Tag: gospel

Faith Matters; LIVE SENT!

By Andi Hale, Faith Matters Podcast

This Wednesday night, we had a special guest on our campus, Ryan Fontenont. He is the founder of RAGE Ministries which stands for Reaching A Generation Endangered. Ryan founded R.A.G.E. Ministries in 2002 with the aim to REACH UP to God for His glory alone, REACH OUT to a world in desperate need of Jesus and REACH IN to the church empowering believers to do the work of the ministry!

https://rumble.com/v3q1aaa-living-with-a-purpose-livesent.html?mref=3ax8b&mc=9ebut

He wrote a book to help Generation Z, and every believer, to help us have Jesus conversations in everyday life.

31% of the world claim to be followers of Jesus. Teens make up 11% of the population, but 35% of them claim to be atheist, agnostic or none. And only 4% of Gen Z have a biblical worldview!

but the problem isn’ o’t with those who do not know Jesus – the problem, or should I say the solution, is with those of us who do know Jesus getting intentional about sharing Him with others.

The time is urgent!

The Picture

And all that generation also were gathered to their fathers. And there arose another generation after them who did not know the LORD or the work that he had done for Israel.

Judges 2:10

This is an endangered generation.

  • This generation does not know the Lord
  • This generation does not know what He has done

We have a generation in front of us who deeply need Jesus.

The Promise

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.

Luke 19:10

There is only one hope. That hope has a name and His name is Jesus. The Promises of God give is fuel for the mission He has called us to do.

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Romans 10:13

In order to call on the name of the Lord, they must first believe. Well, how will they believe unless they hear? How will you believe someone you’ve never heard about? How will they hear is someone doesn’t tell them?

The Problem

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?

Romans 10:14

It all hinges on US going and telling!

  • If we don’t tell, people can’t hear.
  • If people don’t hear,they can’t believe.
  • If people don’t believe, they can’t call.
  • If people don’t call, they can’t be saved.
  • Only 2% of average church members regularly evangelize.
  • Nearly 6 of 10 Christian teens believe they do not have a responsibility to share their faith.
  • 61% of Christians have not told a soul about Christ in the last 6 months.

Evangelism is not an option,  it’s a command.

And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.

Luke 10:2

There is lost people everywhere, but very few believers share the hope. The problem is not the world outside, the problem is the church inside.

Jesus didn’t come to make bad people good, Jesus came to bring dead people to life.

Ryan Fontenot

The Plan

And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”

Mark 1:17

In other words, Jesus says “Come follow me and I WILL send you out.” It is the design and the desire of Jesus for us to LIVE SENT!

But most Christians have reasons that they don’t share the Gospel with others: FEAR. Fear of being canceled, fear of being wrong, fear of not knowing the answers, etc. But evangelism is simply those who know, telling those who don’t.

I don’t go into a steak place for the plate. I go for the steak. The gospel is the steak that must be presented. The plate is the method through which we present it. Choose your plate and serve the steak.

Greg Stier

It’s all about sharing YOUR story. No one can discount your experience and there is power in a story. Here is one ‘plate’ you can use when you share your story of salvation using 4 simple emoji’s.

❤️

 Love. The Bible says God is love.
God made you, God loves you and God wants you.

÷

Sin. Rebellion against God.
Sin infects you, Sin separates you and Sin kills you.

✝️

Jesus. Reminds us there is hope. 1 Tim 1:15
Jesus came for you, Jesus died for your sins, and Jesus rose again for you.

❓

️Decision. Will you believe?
Decide to come to Jesus, decide to confess Jesus as Lord and decide to call to Jesus. 

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What about the thief?

One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!” But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”

Luke 23:39‭-‬43

How does the thief on the cross fit into your theology?

No baptism, no communion, no confirmation, no speaking in tongues, no mission trip, no volunteerism, no financial gifts, and no church clothes.

He couldn’t even bend his knees to pray. He didn’t say the sinner’s prayer and among other things, he was a thief.

Jesus didn’t take way his pain, heal his body, or smite his scoffers. Yet, it was a thief who walked into paradise the same day as Jesus simply by BELIEVING.

He had nothing more to offer other than his belief that Jesus was who He said He was.

No spin from brilliant theologians. No ego or arrogance. No shiny lights, skinny jeans, or crafty words. No fog machine, donuts, or coffee in the lobby. Just a naked dying man on a cross unable to even fold his hands to pray.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so that whoever BELIEVES in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

That is good news, that is Gospel!

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Ignited, Day 1

based on the book by Jonni Nicole Parsons

The Gospel

Many of us wish we could constantly be fired up for God. We want a stronger desire to follow Him, we long to submit to Him, and we really do want to share Him with others. But life’s roadblocks can get in the way.

The question is… Despite all of those roadblocks, how can your devotion to God be stronger? How do you ensure that it endures regardless of external circumstances?

Perhaps you can recall when you first became a Christian and how eager you were to attend church and read your Bible. But somewhere along the way, it became all too easy to fall into a “groove” with schedules filled with Christian activities, leading us to just hit “cruise control” throughout our journey.

And as heartbreaking as it is to admit – that is exactly what a lukewarm believer is described as.

A lukewarm Christian is typically one who has retreated so gradually that they are unaware of their own complacency. Or a person who is still attempting to figure out how to have it all – the things of this world, and a relationship with Christ. We introduce a destructive level of misunderstanding in both situations. We start living for ourselves when we allow ourselves to become lukewarm. We also spread a false understanding of God’s grace.

If you’re reading this, you’re probably pleading like David did, “Restore to me the joy of your salvation”. But despite your pleading, it feels impossible to see a clear path from where you are to those times of passion in God’s presence.

Because friends… It really is possible to maintain a flame for God. Our devotion to God doesn’t have to be limited to fleeting moments after attending a powerful sermon, gathering, or performance. When we start relying on external things to fuel us up rather than God himself… that’s where we find ourselves in trouble.

The first step is to take a fresh look at the Gospel.

Paul tells us in Romans that the Gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes… Meaning that the Gospel is just as much for believers as it is for unbelievers. The present tense describes the continual process of believing. The gospel saves us not just at the time of conversion, but it continues to save us throughout our entire lives.

If you’ve lost your enthusiasm for Jesus, you need to be in awe of the Gospel again.

To recap the Gospel in just a few words…

  • God created us to be with Him. (Genesis 1-2)
  • Our sins separate us from God. (Genesis 3)
  • Sins cannot be removed by good deeds. (Genesis 4 – Malachi 4)
  • Paying the price for sin, Jesus died and rose again. (Matthew – Luke)
  • Everyone who trusts in Him alone has eternal life. (John)
  • Life with Jesus starts now and lasts forever. (Acts – Revelation)

Sit with that message for a second.

No run of good days will get us nearer to God, and no run of terrible days will condemn us. Because of the love that Jesus, the Father, and the Spirit have for us, he willingly offered his life for us.

Make every effort to embed this profoundly transformative Gospel message in your heart and thoughts.

but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8

Prayer

God, Today, I ask for passion. I ask for a greater desire to follow You and carry out Your will in my life. Please make the Gospel the forefront of my thoughts. I cherish you. Help me to love you more and more each day. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Ignited: A Fresh Approach to Getting-and Staying-on Fire for God
By Jonni Nicole Parsons / Tyndale Momentum

BUY on Christianbook.com

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