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I'm honored that you've allowed me to be a part of your Christian life.  Please return often for fellowship, study and prayer.  Thank you very much for visiting.
Love & Hugs,
Glen

We continue the In Jesus Begins his Ministry with exples of lifestyle evangelism and discipleship. We can learn much about reaching people for Jesus Christ. 

Jesus Begins His Ministry-2

Continued from Jesus Begins His Ministry-1

Need-centered: Jn 1:38 " Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?" Mt 9:12 " Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick." Lifestyle evangelism is focused on their need, not ours. The problem with our Chinese visitor wasn't that she was talking about Jesus too much. It was that she did it out of her need to do it, rather than their need for Jesus. People know when they're being hunted! True evangelism matches people's needs with God's answers. It's done out of a motivation of love, not compulsion, and certainly not judgment. Jesus was criticized for helping the truly needy people, rather than pumping up the religious ones. As we continue to browse the gospels, we'll notice, in most cases, Jesus met people's needs first, then He taught them. This is why, at the way2hope web site, we focus on needs, like alcoholism, drugs, marriage, money, first. We try to help the need, then teach them about God's love. It makes it more difficult to get to the "fellowship" page. Maybe some of you have complained that this site is cumbersome. Don't expect any web awards because it's that way on purpose. We put a huge bottleneck on purpose, because we want people to know God will meet their needs before they find out we're also a fellowship of followers of Jesus. People don't care what you know until they know that you care.

Non-threatening: The accurate translation for the word "gospel" is "good-news". It's Good News! It's Good News! The message of Jesus should never threaten anyone. Yet, one of the most famous preachers of the 18th century, Jonathan Edwards, used manipulation to get people to commit to Jesus; like his sermon, "It's a Fearsome Thing To Fall Into The Hands Of An Angry God." He was famous for his ability to verbally, "Dangle their feet over the fires of hell." Let me say this loud and clear. I don't want anyone to misunderstand me. If he believed that's what it takes to reach someone for Jesus, he didn't believe in Jesus. Jesus' message is good news. The Bible says no one comes unless the Holy Spirit draws him. If he's being drawn, he doesn't need some pompous jerk to manipulate him. If he isn't being drawn, all the pompous jerk will do is alienate him. We need to get off our high horse and just let God's love flow through us to everyone.

Look at the example Philip set for us in verse 46 "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked. "Come and see," said Philip." Philip didn't threaten his brother or feel threatened by him. If we had someone say such a critical thing about our Savior, how would we respond? Would we verbally beat them up with the Bible or tell them they're going to hell? All Philip said is 'Come check Him out for yourself. Find out if anything good comes from there. You see, God's big enough to defend Himself.

After Lifestyle Evangelism has begun to bear fruit, we move on to…

Concluded at Jesus Begins His Ministry-3

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