Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary

You are a missionary (whatever you are doing, regardless of location) for Jesus Christ.

Scripture Text

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Main Points or Ideas

What we see in the world is consistent with the Word of God.

You’ve got to love the Lord, AND HIS WORD.

Evangelism is a conversation, not a presentation.

4 “Keys” to Overcoming Trouble:

1. Look for the starting point or tongue - Deuteronomy 10:12

2. Identify the obstacles - Galatians 5:19-21a; James 1:5-8

3. Plan your course - 2 Timothy 3:14-15

4. Find a marker rock to stay on track - Psalm 144:1

Conclusion

Who’s your boatman? Is it Jesus?

Gary Walton talks about the importance of trusting God when we take the Gospel to the world.

Scripture Texts

Matthew 28:16-20

Main Points or Ideas

Two Lessons from Matthew 28

1. God can only guarantee the delivery of His promises in the places where He has control

• Where does God have authority? See verse 18
• All authority has been given to God!
• V. 20b - “Behold, I am with you always, even unto the end of the age.”
• Jesus assures us of…
• His Presence - “I will go with you.”
• His Promises - “I AM”
• His Authority - “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.”

2. Jesus’ authority and His power has not been guaranteed to you so that we can hang out

• Acts 1:8
• So many of us have settled for the safe and the small
• We were created for more
• Don’t settle for the safe and the comfortable
• One of the greatest tragedies of life os that we forget who God is - He is not safe and small

Conclusion

Venture into what God has called you to do.

The United States has become a mission field because of the decline of the Church.

Scripture Texts

John 4; Luke 15

Crossover: Leaving our comfort zone to make a relational connection, even for redemptive purposes.

John 4

1. Everyone is lost and in need of saving

• John 4:4-7 - Jesus starts the conversation

2. The promise of the new way of life - John 4:13-14

• Both Physical and Spiritual
• There is no barrier for God’s love
• Worshipping in Spirit and Truth, not in temples

3. Tolerance is a cheat substitute for love

• Jesus doesn’t tolerate, he enters into broken stories
• John 4:25-26 - “I am He”

4. Call to go

• John 4:28-30
• Result: (vv. 39-41) - Many believed

Has the gospel stopped with you? Or is it moving onward?

As an individual:

• Cross the street

• Crossover a prejudice

• Crossover your fear

• Crossover ethnic boundaries

“Crossing cultures without crossing borders.”

Luke 15

• Who has the resources to search for the lost? WE DO.

• John 4:31-34 - Satisfaction in Christ

Conclusion

Being where we are right now (at Faith) is a great time to equip for the crossover. John 4:35 - Don’t ignore the need!

Redemption is the overarching story of Scripture.

Scripture Text

Mark 4:26-29

Main Points or Ideas

God’s Divine Agenda:

1. Luke 19:10 - “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

2. When God providentially empowers you to touch a life in which He is already working (Providence/Evidence)

3. You know it when:

• You enter a situation and it is obvious that God has been at work before you get there
• The person to whom you are talking to tells you that someone else had been talking to him about the Lord
• See obvious interest and/or conviction
• The Lord leads you to say something you normally don’t say
• A lost person approaches a Christian out of the blue
• The timing of events is obviously from God
• The person to whom you are talking is dealing with a traumatic event that has pointed him to his inner needs
• A guest comes to your church without a human invitation
• Someone brings up the Bible, religion, God, or spiritual things in a normal conversation

4. Go, Show, Tell the Gospel Boldly

• We must be intentional
• We must be strategic
• We must tell the gospel
• We must pray for boldness

Conclusion

The gospel is POWERFUL. We must share it boldly, clearly, and thoroughly.

The Exchange is an evangelism outreach program and the focus is on the growing hunger here in the United States.Scripture Texts: Various TextsMain Points or Ideas: 

Relational Evangelism:

1. WHO? - Romans 1:1, 14-16

2. WHAT? Is relational evangelism:

3. WHEN? - Relational evangelism 24/7!

4. WHERE? - Anywhere people are

5. WHY? - Great Commission/sent

6. BRIDGING THE DISTANCE - surface to the soul

Conclusion

Learn to ask good questions and to listen well.

Where are you looking for satisfaction?

Scripture Texts

Ecclesiastes 1-2

Main Points or Ideas

Solomon’s Seven Options of Living:

1. Living Entirely For Myself (1:1-3)

2. Living To Build My Legacy (1:4-11)

3. Living In Search Of Utopia (1:12-18)

4. Living To Indulge The Flesh (2:1-11)

5. Living For The Life Of The Mind (2:12-17)

6. Living For Work (2:18-23)

7. Living For God Alone (2:24-26)

Conclusion

Live life how God intended it. May we not seek ourselves, but You Lord!

Vonetta Flowers spent about 20 years persevering and training to win gold in the Olympics, and she is an example of crazy perseverance.

Scripture Texts

Galatians 6:9

Main Points or Ideas

Perseverance: A steady persistence in a course of action, especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement. It is not about the talents. It says, “I will not quit.”

3 Enemies of Perseverance:

1. A Lack of Vision of the Glory of God

   • If your purpose is anything less than the glory of God, you are going to struggle
   • How are you bringing God glory?
   • If you spend all your time asking “why is this happening?” you won’t get an answer. A better question is this: “How can I bring God glory?”
   • James 1 - Count it all joy!
2. A Wrong Belief That Life Should Be Easy
• Galatians 6:9 - Let us not grow weary in doing good
• We deceive ourselves if we believe that life is easy
• People do not realize how close they are to success because they give up in the trials before getting through the other side.
• 1 Peter 4:12-13 - Trials are not strange; keep on rejoicing
3. A Wrong Belief That Success is a Destination

• George W. Truett - “Success is finding the will of God and doing it.”
• What is this success?

1. Faithfulness - 1 Corinthians 4:17

2. Serving - Matthew 20:28

3. Loving - Matthew 22:36-39

4. Praying - 1 Thessalonians 5:17

1. “The pastor who isn’t praying is playing; the congregation who isn’t praying is straying.”

5. Holiness - 1 Peter 1:16

6. Perseverance - Galatians 6:9

Conclusion

Keep serving where the Lord puts you!

This passage is a wellspring of resources for those in ministry.

Scripture Text

1 Thessalonians 2:1-12

Main Points or Ideas

• The key is  something that goes beyond methodology and goes into authenticity

• Christ wants us to lead with Christlike authenticity

Three Marks of Christlike Authenticity:

1. Pure Motives (vv. 1-6)

• Pure, pleasing God instead of men
• If our motive is God, then our ministry becomes pure, bold, and ultimately pleases Him

2. Sacrificial Love (vv. 7-9)

• Genuine love makes all the difference
• It is not just going through the motions, it is an action to be taken!
• Do I really love my people, or am I just here for the program?

3. Upright Conduct (vv. 10-12)

• Characteristics:

1. Devoutly, uprightly, blamelessly

2. Faithful to preach, teach, disciple

3. Patient, gospel affection

4. Encouraging, imploring

• A call to walk worthy of the calling
• It takes hard, authentic work

Conclusion

It is not about the method. It is about true authenticity.

Preachers are the hardest to preach to because they can be very critical. What would be your main message in the end?

Scripture Texts

Ecclesiastes 12

Main Points or Ideas

Three Pieces of Advice from Solomon:

1. Generational Advice (v. 1)

• Listen to old people
• Solomon is in his older age in Ecclesiastes and urges the reader/younger ones to listen to the older people
• It is the Word of God that makes all the difference

2. Testimonial Advice (vv. 2-8)

• Wherever you are in life, use your testimony and praise God for it!
• “Remember” means to focus
• Remembering our Creator demands that we are owned, secured, purposed, and held accountable

3. Biblical Advice (v. 9-14)

• We must be people of the Book! Of the Truth!
• Words of wise men are GOADS (leads for stubborn animals/hearts) and WELL-DRIVEN NAILS that are given by the One Shepherd (who is our Lord)
• The Word of God has the best conclusion for all mankind

Conclusion

Vv. 13-14 - Fear God and keep His commandments because it applies to every person. He will judge every work and reveal every secret in the last day, whether good or bad.

What can we learn from the life of Miriam that can help us guard our hearts for effective ministry? In this ladies-only session, Faith Taylor shows how God has entrusted each of us with gifts and abilities that equip us for the ministry He has called us to, but our ministry endeavors are too often accompanied by sins of the flesh that lead to ministry failure.