EVANGELISM
INTO THE 21ST CENTURY
FACILITATOR’S GUIDE
EVANGELISM INTO THE 21ST CENTURY
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O U T L I N E
1. LOOK BACK
Secular WorldChurch EmphasesChurch Growth in 20th CenturyChallenges facing the ChurchCondition of Church
2. FOUR TRENDS THAT POSE A CHALLENGE TOCHRISTIAN EVANGELISM
Uncontrolled urbanization Unrelenting aggressive secularism Expanding non-Christian religions Shifting Frontiers and Emerging Fields
3. UNCHANGEABLE FACTS
Our Message Our Mandate
a) A re-discovery of the Full Biblical Messageb) Mobilization of the Whole Churchc) Explore new methods and new fields
Evaluationd) Total and Unconditional Dependence Upon
God
EVANGELISM INTO THE 21ST CENTURY
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1. LOOK BACK
SECULAR WORLD1960’s - Promiscuous Society1970’s - Humanistic Society1980’s - Selfish Society1990’s - Multinational and Pagan Society
CHURCH EMPHASES1950’s - Evangelism1960’s - Social Compassion1970’s - Prayer Movements1980’s - Renewal Prophetic Ministries1990’s - Spiritual Warfare
CHURCH GROWTH in 20th CENTURYPer day - 78 000 new Christians
Growth PointsLatin America - AD1900 500 million 200%
- AD2000 2 billionAfrica - 1 new denomination per week
- 1600 convertsAsia - China - 1980’s-20 000
- 1990’s-50 millionKorea - 30% of population Christians
1975Church membership equally divided between westernand non-western Churches 75 million1995Non-western Churches - 480 millionWestern Churches remain 75 million
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Challenges facing the ChurchPolitical; Social; Demographic; Economic;Philosophical
Condition of ChurchParalyzed and confused, torn by division anduncertainty; withdrawn into ecclesiastical ghettos; pre-occupied with its own internal affairs and unconcernedand irrelevant to deepest needs of those around us.However, the 21st century could be the greatestmoment of the Church.
2. FOUR TRENDS THAT POSE A CHALLENGE TOCHRISTIAN EVANGELISM
A. UNCONTROLLED URBANIZATION
By 2000AD: 6 billion people (about three times the number of
people living at the dawn of the 20th century. Half the world in cities - uprooted & disillusioned. 50% of world’s population under 25 years old. 22 cities with a population of over 10 million.
B. UNRELENTING AGGRESSIVE SECULARISM
Secularism Excludes God from the world and human life Live for the present, without any reference to God
or divine, moral or spiritual values, e.g. education“responsible decision making” - teachers do not tellkids what is right or wrong any more, they onlyteach them a process for making their own decisions.
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C. EXPANDING NON-CHRISTIAN RELIGIONS
Due to failure of secularism, there isa religious awakening taking place butit is not historic Christianity.
Islam - 16% growth per yearHinduism - 12% growth per yearBuddhism - 10% growth per yearChristianity - 9% growth per year
D. SHIFTING FRONTIERS & EMERGINGFIELDS
The last decade of the 20th century rememberedby historians as one of the watershed periods ofthe modern era. The collapse of Marxism inEastern Europe and the Soviet Union has openedthe door for the Gospel to reach millions.
The 21st century presents the possibility of majorchanges e.g. “New”(New South Africa; New Age;New World Order)
Will new doors be opening? viz., Turkey,Middle East & China
A period of religious Polarisation? Liberal &Conservative; Social & Evangelical; Inter-faith &Independents; Reformed & Charismatic
Will “Christian Nations” abandon Christianroots for the sake of trade purposes andconformity and political correctness?
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So called “Christian” nations are now becomingnew targets of aggressive cults for proselytizing.
3. UNCHANGEABLE FACTS(Campaign in UK – Starving people“Band Aid”Lost Momentum – “Compassion Fatigue”Compassion Overlaod)
(a) Our Message God loves and communicates Mankind has rebelled and is alienated from
God God has taken the initiative to bridge the gap Hope for the future - Christ is risen; He will
reign; God has not changed, nor the Gospel,nor has the heart of man
The 7 recorded messages in Acts all called for averdict
(b) Our Mandate (Mark 16:15) The disciplesobeyed this command and their ministry shookthe Roman Empire. The evangelistic imperativeremains unchanged.
Relevant Revolutionary Prophetic
(i) A re-discovery of Full Biblical Message
(ii) Mobilization of the Whole Church
Professor Michael Green
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“Whenever Christianity has been at its mosthealthy, evangelism has stemmed from thelocal church and has had a noticeable impacton the surrounding area. I do not believe thatthe re-Christianization of the West can takeplace without the renewal of the localchurches in this whole area of evangelism.”
I Thessalonions 1:8 “Your faith in God hasbecome known everywhere”.
Professor George Hunter“Western Christianity needs a multitude ofinternational missionary congregations —churches that will abandon the old decrepitChristian models of ministry and whose primemission will be to reach and disciple peoplewho do not yet believe"
Encourage gift of Evangelism
(iii) Evaluate New Methods and explore NewFieldsBe creative. Paul was “all things to all men.”Methods are only a means to an end.
(iv) Depend Totally & Unconditionally uponGodArchbishop George Carey at hisenthronement in April 1991 stated, “It willbe more woe to us if we preach religioninstead of the Gospel … woe to us if wepreach a message that looks only towardsinner piety and does not relate our faith to theworld around. Woe to us if we fail to hand onto future generations and the unsearchable
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rules of Christ, which are the very heartbeatof the Church and its mission.”
Charles Colson in the chapter on HealthyBelieving in his book “Dangerous Grace”, statesthat when film director Martin Scorsese updatedthe 1992 thriller CAPE FEAR, he made onesignificant change: “He turned the crazed villaininto a Bible quoting Pentecostal Christian, with across tattooed across his back. In a scene wherehe tries to rape a woman, he shouts: “Are youready to be born again?”
The message is clear: People who believe theBible are deranged and even dangerous. Thebelief that religion is harmful to mental health iscommon in secular media and academia today:The idea goes back to Sigmund Freud, whoregarded belief in God as neurosis.
But, in Christianity Today, Christian PsychiatristDavid Larson exposes that assumption as meremyth. When he examined the imperial data,Larson says he found exactly the opposite.Religious people are actually healthier than thegeneral population, both mentally and physically.
For example, in a literature review, Larsondiscovered that 19 out of 20 studies showedreligion plays a positive role in preventingalcoholism. 16 out of 17 studies showed a positiverole in reducing suicide. Religious commitmentwas associated with lower rates of mentaldisorder, drug use and pre-marital sex. Peoplewho attended church regularly even show muchlower blood pressure levels.
People whobelieve theBible are
deranged —and even
dangerous.
" peoplewho
believe inChristianity
but don’tpractice
it, doexperience
greaterstress"
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The standard view that associates religion withpsychological problems does have one kernel oftruth, however. Larson found that people whobelieve in Christianity but don’t practice it, doexperience greater stress. People who believe inGod, but who neglect church attendance andBible reading, those who are divorced, or abusealcohol, show higher rates of anxiety than thegeneral population. In short, the inconsistentChristian suffers greater stress than theconsistent atheist.
The committed Christian is happier and suffersless mental illness than the general population.
The most miserable person of all is the one whoknows the truth and yet does not obey it.
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