SUSTAIN THE BREATH OF PRAYER.

  • The early church started in an upper room with ongoing prayer. Going upward ignited going outward (Acts 2:1-4; 42-47).

  • Jesus urged the disciples to first wait on God in prayer before going forth on mission.

  • This was so that they could be clothed with God's power.  (Acts 1:8)

  • Often in the western church, preaching, planning, projects and programs take pre-eminence over prayer resulting in powerlessness.

  • It has been sadly been said that if the Holy Spirit's presence was lifted off of the western church today not many would notice the difference.

  • The church in China - the largest and one of the most powerful ever - has been known to say: "Much prayer, much power. Little prayer, little power."

  • Mobilize prayer gatherings of all sizes to stoke the furnace of continual intercession.

  • In 19th century London, legendary Pastor Charles Spurgeon built the world’s largest church through soul winning while planting 200 new churches. He referred to his power source as the “Boiler Room “ - a place in the church basement where hundreds engaged in prayer.

  • The key is sustaining consistency. Think of praying like breathing: if a person can’t breathe that person will eventually die.

  • Incorporate fasting at key times and seasons to deepen and intensify the impact of prayer (Isaiah 58).

MOBILIZE THE LEADERSHIP COMMUNITY TO MODEL RELATIONAL EVANGELISM.

  • Everything starts from the top.

  • People do what they perceive their leaders do, not what they hear their leaders say.

  • The passion and belief for outreach is caught by example.

  • Not everyone needs to be a flaming evangelist, but leaders as well as believers should be involved in the work of evangelism.

  • People can discern whether their leaders are practicing what they are preaching.

  • The Apostle Paul said as much to Timothy, who was a shy pastor-teacher type, Paul's polar opposite and his eventual successor (2 Timothy 4:5).

ENCOURAGE AND LEVERAGE NATURAL GATHERERS AND THOSE WITH EVANGELISTIC WIRINGS.

  • It has been said that one out of every ten people have a gift or penchant for reaching people far from God.

  • Get beside these people, convey value, and inject vision and direction.

  • These natural evangelists will be catalysts for sharing the gospel in the culture of the church.

  • Therefore they spread the fire within the body as well as win the lost in the world.

  • Encourage evangelistic types to equip or train non-evangelists (which is most people) to share their faith and make disciples. This can be done through small groups, classes or seminars. Allow time for meaningful interaction.

KEEP THE VALUES OF CORPORATE PRAYER AND EVERY MEMBER EVANGELISM CENTRAL AND VISIBLE.

  • Establish the principle that to seek the Lord and to reach the lost is everyone’s responsibility.

  • Guard the values of prayer and evangelism - the two areas that fade the fastest.

  • Churches more naturally focus on ministries within the church that meet the needs of the people.

  • Mission often gives way to maintenance and reaching the lost often gives way to feeding the flock.

  • Healthy leadership engages “both-and” while navigating the healthy and necessary tensions.

  • It has been said that values tend to wane every 26-30 days and must be revisited.

  • Highlighting testimonies of people in the church who are bearing fruit serve to sustain and strengthen the value.

FOCUS ON RELATIONSHIP AND DISCIPLESHIP RATHER THAN PROGRAMS AND EVENTS.

  • Incorporate a robust system of small group ministry because people are relational by nature.

  • Small groups become a close community of faith, and a warm spiritual family — an evangelistic side door for safe entry.

  • The key is for friends and loved ones to personally invite other friends and loved ones so the new person has a familiar pre-existing tie in.

  • The isolation promoted by the pandemic has produced a greater need and desire for meaningful connection.

  • People process life through safe relationships and small groups provide a healthy circle for doing  just that.

  • Jesus modeled this from the start: he had 12 core disciples, then added 72 more over 3 and 1/2 years. Even within his core of 12, he went deeper with Peter, James and John.

  • Groups greatly enhance retention and assimilation because it has been shown that people remain in a church because of valued relationships more than anything else.

  • Remember: Jesus valued bearing much fruit, but emphasized also that the fruit remain (John 15:16).

TEACH PEOPLE TO PRAY FOR, DISCERN, AND ENTER INTO DIVINE APPOINTMENTS.

  • Encourage people to pray that God will use them to reach those far from God. Remind them that a prayer to reach the unreached is a prayer God will surely answer for it is the reason Jesus came (Luke 19:10).

  • Therefore, encourage people to look for open hearts believing God has prepared people in advance.

  • Encourage people to heed inner leadings prompted by the the Holy Spirit.

  • Focus on existing pools of relationships: friends, loved ones, classmates, work place colleagues, and acquaintances.

  • Encourage expanding that pool and entering new ones attached to the initial person being reached.  Harvests often happen in people groups with common affinities.

  • If people are open use books and other resources to discuss regularly. People come to faith over time because salvation is a process not an event.

  • Teach people to be present when those being reached out to are going through crisis or adversity. Hard times equate to open hearts.

TEACH PEOPLE TO BELIEVE FOR THE SUPERNATURAL.

  • Teach both Matthew 28:19-20 AND Mark 16:15-20 to emphasize that the proclamation of God’s Word goes hand in glove with the demonstration of God’s power (1 Corinthians 2:4).

  • Missionaries have said that sharing the gospel is much easier after unbelievers experience or witness a healing, miracle or deliverance. While signs and wonders don’t save anyone, they can open a window of faith in a person’s soul.

  • Encourage people therefore to pray for the needs of those they are reaching out to. In person prayer opens the window for the presence and power of God to manifest.

DESIGNATE OUTREACH ORIENTED SERVICES/EVENTS TO WHICH PEOPLE CAN MORE EASILY INVITE THE PRE-BELIEVER TO.

  • Relational outreach and small groups lay the foundation for strategically positioned outreach services or events.

  • While services and events may not be the bread and butter of discipleship culture, they do have a place in the evangelistic matrix when when linked with a solid relational follow up system.

  • Easter, Christmas and Mother’s Day services are often the top three celebrations to invite the unreached to because those are viewed favorably and are familiar. People therefore tend to be more open.

  • Services which feature special speakers or frame a special emphasis can also be used accordingly.

  • Programs or events that service the felt needs of the community provide pathways for unbelievers to participate.

  • For some, participating in an acts of kindness project may be their on ramp to salvation because of gospel relationships that are built.

ENGAGE IN MISSIONS TO REACH THE LARGER WORLD.

  • The Great Commission transcends the local church and is global in reach.

  • Jesus told us that discipling the nations of the world was the ultimate goal and endpoint.

  • Assemble short term teams that work together to impact other countries - a safe starting point that whets the appetite.

  • Believe to send long term missionaries and mission teams to specific cities in nations that fit the church’s assignment.

  • The experience will enlarge a church’s purview of vision, mission and heart.

  • Quite often what is gained globally spills over locally when those who go return home.

  • Encourage the body to invest financially beyond the tithe, because investment of their treasure will enlarge their hearts.