Building a Strategy Based on the Sending of the 12 & 70 Matthew 10:1-42, Mark 6:7-13, 30-32, Luke 9:1-10; 10:1-24 Steve Smith

Comparison of Jesus’ Instruction Before Acts, Jesus gave clear instructions about how to penetrate new, unreached areas... Before Acts, Jesus gave clear instructions about how to penetrate new, unreached areas... –Luke 10:1 Now after this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them in pairs ahead of Him to every city and place where He Himself was going to come.

The Strategy Sending of 12: Read accounts in Matt 10, Mark 6 & Luke 9 Sending of 12: Read accounts in Matt 10, Mark 6 & Luke 9 –What are the key elements of the strategy? Sending of the 70: Read Luke 10 Sending of the 70: Read Luke 10 –What new elements are added to the strategy? If you knew NOTHING ELSE, then how would you build a plan for bringing the gospel to a new area? If you knew NOTHING ELSE, then how would you build a plan for bringing the gospel to a new area?

Construct a Strategy Report back: Let’s construct a strategy based on all four passages Report back: Let’s construct a strategy based on all four passages

Strategy of the 12 / 70 Rapidly multiply mentoring: –1 (Jesus) to 12 (apostles) to 70 (or 72) –2x2 for accountability Go in the authority of Christ (Mt 10.1) –Mt 10:1 Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness –Represent the Most High God 1 Now after this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them in pairs ahead of Him to every city and place where He Himself was going to come.

Strategy of the 12 / 70 Expect a harvest - It is assumed! –E.g. Acts 13:48 –Focus = THE LOST Mt 10:6 “but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.“ When we focus on the lost, priorities stay right –Certainty of results because HS is at work! (Lk 9.7, 10:17-18) –Short term strategies can bear great fruit 2 And He was saying to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.

Strategy of the 12 / 70 The resources are in the harvest –Where do the workers come from? Those we harvest! –It goes against our nature – “cast out laborers” –This is where multiplication is built in – everyone harvested can be a potential worker (“trainer”) 2 And He was saying to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.

Strategy of the 12 / 70 Depend on God (Mt 10.9, Lk 10.4) –Go out as lambs expecting the Good Shepherd to care for you Depend on the Shepherd –Don’t plan all in advance It is a SPIRITUAL movement – HE will intervene –Use wisdom (Mt 10.16) –Above reproach (Mt 10.16) Single-minded tenacity – (Mt 10.5, Lk 10.4) –Not distracted 3 “Go; behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. 4 Carry no money belt, no bag, no shoes; and greet no one on the way.”

Strategy of the 12 / 70 Look for a person of peace (Mt 10.11, Lk 10.6) –They are non-believers –They welcome 1) you and 2) your message The Holy Spirit has been preparing them They will believe in Christ –They are gateways into relationships in the community (persons of relationship) Follow their relationships Win WHOLE GROUPS at once You have the content and they have the contacts Life transformation is key –Trust H.S. to mentor them –Find them through inquiring, witnessing & being vulnerable You must use SPIRITUAL means 5“Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house.’ 6 “If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. 7 “Stay in that house, eating and drinking what they give you; for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not keep moving from house to house.

Strategy of the 12 / 70 8 “Whatever city you enter and they receive you, eat what is set before you; 9 and heal those in it who are sick, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’” When you find him/her... Presence - Stay & bless him (Lk 10.5,7; Mt 10:11-13) –Love him & welcome whatever he gives you –Bring God’s peace on him Let the Power of God meet his needs (Lk 10:9) Boldly Proclaim the gospel (Lk 9.6, 10.9, Mt 10.7, Mk 6.12) (“This is the kingdom at work!) –Include repentance

Strategy of the 12 / 70 If NOT received... –Warn them (Lk ) Warnings: God’s provision for later repentance –Move on There are many other places that are ready! E.g. 4 types of soil 10 “But whatever city you enter and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, 11 ‘Even the dust of your city which clings to our feet we wipe off in protest against you; yet be sure of this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’”

Strategy of the 12 / 70 Expect persecution (Mt 10.23) – “WHENEVER…” –Matt 10:23 “But whenever they persecute you in one city, flee to the next... –It will not all be easy –But don’t worry in advance (Mt 10.19) 16 “The one who listens to you listens to Me, and the one who rejects you rejects Me; and he who rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me.”

Strategy of the 12 / 70 Be accountable (Lk 9.10, 10.17) –And hold others accountable also –The power of goals as “covenants” or “vows” 17 The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” Luke 9:10 When the apostles returned, they gave an account to Him of all that they had done.

Strategy of the 12 / 70 Do not base your joy in the results, but in your relationship with God! (Lk 10:20) Rest & evaluate periodically (Mk 6:31) Mark 6:31 And He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while.” 18 And He said to them, “I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning. 19 “Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you. 20 “Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.”

Effective Evangelism is built on… Right Avenues –Finding God-prepared People of Peace (POP) Wide sowing HOW HAVE YOU FOUND THEM???? –Helping them win People of Relationship (POR – oikos) Then helping them reach new POPs Immediately upon salvation… –Vision –Name list –Testimony –Gospel

Right Tools Addressing the top & bottom half of a person –Top Half: Cultural (worldview) Use avenues and questions that cut through it (e.g. Camel, Questions, 7 signs, Dreams, etc.) Don’t get distracted –Bottom Half: Human Same basic needs all humans have Share the GOSPEL One simple & reproducible tool –Testimony + gospel + hook Who is doing effective evangelism? What are they doing? E.g. Creation to Christ (C2C) – adapt and use it Don’t confuse people through too many tools Ask people to respond –Supplemental media (e.g. Jesus Film) –What will you use???

Right Amount of Time If only a small percentage of your target group are POPs, then how much time do you need to spend sharing the gospel to find them? Develop daily / weekly disciplines for witnessing –E.g. prayer walking daily to find POPs –E.g. not opening computer until witnessed Special “pushes” to find POPs –E.g. 3 week push Help new believers set similar patterns –CPMs occur because there is so much evangelism What disciplines do you need?

Effective Evangelism is built on… Right Avenues –Finding God-prepared People of Peace (POP) Wide sowing –Helping them win People of Relationship (POR – oikos) Then helping them reach new POPs Right Tools –Addressing the top & bottom half of a person –One simple & reproducible tool Testimony & gospel Right Amount of Time –Wide sowing by outsiders in beginning –Wide sowing by insiders as time goes by