church membership (in thousands) church1960 membershiprank2002-4 membershiprankchangerank african...
TRANSCRIPT
A Christian is one who…
Cares for the Lost!
Man Has A Choice!
Romans 6:16Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to
whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience
unto righteousness?
Christian Church Membership in theUnited States: 1960-2002
NOTESChurches with 200,000 and over members in 2002-2004
1960 data reflects current religious organization(Mergers since 1960)
CHURCH MEMBERSHIP (In Thousands)
Church 1960 Membership Rank 2002-4 Membership Rank Change Rank
African Methodist Episcopal Church 1,166 16 2,500 12 114.4% 14
African Methodist Episcopal Church Zion 770 17 1,433 20 86.1% 16
American Baptist Association 648 19 275 43 -57.6% 37
American Baptist Churches in the USA 1,521 13 1,434 19 -5.7% 28
Antiochan Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of
North America 125 360 36 Armenian Apostolic Church NA 414 33
Armenian Orthodox Church of America 125 32 360 36 188.0% 12
Assemblies of God 509 20 2,687 10 427.9% 5
Baptist Bible Fellowship International NA 1,200 22
Baptist Missionary Association of America NA 235 46
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 1,801 12 786 30 -56.4% 36
Christian Churches & Churches of Christ NA 1,000 24
Christian Methodist Episcopal Church 392 22 850 29 116.8% 13
Christian & Missioinary Alliance 57 34 389 35 582.5% 4
Church of Christ Scientist NA 880 28 Church of God in Christ 393 21 5,500 5 1299.5% 2
Church of God (Anderson, Indiana) 140 31 247 44 76.4% 17
Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) 180 30 945 26 425.0% 6
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) 1,487 14 5,599 4 276.5% 8
Church of the Nazarene 308 24 644 31 109.1% 15Churches of Christ 2,163 10 1,500 16 -30.7% 32
Roman Catholic Church 42,105 1 66,407 1 57.7% 21
Why do Christians
care for the Lost?Because It Is
Important!(To the Lost)
ImportanceThe State Of Being In SinEphesians 2:1-3
1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of
disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling
the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
ImportanceThe State Of Being In Sin
Mark 16:15-16 15 And he said unto them, Go
ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every
creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be
saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
ImportanceDamned
Thayer Definition:1) to give judgment against, to judge
worthy of punishment1a) to condemn
Strong’s Defintion1) to judge against, that is, sentence
The State Of Being In Sin
ImportanceThe Result of Sin
Genesis 2:15-17 15 And the LORD God took the man, and
put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every
tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of
good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou
shalt surely die.
ImportanceThe Result of Sin
Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so
death passed upon all men, for that all have
sinned:
ImportanceThe Result of Sin
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is
death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
ImportanceThe Result of SinRomans 7:9
For I was alive without the law once: but when the
commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
ImportanceThe Result of Sin
Isaiah 59:1-2 1 Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save;
neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: 2 But your iniquities have
separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face
from you, that he will not hear.
ImportanceThe Result of Sin
Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving,
and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers,
and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone:
which is the second death.
ImportanceThe Result of SinMatthew 10:28
And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
ImportanceThe Result of SinMatthew 25:41-46
Why do Christians care for the Lost?
Because It Is Important!
(To the Child of God)
ImportanceIt is
CommandedWebster’s Dictionary
Command:1. To bid; to order; to
direct; to charge; implying authority, and power to control, and to require
obedience.
ImportanceIt is
CommandedMark 16:15-16 15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel
to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
ImportanceIt is
Commanded1 Peter 2:9-10 9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an
holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of
darkness into his marvellous light: 10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
ImportanceIt is
Commanded1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your
hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with
meekness and fear:
ImportanceExamples
ShownJESUS HIMSELF
ImportanceExamples
ShownJohn 1:46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of
Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
ImportanceExamples
ShownActs 8:4 Therefore they that were scattered
abroad went every where preaching the word.
ImportanceExamples
ShownActs 8:5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto
them.
ImportanceExamples
Shown3 John 1:5-8 5 Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers; 6 Which
have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well: 7 Because that for his name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles. 8 We therefore ought to receive such, that
we might be fellowhelpers to the truth.
But what types of Consequences are there if we don’t evangelize or is
there any?
Consequences?
John 15:1-8
Consequences?
Revelation 2:1-5
Consequences?
Revelation 3:1-2
Consequences?
James 2:24 Ye see then how
that by works a man is justified, and not
by faith only.
Consequences?
Ezekiel 3:18-21
8 THINGS NEEDED TO BE UNDERSTOOD ABOUT
EVANGELISM
8 Things….1. The power is in the seed.
2. Results depend on the type of soil.
3. The place of the sower. (1 Cor. 3:5-7)a) We are seed thrower and waterers, not increasers!
4. The principle of sowing and reaping.
5. Quite often, one sows and another reaps.
6. The providence of God is at work!
7. God opens doors for prepared workers.
8. Prayer is the catalyst in evangelism.
If not a Christian, Do you LOVE God?Hear His Word – Romans 10:17
Believe that Jesus is the Son of God – John 8:24Repent of your sins – Luke 13:3
Confess the name of Jesus – Romans 10:9-10Be Baptized in the blood of Christ – Acts 2:38
If a Christian, Have you been Disobedient?
Have you remained faithful? – Revelation 2:10