Matthew Parties

We’ve talked about the importance of going and telling people about the love of God. About whose job it is to tell the lost that Jesus died for them and wants to save them as they are and transform them to new people in Him. I read a book by Bill Hybels called, “Just Walk Across the Room.” There is a section in this book that talks about Matthew Parties. It’s a party where you invite your family, co-workers, and/or neighbors to just have a good time. The purpose of the party is to introduce people to Jesus.

This idea comes from Matthew 9 and Mark 2 where after Jesus had called Matthew to follow Him, Matthew had a party where he invited his former co-workers and people he knew. He threw the party to introduce people to the Savior. We can do the same with our loved ones, co-workers, and neighbors. This is a great opportunity to reach people who will not come to church. Invite church friends who know how to talk with people in regular conversation. Make sure to tell them to just be themselves and not carrier a Bible around to hit people over the head with it. Have people who know that love talks louder than anything else. The only difference between a Christ-follower and a lost person is that Christ has called them to Himself and has cleaned them of their sin.

A Matthew Party can be very useful to reach people around us. People you reach at parties such as these could be developed into a community Bible group that meet weekly in your house. We are called to go and make disciples (Matthew 28:19 – 20). To make a disciple, you have to help them grow in the knowledge of Christ. You can be used by God to reach your housing development, work place, and/or family for Christ by just throwing a party. Pray about how God can use you.

GO

When I think about the “Great Commission” in Matthew 28: 19, I wonder if this verse has been used some many times for missions and witnessing that it’s lost any power to encourage Christ-followers to do this task. This is a great task to do, and overwhelming at times. Who is to be doing the going, and why is it that Christ-followers aren’t doing more of it?

Let’s look at the verse:

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

The King James Version of the Bible has “YE” or “YOU” after Go. The King James Version council would add words to the manuscript that they thought made passages flow better. When they did this, they put the words in italic to show this. Later versions assumed people knew who was to go so they did not add this word to this verse. So basically, as Christ-followers we are the ones who Jesus told to go.

So we are the ones who are commissioned to go and tell the good news of Christ’s gift of eternal life. Why is it that not everyone is sharing this news? I have some theories of why this is.

1. People are under the assumption that this task is for the “Pastors” or “Professional Clergy” to do.
If this was the case, Christ would have only talked with the 11 remaining disciples separate from the crowd. He told everyone that was with Him to “Go.” There were around 500 people present at this meeting.

2. People that don’t have the Spiritual gift of evangelism assume they don’t have to do this task since it’s not their thing.
Even though you may not have the Spiritual gift of evangelism, this commission is for you to do as well.

3. Some people feel that they can’t talk with strangers. They say, “I’m shy.”
The greatness of this commission is that we aren’t doing it. It’s the Holy Spiritual through us who is doing it. Acts 1:8;

“but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."

As humans, we are merely the work gloves. In themself, gloves just lay around. It’s not until you put your hand in them that they are able to accomplish a task like raking the leaves or hammering a nail. The Spirit is accomplishing the task of telling the good news of Salvation. God doesn’t need us, but He wants to use us.

4. People say, “I’m not a good talking.” Or, “I wouldn’t know what to say.”
God will give us the words to use when we need them. Jesus told us that we will be put in situations that we may not know what to say. In these times, He said not to worry because the Spirit will give you the words to say. Mark 13:11;

“When they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but it is the Holy Spirit.”

You have trusted your eternal soul to Christ for salvation. Trust that He will do what He says helping you speak to others about him.

Matthew 28:19, tells us to go and tell the world about what He has done for us. Step out on faith and tell some one today. The next posting will give you different ways that may help you accomplish this task.

God Bless.

Discipleship

There are several Bible verses that come to mind when I think about the importance of a Christ-follower to grow in their relationship with Christ our Savior. The last half of the “Great Commission” is one of these verses. Matthew 28:20,

“teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

2 Timothy 2:15 is another passage,

“Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

In our world today, there are countless Christ-followers without a clue. After coming to accept Christ into their hearts, they stop. Some churches do not understand what Discipleship is all about for the most part. We have “Sunday Schools” on Sunday morning and/or small groups doing the week and call it Discipleship. Discipleship is more than just Bible studies and groups. It’s a process of being equipped to live a fulfilled life in Christ. As Christ-followers, we are called to Spiritual reproduction. Put of this reproduction is nourishing the newly saved as we would a new born child. If a person has an opportunity to lead a person to the saving knowledge of Christ, it’s up to that person to follow-through and equips their new brother or sister to live in Christ. As a new born child, a newly saved Christ-follower has to learn new things. Discipleship is walking beside the newly saved and teaching them how to live this new life we call Christianity.

How does a person know how to disciple a new Christ-follower? According to Ephesians 4:11 – 12, it's up to the pastors of churches to teach their people.

“And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,
for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;”

Pastors of churches have the responsibility to teach their members how to grow in Christ, and it’s up to the members to grow. You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink. Most new Christ-followers don’t see the importance in growing in Christ until they find themselves in trouble. And most Christ-followers have never been Discipled or equipped to have a fulfilled life in Christ.

It is time for us as Christ-followers, to walk beside our younger brothers and sisters in Christ and equip them to grow in Christ. We need to be a Barnabas to new Christ-followers. Barnabas was the first one to accept the newly saved Saul and encouraged him and walked beside him as Saul grew in Christ. It’s because Barnabas’ investment in Saul that the Roman world was downed upside down. God’s plan of salvation grace would have been done without Saul who later became Paul, but how different would the New Testament be without the influence of Paul. It’s partly due to Barnabas taking the time to invest in a new born Christ-follower. Won’t you be a Barnabas to someone? You will change a person forever, and who knows what God will do through you. Take the chance.

Reasons for the Blog

To keep a record of how God blesses our effects during this year in the SBCV Church Plant Apprentice program and the future church plant, I have set up this blog. My goal is to keep a record of what I learn and experience in starting a church. Feel free to visit this blog and follow our progress. The name is based on the name of the future church, Level Ground Outreach Center.