From the Vineyard Newsletter on 11/25: The Great Commission- Part 2

Last week I wrote to you briefly about the Great Commission and the importance of evangelism. If you did not read that letter please go back and do that? This week I want to continue those thoughts.

As I said, the best way to begin evangelism is with a prayer list. To make a list of those persons in your life that you want to see come to Christ, and begin praying for their salvation on a regular basis. As well, I invited you to send me your prayer list, and with your permission, I would even share it with our prayer team. 

This week, I want to suggest some additional simple steps to evangelism. Like the last step, this one is also rooted in prayer. It is praying for God to stir your heart with zeal for the lost. Our lives are often so full of other things, that there is not much room in our hearts (or lives) for the lost. So before we will ever make room in our schedule we need a change of heart. The place to begin then is praying, “God I know that your heart is for the lost. Please give me passion for the lost. Please give me the zeal to reach my friends, neighbors, and family. Please give me a heart for my community.” That prayer will do more to you than you can imagine. You cannot pray that prayer and it not affect your love for the lost.

If you will start with these two things: (1) prayer for people on your list, and (2) prayer for your own passion/zeal to be ignited for the lost. I promise you that you will see people get saved. 

One last thing, will you, as an act of evangelism, please invite your neighbors to our Christmas Eve Candlelight Services on December 24? We have two service times, 4:00 pm and 6:00 pm.

  

Grace and peace,

Hal 

From the Vineyard newsletter on 11/18: The Great Commission-Part 1.

Our church mission statement is taken from the Great Commandment and the Great Commission (the stuff every believer is supposed to do). The Great Commandment is to love God above all else, with all of our strength/personhood. Then the Great Commandment is to go unto every people and teach them what Jesus taught the Apostles, which has been taught to every successive generation of Christians (also known as evangelism and discipleship). So literally half of our life mission as God’s people is to share the good news of Jesus with those who don’t know him and teach them to likewise obey his commission. However, telling people that does not usually make them want to run out and tell their neighbors about Jesus. Most Christians seize up with fear, others balk at the idea, explaining that is why we pay tithes so the pastor can do it, and if the pastor keeps talking about it, they eventually move on to another church that will do all of that for them (religious consumerism). 

So rather than telling people what they are supposed to do and brow-beat them into submission (or leaving), let me invite you to begin with prayer. Prayer is powerful! Of all the people that I have led to Christ over the years, not one of them came without prayer. Either mine or a faithful person who prayed for them other than me. Many a person came to Christ because of the prayers of a faithful mother, father, or grandparent. Over the years I have developed a list that I keep in my journal of people that I am praying for their salvation. I often add to the list, but I also get to cross-off those who have already come to Jesus. Some people have been on that list for a long time, but most are on the list for only months before coming to Jesus. On a rare occasion, I have the painful job of crossing-off my list someone who has passed away whom I don’t think ever received Jesus. In those moments my prayers become more fervent, not wanting any more on my list to perish without the gospel.  

So this week, I want to invite you, this is the time of year we begin making our lists of what we want most. Would you consider making a list of people whose salvation you are praying for? Then do me a favor? Send me your list! If you like, let me know and I will share that list with our prayer team so we can pray for them too.  

Grace and peace,
Hal

From the Vineyard Newsletter on 11/11: Count Your Many Blessings

The holiday season is upon us; today is Veterans Day (be sure to thank our veterans for their service and sacrifice), and in two weeks it will be Thanksgiving, followed by Advent and Christmas. From here to the end of the year it can be a real mad-dash to New Year.  So before you get ramped up with holiday traditions and general busyness, let me invite you to join me in one of my favorite November traditions, “Count Your Many Blessings!”

From here to Thanksgiving I want to invite you to focus on how God has blessed your life: friends, family, work, home, transportation, you name it. Maybe you have been able to travel, or you have your grandchildren living nearby? (I know I wish mine did!)  I am grateful for this church body, not just as a job, but for genuine friendships, the attitude of service, worship, and many other blessings. I love central Florida for the great weather, the beauty and greenery, and the easy access to fun attractions and fresh vegetables all year long.  

Let me invite you to stir up an attitude of gratitude in our church and community, among our friends, family, and neighbors. Will you join me? Starting today (with thanking our veterans) and then every day for the rest of this month, let’s make a real effort to post on social media one thing each day that we are grateful for. You can do more if you like, but let’s give God the glory and credit for the goodness in our lives. Then let’s take a step further; let’s be sure to write notes to our family and friends. You can text, mail, or email it; you can scribble a note in their lunch bag, draw on their mirror, or hide a sticky-note in one of their books. But let’s make a real effort to appreciate what we have, who we have, and give thanks to God and to the people around us. 

One more thing: would you be willing to bless a stranger? Let me invite you to pick up the tab for a stranger. It could be a coffee, or fast-food, or something else. It does not have to be big, but sometime this month bless a stranger.  If they ask you why, tell them God loves them, no strings attached. Then do this: walk away without preaching--no strings--just make sure they know God loves them. 

This is how we do life together in Christ. We love God, we love people, and we pass it on. We connect with people, we grow in Christ, we give generously, we serve God and man, and we live ordinary lives by the extraordinary power of the spirit at work within us.  

Grace and peace,

Hal