Three Giant Steps!

[hal]

Step 1:
You must be born again. (John 3:3)

Step 2:
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: (Acts 1:8a)

Step 3:
and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. (Acts 1:8a)

Why do so many stop after step 1?

Why do so many charismatics stop after step 2?

 

[Follower of Christ too]

Step 1:
You must be born again. (John 3:3)

Step 2:
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: (Acts 1:8a)

Step 3:
and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. (Acts 1:8a)

Why do so many stop after step 1?

Why do so many charismatics stop after step 2?

Do you feel this to be a command to all christians?

 

[hal]

Do you feel this to be a command to all christians?

Yes I do think it a mandate for every Christian.

I believe that a true Christian would want to "show and tell."

For most of my life I said that evangelizing was the preacher's job. That was what we had hired him for.

I have since discovered the joy that comes when someone is healed, delivered, baptized in the Holy Spirit or saved.

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

I don't think this particular verse is as much a command as it is a description of one who is born again and FULL of the Holy Ghost.

I believe that if we do not feel compulsion to share with the lost and hurting, then we are not FULL.

 

[Follower of Christ too]

I don't think this particular verse is as much a command as it is a description of one who is born again and FULL of the Holy Ghost.

I believe that if we do not feel compulsion to share with the lost and hurting, then we are not FULL.

I was just wondering. If all the church was out evangelizing, then where would it leave the church? I believe a christian can be full and raise a family. There are those who can't go out and evagelize for various reasons, but they still are full of the Holy Ghost..I remember an elderly lady back in a holler in Kentucky, people would bring their sick to her so she could pray for them. She was not a known person except for that small community. This was many years ago, but as I remember she was disabled herself, yet she prayed for the sick an they were healed...I guess what I am saying we each hear a calling and the body of Christ has many members............

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

I was just wondering. If all the church was out evangelizing, then where would it leave the church? I believe a christian can be full and raise a family. There are those who can't go out and evagelize for various reasons, but they still are full of the Holy Ghost..I remember an elderly lady back in a holler in Kentucky, people would bring their sick to her so she could pray for them. She was not a known person except for that small community. This was many years ago, but as I remember she was disabled herself, yet she prayed for the sick an they were healed...I guess what I am saying we each hear a calling and the body of Christ has many members............

To evangelize one does not have to go out into the streets or into another country. Granted those are important ways but evangelizing is not exclusive to them.

For me my greatest time of evagelizing was right outside my front door. I had been home about a month from my second missions trip to Russia when I overheard my new neighbors talking. I could not understand what they were saying but I recognized it as Russian.

When I got the opportunity to talk to them I asked them where they were from and of course, they said Russia. There were several of them and a couple of them could speak English. I then told them about my trips to Russia and that opened up the door to me.

Soon after that I was able (whole other story) to get a few Bibles for them in Russian. When I first received the small box of Bibles, I hurridly opened it. They lived just downstairs from me so they saw me with the package. I handed one of the women a Bible and told her in Russian (I speak a little) that it was a gift. She stared at it in amazement and then held it to her chest and in awe said, "oh Barbara, I read everday".

I gave all the Bibles out and the next day I was approached by another women who I had never met and in broken english asked if I was Barbara. I said yes, then she said, "I want book too".

When I told my church about it they took up a collection so I could buy more Bibles. I have no clue how many people I touched just by walking out my front door. I found that there were many living in my apt complex as well as the complex across the street. I would guess "at least" 100 or more.

So, in my opinion, evangelizing is sharing Jesus with ALL we come in contact with. We come in contact with people on the phone, at the store, at the library, at school. That is the mission field too.

 

[Follower of Christ too]

To evangelize one does not have to go out into the streets or into another country. Granted those are important ways but evangelizing is not exclusive to them.

For me my greatest time of evagelizing was right outside my front door. I had been home about a month from my second missions trip to Russia when I overheard my new neighbors talking. I could not understand what they were saying but I recognized it as Russian.

When I got the opportunity to talk to them I asked them where they were from and of course, they said Russia. There were several of them and a couple of them could speak English. I then told them about my trips to Russia and that opened up the door to me.

Soon after that I was able (whole other story) to get a few Bibles for them in Russian. When I first received the small box of Bibles, I hurridly opened it. They lived just downstairs from me so they saw me with the package. I handed one of the women a Bible and told her in Russian (I speak a little) that it was a gift. She stared at it in amazement and then held it to her chest and in awe said, "oh Barbara, I read everday".

I gave all the Bibles out and the next day I was approached by another women who I had never met and in broken english asked if I was Barbara. I said yes, then she said, "I want book too".

When I told my church about it they took up a collection so I could buy more Bibles. I have no clue how many people I touched just by walking out my front door. I found that there were many living in my apt complex as well as the complex across the street. I would guess "at least" 100 or more.

So, in my opinion, evangelizing is sharing Jesus with ALL we come in contact with. We come in contact with people on the phone, at the store, at the library, at school. That is the mission field too.

This is what I meant

 

[Andrew]

Yeah I know hal, I'm guilty.

When I was first Spirit baptised, i wanted to witness and talk alot about God. But i guess i soon got discouraged becos people just didnt seem interested. so after a while i sort of gave up.

now i am more 'discerning'. ie i look for who's really interested to find out. those are the ones whom i will target. if someone is really not interested, i wont really bother. but as long as someone asks, i'll be more than glad to share, ask, support, pray for lay hands, whatever.

 

[hal]

If the early church had not been evangelistic in winning converts, where would the church be today?

 

[Follower of Christ too]

If the early church had not been evangelistic in winning converts, where would the church be today?

Hal, I think those guys were so on fire for God they couldn't help themselves. I remember reading in John where many of the followers couldn't recieve the words of Jesus and they followed Him no longer, Jesus asked His disciples if they too would leave and they just said they didn't have another place to go

 

[hal]

The thought behind the original post is to respond to those who say if it is not specifically mentioned in the Bible, it cannot be of God.
In other words, God is limited to what was recorded by the disciples.
And in spite of many, testimonies.

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

The thought behind the original post is to respond to those who say if it is not specifically mentioned in the Bible, it cannot be of God.
In other words, God is limited to what was recorded by the disciples.
And in spite of many, testimonies.

I'm sorry hal. . .I'm not quite understanding? Jesus said, "go ye therefore into all the world", how could anyone say that it's not specifically mentioned in the Bible?

I think a lot of people think that "going to the world" means going to another place outside of where they reside. A lot of people don't view their neighbors house as the mission field. . . yet it is.

 

[Follower of Christ too]

The thought behind the original post is to respond to those who say if it is not specifically mentioned in the Bible, it cannot be of God.
In other words, God is limited to what was recorded by the disciples.
And in spite of many, testimonies.

The way I view this is we take the Bible as a whole story. The OT was Types and shadows of the NT. People in the OT often fell to the ground by natural reasons, I describe this as carnal. Then we have the NT and the same things are going on except now it is through and by the Holy Ghost... The Holy Ghost does things the carnal mind can not understand-but I would be very afraid to say something was not of God! Now if I discerned in my spirit it was wrong then it would be wrong. I am sure you are aware there are people who fake manifestations of the Holy Ghost for whatever reasons, I don't know.... Say a new christian witnessed this fake instead of the real manifestation it is surely going to make them doubters.....As far as things not being mentioned in the Bible I would say take it for a whole story. OT events were carnal and they still happen today but now it is spiritual..... Oh, and what do you think some doubters might do if they saw someone wrap someones girdle around them and prophesy? In this day and age this person would be considered a nut! Yet there is scripture for this paticular thing. Cause we are a peculiar people......By the way I loved your testimony! It is awesome.

 

[hal]

I'm sorry hal. . .I'm not quite understanding? Jesus said, "go ye therefore into all the world", how could anyone say that it's not specifically mentioned in the Bible?

I think a lot of people think that "going to the world" means going to another place outside of where they reside. A lot of people don't view their neighbors house as the mission field. . . yet it is.

I think there must be some confusion that i have caused.
I agree with what you say.

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

I think there must be some confusion that i have caused.
I agree with what you say.

No confusion hal I was just clarifying