This brief, but very useful, chart was shared with us by our Ramchand, our dear friend from India.
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It is carelessly assumed by most persons that when a preacher pronounces a message of truth and his words fall upon the ears of his listeners there has been a bona fide act of hearing on their part. They are assumed to have been instructed because they have listened to the Word of God. But it does not follow.
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People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have him touch them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. But Jesus called the children to Him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” (Luke 18:15-17)
Most Christians believe in children’s ministry, but they often don’t give it the same priority as ministry to adults or even young people. Consequently, many adults wait until the children are grown before giving them much spiritual attention. This was the attitude of the disciples in Luke 18: the disciples rebuked the people for bringing their babies to Jesus. They thought Jesus had more important things to do than spend time with small children.
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Here’s a great Wall Street Journal article from Brad Greenberg.
In the New Testament, we are commanded to do both:
- Share the Gospel by words.
- Share the Gospel by actions.
We dare not neglect either.
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G. M. Cowan Has Warned:
Perhaps a large part of our trouble is that we tend to think of training as something of itself, a period of time, certain courses taken, a degree earned, abilities and qualifications that can be listed and enumerated on paper, so many credit hours, rather than as something that happened to us.
The emphasis should rather be on the man trained and his growth in maturity and in the capacity to apply what he has learned to new situations. Of itself training is nothing. It is the trained man that God uses. And God’s own training may include both formal and informal education.
Nor is the most fundamental training ever gained by proxy, reading about what God did in someone else. It is found in personally being put through the crucible of experience, fashioned and molded by His hand. The training that has value is that which enters into our make-up, fashions our attitudes, matures our thinking. We tend to include as part of our training much exposure to knowledge which effects no essential and lasting change in us.
From No Other Foundation by DeVern Fromke.
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Christianity is a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus. He is alive! He loves you and He wants you to know Him as your “Lord.” Recognizing that Jesus is Lord is central to the Christian faith, and it is the most important decision of your life.
If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Rom. 10:9)
What does Lord mean? When referring to Jesus, it is much more than a title of respect and honor.
In the Gospels, Jesus was identified by the angels announcing His birth as “Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). Those who came to Him for help frequently referred to Him as “Lord” (Matt. 8:2, 6, 25; 9:6; 14:28-30; 15:22-28; 17:15; 20:30-34; Luke 23:39-43). Peter, when overwhelmed with a sense of his own sinfulness, called Jesus “Lord” (Luke 5:8). A blind man who had been healed by Jesus worshipped Him as “Lord” (John 9:35-38). In acknowledging Jesus to be the Source of life, Martha of Bethany called Jesus “Lord” as He was about to raise her brother Lazarus from death (John 11:21-27). The adoring crowds called Jesus “Lord” as they welcomed Him as their Messiah (Matt. 21:9). After His resurrection, He was worshipped as “Lord” (John 20:28). Jesus also identified Himself as Lord (Matt. 12:8; 22:41-45; John 13:12-15).
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Please watch this video and then read the following comments.
These comments are from our friend Don Riker:
I appreciate the simplicity of the illustration and the wisdom of considering what happened from a leadership perspective. In working this out, however, I see a long-term challenge that is beyond the scope of the clip. A growing crowd is irrelevant if they are not eventually touched and motivated at a deeper level. While I agree that the first follower is critical, the leader must step up and disciple others or the crowd will quickly fade away. That’s what makes working out ConneXions principles over time so critical – and takes much more wisdom, effort, and grace than drawing a crowd.
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