Which are the most fruitful forms of Evangelism?

PEF 2011

March 2-4, 2011 Chisinau, Moldava

Every form of Evangelism that brings"Evangelism" and "Discipleship" in the biblical balance will be very fruitful!

Evangelism Decipleship

Jesus started the greatest revolution on earth by making disciples and commanded them to preach the gospel and to make disciples.

On the day of Pentecost Peter preached the gospel in Jerusalem, 3000 decided to follow Christ and

became disciples.

In Acts we do not find an emphasis on "evangelistic meetings" like on Pentecost in Jerusalem but a spreading of evangelizing disciples in the whole Roman Empire.

Big meetings like Paul led inAthens (Act 17), in Ephesus (Act 19), and many towns were in balance with an ongoing process of discipleship.

2. Tim 2,2 … and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.Others

Others

Others

OthersOthersFaithful

men

Timothy

Paul

In 2. Tim 2,2 we see, that for Paul the main emphasis was not making "evangelists", but making disciples.

Eph. 4, 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.

In Eph. 4, 11 We see the evangelist "not as a big star", but an equipper of the saints together with the pastor, prophet, apostle and the teacher!

It's a privilege to have some great Evangelists like Daniel Kolenda and Reinhard Bonnke! But we need also a big number of equipper - evangelists who to a great job on the level of the local church day by day all over the years!

After the tremendeous victory of the church over the Roman Empire (380) we see "Christians", that are no longer "Disciples" and witnesses for Christ, but just "Christians in a religious tradition"

If "Church" is just a building and "Christianity" is just a religion among others, the decadence of the christian influence is near!

We as Pentecostals will not escape the trap of "formal Christianity" because we are a young and worldwide very powerful revival movement!

Church history can teach us a lot about our beginnings and the fruitful forms of evangelism in former revival movements.

After the Reformation we see many new movements. In the 18th Century we see the start of the Methodists under the leadership of John Wesley and the evangelisations of George Whitefield:

John Wesley George Whitefield

George Whitefield was at his time a famous evangelist and the Christians liked him very much. John Wesley was much less popular because of his "Methodism" that placed the weekly "class meeting" at the top of the prioritiesin the life of a believer!

But if we ask: Which was more fruitful? The ministry of George Whitefield or the ministry of John Wesley church history gives us a clear answer!George Whitefield is famous till today …But the fruit of John Wesley is much more concret:

In the year of the foundation of the United States of America 1776 we find 15'000 Methodists1860 they grow to 3 Millions in only 86 years!They combined radical discipleship in small groups with the evangelistic zeal to win America for Christ!

John Wesley is: The Father of the Methodists …

The Grandfather of the Holiness Movement …-A renewal Movement of the Methodists -Important from 1840 till 1880

The Great-grandfather of the Pentecostal Movement- A renewal Movement of the Holiness Movement – Most important since 1900 till today!

John Wesley

When we look in the new church history of the last 200 Years we see, that the right balance betwees evangelisation and decipleship brings the best fruit!

Evangelism Decipleship

Personal testimony:

I grew up in the christian tradition as a son of a pastor and professor for theology.

BUT I became a follower and deciple of Jesus because Heinz Strupler taught me to evangelize in the streets of Zürich 1972

Prof. Schmid – my father

Heinz Strupler

Personal testimony:

After my theological education I learned on staff of Campus crusade for Christ to lead students on the universities of Switzerland to Jesus. Many of them are today activ and in the leadership of local churches.We traind students to evangelize on the base of weekly small groups!This was very fruitful! Hanspeter Nüesch

Personal testimony:

More and more I was invited as "evangelist" in big meetings. On one side it was a great honor and the Lord gave wonderful fruit.

One the other side I was disappointed, because most of the Christians came only as visitors without guests to the evangelistic meetings.

And many of the new believers did not find enough help an care in the local churches.

1995 I restarted thological research (at the university of Basle) under the leadership of Prof. Ulrich Gäbler on the question: What is the secret of "Revival" in the church history!

The result was: In time of revivals the main emphasis was not on big meetings alone, but on small groups!

A growth rate of 10% per year can be observed – this leads to duplication within 10 years.A too big emphasis on the method of Charles Finney brings a "burned over" situation!

Personal testimony:

Prof. Gäbler

When I finshed my second study-time I looked for a church dedecated evangelize with small groups.

Since ten years I am now "Pastor for Evangelism" in the "Christliches Zentrum Buchegg" together with my leaders and the staff I equip the chistians for evangelism.www.czb.ch

Personal testimony:

CZB is a church growing since 1980 under the leadership of Werner Kniesel and Matthias Theis (since 2001) almost every year to the size of 2200 members organized in 250 small groups.

Werner Kniesel Matthias Theis

Why an education for evangelism born out of the life of a local church? Because we fight for a VISION of a growing church over a long period of time and not only for the results of a short evangelistic campain. The leaders share and multiply a VISION. Max Schläpfer says: Today the most critical and difficult issue is the VISION of the local church – the ecclesiology! So we teach evangelism as part of a clear VISION of a growing church and test contiunously every teaching in our church.

Max Schläpfer

Formation in Evangelism BASIC:

Basis course - 8 lessons:

1. How can I find people open for the gospel?

2. My testimony for Christ in 3 minutes3. How to confess freely your faith4. What is my style of evangelism?

Formation in Evangelism BASIC:

5. How to lead someone to the decision for Christ

6. How to organize an evangelistic event7. How to go along with a new convert

till he/she becomes member of our church8. To live with a great vision – to be

faithful in the small details of discipleship

Formation in Evangelism SEEDING:

Evangelistic training on the

streets

Formation in Evangelism SEEDING:

Help for Evangelistic Events: On Christmas and Easter we give the small groups the opportunity and material for evangelistic eventsExample: "Tostedt Community Gospel Choir"

On the event we make an "alter call" and invite interested people in the next "LiFe-Seminars"

Formation in Evangelism HARVEST: LiFe – Seminars:Trained Church members invite "seakers" for five evenings in the next restaurant or starbucks coffee house.

Training for LiFe-Seminars:

They go along with them in the five meetings and meet them in private to help them on their way to trust Jesus more and more.1. How can we be happy2. Why does God allow this3. What is the meaning of Life4. Discovering the gift of God5. Living in new dimensions

Training for LiFe-Seminars:

They go along with them in the five meetings and meet them in private to help them on their way to trust Jesus more and more.1. How can we be happy2. Why does God allow this3. What is the meaning of Life4. Discovering the gift of God5. Living in new dimensions

Training for LiFe-Seminars:

They go along with them in the five meetings and meet them in private to help them on their way to trust Jesus more and more.1. How can we be happy2. Why does God allow this3. What is the meaning of Life4. Discovering the gift of God5. Living in new dimensions

Training for LiFe-Seminars:

They go along with them in the five meetings and meet them in private to help them on their way to trust Jesus more and more.1. How can we be happy2. Why does God allow this3. What is the meaning of Life4. Discovering the gift of God5. Living in new dimensions

Training for LiFe-Seminars:

They go along with them in the five meetings and meet them in private to help them on their way to trust Jesus more and more.1. How can we be happy2. Why does God allow this3. What is the meaning of Life4. Discovering the gift of God5. Living in new dimensions

The Fruit of LiFe Seminars20 Seminars every Year since 200140 – 50 new converts (every Year)20 – 30 new church members (every Year)One woman of the Church lead over 30 people to Christ.LiFe makes Evangelism and Discipleship more easy and practicable for our church members.

Agnes Morf, Hauswife, Mother & Physiotherapist went along in 29 LiFe–Seminars with 47 seeking persons. 34 took a decision for Christ. Janaury 2011

One example: Edith had problems in her back and came to Agnes.

Agnes invites her in a LiFe-Seminar.

Edith get saved!

Edith is so enthusiastic that she goes along with her daugters Nadia and Melanie. Both get saved an invite their boy-friends in the next LiFe-Seminar.

Later the father Julius also attends a LiFe-Seminar and decides to become a follower of Christ.

The whole family is now baptized an member of our church – their big restaurant (300 seats) is no longer known as "House of the witch"!

Every year two to four LiFe-seminars are held in their restaurant – Nadia is herself now a leader and teacher of LiFe-Seminars.

LiFe Seminars and Evangelism Since 6 years we train Christians in other churches for Evangelism and LiFe-Seminars. Till now more than 300 christians have visited our 3 day training sessions for LiFe-Seminars.A growing number of local churches like to work with our tools for evangelism.

How we start LiFe-Seminars in other churches:

Three day training of a leadership group: three to five persons – NEXT: Emmetten, Switzerland 16. – 19. August 2011 (English)

One day training in the church:Normally a saturday open for all church members

Help for two to four LiFe-Seminars every year

Every Quarter more people find Christ as their Lord and Savior than I could reach as I did as a travelling evangelist. It's great to train lokal churches in evangelism and come back to them one year later and see the new converts activ in the church!

What is the most fruitful form of Evangelism: The right balance between evangelism and discipleship. Small groups with evangelistic zeal an training, evangelists as equipper of the saints. Big events as part of a clear strategy.

Evangelism Decipleship

We will never forget: Millions are lost in Europe without Jesus and going to a eternity separeted form God!To be fruitful in evangelism is not one option among others. It is our first calling! And the Lord himself will make us and our churches strong in winning Europe for Jesus!

PEF 2011 COMMITTEE CONFERENCEPPT Presentation by:Urs Schmidurs.schmid@czb.chwww.czb.chwww.life-evangelisation.ch