Beyond Sunday Worship

Worship Podcast

3 Ways to Prepare for Gospel Conversations

Last night at APEX we kicked off God Questions. These questions carry such relevance for today because we live in such a pluralistic society where ‘all roads lead to God’. To claim you have the pulse on absolute truth in our culture is like saying The Pittsburgh Stealers are a ‘wrong’ football team or Starbucks coffee is demonic.

When it comes to evangelism isn’t it so much easier to be quiet – to keep your faith to yourself? We talk about ‘friendship evangelism’ but somehow never quite get to the ‘evangelism’ part.

The truth is that Christianity stands alone because of the person of Jesus Christ. While other religions show the path to ‘salvation’ or ‘enlightenment’ through good works, Jesus claims to be the Way of salvation. No one else has ever claimed that.

Here are 3 Ways to Prepare for Gospel Conversations that I shared last night:

  • LEARN – many Christians don’t know what they believe and why they believe it. Make sure you are ever deepening your knowledge of what your life is built upon so you can answer those who have questions.
  • LOVE – Is your passion for Jesus contagious? Is there deep feeling or merely facts? Nothing rubs off on others more than passion.
  • LISTEN – too often we’ve viewed evangelism as the “Jesus is coming back in 5 minutes, I need to get you saved so please sign this card so that I can feel good about myself” approach. It’s a huge turn off to people of different faiths if you don’t listen and hear their heart before you speak about yours. See everyone you come in contact with as ‘interesting’ and get to know them for who they are. This will open their hearts to your message because you are friendly and they feel you care about them and they can trust you.

I’ll add another one that doesn’t start with an ‘L’. Pray. Trust the Holy Spirit to do supernatural things through you. Don’t just think about it. Go.

DS

Weekend Worship Warm-Up

I recently challenged the worship team at APC to memorize Psalm 40 together. My desire with this is to be more active in preparing our hearts for the weekend worship. What better way to do this than to memorize God’s Word together? Memorizing Scripture is probably the best way to prepare yourself to be a worshipper through the difficult times in life. When the storms hit, you have a bedrock of truth to recall to mind.

I sent this encouragement out today. I hope it blesses you.

“He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord” (Psalm 40:3).

When people see your life and hear your words, what are they taking in? Our daily experience of God’s love and faithful help through pleasure and pain should result in songs of praise.

Now, I don’t mean you should start singing random lyrics and melodies in public when God does something. That’s a bit on the creepy side. Go watch ELF if you don’t know what I mean.

All this means is that as a worshipper of God, you are also a declarer to others. If others are not hearing your praise and declarations of faith, you are probably not worshipping. Silent, undeclared worship is no worship at all. People need to SEE your song in action. People need to FEAR GOD through it. And they will PUT THEIR TRUST in God because of your living testimony.

Dating Questions

Last night at APEX we tackled the controversial issue of dating. Quite fun. I shared a number of principles that I offer for your viewing pleasure. Much of this is from the teaching of Mark Driscoll, pastor of Mars Hill Church. Enjoy

Christian Dating Principles for Both Men & Women

  • Maximize your singleness for God.
  • The most important thing about the person you are dating is their relationship with God. How are you helping that?
  • Don’t pursue a relationship until you are ready to marry
  • Be reasonable – don’t set your expectations too high or too low
  • A date is not dating, but can become that
  • Never go on a date or date a non-Christian
  • Only date one person at a time
  • He initiates; she responds
  • Only invest in a relationship with someone you are attracted to entirely (physically, emotionally, spiritually, ministry gifts)
  • Guard your heart (Prov. 4:23)

Christian Dating Questions for Men

  • Are you overlooking good women?
  • Are you honoring God, her, her family, her friends, etc?
  • Is she modest?
  • Will she follow your leadership?
  • Does she have noble character (Prov. 31)?
  • Can you provide for the lifestyle she expects?
  • Do you want your daughters to be like her and your sons to marry someone like her?

Christian Dating Questions for Women

  • Do you want to help him and join his course of life? (Gen 2:18; I Cor. 11:9)
  • Is he tough enough to remain strong in tough times? (II Tim. 2:3)
  • Will he take responsibility for you and your children? (I Cor. 11: 3)
  • Is he considerate and gentle with you?
  • Will he be a good faither?
  • Is he a one woman man? (I Tim 3:2)
  • How valuable are you to him?
  • Do you want your sons to be like him and your daughters to marry someone like him?

Where am I and what am I doing?

I started reading the book of Revelation today and I was struck by this statement of John, the author:

“I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus” (Revelation 1:9).

I feel immense challenge in that statement. John was stranded on an island because he spoke the word of God and bore witness to Jesus Christ.

I can’t help but ask, “Where am I and what am I doing on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus?”

Has there been a significant change in the course of my life because of Jesus Christ? Am I facing opposition from the world because of my stance as a follower of Jesus Christ? Am I living everyday on account of His Word and the testimony of His death and resurrection?

Or am I simply maintaining a form of religion without a life of stepping out for Christ?

How about you?