Evangelism

As for you, always be sober, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, carry out your ministry fully. (2 Timothy 4:5)

Luisa and I are prayerfully reaching out to United Methodists in the Metropolitan District of the New York Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. Our desirable outcomes are:

1. Encouraging the leadership in the local churches within the district to work with pastors in carrying out the mission of Jesus Christ in New York City and beyond.
2. Equipping clergy and laity in the district with more tools for the work of evangelizing in urban ministry.
3. Evangelizing in the boroughs of the Metropolitan District as to grow the church membership numerically through strong leadership, dynamic worship, committed stewardship, faithful discipleship, and participatory fellowship.
4. Enlarging the target areas of the local churches in the district through partnerships in ministries, and cooperative witnessing for membership growth.

What is evangelism? George Morris, a leader in evangelism within the United Methodist denomination, was my professor of evangelism at Candler on the campus of Emory University in Georgia during the late 70s. He emphasis was on the fact that definitions for evangelism are born out of the nature of the Christian mission. In essence, everything done for Jesus Christ is evangelizing, when the desirable outcome is the "making of disciples for Christ."

Evangelism has always been the FLAGSHIP of winning souls, when such is bringing persons into commitment to the Christian faith. United Methodists at the 2006 General Conference made a bold step in the right direction for evangelism by adding to the local church (denominational) membership vows. Persons joining local church are asked to vow to "uphold the local church by your presence, prayers, service, gifts, and witness." This was done as a result of the denomination having lost members over the last two decades in enormous numbers. Whatever brought it about, it is the right request for the people called Methodists. The primary call of Jesus is for his disciples to the disciple people throughout the world, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The church is not a playground for secular ideas, it is a place for spiritual grounding in sacred ideals. Secularism seeks relationships and memberships, because the very nature is to form social clubs. Spiritualism in the Christian faith has to do with worship, discipleship, fellowship, leadership, and stewardship, which has as its outcome reconciliation leading to sacred relationships and memberships by products of the mission not the primary purpose. Turning our mindset from secular thinking and to the spiritual disciplines, we will grow the local churches. Therefore, the denomination will witness an increase in members again for the right reason. The reason of speaking up for Jesus Christ convincingly, rebuking naysayers, encouraging the faithful, and teaching with patience the seekers.

FLAGSHIP EVANGELISM IN THE NEW YORK ANNUAL CONFERENCE

1. Worship
1. Praise
2. Prayer
   
2. Leadership
1. Convince
2. Concise
   
3. Stewardship
1. Time
2. Talents
3. Treasures
   
4. Discipleship
1. Missions
   
2. Ministries
   
5. Fellowship
1. Encourage
2. Enrich
   
6. Reconciliation
1. Relationship
1. Renew
   
2. Rebuke by speaking the truth in love
   
2. Membership
1. Evangelize
1. Witness
   
2. Endure
1. Working for Christ
   

Luisa and I are praying for you to join us. For more information on when you may dialogue with us, please contact Shirley Pinckney at 718.671.0955 and ask about our clergy/laity gatherings.

Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, be with our spirit. Amen.