Revival Work

My outflowing energy, songs and music, visitation and service for the needy - all of which were given for not less than fifteen hours a day... Happily I was an ealry riser. Two hours on the Bible before breakfast, and full of spirit and prayer, I kept in humility and expectation with literally "Every hour for souls and duty." - Commissioner James Hay

Read the story of James Hay in Aggressive Salvationism and you will find that he was often living in revival. From hundreds of people getting saved every week, increasing people attending meetings, to the commencement of Salvationist social work Hay is an example of a revivalist/evangelist who loves the poor. (Sounds like Jesus hey?)

What was his secret to his success? Ive been reading a bunch of texts on revival and three things keep popping up, 1) Prayer - lots of it, 2) Outreach - lots of it and 3) Lots of work. In the abiove statement Hay talks about 15 hour days. Railton was the same often not sleeping at all. I heard a story of Joe Noland starting a corps and putting in 15 hour days too.

The result of prayer, outreach and hard work is revival. Ive been challenged. How about you?

Stigmata

Some people seem to be sceptical about the whole stigmata thing so heres just a couple of quick comments:

• He woke up, had a prayer time and something appeared on his foot. No matter what it is it is cool timing dont you think?
• He has a new found passion for evangelism!
• Stigmata apprently means 'mark" in latin (going from wikipedia so i know it might not be 100% right...)
• There have been hundreds and possibly thousands of reported stigmatas like this. Some have been faked others havent
• Every sign points towards something, there is never a sign just for signs sake, what does this sign point towards? Some have said something along the lines of him being dead to sin, maybe the marks of Jesus represent how far his passion for souls went... Im sure there could be more...
• Dont you think the timing is cool? I do. But the fruit is what impresses me the most, hes been on fire preaching wherever he goes. The sign didnt cause this passion to happen rather it accompanied it...

STIGMATA!?!?

The following is a video testimony of someone who was at Go For Souls 08. He was in a prayer time and God spoke to Him and gave him courage to preach the gospel. Then something happend to his foot... Stigmata? Hmmm You be the judge...

Go For Souls

This weekend was fantastic! We had about 50 people dutring the nights and 30 during the day. The worship times were intense as most people forgot about the people on either side of them and solely focussed on God. The Holy Ghost was moving in a powerful way convicting, challenging and comforting people.

The outreach was great! It was so fun and challenged people to step up and speak out. We had open airs on a train which followed this pattern, Worship, Witness and Word followed by the team fishing the whole carriage before moving onto the next carriage. A few people yelled at us, most just tried to ignore us, one threatend to smash a bottle over our heads... The other teams did some street preaching outside shopping centres! Ive heard some grumblings leading into this and since this along the lines of "I wouldnt do it that way" or "As if that would work." So brace yourself to eat humble pie.

During the Saturday outreach 12 people decided to start following Jesus. 5 of them from the outreach we did on the train where we did open air meetings in the carriages, 6 of them from the street preaching at the shopping centre that we didnt get kicked out of, and one from the final night meeting! So next time you want to have a go at someone street preaching or acting weird for Jesus maybe start by being abit nicer and see what fruit they have first... And for the record most of the people preaching on the streets etc had never done it before. (Wow, 12 conversions of people we had never met before, lead to Christ by people who had never done this before... hmmm)

We praise God for each of the people that has decided to start following Jesus. For those playing at home and getting their comebacks ready this, here are the 4 C's of follow up we have implemented. Call. Catch up. Cell Group. Church.

Thank God Hes so full of grace!

GO FOR SOULS TONIGHT!

Gonna be great! Try to get there if you can. If you can't pray for us! We'll keep you posted with the inevitable fruit!

Tonight, Major Jack Strickland from Canada is going to serve it up!

Hope you can be there!

Busy

I live at the training college which is a 10 storey building, and I looked out my window the other night. It was dark, rainy and windy. I saw a light on in the building just down the road. And even though it was after midnight there was a lady there typing on her computer.

It made me think, there are so many people out there committed to their jobs, or even more specific, committed to making money. Some are so committed they lose their families, some so committed they spend all their waking hours working for their pay cheque. The quest for what they can get is so important to them that they sacrifice everything so they can get their goals. Most world leaders sleep for only around 4-6 hours every night.

As I read baout revival two points become very clear. The first is that they prayed and prayed and prayed. The second thing was they preached and preached and preached. Their work ethic was super high. There are stacks of people who lived in revival who would sleep verry little becasue they were so busy working. Its left me with a couple of questions... 1) What am I working for? 2) How committed am I? 3) Am I busy with the right stuff?

Wesley on soul winning

You have nothing to do but save souls. Therefore spend and be spent in this work. And go always not only to those who want you, but to those that want you most. Observe: It is not your business to preach so many times, and to take care of this or that society: but to save as many souls as you can: to bring as many sinners as you possibly can to repentance, and with all your power to build them up in that holiness without which they cannot see the Lord.”
John Wesley

I'm reading a book called "The Passion for Souls" by Oswald Smith and although only a couple of chapters in I am loving it! He quoted the above quote and went on to show how so many preachers preach with no fruit. Wesley reminds us that we are to win souls, not just preach.

Greatcomm

There was a company called Greatcomm who specialised in selling their product. Their product was the best and could change the world if everyone bought it. Sales were slipping and had been for a while so the CEO decided to try a couple of different things.

The first thing he did was change the product. This ended badly because the older product was far superior.

Then he tried to employ people to do all the work that the other employees should have been doing.

Then he decided to get motivational speakers to come and speak. Which sounds like a good idea, but after a while they fell away from the good product and started trying to sell the additional steak knives instead.

He would put on confrences and get togethers in a hope for people to find their purpose of selling this product and being part of this great company. But the confences liked the steak knives more than the real product. Even though the steak knives go perfectly with the real product, and there is nothing wrong with the steak knives in fact they are great, the main product stopped being sold.

Eventually the company went broke and moved into selling steak knives instead of the whole package...

Man Burnt to Death : Firefighter Refused to Act

Terrible news! A man was burnt to death the other day. Apparently he was asleep when the fire broke out. He had absoloutely no idea that his life was in danger so he kept on sleeping. But the really sad thing is that his next door neighbour saw the fire but didn't do anything about it even though he was a firefighter!

When they asked the firefighter why he didnt put out the fire or go and rescue him he said 'My friend doesn't like it when I wake him up, and he certainly doesnt like getting wet, so I neither woke him nor turned on the hose."

The Firefighting chief is having serious words with the firefighter and his future is uncertain. The firefighter chief said that it is his duty to put out fires whether people want him to or not. He said that silly excuses like that are dangerous and irresponsible...

If you knew someone was about to burn for eternity would you do something about it or are you too scared to wake them up and put out the fire? Whats more important to you?

Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.
(Jude 22-23)

REPENT!

The below are some quotes by Catherine Booth from the book "The Highway of Our God" from a chapter on repentance. Her definitions and explanations have helped my personal repentance but also my efforts in urging others to repent... Enjoy!

Repentance is not merely conviction of sin
Neither is repentance mere sorrow for sin
Neither is repentance a promise that you will forsake the sin in the future

What then is repentance? Repentance is simply renouncing sin – turning round from darkness to light, from power of Satan to God. This is giving up sin in your heart, in purpose, in desire, resolving that you will do it now. Of course this involves sorrow; for how will any sane man turn himself around a given course into another if he does not repent having taken that forbidden course? It implies also, hatred of the course he formerly took, and from which he turns.

Submission is the test of penitence.

Now, do not say “I don’t feel enough.” Do you feel enough to be willing to forsake your sin? That is the point. Any man who does not repent enough to forsake his sin is not a penitent at all. When you repent enough to forsake your sin, that moment your repentance is sincere and you may take hold of Jesus with a firm grasp. Then believe in Jesus and you will be saved.

Flight TSA HIJACKED!!!

Flight TSA has been hijacked. Millions and millions of lives are at stake in a move that is destroying not only the Flight TSA but also the world.

The flight took off 2000 years ago on a life saving mission to the world. Hi-jackers disguised themselves as passengers, they dressed similarly, chanted the same slogans that the rest of the passengers said and went by un noticed. It is believed the hi-jackers failed to realise the mission of the flight.

None of the airline staff realised that deep down something was wrong with these people yet when someone noticed they did nothing about it. Once the plane had taken off these passengers with a warped mission started making demands. The air crew relaxed the tight shift that was suppose to be in action and gradually the hi-jackers took control of the plane.

One passenger has secretly been intouch with the police and has said that the hi-jackers seem like nice people, they just have alterior motives.

The plane that was on-route to saving million and millions of people, an operation to save the world from sin, darkness and despair has now changed course and is on its way to blessme island. However the hi-jackers who have broken off radio contact are little aware that Wrath Volcano has erupted and when they land they will be all surely die.

Brand New Christian Basics

Last night was great. I was at the Macleod Youth meeting where Capt Danielle preached and taught the boys how to play bascketball. Even better then Danielles trash talk and jump shot was her sermon about apathy paralysing us. And even better than that the guy I was sitting next to got saved! Halleljah!

We all know its one thing to get someone saved but its another to disciple them into a mature Christian. So heres a list of stuff I try to do for brand new believers...

• I get them to testify as soon as they can to as many different people as possible. This consolidates their belief as they say what has happend. It keeps them accountable to a heap of people, and like baptism it identifies them with Jesus and that theyre old self is gone, the new has come!
• Get them to start reading the Bible. Starting in the gospels to see who Jesus was. If theyre going to follow Him they need to know what He did and said.
• Teach them to pray, (tell them to pretend Jesus is on chair and talk to the chair, if stuck for what to say, Thank You, Sorry, Please) Again, if following Jesus they need to be able to communicate with Him.
• Come to church. I dont just mean a meeting, rather get them hanging out with the body of Christ on Sundays, bible studies, mcdonalds etc... They get built up, encouraged, learn, discipled etc
• Encourage them to get all their friends and family saved. We're aiming for multiplication of people getting saved not just addition. If they get their families and friends saved that multiplies the conversions, its not just one all on its own. Its like domioes. Knock one over and the rest follow...

So priase God for my friends Salvation, and please keep him in your prayers as he starts his life of following Jesus.

Real-ational Evangelism

Firstly, Teasing Dog Evangelism is not the only form of relational evangelism. It can be good and it can work. Heres a quick list of things that you need to do though:

• Talk to them about what God has done and is doing in your life and tell them He can do it for them too!
• Talk to them about who Jesus said He was, what He did and what He asks of us
• Tell them the gospel - Why we need a saviour, what God did about it
• Tell them how to be saved and then Give them opportunities (More than one) to get saved
• Talk to them about what its like to be saved (Tell them the promises of God)
• Dont give up! Keep going!
• Be polite, fun, caring, compassionate, loving etc Show them holiness.
• Pray. Pray. Pray.

You can do these steps very simply. It can be easy you just need to be intentional. That means before you see your friends decide that you are going to tell them one thing about the gospel, or ask them one question.

That is real relational evangelism, telling them about Jesus and salvation and showing them what it looks like all in the context of relationship. But it is not waiting for them to sniff around before you start talking...

Teasing Dog Evangelism (TDE)

Theres a great new way of feeding dogs. Instead of throwing them a bone, or instead of putting some stuff in their bowl to eat you put the dog food in your pocket. Then you starve the dog in a hope that the dog will come to you and start eating out of your pocket! Infact you could even show the dog that you have food, but whatever you do, do not give it to the dog before he starts sniffing your pockets...

Hmmm Isn't that what most people are teaching about evangelism? Keep your salvation in your pocket until someone starts sniffing around? Wait til people really need the gospel before you start preaching it. You can show them a little bit of whats in your pocket but try not to... You only allow them to eat once they have come to you. Its how Jesus did it... er right?

NO. Jesus told us to go into the world. You see there are a stack of problems with relational evangelism which Im calling "Teasing Dog Evangelism" or TDE. There are so many principles that are so un-Jesus that it makes me cringe so listen up!

TDE has an emphasis on people coming to us rather than on us going to them. Big, big problem. Jesus never sat at home and waited for prople to come to Him. (They did come to him while he was moving though) He was on the move. And not only that He told us to go into the world and preach. So for a start we're sinning by not obeying.

That emphasis manifests itself in a couple of in-human ways aswell... If a dog isn't getting fed it starts snooping around the garbage trying to find anything that will do. I see these people every day experimenting with drugs, alcohol, suicide, gangs, violence, homosexuality and the list goes on. By waiting for them to come to us before we feed them they are sniffing around rubbish and getting sick and dieing.

TDE has an emphasis on not sharing too much too soon. Its like we are ashamed of the gospel. Is it that we think that the gospel will only feed the dog once so wait til that dog really wants it. Or is it that we dont believe our dog food is good enough to break through now that we wait til the dog will eat anything? What a defeatist attitude! Certainly not the gospel as the power of God to save!

TDE takes time to work, like years to work, stats say 2 years and thats if you stay friends and in contact with them during that whole time. In the age of change, (look at Rudd and Obamas messages, or Marney Turners campaign...) everyone is changing, people are flakey, and we are trying to build long lasting relationships in the HOPE that they will get saved ONE DAY... What a joke. The gospel can take off right now. TODAY IS THE DAY OF SALVATION.

TDE says that people will get offended if we give dogs food too soon. I have never seen a dog get offended at someone offering them food. With the gospel what are you preaching as the gospel to have that sort of idea? The gospel I preach is Christ crucified, God loves us so much he took away our sin so repent and believe! Its actually good news, although sadly its become weird news to many Christians who try to hide their scooby snacks.

TDE breeds bad behaviour. When you treat a dog like that he will start doing the same thing wherever he goes to whoever has the food. Gospel wise the same. TDE teaches that God is for the bad times, come to Jesus in the bad times. This has resulted in a hugely apathetic base of Christians who forget Jesus in the good times, and only come in the bad times.

TDE emphasises our work over the work of the cross. Its like a hungry dog only coming to you becasue you treat him well, but in reality it doesn't matter how good you treat him when he's hungry he will eat anything! We underestimate the dog food! When we use TDE we're saying to people look at how good I am, or how different I am. Its got its positives, but on the negative side we under emphasise the cross, the sacrifice of Jesus which is actualy the thing that will save them, our good works wont save them even if they do point to something better.

TDE teaches a God will bless you gospel so much so that when hard times come they run off to find another master with some schmakos. It doesn't emphasise turn from you sin. It doesn't teach sin is disgusting, detestable an abomination to God.

There is more but this is getting long. I'm interested in your thoughts so comment away. Just to let you know we are not teaching Teasing Dog Evangelism at Go For Souls. Rather we are feeding hungry people the real gospel. We will see people saved on the day. Their lives will be different from that moment on. It will be the day of Salvation.

The duty of the church

I maintain that the only indispensible qualification for wintessing for Christ is the Holy Ghost... Therefore, give me man, woman or child with the Holy Ghost, full of love and zeal for God, and I say it would be a great strength and joy to that convert to testify to that church and the world and it would be the bounden duty of the church to give him or her the opportunity to do so. The Lord is not going to evangelize this land by finished sermons and disquisitions, but by the simple testimony of people saved from sin and the devil, by His power and His grace. Catherine Booth

Imagine your whole life you have been taunted, bullied, abused, picked on, unappreciated, told you are worthless, never been good at anything, failed at everything. Imagine if you had no social skills, couldn't read or write, didn't have any qualifications. Imagine if you had spent your whole life drunk and abusing others.

Then imagine hearing Catherine say this. Catherine had this amazing passion to get everyone testifying about Jesus. It didnt matter who you had been, what you had done, or how much you knew. If Jesus had saved you you can testify. How liberating, how empowering! Not only is Catherine a fan of it, but she believes that it is the churches DUTY to make sure people have the opportunity to testify.

We have seen this in action at Plenty Valley and seen a stack of people saved. It works. Its sad how so many people make evangelism hard and something it isnt. Its sad how people shy away from preaching and declaring how good God is. But its is amazing when brand new converts go to the street, school and home and share their faith!

Go For Souls is set up to do just that. The conference 21-22 November is going to teach, equip and empower you to evangelise! Its practical. Its biblical. Its for you.