt every industry as “it is integrated into every part of our lives – how we learn, how we heal, how we manage our finances, how we get around, how we work, how we eat . . . everything from energy to insurance, from agriculture to manufacturing, is transforming.” We will do more than interact with the internet. The internet will interact with us.

The third wave isn’t coming. The third wave is here! For example, the Helo LX Wristband is a new disruptive technology that is the world’s most advanced lifestyle wearable. The Wor(l)d Helo blows away the competition such as Fitbit Blaze or Surge, Samsung Gear S2, Microsoft Band, Garmin Forerunner, and the Apple Watch as the Helo does so much more than just measure heart rate, step counter, calories, distance covered, and sleep quality. The Helo is iPhone/Android compatible and can also perform an ECG/EKG, monitor blood pressure and other vitals, and sensor for mood and fatigue. The Helo comes with germanium plates, Himalayan salt plates, a panic button, and an emergency SOS GPS location device. That’s not all. In the future, the Helo will have other health and fitness features such as the ability to take one’s blood oxygen, body temperature, blood sugar, and blood alcohol levels while also serving as a mosquito shield. In the third wave, you will no longer need to go to the doctor to get a checkup as the doctor will now be able to check up on you 24/7 wherever you are.

Daniel Pink explains the third drive or Motivation 3.0 in his book Drive as the upgrade we all need “in order to meet the new realities of how we organize, think about, and do what we do.” Pink describes the third drive “as a way of thinking and an approach to life built around intrinsic, rather than extrinsic, motivators” and “powered by our innate need to direct our own lives, to learn and create new things, and to do better by ourselves and our world.” Pink uses the words autonomy, mastery, and purpose to describe the desired behavior that “concerns itself less with the external rewards an activity brings and more with the inherent satisfaction of the activity itself.” Pink says this type of behavior “leads to stronger performance, greater health, and higher overall well-being.”

So what do Globalization 3.0, Technology 3.0, and Motivation 3.0 have to do with next generation ministry? Everything! Next generation leaders must capitalize on the third world, the third wave, and the third drive by understanding the times and then venturing into the unknown realm themselves. More importantly though, next generation leaders must weave these three dimensions into accomplishing the Great Commission (Mat 28:19-20). Next generation leaders must be internally driven to reach an ever-flattening world and to make disciples using the latest technology. As international partnerships are made and “cities that were once marginalized become entrepreneurial powerhouses,” next generation leaders find themselves in a unique position to be the catalysts of some of the greatest mission mobilization the world has ever seen!

Take your talent to a desperate world (anywhere on the globe), do what God made you to do that you love doing (intrinsic motivation), and use any means you can (including technology) to help you make disciples of all nations (NGM)!

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Great Commission

It’s time to work out!

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Principle 8: Developing a lifestyle of sharing Jesus consistently flows out of a plan to share Jesus regularly.

I teach a weightlifting class to high school students at my school. Every week I receive a workout log detailing muscles worked, exercise type, weight, and the number of repetitions. Upper body workouts include working out the chest, back, shoulder, and arm muscles while lower body workouts include working out the quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, and abs. Whenever one is working out, it important to have a plan. When I walk in the school’s weight room, I know my routine.

My personal fitness plan involves maintaining tone, balance, and agility. I am less interested in obtaining mass. I am not trying to set a world record bench press for my weight class. I don’t run long-distances every day, but I do run frequently. I hardly ever sprint unless I am playing sports and in the summer, you can find me punching or kicking a bag, jumping rope, and or lifting a medicine ball.

My personal fitness plan is different than many other people’s fitness plans because it is a plan that fits me. A student recently asked me why I took the elevator at school. I told him because I run three miles after school. Some people would not even go outside on a hot day to run, while others would say three miles is not enough. If I were training for a half-marathon, I would have to increase my foot mileage.

Having a personal fitness plan relates to having a spiritual witness plan! Unlike my personal fitness plan, do I desire to be at the same place ten years from now in my spiritual witness? Of course not! I want to grow in my ability to witness every day and I still have a long way to go. I have some goals in my witness plan and over time, I hope to achieve my goals. As Dr. Reid has written about, take time to evaluate your gospel conversations so you can see how to tweak them for your next witnessing encounter. You have never arrived and must always live with a holy discontent if you are to be the best evangelist you can be.

Lately, I have been learning the value of principle-based living. The Bible is full of principles! For example, the biblical principle of Seed – Water – Growth is a great principle for an evangelist (1 Cor 3:6). You are not always going to win a new convert when you tell others about Jesus, but you may have just planted a gospel seed in someone’s heart or watered on someone else’s implanted gospel seed.

Dr. Reid gives five principles for a life plan of witness: (1) Focus your life on the gospel of Jesus Christ, (2) Understand the factors that help your personal witness: giftedness, calling, and deep satisfaction, (3) From the concentric circles exercise on p. 96, identify in your circles of influence people you already know who don’t know Christ, (4) Regularly stop to assess your plan with an accountability partner or mentor, and (5) Pray daily for your witness and for those to whom you will witness.

At my school, we allow students to have time during the day to get up and move around on the upstairs walking track that surrounds the school’s gym. Walking and or running can help ease the mind and bring about greater levels of concentration and focus. In an academic setting, exercise is vital. Rest is important too! You probably remember nap time in kindergarten but do you ever give yourself nap time at work or at home? A fifteen-minute power nap does wonders for the soul!

Always return to your why. Why should you have a physical fitness plan and a spiritual witness plan? Because your overall health and well-being is directly linked to how long and how well you will be able share Jesus with others! You can take that principle to the bank!

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Great Commission

Let’s Take a Ride!

Team Novo Nordisk 2017 Stone Mountain Training Camp

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Principle 7: Talk to the actual person in front of you about the Jesus inside you; let them see and hear the change Jesus makes in you.

I literally live and work in the middle of nowhere. In fact, the school I work at is located on Nowhere Rd. That’s why I couldn’t believe my eyes yesterday when I saw a team of cyclists travelling as a pack down Nowhere Rd. As I look back over the course of my life, I have no recollections of ever spotting a team of cyclists. I knew the cyclists were a team not only by their team uniforms and formation but also because their team car was following close behind. On top of the team car, I noticed an empty bike holder and on the side of the team car, I found the team’s name: Team Novo Nordisk Pro Cycling.

I never said a word to Team Novo. They went their way and I went mine. But they spoke to me, not verbally, but in action. See, Team Novo cycles for a cause. I looked up Team Novo and here is what I found:  Team Novo Nordisk is an American global all-diabetes sports team of cyclists, triathletes and runners, spearheaded by the world’s first all-diabetes professional cycling team. The team’s mission is to inspire, educate and empower people affected by diabetes.

Not only was it good that Team Novo did not speak to me, it was great! Oftentimes, actions speak louder than words. Had I tried to stop the cycling team so that I could talk to them, I would have only interrupted their trek and slowed down my own. I also had a destination I needed to arrive at and both the team and I were on a journey. Thankfully, my journey involved four wheels!

As I have plowed through this blog series on Sharing Jesus Without Freaking Out, I have tried to include personal stories. I did not want to copy the content of Dr. Reid’s book, only to reinforce its application. I hope you will buy a copy of the book so you can journey through it for yourself! Evangelism is the need of the hour in the American church as many American churches find themselves on life support. Not only will evangelism pump new blood and life into your veins, it can revitalize a church itself as individual members catch fire and the church-at-large begins to burn. Light the fire in my soul, Fan the flame and make me whole, Lord, you know just where I’ve been, So light the fire in my heart again.

I hope my blog post series has helped to light a fire in you as it pertains to you sharing Jesus with others in the world today. Though I have talked to you about the important role that conversation plays in evangelism, there are times when saying nothing is the best road to travel down. Silence would seem antithetical to the thesis of Dr. Reid’s book, but Dr. Reid expounds on his logic when he states, “The greater the intimacy of a relationship, the more valuable your demonstration of a changed life, and the less intimacy, the more necessary is your verbal witness.”

I can still remember the great evangelist Billy Graham saying something to the effect of “give me five minutes with you in your home, and I’ll tell you whether you’re a Christian or not.” Your family knows who you are. They live with you. You don’t have to say much or say anything at all. They’ve heard and seen you enough to know who you really are. How do you treat your family? That in and of itself is a greater witness than preaching the gospel to them for the nine hundredth time.

Recently, I found myself saying something profound (it doesn’t happen much so listen up). I told my friend that I didn’t trust tv preachers that much because I found them preaching the gospel, but not living it. See the difference? Anyone can preach the gospel. Jesus knew this full-well and warned us of false teachers or wolves in sheep’s clothing (Matt 5:17).

Let’s take a ride together and let Jesus take the handles. It is necessary to share the gospel in word. Just understand there are times when you need to ride and say nothing.

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Great Commission

It’s Harvest Time!

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Principle 6: Expect people to be open to the gospel, and learn to share Jesus where they live.

Two years ago, I started next generation ministry work at The Heights Church in Commerce, GA. When I began working at the church, I was told by a church elder that the harvest was ripe. What does the expression “the harvest is ripe” mean? Speaking evangelistically, the expression means that souls would be saved if the gospel call were to go out. The elder firmly believed that people’s hearts in the area would be responsive to a move of the Spirit.

In other words, our church elder was living out principle six because he had great expectations that people in the northeast Georgia region would be open to hearing the gospel. Sharing Jesus with others in conversation on a daily basis is great and is why Dr. Reid wrote his book. However, evangelistic events still have a place in church life. Remember, it’s not either-or, but both-and when it comes to church members having everyday gospel-centered conversations and churches hosting evangelistic events.

About the same time I started working at my church, I attended a local wrestling event in the area that took place in a high school gym. It was at this event that I met wrestler and evangelist Nikita Koloff. Through a series of events, I was able to line Nikita up for an evangelistic event that will take place at my church this Sunday. Much prayer and supplication has been poured out for lost people in the community and for the highly anticipated event itself. Much planning and preparation has went into hosting this evangelistic event at the church.

When the seeds have been sown and the right conditions exist, harvest time is just around the corner. When corn is produced on a stalk, the farmer grabs a basket and fills it up. Likewise, when people come to the Lord for the first time, discipleship begins. After a harvest of souls has been reaped, it is the responsibility of the local church to come surround the new believers and disciple them. I am thankful that my church and next generation ministry itself allows for a simple discipleship process.

At The Heights, our mission is Loving God – Loving Others – Serving Both and our discipleship process is aligned through disciples actively participating in corporate worship, life groups, and ministry teams.

Thom Rainer, President of Lifeway Christian Resources, recently stated that in the future, evangelism would be done by churches “more out of necessity than by commission” or desire. Rainer estimates that 10,000 churches are dying every year. American churches will once again focus on evangelism or die at their own peril.

Both the individual church member and the corporate church at large have a responsibility to reach their community for Christ. Though my church is bringing in an evangelist, we as members are all called to do the “work of an evangelist” (2 Tim 4:5). Gospel presentations still work too. Try this at your next evangelistic event: Before and after the gospel is presented by the evangelist or your pastor, have church members share Jesus with others in conversation with all who attend (you will need to train members first). Talk about a powerful witness! The community you are trying to reach will leave believing that you and the church care about them, believe in what you’re talking about, and have been “endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). And even more important, hopefully they leave with a newfound relationship with Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior!

The harvest was ripe in Jesus’s day (John 4:35, Luke 9:37). With over 7 billion people on planet earth today, how much more ripe is the harvest in our day? In Revelation 14:15-16, the harvest of the earth is ripe and is reaped with a sickle. There is some irony surrounding our evangelist Nikita Koloff, “The Russian Nightmare” as he often wrestled wearing an outfit with a sickle on it because the sickle represented a soviet symbol. Today, the sickle means something totally different to Nikita as he himself is God’s sickle used to reap a harvest of souls. I am claiming Matthew 13:8 as our event verse and expecting a hundred fold crop!

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Great Commission

What’s in your pocket?

 

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Principle 5: Effective evangelistic conversations connect the unchanging gospel with the specific issues people face.

Check to see what’s in your left pocket. What are you carrying around? Keys, a phone, tissue, a wipe? I was recently asked this question and just happened to have chap-stick. Now, how can you use what you pulled out of your pocket with your left hand to build a bridge to the gospel (let’s call that your right hand). My reply was God created your lips (Creation), but they at times become chappy (Fall), and that chap-stick applied (Rescue) will restore your lips (Restoration) . . . likewise when you apply Christ to your life, you are rescued from your fallen sinful nature and restored to glorify God in word and in deed.

Jesus used everyday objects to teach spiritual truths. Let’s do the same and use everyday objects to teach everyday people the gospel story everywhere we go. I have a long ways to go. We are all at different stages in our sharing Jesus with others journey. I am comfortable with passing out outreach cards but not as comfortable asking my waiter/waitress if I can pray for him or her. God can grow me to the point where asking a simple question to a waiter/waitress will become common place. Here’s another example of my witnessing growth:

Last week, I needed to get my car battery replaced so I made my way down to the local auto parts store. Mario was the name of the store employee I came into contact with. Through conversation, I found out where Mario was from and that he liked working outside. In replacing my car battery, Mario got some reprieve from being inside all day because he was able to venture out into God’s creation. With the sun shining and trees in the background, I talked to Mario about creation as God’s country. Mario was meticulous in his work and I thanked him for rescuing my car and restoring its battery. Before leaving, I made sure to mention to Mario that like my car battery, Jesus restores us all from the fall of sin by coming to our rescue and restoring us.

You may think this conversation came easy to me, but inside I was freaking out. I felt God calling me to speak up for his name but I wasn’t sure how. I remembered the verse that if I was ashamed to speak of him to others, he would be ashamed of me in his glory (Luke 9:26) and felt some positive pressure. Then things didn’t go as planned. I was able to get creation in, but the conversation came to a standstill and I felt the Holy Spirit say wait. In the end and with the help of a friend, I was able to present the gospel in conversation! Could I have done more? Sure. I could have asked Mario if he understood the gospel and if he wanted to accept Jesus as Lord, but perhaps I would have freaked out even more. We have to grow into sharing our faith, practice sharing, and become comfortable in and with the evangelistic process.

I am convinced that in today’s social-media driven world, we will need to become effective conversationalists for the sake of the gospel. This is true for the virtual world but even more so for the real world, where people are craving for real community. Dr. Reid provides five practical ways to engage people in conversation: (1) Share your life story! (2) Ask good questions like “what is your faith background?” or “What does a real Christian look like?” (3) Affirm and encourage unbelievers because they are still made in God’s image, (4) Speak to the person’s mind and heart, and (5) Connect to people beneath the surface by finding out their passions and pains and then allow them to open up to you.

It’s a challenge to start a conversation using an everyday object and then transition it to the gospel story, but it’s a challenge you can overcome with the help of the Holy Spirit!

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Great Commission

Home away from home

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Principle 4: God has sovereignly placed you in this world at this time with the abilities and gifts you have to bring glory to him and show the joy of the gospel to others.

This past Easter weekend, I helped two different churches conduct Easter egg hunts for their children. One church was my hometown church that I grew up in. The other church was the church I currently work at. The good news is that at both children events, the gospel was presented!

However, the approach to sharing the gospel differed at both respective churches. The Pastor of my hometown church started with Jesus and ended with Jesus. He asked the children and families in attendance what the real reason is that we celebrate Easter. One boy raised his hand and stumbled through describing the rescue part of the gospel. The Pastor said, “that’s right” and proceeded to describe the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I couldn’t help but listen and observe. I thought to myself about the number of the unchurched or never churched that were in attendance thinking to themselves, “who is Jesus?” and “what does he have to do with me?” In other words, listening to the Pastor describe Jesus for the first time would have felt like listening to a foreigner speaking in a different language.

The approach my hometown Pastor used would have been perfect for an American living in America in the 1950’s. When Peter spoke to the Jews in Jerusalem in Acts 2, he could start and end with Jesus because everyone knew of the Messiah and the Scriptures that spoke of Jesus. But in Acts 17 (same book), we find Paul at Mars Hill in Athens speaking to Gentiles. However, Paul didn’t start with Jesus, but rather with creation.

Dr. Reid says, “Today, we live in Athens, in a land without a biblical mind or a biblical grounding in who God is or how we can know him. Many if not most Americans, and people globally, start from a different place that a biblical vantage point as they live their lives . . . We can’t make the assumptions about people that we once did, like that they have some idea of the Bible in general or the gospel specifically.”

This is true. Oral storytelling of the gospel is used by missionaries to various cultures around the globe and most missionaries start with creation when they share the gospel story. But now, America needs to hear the gospel story told aloud, beginning at creation so that Americans can understand how the gospel story makes their “messed-up world” make sense. Remember, we as Christians have lost home-field advantage in America.

I like what Dr. Reid says next in his book Share Jesus Without Freaking Out: “We can more likely assume people think being Christian means doing more good things than bad, which is moralism, not the gospel. That’s why we have to engage people in conversations and show them how the whole gospel story relates to their stories, and how God’s work in Christ to rescue us is the key, not our works.”

So at my church’s Easter egg hunt, I gathered the children together in one place and presented the gospel. I said, “when you’re outside on this beautiful day collecting eggs, for one second, think of the God who made the grass, trees, etc (Creation). But as you look for the eggs, you will become frustrated, because our hider made finding the eggs very difficult (Fall). But my teenage friend will come to your side, your aid, and provide you with hints so that you can find the eggs. Likewise, Jesus came to your aid and rescued you and the world from the results of sin (Rescue)! As you find the lost eggs, the eggs will be restored to you in the same way that Jesus restores sinful man and a fallen world (Restoration).”

Read the two approaches again, place yourself in the shoes of a person who has never heard of Jesus, and tell me which message makes more sense. I literally live in Athens – Athens, GA that is. When I visit downtown, I see people of all different religions, ethnicities, and nationalities. For many of my downtown friends, starting a conversation with Jesus will lose them at first sound. It is important for you to work in the Rescue part of the gospel, but understand that at many times, it is best to present the gospel in bits and pieces.

Also, if you’re a next generation leader, think about your next church event and how you can work in the gospel. This Summer, my church plans to use a party trailer filled with games, a bouncy house, etc. for another children’s event. Just thinking to myself, what if I used the heat of the day to remind students of the fall or to at least think a second about hell and what if I used water to remind students of restoration or the bouncy house as a symbolic glimpse of heaven? The ideas are limitless . . . for your event!

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Great Commission

Organic Evangelism; A Lifestyle

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Principle 3: Shifting from giving an evangelistic presentation to having an evangelistic conversation takes pressure off the witness and relates the gospel more clearly to an unbeliever.

Recently, a friend proposed to me that all of the churches in our local area should get together and discuss ways to reach the lost. My friend is not a missionary, a preacher, or an evangelist but was making a clear point that reaching the lost ought to be first priority and ought to reach past denominational lines.

Boy, did I have a lot to say to my friend. We had a conversation! My friend has a passion for sharing Jesus with others like I do, but unfortunately, I had to throw some water on his fire. I let my friend know that our association just had one such meeting and that of the 70+ churches in the association, only five people attended. Let’s face the facts. This pains me to say, but I think the average church member’s attitude toward evangelism is “I’ve got mine (salvation) so I’m good to go. Someone else can tell others about Jesus.”

I didn’t want my friend’s fire to burn out completely so I told him some good news too. I told him that the idea he had of all of the churches getting together could work in theory and that everyone attending from different denominations could still leave the building as friends. In the associational meeting I attended with four other like-minded individuals, we learned about an idea called “affinity evangelism groups.” Affinity evangelism groups represent a way to share your faith with others using the gifts, abilities, and personality that God has given you.

So using a different term, the association and state levels are promoting the same idea that Dr. Reid is in his book Share Jesus Without Freaking Out. Dr. White, Executive Director of the Georgia Baptist Convention shared with us how he met people at a place where they felt comfortable in doing something they loved and then led these individuals to the Lord. Hunting, Biking, Fishing, Sports, Crocheting, Technology, Shopping, etc. represent a multitude of affinity groups whereby a Christian can join up with unbelievers and have gospel impact.

We don’t just have to invite lost people to church. We can go to their culture and on their terms speak their heart language. We can share our passions and pains together and relate these to Creation, Fall, Rescue, and Restoration. And we can even do this on our daily commute as we converse with people in a plane, train, or bus.

There is no one-size fits all, cookie-cutter approach to evangelism. We are wired differently and we come with different interests, hobbies, and backgrounds. Think about it this way: A 300 lb. person is going to have a different workout plan for preparing to run a mile than a 120 lb. individual will have. There is a direct connection between physical fitness and spiritual witness. Reid says, “Just like with diet and exercise, a life of evangelism is lifestyle change, not a quick fix.”

Sharing Jesus without freaking out takes practice! The more evangelistic conversations you have, the less pressure you will feel. Talking to others about Jesus ought to come naturally. You shouldn’t feel awkward and nervous when you talk about who or what you love. And over time, you will notice that sharing Jesus with others has become so organic in your life, that it has become a lifestyle.

You can do this! If you’re a church member stuck in presentation mode, you can do this! Look at every conversation as a ministry opportunity. Look at evangelism as the natural outflow during conversation of an inner joy you can’t keep within. Before you notice, you will be sharing Jesus with others without even thinking about it!

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Great Commission

The Ultimate Movie

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Principle 2: In order to share Jesus confidently and consistently with others, first share him confidently and consistently with yourself.

The next generation loves movies. Netflix, Redbox, and theatres across the country testify to this fact. Just look at the gross net for weekend ticket sales at the box office. A lot can be learned about the next generation by just observing the movies they choose to watch.

Christopher Brooker identified seven basic plotlines in movies: (1) Overcoming the monster, (2) Rags to Riches, (3) The quest, (4) Voyage and return, (5) Comedy, (6) Tragedy, and (7) Rebirth. Who doesn’t like telling a story or listening to a story? But what makes a movie great is that we get to watch a story unfold.

The Bible or God’s story is the ultimate story that traces history (His Story) from beginning to end! The gospel forms the framework of God’s story, but the gospel is so much bigger than just the burial, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord. The gospel includes the puzzle pieces of Creation, Fall, Rescue, and Restoration (The Story) and the gospel informs every detail of our lives (work, marriage, family, finances, etc.), not just our salvation. But how do we share this all-encompassing glorious gospel with the world today? I’ve heard many suggestions but the one I like best is “start in their world” (or start with their worldview).

As I said, the next generation loves movies but they love movies because movies represent both fantasy and reality. Remember, a good story doesn’t always have to be true. That’s why nonfiction books are still a money maker.  A fish story may not be true, but it sure is entertaining to listen to.

Alvin Reid has identified three genres of movies whereby we can insert the gospel into our natural conversations with movie lovers: (1) Man falls into a hole (think kill the dragon, get the girl), (2) Boy meets girl, and (3) Rags to riches. Examples for each movie genre include (1) Die Hard, Marvel Films like The Avengers, and Taken (2) Hitch, The Proposal, Along came Polly, The Vow, and Love Happens, and (3) Cinderella, The Princess Diaries, and What a girl wants.

So how do you use a movie to present the gospel? The same way you use the gospel pieces of Creation, Fall, Rescue, and Restoration to inform someone’s life. For example, many people who say they don’t believe in God will say Creation is beautiful. Ask them why they go to the beach, mountains, or forest to vacation? Because it’s beautiful. Point out there was a Creator. If someone is struggling with pain such as a recent death, disease, or disorder, start your conversation with the Fall, but remind them Creation wasn’t always this way (Genesis 1-3).

Last night, the UNC Tar Heels won the National Championship in NCAA basketball. Having lost the Championship game last year on a buzzer-beater, the team’s theme this season was Redemption (or Rescue). We love second chances and that’s exactly what Jesus came to give us! Listen to how Dr. Reid describes how to weave in the gospel pieces of Rescue and Restoration into your movie conversations:

“We love it when a hero in a movie rescues those in danger, we love the thought of being delivered from sin. All those storylines I mentioned above are reflected in the work of Christ. We are in a hole; only Jesus can get us out. We seek a relationship that lasts with one who loves us perfectly, and Jesus is the One. We are all in rags, paupers wrecked by sin, but Jesus will give us the riches of glory by faith. Remember “kill the dragon, get the girl”? Jesus defeated the works of the devil, that old dragon, on the cross. One day, He will present the bride of Christ, his church, at the wedding feast of the lamb. Kill the dragon; get the girl. The reason we love stories with a happily ever after, and the reason Hollywood makes movie after movie with this ending, is because we all yearn for this (when young people think about eternity, they want it to be happy ever after).”

I challenge you: Next time you hear the next generation (or any age for that matter) talking about a movie or even their own life, work into your conversation the subjects of Creation, Fall, Rescue, and Restoration!

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Great Commission

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s . . .

Share Jesus Without Freaking Out series post 1/8

What freaks you out? Who or What comes to your rescue?

Being spring, snakes are just beginning to come out. Did you know an average of 7 spiders crawl across you every night as you sleep? I for one cannot stand heights and would love it if someone faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound came swooping down to carry me away off of a high perch.

I will never forget the time I was a young youth pastor (before next generation ministry existed) when one of my students convinced me to ride Superman at Six Flags over Georgia. Sure, compared to other roller coasters, Superman might have been labeled a baby ride, but for me, the world was about to end. As they lowered the safety bar on me, I knew there was no going back. While others shouted, screamed, smiled, and raised their hands during the twists and turns, I just held onto the bar hoping I wasn’t going to fall out at the top of the loop.

The good news: I didn’t throw up when I got off the ride. I was a little dizzy but it wasn’t anything I wouldn’t get over. I still hate roller coasters and heights but the experience wasn’t as bad as I had made it out to be in my mind. I still don’t have a desire to ride the rides at a theme park, but I did survive. I lived to see another day.

I will soon begin teaching an 8-week course at my church called Share Jesus without Freaking Out. This is a ride I’ve been highly anticipating going on for a long time! I understand sharing Jesus with others freaks many Christians out. However, like the student who convinced me to man up, I want to persuade others that sharing Jesus isn’t as scary as we often make it out to be.

I want to take you, my reader, on this joy ride as well. As I teach this 8-week course, I will begin posting weekly insights and principles from Dr. Alvin Reid’s book. At my church, The Heights Church, we prefaced the study with a 6-week study of Christianity in America and a 3-week study related to worldviews and apologetics. You are free to employ a number of options in how you can introduce the study at your church and may choose to have no introduction at all. However, I have found that laying a solid foundation provides a tremendous advantage in gaining traction and sustaining momentum. And if you teach anything for 8-weeks, you will need momentum to carry you through to the finish line.

As the book teaches, building anything takes times and this includes trees, skyscrapers, and people. In this study, you will not only grow up in your faith but you will grow in sharing your faith. These two ideas actually work hand in hand. Here’s the first principle: God created you for his glory to advance his gospel with the gifts, talents, and opportunities he gave you.

For example, I enjoy fishing. I don’t fish a lot, but I enjoy it when I do, especially when the fish are biting. I plan to put on a next generation family fishing event this summer at a nearby lake. I am using a simple event and a simple sport that I and many others enjoy to bring not only families, but lost people to (affinity evangelism group) in order to advance the gospel. Funny thing is Jesus, himself said to follow him and he would make us into fishers of men. While I am catching fish, I am at the same time trying to catch men, women, boys, and girls for Christ. If you enjoy fishing as much as you enjoy catching fish, you are bound to catch a fish at some point. Likewise, if you enjoy fishing for lost people as much as you enjoy catching lost people for Christ, you are bound at some point to see someone land in Christ’s boat!

Where will this 8-week faith journey take you? Hear the words of the author, “I want to help you have real conversations with real people about a real Savior they genuinely need. It’s also going to help you have normal conversations with normal people about our remarkable Lord to give them a new-normal way to live. I want you to see Jesus and your relationship to Him in a new, fresh light, moving to you a place where one day, instead of thinking of sharing Jesus as something between awkward and terrifying, it would be weird not to talk openly and consistently about Jesus.”