Waarom wag God met die wederkoms... en ander dringende vrae vir Christene

Waarom wag God met die wederkoms? 

Dis seker een van die belangrikste vrae vir Bybelgelowiges wat soos 'n olifant in die kamer is; Almal wonder daaroor, maar niemand probeer dit duidelik antwoord nie. In 2 Pet 3 moes Petrus dit al probeer verduidelik aan spotters wat lag daaroor as hulle vra (v4) "En wat het nou geword van die belofte van sy wederkoms?"

Ander belangrike vrae vir gelowiges:

1) Wat is die die Hoofdoel van die Kerk?

2) Waarvoor het Jesus na die Wêreld gekom? (Dit sou 'n aanduiding wees waarop die Kerk ook behoort te fokus as Hoofdoel, nie waar nie?)

3) Vir wie het Jesus gekom? (agter die vraag sit... Sekerlik ook vir My!; Wat van "hulle"; die ander; heidene, Moslems en ander groepe... om nie eers ander rasse by te trek nie)

🤔WAT IS DIE KERK, GELOWIGES, SE ROL DAARIN? 

🤤EN HOEDANIG DOEN OF SLAAG ONS DAARIN?

📖MATTEUS 24:14 AFR83

"En hierdie evangelie van die koninkryk sal in die hele wêreld verkondig word, sodat al die nasies die getuienis kan hoor. Eers dan sal die einde kom.”

📖2 PETRUS 3:9‭, ‬12 AFR83
"Die Here stel nie die vervulling van sy belofte uit nie, al dink party mense so. Nee, Hy is geduldig met julle, omdat Hy nie wil hê dat iemand verlore gaan nie: Hy wil hê dat almal hulle moet bekeer.
Leef in verwagting dat die dag van God kom en beywer julle daarvoor..." (werk mee daaraan; hoe? Deur ons getuienistaak aan alle nasies, heidene te volbring)

📖Romeine 15:4-6 antwoord...Waarvoor het Christus gekom?  

v 4-5 Dit wat in die Skrif opgeteken is... om ons te gee... standvastigheid, bemoediging, hoop (God - Christus - is die bron daarvan, vgl. v 12b en v13) 

v 6: Dan kan julle almal eensgesind uit een mond lof toebring aan God, die Vader van onse Here Jesus Christus

📖Romeine 15:7-12 antwoord verder... Vir Wie het Christus gekom? asook...Waarvoor het Christus gekom?

Vir Wie? Die evangelie is vir alle mense: Christus het gekom vir die Jode, en... vir die ander nasies (nie-Jode sluit ook ons Afrikaners in). Die "nasies" word in verse 9-12 ses maal genoem (plus nog 1x "alle volke"; Vgl die Groot Opdrag Mat 28:19)

Waarvoor? Sodat alle nasies God sou Verheerlik! Hom sal loof (vgl drie OT aanhalings om dit te verduidelik... v9 U loof, tot eer van u Naam 'n lofpsalm sing; v10 Verbly julle saam; v11 Prys die Here; Loof Hom

Die Rol van die Kerk: 

📖Rom 15:14-21 - Paulus nogal "uitgesproke" (v15). 

Hy spel sy sendingopdrag hier uit as gerig "aan die heidennasies" (3x) plus "mense wat nog nie van Christus gehoor het nie" (v20) 

Hy sien dit as "sy priesterlike taak" en sy"genade-voorreg" om die evangelie aan hulle te bedien, om hulle "as offergawe" aan God te wy. (v15-16)

Hoedanig is dit ook steeds die Kerk se taak?

HOE SLAAG ONS AS KERK HIERIN? 

HOE IS ONS IN DIE PRAKTYK BESIG? Hoeveel % bestee ons in tyd, geld en mannekrag aan elke afdeling? 

👉Versorging van lidmate, "ons mense": met preke, bemoediging en Bybelstudie... 

❓Hoeveel %? = 80-90 %, selfs meer?❓

👉Ons getuienis na "Heidennasies" (steeds onbereiktes) 

❓Hoeveel %? = Dit wat oorbly: 20-10%, selfs minder? 

Ja, Paulus is nogal "uitgesproke" (v15) - en dit behoort ons ONGEMAKLIK te MAAK... 

HOPELIK NUUT TE LAAT DINK EN DOEN🤔

HOE OM DIT TE DOEN?

Vir meer praktiese leiding lees gerus ook die Twee Plasings...

Missions exists because the hallowing of God’s name is not.” - John Piper

Shifting our Mindset on Evangelism / The BLESS Method

This B.L.E.S.S. strategy shows, in a very practical way that’s theologically grounded, how anyone can be a blessing and reach people in places where they are living out the good news of Jesus. Download the free book now and find out: http://bit.ly/2xrHbir

BLESS: (Read Luke 10: 1-9)

• B= Bless
• L= Love
• E= Eat
• S= Serve
• S= Share 

Stratus: Missions Data Reimagined

Stratus: Missions Data Reimagined

Source: Radical

Could you use a tool that pulls data from diverse Christian and secular sources, analyzes physical and spiritual needs country by country, and identifies where the needs are the greatest? Stratus is a brand-new resource designed to help the Church recognize imbalances and reallocate resources more strategically.

Take a look. It does seem rather complex. I’d be interested in your input on its uses, strengths, and limitations.

10 Heartwarming Stories that Will Inspire You to Love Your Neighbor as Yourself Today

 

Click here to read

Shifting Our Mindset on Evangelism & Mobilizing your People

Shifting Our Mindset on Evangelism

When I was a college student, I was a new believer. I was passionate about God and his purposes, and I wanted to wholly fulfill his will for my life. I got involved in a wide variety of ministries. As I did all of this, one thing stood out: I had a friend who was constantly leading people to Christ, and I was not. 

It wasn’t due to lack of effort. In fact, it seemed at times as though I was working just as hard, and many times harder, than she was. As I compared our approaches, I seemed to be doing the exact same things. But she was regularly experiencing fruitfulness in the area of evangelism, and it seemed as though I was not.

Over time I made meaning of that by telling myself, I must not have the gift of evangelism. Because of that, I’ll use my gifts and skills in ministries that further the gospel, and others will do evangelism.

It seemed harmless enough, possibly even honorable. I served in global leadership with Wycliffe Bible Translators, a ministry that makes it possible for marginalized people to have access to the gospel through Scripture in their own languages. I also worked at a seminary. I sought to use my administrative, leadership, teaching and research skills to help others further God’s gospel purposes.

I have no regrets about serving in those ministries. It was an honor serving in those roles. But, as time went by, I often found myself reflecting on my earlier self-assessment. I began to realize that how I assessed myself is how many people in pews across the nation are thinking, too. They frequently look at evangelists and conclude that they cannot be like them. If they do not have the gift of evangelism, they are in essence off the hook. Hopefully, they look for other avenues to serve in God’s mission, but many opt out altogether.

So, where does that leave leaders who truly desire to equip and mobilize people for gospel proclamation? We have to get underneath why people are not sharing the gospel. That frequently means facilitating a mental shift that can unleash their motivation and engagement. I believe the following areas are critical for making that change.

YOU CAN BE YOURSELF

As seasons came and went over the years, I often encountered evangelists who were quite different from me. I don’t like to debate, but many of them did, always armed with answers to combat erroneous responses to their queries about salvation. I don’t enjoy telling people that what they believe is wrong, yet many of those evangelists were quite comfortable doing so. At times I walked away thinking I could not mirror their behavior, but the deeper truth was many times I did not want to be like them.

If we want all of our people to be engaged in gospel witness that includes some component of proclamation, we need to help them uncover how they can do it in light of their personalities, gifts, communication patterns, passions and interests. If they are encouraged that they can be themselves, they will be far more open to the idea of exploring how they might be effective in sharing their faith in their own contexts.

YOU CAN HONOR YOUR VALUES

Tolerance is a huge value for many people, along with a desire to treat people with respect. Many feel as though evangelism by nature attacks those two values. However, new models of evangelism are emerging that enable people to honor where others are at in their understanding. We need to work more intently at helping people understand how to connect evangelism with their deepest core values rather than seeing it as irreconcilable.

These new models are quite different than ones I learned when I was a young believer. However, many people in our churches are still viewing evangelism through old paradigms. 

One new method is the B.L.E.S.S. model that David Ferguson developed. This model of evangelism enables people to be the type of person they truly want to be. And, in the midst of that process, evangelism flows naturally.

The new method is the B.L.E.S.S. model that David Ferguson developed.

Also look to...

DAVE FERGUSON · Mobilizing God's People

 

Praying for Our Youth: 10 Areas You Should Focus On

By

 Terrace Crawford

 -

April 29, 2021

Praying for our youth is more important than ever. The Lord continues to do amazing things in teenagers’ lives, and I’m confident it’s the result of prayer. I’m also confident the youth of today will have an amazing impact on our world and will pursue God with a greater zeal and passion than previous generations. That’s why I invest more time than ever in praying for our youth.

Read it here...