The Greek word here is kybernēsis and is derived from a nautical term, which simply means to steer. Of course, since context determines meaning, most of the Bible translators understand this steering to indicate some sort of governance, administration, or management function.

The person who steers the ship then is a leader who has at least three distinct functions:

Understanding of the Environment (Analysis)
Though I am not a sailor, it is quite obvious that the person who steers the ship must understand the seas, be able to discern the natural forces which might affect the trip, and be aware of the resources that he has available to assist him in getting the ship to its destination. The good leader understands the environment he works in; he continually analyzes the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to the ministry.

Charting the Course (Planning)
An effective sailor must be able to chart the course to his desired destination. Too often leaders see a picture of a preferable future for their churches or ministries, but fail to plan the necessary steps to arrive at that destination. They do not chart a discernable course and wonder why their ministries get lost.

Adjusting Course in a Changing Environment (Execution)
I am sure you have heard stories of sailors who were unprepared for a storm which came upon them. The ship-master executes with great precision the necessary adjustments to deal with both the expected and unexpected challenges that will eventually confront them. The good sailor isn’t good because he knows what to do in calm waters, but is, instead, good because he is able achieve the desired results no matter what changes in the environment around him. So too, the good leader will understand that the execution of the plan in a dynamic environment is as important as discerning the correct plan in the first place.

If leadership is a gift that God gives to some, it is still a gift that must be developed. The Apostle Paul instructs all to “try to excel” in the gifts that God has given us (1 Cor. 14:12). The good leader like the good sailor is a life-long learner of his craft.

© Dr. Paul Dordal, 2009

Dan Kimball’s much ballyhooed book “They Like Jesus But Not The Church: Insights From Emerging Generations” tries to answer the question “how will the Church respond to its rejection by spiritually hungry 21st Century seekers?” These young (and now many older) people are opting out of organized church. In our consumerstic society, it seems that what the Church has to offer is just not what today’s seekers are looking for.

This is not a new phenomenon. We’ve heard the same kinds of things for quite some time. Mahatma Gandhi was noted for saying that he would become a Christian only if he could find one to emulate. John Lennon of the Beatles said he liked Christ’s emphasis on spreading love and the Kingdom of Heaven on earth, but Lennon didn’t like Jesus’ followers: the Church. I read recently that a group of Latin American Christians have begun to call themselves Christianos Descolgados or “un-hooked Christians,” because they could not find a Christian fellowship that emphasized what they thought Bible taught as normative.

The question remains then, can you love Jesus without loving His Church? And the answer is unequivocally, no. The Church is Christ’s body. You cannot love the head and not the body. The Church is Holy, but not perfected – just like its members.

Some might say, however, that Christ came to usher in the Kingdom of Heaven, not the Church age. With that interpretation in hand these people believe they can work to advance God’s Kingdom outside of a community of faith we call the Church. But that is just not God’s plan. God has intended at all times to advance His Kingdom through His Church, by building His Church.

Before we begin looking at what the Bible says about Christ and the Church, what is this “thing” called the Church anyway? The Greek word that is commonly transliterated ekklesia, simply means “the people of God.” So the Church is made up of anyone who is a true believer in Jesus Christ, who by faith has appropriated His grace for salvation. Thus, the Church’s proper definition includes the reality of a community of people. The Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible says that the New Testament ekklesia “is an assembly of persons which as been summoned for a particular purpose” (Vol. 1, p. 608). So to be in Christ, means that you have become part of His Body, the Church.

What does God’s Word say about the relationship between Christ and the Church? First, it is clear that Christ is the innovator and creator of the Church. He said that “He would “build His church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” The Church is built on the testimony of Jesus as Messiah and God, so the assembly of the people of God focuses its attention on this fact and reality. All church meetings should focus on Christ and what He has done in the world, and what He is calling us to do on His behalf (Matthew 28:18-20). We are called to be Great Commandment/Commission Christians. This purpose is so clear and present that the incredible power of hell cannot defeat the Church in redeeming the world through Christ (Romans 1:16).

But why should we love the Church, just as we love Jesus? This part is simple. Because (a) Jesus loves the Church; (b) Jesus died for the Church; (c) Jesus is making the Church holy; and (d) Jesus is feeding and caring for the Church just as anyone might feed and care for their own bodies (Ephesians 5:25-26, 29). We love the Church, because Jesus loves the Church, with all its blemishes and imperfections.

It is through the Church that “the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 3:10 NIV). The spiritual power and love of the Church is displaying to the angels in heaven and the rulers on earth God’s incredible wisdom of salvation through Jesus Christ.

The Church is a family. It is the family of God, and the assemblage of the faithful is God’s new temple or as St. Paul says, “God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.” So, you cannot be an orphan in God’s family. And you cannot divorce your family. You cannot be a Christian and not be a part of the Church, and you can never logically say you love Jesus, but not the Church.

I love Jesus. I spend most of my waking hours meditating on Him and His Word. I want to be just like Him. The more I think about Jesus, the more, sometimes, I realize I am a long way from reaching that goal. I am grateful that He who began a good work in me, is going to be faithful to complete it (Philippians 1:6). Nevertheless, I also realize that my piety towards Him is woefully incomplete if I am not engaged in His mission.

In the above story a man possessed by a multiplicity of demons named Legion, after being cleansed by Jesus, begged Jesus to allow him to stay with Him. But Jesus did not let him. In yet another example of our call to go to the world and proclaim that Jesus is The Christ, Jesus told the ex-demoniac to GO to your community and proclaim the Good News. And the response to that proclamation: the people were amazed. No evangelism training; no Bible studies, no prayer summits. He who is forgiven much, will love much (Luke 7:47). The testimony of a changed life speaks loudly to a world that is, literally, dying for change.

Piety can be defined simply as devotion. Many are devoted to their families, as an example. But filial piety can often be co-dependent, and the child may be so devoted to the parents or grandparents that they live their lives vicariously through them. They have not grown up into their own to fulfill the destiny that the parents should have wanted for them.

Jesus warns us against such wrong devotion (false piety): “‘Who are my mother and my brothers?’ he asked. Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother’” (Mark 3:33-35 NIV). Again Jesus points to piety as, not just transcendent devotion to our Father in Heaven, but active obedience in accomplishing His mission. We can sit at His feet and enjoy Him, yes, but we must also move our feet to complete the work He has called us to do.

When Mary Magdalene finally recognized the resurrected Jesus at the Garden Tomb, she grabbed on to his leg. Jesus replied, “Do not cling to me … but GO to the brothers…” (John 20:17). And when Jesus showed up to see the brothers, was there an extended hang-out party with Jesus? Was there a long prayer session? No! Jesus breathed on them His Spirit, so that He would possess them and empower their mission. And Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you” (John 20:21 NIV).

One of the greatest acts of active piety that I have ever witnessed (not first hand, mind you) was the actions of the Amish community in Nickel Mines, PA in 2006. The Amish are not well known for the piety of going into the world evangelistically, but they are very much known for the piety of living in peaceful, devoted community separated from the “world.” On October 2, 2006 several of the Amish children in Nickel Mines were brutally murdered by a very disturbed man. Immediately the Amish community forgave the offender, immediately they sought out the wife of the murderer and offered their forgiveness and assistance, and immediately they proclaimed the Christ who had delivered them from the demons of bitterness, unforgiveness, revenge, and anger.

And all the people were amazed.

Go and do likewise.

Recently, I was invited to sit on a panel of “experts” to dialogue on the topic of servant leadership. As I contemplated briefly what I might contribute to the discussion, the above verse came to mind.

I believe that leadership, even servant leadership, must be understood in the context of Christ’s absolute sovereign leadership over His people: “Do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ. But the greatest among you shall be your servant” (Matthew 28:10,11 NASB). Therefore, we, as followers of Christ, in specific leadership roles or not, are really just stewards of Christ’s gifts.

God has poured Himself out upon us. He has given us His salvation, His mercy, His forgiveness, His compassion, His power, His authority, and, yes, even His glory. Why? So, we can be blessed? It’s not that simple. The blessings of God are given really so we can bless others (Genesis 12:2).

You see, the world is filled with either haves or have-nots. As we have been given such a great salvation, as we have been blessed with such abundance, we realize that God has blessed us to bless others: “Freely you have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:8b NIV). We are to pass it along. Everyone who has is to share with those who have not.

The wicked servant in the story above has what he was given taken from him because he didn’t practice God’s Kingdom economics & justice. He was not a servant leader. Servant leaders give it all away, because they know there’s plenty more where it came from in the first place. The evil steward knew that truth but didn’t act upon it: “Master I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed” (Matthew 25:24 NIV).

The local church has at its core a mission to reach its community with the love of Jesus Christ. One main way the church accomplishes this is by serving the needs of the have-nots in its community. In Acts 6, we see described in practice the servant leader principle that Jesus described in parable. The Grecian Jews (the have-nots) were being denied the same treatment as the Hebraic Jews (the haves, because of their preferential Hebrew background). So the Apostles who were already serving the whole group with one form of service, appointed others to serve specifically the have-nots in another form of service.

Jesus came to bring life to all, and our function as believers is to serve, to empower, and to bring them to Jesus. When we see ourselves as stewards of God’s glorious riches in Christ Jesus, we will then reap a great harvest and “The word of God will spread and the number of disciples will increase rapidly” (Acts 6:7).

Several current popular television shows focus their story content on the forensic work of crime scene investigators. The CSI shows have multiplied into several different shows that basically investigate different types of murders in different cities. But what happened before we had CSI’s and what would happen if a body was found where no easy jurisdiction could be established?

The above text from Deuteronomy begins the rather strange story of what the Israelites were supposed to do when they found a John Doe murdered outside of the jurisdictions of their local towns. After they determined which town was closest, the elders and the priests of that town would perform an atoning sacrifice for the benefit of the victim and local people: “They shall declare: ‘Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it done. Accept this atonement for your people Israel, whom you have redeemed, O LORD, and do not hold your people guilty of the blood of an innocent man’” (Deuteronomy 21:7-8).

This story’s ending would hardly suffice for today’s CSI shows. First of all, the Israelites never even attempted to catch the murderer. There was no investigation.

Since all Scripture is useful (2 Timothy 3:16), what can we learn from this story and instruction from God? I held my own investigation into the matter, and the following are the spiritual principles I mined from God’s Holy Word.

Sanctity of Human Life
All human life is precious to God: “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints” (Psalm 116:15 NIV). God cares about everyone, even the unknown dead (they are only unknown to us, but they are very much known by God). The Lord wants every human to be respected, because we are each created in His image, and we are held responsible to see every human as God sees them.

Community Accountability
God instructs us here that each community of faith has a zone of spiritual and social accountability. Whatever problems occur in our ecclesiastical jurisdiction, we should readily and willingly be a part of the solution. In your community, your church or ministry should be aware of the spiritual and social death that the community is experiencing And when you discover these issues in your community, you must act sacrificially to bring the hope of salvation in Jesus to all.

Injustice
We know that God is deeply concerned about injustice (Ezekiel 9:9). He hates sin and evil (Psalm 101:3). God doesn’t want us to pass the buck and no one be responsible for injustice. We can’t use the excuse that we pay taxes, and injustice is the government’s problem. God has enlightened His people, the Church, to bring justice and peace to the whole world through Jesus Christ: “But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!”

God’s Judgment
Though the Israelite system of dealing with a John Doe murder thousands of years ago may seem crude to us, God’s focus is not on solving crimes or catching criminals, but on the innocent people involved. The crime was done; the victim unknown; so, atonement is made for the victim and the people, and the judgment of God appeased. For those who believe in science as their God, this system may not seem fair, but God’s justice is sometimes hard for us to understand: “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:9 NIV). But His judgments are always true and just (Revelation 16:7).

(c) Paul Dordal, 2009

There seems to be a vast chasm between those many millions who call themselves Christians in the world and those who are truly following Jesus (being disciples).  I don’t mean to have you question whether or not you have assurance of eternal life, but I want to challenge you to take your faith in Christ to the next level.

Jesus didn’t call us to pray a prayer that would guarantee our place in heaven.  He didn’t even call us to trust in a theological system of grace and faith as is proposed by so many evangelicals as the Gospel of Truth.  What Jesus calls us to is to follow Him–to take His yoke (His way of understanding God and being human) as our own.  And when Scripture tells the stories of Jesus calling us to follow Him, we always find that little conjunction which explains what following Him really means.

A Missional Life – Matthew 4:19

The first “follow me and” comes to the two pair of fishermen brothers who had first met Jesus when He was baptized by John the Baptist.  Jesus says to them sometime later, “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”  Here Jesus says that to follow Him is to embark on His mission to seek and save the lost sheep of Israel.  The first and foremost call then to be a Christ-follower is to begin to proclaim the Christ-life (love, compassion, and forgiveness of sins) to others as a regular life-style.  The call to follow Jesus is a missional call.

An Abundant Life – Matthew 8:22

In the second account, a potential follower asks Jesus permission to allow him to bury his recently deceased father.  Though some might have thought Jesus to be harsh here, His reply is very loving: “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”  Jesus calls us to live life and live it abundantly.  If that man put his father’s death ahead of Jesus, he would have continued on in His erroneous understanding of who Jesus was.  Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  Jesus offers us a new life in Him.

But the abundant life is not a life of riches, happiness, and lack of suffering.  On the contrary, Jesus said that in this world we would have trouble, but that if we followed Him, our hearts would be at peace in the midst of suffering.  This is the abundant life: the spiritual life of joy and assurance that comes from intimately knowing Jesus which then replaces the dread of eternal guilt and death.

A Sold-Out Life – Matthew 9:9

Later Jesus approaches the tax collector’s booth and gives the despised Matthew one last chance at redemption: “‘Follow me,’ Jesus told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.”  Even the most sinful can follow Jesus, but it will require leaving the sinful life behind.  Jesus calls us to repent, to change our way of thinking and acting.  If you want to continue to live where you are in charge, you cannot follow Jesus.  But if you will give up your sinful ways to follow Him, Jesus is ready to make you a disciple.

A Life Of Self-Denial – Matthew 10:38 & 16:24

The “follow me and…” found in these two passages is to take up our individual crosses.

“Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.’”  Our call to follow means that we will do what God says and nothing else.  This is our cross that we say and believe like Jesus at Gethsemane: “Not my will Father, but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42).  The self-focused, self-aggrandizing life of modern man must be put aside to effectively complete God’s mission of saving the world.  To be a disciple is to lose one’s life in order to find it (Matthew 10:39).

A Simple Life – Matthew 19:21

When one man came to Jesus to follow Him, he asked where Jesus was saying.  Jesus said, “Foxes have holes and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to rest His head (Matt. 8:20).  There is a corresponding call to a simple life when we follow Jesus.  We should have no need for worldly possessions; we have no desire for material wealth.  Jesus said, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”  As the old hymn goes, “What ever my lot, Thou has taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul.”

Follow Jesus?

The call to be a disciple of Jesus is a radical call.  It requires all of our being.  It demands that we take stock of our lives on a daily (even moment by moment) basis to ensure that we love God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength.

So, before you answer “yes” to someone who asks whether or not you are a Christian, think about this response instead, “I am attempting by God’s grace to follow Jesus.”  If this is your heartfelt understanding of being a disciple, you are well on your way

It seems, however, that sometimes “Christian” might be useful as an adjective if it is used as a descriptor to express a contrasting option, such as Christian fundraising vis-à-vis fundraising conducted for non-Christian purposes or by non-Christians. Of course, this begs the question, What is the difference between “Christian” fundraising and, let’s use another word I dislike, “secular” fundraising.

First, a story, then a brief description (or theology) of Christian fundraising.

I had the privilege, years ago, to take part in a secular Planned Giving fundraising seminar. The seminar leader was a true professional and very knowledgeable in her field. Surprisingly, she used the term “stewardship” throughout the seminar, a term often used by Christian fundraisers. No one in attendance seemed fazed by her using the term. It was as though there was a unanimity of understanding of the definition of stewardship. I was perplexed, however, at how easy this term was being bantered around with no real definition being put forth.

At the end of the seminar, the leader asked for feedback. I told the group that I had really gained a lot of insight into Planned Giving, but not all of what I had learned would translate into a Christian fundraising environment. The seminar leader seemed upset at my statement, and asked, “What is the difference between Christian fundraising and what I am teaching?” So, in the great tradition of Jesus, I asked her a question: “What do you mean by the term stewardship as it was used in this seminar?” She replied that stewardship is simply the responsible use of one’s own resources.

The group seemed very pleased with her answer, and they all turned to look at me for my reply. “Maybe,” I said, “we are not that far off.” “But the definition of the term stewardship means to responsibly care for another person’s property or resources, not one’s own. A Christian theology (or program) of stewardship/fundraising always begins with the notion that we do not own any resources, but that we are merely stewards of what God has entrusted to us (Psalm 24:1). So the difference is more than semantics, but one of possession. Who’s resources are they?”

Additionally, I would like to state emphatically that it isn’t just a different attitude that makes someone a Christian fundraiser, or even a higher ethical standard. Christian fundraising is the carrying out of specific fundraising activities clearly informed and motivated by a Biblical theology of stewardship.

The first step to understanding a particularly Christian approach to fundraising is to see the overall activity primarily as a part of the discipleship process. That is, the Christian fundraiser is involved in the making of followers of Christ (disciples), and thus must understand his calling to be involved in the Christian fundraising vocation or ministry. In consideration of this premise, the following principles of discipleship are the basis for a Christian theology of fundraising:

Repentance – This is always the initial step in a discipleship process. Jesus said, “The hour has come. The kingdom of God is near you. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15). To understand that all that we have as belonging to God, we must have a change in our thinking.

First, and foremost then, we must change the way we think about Jesus: “Though we once thought of Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Cor. 5:16b-17).

The ultimate change is how we understand who Jesus is, and then, and only then, can we begin to change the other areas of our lives to be in accord with His Word. When we receive the Lordship of Christ in our lives, we freely submit ourselves to His benevolent authority and His ownership of our very lives and our possessions. The Christian fundraiser calls people to believe in Christ and His Good News for their lives.

Release – This next act of repentance requires us to change the way we think about our possessions. Though there are many other areas of our lives that need to come under the Lordship of Jesus, we focus here on what may be the most critical.

Jesus said, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18-19). When Jesus announced His discipleship ministry to the world, He proclaimed release for the oppressed and freedom for the imprisoned. I want to state that Jesus is here talking about everyone in the world. We are all oppressed and imprisoned by materialism and we all need to be released from its possession of our souls.

“No one can serve two masters,” Jesus said. “Either he will hate the one and love the other …. you cannot be submissive to both God and Mammon [materialism]” (Matthew 6:24). As a Christian fundraiser, you are not asking people for money for your good cause; you are releasing people from their possession to the pagan god call Mammon. The Christian fundraiser releases people from their bondage and possession to materialism.

Investment – In the Western world we often think of investment as a means to a return (ROI). Some Christians actually believe that to be responsible stewards they should be shrewd investors of God’s resources in ministries that can clearly show a better return of their investment than another. Unfortunately, that is a limited view of what Jesus has in mind when He tells us to invest in the Kingdom:

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matt 6:19-21).

What we have in mind as we disciple stewards is how a person spends the resources God has given to them. Certainly, it is important to discern which ministry to invest resources, but most people must first begin to change the priorities of how they spend their God-given resources. How does the person spend their money for living expenses, entertainment, transportation, etc; what is their motivation and criteria for savings; and, what are their giving patterns? These are the important questions for a Christian fundraiser who sees their ministry as one of discipleship. The Christian fundraiser is ever putting the Kingdom Treasure Principle in front of those he or she is discipling.

Eternal Perspective – The treasure principle leads us next to the concepts of trust and eternity. In the Parable of the Talents (Matt 25:1; 14-30), God gives three different stewards (disciples) a chance to show forth their trustworthiness to enter into His eternal Kingdom. “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like …” (Matt 25:1). Disciples are known by their fruit (Matt 7:20), Jesus said—how they use the gifts (whether spiritual or material) that God has given to them.

The Parable of the Talents easily translates to our day. A bank does not give loans out to people without a credit history. The military does not give security clearances to people who have defaulted on their debts. Why, because those people have shown proven themselves responsible when it comes their finances, and, thus, may not be responsible in other areas of their lives. The eternal Kingdom of God is reserved for those who are trustworthy–those who have exercised faith in the God they profess by using the gifts entrusted to them wisely. They have used their resources with an eternal perspective. The Christian fundraiser helps donors to have an eternal perspective on their giving, not just a temporal one.

Joy of Giving — Finally, in the great tradition of the Westminster Catechism: a disciple is one whose chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. When a disciple is mature and not under the possession of the pagan god of materialism, he will take pleasure in the process of stewardship. He will enjoy the giving of resources so that the Kingdom might be expanded: “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7).

Jesus said that is more blessed to give than receive (Acts 20:35). A disciple will never know that estate of blessedness until they fully embrace the principle of the joy of giving. Christian fundraisers help donors realize the joy that comes from releasing resources into Christ’s Kingdom.

© Paul M. Dordal, 2009

If you have received Christ, you have to share Christ. It is the gift that must keep on giving. In this amazing, miraculous story from Acts, several supra-cultural principles for sharing Christ with others become immediately apparent. To be effective in reaching our neighbors and the world with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ, I believe that the Scriptures give us all we need to know how to do it.

1) Obey The Great Commission
First of all, we must be obedient to share Christ with others. In verse 26 of this chapter, Philip is told to “get up and go.” Though this command was in direct response to a person (the Ethiopian) who was in need of hearing the Gospel, it is also the ongoing command of our Lord to us to get up and go and make disciples (Matt 28:19).

2) Begin A Relationship
After Philip caught up with the chariot (he must have been running pretty fast), he asked the Ethiopian if he understood the Scriptures he was reading. It is important when sharing our faith, especially with someone we do not know, to build a relationship with them first. Find out who they are, what they already believe, and where they are at spiritually. Philip starts from a listening position rather than explaining. People want to be valued not talked down to.

3) Wait For An Invitation
Once you have established a relationship and there is a desire for the person to engage further, you will likely get an invitation to begin a process of discovery. The Ethiopian was glad to have Philip there, and so he invited Philip into the chariot with him (Acts 8:31). We should be careful not to share with people who are agitated with us and are not interested in what we have to say. It is very difficult for someone to receive revelation and have a changed heart if they are angry at the messenger.

4) Explain The Gospel From The Point Of Their Interest
In verse 35 it says that “Philip proceeded to tell him the good news of Jesus Christ, beginning [from the Scripture the Ethiopian was reading].” It is never effective to begin to explain something to someone from a point they are not interested in. It is far better to start from the point they are struggling with. The only way to discover where that point of interest lies is making sure you have not skipped step two: LISTEN.

5) Follow Up
The Ethiopian was glad to receive the revelation through Philip and so asked the evangelist: “‘What could keep me from being baptized?’ And Philip said, ‘If you believe with all your heart you may.’” Philip followed up to ensure that the Ethiopian understood what he was committing to. There was no lapse in time or half-year discipling training, but just a further inquiry into the sincerity of the decision.

If this historical incident was significant enough to be included in Holy Scripture, then it certainly is an excellent model for our own evangelistic activities. I believe that if you follow these simple steps, you will see great fruit born from your evangelistic activities.

Prayer
Father, I come to you in the Name of Jesus. Thank you for choosing me for this mission possible. I know that with You nothing is impossible, and that by the power of Your Holy Spirit I can be an effective witness for Christ. Let me obey Your commission, and depend solely on You for the right words to speak every time I share Christ with others. Amen.

According to Matthew, Jesus tells us that there would be many signs: wars, rumors or wars, famines, earthquakes, and the rise of false prophets. Jesus said that many will turn from the Way, and many who are faithful to the Way will be severely persecuted. Wickedness, unrighteousness, and immorality will increase.

For many conservative Christians in America this is their rallying cry. We have to turn this immoral country around. We have to fight to change the abortions laws; we must organize against the homosexual agenda to protect the sanctity of the bonds of holy matrimony; we must stop the wicked influence of the media on our families; and, we must defeat evil around the world. The militancy by which many conservative Christians contend for the faith today and our aggressive reaction to the decline of Christendom is noteworthy.

Jesus said that one of the main signs of the end times would be the loss of love among Christians: “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold …” (Matthew 24:12). If Christians, who are to be known by their love, lose their love of God and their neighbor this sign will become a key indicator of the end of the age. Michael Wilkins, in his commentary, says, “The chief characteristic of spiritual death is that it causes love to grow cold.”

As Christians we could focus on the immorality of the world and speak against it; we could constantly point to the imminent danger of worldwide terrorism and create an atmosphere of fear and isolation; and, we could continually blame others, even in the Church, for their lack of biblical truth. But when we do that without love, our witness becomes offensive noise to God and others. When we focus on the negative things happening around us and react against those signs, instead of asking ourselves how can I express God’s love to these lost souls, we no longer become a light in the darkness, but a sign of the end of the age.

In this era when only the conservative Church holds the precious Truth in their hands, how we wield that Truth can be either a sign of the end of the age or a sign of the love of the Cross. It is our choice.

Unfortunately, I hear Jesus saying to the conservative Church: “I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love” (Rev. 2:2-4).

Seminar tracks  include (1) Obeying God’s Call; (2) Called To Ministry In The U.S.; (3) Called To Ministry Overseas; (4) Just For Pastors: Coaching & Mentoring Youth To Fulfill Their Callings (Dr. Paul Dordal, CLM Executive Director)

When

February 6-8, 2009

Where

The Pittsburgh Project ~ 2801 N Charles St, Pittsburgh 15214

Cost

$95/person
* Special rate of $85 for individuals who attended Global Impact 2008

Registration & Information Form