All posts tagged Evangelism

Reaching 18-30s

by Hugh on September 14, 2010 in Faith with No comments

Want to do some more thinking about generic vs. age-specific ministries… happy to carry on discussion here. But there still remains the question of how do you reach out to those in their 18-30s and particularly thinking about those 3 negative characteristics of 18-30s which make them hard to reach, according to Mike Pilavachi:

Consumerism
Individualism
A Culture of Entitlement

This maybe a bit of a tangent, but I think Derren Brown (an unlikely source) may be able to teach us something… recently he performed a show on Channel 4 called ‘Hero at 30,000 feet‘ – the basic synopsis is that he would take ‘an average Joe’, in this case a depressed 20-something and turn them, through a serious of physiological experiences into a hero.

Brown used experiences to help the man control his fears, to encourage him to take risks, to see the potential of what he could achieve, and the benefits that come from being proactive in life.

Now I’m not suggesting that we use Brown’s methods, but doesn’t the Gospel do all these things anyway?? I wonder whether part of the reason the reason churches are missing 18-30s is that as churches we’re fearful, we shy away from taking risks for the gospel and are fairly passive.

Mike Pilavachi and others highlighted that part of the problem is that the young people of the Soul Survivor generation were told they’d be History Makers… and nothing happened… I think the potential was there, it’s always there… but I fear generally the church isn’t ready or willing to take the risks and opportunities for the Gospel that should make the church the most cutting-edge, most innovative, most exciting group of people to be a part of…

I wonder if too often we choose the safe, easy passage which never generates the excitement and vision to draw followers…?

Tales of the Unexpected

by Hugh on May 13, 2010 in Books, Faith with No comments

There’s a great new resource come out from the Good Book Company, a four-week evangelistic course on a DVD, featuring Pete Woodcock and Lizzie Smallwood. It’s based around 4 stories that Jesus tells in Luke’s Gospel – The Rich Fool, The Two Lost Sons, The Pharisee and the Tax Collector… Each episode is based around 3 5-minute teaching clips and one testimony. Here’s 5 reasons why I think it’s great:

4 Weeks seems like a good length for a short course… some people might be put off by a 10 week course
You don’t need a really good speaker… they’re there on the DVD
You can choose to have a bloke or a lady speaking, depending on your context
It’s really simple, short and down to earth
Each episode finishes with a helpful testimony

Here’s what a lady involved in a Mums and Toddlers group at my church thought:

I thought it was really good for anybody that it would be totally new to the idea of reading or doing a study/course. Very accessible and the testimonies were brilliant. The stories were well chosen to build up the picture of Jesus. I think it would provide an excellent step on from ‘Tiddlywinks’ and youth groups for people who are interested in finding out more about Jesus but Christianity Explained may bo too soon/too much. The people doing were generally very good, but sometimes a little cheesy! But certainly better than many I have seen on DVD format. Still think first hand person is probably best way to hear things, but think its generally a good resource.

You can buy the starter pack for just £16 – including DVD and 3 study guides

Rich and Poor

by Hugh on December 14, 2009 in Faith, Talks with No comments

About 10 days ago I spoke at an International Carol Service… a traditional English Carol Service put on for the local international students with an evangelistic message.

I spoke on 2 Corinthians 8:9 – “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich”

Jesus was rich before His birth, but chose to became poor
We are poor and need to become rich
Jesus became poor so that we might become rich

Points shamelessly stolen from Christopher Ash, but the talk is mine.

Talk notes (doc)

Jars of Clay

by Hugh on November 18, 2009 in Faith, Talks with No comments

Apparently Ben Southall has “The Best Job in the World”… he’s the guy who is the caretaker of a tropical island off the coast of Australia. But the Apostle Paul would beg to differ… clearly the ministry of reconciliation, of bringing God’s New Covenant, the good news about Jesus to the world is the best job ever!

That’s the back drop for 2 Corinthians 4… where we get God shining light in people’s hearts and using weak people (clay pots) to do his work.

I spoke on this passage a couple of weeks ago, bit of a last minute .com job for Kingston CU who hadn’t got a weekend away speaker.

Talk notes here (pdf)

David Short on the Resurrection

by Hugh on November 12, 2009 in Faith with No comments

David Short

Last month I was at the Evangelists Conference at All Souls – you can now download the talks!

David Short was unable to make it due to Anglican rumblings in Canada, but hi5 s brother-in-law (I think), Simon Manchester shared 5 thoughts about the resurrection from David:

The Resurrection is Central in Preaching (see Acts)
The Resurrection is primarily about Jesus, not us
The Resurrection is the point at which Jesus transfers his mission to the church
The Resurrection hinges on belief in the scriptures
The Resurrection cannot be grasped or refused without serious consequences

3 Big Blockers

by Hugh on September 14, 2009 in Faith with 2 Comments

Went to Cornhill today, first day of term, pretty excited. Sat next to a guy who’s just done 8 years of prison ministry at Pollsmoor Prison in Cape Town, as seen on Ross Kemp on gangs… pretty cool! The guy on the other side was from Bedford where I grew up… small world!

Anyway… I got home early, so popped to a barbers near Brighton station – hair was a serious mess! Having hair cut, by a girl, mid-twenties probably… and we got talking about the gospel… people always ask about work, so working for a church is a great conversation starter (also a conversation killer!). We only had about 5 mins to talk… but three big blockers (as Tim Keller calls them) came up…

I work for a church… oh I’m not religious
Do you believe in God?… oh no, I believe we’re here because of evolution
I believe Jesus says and does what only God can do (and proves it)… ok, but how do I know he’s the right God, there’s so many out there

It was clear that there was unfounded prejudice about Christian beliefs, a narrow-mindedness to look into the evidence, but I think deep down a desire to know the truth. Good chat. Same issues always come up don’t they, nothing new under the sun…

Serve/Win, Run/Win

by Hugh on March 23, 2009 in Faith, Talks with No comments

Last night I had the privilege to preach my first ‘proper’ sermon… when I say ‘proper’ I mean at a main church service – the 8am communions with a congregation of 10 is a little bit different. I got to speak on 1 Corinthians 9, but choose to just look at verses 19-27. I put a shirt on for the occasion, but kept my un-ironed jeans and dirty trainers on… it’s all about becoming all things to all men… to the people who wear scruffy jeans I became like one who wears scruffy jeans!

I titled the sermon ‘Freed to Serve’… but have since changed it to ‘Serve/Win, Run/Win’… because I can.

You can listen to the audio here…

…and my preaching notes – maybe Josh Harris could add it to his preachers notes series… maybe not

Two points:

Serve to Win
Run to Win

Q: How do we live as Christians in Brighton & Hove?

A: We run, and we do everything we can to win others on the way!

Chappo on Personal Evangelism

by Hugh on December 13, 2008 in Faith with 1 Comment

The other month John Chapman came to Sussex, Crowborough to be precise… he did a couple of talks on how pastors go about doing personal evangelism under the title “Still Fishing?”.

He’s pretty old, but he’s still got the passion, and still got the balls just to say it as it is… so they were pretty good talks, download below:

Chappo – part 1

Chappo – part 2

Preach the Gospel to Christians

by Hugh on September 10, 2008 in Faith, Random with No comments

When�s the last time you looked another Christian in the eye and said �Mate you�re a sinner.� I know you have struggles, I know you�re tired but, deep down you�re wicked!� That�s your real problem.� But Mate – you�re clothed in the righteousness�of Christ, carried on His heart before the Father, rejoiced over in the presence of the angels.�

Glen Scrivener

Idealistic Students

by Hugh on August 27, 2008 in Faith with 1 Comment

Idealistic

I’ve been at the best University in the country to understand this group – Sussex is renowned for it’s socialism, activism, and most other isms. The SU gives I think around £10k to fund campaigning – they ban Coca Cola, ban the Daily Mail, charge you for a plastic carrier bag and will support all the latest campaigns. It’s a pro-choice campus, feminist, and the minority groups always have the loudest voice! In reality most of the ‘hippies’, the campaigners, are middle-class, from Surrey and like to campaign because it’s a bit of excitement and rebellion!

This group is strange, their interests and group characteristics make it the easiest group to relate the gospel to and to hold a serious conversation with, although many students in this group that I have spoken to are hung up on the problem of evil and suffering, and the negative role of the church in history and in the present. Maybe around 50% (a guess) of this group have had some kind of pseudo-christian upbringing, some experience of church and/or religion usually from their school or parents. Many seem to have been presented with a little bit of the gospel in the past, this bit usually comes with bad religious connotations, or unhelpful figures of authority, and it kindof inoculates them against the true gospel – they think they get the gospel because they heard a little bit, so they don’t want to hear any more.

These people are radical or at least they think they are, but they need to be challenged by someone more radical. Can we show them that Jesus is more radical? And can we as Christians, those who testify about Jesus, can we show that we are more radical?

How we live:

Be a Biblical activist – speak up for those with no voice (Proverbs 31:8)
Practise true religion – look after widows and orphans (James 1:27)
Take part in student campaigning – don’t dismiss these guys as hippies but join them in causes worth fighting for – focus on the people as opposed to the cause, politics etc.
Be radical in supporting the unpopular causes – Pro-Life, Persecuted Church and the many causes of people around the world who aren’t noticed in big campaigns
Be as passionate and vocal in promoting the gospel as these guys are about promoting their causes. Talk more about Jesus than you do about [insert cause here].
Make clear the reasons why we campaign – we want justice because our God is just, we show compassion to people because they are created in the image of God and loved by Him.
Don’t make a distinction between the ‘social gospel’ and the Gospel – it’s not one or the other, the Gospel should give us a heart for the lost, compassion for the poor, and a burden for justice.

How we speak:

These guys often have issues with religion and institutions – Jesus saves his harshest words for the religious establishment. Not only do we need to call these guys to come to Jesus and repent, but they need to know that likewise we call the religious, the hypocrites, those who have faith but no deeds, we call them to come to Jesus and repent in just the same way… Think about the Parable of the Good Samaritan, it’s often just seen as an example of compassion, but it’s also a rebuke to the religious who do nothing!
Acknowledge the weakness and failure of the church and Christians both now and in history – a good way to explain Sin. Speak of Jesus’ perfection (point people away from us and instead to Jesus), Grace that is a gift and undeserved, and Sin that is forgiven, not dealt with ourselves.
Campaigners are troubled by a lack of justice. If they are an atheist then it’s even more troubling, those who commit injustice are rarely held to account. it’s worth pointing out that belief in God and in the One he has appointed to judge will result in justice (Acts 17:31).
Activists don’t get grace because they think it contradicts justice, and they don’t get God’s justice because it involves a violent death. Can we show them that the way they see and hate the injustice of the world is a parallel to how God sees our lives and hates what we do when in rebellion against Him. So then, doesn’t a substitute, someone else enduring a violent death look glorious when he’s standing there instead of us – what an example compassion and grace!
These guys need to know that God cares! That God hates injustice more than them, and they need to be shown that God is not passive or unable to act – can we show them God working positively through his church now and can we show that God ultimately defeated evil and the sin of man at the Cross.
Those who campaign for charities understand the problem of earthly poverty – can we show them that Spiritually poverty is worse? Both now in terms of Knowing God, and eternally in terms of Heaven and Hell…
Can we as Christians show that we have more compassion for those who suffer, give more to the poor, look out for those who need help regardless of who they are, be indiscriminate about speaking up for those with no voice, campaign with more passion, make greater sacrifices… and can we do all this not to make ourselves look altruistic, but to make Jesus look great!