Motivating the million How can we envision, equip and release confident disciples for the whole of their lives ?

3. Practices of a disciple in the world. I can

of Jesus s 3

A Theology of discipleship ? Disciple used 261 times in four gospels, 28 times in Acts by Luke Not used in rest of New Testament. Why? Not usually singular. What is Paul’s language for ‘discipleship’?

instruction imitation participation model with others Dance like this ………………………… instruction imitation participation model with others Many ways to dance -variety

Personal Co-operative Life long learning Communal Whole of life

What kind of people are we called to be? What kind of community is capable of raising people like that?

The 3 key questions for mission Who am I ? What do I know? Who do I know ?

“We are convinced that England will never be converted until the laity use the opportunities for evangelism daily afforded by their various professions, crafts and occupations.” Towards the Conversion of England (p. 58)

Some key numbers

Most UK non-Christians say they know a Christian. 17 October 2019 Perceptions of Jesus, Christians & Evangelism

Perceptions of Jesus, Christians & Evangelism UK non-Christians attribute more positive than negative qualities to the Christians they know. POSITIVE QUALITIES * respondents could choose multiple options. 17 October 2019 Perceptions of Jesus, Christians & Evangelism

Perceptions of Jesus, Christians & Evangelism UK non-Christians attribute more positive than negative qualities to the Christians they know. NEGATIVE QUALITIES * respondents could choose multiple options. 17 October 2019 Perceptions of Jesus, Christians & Evangelism

85-95% say they have no intention of doing this So what is the problem ? 70% of Christians can think of someone to invite 85-95% say they have no intention of doing this

If 1 in every 50 invited someone to church and they stayed, we would move out of decline and into growth

Importance of prayer and discern the kingdom ‘our natural tendency ,even as Christians, is to focus on the human aspects of evangelism and not the divine. Yet it is God who takes the initiative to pursue seekers, it is his Spirit who converts, it is his gospel that saves. Evangelism is God’s business from start to finish.’ Rebecca Manley Pippert. Out of the Saltshaker

Children and Young People • Only 170 (1.61%) of our churches have more than 50 u16’s in them on a Sunday. • Only 710 (6.73%) of our churches have more than 25 u16’s in them on a Sunday. • 36.2% (3820) of our churches have no-one under the age of 16 on a Sunday • 65.3% (6890) of our churches have less than 5 children or young people under the age of 16 on a Sunday

Christians were asked at what age they came to faith: Children and Young People Christians were asked at what age they came to faith: 40% before the age of 5 16% between 5 & 10 20% between 11 & 18

Children and Young People ‘At what age did you stop considering yourself to be a member of this religious group?’ 4% between 5 & 10 34% between 11 & 18 21% between 19 & 24

Every leader , lay & ordained, at every level is trained & equipped to be envisioned & competent to lead in evangelism and release disciples

Envision

Encourage

Not my job Not equipped Not gifted How might we encourage people to be confident disciples? Not my job Not equipped Not gifted

Equip Telling is NOT training

Example

Expectancy What does it mean for us as church to be expectant that God is at work ?

4. Faith: I will Do I(we)really believe this ?

Can God use me (us)?

You/we feel /

‘Its not the greatest people who change the world but weak people in the hands of a great God.’

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.” Marcel Proust

How we see