A.M. Session

Tom Stipe
Acts 18:1-11

God has called His people to spread His message, but reaching people for God can be difficult. What is the problem? Tom Stipe theorizes that one of the reasons is we have taken the person out of personal evangelism. He thinks the way we evangelize is actually turning people away from God, sometimes right from the start. Find out what he says about how we can turn back to building personal, close relationships with others, and why that attracts them to God's message.\r\n

The Church and Evangelism: Maintaining an Evangelism Ethos in the Church

Tom Stipe
Luke 22:24-27

God calls His people to reach the world with His message. How did the disciples win the world? Tom Stipe points out that the disciples went out and loved people in the way Jesus taught and it worked. How then do we maintain an evangelism ethos in our churches? Tom argues that it is through building relationships. He primarily focuses on the example of David and Jonathan.\r\n

There's Still Room at the Dinner Party

Jim Leffel
Luke 14:16-24

The mission God has given His people is to go out and spread His message. Studies have shown that the American church is not growing, but possibly just moving members around from one church to another. However, God says there is plenty of room for more people, just like in the parable of the wedding banquet! So what is the problem? Find out what Jim Leffel has to say could be holding people back from God and what we can do about it.\r\n

Grace-Awakened Evangelism

George Verwer
Ephesians 6:10-20

God calls His people to help build His kingdom in every nation and in every country. How do we practically do that? How can we reach people for Christ all over the world? George Verwer has many years of real life experience in doing just that. He says the way God's people respond to God's grace has a powerful effect on other people for God. Responding to the needs we see around us and serving our neighbors and communities will help spread God's message to people who need to hear it.\r\n

A Global Perspective

George Verwer
Luke 10:25-37

George Verwer argues that believers do not have to travel to another country in order for God to give them a heart for that country. A commitment to world evangelism will change your life! Verwer says that if we are going to reach people with God's message, we have to get into their lives and meet people where they are at. This is exactly the example we see in the Bible with the story of the Good Samaritan. Find out what else Verwer has to say about having a global perspective of the Gospel.\r\n

Understanding Our Freedom (Part 2)

Jim Leffel
Luke 19:1-7

Living lives of active love produces radical freedom in the lives of Christians. As a result, we are freed to identify with all kinds of people. Christian freedom is moving toward culture as much as possible within the moral limits of scripture. We should learn to: be excited to be in our culture while standing out on moral principles for God, be hospitable, and show love towards others.

Spiritual Warfare (Part 3)

Dennis McCallum
Ephesians 6

In spiritual warfare, Satan's forces and tactics are relentless, stealthy, and well-disciplined. This causes problems for Christians that are often unaware of his schemes. Satan's tactics are aimed at preventing people from knowing God personally through Christ and rendering Christians ineffective in God's work. However, we are on the offensive, looking to infiltrate the world, liberate those who don't know Christ, and make disciples of Christ. Being offensive in spiritual warfare has the opportunity to expand God's kingdom.

What is the Church?

Jim Leffel
Romans 12:3-10

God's church is not an institution but an organic community forged by real spiritual unity given by the Holy Spirit. Described as a body, the church is an interdependent community where each member is needed for the church to flourish and grow in love. As we step out in faith and look to meet the needs of others, God is able to be glorified in His church as the church reflects God's love within the church and outside it.

What About Israel? (Part 1)

Jim Leffel
Romans 9-11

God's plan throughout human history has always included the Nation of Israel. During this time of the church age, God has been primarily using Gentiles, while remaining faithful to the small remnant of Israel for the future. God's sovereignty throughout human history proves that He uses who He wants. In the meantime, those in the church age have the exciting experience to be used by God before He goes back to using His chosen people group.