MOTIVATING MEMBERS TO WITNESS: HOW TO SUCCEED

The Gospel Commission “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” - Matthew 28:19, 20

The Gospel Commission “The Savior’s commission to the disciples included all the believers. It includes all believers in Christ to the end of time.” -The Desire of Ages, p. 822

80% How many members are involved in witnessing activities? 60% 50% 10% 1%

80% Why are many members not involved in witnessing activities? 60% 50% 10% 1%

Barriers to Witnessing: Fear Shyness Lack of Time Fear of talking Prejudice Misunderstanding Problem of unknown potential No training No motivation

● Witnessing to save souls is the solemn priority of God’sremnant church.

Why Lay Motivation is High The motivation is high: if the task is worthwhile if the group perceive the task will be successful if the leaders of the church are behind the task if the discomfort of the task is low

"The word of the Lord hath come to me that there are too many believers clustered in a few places, and that many are losing their sense of the shortness of time, and their burden to proclaim the third angel's message.” - Ellen. G. White, “Wake Up the Watchman,” Manuscript 53, January 28,1910

Motivating Members to Witness “We should have a continual sense of the shortness of time and of the fearful events which prophecy has declared must speedily take place. It is because these truths are not made a reality that the life is so inconsistent with the truth we profess. - Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, p. 613.

MOTIVATING MEMBERS FOR EVANGELISM

Spiritual revival brings them to a closer relationship with Jesus “Nothing is more needed in our work than the practical results of communion with God.... His peace in the heart will shine forth in the countenance. It will give to the voice a persuasive power. Communion with God will ennoble the character and the life. Men will take knowledge of us, as the first disciples, that we have been with Jesus. This will impart to the worker as power that nothing else can give.” - Ministry of Healing, p. 512

Witnessing is the Heart’s Response to Love “ The love of Christ constrains us Corinthians 5:14

We need to bring them to have a conversion experience. Every Christian has a unique testimony of Christ to share.

When Jesus is in the Heart “No sooner is one converted than there is born within him a DESIRE TO MAKE KNOWN TO OTHERS WHAT A PRECIOUS FRIEND HE HAS FOUND IN JESUS. The saving and sanctifying truth cannot be shut up in his heart” - The Desire of Ages 141

Witnessing is the heart’s response to love “It is by this we know what love is: that Christ laid down His life for us.” - 1 John 3 : 16-18

Witnessing Brings Joy to God’s Heart The lost coin - Luke 15:8-10 The prodigal son - Luke 15:11-32 The lost sheep - Luke 15:4-7

Giving Understanding of discipleship-making. ● Deliverance – to introduce people to Jesus Christ, to baptize them delivering them into the new birth experience (evangelism). ● Development - to help them develop character and capacity – teaching them to obey (religious education) ● Deployment – sending them to go out to make other disciples (ministry/mission ).

Equipping Members “Many would be willing to work if they were taught how to begin.” - Christian Service p. 59.

Help them to understanding that witnessing is helping the giver as well as the receiver.

Witnessing Contributes to Spiritual Life There is a relationship between witnessing and character development. “God could have reached His object in saving sinners without our aid; but in order for us to develop a character like Christ’s, we must share in His work. In order to enter into His joy, the joy of seeing souls redeemed by His sacrifice, we must participate in His labors for their redemption.” - The Desire of Ages, p. 142.

. “Strength to resist evil is best gained by aggressive service -The Acts of the Apostles, p. 105

Witnessing Contributes to Spiritual Life The Blessings of Involvement Feel the need of a deeper experience with God and greater knowledge of divine things. Hunger and thirst after righteousness

Motivated by Our Prayers Prayer changes our attitudes As we pray for others, our own experience with God grows. ‘As we seek to win others to Christ, bearing the burden of souls in our prayers, our own hearts will throb with the quickening influence of God’s grace; our own affections will grow with more divine fervor; our whole Christians life will be more of a reality, more earnest, more prayerful.” –Christ’s Object Lessons p. 354

Hope Motivates Evangelism

“We rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God.” - Romans 5:1 RSV

In the last days the hope of Christians will motivate them to evangelism. "Those reasons should be enough, and more than enough, to motivate our sluggish hearts and reluctant lips." -Michael Green, Evangelism Through the Local Church (Nashville: Nelson, 1992), 19-20).

– Ellen G. White, "The Great Need of the Holy Spirit " Review and Herald, July 23, 1895 “We are now living in the closing scenes of this world's history. Let men tremble with the sense of the responsibility of knowing the truth. The ends of the world are come. Proper consideration of these things will lead all to make an entire consecration of all that they have and are to their God.” “If our ministers realized how soon the inhabitants of the world are to be arraigned before the judgment seat of God, to answer for the deeds done in the body, how earnestly they would work together with God to present the truth! How earnestly they would strive to lead men to accept the truth. How untiringly they would labor to advance God's cause in the world.”

Witnessing is Related to the Coming of Jesus “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” - Matthew 24:14

Time is Short “Time is short, and our forces must be organized to do a larger work.” - Testimonies, vol. 9 p. 27

Call to the Chosen “Seventh-day Adventists have been chosen by God as a peculiar people, separate from the world. By the great cleaver of truth He has cut them out from the quarry of the world and brought them into connection with Himself. He has made them His representatives and has called them to be ambassadors for Him in the last work of salvation. The greatest wealth of truth ever entrusted to mortals, the most solemn and fearful warnings ever sent by God to man, have been committed to them to be given to the world.” - Testimonies, vol. 7, p. 138

10,000 distinct religions around the world. 33,830 different Christian denominations

Witnessing is Related to Jesus’ Coming The essential Latter Rain cannot come until the “largest portion of the church are... laboring together with God.” - Ellen G. White, Review and Herald, July 21,

Present the Theology of Spiritual Gifts

The Church - The Body of Christ

The Body of Christ The body has many parts. Several parts become a system, Respiratory System Digestive System Cardiovascular System Muscular Skeletal System

The Church - The Body of Christ There are many parts in the body and in order to do God’s work, all parts of the body must be involved. Jesus is the head of the body. Everyone in the church is important. We each have a special role. We need to work in cooperation, not in competition.

What is that in your hand?

Use What You Have in Your Hands

GOD IS WORKING