Baptisms in Iran

In its most recent issue, Christianity Today published a photo with the caption "Persian Plunge". The angels in heaven rejoiced as 228 former Muslims professed their faith in Jesus and were baptized (Luke 15). On Sunday I shared this photo with New Life Fellowship in hopes of broadening our vision of the work of the Holy Spirit in drawing sinners from every tribe and nation to repentance and faith in Christ, to produce gratitude to God for his faithfulness, and to encourage prayer for the persecuted church.

Image Source

When Paul is writing to the church at Philippi he urges the Philippians to be humble, selfless, and to consider the interests of the other brothers and sisters (Philippians 2:1–4). Later in chapter two he points to Jesus (Philippians 2:5–11), Timothy (Philippians 2:19–24), and Epaphroditus (Philippians 2:25–30) as examples worthy of emulation who have a genuine concern for the welfare of the saints. One such way the church can have this attitude of genuine concern is to remember in our prayers Christian brothers and sisters who are persecuted for their obedience to Christ. Those who feel led to pray for the church in Iran may be aided by consulting Operation World's prayer guide for Iran.

Evangelism Bibliography

Tomorrow morning at Shawnee Park Christian Reformed Church we will begin a three week adult education series on evangelism. Each week's session will be in a panel format. There will be four panelists--I will be one of them--and we will begin to answer questions that have been submitted previously by members of the congregation. The focus point of these three weeks will be on relational evangelism. 

In preparation for this series I prepared a bibliography of materials on evangelism. I thought it would be helpful if I made that available to you. I have copied it below but will be happy to share a pdf file with any who desire it.

Evangelism Bibliography

Primary Recommendations on Evangelism,
Missional Living, and Church Planting

Chester, Tim and Steve Timmis. Total Church: A Radical Reshaping around Gospel and Community. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2008.

Chester and Timmis are church leaders in the United Kingdom. In the first five chapters, the argument is made that evangelism most effectively takes place when Christians develop authentic community with other believers that is centered around honest gospel conversations and where the individuals invite others to share in the life of the community. In other words, evangelism is not something that is done individually, but corporately. This book will challenge many of your assumptions about church and the nature of evangelism. Popular   

Koukl, Gregory. Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2009.

Koukl’s book simplifies the goal of evangelism, “Instead of trying to get to the cross in every encounter, just aim to put a stone in someone’s shoe. Try to give the person something to think about. Be content to plant a seed that might later flourish under God’s sovereign care.” In Tactics, Koukl discusses how you to have conversations with your friends that puts a stone in their shoe. This book is both easy and practical. Popular

Metzger, Will. Tell the Truth: The Whole Gospel Wholly By Grace Communicated Truthfully and Lovingly. 4^th edition. Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1981.

Will Metzger, a campus minister at the University of Delaware since 1965, has written a book that successfully blends a sound, God-centered theology of evangelism with a practical concern for how Christians of all stripes can be witnesses in the settings in which God has placed them. The most recent editions of this book come with appendices that include evangelism training material (e.g. how to prepare your testimony, how to ask good questions, evaluating gospel presentations) and a study guide for working through the book. This book comes highly recommended. Popular

Stetzer, Ed. Planting Missional Churches: Planting a Church that’s Biblically Sound and Reaching People in Culture. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2006.

Ed Stetzer looks at the how and why of congregational evangelism. While Stetzer’s focus is on church planting, there is still much that existing churches can glean as they seek to engage their neighborhoods with the gospel. Stetzer is the president of LifeWay research, the pastor of a church plant, and a contributor to Outreach magazine. Popular

Secondary Recommendations (Those
Recommended By Reliable Sources)

Blackburn, W. Ross. The God Who Makes Himself Known: The Missionary Heart of the Book of Exodus. New Studies in Biblical Theology. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2012.

From the publisher, “The Lord's commitment to make himself known throughout the nations is the overarching missionary theme of the Bible and the central theological concern of Exodus… From a careful examination of Exodus, Blackburn demonstrates that (1) the Lord humbled Pharaoh so the world would know that only God can save; (2) the Lord gave Israel the law so that its people might display his goodness to the nations, living in a state of order and blessing and (3) the Lord dealt with Israel's idolatry severely, yet mercifully, for his goodness cannot be known if his glory is compromised.” Academic

Dever, Mark. The Gospel and Personal Evangelism. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2007.

Mark Dever has spent a great deal of time thinking and writing about the Church. His short book on evangelism (128 pages) answers seven of the most basic questions about evangelism: why don’t we evangelize? What is the gospel? Who should evangelize? How should we evangelize? What isn’t evangelism? What should we do after evangelism? Why should we evangelize? Popular

Hybels, Bill. Just Walk Across the Room: Simple Steps Pointing People to Faith. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006.

Just Walk Across the Room gives simple instructions and encouragement for building relationships in which relational evangelism can occur naturally. Bill Hybels also gives many great examples from his own life of times that his relational evangelism efforts have gone well and times when things didn’t turn out as he had hoped. This is an easy read that is encouraging for Christians who are just starting to think about this “relational evangelism” idea. Popular

Kostenberger, Andreas J. and Peter T. O’Brien. Salvation to the Ends of the Earth: A Biblical Theology of Mission. New Studies in Biblical Theology. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2001.

From the publisher, “According to Andreas Köstenberger and Peter O'Brien, this significant theme [of mission] has rarely been given its due attention in biblical theology. Motivated by their passion to see God's mission carried out in today's world, they offer a comprehensive study of the theme of mission. In Salvation to the Ends of the Earth they explore the entire sweep of biblical history, including the Old Testament, the second-temple period, each New Testament Gospel, Paul and his writings, and the General Epistles and Revelation.” Academic

Packer, J. I. Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God. Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1961.

A classic book on the theology of evangelism from a Reformed perspective. Academic

Reid, Alvin. Evangelism Handbook: Biblical, Spiritual, Intentional, Missional. Nashville: B & H Publishing Group, 2009.

From the cover, “Evangelism Handbook is a thorough guide to the daily ministry of sharing Christ. Writer and professor Alvin Reid is particularly concerned about how the Western Church is currently practicing evangelism—its failure to reach the hardcore unchurched and its trend of losing young people faster than it can win them. With a contagious passion for the lost, Reid organizes and presents his research and experience of effective modern evangelism in four clear actionable categories.” These four categories are biblical, spiritual, intentional, and missional. Academic

Stiles, J. Mack. Speaking of Jesus: How to Tell Your Friends the Best News They Will Ever Hear. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1995.

From the cover, “Evangelism isn’t about exhibiting superhuman courage or perfecting specialized techniques or exercising extraordinary eloquence. Rater, this book will open your eyes to how ordinary people in commonplace situations can use everyday language to reveal the simple news about Jesus.” Popular

Articles, Websites, and Blogs on Evangelism

“Evangelism.” TheResurgence.com. http://theresurgence.com/categories/evangelism Popular

Gaydos, Tim. “7 Tips for Talking to Your Neighbors about Jesus.” TheResurgence.com. http://theresurgence.com/2012/01/16/7-tips-for-talking-with-your-neighbors-about-jesus

Jensen, Matt. “7 Ways to be a Missionary in College.” TheResurgence.com. http://theresurgence.com/2010/05/11/7-ways-to-be-a-missionary-in-college

“Outreach Magazine.” http://www.outreachmagazine.com/ Popular

Outreach is a bimonthly magazine about church evangelism. This magazine is particularly helpful as an exchange of ideas between churches, leaders, pastors, and laypeople about how the church, groups, and individuals can reach their communities with the gospel message. Much of the content that is available through the magazine can also be retrieved the magazine’s website.

“Evangelism Archives.” Gospel Centered Discipleship: Resources to Make, Mature, and Multiply Disciples of Jesus. http://www.gospelcentereddiscipleship.com/category/evangelism/ Popular

McBee, Seth. “The Introverted Evangelist.” Gospel Centered Discipleship.

http://www.gospelcentereddiscipleship.com/the-introverted-evangelist/

McBee, Seth. “The Neighborhood Mission Start Up.” Gospel Centered Discipleship.

http://www.gospelcentereddiscipleship.com/the-neighborhood-mission-start-up/

Writebol, Jeremy. “Redeeming Fantasy Football.” Gospel Centered Discipleship. http://www.gospelcentereddiscipleship.com/redeeming-fantasy-football/

“100 Ways to Engage Your Neighborhood.” Josh Reeves. http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/7105292/Posted%20Resources/100%20Ways%20To%20Engage%20Your%20Neigbhorhood.pdf

Audio on Evangelism

Dever, Mark. “A Biblical Understanding of Evangelism.” Capitol Hill Baptist Church. http://www.capitolhillbaptist.org/audio/1999/03/a-biblical-understanding-of-evangelism/

If you don’t have time to read any of the books above, then at least take the time to listen to Dr. Mark Dever provide a clear summary of biblical evangelism, reasons why we do not evangelize, and reasons why we should evangelize. Dever says that evangelism is not something we do to unbelievers, nor is it simply sharing your testimony, but it is the loving and winsome presentation of what God has accomplished through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the salvation of sinful human beings. Popular

Dever, Mark. “Mark Dever on Evangelism.” AlbertMohler.com. http://www.albertmohler.com/2008/01/18/mark-dever-on-evangelism/

This is a thirty-minute interview of Mark Dever about his book The Gospel and Personal Evangelism. The interview begins at the 11:24 mark. Popular

Dever, Mark. “Contact Evangelism: A Leadership Interview with Mack Stiles and Friends.” 9Marks. http://www.9marks.org/media/contact-evangelism

A roundtable discussion on contact evangelism. Popular

Platt, David. “Divine Sovereignty: The Fuel of Death Defying Missions (Session VI).” Together for the Gospel. http://t4g.org/media/2012/05/divine-sovereignty-the-fuel-of-death-defying-missions-2/

David Platt’s sermon is the most intense sermonic call to evangelism and global missions that I have ever listened to. Popular

World Religions and Apologetics

Geisler, Norman. Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics. Baker Reference Library. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 1998.

A comprehensive resource that will serve as a high-level resource for addressing objections to, and arguments for, the Christian faith. Academic

Keller, Tim. The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism. New York: Dutton, 2008.

Newsweek has called Keller, a pastor in Manhattan, the C. S. Lewis of the 21st century. Reason for God is a beautifully written response to some of the most common objections your friends, family, and neighbors might have to Christianity. Keller’s book addresses intellectual challenges to faith in a way that is accessible, winsome, and direct. This book would be helpful to anyone who is unsure of the answers they might give to the doubts and challenges raised by their non-Christian friends. Popular

Nichols, Larry, George Mather, and Alvin J. Schmidt, eds. Encyclopedic Dictionary of Cults, Sects, and World Religions: Revised and Updated Edition. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006.

A compendium of the historical and theological backgrounds to many of the world’s most noteworthy religions, cults, and sects. This book is particularly helpful resource in that at a number of points it lists the disagreements between Christianity and the particular religious movement that you are researching. Academic

Strobel, Lee. The Case for Christ: A Journalist’s Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1998.

This is one of the more familiar popular-level apologetic books. Strobel, a former atheist who worked for The Chicago Tribune, interviews experts in a variety of fields to find answers to questions about the credibility of the biblical story. His other books—The Case for Faith and The Case for a Creator—are also worth reading. Popular

Words to the Winners of Souls

Words to the Winners of Souls exhorts seminary students, ministry leaders, and pastors to stay fervent in their faith. Though its page count is small, Horatius Bonar’s book issues a big challenge to the leaders of the church: tend to your heart so that your ministry will produce repentance and spiritual vibrancy in the hearts of those you preach and minister to.

The chief end for the preacher must be salvation for the lost and guidance for the saved. Bonar challenges ministerial purpose, asking, “Has it been the end of my ministry, has it been the desire of my heart to save the lost and guide the saved? Is this my aim in every sermon I preach, in every visit I pay?” (17).

The ministry of preachers who desire the salvation of the lost must be characterized by personal application of the gospel. The minister of the gospel must be devoted to personal transformation. Bonar says, “It is living fellowship with a living Savior which, transforming us into His image, fits us for being able and successful ministers of the gospel. Without this nothing else will avail” (25).  

Horatius Bonar’s work, Words to the Winners of Souls, is worthy reading for seminary students, pastors and preachers, and church leaders.

Words to Winners of Souls by Horatius Bonar

Published: Reprinted 1979 by Baker

Length: 76 pages  

Thesis Statement: "It is living fellowship with a living Savior which, transforming us into His image, fits us for being able and successful ministers of the gospel” (25).

Recommended For: Pastors, preachers, and evangelists

Cheapest Place to Buy: Christianbooks is selling it for $5.49 (US)

The State of the Church in Canada

The Gospel Coalition has posted an interview with John Mahaffey, senior pastor of West Highland Baptist Church in Hamilton, Ontario. The Church in Canada faces many challenge. The largest challenge-- and perhaps, opportunity-- the Church faces is the rapid secularization in Canada. While some sections of America might still be living under the false pretense that it is a Christian nation, such illusions are far less likely to be found on Canadian soil. 

I encourage readers to read Mahaffey's observations about the state of the Church in Canada, how immigration has affected the Church's mission, and comments about the upcoming Gospel Coalition conference in Cambridge, Ontario at Heritage College and Seminary (speakers include: Don Carson, John Neufeld, and Stephen Um). 

Some interesting comments from the interview that merit highlighting: 

• "In 1900, 25 percent of Canadians were evangelical in conviction. That number fell to 8 percent in the 1980s, but has since rebounded to almost 11 percent."
• The United Church of Canada's slide into theological liberalism has done great harm to the body of Christ in Canada. It's gradual, but sure, departure from the historical gospel of Jesus Christ has left a "lost generation". The challenge that remains for the Church in Canada is to preach the Gospel to those who have been in Church, but never been confronted with the powerful proclamation of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. One of my most unfortunate experiences with the United Church of Canada was when my wife and I went to see Handel's Messiah with a friend at a United Church in Toronto. The cross had been replaced by a rainbow flag. 
• Canada's high rates of immigration requires the church to ask serious questions about contextualization. For instance, without changing or compromising the message, how do I most effectively share the gospel with a Sikh who recently emigrated from India? 
• French Canada represents a mission field that is largely unreached and unexposed to the gospel. If considering a mission field, one need go no farther than Quebec City or Montreal. 

Here's a video of one of Canada's largest worship centers: 

Missional Ministry: Eating and the Word

This article appeared in The Banner a while back. It is an example of how a Christian Reformed Church is on mission to share Jesus while sharing a meal.

A Missional Sampler: Part Two

Mars Hill Church in Seattle provides another video of what missional ministry can look like. In the fifth and final installment of the God's Work, Our Witness series, the pastors at Mars Hill describe what their mission is and what it looks like. For those of who have not yet watched the history of Mars Hill (which was part one in the series), see my previous post.

A Missional Sampler: Part One

Okay, so one might recognize the need to be missional, but what does that begin to look like? Writing in the preface to his book, Planting Missional Churches, Ed Stetzer writes that there is no magical formula for what church planting (or more broadly, being missional) should look like. Effective missional living, like effective church planting, "requires using tools that work in the context of the environment. And today no two environments looks the same" (Stetzer xii). Being on mission will always be grounded in proclaiming the gospel of Jesus; however, the method that believers take to do so will vary depending on the context. So, one might begin to answer the opening question by looking at how others have engaged in mission, but the answer is incomplete until it comes to express how you can be on mission in your context.

Francis Chan provides us with one example of what mission looks like. Formerly the pastor of Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, California, in 2010 Chan stepped down from his role as pastor at Cornerstone to pursue other ministry opportunities. The attached video gives a brief introduction to where God has led Francis Chan and how he is engaging in mission in inner-city San Fransisco.

The Missional Adventure

One of the interim courses being offered at Calvin Theological Seminary this January is Introduction to Missional Ministry. The course has been an eyeopener for me, both into my personal shortcomings and my denomination's shortcomings. It has been a challenge to the comfortable residency we have taken up in many Christian Reformed Churches (CRC). 

This challenge was sounded by Professor Carl Bosma on the first day of class, when he posed the question about our churches: is your church a neo-natal unit or a funeral home? (I have heard another pastor phrase it similarly: there are two types of churches, those that are growing and those that are dying) The grim reality is that many congregations in the Christian Reformed Churches are expensive funeral homes. There are many reasons for this decline, Professor Bosma suggested a few, but those reasons won't be explored here at the moment. 

The Church must engage in mission, Bosma argued, otherwise, it's just a club, albeit a religious one. The Church must be intentionally reaching out and living out the gospel so that others are invited to know, love, worship, and serve Jesus. 

Many Christian Reformed congregations are facing varying congregational exoduses: either through members leaving the faith, leaving the denomination, or dying. The goal is not merely to block these departures (stopping the third reason might be difficult!) so that we can linger for a few more decades, precariously drawing shallow breathes until a final collapse occurs; no, the goal is greater and more exciting than that. The goal is to grow and flourish. This growth and flourishing will only occur if the CRC is able to move beyond it's walls and engage in mission-- to evangelize, plant churches, and revitalize churches by means of a deep dissatisfaction with the status quo. 

My own voice is hardly the voice of experience or wisdom in this regard. As mentioned, I have been challenged a great deal through the Introduction to Missional Ministry course. For instance, when doing one of the assignments, we were asked to list friends or acquaintance we know that aren't Christian. To my embarrassment, my answer was incredibly brief. So you see, I'm not speaking as one who has been to the front lines, but one who is awaking up to the fact that now must be the time to go there. Recognizing my shortcoming and insular lifestyle, I am attempting to change, by the grace of God. My hope is that the journey I am on-- in discovering how to be more missional-- will be shared here and will be of benefit to you.

God is incredibly gracious and good for showing me where I need to grow. I love him for it! It's painful and embarrassing sometimes to be reminded of how close my shortcomings are, but I am grateful that he has promised to help me pursue closer likeness to his perfect Son.