This week we had come
together every night, hearing the Word preached. Commitments were made, and we will celebrate
baptisms this afternoon. It was a
Revival week, even though some called it a “crusade” J. Revival of commitment is needed to become
passionate about soul winning. During
this same week leaders of our church gathered together for the spring council
and the opening weekend was dubbed “Nurture and Retention Summit.” Since 1965 15,132,555 people (over fifteen
million!) have left the Seventh-day Adventist Church. These are not numbers. These are people. They
are our families. We’re talking about our brothers and sisters, sons and
daughters. Why did they leave? He asked. They left because they weren’t
loved. These words belong to David Trim,
our church archivist and research director. I concur, as I meet people at
funerals who had been disconnected from our local church.
As I am preparing for the Board meeting I am reviewing
the Church Manual and noticed the significant change in the latest edition (19th). The chief concern is having an active discipleship plan in
place, which includes both the spiritual nurture of the church and the
work of planning and fostering evangelism.
We are realizing that Jesus’ Method – discipleship – cannot be
neglected!
Last
week I had written about 4 stages of the Evangelism work. And after reflecting
on it I must add one in the middle – Nurturing.
Between planting and harvesting there must be the work of nurturing,
providing necessary environment for what is planted to produce.
1. Cultivation. We need to be
present in people’s lives, mingling, making friends, building relationships,
connecting with people to win their confidence, to develop a trust, so
emotional barriers will be opened.
Friendship is the necessary capital before you talk faith, before you
ask questions! Go make friends is the
first step of discipleship!
2. Planting. This is where
a dialogue begins, this is where you can explain what you believe, and answer
your friends questions. Your
presentation in words and deeds of God’s Love opens intellectual barriers. You must believe and know yourself the
Gospel.
3. Nurturing. Teaching, answering questions that come up as people
apply Biblical teachings into their daily lives and situations. Providing
resources they need to make sense in their lives.
4. Harvesting. This is the
work of Prayer and Persuasion. People
may like you and may be convinced and convicted with truth, but conversion is
their personal choice. This is where
volitional barriers come up, the barriers of choice. The Goal is to trust
Christ they meet with you. This is where
only God can draw one to Himself through Christ by the Holy Spirt.
5. Multiplication. The only way to preserve the harvest is to put it to
use. Involving new believers in
witnessing, giving full participation will now produce new growth cycle. It is through new believers that we overcome social
barriers, as the new believers widen their circles of friends.
Think of your relationships
with people in these term and make your discipleship real. 
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