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How To Bring People To The Lord

 
Now Our Gospel Meeting Is Over
 
INTRODUCTION
 
1. Our gospel meeting is now over...
 a. Our special services to edify and evangelize have come to an end
 b. The preacher has returned home
and our routine is returning to
 normal
 -- What now?
 
2. When Paul and Barnabas completed their missionary journey...
 a. They returned to the church at Antioch - Ac 14:26; cf. Ac 13:1-3
 b. They reported what God had done with them - Ac 14:27
 
3. In similar fashion
now that our gospel meeting is over...
 a. I think it appropriate to review what happened
 b. Also
to consider the question "What next?"
 
[If I may
then
let me review...]
 
I. WHAT I SAW
 
 A. I SAW GOD AT WORK IN YOU...
 1. Note that Paul recorded what God had done during his journey 
 - Ac 14:27
 2. When a person is doing the will of God
God is at work in them
 - cf. Ph 2:12-13
 -- Thus I witnessed this past week the work of God in your lives
 in various ways!
 
 B. I SAW GOD AT WORK IN VARIOUS WAYS...
 1. Hospitality
 a. Many opened their hearts and homes to the preacher(s) and
 their families
 b. My family and I likewise were beneficiaries
 c. Others show kindness to visitors and other members
 1) Welcoming them to services
 2) Providing transportation to those in need
 d. Did you know that God was at work in you while doing this?
 1) The ability to show hospitality is a gift from God - cf.
 1 Pe 4:9-10
 2) As you minister such a gift
it is with ability God
 supplies - cf. 1 Pe 4:11
 2. Edification
 a. Hearts were touched by the gospel sermons and sincere
 prayers
 b. Hearts were uplifted by the joyful singing
 c. If you were so touched
God was at work in you - cf. Ac
 16:14 (hoping that you might act upon it)
 3. Sacrifice
 a. Many people made sacrifices to make this effort successful
 1) Those with large families
to come every night!
 a) Despite the challenge to get the little ones ready
 b) Despite having to work around the homework the older
 children had
 2) Those who worked hard and long
yet made the effort to
 attend
 a) Some worked long hours
coming straight from work
  b) Some had additional responsibilities
requiring
 missing sleep
 3) Several drove many miles to come
 a) Yet came every night
 b) Some driving out of their way to provide
 transportation
 4) Mothers with families whose husbands had to work came
 anyway
 5) Others whose spouses would not come
came anyway
proving
 themselves worthy of Christ - cf. Lk 14:26
 6) Some endured great pain
but made the effort to be
 present!
 7) Others cleaned the building every night after each
 service!
 b. Such sacrifice was a victory over Satan
 1) Who wants us to serve God out of convenience
not
 conviction
 2) Who uses such difficulties to make it inconvenient to
 serve God - cf. 1 Pe 5:8-9
 c. Such sacrifice is further demonstration of God's working in
 you! - cf. 1 Pe 5:10
 4. Influence for good
 a. Souls outside of Christ heard the gospel
 1) It may be a while for fruit to show - cf. Jn 4:37
 2) But when it does
God will have been at work! - cf. 1 Co
 3:6-7
 b. Souls in Christ heard edifying sermons
 1) Challenging our commitment and service to God
 2) Exhorting us to faith and love to Christ
 
 C. I ALSO SAW THE DEVIL AT WORK...
 1. Satan is known for trying to undo the work of God - cf. Mt 13:
 24-26
36-39
 2. Satan may have succeeded in the lives of some
 a. By raising stumbling blocks in their way
 b. By providing excuses for those who chose not to attend
 c. By discouraging those who attended through the absence of
 others
 
[But now that the meeting is over
we cannot focus our attention on the
past (cf. Ph 3:13). And so I ask...]
 
II. WHAT NEXT?
 
 A. REST IS APPROPRIATE...
 1. Paul spent some time in between his journeys - cf. Ac 14:28
 2. Jesus told His disciples to take a rest - cf. Mk 6:30-31
 -- So taking a "breather" (a short respite) is understandable
 
 B. RETIREMENT IS NOT...
 1. Our retirement is "out of this world"
for which we must
 maintain diligence - cf. He 4:1-2
9-11
 2. Yes
we need to persevere - cf. He 10:32-39
 3. There is need to be careful
and not become like the church...
 a. At Ephesus (forgetful) - Re 2:2-5
 b. At Sardis (incomplete) - Re 3:2-3
 c. At Laodicea (lukewarm) - Re 3:15-16
 
 C. WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE...
 1. By those who are faithful Christians
 a. We have heard lessons to stimulate us to greater service
 b. We need to apply what we learned - cf. Ja 1:22-25
 2. For those who visited the services
 a. The seed has been sown!
 1) Non-Christians have heard lessons on Jesus and the
 judgment
 2) Erring Christians have heard lessons on the need for
 faithfulness
 b. Now comes the time to water what was planted! - 1 Co 3:6
 1) Follow up with those willing to study further
 2) Pray for them
that their hearts will be receptive
 3. For those who neglected the services
 a. Patience
humility
gentleness and prayer in trying to reach
 them - cf. 2 Ti 2:24-26
 b. Hopefully
like the prodigal son they will eventually "come
 to themselves" - Lk 15:17
 
CONCLUSION
 
1. Now that the meeting is over
on the surface it appears to have been
 a good one...
 a. Attendance was good (though it could have been much better)
 b. Those who attended were edified
 -- But only time will tell of the real effect of this effort
 
2. Follow-up is now important...
  a. Paul described the need for follow-up in regards to his journeys 
 - Ac 15:36
 b. Our follow-up will include the regular edification provided by our
 life together as a church
 c. But it can also include making plans for future meetings
 -- The lessons learned in this meeting can help us to prepare to the
 next meeting!
 
What lessons have you learned from this meeting...?

－－《Executable Outlines》

 
Using Bible Correspondence Courses
 
INTRODUCTION
 
1. With the "Great Commission" Christians were given a great task...
 a. To make disciples of all the nations - Mt 28:19
 b. To go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature 
 - Mk 16:15
 
2. It was a task accepted by the early disciples...
 a. They went everywhere
preaching the Word - cf. Ac 8:4; 1 Th 1:8
 b. The gospel was proclaimed to everyone - cf. Co 1:23; Ro 10:17-18
 
3. They used whatever tools and resources at their disposal...
 a. Traveling by foot
horse
chariot
or ship
 b. In person
or through the written word (cf. 2 Th 2:15)
 
4. Today
faced with the same task
we have many tools and resources...
 a. Traveling by car
train
or airplane
 b. In person
or by way of phone
radio
television
 c. And most recently
by way of the Internet
 
[Among the many useful tools at our disposal
I have found the simple
Bible correspondence course (BCC) to be an effective means to share the
gospel. In this lesson
I wish to share how it can be used in person
and around the world
especially through the Internet...]
 
I. OPPORTUNITIES FOR A BCC PROGRAM
 
 A. THE POTENTIAL OF THE INTERNET...
 1. E.g..
my web site has been visited by more than 1 million
 people
 2. On average
1000 people visit the site daily
 3. People from 130 countries and every state in USA have visited
 the site
 -- My web site is only one of many operated by brethren; several
 offer BCC's
 
 B. RESPONSES TO A SIMPLE OFFER...
 1. I placed a simple offer for a BCC on my web page
 2. In just two weeks
106 people enrolled in the course
 3. Besides the US
people have enrolled from the following
 countries in this short time:
 a. Australia (3) f. Netherlands
 b. Canada (2) g. Panama
 c. El Salvador h. Philippines
 d. Finland i. South Africa 
 e. Malaysia
 -- It is this response (and previous experience) that has prompted
 this lesson
 
 C. OTHER RESPONSES STARTING TO COME IN...
  1. In answer to a press release
a couple from St. Cloud has
 enrolled
 2. A member has mentioned several people are interested
 -- We certainly do not have to use the Internet to offer a BCC
 
[Might this be "an open door" of opportunity the Lord has given us (cf.
Ac 14:27)
especially through the Internet? Whether or not
consider
some of the benefits of using a BCC to reach out to others...]
 
II. ADVANTAGES OF A BCC PROGRAM
 
 A. CHALLENGES INVOLVING PERSONAL WORK...
 1. Finding prospects for study
 2. Setting up the study
 3. Teaching the material
 4. Answering questions
 5. Asking for a decision
 -- These challenges have hindered many people from getting
 involved in personal evangelism
 
 B. A BCC PROGRAM ELIMINATES THESE CHALLENGES...
 1. Through the offer at the web site
an advertisement in the
 paper
or a simple offer to a friend or acquaintance...
 a. You find people who want to study the Bible
 b. The study is automatically set up by those who respond to
 the offers
 2. Through the use of a Bible correspondence course...
 a. The student teaches himself or herself!
 b. If questions are raised
you can study and answer them at
  your leisure
 c. People are given the opportunity to make a decision
 -- Using a BCC makes it very easy for Christians to share the
 gospel with others
even if the Christian is a babe in Christ!
 
[If a church or individuals decide to utilize a BCC program
how should
its success or failure be measured...?]
 
III. EVALUATING A BCC PROGRAM
 
 A. MEASURING SUCCESS AND FAILURE...
 1. In any program of evangelism
it is common to use the following
 measurements:
  a. How many people come to services?
 b. How many people are converted?
 2. I contend that these are improper standards to measure an
 evangelistic effort
 a. Our responsibility is to preach the gospel - Mk 16:15; Ezek
  3:17-18
 b. Conversion is the sinner's responsibility - cf. Ezek 3:19
 c. Also
it is God who gives the increase - cf. 1 Co 3:5-7
 3. A proper measure is "How many are we teaching?"
 a. Remember
saving souls involves both sowing and reaping
 b. Sometimes we reap where others have sown - cf. Jn 4:35-38
 c. Other times
we sow and the reaping is done by others
 4. So the final standard by which we evaluate any effort should be
 this:
 a. How much ground is being broken?
 b. How much seed is being sown?
 -- The true measure should be
"How many souls are being taught?"
 
 B. APPLYING THIS MEASURE TO A BCC PROGRAM...
 1. Every time a person enrolls
seed is being sown
  2. True
not everyone who enrolls completes the course
 a. On average
only fifty percent return the first course
 b. Only ten to twenty-five percent actually complete the course
 c. It is not unusual for the conversion ratio from a BCC to be
 one out of 100
 3. If the response to the offer via the Internet keeps up with the
 average...
 a. We can easily have 200-300 people a month enroll
 b. Which might result in 2-3 people a month responding to the
 gospel
 c. Who might in turn be the catalyst for others to respond
 -- But remember
every time a person is taught
we are successful
 whether or not they respond favorably to the gospel!
 
[For this reason I believe a BCC program can be a very successful way to
fulfill the Great Commission. Ground can be broken
seed can be sown

people given the opportunity to learn the wonderful gospel of Christ! 
Finally
let me suggest some...]
 
IV. REQUIREMENTS FOR A BCC PROGRAM
 
 A. THERE IS A NEED FOR VISION...
 1. Vision is needed:
 a. To provide direction
 b. To sustain motivation
 2. We need to see:
 a. The power in the gospel of Christ - Ro 1:16; He 4:12; Ja
 1:21
 b. The potential for the seed to bear fruit both near and far
 1) When we look at a seed
do we see only the plant?
 2) Or do we see the many seeds of the plant?
 3) Every soul converted to Christ bears the potential of
  reaching countless others
 -- A BBC program can be used by the Lord to reach souls in our
 community and around the world!
 
 B. THERE IS A NEED FOR COMMITMENT...
 1. A commitment to cover the expense
 a. The cost of advertising
materials
postage
 b. With a program directed just to the local community...
 1) The major expense is advertising
 2) With some expense for materials (for about 2-5
 enrollments a week)
 c. With the use of the Internet...
 1) The cost of advertising can be greatly reduced
 2) But the cost of materials increase because of the large
 number of enrollments (about 6-8 enrollments per day)
 2. A commitment to provide the time
 a. To offer the courses
 b. To grade the lessons
 3. A commitment to offer the prayers
 a. To pray for the souls who are seeking
studying
 b. To pray for the brethren who are offering
helping - cf. 
 2 Th 3:1
 -- Some may be able to help with the expense
others with their
 time; but together with prayer
all is needed!
 
CONCLUSION
 
1. There are many good ways to spread the gospel; I am not suggesting
 that the BCC program...
 a. Is the best way
 b. Is the only way
 
2. But it is a good way for us to go "into all the world"...
 a. Into our community
as we offer the course personally
via ads

 press releases
etc.
 b. Into the world
via the Internet
 -- And I can't help but wonder if the Lord has provided an "open
 door" for the Word!
 
Whether we use a BCC program or some other means
let us never forget
the words of our Lord:
 
 "The harvest truly is plentiful
but the laborers are few.
 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers
 into His harvest." - Mt 9:37-38

－－《Executable Outlines》