Average Person lives 77 years. That is 28,000 days, 670,000 hours and 40,000,000 minutes. How does he spend his time?
Thanks,
- Telephone* (40 minutes each day, 20 hours per month, 10 days per year, 2 years in a lifetime).
- Bathroom (1 hour each day, 20 hours per month, 15 days per year, 3 years in a lifetime).
- Getting dressed (26 minutes each day, 13 hours per month, 7 days per year, 1 year in a lifetime).
- Television (3 hours per day, 90 hours per month, 45 days per year, 9 years in a lifetime).
The great apostle Paul admonished his brethren in Ephesus to make sure that they were "Redeeming the time, because the days are evil" (Eph. 5:16). Matthew Henry wrote, "redeeming the time (v. 16), literally, buying the opportunity. It is a metaphor taken from merchants and traders who diligently observe and improve the seasons for merchandise and trade." American merchants have created a mass frenzy starting the Friday after Thanksgiving and running well into January the next year. It is our hope to create that same frenzy among Christians in Fort Worth for June 8-14, 2007. Join us in redeeming the time.
Thanks,
Brant & Rick
* These numbers do no include teenage daughters.
19 comments:
Does this entail doorknocking or just inviting through mass media?
In your opinion which is more successful?
Curious
Publicly and house to house!
The combination is the best.
Even if someone will not initially study with you they might attend the event.
And some who will not go to the event might study privately.
Curious,
We use both public and private opportunities to teach in our campaigns. I know some want to do one or the other but it would seem to me that Paul set a good pattern (Acts 20:20).
Both of you misunderstood the ?
In refercence to advertising the meeting services themselves, is it more beneficial with mass media or door to door. What draws the people to the nightime service?
Not conversion, advertising.
Mass media raises awareness, but I don't believe it persuades too many adults to come to a religious event.
Those asking face to face, whether cold door to door or visiting referrals, are the point of persuasion. They can refer to the advertising when making the invitation to jog the persons mind about the event.
Most people who ever attend a religious service or who are ultimately lead to obey the gospel it is through a personal contact (Friend, Relative, Associate, or Neighbor).
Thanks that makes sense.
Another ? -
What has to happen to make sure the converts are not lost in the shuffle?
Any ideas?
In the ongoing work of the local church it is easier to keep up with new converts because they come in at a slower pace.
A campaign however, has the potential of loading a congregation up with lots of babes.
There must be a plan to nurture, train, and mature these people in place as part of the strategy.
I believe it is vitally important that the contact be sufficiently taught that his committment is not a false conversion.
They need to understand that becoming a disciple IS a commitment to be taught to observe all things in the apostles' doctrine.
If they understand that they are added to the church and that they have a responsibility to assemble, be in fellowship, worship, study, etc. from the start they will be less likely to fall away.
There are at least four commitments that a person must make.
1. The Bible is the Word of God and the NT in particular is our rule of faith and practice.
2. Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and is to be the Lord of our lives.
3. There is only one church whose pattern of work, worship, and organization is to be followed.
4. There is a lifestyle expectation of holiness.
I am a question of two late.
The key to all that we do in advertising can be expressed in one word: saturation.
Thus, the need for public and private. For example a billboard will get people's attention but a friend that is a member of the local church inviting is a much personal invitation.
Brehren, its not a secret, but it does take a lot of time and effort. Two rare commodities in today's society.
Try this:
(1) A Little TLC (1 Pet. 4:8). Who wants to stay where they are not loved?
(2) Hospitality (1 Pet. 4:9). Who wants to stay where they are ignored?
(3) Minister (1 Pet. 4:10; Acts 2:44-47). Who wants to stay where their needs are ignored?
(4) Work Them (1 Pet. 4:11) Who wants to stay where they are not needed?
How much time and effort are put forth by new parents to care and tend for a new baby?
Even a rancher knows that you have to put forth extra time and effort during caving season.
Can we afford to do any less?
rick-
you cant earn your slavation
if it takes this much work to grow the church then the church is not worth converting people to possibly
places like richland hills dont have to do all of that. why?
the love of God draws not a plan based upon pattern theology and hatered
you guys could be a great asset to the knigdom if you would get rid of your ideas on the one church
"if it takes this much work to grow the church then the church is not worth converting people to possibly"
What Bible have you been reading? I thought that Jesus preached about a strait (difficult) and narrow way. What do you think that the Apostles were doing in Acts? Do you think that when they were put in prison for preaching the Gospel they said to themselves "This is too hard. This church thing isn't worth it."? The work we do today is not even comparable to the suffering and hardships that early Christians went through every day, yet to a liberal they are too much to bear. Your attitude stinks, plain and simple, and I'd hate to explain to the Lord someday why I thought that my personal comfort was more important than his kingdom. If you don't like campaigns, fine - but if you aren't working hard for the Lord, something's wrong.
1Co 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
Anonymous criticized Rick as if Rick has stated that we earn salvation.
That is ridiculous.
It is true that...
"... by grace you have been saved through [the] faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works lest anyone should boast." (Eph. 2:8-9)
But is also true that...
"... we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus FOR good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." (vs. 10)
This person is absolutely ignorant of the history of Richland Hills. They think that those folks just God that big because.
I do not agree with what they have become, but they did not get there by doing nothing.
Love can be a strong drawing card, but how does one SHOW love except by what he does... ie, deeds...works (charitable, etc.)
The most loving thing one can ever do is lead a person to obey the gospel which saves a soul from hell.
This person also fails to understand that it was the Holy Spirit through Paul who said that there is one body and that the body is the church and the church is the body.
He also fails to understand that there is only one kingdom which is also the church.
He is abysmally unaware of the use of the "pattern" terminology.
It is impossible to restore what has no identifiable form, etc.
I would hate to be in some of these folks shoes and stand before Jesus on judgment day after insulting His beautiful bride.
The church which he purchased with his own blood, of which he is the savior.
All of the charitable works and warm and fuzzy treatment may draw people to US and some people call that church growth. But it is the Lord who adds saved folks to His church.
In order to be saved one must...
-hear
-believe
and
-obey... the Gospel Plan of Salvation
People won't obey what they don't believe. People can't believe what they haven't heard. People can't hear if no one is telling.
God's plan (image) is the foolishness of preaching!!
oops!!
That last line was supposed to say (imagine).
The question was asked... "places like richland hills dont have to do all of that. why?"
(1) Because they use the “Starbucks-gospel” to draw people into their denomination.
(2) Because they use the “let-me-entertain-you gospel” to draw people into their denomination.
(3) Because they use the “social gospel” to draw people into their denomination.
(4) Because they ignore the fact that it is the word of God (Jho. 6:44-45) that draws people and it can only draw to the Lord’s church.
This is “another gospel” (Gal. 1:6-8) which “make void the word of God” (Mark 7:13).
Hey Rick,
Some of the "church growth" literature calls it assimilation.
It's as if they think their slick marketing will get the people into the building and we can shmooze em into the kingdom.
I have heard some say that if they are among us long enough maybe they will learn how to be saved.
The social gospel allows the sinner to be comfortable in his sin while he is on his way to hell.
The true gospel leads people to repent and seek forgiveness so they don't have to go to hell.
The marketing approach corrupts the saints assemby for worship into some kind of side show to appeal to the sinner in his sins.
Win the worldly by worldly means and you will only keep them by worldly means.
back at you j.dean,okc
AMEN
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