This week Pastor Ed Young, Jr. of Fellowship Church in Grapevine, Texas joins the conversation as we consider the importance of evangelism for church growth.
Be sure to listen to this episode and then come back to the blog and help other pastors by offering your comments on being and staying vulnerable.
Rick
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Pastor Rick Warren, Saddleback Church
20 responses so far ↓
Chris Walker // June 20, 2007 at 9:45 am
I work as a Youth Pastor at a small church near Cincinnati, Ohio and I get fed up over the numbers talk too. The attitude slants towards the idea that our numbers determine success. I honestly don’t believe that and I wanted to share my response to those who do believe that. I ask them if they think that the celebration in heaven is any less when 1 person comes to Christ than when 500 people come to Christ. If we look at it in terms of value through God’s eyes, there is no difference.
Thanks for the podcast. This is a great ministry tool in itself.
Chris
Michael Murray // June 21, 2007 at 7:21 am
My two favorite pastors talking about my most passionate subject. Who couldn’t get excited!
Thanks to each involved and please keep it up. What a blessing and source of encouragment.
Rocky La Marr // June 21, 2007 at 7:44 am
I left ministry in 2000 simply because the dying church I tried to restore didn’t want to go through what it would take to turn it around. I entered the corporate world, and thought I had found something that would be good for me to do. But after 5 years of being #1 or #2 at times in the entire state, I found my heart yearning and aching to do that which God called me to do. So I am getting tech savvy now, as well as ramping up to return to ministry. The church where we worship, Lifechurch.tv, is a great place to be!
Paco De Lara // June 21, 2007 at 10:00 am
Thank you for the podcast. It was so good. Thank you for remembering us that evangelism is something that is natural for Christians. We need every opportunity to share the gospel doing the things we love with our friends who are nonbelievers. Then, we are going to love doing it.
Brian Moss // June 21, 2007 at 2:41 pm
Books of influence:
Just finished SIMPLE CHURCH and it thoroughly challenged me to re-evaluate our Mission statement and process for ministry.
Currently reading COMEBACK CHURCHES.
Rally Abalon // June 21, 2007 at 9:00 pm
Wow this is GOOD STUFF for Evangelism! I pastor in Manila what you are saying is very helpful to me…… please continue… you make a difference to young pastors like me. I like the program design it is upbeat, please dont stop the laughter also – its contagious!!
To Rick and Ed….. thanks, may your great days be ahead of you!
rally
David Adams // June 22, 2007 at 1:42 pm
Thank you for the podcast. It was truly a blessing to me and also great information. After listening to Rick and Ed i feel real refreashed.
Johnny Leckie // June 22, 2007 at 2:33 pm
This was one of the most refreshing and motivating podcasts I’ve heard in a long time.
Both Rick and Ed have been incredible examples in this area for a long time. And the conversation carries so much more weight when it’s coming from guys who are genuinely “smoking what they’re selling.”
I feel like going to our community pool now and just doing a spontaneous baptism!
By the way, the “40 ways to increase your baptisms” audio that was mentioned is great stuff also.
Mark Broadbent // June 22, 2007 at 4:38 pm
I don’t know if this is helpful, but it relates directly to a discussion that Ed and Rick had about the issued of “Eternity” vs the other issues that gain the attention of seekers.
Ed Stetzer found the following…
The standard evangelistic approach for several decades has begun with the question, “If you were to die today do you know for sure you would go to heaven?” I must confess, I typically do not use this approach because I have assumed that there are few people outside of hospital beds or foxholes actually asking the question. My assumption was that our survey would prove that to be the case. I was wrong.
Many people are wondering about their eternal destiny.
# One of every 5 respondents said they wonder daily about the certainty of going to heaven.
# Another 13 percent think about this weekly, 12 percent monthly, and 9 percent annually.
# Only 44 percent, 4 out of 9, said they never wonder about this.
Interesting numbers, indeed. But, are there other questions that people are asking?
In the interviews, we also asked “How often do you wonder, ‘How can I find more meaning and purpose in my life?’”
# Remarkably, almost 1 of every 3 respondents wonders about this question daily.
# Another 17 percent contemplate this weekly, 13 percent monthly, and 10 percent yearly.
# Half of those interviewed wonder about how to find more meaning in their life at least once a week.
# Seems that what we have here is a question very relevant to our culture.
# In fact, only 26 percent, about 1 in 4, said they never wonder how to have more meaning or purpose.
http://www.namb.net/site/c.9qKILUOzEpH/b.1758213/apps/s/content.asp?ct=2751833
Mike Sorcinelli // June 22, 2007 at 8:25 pm
In my youth ministry we’ve done something for the last two years that’s worked really well. Two years ago we called it “Break 100 Night” and about one month before the event we had each student focus on bringing 5 friends to Christ. Each week’s message leading to that night focused on winning the lost. At the time we were averaging about 75, but on “Break 100 Night” we had 126 in attendance with 16 or so getting saved. We sustained that growth for the most part and this year we did a “Break 150 Night” (I didn’t have the faith for a break 200 night!) and had 171 in attendance with about 13 or so getting saved. I think an idea like this should be tried by lead/senior pastors too, not just youth pastors. It’s a great way to grow through a big event and win people to Christ.
JH // June 24, 2007 at 7:36 pm
What a great conversation between Ed and Rick. I still can’t believe we get to listen in for free! Thanks for the podcast!
Steve Schertzingger // June 25, 2007 at 10:54 am
Thanks, Rick. I’m off to play golf with a non-Christian groom that I’m counseling.
Brian G.Hollins // June 25, 2007 at 11:55 am
Just in general to you guys. I look forward to hearing these blogs over and over. My life has really been blessed from everything I have heard. Rick, God thanks you for allowing God to lead you. God has cerrtainly partnered with you to ehlp develop his servants. Thanks for you obedince. MAN THIS BLOG HAS FILLED A VOID IN MY LIFE. God Bless you. I Pastor Emmanule Christian Ministries in Shreveport La.
Kevin // June 25, 2007 at 12:01 pm
Evangelism is going to be our big focus this coming year… it hasn’t been one of our strong points. I find the challenge is changing the mentally of the people that it’s not about teaching people about Truth but showing them the love of Christ through words and deeds and creating an environment where people can see what it means to be a follower of Christ.
We’ve been big on teaching for years… and the largest part of the church’s growth has been new babies and transfers. Actually I think it’s pretty much only been that…
I’m guessing it will take about 8 years to change that way of thinking :)
Billy Chia // June 25, 2007 at 9:12 pm
Rick, thank you so much.
I’ve been a spiritual mess lately but your words in this podcast healed a lot in my heart.
I wrote about it on my blog Inept as Icing
Jeff Forester // June 26, 2007 at 3:54 pm
Building a culture of evangelism is key. I pastor a newer church (7yrs) that still meets in a highschool. Our theme for the past couple of years has been “It’s Not About Us”. Over the past 3 years it’s really caught on and in the same period of time we’ve nearly tripled in attendance and baptisms. This past fall our church decided to pass on an opportunity to purchase land and instead raise the $200k deposit to spend on outreach in the community.
I really needed this podcast to remind me of why we’re doing what we’re doing. It gets easy to focus on money and programs and forget that it’s all about people and relationships.
Thanks guys!
Michael // June 29, 2007 at 7:07 am
Really was blessed by the podcast on outreach. Listened just the others day. I just discovered this media. Its absolutely wonderful. Anyhow, the comment was made that the most effective way to evangelize today is to invite 5 unbelievers to join you in what you have a passion for, whether its golf, playing cards, sports, etc. I love and believe in the concept, but what I have found from many is that they hold back thier witness in these enviroments. Rather than being a christian with no nonchristian friends, they develop nonchristian relationships but thats the problem…. they are non christian relationship. In most cases, these relationships can go on for a long time and others will never know you are a christian.
Rick, I would love to see a podcast sometime in the future where you discuss how to make your nonchristian relationship an effective witness. How do you overcome fear of rejection, conflict, and other obstacles? Once a nonchristian figures out who you are. They go straight to the drinking beer and apologize everytime they cuss (as if you or I are God ourselves), and the relationship develops barriors to true intimacy.
Anyhow, your talk inspired me and left alot of questions for someone who is used to the “going to heaven perspective on evengelism. I’ll have to admit, I have been a better attorney than a witness in my life. But the bottom line is that I personally want to, in addition to helping others, become more effective witness for Jesus.
Hope you will consider following up this podcast with some more in depth advise. Thanks for all you are doing to advance the kingdom.
Albert Mwansa // July 1, 2007 at 5:23 am
We need to Evangelize to extend the kingdom of God. In our church where i serve as an associate we sometimes took it that God brings people even if you don’t do Evangelism, really he brings people and we ‘ve never seen much benefit but now i have Realized that we don’t have to stop evangelizing not only with words but also in meeting peoples spiritual needs. coz some people you can win by meeting their physical needs others by spiritual as Jesus did some where he healed other by showing them that God is able to provide for them. Thanks Dear Pastor Rick continue this good that you are doing we thank God for you and all the Pastors that are taking part in the podcast.May he give you power and strenght always, God bless.
dave sturdy // July 2, 2007 at 7:14 am
Loved the podcast some great ideas, what a treasure this resource is. This weekend we have a child dedication service going to speak on Luke Chapter 2 Jesus dedication and also later in Chapter 2 Jesus ministering in the Temple.
Sermon title giving our Kids “Roots and Wings”. However just got to get Ed’s table illustration in somewhere. Missed the last few blogs, not always easy to catch up – but I have so valued the ones i have listened to so far.
God bless you with his Grace and Peace
Dave – Doncater England
Bob Dodsworth // July 28, 2007 at 9:24 pm
Rick & guys,
I have enjoyed the Podcasts sooo much..they have ministered to my soul & stoked the ministry fires again. Rick, your laugh is contagious, and it is great to have guys that are devoted to Christ, real, and yet don’t take themselves too seriously! Great idea, and ministry.
Bob