Social Media and Personal Evangelism Bend 5-27-11

Introduction – I have attended many ministerial conferences over the years, most of which were so similar that very few stand out in my mind.

• A few days after this year’s conference, it occurred to me that this one was very different in a way that is destined to be an important key to how we do the work of preaching.

• Whereas in times past, ministerial conferences consisted entirely of lectures by senior ministers, this year I was struck by how many young, unordained men played a key role in many of the presentations.

• This is due to the increasing role that technology has played in doing the work, and the fact that the younger generation tends to be more computer savvy than their elders.

• Modern technology is making it possible to accomplish more with less manpower and at lower cost than ever before—certainly very timely in light of recent developments in the church that have resulted in less manpower and lower income.

• The internet offers a vast, medium of communication to reach millions of people all over the world.

• It also brings the work of God right into the homes of members, in contrast to the past when members only involvement in the work was to support the preaching of the few who spoke on radio or TV or wrote for our print media.

• The days of the proverbial role of “pray and pay” are no longer the only way for members to be involved in the work.

• Furthermore, member contact has always been the most productive means of church growth, because personal examples speak with greater authority than the spoken or written word, as expressed in the oft-repeated Edgar Guest poem, “Sermons We See.”

• The scriptures also contain examples of how the zeal of members helped to spread the gospel, resulting in church growth. NKJ Acts 8:1, 4-6 At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 4 ¶ Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. 5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. 6 And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.

• “preaching the word” (Gr. euaggelizō – “to communicate good news concerning something (in the NT a particular reference to the gospel message …”(Louw-Nida lexicon).

• “The story begins by showing how the persecution of the church in Jerusalem was turned to good effect. Those who were driven from their homes or felt it wise to leave them preached the Word as good news as they went about from place to place. It is interesting that this particular movement is not attributed to any specific guidance from the Spirit, such as occurred at other crucial stages in the expansion of the church. It seems rather to have been regarded as the natural thing for wandering Christians to spread the gospel; perhaps opportunities for doing so arose naturally, as the people into whose midst they came asked them why they had left their homes” (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries). Acts 8:25-39 25

¶ So when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans. 26 ¶ Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, "Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." This is desert. 27 So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship, 28 was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet. 29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go near and overtake this chariot." 30 So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?" 31 And he said, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 The place in the Scripture which he read was this: "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He opened not His mouth. 33 In His humiliation His justice was taken away, And who will declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth." 34 So the eunuch answered Philip and said, "I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?" 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. 36 Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, "See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?" 37 Then Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." 38 So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. 39 Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing. Could things like this happen today?

• Listen to this account from one of our elders relating what he experienced on the way home from this year’s ministerial conference: Feeling like getting to the airport early, and have time to browse a shop or two, I inquired if I might be able to catch an earlier shuttle. The driver on duty, however, was on a run and could not take me any earlier. So, I picked up a paper and sat in the lobby catching up on some news. In a few minutes the night driver arrived early and offered to take me. Neither of us could have known what would happen between the hotel and the airport! I asked if I might sit up front in the van, rather than in the back, since it was just the two of us. A friendly conversation between strangers ensued, and it was very comfortable and personable as we began to speak. Ignatius, the driver, told me this was his night job. I inquired what his day job is. He’s a “schoolmaster” for K-8th grades, and works from 4 PM to midnight as a shuttle driver for hotel guests. I mentioned that I felt like a student, having just spent 11 days in meetings lasting 6-8 hours a day. He said, “Whatever business brought you here, I hope it went well.” I told him that it had, and that I had been attending meetings for our church. Ignatius then mentioned his church experience. He had come to his faith in the late 1970’s, and over time began to serve in the ministry.

Ultimately, he became the only black US pastor for a large Baptist denomination. As he continued his story, he said “I’ll be transparent. Our church split. Those above me could’t get along.” With that, I mentioned that we had just come through a similar trial. Ignatius and I began to “connect,” sharing our experiences. I asked him how he worships now, not being part of the church that he once attended. He mentioned that he and his wife and a few others meet together to worship “on Saturday.” I looked at him and told him that we worship on Saturday, that we hold to the seventh day Sabbath. Ignatius began to cry as he drove the van. He told me that he and those with him have come to this understanding within the last year or so, through their intensive study. He knew about the “first century” example of Christ and the apostles, about the Council of Nicea three centuries later. He said, “It’s been so lonely out here.” I then told Ignatius that we also observe the biblical Holy Days instead of the holidays of this world. Tears rolled down his cheeks, and he said “The spirit in me wants to weep, but the flesh is driving the van.” [He also believes in keeping the Holy Days.] I mentioned that we have congregations in the area. We prayed together in the van, thanking God for bringing two strangers together in this miraculous way. As we neared the airport terminal I asked if I might contact him again, and we exchanged email addresses and phone numbers.

We hugged as brothers, with the expectation of seeing each other again sometime, and of knowing each other for a long, long time to come. I entered the airport wondering what was the most miraculous thing that happened to me during these last eleven days in the area of the Home Office. I have no doubt it was meeting this new friend, this new brother, Ignatius. It was like riding in his chariot, almost like Philip did long ago when he met the Ethiopian. If Ignatius comes to the point of baptism, I pray I may be there to share that day with him! We serve an amazing God! Monday, May 23 I spoke with Ignatius yesterday. He had mentioned our connecting to a friend of his, who said “This doesn’t just happen.” Ignatius told me that the thing that came to mind as we first talked in Cincy was that it was like when Elijah prayed and God told him that there were seven thousand who had not bowed the knee to Baal. He was careful not to equate himself and me too deeply into the analogy, but used the experience of Elijah to describe how he felt. At first he said it was (in the analogy) like he was in Elijah’s position, being shown that there were other believers out there. But then he began to see it from another point of view, that God was bringing him (as one of the 7,000) to someone who could help. I asked him how many worship together with him, and he said sometimes just him and his wife, but sometimes up to twelve. The others who come are grade school and high school students and their parents. We do plan to stay in touch. I sent him an email with a link to the website of the local congregations where I pastor.

This will keep the personal connection going while at the same time connecting him with the official UCG websites and literature. I wonder how many more potential called out ones there are, scattered all around this world. Jesus' words in John 4:34-38 are so clearly true: "...Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! ...I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors." It is humbling and encouraging to be among the workers in the fields of God and to see the reactions of those to whom we have been sent. Please pray for more workers for the harvest, and for people like this man in whose "chariot" I rode.

• This could happen to anyone, because God is not a respecter of persons.

• Wouldn’t it be exciting to know that God was able to work through you to bring someone into the church, or even to bring about meaningful changes in their life?

• What would it take for this to happen to you? NKJ 1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;

• You’ve heard this scripture quoted many times before, but let’s take a closer look at what it says and what it means to you and me.

• It says that we must always be ready to “give a defense” to everyone who asks us anything about what we believe.

• The word defense (Gr. apologia) – a legal term referring to a speech of defense in court,

• Here referring to being able to defend our beliefs against false teaching.

• The Greek word is the basis of the theological term “apologetics” – “a branch of theology devoted to the defense of the divine origin and authority of Christianity” (Merriam-Webster online dictionary).

• “since the questioning is concerning the hope that is in you, Peter must be assuming that the inward hope of Christians results in lives so noticeably different that unbelievers are prompted to ask why they are so distinctive” (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries).

• The first seven words are an essential\prerequisite for being able to “give a defense.”

• “To do so we must know what we believe; we must have thought it out; we must be able to state it intelligently and intelligibly. Our faith must be a first-hand discovery and not a second-hand story. It is one of the tragedies of the modern situation that there are so many Church members who, if they were asked what they believe, could not tell, and who, if they were asked why they believe it, would be equally helpless. The Christian must go through the mental and spiritual toil of thinking out his faith, so that he can tell what he believes and why” His defense must be given with gentleness. There are many people who state their beliefs with a kind of arrogant belligerence. Their attitude is that anyone who does not agree with them is either a fool or a knave and they seek to ram their beliefs down other people's throats. The case for Christianity must be presented with winsomeness and with love, and with that wise tolerance which realizes that it is not given to any man to possess the whole truth. "There are as many ways to the stars as there are men to climb them."

Men may be wooed into the Christian faith when they cannot be bullied into it. His defense must be given with reverence. That is to say, any argument in which the Christian is involved must be carried on in a tone which God can hear with joy. No debates have been so acrimonious as theological debates; no differences have caused such bitterness as religious differences. In any presentation of the Christian case and in any argument for the Christian faith, the accent should be the accent of love. The only compelling argument is the argument of the Christian life. Let a man so act that his conscience is clear. Let him meet criticism with a life which is beyond reproach. Such conduct will silence slander and disarm criticism. "A saint," as someone has said, "is someone whose life makes it easier to believe in God." (The Daily Study Bible by Barclay). NKJ Matthew 12:34 " out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. NLT Matthew 12:34 For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. NLT Luke 12:11-12 "And when you are brought to trial in the synagogues and before rulers and authorities, don't worry about how to defend yourself or what to say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what needs to be said."

• We can and should trust God to inspire us on any occasion when we have the opportunity to explain what we believe.

• But we need to be sure to be close to God and that our minds and hearts are filled to the brim with excitement and conviction about the truth that He has revealed to us and the opportunity He has given us to participate in His great master plan. You don’t need to wait for someone to ask you about what you believe. • Matthew 12:34 emphasizes that what fills our heart will “spill out” in normal conversation because of the depth of our convictions.

• The late Samuele Bacchiocchi was an example of Matthew 12:34 regarding the Sabbath. • He took every opportunity to introduce the Sabbath to those he came in contact with.

• On plane flights, he would often say, “You look happy; you must be a Sabbath keeper.”

• Well, he may have gone a bit over the top sometimes, due to his enthusiasm.

• Unfortunately, many of us went overboard in this when God first began revealing His truth to us, and the negative results caused us to retreat to the opposite extreme of avoiding the subject of what we believe.

• Both extremes are wrong, so hopefully we can use the balanced approach that God desires from us. You don’t have to be on an airplane or in a “chariot” to engage someone in conversation about what you believe.

• Thanks to modern technology, our newly designed UCG website is open to anyone to comment on content and even respond to others who comment.

• Social media such as Facebook (which many of you use) are also an effective tool of personal evangelism.

• The UCG members’ website has a section (“Help Preach the Gospel on the Internet”) that tells you how to use social media to help spread the truth by investing only a few minutes a day.

• Be sure to read the most recent UCG News article by Tom Disher (one of those young men I mentioned earlier).

• I have also emailed you information from the members.ucg.org website on how you can help. Worst case scenario, if you do not feel comfortable or capable of doing any of this, there is still a meaningful way that all of us can contribute—prayer for success of our media efforts. NKJ Acts 10:1-4 ¶ There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, 2 a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always. 3 About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, "Cornelius!" 4 And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, "What is it, lord?" So he said to him, "Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God.

• It was in response to Cornelius’s prayers (a gentile member of an occupation army) that resulted in a major development in the plan of God—opening the way for the gospel to be preached to the gentiles. NKJ James 5:16 The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. NLT James 5:16 The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

• Notice that it is still necessary to pray with conviction, not just out of obligation.

• Cornelius undoubtedly prayed with conviction. NKJ James 5:17-18 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

• God is not a respecter of persons, and Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, so anyone today has the potential of helping to advance the work of God by our prayers.

Conclusion – Mr. Armstrong often emphasized that the reason God called us now is to help to do his work (and of course to train us for a much greater work in God’s coming Kingdom), and that we will grow to the extent that our heart is in the work.

• I suggest that we all need to consider the relevance and importance of this fundamental aspect of our calling and responsibility as God’s people.

• It has been a long time since we have seen significant growth of new members, so we have probably all gotten rather rusty in regard to how we can be part of helping to promote interest in the truth of God and nurture those whom God calls (another way of expressing the twofold commission of the church).

• The UCG is tooling up for what we anticipate will improve our evangelistic efforts by utilizing the remarkable technology available to us.

• But this is still a work of faith in which all of us can and must support and help to succeed. NLT John 4:35 You know the saying, 'Four months between planting and harvest.' But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe 1 for harvest. 36 The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike!

• People are still looking for answers—answers that God has given us to understand and share with a suffering world.

• Please consider what you can do to help promote the work of God, which is a fundamental reason for our calling and training as kings and priests assisting Jesus Christ to share the truth of God with ultimately all of mankind in the coming Kingdom of God during the millennium and second resurrection.