evangelism Archives - Page 23 of 24

LOVING THE STRANGER

March 14, 2016

By Carlos Ferrer
Executive Vice President, NAMB

Carlos Ferrer

I escaped communist Cuba in 1962 as an 11-year-old boy hiding at the bottom of a cargo ship with my family. We had nothing but each other when we arrived in the United States. Through the love and hospitality of Southern Baptist strangers, my family received assistance that not only helped us in our journey toward citizenship, but helped us in our faith journey as well.

That experience has forever colored how I view today’s immigrants. Years later, when my wife Cindy and I were attending First Baptist Church, Woodstock, Ga., we met Ron and Cathy Frost. They asked us help launch a Spanish-language Sunday School class. Together we visited trailer parks and houses making friends with the Hispanic people throughout the county. After several months a few regulars began attending. As we shared Christ we also helped them find jobs, learn English, and establish citizenship. [Read more…]

VBS: A MOST EFFECTIVE EVANGELISM

March 10, 2016

25 percent of baptisms in Tennessee and nationally result from Vacation Bible School

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

BRENTWOOD — Vacation Bible School has been around for decades, but it is still one of the most effective evangelism tools in the Southern Baptist Convention, according to two Tennessee Baptist Convention specialists.

“In Tennessee Baptist life we know that approximately 25 percent of our professions of faith come either through VBS or Backyard Kids Clubs,” said Steve Pearson, TBC evangelism specialist. [Read more…]

CONSIDER THE CONNECT>1 EVANGELISM CAMPAIGN

February 29, 2016

By Mark Miller
Sunday School Specialist, TBC

Mark Miller

How will you lead your groups to become outwardly focused? Would you like to see your groups engage in actions to see lost people saved and unreached people reached? Do you need a plan to encourage group members to invite the lost and unchurched to their group and group activities? What is your strategy to prepare group members to share Jesus with lost friends? Consider participating in the Connect>1 Evangelism Campaign!

What is the Connect>1 Evangelism Campaign? The goal is to equip and engage every church member in personal evangelism through the church’s small groups or Sunday School. [Read more…]

1-5-1 STILL EFFECTIVE, SAY SPECIALISTS

February 23, 2016

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

BRENTWOOD — Since the 1-5-1 Harvest Plants strategy was introduced about three years ago, Tennessee Baptists have seen an increase in both church starts and baptisms.

1-5-1 was the brainchild of Bobby Welch, former associate executive director of the Tennessee Baptist Convention who retired last summer. 1-5-1 Harvest Plants are off-campus efforts (outside the four walls of the church) geared toward people who don’t know Christ as their Savior for the purpose of sharing the gospel, discipling people, and starting churches. [Read more…]

WILL YOU FIGHT FOR TODAY’S 72?

February 23, 2016

By Randy C. Davis
TBC Executive Director

Randy C. Davis

Tick-tock. Tick-tock. Tick-tock.

The day’s minutes pass and vaporize, unaffected by any change or resistance we hope to exert. And with the passage of every hour, three spiritually lost Tennesseans slip into eternity.

That’s 72 eternally lost neighbors, friends, and family members every day, 26,000-plus every year. I simply can’t accept that without a fight for those souls, and I intend to do something about it.

Yes, the daily headlines can be overwhelming. This law is being passed here. Christians are being kicked out there. Freedom of religion is being throttled over there. So many Christians feel defeated and settle into a defensive posture. However, we need to lift our eyes! The dark being the darkness has no effect on the light being the light. [Read more…]

KORAN LEADS MAN TO CHRIST (WELL, NOT EXACTLY)

February 15, 2016

Editor’s note: Due to safety concerns about the Muslim who accepted Christ and his family, the name of the author has been withheld.

An Arabic-speaking Christian friend brought a new believer to meet me. The man, who I’ll call Alvey, was a former Muslim who wanted to be baptized. My friend thought it would be a good idea to make sure Alvey understood what it meant to become a follower of Jesus.

I listened to Alvey’s story and my interest was piqued when he talked about the shortcomings of the Koran. “I was raised a Muslim and came to the U.S. a long time ago. Because I drove a truck for a living, I listened to tapes of Islamic teaching. The more I listened, the more I questioned. There were so many holes in the teaching.” [Read more…]

ARE PASTORS NEGLECTING A GREAT MISSION?

February 3, 2016

By Bradford Smith
Missions Pastor, The Way, Clarksville

Bradford Smith

Until recently, I’d never heard a sermon on adoption. A great multitude languishes right in our very midst, devoid of hope, desperate in affliction, and ignorant of the life-changing message of Jesus Christ. Who will be the one to deliver the words of life to the orphan, even by proxy? This is a great gospel issue.

Here is the logic. Pastors desire to reach the lost with the gospel. Many (most) of the lost are unchurched and statistically unlikely to repent as an adult. Yet, every year, we “graduate” thousands of unchurched children into adulthood via the foster system, swelling the ranks of those least likely to repent. [Read more…]

APATHY, BUSYNESS HURT EVANGELISM

February 1, 2016

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Lonnie Wilkey

The Fellowship of Tennessee Baptist Evangelists met last week at First Baptist Church in Joelton.

Sad to say, very few people attended though the meeting was publicized.

That is no reflection on the organization. It is made up of some of God’s choice servants – men and women who have dedicated themselves to the biblical call to be an evangelist.

The attendance can be attributed primarily to the twin sins of apathy and busyness. [Read more…]

I LOVE TO TELL THE STORY

January 27, 2016

By Randy C. Davis
TBC Executive Director

Randy C. Davis

I love a good story and I love good storytellers and that may be one of the reasons I love the Bible. Talk about good stories. Begin at Genesis and read all the way through and you have real people living lives of suspense, drama, espionage, intrigue, romance, comedy, and more. However, the greatest story in the Bible is the overarching story of God’s activity in history culminating in the crucifixion and resurrection of His Son to save His enemies, to save us. What a story.

My friend and state missionary, Paul Clark Jr., and I share a favorite hymn: “I Love to Tell the Story.” I really love telling God’s story and I especially love sharing it with my grandkids. That’s exactly what the Bible tells us to do. Psalm 145:4 says, “One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts.” [Read more…]

UNION TO HOST WEST TENNESSEE EVANGELISM RALLY FEB. 21

January 21, 2016

Union University News Office

JACKSON — Ernest Easley recently looked through a file folder from 1984 where he came across an old leadership magazine published by Texas Baptists.

“On every page there was something about evangelism, outreach, training, and rallies,” said Easley, professor of evangelism at Union University. “I don’t read much emphasis anymore on evangelism. I don’t see our state conventions and our national convention fanning the flame of evangelism like they once did.”

That’s one reason why Easley, in partnership with the Tennessee Baptist Convention, helped to organize the West Tennessee Evangelism Rally that will be held Feb. 21 on the Union campus. The event is for pastors, staff members, church members, students and anyone else interested in evangelism. [Read more…]

25 percent of baptisms in Tennessee and nationally result from Vacation Bible School

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