The Doors of the The Doors of the Church Are OpenChurch Are Open

Reviving African American Churches & Faith CommunitiesReviving African American Churches & Faith Communities

Tyrone D. Gordon, Senior PastorSt. Luke “Community” United Methodist Church

Dallas, Texas

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--Dr. Zan W. Holmes, --Dr. Zan W. Holmes, Pastor EmeritusPastor EmeritusSt. Luke “Community” St. Luke “Community” United Methodist United Methodist ChurchChurch

““There is a difference between There is a difference between growinggrowing and and swellingswelling.”.”

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What is holistic What is holistic Evangelism?Evangelism?

--It’s about moving persons --It’s about moving persons from mere church from mere church

membership to committed membership to committed Christian discipleshipChristian discipleship

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What is it really about?What is it really about?

It’s about raising disciples . . .It’s about bring them in and moving them

out . . .It’s about producing prophetic disciples

– Who are about going out and bring change and transformation to a world gone mad!

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Working Definition of EvangelismWorking Definition of Evangelism

According to Gordon—

““Holistic evangelism is the Holistic evangelism is the proclamation of the Gospel of proclamation of the Gospel of

Jesus Christ, through Word and Jesus Christ, through Word and deed!”deed!”

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Our Membership VowsOur Membership Vows

I will be loyal to the United Methodist Church by upholding it with our prayers, presence, gifts and service-- Membership producing (old Membership producing (old membership vows)membership vows)

I will be loyal to Christ, through the United Methodist Church by upholding it with our prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness.--Disciple Making (new membership vows)Disciple Making (new membership vows)

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The Great Expectation !The Great Expectation !

[18] Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. [19] Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [20] and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

--Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV) --Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV)

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TeachingTeaching

Training & DeployingTraining & Deploying

ReachingReaching

A Cyclical View of Evangelism & Revitalization

Developing & Serving ChristianDeveloping & Serving Christian

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What Are We Really Dealing With?What Are We Really Dealing With?

This is Not Line Fishing! This is Net Fishing!

(Are the doors of your church really open or merely

cracked?)

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ReachingReaching

In order to “make” disciples, we have to go and get them!

In order to “make” disciples, we have to capture their minds, hearts, trust and respect

In order to “make” disciples, we must resist the temptation to choose which fish we want to catch

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The Worship ExperienceThe Worship Experience

--and the preaching moment --and the preaching moment must comfort, confront, must comfort, confront,

challenge and invite persons challenge and invite persons to come to Jesus.to come to Jesus.

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TeachingTeaching

Good preaching, inspiring and celebratory worship can draw folks; but teaching will grow people.

Churches cannot grow disciples if opportunities to learn what the traits of a disciple are not being taught.

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Christian Education in the MixChristian Education in the Mix

The role of Christian Education does not simply impart information, but gives inspiration to go beyond the walls of the Sanctuary. “The Word became flesh and dealt among us.”

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TrainingTraining

The primary ministry of the staff—both clergy and laity is to equip and empower the saints for ministry.

Great care should be given to how we train, not only new members, but also existing members and leadership team.

We invest time and energy in raising and developing Spiritual Leaders.

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There is a difference between church work and the work of the

church.

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The work of the church mainly is to proclaimJesus Christ, invite others into relationshipwith him; and send them out into the world

to bring spiritual, social, political andeconomic change and transformation to all of

our communities.

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DeployingDeploying

Other disciples make the greatest impact upon the world, particularly in the lives of others.

We must move from “in-reach to outreach.”

We must move from being a “come to” church to a being a “go out and do” church.

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The Challenge is:The Challenge is:

“If you’ve got good religion, you ought to

show some sign.”African American Spiritual

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The Heart of the CommunityThe Heart of the Community

When folks in the community see that the church has the community at heart—the community will hold that church to heart.

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Acts 1:8Acts 1:8

[8] What you'll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world."

(Msg Translation)

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What Happens When. . .What Happens When. . .

The people are deployed? The people are released? The people of God themselves are

transformed? The people of God take seriously the

command to bear fruit for the up-building of the Kingdom?

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And the final word . . .And the final word . . .

And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Matthew 28:20 (NIV)

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The Final ResultsThe Final Results

To make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world!

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What then?What then?

We will turn the world upside down – then turn it right-side up!